Gloucester County Democrat., 1911-10-26
task was to keep a sharp watch on all
sides and prevent an approach.


Miss Grayman, comprehending what
was about and seeing my difficulty,
| offered to aid me. l refused at first,
fearing to expose her to shot, but
she eagerly insisted, and let her take
the northern side, instructing her to
peep through the interstices in the
broken rocks, but not to show even her
head.
Presently shot came from the
northeast side and spattered on the
rock close by her head She screamed
and dropped through fright, and
| sprang to her side, with terrible fear
that she had been hit. She was all
right, however, and pulled her ID the
| center of the inclosure and sprang
back to my watch.
After awhile the Chameleon came
down in the brush close to the point
where our parachute lay. Payton dis
appeared, and another man took his
place The way in which they expos
ed themselves in surrounding the rocks
convinced me that Payton knew very
well that had no other weapon than
a pistol.
| / now told Miss Grayman to renew
her watch, being extremely careful not
| to expose the least part of her person
! and to give me warning il any one
| tried to approach the rocks from her
side. did not know at what moment
| the rush might come.
|, There were yet several hours of day
| r%o po oxv%o off
long enough / felt confident that our
friends on the. Osprey would manage
to ground her il they could not re-
verse her course and would come to
our rescue. | counted great deal on
| the sagacity of Mr.. Grantham and the
experience and devotion of Ethan
Haight.
On the other hand, we were without
provisions and water. / felt the more
sure that Payton would make rush
because he must understand that aid
would reach us before long, and was
puzzled at his delay after the arrival
of his two men from the Chameleon.
But presently l discovered the rea-
son and felt my face turn pale.
Out of the brush where the Chame
leon lay kite began to rise.
The wind was in such a direction as
to carry it directly over us. l knew
instantly what 1t meant, and it made
| my heart sink. Without explaining
my motives, for they had not seen the
| kite, | Immediately led the two girls
into a corner of the rocks, where a
ledge projected so as to make kind
| of roof, while in front of the bears
den thus formed another ledge rose,
| leaving only an irregular, narrow open
ing. hurried them in here, saying:
81 think they are going to fire shell
at us, but in here you will be perfectly
safe,'' and turned to leave them.
"But you," exclaimed Miss. Gray
man, OBTAINING me, with an expression
of concern that thrilled me you must
not expose yourself while we are COW
eredp
"I'll look out for cover | returned.
.but l must first make sure what they
are about"
/ knew well enough what they We're
about 1t was evident to me now
that the Chameleon carried the drop
ping bombs that were used in war, and
that Payton was going to drop one of
these missiles upon US with the aid of
the kite, another military device which
at that time had come into use as an
auxiliary in such cases.
If the top of the rocks had been as
exposed as he naturally concluded it
to be his cunning would have had its
reward and we should have been
blown to bits; or, at the very least
j put hors de combat so that he could
safely rush the stronghold.
/ watched the manipulation. of the
kite with the keenest anxiety, hoping
that some accident would come to it.
But Payton was skillful, and in few
minutes he had it poised exactly over
/ the top of he cocks. | was familiar
with such tactics.
i could see the round black bomb
4 depending from it. and the string that
controlled its descent, the pulling of
j which would cause it to fall. In my
desperation / took quick aim with
my pistol and fired, for the thing was
not q hundred feet above US, hoping
to cause an explosion in the air. But
i of course missed, and an instant aft
4 erward | saw the string jerked and
Il the fearful missile began its descent.
4 / ran and lodged into a sloping
4 creyice at the side of the Enclosure.
In two or three seconds the explo-
sion occurred. The effects were fear
i full. 1t shook the whole rocky emf
nence, sent fragments flying in every
direction and ground the rock where
i the bomb struck to powder. | felt an
excruciating pain in my left ankle,
which had been left exposed, but |
was out Of my hiding place in a mo-
ment, limping to peephole.
At the same moment Miss Grayman
d appeared, ashy pale and trembling.