South Bend news-times., 1918-10-13
Flashes in the Night
By Claude Holden

Gertrude Gambler stepped TO the
window and looked out into the
night II was almost pitch dark.
The lights in the street. seven stories
below, had gone out, and the only
visible hight came dimly from the
windows OF a few late retiring house
holds A feeling of loneliness came
apartment the only one in the suite
and perhaps the only one in the
whole building awake. 1t was .
o'clock in the morning. She had
tried 10 sleep for hours but her eyes
had refused TO close.
From out Of the night she saw a
flash Of light, as if from an electric
torch. She waited but the fash was
not repeated. 1t had come from the
direction Of the military camp in
the suburbs There was someone
out there on the hills that was not
asleep, someone cropping in the dark.
someone who could not sleep for the
thought Of home and friends per
haps How she wished she could
talk to him. Why not? The fash
OF the electric torch had reminded
her Of her own She had studied
the Morse code as hobby and could
send and receive messages. She
knew Just where she had placed the
torch and located il without The aid
OF the light.
Who's out there" she signalled
from the window. After a moments
wait she repeated the signal. She
rested and then tried again.
Hey there" she signalled this
time.
Then she almost dropped her
torch. There was an answering fash
from the hills. The flashes came in
such quick succession she could
hardly follow them but managed 70
decipher. Hey there yourself.
Who's out there" she flashed
That's what I want 10 ask you,
was the unsatisfactory answer.
"A very lonely and homesick girl,
she answered after a moments
thought
In the same box only Of the op-
posite sex" He was taking more
time between flashes and Gertrude
had no difficulty in making it out
| A conversation In flashes followed
that ended all too soon. Gertrude
/ battery went'dead, and she could not
bring forth another flash. She cast ii
aside with an exclamation Of an
noyance. Just when the converse
ton was getting interesting that had
+ to happen. He had told her that he
was the corporal of the guard and
she had been about 10 tell him
where she was visiting and all about
herself When she pulled down the
blind and switched on the light 1t
was nearly 8 o'clock. out went the
I light and she was in bed in less
than a second. Her homesick feel
ling had gone and there was no sign
of a lump in her throat In very
I few minutes she was asleep and
dreaming of a handsome corporal
The next morning Gertrude was
sure the whole thing had been a
dream. ONLY the torch with the
burnt out battery was proof that II
was not After breakfast she won
dered what 20 do That poor lohelS
Icorporal was having a terrible time
Of il away from all his friends, and
there was nothing she could do tc
helm him. What did he look like
That was the first question that came
TO her. There was her dream pic
ture OF him away back in her mind
and she tried 10 call it forth. he
was tall. she could remember that
His hair was dark brown and WaVy
his ewes were hazel and he had rea
dimples but something about MIN
that was entirely masculine; there
was a ruggedness about him that re-
minded her OF the primitive man
He was a real soldier, true Amer
lean She would have her torch re-
charged and try TO signal him agar
that night. she resolved. With this
object in view she started 70 the city
] Cpl Lair Dickson sat back in The