The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-22

Continued From Page One.h
My first thought was that it might be
the Zeppelins, but | wouldn't believe it.
We're so used to subway blasts at
home. you know
| laughed as got out of bed.
1T does sound natural" COM
mcnted: but I'm sure this is an air
raid. Don't show a light" / threw
on a robe, and Went to the door. The
hall was dimly illuminated as usual
and two young women with robes over
their night attire, hurried along the
corridor and into their room.
They were giggling.
Bang. bang. bang. bang, boom,
boom. boom: went the big guns; whizz.
went the bombs. ! came inside and
turned on the lights; and was met
with the natural question:
What do we do about 1t? Any
thing"
Il don't know / puzzled, listening
to the echoes of an explosion which
was louder and closer than any of the
others We looked toward the win
dows longingly. 1t was against the
law to open curtains or shutters, even
SO much as a crack
Privileged to Come Down.
I think Ill ask the clerk about It."
] decided. and took UP the phone
Very well, sir" came bored voice
over the wire.
"Ow yes. sir he drawled in a tone
which was totally disinterested II
was just about calling you. sir, to say
that. since you're on the top floor, you
might as well come down. IL you like"
We looked at each other thought
fully, and in the minds of both of us
there was again the lively knowledge
that at any moment bomb might
come crashing straight down through
our room. 1t was an understandable feel
ing, that tremendous immnence of an
unseen danger, and will not say that
there was no such thing as fear in
either one Of us. | do know, however
that there was an instant bracinc Of
the spirit to meet that fear. so that 1t
should not degrade us, nor shame US
in our own eyes, nor hamper our ac-
tons. And ii did not. II / am trying
to be accurate about this trying to
set down as corrc city as possible the
workings of a normal mind under un-
usual conditions.
Got valuables Together.
We'll dress, ! suppose" observed
the quiet voice. and the possessor of
it was already lacing her shoes
4 think So replied I was maxi
ing sure OF passports and letters Of
credits and money. in case anything
shn lor -, @l,.A 4,
should be gone.
We dressed completely, went into
the hall and rang for the elevator. but
by the time it came, we had another
idea
Can You talks us up on the roof"
Not any more. sir" smiled the ele-
vator man. It's forbidden by the
police. But / can take YOU up where
You can get good view"
So. in place of going down. we went
Up, and out of darkened windows
looked into the sky. where dozen
powerful searchiights crossed and re-
crossed right over our heads, against
the brilliant moonlight.
There's one of the beggars right
above US remarked the elevator man.
lowering his voice to o half whisper
almost as if there might be some dan
ger that the "beggar above u.s. could
hear. THE searchlights have been
hunting him for half an hour. but he's
high up; two miles or more
Kept Him Guessing.
There came q streaking flare straight
down through the sky.
An incendiary bomb, and IL blazed
up where 1t hit not over three blocks
away. -=.
As IL angered. tho big guns on Lon
don Bridge, and the huge French 15s
along the Thames. increased their
booming with redoubled fury.
No chance to get the Roche at that
height, but they could keep him from
coming close enough to make an ac-
curate drop.
What trace Of apprehension there
had been in us had disappeared. though
we were closer TO the danger by being
out from under the piles of sandbags
which protected the main roof.
And there seemed to be no fear in
the elevator man.
II was all unreal. unbelievable,
Out there was the beautiful clear
sky. with the moon SHINING pfisntiS'
and the stars beginning 10 pale in the
first faint gray of the dawn.
Didn't Seem Possible.
The searchlights, centering over us
TO find the "beggar just above" seemed
like show of some sort.
1t was monstrously past comprehen-
sion that in this beautiful sky there
lowered machines, guided by human
rnalevolence. which were dropping