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- ‘Vienna meet that her husband had wrest-
‘ arms, while he was saying: brokenly:
ed the air championship from the world
with an altitude record that barely
eclipsed that of I-Illston.
Nature. the jade, who is simple enough
when men like this- meet in any contest
they fight with the strongest incentive.‘
And these dislikes seem to turn on -the
cast 0 n eye. the curl of a lip, or what
not of trival things. -
Ellston and Spending had disliked each
other from the beginning. and they had
known each other for several years. It
had been 3 bitter draught to Ellston
he was distanced at the Vienna.
True, the dislike between the men
had never ripened into open hatred. but
it was none the less present and active in
eac man. Spending's cool and insular
assumption of superiority probably had
much to do with Ellston‘s dislike for
him. Something of the same sort in Ells-
ton jarred the man from Devonshire, and
their likcness nursed dislike.
Yet. despite this. the two men main-
tained a sort of friendship. for each re-
specter! the other heartily. It was owing
to this‘shad0W'0f friendship that Ellston
had met lilrs. Spending on the aviation
field. Later she had invited him to visit
s wife grew and blossomed.
while his hatred for the husband waxed
stronger, for did not Spending have pos-
session woman that the
American birdman had ever loved?
During his visit Eilston had fished and
th
tramrved whole countryside.
sometimes ulone, but oftener wit s
Spending. Spending himself rarely ac-
companied him. being deeply engaged in
the perfecting of a patent which he be-
lieved would revolutionize aviation. Thr-
’swept off their feet by their new-found
love. for woman had never really
loved Spending. to whom she ii e
nttrhrtt-d as a girl wholly by his feats
daring.
rue, no word of love had passed be-
tween Eliston and lilrs. Spending until
the night before his departure. but their
eyes had long ago betrayed their secret.
Topretlier they had sat in the rose garden.
en
of
lost their heads at such times, and he had
lost his completely. lie had come to
himself with Gladys Spending in bi;
must have you. dear! You are mine by
the right of love."
sweetheart.” she had
h had added:
you win from him. that day will see me
Wholly yours.“ .
After this she had told him how she
loved him. Then they had gone into the
house. and the next day he went away.
back to America and to his work. Silence
them since that
memorable night among t ones.
Ellston knew that Gladys
.not forgotten.
l With lightning-like rapidity these
things flashed through the aviator’: mind.
ins he circled the clouds preparatory to
his final plunge upward. His memory
ran on.
lie seen neither Gladys nor her
husband since that visit. until fate had
decreed that they stop at the same hotel
in Chicago. Ellston's mother was with
him at the hotel. .She accompanied him
on all of his trips except those abroad.
lilrs. Spending had seen the names of
Eiiston and his mother on the hotel
register. and at once she had called. Ells-
ton had come into the room as t e two
women talked together. He had noted
the love-ilxrht spring into Glayds‘ eyes
as she Kreetetl him, and had felt her
hand tremble in his as he held it for a
brief moment.
Afterward. when they had talked of
the -coming contest on the morrow. un-
derneath all the woman's words. which
proclaimed hope of her husband‘s win-
ning. Eliston caught the thrilling under-
current that gave the lie to her speaking
tongue. A delirious happiness had stir-
red within him, as well as a. determina-
tion either to emerge from the contest a
victor or parish in the upper winvls of
space
Itlllnton leaned forward and widened
the circle of his speeding machine.
molncnt more
grapple for aerial kingship.
man‘s mouth had drawn to 2i stralfrht
‘line. nnvl his eyes would have hold a
gleam of t-Ir-mental savagery for any one
‘who cmilil have seen them at that mn-
’ The agent] of the aeroplane quick-
. “She is mine now by right of love. but
she, will be mine tomorrow by theriszht
.nf possu-ixsion aiso."‘ This thought sang‘
Vbrain. intense
be r .
Spending had
I7IC’I.‘iIG‘XLCa$ ILEDCBP
along Eliston's blood and beat within his
an e ear.
Then like A thunderbolt the thought of
his mother came ‘to . part
would she play in this drama, the little
loving. eager-faced woman. w he
alon had cared for during the ears
since his father had died, leaving only
her her son? Ralp Ellston had
been only 12 years old then, but ow
short as time ago it seemed to him since
his moolter. drawing him up close to her,
had said: “There are Just you and I.
Ralph-just you and 1. and we must be
very kind to each other."
After his father's death had come years
The father had left little
where he had displayed marked mechani-
cal aptitude. r
If the mother had grown thinner and
more worn during these years, no com-
plaint had ever passed her lips.
7
m
keep him in school. He had learned this
later. Eilston had been a go
his mother. cheerfully he would have
laid down his life for her, so when the
thought of what part she would play in
this imminent new order came to him. as
e wheeled above the world. it stunned
him. He had not told his mother of his
love for Mrs. Spending. his reticence
hail sprung out of his instinctive knowl-
edge that she would disapprove. His
mother‘ might understand many things.
but this she would not understand.
I h past, when h s mother’s image
had intruded itself in this connection. he
had thrust it aside and out of his mind,
8
.in the hope that at the.proper time the
problem would solve itself. But now. up
here in the blue deeps, with only the
great silence and the eternal winds for
company, he suddenly realized that the
problem would not solve itself, and that
e alone could solve it. Simultaneously
with this thought was born another; that
this n es was not the greatest in
which he would engage. He had steeletl
himself for the contest with Spending.
The letter’: arriua I.
Now new adversary-himself-came
upon him. and found him unsteeied, per-
aps. '
Lost in deep thought. his soul plowed
and narrowed by conflicting emotions.
Ellston guided his aeroplane in wide
r r('lf‘5 automatically, delaying the up-
ward leap.
Clearly the thought came to him that
he must give one of them up, his mother
or Gladys. as he did. he could not
bring himself to allow of both women
under the t-Ircumsiances. women
thcmselves were not incompatible. how-
ever unlike their histories and environ-
mcnts. But if Gladys came to him. it
would mean the utter and irrevocable
alienation of his mother. the
thollftht came to him that should he anti
his mother break. she wo id e quite-
nlone. This thought stabbed Ellston like
a sharp-pointed dagger.
The alluring figure of the other woman
whom he lt)lr'$,>(l and who loved him arose
before his vision to torment his spirit.
Itlitlrimsly he thrust it aside, for a new
determination and ii new plan had been
born in his mind. The thin line of his‘
psi’ grow narrower. an the savage
gloom in his eyes gave place to some-
lhini! Plst‘
VVllhV:i
huick motioh,‘ Ellston ’sho‘t‘jhe;
V been before.
levers forward. he nose of the ma-
chine llfted itself upward. Cold air.
biting and remorseiess. swirled about
him, tearing at his throat and hands as
if-it would wrest him from his seat. The
btrdman‘s face rew blue and pinched
with cold and his hands numb from the
cruel frost that fought to get at the mar-
row of his being. Ellston felt as if he
were plunging through ice. He looked
downward; on thin haze, gray and
ghostly. met his sight. He knew. with a
thrill, that he was-further from the
earth than ever mortal man had been be-
fore. Vi'ith it came sense of
triumph. Ellston leaned forward an
read his gauge. Yes, he was higher by
five thousand feet than man had
He felt. that he was
her than Spending. ' not be-
lieve that Spending could endure the cold
that he fought desperately w th.
t no one would ever know. He must
yield the victory-one victory; the other
victory-that was another matter. It
was no one's business but his own
Eilston drew back his controllers and
circled earthlvard. Blindly he thought.
as he circled slowly clown. of the superb
and patronizing manner in which Spend-
changeless in his sublime egotism.
would accept unwittingly this supreme
gift, a half-patronizing smile on his lips.
mockery in his smoldering eyes. Again
I-Zliston thought of her whom he had
kissed In the rose-garden of Devon, and
this thought was very hard to bear now.
Lest peratlventure his purpose prove
wenlt against this latest temptation, he
voiplaned more rapidly downward. He
leaned slightly forward andlcrushed the
face of his gauge out of semblance to the
. He did it slowly, deliber-
ately, but God. at What 9. cost! The
wrecked gauge could tell no tales... and
Snt-ntling would keep his klngship. But
he would tell his mother! and then the
counter-thought came to that
t-mild not even tell her. It would be bet-
ter to keep the secret between himself
Rlid:G0dmChe God of the little black-
frocked priest in the mission chapel. and
the God whose great hands held be
winds in leash and swung the stars in
their courses. . '
. The clouds through which Eliston made
his asren had been swept away, and as
the birdman looked eartllward he saw
the world leaping upward to meet him.
The forms. the meadows. and the great
surging crowds reassumedvtheir separate
identities to his eyes.
Checking the speed of his aeroplane he ’
slowly circled to place before his hangar.
The judges came forward. They gazed
wonderingly at his crushed gauge. I-‘rom
meaningless to him. ,
that Spending even then lay crushed and
dead at the entrance of his'own hangar.
r While his
over him and
yearned toward the other man ,
liiue with cold, Eliston staggered into
the hangar and lay on 2 little extempo-
rlzed cot therein. while they got his mn-
('hl1LP in place. It was there that his
rmother came to him. and it was she who
told of Spending's end: ow,
somwhere up in the air. he had lost con-
trol of his machine an had been plunged
downward into the aviation field. ten
minutes before Ellston's descent.
At first Ellston could not think: he
was too tired and cold. Then gradually.
with returning warmth, the orror of
Spending‘: death came upon him. and he
was doubly glad that he had forsworn
v ctory. ,
lie saw Mrs. Spending but once before
his departure. It was when he and his
mother went into the quiet room where-
in Spending lay, his wife seated beside
him. Almost guiltlly Eiiston gazed into
the woman's e es lie saw the light. but
the dead man sealed his lips.
Three months after Soendlng's tragic
end. Ellston received in Paris the follow-
ing short. note. unsigned, but bearing
the postmark of a village in Devonshire:
“The roses of the garden in Devon-have
you forizotten them?"
Fiilston had not.
them.
I V. I
HER THEORY.
When her guests began to exclalm at
the coziness of her library the girl who
can write "Ph. B." after her name smiled
broadly in proof of her happiness.
“It is nice. isn't it. girls?" she said..
"Still, I feel that I shouldn't let you place
too much emphasis on its b
brary. Of course it is that. but it is also
my tliningroc-m and my iivingroom and
my bedroom-and every other mm] of
room I have, except the kitchenette and
the bathroom. nut t is mine. all mine,
mid rm proud of it."
She irt her eyes rove around the pretty. '
book-liulen room until they chanced to
fall on om- of her guests who was look-
IM-’ Iormlvlzly at the ten table. "on.
Ethel. pnrclnn me for forgetting your
tort." Slit’. said.
he tt:':l having been poured anti the
twist nml muffins passed. the hostess
smitoci herself again and smiled expan-‘
xivoiy as only of the girls said: "I.sn’t i
izomi to be together-all of us-again?
lflve years since we iefh school and this’
He went to seek
is the first time we've. all met at one
time." - ‘
.'‘And not one of us has done anything
to be ashamed of," said E
iastlcnlly.
0 Yo
myself. Why shouldn't I be,
best husband in the world and two babies
to my credit?" 7 “
When the laughing died down the
hostess laughed again and alone.
“What is so funny, Jane?" asked Ethel.
“Don't tell me that you've grown so
learned that you don't believe in mar-
riage and babies. When I heard that you
and Jack Ellis ‘ had broken off.
thought "
“Please, Ethel,
history." said Ja leve in
marriage-indeed I do. But I was think-
ing that the one thing I‘ve done of which.
ashamed you'd probably think was
perfectly proper." - ,
"lVhy, what are you talking about?"
demanded Ethel.
"It brings me to a hobby of mine."
Jane answered, “and that is the economic
independence of women. hink you
believe in it. too. because you ‘aren't
snobbish and like to meet nice girls who
Work for their living. I elieve tllrlt
every woman should be self-supporting.
“Now, the thing am ashamed o is“
that for a while I let my father give me
money. I had been ill: that is the one
excuse I make for myself. But now, I
am independent."
"And happy?" asked Ethel.
"Yes. I am. I don‘t say that I'm abso-
lutely happy. but long ago I learned that
absolute hapbinessvhever has existed
outside of day-dreams.” ,
“Theoretically. your idea of economiz-
independence s right." said Ethel. "anti
I live t. Oh. of course. I don't do
anything but look after my house and
my usbarid and my babies, but, you see.
I have my own money. so I
pendent on George. And as the money
came from my mother, and from her
mother before her, I never was sup-
ported by a man, dear." '
. “But what of the theory when a wom-
an is ill?" asked at trail girl who had
taken no part in the discussion.
“That does complicate matters," Salli
Jane. "But then it is no harder for it
woman to support herself when she i-:
don't go .into ancient
ne. “I do bel
llchintl
orrow from my father.
my way clear‘--and, illness or not,
more dependence for me!" -
Just then the doorbell rang and Jane
admitted Mrs. Jack Ellis-the girl to
whom her old lover had turned when
wasn’t nearly so pretty as Jane. but Slit‘
looked like one who ha always been
pettedwand always would be. "
Take off your big hat, Flossie." said
Jane. “Then lean back in the cushions
and rest."
“indeed, I'll not take off my hat." de-
t'lal‘t-tl the “I'm
(1 it"
That Flos-
should
proud of it. because I earne
med it!" gasped Jane.
ale. of all creatures on earth.
w rk was strange. I
"Yes." cooed Flossle. "But I couldn't
have done it if it hadn't been for that
awful attack of appendicitis Iliad."
"‘VIlBteYEI' are you talking about?"
asked Jane. ,
f‘Wh)‘." explained Fiossie. "the doctor
kept advising an operation. but I couldn't
bcar- to have it. Finally. however. I
agreed. As Jack and I were going to
the hospital he asked if there was any-
thlng he could get me to make me com-
fnrtahle or happy.’ Well. of course, I
thought of this hat. with its three big-
piumeli. I'd been longing for it for
weeks, but thought we couldn't afford
it. That seemed my chance. so I told
h about And instead of going
straight to the hospital. We drove around
and ordered it held unti I should be out
aizain. en I went and had the opera-
tlon like a goo girl, as Jack said. So
that is the way I earned .”
' I am sure that Jane is delighted with
your story," said Ethel. “She has been
telling us of her theory that every wom-
an should earn her way. wever. I do
not think I should choose appendicitis as
a means of self-support."
“Well. I am interested in Jane's stor
said Mary. “Since Flossie has lilu.
trait-d it so graphically, I may conclude
to adopt it myself."
“As , like." said Jane. “But it is
at your own risk. You see, I'm happy in
my own WHY. but the fact remains that
I haven't even one willow plume."
““’ell." laughed Fiossie, shaking her
head and watching theyrefiection of tilt-
hat in the mirror opposite. "I was tell-
ing Jack last night that I'd been haDPY
ever since we were married. llut I never
was absolutely happy until I had this
hat." .
V. V. I .
‘Net to Be Convinced. .
A farmer of the old school was in-
veighlnit against crcam separii ors.
“I tell you they ain't no good." he said.
“nuf." replied the more progressive
ncltthbor. “they do save cream. You can
innkc more butter. 'Any one can tell you
that." ’ . '
Tile farmer was not to he convince
sen:
V 4
re’