, 1889-03-07

uO HLAlBo.
The colonel was on the alert, but
the strange object in the air was some
distance away, and so unlike any fly
ing thing they had eyer seen before
that 1t took both men two or three
minutes TO comprehend what it was.
Even then they could not account for
what had happened. But Col. Jack
made up his mind that, whoever the
girl was or however she had got into
that situation, she was not in the right
place for n child of her age. And there
He raised his rifle and let fly. But
the motion of his catboat and the
progress of the balloons through the
air made it very difficult for him to
take a sure aim. The first shot had
no effect. Ben Piver gave a short dis
gusted laugh. Then the colonel grew
mad" He perceived now that the
harbor was full of boats coming out
toward him, and that there was q big
crowd on the shore watching the pro-
ceedings.
''If i don't hit this time" said he to
Ben, as he put a fresh cartridge into
the breech, my reputation's gone,
and | leave Refers Point tonight"
Crack went the second shot. The
crowd and Ben heard its mournful
"whoo" as it sped through the bright
air; and almost instantly one of the
balloons collapsed and shriveled up.
An audible cheer came blowing out
from the people on shore and in the
boats, and Col. Jack loaded again.
But just imagine how Mrs. Tredloe
felt when she saw that puff of gun
smoke from the catboat, and realized
that some one was firing at Birdiel She
had barely recovered from her fainting
fit when this happened. Better TO
let her drown or blow away beyond
recovery than do that" she gasped in
anguish. "Why, it is murderl Can't
any one stop that man from shoot
ing2"
DIR. Haygood and her friends tried
to explain the matter to her, but she
tainted again before they could do so,
and it was lucky for her that she be-
came unconscious, because the gal
liant colonel was blazing way again
with his rifle at closer range. An
other of the balloons was punctured,
and seemed to vanish. Col. Jacks
catboat all the time drew nearer to a
spot on the water just below the hoy
ering baby, who now hung suspended,
fortunately very close to n long sand
spit that jutted out into the inlet Just
beyond the harbor's mouth.
One more shot finished off n third
balloon, an there were not enough left
in the bunch now to hold Birdie up.
Slowly, steadily, softly, she began TO
descend, precisely as if she were being
let downward by II pair of arms NOV
ing gently, and in a few minutes Col.
Jack had the satisfaction of seeing her
sink quietly and comfortably down
on the sand heap, with the remaining
balloons still Tutoring around her
like so many huge bubbles of gor-
geous color.
His boat was the first to reach the
point of sand. Ben Piver leaped out,
ran 10 the child, and turning, waved
his hat as lac shouted to the assembled
fleet, Gentlemen, she's alive and kick
mgr whereat another cheer arose,
long and loud.
Col. Jack all but wept over the
child as he caught her up and kissed
her. But Birdie, on landing amid the
sand, had calmly and u"nconcernedly
begun playing with it. Her hands
were full OF little shells. desc for
mamma, she remarked, cheerfully.
He hurried her into his boat, and
sailed back TO the wharf, accompanied
by the rest of the fleet. There was a
tremendous press of men and women
on the wharf. Mr.. Middleby, who re-
ceived Birdie as she was handed up,
started TO rush with her to her mother.
But, strangely enough, in the crush
and confusion of the crowd, he missed
his way, and stepping accidentally over
tho side, fell with a plunge into the
water, carrying Birdie along with him.
The colonel and Ben Piver were over
board in a moment, and soon had
her safe ashore; SO that before they
brought her to Mrs, Tredloe she
had been rescued twice. Some
the poor mother that Birdie was
all right. With DR.. Haygood's help
she rose up on her couch to welcome
the little maiden back; and as the col
onel entered with Birdie in his arms
there was a cry of recognition on both
sides.
Jack Welstedi" exclaimed the
widow, in establishment.
AS for Col. Jack, he stood gazing
from Birdie to her mother, in whom
he beheld his lost love, formerly Eve
Ign Carter. Her husband, Mr.. Tired
loo, had died not long after Birdie was
born; but Col. Jack had known moth
ing about this, having heard no news
of them for three years or more.
The end of it was that Col. Jack
Wclstcd and Mrs Tredloe were married
before the season at Refers Point
was over, and that was how he came
to be the stepfather of Baby Bal
loom
All this happened some fifteen years
before our conversation with the col
onel that evening on the piazza. The
day after he had recited the circum-
stances TO us, Joe Terrill came % him
and said: Colonel, l was very much
interested in the story you told us last
night but it spoiled a little plan of
mine. | have been intending TO save
Miss Brides life myself as soon as 1
could get a good chance to do SO, pre-
paratory TO asking her to marry me.
But as | found you had already saved
her life twice, fifteen years ago, the
wind seemed TO have been taken clean
ont of INV cailc II DropraI 10 mo that