The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-18
The One Way Ticket

"Mr Man, this is the end OF your trip.
I always did hate a drunk. l need the
money but not bad enough to be bothered
with a stewed stiff like you. Take off
that coat and helmet" He added action by
assisting rather roughly in removing the
garments, regardless of Dams protests
Then, grabbing the $40 from his own
pocket, he thrust it at his late fare. 'lrake
it," he barked, "you got a five-mile ride
and / hope a walk of the same length free"
And right rudely he showed Dan down into
a sitting posture.
"Where you headed?" inquired the
stranded automobilist, as the flier began
to search his pockets for money to pay for
the gas
Gel Dorado, original destination, but I
had figured on taking this boob on TO
Wichita. Now that's off,"
"Say, Ell Dorado; that's just where /
want to go, and I'm in a hurry" declared
the young man, suppose you take me on IN
the place of this guy. I'll pay whatever
you think is right"
you're on declared the airman
"Climb into that outfit and let's CO." He
set his throttle, went around and pulled
down the propeller to Snug let fly and the
motor began to purr. Meanwhile the
stranger had donned the leather coat and
helmet and climbed nimbly into the for
ward cockpit. Then the little flier walk
ing over to Dan, who was cursing and threat
ening at the top of his voice. 'Just take
this along with the five-mile ride, it won't
cost you dime" remarked the aviator.
Then he jumped about a foot from the
ground and Knocked Dan flat. He was just
getting up as the plane left the ground and
sailed gracefully away to the southwest. q.
Maybe some of the professional and anna
teur soothsayers can look through the haze
that obscures the future, but neither Dan,
Sparrowhawk Burton nor the young auto
mobile thief who had taken Dams place had
qualified as soothsayer. Dan was too be-
fuddled to think much about fate; Sparrow
hawk had been so angry that he probably
exercised less caution than usual in filling
his gas tank with a leaky canvas bucket,
and the thief, member Of the Wichita Auto
Thieves Bund, considered himself in great
luck. 1t promised to take him far away
from the broken-down car, and it was much
than his own hang-out, short distance
further. He might have attracted some
attention flying directly home, where the
police knew him. The young thief was en-
joying the flight, four thousand feet aloft
and twenty miles from the wrecked "evi-
dence" when the first blast of flame shot
back into his face. He died so suddenly
that death was undoubtedly painless But
both bodies were roasted and mangled be-
yond the slightest possibility of recognition
when the crowd of farmers reached the
sckening scene.
1t was several minutes after the disap-
pearance of his late chariot that Dan sat in
the pasture and conducted monologue on
ungrateful aviators. Then he wandered
unsteadily out to the road, pulling his crum-
pied golf cap from a side coat pocket and
dragging it low on his aching brow. First
he climbed into the disabled machine and
prepared to drive it away. When the car.
buretor, full Of gas, was exhausted, the
drained tank failed to furnish more.
Drained tanks are like that. Then he stood
on the starting button until the battery
! was run down. Then he got out and started
to walk toward the town he had but re-
Gently quilted, and was overtaken by an
amiable looking man with flivver. He
offered lift. Dan accepted. The new
friend took it for granted the drunken
traveller was the proprietor of the wrecked
car, and took mental location so he could
come back that night and strip it of all valu-
able accessories He gave Dan drink, and
onined that he lneu riOht xuhoro RI oat soma