The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-03-21
Ace
Of the Air
Copyright. 1913. Western Newspaper unioa ,
BY GENEVlEVE ULMAR

Copyright 1918. Western Newspaper unionl
A parvenue and tuft hunter, 1t was
quite natural that Judge" Hiram ST.
lingsby should be delighted to have an
Introduction to Lieut.. Norman Mon,
tague. 1t was at his club that one
of its members brought the acquaint-
anceship about. 1t soon grew into init
macy. for the Judge was effusive In
counting military lion, so believed,
and the shrewd lieutenant was max
ing business of breaking In wherever
pleasure and profit promised.
Lieutenant of what?" a suspicious
I fellow club member asked of the spon-
/, sor Of 1.-The hero from the front"
"Oh not In this war, he says" en-
! plalned the other. 'He was O lIeuten-
/ ant In the English army Then he be-
came interested in aeronautlcs and of
I fered his services to the French army.
He's done his bit famously, I under
! stand"
How is that2" propounded the sAep-
tic.
/ Hes an Ace of the AIR"
I "Ah, indeed?
"Yes, you know that they 30 desig-
! nate an aviator who has brought down
five enemy machines"
(which this lieutenant OF yours didT'
Fourteen of them"
'Tell you, Judge" responded the 9TH
er, you know our plant has made q
number of airplaue motors. Well, in
conversation with your lieutenant,
| n,yir
ton as applying to our motor. He
showed ignorance of the first princi-
pies of motor construction. That made
me suspicious, for there are q lot Of
fake war heroes these days"
"Oh, that's easily explained" the
champion Of the doughty lieutenant
declared. al am crack automobilist,
but | wouldn't know the exhaust from
the manifold. Same way with Men
tague. 1t isn't mechanical details with
him. It's nerve and proficiency at the
wheels and levers"
Lieutenant Montague was generally
received as a distinguished parsonage.
> Mr. Silingsby introduced him at his
home. Miss Hortense Silingsby, hus-
band hunting, began to wonder IF he
Q was not u desirable party and helped
exploit him in a social way.
. "Oh, somewhere in France. You
know we are restricted as to exact lati-
q tude and longitude" The clever "ace
of the mir" would say evasively, when
" cornered as to location of some of the
I scenes OF Valor and hairbreadth es-
cape he described "The commander
Of our corps Insisted on my leaving the
, | front after the time l brought down
, four airplanes in one skirmish for the
enemy had set a price on my head.
That was the time shot just grazed
, me and but for my medal would have
ended me. See" and he would exhibit
the medal in question. THAT shot
, sheared off my engraved name clean
. as whistle"
The Silingsbys gave reception In
honor of Lieutenant Montague. Some
very good people attended the func-
ton and among them were the Ashleys,
and that was a cause of intense graft
fication to Miss Silingsby.
Hortense had always entertained a
sentiment of dislike and resentment
towards that old and respected family.
The Ashleys were not of the newly
rich. The Ashleys had only moderate
means, but were OF blue blood In the
truest sense of the word. They had
entertained guests of national distinc-
lion and always courteously included
the Silingsbys in their functions.
Lieutenant Montague had exhibited
his prize medal as usual and Aida Ash,
ley viewed ii as 1t was passed around.
1t was u week later that she received
visit from Il cousin who lived In an.
other town. Quite incidentally Aida
mentioned the lieutenant and the med
nj, and general details concerning him.
Her cousin was interested and there,
was an enlgmatical expression on his
face Mt the recital.
A few days later this same cousin
called this time having with him
companion In uniform. The latter had.
face that at once interested Aida.
lie was apparently convalescent and,
/ the cousin informed Aida, was home
from active service In the army abroad
on furlOugh.
It was later In the day that this
upon Lieutenant Montague ut his hotel.
The latter changed color as he recog-
nized the convaescent.
az have called for my property.
James Martin" spoke his caller, q
tinge of sternness and menace in his
, tones. "including the medal, will give
Won twenty-fOur hours TO disappear"
The false lieutenant acted like a
whipued eur. He, indeed. vanished
that same night, after passing worth
; less checks on his friends to a large
amount He had robbed Walter New
combe, the real "ace Of the air" when
) the latter was supposed to be dying in
hospital in France. and was exploit
ing the medal and the past valiant
deeds of Newcombe. Martin had been
. n Spectator in news on the battle
: front and driven thence for selling the
!, same to the enemy.
Walter Newcombe was modest, not
, DESTROYS of publicity, but sharp re-
porter got hold of the case and the
Silingsbys were Inundated by the ex-
posture.
So it came about that there was a
social function at the Ashley home that
, far outshOne that of the -Silingsbys-
Hortense was invited but did not come,
and also made it convenient to hide
her chagrin at a distance when the
hr,Ilia0t u,addinp of Aida and the real