The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1915-03-05

we passed on the regular road and
get a repair man
But that is miles away" said
Grace in dismay.
"Oh. no. not more than three miles.
| fear you must remain here"
oh what is that?"
Gerald had come up to the side of
the machine. With a violent start
Grace reached out and chung to his
arm. trembling all over
Boom-crash,
He, too, was suddenly startled.
Somewhat beyond them was another
elevation, like to the one in the
shadow of which the automobile was
anchored in the sand Now a speedy
conception of their situation came to
the mind of Gerald as be recognized
what really was. He stepped quick
ly tC the edge of the elevation that
screened them from the bay. He
gave quick gasp.
A mile out in the bay two battle
ships were ranged. The dunes" were
target points, and as Gerald glanced
over the one that shielded them he
observed a round white-painted wood
en- target at its apex
Just then a second shot plowed up
the sand into a great cascade not
twenty feet from them. The next
might strike the target base beside
them
Quick" he said, rushing back to
the machine and almost tearing from
Grace the white, flowing veil she
wore.
Grace, thrilled, petrified, saw him
run back, describe a wild leap, and he
landed on a staggering balance on the
top of a hummock, steadying himself
across its uneven surface by climbing
to the edge of the great target.
Out from his hand waved the long
white veil Could they see him?
Would they see him? His heart quiv-
cred as a puff of smoke from one of
the distant vessels was followed by a
bounding blotch, boring space, and a
shot landed so feet short of the hum
mock
A second puff of smoke-but still
Gerald stood at his post of peril, wav-
ing the filmy signal, and then-the
crisis, the climax,
Gerald was conscious of terrific
shock That last shot, better aimed
than its predecessor, had neared the
target. It had not struck it, or he
would have been killed. 1t landed
against the base of the hummock and
sent it splitting apart, and, dizzied'
stunned, Gerald found himself sinking
through space.
It might have been a minute, il
might have been an hour when Ger
aid aroused to sensibility, he knew
not which at the moment. He had en-
dured a great shock but was not 9th
erwise injured. He was lying amid
the partial ruins of the hummock, his
head in Grace's lap She was wiring
ing her hands distractedly and the
tears were raining down on his face.
''Ife is dead" she walled. "And fol
my sake! And | thought he had nc
| courage. Ou, NY uSdI. Ily uCoA
and she leaned over and kissed his
cheek in a transport of mingled love
and despair.
What glorious medicine!" Gerald
could not help but cry out ecstatically
thrilling under the magic of loves
marvellous restorative.
He sat up and extended his arm:
towards her, the words of hope ant
happiness upon his lips, but there wa'
en- interruption. A small boat hat
been sent ashore from the battleshil
to investigate the veil signal and pos
sible damage done.
"Oh, that dreadful moment" shud
dered Grace, as, two hours later, tn
machine repaired, they started on
their way.
"Oh. happy day% cried the delight
ed lover 81 bless the hour tina
brought us into deadly peril
(Convright 1914 bv w G. Chapman.)