Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-30

occasionally turning to sweep the sur
rounding air for hostile aircraft.
| In an aeroplaane far above the earth
one experiences a peculiar feeling OF
I aloofness. There is no apparent con-
nection between the soaring machine
and the ground below, and Thames
sensation as. he looked down upon the
battle were those of a spectator rather
| than of one playing a vital part in the
| war drama.
The roar of the motor, muff1ing the
throb of cannon, fostered the feeling,
put the white puffs of shrapnel burst
! ing along the banks of the silver rib
bon of a river which writhed through
| the lowlands limited the fierceness of
the artillery duel raging below Be
yond the Marine moving masses, long
| lines OF dust along the roads, the CLINT
OF the sun from polished weapons told
| of the march of the enemy's troops
Thames sensation of being an onlook-
! er was destined to be short lived. A
touch on his arm by the driver of the
machlne directed his attention toward
the north. A slender-winged, gray craft
was slanting down out of a cloud bank.
Quickly the British airman veer.d.
pointing the nose of the craft sharply up-
ward: In an effort to rise above the taube,
anu iHa!e ureW service rifle from it's
straps. The observer of the German
monoplane already was shooting, and
there was an occasional ping as a bull
let came close. Slight shocks told when
the wings were hit.
Coolly Thane opened fire while the
avlators maneuvered for position, both
rising constantly; then a careful shot.
an exclamation of satisfa ction. and the
Englishman watched the taube. with
dead man in. the drivers seat, whirl
p o.th
paper.
Ihane was sliding the rifle back into
ITS loops when he suddenly started,
slumping against the straps which
held him to his seat. Something buzz
zed past like a venomous winged in
sect. the monoplane heeled, pointed
sharply upward. lost momentum and
slid back tail-f1rst as the driver, his
face white. rapidly widening red
smear on one shoulder. fought to re-
gain control
The taube. which, unobserved, had
dropped down from a cloud to avenge
the fate of the other German ma chine.
drove straight ahead. Seemingly it's
work had been accomplished.
But the driver of the English ma
chine accomplished the apparently i'm
possible. He righted his craft and
reached the ground in a long volplane,
landing slightly in the rear of a line
Of shallow trenches where a regiment
crouched to escape hail of shrapnel
Thane revived as he was lifted from
his seat. The rifle bullet had cut
through his scalp and stunned him, but
the wound was not serious. The avia-
tor was badly hurt, however, and had
collapsed Immediately after effecting
a safe landing.
Meantime the taube which had driven
the English flyer to earth had turned
its attention to the troops who held the
low ridge. Straight down the line of
trenches it passed. dropping spirals of
tinsel which glittered and twisted as
they foated slowly downward.
Two miles away German officers with
rangefinders marked the signals, and
the shrapnel storm slackened a mo-
ment, then burst again, the shells eX-
ploding with deadly precision above
the open rifle pits. ..,
Back and forth flew the aeropIane,
constantly correcting the German fire,
which rapidly was rendering the posi-
ton untenable, and already there were
signs of activity along the river bank
which told of the coming charge. =
Unless the machine directing the Ger
man gunners could be driven away the