Bisbee daily review., 1917-02-25

The Report of Pistol Shot Reverber-
 ated Over the Wire
 fOtilla of pleasure craft which dotted the inner harbor with a hundred slen- Ter, wraithlike shapes of silver.
 The night was clear. calm. and very still. Sounds travelled far over it's furnished waters. Even above the dip and slither of his own oars. Parr could hear. as he pulled, the creak of other Oar-lOcks; and as he laid along side his speed launch and stood up tO help Patria board it. he distinctly heard somewhere near by the drus of two other motors start up almost si- simultaneously.
 Was one Huroki's: Parr wondered. Was that gentleman's nasty departure I-frOm the Charming cottage but pre- Jude to mad dash with an aim like unto their own?
 Running forward. he cast of the moOring. then came aft again and. preparatory Ia starting the engine. shot home the ignition switch.
 Instantly with untitled detOnation and brilliant flash, the gasoline tank in the bows exploded.
 Blinded. half stunned. Patria rCeled back into the captains arms. and for a moment remained there. while ooth struggled to recover from the shock. But Parr was less aware of her in that intimate position than might have been expected, even the bewildering circumstances considered. +'or there was but one thought coherent in the turmoil of his mind:
 The electric wiring must have been purpOsely diverted to the tank in or der to cause this explosion when the switch was closed.
 An enemy had done this thing.
 Duly he heard voice shouting: "MeeS Charming, Mees Patria, This way-I save your
 Patria disehsaged from Parr'S arms; he rubbed his eyes. looked. and saw another power boat standing along side. In it, fishing with boathOOk for the side of the launch. stood Senor Juan de Lima.
 With much excuse Parr thought this rescue oddly Opportune. Then the boathook caught the gunwale: the two small craft swung nearer together. De Luna leaned periIou>ly out. offering Patria hand. She caught if. jumped. landed safely. Parr climbed up on the Sfff fn m r--s1 W.a Ts.f1. lnrrr while posing for the leap, hc saw the water swiftly widen between him and safety.
 De Lima was not waiting for him. Very much to the contrary. the Mexi- can was deliberately pushing of.
 Parr cursed him liberally. finding in this sufficient proof that the explosion had been no mere acci1ent-evcn as there had been nothing advcniitiouS about the timely coming of De Lima'S boat. Patria was wanted; he. Donald Parr, was not-was to be left to burn and drown. That he purposed doing neither was beside the point.
 But the Nexican's Stratagem failed in it's upShot. Parr laughed aloud to sec De Lima turn back Go re-enter the cockpit of his vessel and find himself nose to nose with a small but decid- edly wicked-looking pistol in Patrias hand.
 With a scream of mingled fright and surprise the Mexican dropped the boat hook and toppled backward. The har- .f- l.. greatly satisfying was the splash thereof.
 Putting up her pistol. Patria seized the hoathook and with it bridged the yawning gap. Parr jumped, and fell in heap at her feet.
 He wasted no precious moments in ,fOrts to salvage the jettiSonsd con- ,pirator. De Lima had fairly earned his ducking: when sufficiently weary lf laundering about and shrieking for lelp. when his strength failed and hc went under. it would be ouly to find 'ootiug in wSiSt-deep water.
 And SD it fell out. Starting the cu- :ine. Parr graSped the wheel and ,haped true course out from tho InChorace. To his immense Gratific3- ion. tfe boat proved to be fast one.
 ASteTn a pathetic scene dwindieri .ipidly: Seuor Juau de Lima s1anding lllf out of water. alternately tearing lis hair and threatening high heaven ,ith cVaSr"rated fists his pri-ht rightly illuminated hy thc Sl1re of So turning power launch.
 END OF FIRST EpISOCEl