The Arvada enterprise., 1917-10-18

With this reinforcement reducing
the odds against her to two to one, she
executed q mnneuver which her su-
perior speed had made feasible through
giving her a tolerably long lead,
wheeled figuratively on her heel-that
is, in Us narrow circle as the biplane
could compass-and gave battle.
Handling the machine gun emplaced
beside her, the observer opened fire at
long range, as soon as he could bring
the weapon to bear, and scored first
blood by winging one Of their two
antagonists so severely that he was
forced to abandon the combat and de-
scend for repairs.
The other proved more elusive and
stout-hearted. Driven with superb
skill, It danced through the air with
apparently as little stability as
nudge, making itself target we'll
nigh as fugitive as a mote in SUM-
beam.
Belt after belt Of ammunition was
fed by Patria's observer into his ma
chine gun and wasted on empty air,
thanks to the evasiveness of the jap
anese.
That the latter had no better luck
in scoring of Patria's plane was little
satisfaction. There was only room
for evaporation In the minds Of the
Americans, that the end must be so
long delayed-aside from the settled
determination that weighed upon their
senses with the power Of obsession
that the duel could and should end
but one way-with the determination
Of their opponent.
Providing that were accomplished,
and assuming that the other American
biplane was similarly successful In the
contest now raging between 1t and the
japanese, something like thousand
feet below them, the hostile air fleet
would be rather effectively crippled
judging by the number of planes
which 1t had thus for discovered-and
the disparity between the forces OF
invasion and defense would. by that
much at least, be reduced.
And yet-moment after moment
passed without either side scoring q
Gripping hit. The planes Of both
were fairly riddled by the streams Of
bullets they exchanged; Patria's oh.
server had suffered a slight flesh
wound in the shoulder. She herself had
repeatedly felt the wind Of bullets
winging past her face-as though the
icy tongue of Death were licking 1t.
As for the other side. there was
reason to believe, from what they
could see. that the pilot was nursing a
wounded hand. But this had not served
to discourage him. He pursued his ef-
forts to enable his observer to deal
Patria's craft a mortal blow with un-
abated grimness, skill and cunning.
Then. Of q sudden. 1t was mani.
tested that the store Of ammunition at
the command Of the japanese Ind run
out. He fired one nnal gust Of bullets,
then in twinkllng abandoned the field
dropping almost headlong from that
high level wherein they had fought.
With no more notion Of mercy In
her humor than she would have felt
had the Japanese been q tiger-shnrk,
Patria tore down the air lanes In pur.
suit, the planes Of her machine at
times 80 steeply inclined that they
seemed well.nigh vertical. Only the
most consummnte mastery Of the ART
Of flying could have made such q feat
possible.
And then, in . twinkling. It was all
over. They were dropping like twin
plummets. the japanese airplane some
two hundred feet below Patria's and
q little distance to one side. The oh.
server, training his weapon with the
greatest GOODNESS, ran his last belt
Of cartridges through the machine Ia
one last roaring blnst-and scored.
The japanese plane seemed momen.
tarily to be mysteriously checked in
midnight. II hung for q little % II
checked by the grasp Of some great
invisible hand. Then. as II that hand
were slowly closing upon II. the thing
crumpled like broken toy-crumpled
pitifully In upon itself and fell hutter
ing aimlcssly, turning over and over
with ever increasing rnpidlty. and
throwing of two limp. sprawlina
shapes Of men that distanced II to the
earth, whlrling horribly.
With supreme effort Patria rlghtcd
her machine. brought It to an ever
keel. and steadied It upon homewnrt
course.
Only fixed refusal to permit herself
to think Of what had happened en-
nbleti her to accomplish this. She wal
afaicted with violent inclination e
nausea. OF all forms Of death. for tn.
time being. this seemed to her tn,
most terrible-this death Of violence
In midair which she had savagel,
dealt out to the enemies Of her coun
~.
But what was needed to restore he,
nerves to their normal steadlncss Wal
presently accorded By The enemy him
self.