Gilpin observer., 1917-03-22

PEARLS Hands Shook as She Held the
Glasses to Her Eyes.
lying in dark spot on the roof. It
was the Silent Flyer. If she had
thought twice she would have let him
escape for she had the waters. But
her momentary thought was to see his
face. She flew at and grabbed him
just as he jerked set of levers and
the "thing" scared. Before Bertha's
horror-stricken gaze Pearl was
dragged into mid-air.
They vanished in q second. Then
the red piercing eyes flashed down
upon Bertha who shrieked and fell
fainting in heap.
From somewhere in the sky the mo-
tor Of an airplane purred. PEARLS dis
tended eyes glimpsed the machine
sweeping by. She heard the driver
yell. Then a canopy enveloped her.
She exchanged her hold and clinging
to a confusion Of ropes, closed. her
eyes and began to sail downward
through illimitable space. :.
On the Potomac shore where PEARLS
parachute landed her safely, some
minutes passed before her senses re-
turned. A binding explosion rent the
heavens. She reeled to her feet and
looked upwards. The Silent Flyer
was a sheet of fire, swooping earth
ward.
She covered her ears with her hands
md nlncod hor i0h
she opened the latter, she drew back
in fright before the approach of a
masked man. Selling her, he buckled
both wrists in one powerful hand and
with the other searched her pockets
for the box of waters.
''Thanks, g-girl," murmured the
masked man in voice strangely like
Adams. He slipped the box of waters
into his own pocket and released her.
"You g-got the grit of the devil and
the nerve of saint!"
Failing like blazing rocket Of
huge proportions, out of the accentu-
ated blackness Of the night, the Silent
Flyer crashed to earth. 1t lay blazing
and sputtering in cornfield not twen-
ty feet from Pearl. A heap of ropes,
wires and canvass, all that remained
of her parachute, was piled on the
ground at her feet.
The masked man, so like Adams in
figure, manner and speech, after re-
leasing her and obtaining possession
of the coveted box Of waters, did not
Immediately depart. He continued to
compliment her and to offer assistance
In her plight.
Pearl ignored him contemptuously.
After few minutes she regained her
strength and full use of her faculties
and picked her way to the remains Of
the Silent Flyer.
She drew as close to the burning
air monster as she dared and still
kept out Of reach Of the sparks. There
was no sign Of the aviator, whose es-
cape from death was inconceivable.
Then Pearl thought she espied some
one concealed In the willows over
hanging the Potomac shore. But when
she reached The spot she decided that
her imagination must have tricked
her. The only thing in sight was a
thick black mufiler identical with that
worn by the masked man. At that
moment Adams, painted out of tho
bushes, uttered a cry of relief and
called her by name.
He clasped her In his arms joyfully.
She gave him n singing blow and
broke away His arms dropped and
he began to stammer an apology.
Il was so g-glad to see you alive
that 1 m-mighty near kissed YOU"
Don't ever do that again p she re-
buked, though she felt herself blush
Ing. 'Where did you come from?"
He pointed skyward. Then he d.
rected her gaze to "Dauber" stand.
Ing In an open lot across the river.
Were you In the other machine?"
He nodded. II brought yonder
c-chap down after you let 20 in the
parachute. That was some grit and.
nerve, g-girlw
The words were SO near the precise
Language Of the masked man who
forced her to give up the box Of waf-
ers that she stiffened.
DO you recognize this muffler7
Did you take the box of waters from
me7" she questioned, waving the muf.
fer.
tEND OF TENTH EpIsoDpA