Show A NOTABLE SHORT STORY IL BY A FAMOUS WRITER I Ik I k 1 k At THE TIlE CROW FLIES By y 1 Tristram y I Tom Bras by had 1151 for fOl months past 1 o o deeply engrossed In the mighty pi lObI of ot Improved mechanical flight that to don a t dress coat O and appear at Colonel Colon 1 E reception wa was waa a 3 feat tal requiring sonic some courage Still Rub Ruby herself berset hall had 1 him hint to come so 80 o he I came canie r day there thero was mus to be bo a a. royal tOyal reMle re re- on Straffan Plain about fifteen mile mn from flom tho the regimental depot and I ithe colonels colonel's reception was given In tn of pr General ani Sir Digby Tra I who was as hIs hla hO hospitality for tor the theO O occasion Enjoying It it apparently In Jn D men mor y ways than one for tor who late stumbled Humbled upon him hint by accident In t tho o dimly lit iu II Jo urn earnest st converse with Ruby n E t the tue e colonels colonel's tr Toni Tom remembered with Ith a II pang pana that thai the tho r. r general wan wa a a ai i and doubtless dO from Colonel I- I J point of vl vi I w a distinctly eligible one ont Ho lie unobserved 5 and distinctly unhappy for whatever It room room there was as III in hi heart after Arter the elimination of or hi hR new gyroscopic paui pau- pau lItner i S 'S r biplane was T alS given Ithen up S 'S to to adoration Curiously enough tho the thought of or his hi r fOtr P me mc was as at thin the moment m In the mind of or the general himself He lie HeI I wa Tas alAO aIo o thinking how very well veil Ruby would grace th the other othO end nd of his his break breakfast fast table tabie and he was almost on on tin point of oC tl so when by f for thi third time wande aimlessly past pul t the conservatory door S l Who i 5 is 18 that nJ merabie ul erable looking looking- hp S Inquired Sir Dirty with some Rome lt H been heen up up- and Ana down clown like a I l Ruby nub turned In iii her chair and hers her's hor her horr r rys s 's s suddenly lit up Th They were nice t s eyes deep blus hiu and very ss which to H it man of the R hen rals expert expert- rl- rl nce ace should have havo been a a. warning 8 Oh Oh that IB Is Tom Bra rab by she Mic exclaimed ex x claimed wo wot arc ro quite old friends Ho ito to be In III th the r regiment but hut gave up soldiering for flying flying Oh Oil yes cs es I know kno bbs hI name narno at the war WaI office Ho lie has bc been n pestering pestering- that tha t is to n corresponding with Ith us about aboul a S ne king In lio Iu la says sayA lies hen Invented We e hays hav hundreds hundred of those things you OU know 0 an and they're none nona of or them then any good except tho the standard patterns I 1 suppose hot r replied pUd Rub Ruby Rucy Her eyes yu look looked hooked d more is than thau ever ver hut hilt It th this light had been less Ic e i dim Sir DJ Digby b would have le j-een j n that her pi pretty city lips tightened a 1 little But I r all must ap speak ak to him him sh 1111 continued after a A. pauso lie h seems to be bt alone IT lie IIo 0 has a a. place near h bre re you OU know and h he h has hall himself so o fright fully for th ta hat lut t y fal ar In or lv two o that he lie ha hall b become quite a It hermit Sh She rose rone HS atI sho she spoke and giving Sir her sweetest smile wa was v.-as makInG mak mak- ing lug for the drawing room But the general detained 1 her I hope let m me have another chance of or a n private talk Miss US Everard Ever Ever- ard he said Of Ot course courso I will But nut toni lit ht Sir with all aU these theao people people Im I'm Ima a afraid raid raid- And tomorrow said the he general genera mournfully immediately lately after the review re review re- re view I w I J have e to bolt bott back bock to town HI Hl Ills royal royat h highness has hu ulce me ma to travel with him Ruby thought to for I a moment Then she gave P him a A. glance which made mado him f feel el many maJl tears rears C I 1 will whit motor motol you OU over to th tho plain she said Father will of ot i go 10 over earlier canter i HU the lie rc regiment How will wUl that do I 1 think that thal will UI d do excellently re replied ro- ro plied piled tta thA general Sir ilir Ir b watched her with thu cen cst cit as s sho huo cro crossed cro the tho ro room om an anil l raw paw with a n lI feeling of or tIthe pity tI th the sudden transformation mallon of or that canto cumo Vet over tho the In lace as Rf ho 11 took her hand Then with A cad ti-cad the tho general went forth to be lionized lionize TJi flue review was as timed for tor I 1 12 and awl Ml ut the mr DI b s request the lie motor was In attendance at al iL 11 ii lf Ho He heard it draw up Lip and after 4 last Iunce at hi his mirror mir mir- arid anti a a. flesh final twist twilit of or his hits Iron gray ra he ho went ent downstairs with jingling lInS' lInS spurs spur a and trailing scabbard a It vision of gold Rold J laco hrico and glory tot Ruby nub wn nil already In the thai car ctr radl- radl anti beautiful in a light blue frock c A An As lr ir Digby got hol in iii beside h hi hr r r rab ab shu gave c a him a l glance dunce of frank After Af Af- ter a a. little BlUR delay duo due to ton a n. recalcitrant reca cylinder the tho car cai- started The lh first few tew miles mile were rl devoted ot rl to s C for r keen us as the soldier na w wail to broach a n. certain subject Miss l C rd following the tho usual aggra- aggra tactics tactics- of or her sy ev on such oo- oo refused to 10 give him an openIng open open- ing lag But when slen the last of th thu j little 10 military town twi were wert left behind and th they 1 found them themselves III In tho the OP open J and rather l desolate country conversation flagged a Sir fir Digby took tool tho the plunge e Do you think T I em am too old oil to rr marry Miss Everard he ItS asked cJ Rub Ruby turned to him with a gesture of or surprise Too loo old Sir she sho d. d I I never thought of or age aae c in connection with you yon OU That runt Is where here your jour t se e scores A man mali can be young voting at lit fifty but a n woman oman tarent On the other hand she sue continued reflectively i a n aman aman man nan ran can he old hd at ut thirty HUo poor Tom Toni if It ho lie t takai tako things too seri sen erl Yet Vet I I. I too can take things R seriously replied Sir DI Digby lJ I assure you that Iwas Iwas I J was never more moro serious in my life tire Miss USG Everard than I run nm at th the present res nt mo too- mont ment I want to know whether ti 1 think I J am nm too Ice old to ro J marry mury a a. u rK s 's It depends so much on tim Iho girl re r.- replied replied re- re plied Ruby Hor eyes met his Jil ant and as ai tho she n waR as toying Idly Idl with a a. little silken ken cord that hun hung bv by v her t ld If It the girl Is 15 frivolous isu without without with with- out in any depth of cf feeling It might he hc In- In but 11 it dt gli of appreciating I ng t tho lie ii LIc I Iu U a IL man manwell 11 well well Ir DIh threw his d hat eu on to tim the pat opal and leaned forward The Tho girl i In lii my lily mind Ml MIss s r ho lie be began all lint hut hi ho got ot no lie n by him the i void COI had hlll e J a a. i c twitch h and Just nu nw If Ir It were a a. signal Inal tho thio cur cat caine to a udd udden n stop slop with a a. screech of or suddenly applied brakes What hat tho the 1 is matter CK- CK d Sir Sli- h irritably Rubys Ruby's head was already out of or th the theis is window I I ow Whal tile the matter Simpson she hc In Inci tn- tn ci uh red Simpson the tho camo CiUllO to Iho Ito door doer drawing oft off Ufo Ilo was VAJA if an all 11 old servant of If I lh lite hp fa family nt II and had hud driven the t C td childrens children's i P lm n cart while rl were still Inch included Inched ed In the satan earno category us 55 steam I Its Ht that tJ there r c lInd Under l- l again O MIs-O- Theres There's a I o. o PH Illy th tin the car I wasn't out mit lIt yr thien thon thon we wc 2 1 ho noticed Il It A pity muttered the tho gee gee- en- en era cral eral to himself f Rut ant t we u-c po go Oil on ven r-ven raid I not net miss ml b bill a A. abad ahal hal bad accident nt I J wouldn't h b be responsible The general glanced at tho tili watch on his hilt wrist Its n halt half pa rust past t it 11 ho Ito J ald how flIs fatis fat far faris is It to the plains Five as us th the now ow flies files Un rort t were we're not crows crown Simpson studied smiled der deferentially r u Uy road load about I fight eight ht sir h hi j ald said How very cT annoying sait Ruby I never do rio o for mo tee to get Jcl there all afler l' l tho the prince arrives u fumed Sir Digby there an any ono one near who could lend lendus us a acar cU car Not A. A ono one In the tho sir Ir Sir was waR desperate eS H rate It was evl- evl dint dent that the had put other matters entirely out of or hi hits hi mind He lie coned sc-coned the horizon restlessly sly alo lot for somebody some some- hotly hoaX to come to table assistance But the C only living ll thins thing In sight Ight be beyond on u it bird Jn individual or m two was Willi a shabby walking sly along tun smoking l il u a pipe The gi fa v this too und and exclamation of or delight sudden o a 1 sa ga gave gao Its alI Tom font sun tl said ld tako you ou I on Olt his as as as the crow cro flies flics And iid before the Cra I could Interfere III sho hu was 1 t rating Nt down the th road rORd Sit Sir h was not entirely J. Thu Though h It had hall br been en hit his duty l to Judge and condemn several new fan fancied lcd Hying 1 alt di ll practical experiments he had fully avoided Tom rom Utah ala did not t be scent in to care r much about aboul tho tile job jobs At t rate rato 11 ho wan ob h flow In yielding to MI Miss JUS'S Ih entreatIes It settled d tl tlc tic e W was vas this hug fact leally matter The general ll strode forward J s lull be e much obliged if IC you jou will do doaN doan doas an as Ml s Mit-s i l' l suggests he ald Bru by 1 knocked his Ills pipe out slowly but oUt oUtdid did not an answer anIer Ier If your our machine can cun do all you claim for Sir not without a slight tremor In iii his voice the Incident may b bo of or material advantage to vi r Vet Very Pc well general said Raid after another pause rom lon along t My tI i just over 1 In lu this thiN Held tic and anti fortunately T c t r ready atI very nry fortunate Indeed said Mica MRK 11 I Kvera Everid c ra Id I'd IdAs A As Mt th the general was Va not I 1 00 nl she he l at R tim tho Inventor and smiled And l. this the Inventor actually winked 1 To Tu this thin day ay Rub Ruby that en n s was as flO riot not on Ott parade to see sec the generals general's clI rals ral's sr- sr rivaL Rut lint of course C It WitS ivits In lu nil all th the papers Hach lach of or Dm UIA great gloat t dallies dailies had sent H Its war wal orle down I to the tiie Ie I review with a lL small arm army of or photographers no so o for fOl or some seine d days S Tom Tum Br- Br b and Sir Hh were ere the two most moat talked about men In England lo She Sho heard however from Toms Tom own lips how art after I circling ln over os-er the plain ho lie had hind landed tho the general immediately l opposite Ids his charger just juat as thu royal roal flarty w were rc galloping on the Uie ground round Th This Th Sir Digby with that flue fine sense of ot the dramatic dra which hue has not been entirely use use- leas lass in advancing his career had mounted and whipped out his Ills sword and or ordered the royal salute Just in the theer er very nick of or lime time Fine Kino performance the exalted personage per per- per per-I sons had exclaimed as QS he rode JOde over OYer to 10 look took at al Tonis Toni's machine flit finest t thing Ive I've seen I I hope hop e. e ho added adde when Tom Toni had Imad been presented d un and the th incident Incident- ex tx ex- 1 hope hopf th the war 1 is 15 taking up your Invention Mr Air Then Chen Torn Tom had hlll looked at al Sir Ir and Sir She hK had looked at Tom Y Yes IS sir II said the Jt general the matter mat ter IH is now under tinder consideration A day ta- or 0 two tivo later the general received re re- re H H. letter Dear 81 Sir Sh- Digby RUb Ruby had written I r 1 hope you OU do not feel an any the worse for your jour flight I was as lo o glad to see sea how hot nicely th thi papers spoke of your OUr coolness coolness cool cOol- ness on arrival Do you OU know I 1 think pi evidence providence must l have been behind it all aU because tJi strictly tI h In 11 confidence Tnt BI and I have c bp bum been n secretly engaged for fOl months Poor Tom has been o working s' s so hard 18 rd iced anti so o lon lone lonc for tOI proper r recognition thou lion and now now thinks to 1 II H. R. R lIs iLs re remarks rt- rt marks and your own kind promise things looks J KO sq J much brighter that my f. f father the I Ihs hs lisa has given his nod our marriage e will take tak In a n of ot months You are almost th the first nul person I have told and I J I- Ido do hope you'll cuti to 10 tho the I A sIncere friend wedding A lI your our RUBY EVERARD U Sir put tho the letter lettel down and d hili hi mustache Then because ho Ito prided himself on being a ut h hr ht went out and bought a nr D O flar ar r Miss 11 ho lie wrote My Mi h heartiest heu congratulations 1 and good wish wIshes I am glad to sey that this the Hrab Braby biplane IK is t certain to tobe b be adopted d officially so e. I. should go well 11 with you ouo Jien Jum In mv my old use I take up tip th tIle cause calis of I t may possibly tell I an un Albert Hat Hall audience how It Il was wu a woman's womans cleverness which chang the dilatory tactics of the tho war r office offIn In re- re gaul K to wa warfare That will III be bo my only act of ot revenge Yours pr very var sincere sincere- iv ly Ir DIGBY Copyright |