Show r n W.- W. n P T Y w tit r r Ha e Parsons S r l f By 11 ei l 1 f I i I. I I. I I vaa on oa n a. a iee In 10 hi bis life lIf la he fed blvd oA t with one oner tart u r a year on Christinas ft It became ame a rite pie subject abJect to Ui but for tb three e or or four hf period l of exhilaration became luent Daa Dan laid It ft to the poor of liquor Since the I ul era F a gentleman couldn't take lute nal n II al aI snort nort without danger of booming Then come came a peno period wb n the tb proper propel qualification of Dann Dans condition ate to say py be he was tree drunker some come done days than fe w wm e other r t last lut half of this memorable night I the morning after afler of oi iMn career C I been spent nt at t n a roadhouse with alth It h a ascoop scoop group of or friends friend ho hI mot met for fur I the h first at 10 IO o'clock that evening The Thi road rond had been ben particularly Of or that type elwe n a 81 U Dun naturally n a t had li id become erent To avoid the p f po of oC be be- caught In a general I rough house bm bia friends of or short abort tenure left the th resort n sort Juett just Juet t I before daylight end ond look took lynn Dnn Their car COAl had hatt almost almot reached the flip dl limits when Itani penitent efforts to 10 n hip hip hll n whole cable of other broke Irke down their patience anti and they threw him out on bis hie r. 1 v r The sun un wee was just topping a n row of oC bulban homes home when tramping unsteadily and ird the cil city he came to 10 a n flying field tt parsed to contemplate and had bad his r 1 llant t hl idea I I. I Not far for from the open gate ate stood three plan each pach wearing a n tarpaulin tied over o i engine aline Two IEne looking hard young men I ather coats and helmets were stripping e ng g their machines with undue haste derine the hour They seemed intent Retting getting an nn early start elart regardless l of morning ml mists I Din what bat n a dignified nil air air of vouched the flier and weld wald on man I have han Important h hat I at Once onie get Itt me meat at once Cha fly DI me down there ther It J Mt it llo Iio was the uncivil reply s a moment later the airman had hoil hadel feed el Lie his throttle cranked l the ma- ma c and ind and was warming up Without to give the plane what a careful would consider sufficient exercise he be r F. F sluggishly sluggish with wilh the engine an on occasional shot hot Dans Dan's efforts tott to tt f the attention of of the other man w were were we're r ru u unfruitful ul until that lint worthy had started Jail bis engine Then he gave ga the spectator r B S shrill brill cursing Like his bis associate he I alighted the warming treatment in or favor lf r. r f wf of a hasty getaway and was soon Bonn lost lostin lostin in the mist going ill iii in the Il same direction hO Dan stood for Cor u a tune time gravely inspecting ft the be Oae third airplane parked a a port distance t t tt ay Dbl I 1 better take lako this one an run elf he pondered but hut compromised sitting nUng down beside it and falling Calling asleep i A j Probably nn an hour Inter later his Ins rest ryas was TO dis- dis J A tn stood near the driver evidently resting lIls lIl's de the driver sat sut one ODe who evidently e i just came ame along for Cor the I f tale ride The fare forI n a short hawk faced malt man Dan Don rather roughly and demanded highway something Trent gent wrong TOne The en- en glue lehl began to pit and struggle and the nose dropped suddenly aa as tb the ther tiler tipped to in gain headway for a coasting stretch J h i lame came n me to tn rest rent almost without a bump ni ns the Ibe brave bran little motor gave JUt up the eho I h. h t Now Now O win was matter yelled Pan Dan Youre YOUrt n a line flier tiler you are art out here but inthe in inthe the 11 prairie For r or a m minute the aviator made no answer on- on as na h he hastily the gasoline tank flink And when bPD he spoke it was more to 10 elf than the Ibe befuddled bt passenger That s what I get ret for having bovine to park parkIn In the fh same name field fiehl with a pair pail of 01 mun murdering bootlegger my to tank not faring whether bother It Oat cost my life Ille or not A bootlegger bootlegger boot boot- I legger reg I ill is is no better than a n murderer An Any Anyone Anyone one that drinks the stuff tut is n II cad end Look book blustered Dan Dau beginning to climb and fall out of 01 the cockpit personal Aw w go 10 to to U r replied the flier filer then his hill eye eve located the car standing by the roadside road- road side Bide and the Ih young man men standing n near ar npr II M nud he be shouted J will you conto con to 10 the nearest filling station atlon and ond get me some gas gna Cant artt shouted the automobilist starting tart start ing JOllA n toward to the plane plan front axle broke lIe He came tam up lip and joined the J ar rr T. T Hut But I tell ten you what you might do Take Tab the gas gns outa out a or my tank lank Fair enough Buddy Huddy said the flier Have you got a funnel Ticklish getting gsa gas Into this this' tank Xo No funnel replied the good Samaritan Samari Samari- tan but tbt theres there's s 's a e collapsible bucket t in there We toto tote it can cal in that and pour easy In n a few fete minutes helped by his new friend the av aviator ator hAd Lad drained the auto tank and made malle the transfer to the plane They spilled considerable gas in the transfer transfer trans trans- fer but the birdman didn't seem to care and amI put on the hand air nr pressure before beCore attending to further business s. s Eventually E be reached the order of further lurther business Turning to the fuming Dap to whom he had paid scant attention since alighting he said s Mr Man ran Ibis is the end of oC your trip I always always' did hale a drunk I nee need the money noney but not Did bad ad enough to be bothered with a n stewed like you Take off of that coat and helmet lie added action by assisting r rather ther roughly in removing ing the garments regardless of oC Dans Dan's protests Then grabbing the 40 from his own pocket he thrust It at nt his late fare Take it he barked y you u got a mile five ride and I hope a walk of the same MOle length free And Add right rudely ruddy lie tIe shoved Dan down into a sitting po posture ture you Jon headed Inquired lcd the stranded automobilist as the flier began bean to search his pockets for money to pay par I for the gasEl gas El m Dorado original original- des destination but I hall hail figured on ou taking this boob on to Wichita Now that's off Say Soy El Dorado that's just just where I Ito t twant want to go and Im I'm in a 11 hurry declared declared i t r I tit l lr I I. I II 1 fr I f r ti s. t tit In c f i oJ 1 1 pike t k r. t r i J t t f. f t r tL L t I tr Dans Dan's persistent efforts to whip a whole of other drunks J broke down their p patience tience t ti to know to his bis business Dan had slept off offe e a ft small entail portion of or his bin jag jog but none of his fixed idea that be business in Wichita which nothing but airplane speed satisfy He lie stated his wants and anti anddrew anddrew 1 drew chew forth a n handful of bills as articles t of good faith All right replied the flier Bier who was rapidly preparing p parin the machine for use I. I 1 it n cost you forty dollars II Eighty said aill Dan fumblingly count count- jJ out the cash Osh which the birdman stuffed a vest pocket Then he took from irom rom W jag bag a leather coat goggles and helmet J alter ter some difficult difficulty adjusted them to toP P i The two men left the taxi taxi- eab and came ame forward to help hell the awkward p PU r in to the cockpit forward i Goto Goan to take the air all Mr Alden AIdeD in in- one of them eft important business busness In ID Wichita get there n D a n hurry burry Goin Gain t to time By and sad if hes he's slow I dock him same do the Central under onder the leather coat be pulled watch ex examined mined it gravely diste dis- dis 1 te the fact that it bad had stopped some it the night and then placed it tt ill all in an aD outside pocket of the oat t where It would be handy for Cor reference The men held beld the wiD wings hawk lured man got tot up speed for foroff foroff off and ud soon the machine was steadily over oYer the distant tree f i Mw c f fi Dan Aldea's Aldeas first t air flight lie He A aid but soon became highly as se the te terrific e c ruth rush of air Jr pellet t l A i i mouth ith th t h Ibis t 6 0 the suppose you take me me meon on on in pla plate e of f this guy Ill I'll pay whatever you jou think Is Is right Youre on declared the the airman n. n Climb into that outfit lets let's go so lie set his bis throttle went around and pulled down th the propeller to snug let fly and the motor b began an to purr Meanwhile the stranger had bad donned the leather coat and helmet and climbed Imbed nimbly into the forward cockpit Then the little flier walked over to Dan who was cursing and threatening at atthe atthe the top of ot his voice oice Just take this along with the mile five ride it wont won't cost you rou youa roua a dime remarked the aviator Then TheD he jumped about a a foot from the ground and knocked Dan flat He lIe was j st getting up as the plane left the ground and sailed gracefully away to the southwest E some of the professional proCessional and amateur amateur ama ama- M Y M. MAYBE tear soothsayers can through the haze that obscures the future but neither ne Dan DaD Burton nor the young automobile automobile automobile auto auto- mobile thief who had bad taken Dans Dan's place hod bed qualified as a soothsayer Dan was too befuddled be befuddled be- be fuddled to think much about fate Sparrow Sparrow- hawk had bad been so so angry that tbd be he probably exercised less leas caution than usual in filling bl his SOl gee tank with a leaky canvas bucket and the thief member of the Wichita Auto Thieves Thieves' Bund considered himself in great reat luck It promised to take him far away a from the down broken car and it was much better to name El LI Dorado as n a destination than his own out hang a short distance further He lie might have attracted some attention flying directly Uy home where the police pollee knew him him- The young jonn thief was enjoying en enjoying enjoying en- en the flight four foor thousand f feet fiet et aloft and twenty miles miles' from th tb wrecked evidence evi evidence dence when the first bleat t of flame flam shot shott t fin k toW bis faC fare face 1 Ke Ce died so 0 sudden suddenly I But Bat So es i e d a affo i S r mangled mang 6 led ed J be be- Ie y X 3 t i FAT complacent nt and jolly Dan started his rum-directed rum quest for friendship in theland the theland theland land of tall buildings and bootleggers It ended where the mesquite fringes the horizon at evening and having and having only a way one ticket Dan Dan stayed i 0 j 4 i I f L 1 0 ri l Il Ili i 0 i J i J JI I 1 h x xv v L Lar ar 1 Jy f 4 t r r i i l t t F f I 1 r r I r j f r r r th r I They even took a p pocket ck t knife and c cut t the lodge b button tto I o out t of his coat lapel and the cuff buttons from his shirt ul rJ yond ond the slightest possibility of or recognition when the crowd of farmers reached the sickening scene It was several minutes after alter the disappearance disappearance disappearance of his his' late Inte chariot that Dan fat gat lt in in inthe the pasture and conducted a n monologue mono mono- logue Josue on ungrateful aviators Then he wandered unsteadily out to the road pulling his crumpled golf cap from a 11 side ide coat coot pocket and dragging it low on his aching brow blow First he climbed into the disabled machine and prepared to drive away When the carburetor full of gas was vas exhausted the drained tI tank failed to furnish mor more Drained tanks are like Jike that Then Illen he stood stool on the starting button until the battery was run down Then l he e got out out a and aDd d started to walk toward the town he bad hod but recently quitted quilted and antI was overtaken by an amiable looking man with a flivver Ue He offered n a lift Dan accepted The ne new friend took it for granted the drunken traveler was the proprietor of the wrecked car ar and took mental note of the location so soIe he Ie could come com back hack that night and strip It of all nU valuable accessories s. s He lIe gave Dan a drink and opined that be he knew right where here to get some more like Jike it Dan gravely informed informed him Lira lm that he heas it as as a n man who appreciated ap appreciated ap- ap predated a friend in time of need and had bad the money to treat his friends friends' right This s seemed emed to o please the driver and he redoubled d his efforts to entertain the guest Long before reaching the city they left leCt the main highway and it was a rather doubtful looking neighborhood where here they finally stopped in n the rear of a 11 disreputable looking residence That day d Y was a jumbled one for Dan but buthe he forgot his important b business siness in Wichita A big blond female who seemed seemed to be in in charge furnished the drinks and Dan DaD paid oid for them them regulation regulation bootleg price They made Dan feel nt at home They I dosed closed doors and windows played playe the phonograph phonograph phonograph graph sang lIng and told stories The good s soul ul who brought Dan Dnn was at hI his elbow always and if Dan Dnn was too long suggesting II a drink drink- he took care tare of the oversight Friends who knew Dan Alden for many years knew one of his peculiarities Always Always Al Always Al- Al ways quick at figures and money changing haning he had bad been for many years realS paying teller in a bank and always in some business that entailed the handling of funds he became be became became be- be came a n lightning lightning- calculating wizard when drunk Twice the woman in fn her ber eagerness eagerness eagerness eager eager- ness tried to short change him Dan made some shrewd remark about the sudden rise in bootleg prices and each time she hastened to correct her error errol with many apologies after a mean look from Dans Dan's friend All day the worthy pair labored to fleece their gu Vt st drinking of gist some their own brew brett against their r better judgment and t I I I J With Villi an oath oatS the trainman grabbed Dan i. r 1 J spilling more of It when hen the purchaser purchase r was not looking But Dan refused to g go goto goto J a ato to sleep or r show signs of forgetting how t to 9 count money Their loud laughter wa was 3 s strained d by nightfall Otherwise it jt is Js i 3 s doubtful it it if they would have bave accepted th the e sharing profit plan Two well well dressed d ressell bu but t hard clanged d young youn g men dropped In about 8 S o'clock and were were e elaborately rotely introduced Dan bought Then The 11 the friend of all aU day got one of the newcomers newcomers new new- comers aside and closed a deal But Batt you be sure it aint near near- herand here her e and that I get mine h he he warned I I know what what hes he's got j It took another hour to s get l Dan started started d with these new acquaintances even after r bidding his hostess and friend a fond Ion d farewell Had Dan been just three degrees further away away from total paralysis of the brain he be might have haTe noticed that the young joung men seemed impatient to get iet him to his his hotel so hurried in fact that they drove into a strange country a n jumble of railroad tracks and andery very ery dark in an effort to find a short cu cut t to the city They were between two tracks sheltered by myriad boxcars when they first struck him over the head with ith a wrench rolled him out of the car and a attended at attended at- at t- t tended the business of searching scorching him quite carefully They even took a a pocket knife and cut the lodge button out of his coat lapel and the cuff buttons from his Ills |