The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-25
His Thirteenth
Brdman Dropped
By ALAN HlNSDAIE

a1ter the suppression Of the revolt in
ireland found it necessary to emil
CRATE Johns grandfather came to
america. married an American wo.
man, and a daughter of his married
william Ellison, an Englishman.
Johnny was sent over to Enp,and
to be educated and came back yery
enthusiastic over the English people
1ne consequence was that when the
great worlds war broke out he went
over TO hight under the imperial Brit
ish flag.
The only person toward whom John
felt a real enmity was Elmer Treat,
| whose grandfather came from Ger
many. The two as youngsters had been
chums; but, as luck would have it
they split on girl, and, though nei.
ther felt sure he had gained the advan-
tage over the other, the rivalry sepa-
rated them. Whether or not It broke
their friendship this story will tell.
Johnny thought he could serve the
fatherland of his anceStorS-he consid-
cred himself an American. and an
American only-in the tiying corps. He
| therefore went to London and after n
/ course OF instruction that fitted him to
/ make bird of himself was sent to
the front for active duty. At first he
was, sent up into the air to locate the
enemys guns and signal their posi-
| ton, but after year at that kind of
service he was made a member of the
| fighting corps.
, When Johnny left America for the
war he did so partly because he had
been refused by Alice Weatherby.
/ This was the girl that he and Elmer
Treat had split upon Whether Treat
had won where he had failed he did
not know, but he felt very bitter to-
ward his former friend, because he
! presumed that Treat had taken unfair
advantage Of him. But was there ever
a rivalry wherein one party did not
consider that the other had used un-
fair means? 1t is the girl who throws
J the apple Of discord between them.
I One day John Ellison went up to get
his thirteenth aeroplane He had
brought down twelve and had been
/ duly decorated by the government.
John set out about 10 o'clock Of a
! spring morning AS he rose about the
| treetOps he heard the birds singing be-
low him and wondered if they were
! not jealous Of the invasion of their ele-
ment. On reaching the height he de-
sired he started toward the enemy's
lines Far in the distance he saw Ell
ther an acroplane or bird, but his
practiced eye soon told him that 1t was
the former. Nor was 1t long before
the aeroplane appeared to be heading
! for John.
When the two came to within mile
of each other each seemed to realize
that he was singled out for fight.
They circled about each other, either
for observation or for position, neither
/ appearing to care to come to quarters
| close enough for fight John, who
was armed with long range gun, sent
shot by way of opening the scrim-
| mage, but it either fell short or went
wild. His enemy did not seem ready
for reply.
The combatants were not near enough
to distinguish each others faces, or IL
they were they were too much covered
for them to do so. Presently the
stranger suddenly veered from his
course and, putting on all speed, made
straight for his enemy's machine. John
swerved, and the other passed him on
the flank, both firing at the same time.
Neither man was hurt, but the bodies
Of both aeroplanes received several
bullets
Now as they dashed past each other
Johnny got view of his enemy, much
as he might see it by flash Of light
ming. There was something about it
that reminded him of his former friend
and subsequent enemy who he had be-
lieved had acted unfairly with refer
ence to Alice Weatherby Nonsense.
There were a thousand to one chances
against his meeting Elmer Treat any
where on terra frma In Europe and
a million to one that he would not
meet him thousand feet up in the
air. Nevertheless that brief glimpse
he had got Of the man in the other
machine was marvelously suggestive
of Elmer
But Johnny was fighting for life
and realized fully that all his faculties
should be exercised In taking the life
OF the man who was bent on killing
him. Besides, the fact that his enemy
reminded him of the man he believed
| had injured him with the woman he
loved did not tend to extinguish In him
the madness of war Taking advan
tage of turn the other made, In
which he exposed himself favorably
for a shot, Johnny fired at him and
saw him instantly collapse.
THANK heaven" said John. We
passed my thirteenth
The enemy's aeroplane began to SINE
slowly in a spiral John could not bt
sure whether or not the man in hei
] had any control over her or not. Slow
| ly she circled till she reached an opet
space In the rear Of the British lines
/ devoid of troops John followed
struck the ground near him and, wher
! ba coocad to move. aljghted and raj