The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-11-18

darkened very soon after that. It was
night, and every one was gone. and
everything was silent. Jim pushed
away the barrel top, and, very eau
tously, he looked out.
There seemed to be no guard-or, at
best, an inadequate guard-about that
field at night. He crawled on. He
reached the stream unchallenged,
crossed it and came beside the cotton
wood. The night remained clouded
and very dark, but he could see that
on the other side Of the cottonwood
was an open space, which appeared to
be q pasture. There was no sound at
all on the ground. Overhead was the
clatter Of an aeroplane. That was not
at all unusual in the neighborhood Of
the stockade. The regent had taken
over an American aeroplane factory
In the vicinity, and there was train
ing school for aviators, who often prac-
ticed night flying over Cayuga lake.
"Jimw The hail was a whisper. He
knew the voice.
"Jimv' she cried again. He moved
over to her and touched her. Now he
had her hand in his. Beatrice, you
you!" His voice choked.
"You are quite all right, Jim"
II? I was never so all right, Bea-
trice, as at this moment. You. How
are you?"
"I?" she repeated. She was trem-
bling, and he was trembling, too; they
both knew 1t. He seized her. There
was no will or thought about 1.-THE
just took her in his arms, and she chung
to him, and when he kissed her wildly,
passionately, she offered her lips again.
"Beatrice!" he cried in wonder her
name over and over; then at sound
over the pasture both came to them
selves. She pushed from him, and he
let her go. They knelt side by side
and crouched on the grass; her fingers
found his, but it was to give him a
pistol now.
An aeroplane landed nearby and an
officer dispatched his pilot on some
errand while he himself tinkered with
the engine.
Beatrice whispered, scarcely audibly,
into Jim's ear; she needed few words
to make him understand. This pas
ture was the usual place where ma
chimes in trouble descended-that was
why she had chosen it. Sometimes
several machines alighted there during
an evening. Beatrice was not an ex-
pert, but she could make a machine
fly; the chance before them was as
good as any which might offer.
It was even better q minute later
when the officer started the motor. It
was no trick at all for man to stalk
an enemy deafened by those motor ex-
plosions. Jim might have shot him
without raising an alarm; but, though
the stalker was just from prison, a
blow with pistol butt was quite
enough. The officer tumbled and lay
quite limp. Jim. at Beatrice's direc-
ton, got into seat; she took the pi-
lots seat behind him. The motor was
still running; she speeded it up and
the plane began to rise.
He leaned back close to Beatrice
Where are we going?' he shouted.
ITO our lines If we can get there
The regents going to make another
drive; there's going to be the biggest
battle vet to make us make peace!'
1--WE got a cart for your mother,
Nellie" said Nathan Ashby. 1T can
take you and little Bob too"
Nellie shook her head. Mother
can't he moved, father"
"She must be! Nellie. they'll be here
tomorrow! Our men are going to burn
chicago tonight and then give it up.
They're destroying the grain elevators
today, hear The fighting will be be-
yond Chicago tomorrow night"
Mother cannot stand being moved
at all. fatker-miles and miles to the
end OF the world in an open cart! 1t
simply would be killing her. She can
run no greater danger here"
"Then you. Nellie: you must go-you
and little Bob"
The rumble Of the guns in the great
battle about Chicago sounded continu-
ously as deep. distant undertope.