Gloucester County Democrat., 1911-10-26

man. clung to my arm, sobbing:
"Oh, sir, help us! Save us! My God,
what will become of me?'
Have no fear, Miss Grayman,'
said, summoning all the steadiness Of
nerve that possessed. Il win save
you.''
There must have been a great deal
of meaning and of encouragement in
my words, for faint color and look
of relief came into the girls wan face.
Save herl would have encountered
an army in her cause,
/ was too anxious that we should
make safe landing to pay much at
tention to Payton at present in
spected the ground beneath us and
saw, as we got nearer, that we were
likely to come down in marsh. But
there was solid ground, brush covered,
near, and by desperate exertions,
throwing all my weight to one side,
succeeded in swaying the parachute
toward the drier land. so that finally
we struck In a very good place. the
basket alighting with but slight
shock in a clump of low, leafy bushes.
/ had hardly assisted Miss Grayman
and the maid out of the tSngle when
there was a splash in the water close
by, announcing the arrival d3 Payton's
parachute. I heard one OF his men
swear horribly at the fix in which they
found themselves, for the water, with
soft mud under it, must have been
three feet deep.
In moment thought OF trying to
take them at a disadvantage, shooting
them down before they could extricate
themselves. But could not see their
exact location, and, looking around,
my eve lighted upon pile Of great
rocks which rose above the brnshwood
not more than thirty rods from where
we stood.
Come" / said, taking Miss Gray
mans hand; "we shall be safer on,
those rocks
She was trembling like leaf, and
the maid could hardly stand.
Miss Grayman," said, putting all
my heart into my words. you must
please have confidence in me. have
left your father in the aero, and hope
that he, with plenty of help, wilf be
able soon to reach US. In the mean
time trust in me- would give up my
life to protect you, and / know that |
can protect you / am an officer in the
service Of the United States govern
ment. and the secretary of the treas
ury himself Is with your father in the
aero You know that we have de-
stroyed Payton's Chameleon, and he
himself will soon be in our hands,
During this speech had been hurry
ing them toward the rocks, for heard
the foundering of Payton and his men
In the marsh and knew that they were
fast extricating themselves. Ny words
had the happiest effect upon Miss
Grayman She glanced at me with the
first cheerful look that had seen upon
her face
What is your name, please?"
81 am Lieutenant John Allan of the
revenue service and in command of
the expedition fitted out by Secretary
Grantham for your rescue"
Lieutenant Allan" she replied, "you
have performed an act of splendid dar-
ing. May God reward you for it.
My heart thumped against my ribs,
but I made no attempt to reply In
stead / quickened our steps. In few
minutes more we had reached the
rocks
There was a clear space around them,
and they were rough and precipitous.
San excellent fortification,7 / said to
myself
The highest point may have been
forty feet above the surrounding plain
1 Immediately scrambled up, drawing
the girls after me. When we reached
the top we found slight depression
in which we could conceal ourselves
from the eyes Of any person below,
while from the rim l could command
the approaches on every side. placed
Hiss Grayman and Susan where they
were perfectly protected and then, pis-
tol in hand, crept to the edge and
carefully looked over in the direction
of the marsh.
Atar of saw the Osprey speeding
away on the course that I had given
her and which they had evidently been
unable to control The Chameleon
still hung tattered overhead, slowly
circling. l had scarcely raised my
head little higher when I caught
sight of Payton in the brush, calling
and gesticulating to his men, who soon
came into sight behind him. They
were all dripping and bedaubed with
mud, and a more savage looking trio
| ! never beheld. To my dismay | saw
| that they all carried rifles.
had no weapon but my automatic
| pistol, which contained ten shots, be
sides twenty in my belt. It was a
slight preparation for siege, but
| had the advantage of the natural for
| tiflcation of the rocks.
And now new cause of anxiety