died in me. I was perfectly calm now, for
the time for anxiety had gone. Farther and farther drifted the British
pilots behind, while Lensch in the completeness of his triumph looped
more than once as if to cry an insulting farewell. In less than three
minutes he would be safe inside his own lines, and he carried the
knowledge which for us was death.

* * * * *

Someone was bawling in my ear, and pointing upward. It was Archie and
his face was wild. I looked and gasped--seized my glasses and looked
again.

A second before Lensch had been alone; now there were two machines.

I heard Archie's voice. 'My God, it's the Gladas--the little Gladas.'
His fingers were digging into my arm and his face was against my
shoulder. And then his excitement sobered into an awe which choked his
speech, as he stammered--'It's old--'

But I did not need him to tell me the name, for I had divined it when I
first saw the new plane drop from the clouds. I had that queer sense
that comes sometimes to a man that a friend is present when he cannot
see him. Somewhere up in the void two heroes were fighting their last
battle--and one of them had a crippled leg.

I had never any doubt about the result, though Archie told me later
that he went crazy with suspense. Lensch was not aware of his opponent
till he was almost upon him, and I wonder if by any freak of instinct
he recognized his greatest antagonist. He never fired a shot, nor did
Peter ... I saw the German twist and side-slip as if to baffle the fate
descending upon him. I saw Peter veer over vertically and I knew that
the end had come. He was there to make certain of victory and he took
the only way. The machines closed, there was a crash which I felt
though I could not hear it, and next second both were hurtling down,
over and over, to the earth.

They fell in the river just short of the enemy lines, but I did not see
them, for my eyes were blinded and I was on my knees.

* * * * *

After that it was all a dream. I found myself being embraced by a
French General of Division, and saw the first companies of the cheerful
bluecoats whom I had longed for. With them came the rain, and it was
under a weeping April sky that early in the night I marched what was
left of my division away from the battle-field. The enemy guns were
starting to speak behind us, but I did not heed them. I knew that now
there were warders