Air Stories, April 1936 — page 21: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BRING ’EM BACK ALIVE! HE Hon. Charles Edward ceased speaking, and for nearly half a minute there was silence in the room, broken only by the tap-tap of the C.O.’s pencil against the desk. More accus- tomed to aerial combat than courts of justice, Major Tignell-Wingate was evi- dently at a loss. When he spoke, he spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. ‘‘In the absence of any evidence, Sergeant West- ringham, this counter-accusation falls to the ground. It can no more be proved than Lieutenant Moldred’s own accusa- tion of attempted murder against you. His explanation of the parachute is perfectly reasonable, and since you your- self can have no knowledge of the nature of the message it bore, you have no right whatever to accuse him of treachery to the squadron.’’ There was a pause, and then the C.O. raised his voice slightly, and there was more than a touch of sadness in his tone. ‘“ Gentlemen, I feel that this extremely unsavoury matter is beyond my—and our—powers of investigation, and that a General Court Martial would be more capable of sifting oe Suddenly there was a sound of foot- steps outside. The door was pushed ‘open a few inches, and a plump face appeared in the crack. ‘‘Is ‘ Tiggy- Wiggy’ at home, my dears?’’ came the cheerful inquiry in a penetrating stage-whisper. At the sight of the assembled conclave and the Major’s grave face, ‘‘ Woggy ”’ Wane flushed a deep crimson. But he was holding that in his hand which served as a passport through the press. Pushed and pulled by a dozen hands, he arrived in front of the C.O.’s desk. ‘*I saw this drop when those two were scrapping above Valmy aerodrome, sir, and I went down after it. I think it explains a lot.’’ Another Great Air-War Mystery Story By Lieutenant WILFRID TREMELLEN, entitled | | THE MACARONI : Will Appear in “AIR STORIES” Next Month = Slowly the C.O. took the parachute from his hand and unfolded the paper attached. There was a tense hush as he ran his eye over the message. Then, in a stone-cold voice, he read it aloud : For the information of German Flying Officers :— A second series of wire traps has been erected in the following positions : K23b 54.62. Lile 75.01. K18a 48.39. R426 19.22.” Major Tignell-Wingate laid aside the incriminating paper and turned his stern gaze on the ashen Moldred. ‘* Moldred, you will answer for this before a court martial.’’ : AR is a great separator of friends. Shortly after that memorable after- noon it separated Charles Edward and me. On receiving his commission (he was also awarded the A.F.C. in recognition of his ‘‘ pioneer work in connection with the destruction of enemy aircraft,’’ as the Gazette guardedly phrased it), Westring- ham was posted to another squadron, and I lost touch with him. The next time I saw him was in London a few weeks after the Armistice. ‘‘ Just been enlisting the old Governor’s help in pulling wires,’’ he told me, ‘‘ for poor old Moldred. We managed to get three years knocked off his sentence. ’Tisn’t as though he was a regular spy, and seven years is a long stretch to do just for a bit of spite.’’ I was glad, not only because of Moldred, but also because it was clear that the Hon. Charles Edward was back again in the paternal good graces. CUP | CoOnniclooo SJ (Cl QO)