Macon beacon., 1917-03-09


street. Ii had been long time since
Bertha'S mind specu,ated upon things
OF serious import. She was half in
cllned TO envy Pearl Dare II only for
the impulse to good and noble deeds
life In that household encouraged. She
shrugged her shoulders and sighed
hopeleSSly. She had indeed made a
mess of her life.
Pearl, who was studying Bertha
quietly, wondered at her sudden alb
straction. what do you see on the
sidewalk that makes you sigh 50 dis
mallyg
Nothing but lamplighter on his
nightly rounds" quickly evaded
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 n drawer and hurried back to
the window with pair of sea glasses
of the kind used on ships at night.
Through these binoculars Pearl
gazed at 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 message evidently
left there for him.
Can you make 1t out2 Is 1t some
thing unusual?' whispered Bertha,
softly and curlously.
Pearls hands shook as she pressed
the glasses against her eyes.
The Silent Army is to assemble at
the Owls hour at the Chemical build
ing. The Silent Flyer will be there.
BY command Of the Silent Menace.
The lamplighter replaced the note
and leaping to the ground disappeared
with his ladder under his arm.
THE wafersw calculated Pearl re-
peating the words to Bertha while the
TWO dashed down the steps.
"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 to the door. They met
Adams on the threshold. He blocked
their exit.
"See here w-what / just found on
that there lamp post!' he suffered,
addressing the colonel, handing him
little piece of paper.
1t was the message read and left
by the lamplighter.
The apparently genuine alarm of
the orderly removed from their
thoughts any momentary suspicion of
him in connection with this new mys-
terry even though it struck them as odd
that the conviving of the Silent Men
ace with his accomplices 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,
went to the garage to get one of the
automobiles for 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 to the barracks and or
dered his entire regiment to proceed
to the Chemical building. Brent on
another line notified the war office.
"rhis isn't hoax, that's sure!"
muttered 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 n dramatic
upward gesture.
High In the skies, quite distinct, yet
unaccompanied by sound, two fiery
red, dragon-llke eyes flashed feroci-
ously, dazzling and binding human
sight, They moved as swiftly as the
wind although no breezes stirred.
InvOluntarily they shrunk In awe of
the weird spectacle.
ITS t-the Silent Flyer" fell from
the lips Of Adams.
Toxic opened the throttle and the
car almost lifting Itself from the as
phalt bounded forward.
They reached the Chemical build
ing at neck-breaking speed, regardless
Of city laws and frightened pedes-
trians. Near the gates q soap box ora
tor held spellbound an audience Of a
thousand or more peaceful enough
looking citizens intent upon every
word Of an eloquent speech on the
topical theme Of "The High Cost OF
Living"
No scene could be less offending.
The orator handled his subject with
great tact and pronounced concern.
1t was really a philosophical discourse
Of proper and educational nature.
But when in a moment the infantry
arrived from the barracks and ordered
the crowd to disburse the cloak of
peaceful interest disappeared and as
IL by magic widest disorder pre-
vailed, guns equipped with silencers