The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-11-22

anu tho balloon rode on, solitary,
through the fields OF mir.
"a singular salute our friends gave
us, eh, when they bade us bon voyagei"
said NJ. dc Villeneuve, with chuckle
that was incomprehensible to me.
The moon, half full, had row risen,
and could sec the face Of my COM
panion-the swarthy, keen face Of mnn
forty years Of age, with short dark hair,
slightly grizzled, fiery black eyes, and
very white, strong, sharp pointed teeth,
which gave him, when he smiled, some
what the express ion Of q laughing wolf.
He e.was man Of powerful frame, and
the fingers Of the gloved hand which he
now laid upon my arm were as strong
and supple as steel.
"Avow," said this strange passenger,
with grin that m ogre might have
cnvied, "avow that you tnke mo for q
queer specimen Of the French provin-
cial gentryl But first, how comes it
that Killick is absent, and one OF your
age has the honor to he my piloti"
I told him briefly and in offended
tones what Ind occurred. "We must
now," I added, "look ont for n place
to descend, for the wind is freshening,
and"-
"Let it freshen!" rudely interrupted
M. de Villeneuve. "Sets fair for Spain,
does it mott"
"For Spainl" I echoed, in surprise.
Could this self-conceited country gentle.
man really deem that we were bound on
such journey as that1 I could not
help laughing as I said: "Why for
Spain, monsieur"
"Well, Italy would hive served me
rs well had the wind been westerly one.
Ha, Ind, what are you about that You
finger that ropei"
al nm opening tho valve above" I
answered, coldly, because it is time now
to sink to q lower Lowell and descend
descend, ehi' briskly put in my
fellow-voyager. "We may as well
understand each other at once. Hands
Of that rope, I soy, il you would keep
the roof on your skull, "ho added, threat.
eniugly, as he drew n revolver from with
in his waistcoat, and deliberately pointed
the barrel at my head. "Ill show you
who's captain up here"
My brain reoled and my blood ran
cold as the horrid thought flashed upon
me that I was, at TINT fearful height
above tho earth, in company with mad.
man. Nothing surely savo insanity
could account for the extraordinary be-
havour OF NJ. do Villeneuve.
But I suppose I put tolerably good
countenance on the matter, for my
formidable companion laughed again, but
less ill.naturedly, as he said:
"You face it out well, boy. I like q
youngster who shows n heart somewhat
bigger than chickens. And I'm not
so bad as I look-neyer do this!'-h.,
drew his hand as he spoke edgeways,
with meaning gesture, across his throat
I can get my little profits by
quieter means. But you stare at me rs il
I were n mountebank selling qnack
medicines. Can you guess why those
gendarmes were 80 pcremptory IN hour
agoR Because they wanted the pleasure
Of my company buck to Toulon, that's
NIL. Did you never hear Of Risquc-son.
conf" ", .-.- .-.a.
And then remembered to have seen
n paragraph in local paper announcing
the escape from Toulon Of criminal Of
the worst and most dangerous type.
Aud here was l, Edward Holmes, artist,
voyaging by night in balloon, in com.
pany with a runaway galley-slave, well
armed with knife md pistol, aud more
than match in strength for me, even
had he been less well provided
My terrible companion was only too
much disposed to be talkative; mud rs
we swept onward before the frcshening
wind, hc was Kind enough to favor me
with q few brief anecdotes Of his past
CAREER, In which the jocose and the hor.
rible seemed to mingle in cynic confu-
sion. He told graphically OF tho ten
days Of hardship and hunger which he
had endured while skulking among the
rocky hills by night, and lying hidden
among thorny brakes by day, until at
Last ne broke INTO a pean OF triumph N
reiaung now ne haa enc GncouhNreu ana
roooed the true M. ae 'ilieneuVe on MS
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