nno killed fell 200 feet."

And to-morrow I'll have to be out and jolly the rustic meet managers
again. Want to go off some place and be quiet and think. Wish I could
get away, be off to South America with Forrest.

_February 24_: Rotten luck continues. Back in same town again! Got up
yesterday and motor misfired, had to make quick landing in a bayou and
haul out machine myself aided by scared kids. Got back here and found
gasoline pipe fouled, small piece of tin stuck in it.

Martin feels as bad as I do at Tony's death, tho he doesn't say much
of anything. "Gosh, and Tony such a nice little cuss," was about all
he said, but he looked white around the gills.

_Feb. 25_: Another man has dropped out, I am third but still last in
the race. Race fever got me to-day, didn't care for anything but
winning, got off to a good start, then took chances, machine wobbled
like a board in the surf. Am having some funny kind of chicken creole
I guess it is for lunch, writing this in hotel dining room.

_Later_: Passed Aaron Solomons, am now second in the race, landed here
just three hours behind Walter MacMonnies. Three letters forwarded
here, from Forrest, he is flying daily at army aviation camp, also
from Gertie Cowles, she and her mother are in Minneapolis, attending a
week of grand opera, also to my surprise short note from Jack Ryan,
the grouch, saying he has given up flying and gone back into motor
business.

There won't be much more than money to pay expenses on this trip.

Tomorrow I'll show them some real flying.

_Later_: Telegram from a St. L. newspaper. Sweet business. Says that
promoters of race have not kept promise to remove time limit as they
promised. Doubt if either Walter MacMonnies or I can finish in time
set.

_Feb. 26_: Bad luck continues but made fast flight after two forced
descents, one of them had to make difficult landing, plane down on
railroad track, avoiding telegraph wires, and get machine off track as
could hear train coming, awful job. Nerves not very good. Once when up
at 200 ft. heighth from which Tony Bean fell, I saw his face right in
air in front of me and jumped so I jerked the stuffings out of control
wires.

* * * * *

_March 15_: Just out of hospital, after three weeks there, broken leg
still in splints. Glad Walter MacM got thru in time limit, got prize.
Too week and shaky write much, shoulder still hurts.

_March 18_: How I came to fall (fall tha