Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-05-04

AhtcN htic olAAli-c alsN ti~t.ifIt4
words TO Bertha. She wnlkri 10 u
window and looked down on the
street. IL had been Il long tine since
Bertha's mind specuiated upon things
Of serious import. She was half in
clined TO envy Pearl Dare II only for
the impulse 10 good and noble deeds
life In that household encouraged. She
shrugged her shoulders and sighed
hopelessly. She had indeed made q
mess Of her life.
Pearl, who was studying Bertha
quietly, wondered at her sudden alb
straction. "What do you sec on the
sidewalk that makes you sigh SO dis
mally?"
Nothing but n lamplighter on his
nightly rounds" quickly evadcd
Bertha, changing her mood. That's
queer.." she added and motioned TO
Pearl. whispering: "Come here!'
Pearl fastened TO the window. gave
one glance In the direction indicated
by Bertha and ran to her desk. She
opened a drawer and hurried back TO
the window with q pair Of sea-glasses
of the kind used ON ships mt night.
Through these binoculars Pearl
gazed ut the lamplighter. He stood
on top of his ladder ostensibly testing
the strength OF one OF the powerful
bulbs in the cluster Of electric lights
on the post. In reality he had found
and was reading a message evidently
left there for him.
Can you make IL out? Is IL ONE
thing %unusual?' whispered Bertha.
softly and curiously.
Pearls hands shook as she pressed
the glasses against her eyes.
The Silent Army 10 to assemble at
the Owls hour at the Chemical build
Ing. The Silent Flyer will be there.
BY command Of the Silent Menace.
The lnmplighter replaced the note
and lcaping TO the ground disappeared
with his ladder under his arm.
"The waters" CALCULATED Pearl, re-
peating the words TO Bertha while the
two dashed down the steps.
1.-The Silent Army! :" repeated Ber-
tina under her breath. as they rushed
into the study. thinking of the words
TO which the colonel on that subject
had just given utterance.
Pearl rapidly related her discovery
and all hurried 10 the door. They met
Adams on tie threshold. He blocked
their exit.
"See here w-whnt i just found on
that there lamp post" he suffered.
addressing the colonel. handing him a
little piece of paper.
IL was the message read and left
by the lamplighter.
The apparently genuine alarm of
the orderly removed from their
thoughts any m~0mcntary suspicion Of
him In connection with this new mys-
terry even though 1t struck them as odd
that the conviving Of the Silent Men
ace with his accompliccs was taking
place almost within their door-Ber-
tina and Brent both excepted. The
latter recalled his experience with the
lamplighter that morning.
Adams, SO ordered by the colonel,
ven 10 the garage 10 get one Of the
automobiles for a dash TO town. Some
little delay ensued for Toxic was
sound asleep In his room in the upper
story. While they waited the colonel
telephoned 10 the barracks and or
dered his entire regiment 10 proceed
TO the Chemical building. Brent on
another line notified the war Office.
This isn't Il hoax. that's sure. -
muttcrcd the colonel as he replaced
the telephone receiver. He had been
unable To connect with the Chemical
building. Exchange told him that
something was wrong with the wires
there.
They were seated in the car; Toxic
was shifting the gears.
Stop cried Pearl with "A dramatic
upward gesture.
High In the skies, quite distinct, yet
unaccompanied by sound. w fiery
red. d~ragon-like eyes flashed fcrOci-
ously, dazzling and binding human
sight. They moved as swiftly as the
wind although no breezes stirred.
~Involuntnrily they shrunk in awe of
the weird spectacle.
Its 1.-THE Silent Flyer fell from
the lirs of Adams.
Toi.o opened the throttle and the
car almost lifting itself from the as
uhalt bounded forward.
They reached the Chemical build
ing nj neck breaking speed. regardless
of city laws and frightened pcdcs-
TRANS. Near the gates q soap box ora
tor held spcllbound an audience Of a
thousand or more peaceful enough
cooking citizens intent upon every
word OF an eloquent speech on the
.opical theme of The High Cost OF
Living"
No scene could be less offending.
The orator handled his subject with
great act and pronounced concern
I was really q philosophical discourse
)f II proper and educational nature.
But when in a momcnt the infantry
arrived from the barracks and ordered
The crowd to disburse the cloak of
oeaceful interest disappeared and as
Z by magic widest disorder pre-
JAILED, guns equipped with silencers
we're drawn and Il terrific riot en-