South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-26

The five minutes 7 had set myself
as The measure OF time in which Do
would be safe FOR me 90 attempt 20
aid the wounded state trooper lying
so near me t5cked their seconds away
interminably.
7 felt as though 7 had time FOR a
review OF every thought and action
since 1 was born. set 7 did not dare
10 shorten the time. FOR I knew tha-
any movement o. mine would Dee
strongly silh0uetted against the
moonlight. and dreaded the eyes of
that stealthy figure fleeing through
the grass. The thought brought an
other correlated oue-how was lt
that ]. lying on the broad stone had
escaped the notice OF che assassin
who had struck down the officer?
changed my position cautiously
and studied the position Of the rock
or which I had gone 90 sleep after
Ted Cosgrove had left his fishing
post near me az tho sound OF Bess
Deans distant laughter. II was as
7 thought. the r0ck-broad and level
was iu a small depression. and the
ground sloped upward toward the
place where the trooper lay Wrap
ped in the dark motor blanket as
was my figure had blended with the
shadows. so that 20 AL appearances
there had been no person near the
officer save the one who had attacked
him ia so dastardly a fashion.
Only Forest Sounds
7 reasoned that the blow must
have struck just before I Weakened.
In fact, believed that some suddenly
stfed shout or groan of the trooper
must have been the sound that awak-
cued me. I could visualize the as
sassln creeping upon his victim,
striking the blow. then waiting
hreathlessly 10 see 81 there was any
auditor OF the sound which must
have awakened me- And I could
picture his angry amazement when
from the shadows before him I had
raised myself TO a sitting posture and
looked wildly around me.
I thanked my particular little Joss
that he had not forever punctured
my sudden appearance with the
period Of a pistol shot Then I real
lied that a pistol shot was the last
thing the unknown miscreant wished
20 have ring out IN that lonely place
then I knew that I was safer than
I had thought Suddenly I had Il
borne IN upon me that this midnight
assassin was very sure Of his ground.
very certain OF HIS escape. else he
never would have left me unsilenced,
when a short dash across the stones.
a quick thrust Of a knife would have
Stflled me forever
Who Is the Man?
strained my ears 10 hear sounds
OF Dicky. Bess Dean or the Cos
groves. But only the distant eerie
wall OF a boot owl. the insistert
plant OF a whippoorwill. the splash
of the water below me. disturbed the
silence which TO me now was awe
some instead Of restful
The unknown man had spoken o..
the "fool fishing party" as being "a
good half mile away" This meant
that a shout would DE useless. even If
dared risk II. NO. whatever aid
the wounded trooper would receive
must come from my efforts alone
At last 20 my relieved 10Y. the hands
or my watch pointed 20 the minute
had set myself as the one when
would dare TO leave the rock.
did not dare 90 stand or 20 sit
erect I rolled myself entirely free
Of the eutangling motor blanket,
fumbIed IN the pocket Of the great
coat which edit CosErove had brought
with him from around the bend,
and which I had used as a pillow.
Was It Dicky's cOat2 ] prayed
that 10 was. for az So
A little sob Of thankfuness tore
from my throat as my fingers touched
the small hrst-aid OUTFIT which. when
we had started from the shack.
had tucked into one OF the pockets
against his laughing protest at my
"fussine
fastened it securely 20 the upper
portion of my dress saw that my
hashught was secure in my pocket.
and then crawled slowly painfully
10 the side Of the wounded trooper.
E scrutinized his face carefully. and
listened intently for any sign OF life.
He breathedl Feebly &c was true,
and his pulse as 7 felt &c. was faint.
But he was alive. and 7 bent all my
energies 20 stanching the blood which
flowed from a sickening wound i'm
his head. 20 applying as effective "a
baudage as possible. and 20 straight
eninE his body and limbs into easier
positions Then 7 crawled back for
the motor blanket and the coat. and
tucked them around him so as TO
protect him as much as I could with
out moving him. something I dared
not do.
SIN there was no sign OF any
approaching footsteps, either OF
friend or enemy. So I made another
creeping journey. this time around
the bend where I had left Pa Cos
grove and Fred. There I found what
I was i'm search of. a tin pail con-
tanning cold well water which We
haG brought with Us.
Tt was a toilsome journey back,
E but I finally accomplished 81. and
with an extra handkerchief OF
E D.cky's which Z found I'm his great
. coat pocket. I washed the blood from
+ The wounded mans face and neck. re-
veaIinr the features OF a lad no older
than the CosErove twins.
They were features recognized.
also. or was fairly sure I did. The
paIud face of the youus trooper was
the same face which had looked
E back az our car and had scrutiuized
E our fishing poles.
7 do not think I ever have faced
q Quandary so puzzliuE as the one
which confronted me when 7 had
finished washing the blood from the
. face OF the wounded young state