Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-08-02
T Il 9 u a ilv
Short Story

By Alan IIinsdaIe

John Ellison was Of The third gen.
GRAFTON of an irish revolutionist VIII,
after tae suppression of the revolt q.
ireland found 1t necessary TO emil
CRATE Johns grandfather came IN
America. married an American vo-
man, and daughter of bls married
William Ellison. an Englishmau.
Johnny vas sent over TO England
to be educated and came back verr
enthusiastic over the English people
The consequence was tbat when ths
great worlds war broke out he went
over to fight under the imperial Brit
ish flag.
The only person toward whom John
felt a real enmjty was Elmer Treat
whose grandfather came from Ger
many The two youngsters had been
chums5 but as luck would have r.
they split on a girl and. though mel
Their felt sure he had gained the adj
vantage over the other the rivalry
separated them Whether or not II
broke their friendship this story VIII
tell.
Johnny thought be could serve the
fatherland Of his aucestors-he con
sidered himself an American and an
American only-in the flying corus
lie therefore went To London and
after a course of instruction thar
fitted MIN TO make q bird of himself
was sent to the front for active duty
At first he was sent up into the air 10
locate the enemy's guns and signal
their position but after q year al
that kind of service he was made q
member OF the fighting corps.
When Johnny left America for the
war he did so partly because he had
been refused by Alice Weatherhg.
This was the girl that he and Elmer
Treat had split upon. Whether Treat
had won where he had failed be diH
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 UNI
fair means? 1t is the girl who throws
the apple Of disc0rd between them
One day John Ellison went up to
get his 18Th aerODiane He had
brought down y and had been duly
decorated by the government,
John set ont about 10 o'clock OF a
spring morning. AS he rose about the
treetops he heard the birds singing
below him and wondered IL they were
not jealous OF the invasion of their
element. On reaching the height he
desired he started toward the enemys
lines Far in the distance he saw
either an aeroplaHe or a bird, but has
practiced eye soon told him that It
was the former. Nor was It long be-
fore the aeroplane appeared to be
heading for John.
When the two came TO within
mile of each other each seemed ta
realize that he was singled out for
fight. They CircIed about each other.
either for observation or for position.
neither appearing TO care to come -
close enough for fight
John, who was armed with q uz
range gun, sent a shot by way 1t
opening the sCrimmaee, 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 other
faces. or il they were they were TOD
much covered for them TO do SO. Pres
entity the stranger suddenly Eeered
from his course and, putting ON al
speed. made straight for his auemys
machine John swerved, and The
other passed him On the flank. beta
4HEliE DIT ttEE same time. -NEtALtEE taiEHE
was hurt, but the bodies Of both aero
planes received several bullets.
Now as they dashed past each other
johnny got a view of his enemy
much as he might see st by q flash
Of lightning There was something
about it that reminded him of his for
mer friend and subsequent enemy who
ne had believed had acted unfairly
with reference TO alice WeatherbT
Nonsense! There were thousand 10
one chances against his meeting
Elmer Treat anywhere on terra frma
in Europe and q million TO one that
he would not meet him thousand
feet up IN the air Nevertheless thar
brief glimpse he had got Of the man
IN the other machine was mHrVel0u5iT
suggestive of Elmer.
But johnny was lighting for life
and realized fully that ali his facul-
tise should be exercised in taking the
life Of the man who was bent on
killing him Besides. the fact thai
bis enemy reminded him Of the man
he believed had injured him with raa
woman he loved did not tend TO eh-
tinguish In him tine madness Of "af
Taking advantage of turn the other
made. in which he exposed himself
favorably for d shot Johnny fred a.
nam ana sd ~ A8L41E Aal@hfIlhtr +-.'+*t-
THANK beavenl' said John Give
passed my I3tht"
The enemy's aeroplane began 70
sink slowly in a spiral Joha could
not he sure whether or net tine man
ia her had any control over her Or
not. Slowly she cfrcled rlH she
reached an open space In tHe raar Of
the British lines devoid OF troops.
John followed. struck the ground near
him and when he ceased to move.
and ran over to the other
aer0plaDe.
He found Elmer Treat dead
A revulsion came over John Eli
is0n
Curse my I3tbt" he cried bitterly.
T have killed my chum,"
Ellison asked to be transferred
from the flying corps and later was
wounded on terra Hrma- He vas
discharged and returned TO America
Bat be did NOT marry Alice Hea-1-
7rby