"But this was dead easy, the rest of it. I just circled above her like a buzzard, driving her down, down, all the time. I didn't fire at her any more, because you could tell within twenty yards where she was going to land, and I knew the lads of the village were all ready and waiting for her. One bad wobble she gave and pitched straight down. I sheered off a bit for fear of getting any bombs, but she'd drop her last one on the way. She simply came down end on like shying a lump of clay at a board. Then I landed, tumbled out, and legged it up the slope as fast as I could; just in time to see 'em getting out all the three Huns alive. "'My bird, I think,' says I, running up all out of breath. "Then a chap beside me spoke out of the dark, 'Hi! Who are you?' "I couldn't see him, so I said, 'D'you mind telling me who _you_ are?' "He pulled a torch out of his pocket and showed it on himself. A Staff-major. So we shook hands, and he congratulated me.... Then I felt rather a fool," laughed Jack Awdas, "for he asked me my name. "'Well, as a matter of fact, Sir,' I said, and stopped. "'Well what?' he asked. "'Well, as a matter of fact, I'm not supposed to be here at all.' "'Oh?' he barked. 'Got any orders on you?' "I had; from the Assistant Adjutant. I pulled 'em out and he read them by the light of his torch. "'H'm,' he said, 'taking a machine to France, but I see by this you're not due to start until tomorrow morning. It's now two, ac emma. How's this?' "Well, when you're cornered like that I always think there's only one thing for it; pure cheek. So, as bold as brass, I gave a look at the orders myself, and then said, 'I rather fancy this must be a clerical error, sir. My verbal orders were to start today, and I can't have been two hours on the way yet?' "I fancied I heard him give a chuckle in the dark, but all he said was, 'Well, this will be a serious matter for you.' "'Oh, I hope not, Sir,' I said. "'A serious matter,' says he. 'If you'd been sent up to chase Hun planes you might have got the D.S.O. for this. But you see what it means now?' "'What?' I asked. "'Well! This being an act outside the course of your duty,' he said, 'it _may_ mean the Victoria Cross!'" Golden Awdas gasped. "Then, think of it, Bird-boy! You'll only have traded _my_ ribbon," she exclaimed, "for that wonderful other! Now wasn't that a prize----" But the wide and distant stare had gone now from her airman's eyes. These had returned to her; his sweet American who had journeyed across a world before he had found her, his love whom he had loved enough to leave, knowing that it might be for ever.... His blue eyes were locked into hers again for a moment with his lover's look that now sent a wave of pink fire flaming into her face and down her throat. Against that perfect throat he buried eyes and lips. "'Think?' I needn't think of anything else now, Girl," he whispered. "_You're_ my prize!" * * * * *