The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-08-23

Chicago Tribune-New York News Syndicate,
Incorporated
(Copyright: 1885: By Dolores Colllns)
TWO PARTS-PART ONE
THESE STORIES By JIMMY
COLLINS, THE CELEBRATED
FLYER WHO DIED WHILE
MAKING ONE OF A SERIES OF
TEST DIVES FOR THE NAVY
ON MARCH ~, ARE HIS FIRST
AND LAST SHORT STORIES.
THEY ARE EXCITING AND
PORTENTOUS. HE WAS A
WRITER OF GREAT PROMISE.
When the three army hawks thumb
cred pouhdingly cross the blurred
green surface Of selfridge field and beat
their powerful way into the clear blue
sky, Saunders knew that Johnny, fly
ing abreast of him out there on his left,
was a young pilot apt to take chances.
He knew that Joe, leading the forma-
ton, was an old pilot, seasoned and
capable. He knew, also, that Joe had
been the envied winner of the import
ant Hurlitzer trophy race for the army
a few months before, but he didn't
think Of that at the moment.
He saw the shore line Of Lake st.
Clair slide in under the still climbing
formation a few seconds after the take
off. He waited for Joe to bank to the
right and lead the formation down the
shore line of the lake to Detroit and
across the Detroit river there into
| Windsor, Canada. But Joe headed
straight across the lake toward Wind
sol.
Saunders had always thought of Joe
as conservative.
Saunders noted, when the Windsor
shore line came in under them, that 1t
had taken only five minutes to cross
the little lake and that there had been
boats under them all the time. He
thought that after all it had not been
so rash of Joe.
The flat Windsor fields drifted past
under the formation. The white north
ern shore line of Lake Erie appeared
came closer and closer until it was al
most underneath. Saunders noted that
! Joe had led them up to five thousand
feet. But he noticed also that Joe was
striking straight out across the lake
toward Cleveland.
This isn't like Joe even at this al
titude," Saunders muttered to himself.
why the hell doesn't he swing out
around by Pelee island as he usually
does?"
The blue water moved in under the
| formation. The shore line receded into
the hazy distance behind and soon dis
! appeared. Saunders looked around and
| couldn't see even a boat.
Nothing within gliding distance but
a long SWIM" he told himself
He looked over to his left at Johnny's
ship which cruised silently along
abreast of him out there on his left.
He wondered if even Johnny didn't OBJ;
ject a little. He looked ahead and
down to his left at Joe's ship. The back
of Joe's head looked quite unconcerned'
He sat tense in his cockpit for a long
time, peering and peering ahead Tor
the other shore line. Finally he made
] it out very dimly. When it came with
in gliding distance he sighed and re-
laxed.
Joe led the formation into a land
ing at Cleveland airport fifty minutes
after it had taken off from Selfridge
That was record time.
Newspaper reporters and photog-
raphers rushed Joe for interviews and
pictures when he climbed out Of his
ship. Joe had faced rushes like that
wherever he had landed ever since he
had won the Hurlitzer trophy race.
Saunders and Johnny walked over to
the hot dog stand, Saunders nibbled at
his sandwich and slipped his coffee
b~rooding. Johnny took huge bites and
gulped.
Saunders, staring down at his shoes
said: Funny thing for Joe to do
Cut across the lakes like that. Not
like him."
Johnny turned his head toward
Saunders, swallowed a large mouthtul
of hot dog, and said: what the hell
Haven't you ever cut across before?'
mo. And I didn't like it."
Forget IT.. Engines don't quit every
time you take off,"
mo. But they do quit"
Not often. Percentage Is damned
Eyes. I save that line to comfort
myself when I have to take a chance OF
an engine"
"WeIl, what the hell" Johnny said
with an airy W of his cofeee cup
you'll worry along about this flying
business until you step on a banana
peeling some day and break your neck.
"That'l be something I can't help
ANYWAY" Saunders retorted.
"Oh, I don't know" Johnny said, his
eyes lighting up with amusement, "un-
less you walk along always looking FOL
banana Feelings and miss all the good
looking women"
Saunders laughed a little. He could
Mt get sore at Johnny. Crazy, Ikable,
damned fool. That was just like
Johnny to take that attitude. But
Saunders couldn't get it out of his head
that it wasn't like Joe. But he didn't