Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-08-18
UP IN A BALLOON.

Like falcon whose eyes the hunter had
suddenly uncovered, it rose into the air,
superb, erect, and with the grace and
rapidity of bird. Already it was scarce
ly possible to distinguish the edge OF the
basket and the heads of the two seronauts
mounting with it. Leaning from the fra
gle rampant of osier, both of them saw
decreasing and effacing themselves from
second to second, below and around them,
the forms and dimensions of terrestrial
objects. What was the mass of white and
gray things above which they hoated, If
regular, notcded on the edges, and threat
ed in sll directions with lines of black:
Naples! Yes, Naples-which they were
quitting, a city reduced to the proportions
of hive.
But to the right and left, before and be-
hind, what a marvellous horizon! Vesu'
yius was there, sleeping her. unquiet sleep
then, farther along, the jagged line of the
Apennines and of the other coast; and far
ther than the eye could reach the vast sea,
blue and scintillating under the yellow
sun.
Suddenly in the profound stiffness OF
the azure a woman's voice resounded clear
as a tinkliDg crystal.
"Oliver," che said, "Oliver, your
hand"
with pleasure, Lea; allow me-" and
this time the voice was that of man.
"Thanks!" and she whom he had called
Lea, reseated herself and closed her eyes
with q shudder The man turned his
head and regarded his companion, who,
very pale, had thrown herself upon bench
eDcircling the basket
what is the matter with your" he de-
manded. care you lll?"
81 was afraid-vertigo seized met is
over now" passing her hand across her
eyes
do you regret your fancy?"
'sNo, certainly not; but first experience
surprises the nerves little. Don't worry
yourself" she added. 81 shall become in
ured to it"
The gentleman made no reply, but, up
right beside her, contemplated her fxedly.
Truly charming picture in her Jaunty
tourist dress, fitting Ikea glove the round
ed outlines Of her supple figure, a mans
cap coquettishly posed upon the golden
hair knot.ed caelessly at the BACK of her
neck, the dull pillor that had settled upon
her face but heighteDing the light of her
splendid eyes. The young woman also re-
garded her companion, man OF grave and
scholarly mien, at the present moment,
however, troubled or morose.
"Aud you, Oliver" she said in turn in
her singing voice, noticing his lowering
brow, "whence comes that sombre aiI?"
Oliver still answered nothing, but leaning
again from the edge Of the basket watched
thsir course.
1--WE mount too rapidly" he said at
last, and Selling cOld that hung within
reach of his hand he drew upon it lightly.
Instantly there was sensation Of slacken-
ing, then OF arrest and finally of move
ment in the contrary direction.
"Are we decending for good and alp
Lea demanded.
NO." he responded; I'VE shall remOunt
Immediately"
when, them"
"When please. l have only to reclOse
the escape-pipe that releases the gas. You
see this cord that l hold IN my hand! 1t
ia that which regulates our course"
"And should it bresk?"
at cannot; it is solid. Bat if by sort
miracle it should disappear, we should be
lost"
'Lost?"
"Yes, lost; the bllloon is so powerfully
inflated with hydrogen it would carry us
to the regions where the cir becomes IRE
suirabIe. We should be asphyxiated
Happily, it would require, it seems to
me, two miracles, for the cord-it is dou-
bic, is it not9"
sin effect, yes; in reality, no. Lean this
way little more. Do you notice above
there something that looks like loop?
The cord passes through it; these are its
two ends that 1 hold in my hands. They
are Joined, of course; but a stroke of
knife would suffice to seperate them. See,
now that the ends are liberated l have only
to draw upon one; the cord glides through
the link, falls to my feet, and, behold! we
start for the great voyage"
The young man, as he spoke, suited the
action to the word. The rope ratified
through the fastening and dropped to his
hand, to be launched second later into the
space The 'youDg woman leaped to her
feet, shiverng and bewildered.
"Oliverp' she cried, what are you do
ing? Are you msd?"
Mad" he echoed, his tone omincusly
calm; mo, l am not mad"
Then what do you mean. What doyou
WISH"
az wish that which is going TO happen;
| wish that we should die together, here,
in the wide heaven, far from the earth
that I have execrated ever since l learned
to know you there SIS You really are-eve7
since the mud of which II Is made splash
ed the idol that my superstition adored IN
youm
Lea uttered cry OF astonlshment IN
which fright predOminated.
app she stsmmered lis it of mt?"
Protest not" continued Oliver, "all
pretence is useless, with a word 1 will con-
vince you. For 10 days l have known
that you had betrayed me-that you had
deceived me like a girl. know tnst you
have a lover; yes, blockhead, an imbecle;
that Count Moreno, who followed us from
Venice, whom we found again at Milan,
at Florence, at Rome, whom you forced me
to receive as a travelling campanion, to
whom l have given my hand dsily--iool
that am-and who doubtless has laughed
with you at my native confidence. Yes, |
know this! How have learned it! 1t
matters little. Have it that l followed
you if you wish, that spied upon you.
The word does not trouble me in the least,
swear it. The essential is to know it,
and know il with u certainty that admits
Of no doubt; my eyes have been scared by
the fiery points of the evidence. And it
is you who have done this-you, the
noblest. the purest, the ideal even; for you
were all this to me, as you know too well,
in fact a divinity before whom l have
bent the knee of respectful and mastered
passion. Yes, have respected you, never
even daring to prOfane so much as thought
the purity of the feelings that binds US
But why should repeat to you all this?
You know it as well as I; that six months