Gilpin observer., 1918-09-12

times, ana II i 0aQ encountered the
same person twice suppose my con-
duct might have aroused suspicion.
? 1 had first-class observation Of the
damage that was really done by our
bombs. One bomb had landed very
near the main railroad station and If
it had been only thirty yards nearer
would have completely demolished 1t.
AS the station was undoubtedly our
airman's objective was very much
impressed with the accuracy of his
aim. 1t is by no means an easy thing
to hit building from the air when
you are going at anywhere from fifty
to one hundred miles an hour and are
being shot at from beneath from a
dozen different angles-unless, of
course, you are taking one Of those
desperate chances and flying so low
that you cannot very well miss your
mark and the Huns can't very well
miss you either!
walked by the station and mingled
with the crowds which stood In the
entrances. They paid no more at
tention to me than they did to real Bel
CLANS. and the fact that the lights
were all out in this city at night made
it impossible anyway for anyone to
get as good look at me as If 1t had
been light.
During the time that was in this
city I suppose I wandered from one
end of 1t to the other. In one place,
where the German staff had its head
quarters, huge German flag hung
from the window, and think I would
have given ten years Of my life to
have stolen 1t. Even If I could have
pulled it down. however, 1t would have
been impossible for me to have con-
cealed 1t. and to have carried 1t away
with me as souvenir, therefore would
have been out Of the question.
As went along the street one night
a lady standing on the corner stopped
me and spoke to me. My first impulse.
of course. was to answer her. explain
ing that could not understand. but l
stopped myself in time. pointed to my
ears and mouth and shook my head
indicating that was deaf and dumb.
and she nodded understandingly and
walked on. Incidents of that kind were
not unusual. and was always in fear
that the time would come when some
inquisitive and suspicious German
would encounter me and not be SO
easily satisfied.
There are many things that saw in
this city which. for various reasons. 1t
is impossible for me to relate until
after the war is over. Some Of them,
I think. will create more surprise than
the incidents am free to reveal now.
1t used to amuse me as went along
the streets Of this town. looking in
the shop windows with German SOL
diers at my side looking at the same
things. to think how close was to
them and they had no way Of knowing.
l was quite convinced that If / were
discovered my fate would have been
death because I not only had the
forged passport on me, but I had been
so many days behind the German lines
after l had escaped that they couldn't
safely let me live with the informa-
ton possessed.
One night walked boldly across a
park. l heard footsteps behind me and
turning round saw two German SOL
diers. slowed up trifie to let them
get ahead Of me. 1t was rather dark
and l got a chance to see what Won
derful uniform the German military
authorities have picked out. The SOL
diers had not gone more than a few
feet ahead of me when they disap-
peared In the darkness like one of
those melting pictures on the moving
picture screen.