Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-10-31
AN AERIAL CRIME.

3 SNAAbph NU9 6R4AE up
Like a falcon suddenly unhooded
by tho hunter it escaped to the sky,
iarting upward in straight line. Al
ready one could scarcely distinguish
above the rim Of the basket the heads
u tEe two derouauts who assembled.
/ Leaning on the frail wicker bull
wark, they saw far down below the
mall terrestrial forms lessening every
second and vanishing. What was that
mass Of white and gray things crossed
syery way BY black hne52 Was that
the city, Yes, the city they had just
left a city reduced to the proportions
81 an ant hill But right and left, be-
/ lore and behind, what marvellous hor-
rizon! There, far away the serrated
line of the mountains, and on the other
side the sea- the vast blue ocean
sparkling in flood Of sunshine
/ Suddenly, In the profound silence OF
the azure, a woman's voice resounded,
,lear as a tinkling of crystal
Oliver said she give me your
aand!'
Here is my hand, Laura, replied
mans voice
Thank you" said the fair voyager
'traightcning herself and closing her
ayes with a shudder.
/ The man raised his head and looked
At his companion, who, very pale, sat
Town on a light bamboo seat. "What
Is the matter with you?' he asked
Il was afraid, said she. II was so
iizzy. But il is over. She passed
her pretty, gloved hand across her
ayes.
'Do you regret your notion?n
'No; certainly not. But first trial
may surprise the nerves. Oh, shall
get used to IL. Don't worry"
He remained erect looking at her
She was charming in her tight-htting
/ travelling dress, which revealed the
/ ines OF form harmonious and supple,
Eith little masculine hat coquetishly
posed on her golden hair knotted in
the neck, and with the dead pallor that
heightened the effect of her black eyes.
The young woman also looked at her
companion, whose blond beard heavy
and closely trimmed framed & manly,
aoble face. Seeing him frown, she
said, in her turn, with her singing
voice
"And you, Oliver; why do you look
70 gloomyP"
He did not answer but leaning
dignity over the side of the basket:
ave are going up too quick, said he.
And Selling a rope which hung near
by he pulled on it.
Almost instantly the young man had
4 sensation of their movement being
retarded, then of a stop aud at last OF
descent.
Are you going down for goodP' she
.sked.
mo" replied Oliver. I'VE will go
Ip again presently"
"Whenp"
"W Then | choose. / have only to
,lose the valve which secures the gas.
You see thus rope hold in my handP
That regulates our course, "
"And il it should break?n
alt will not break-it is firm. But
by kind of miracle it should disap-
pear we should be lost"
"HOwPn
1.-The balloon is sufficiently inflated
% carry US to regions where we could
40 longer breathe, We should be as
ohyXiatod,
Luckily it needs two miracles.
That rope is double, is it notPn
1T looks TO be double now, but in
reality there is but one Lean out
little. Do you see that ring high up
here? The rope passes through that
aud these are its two ends which hold
n my hand. They are tied be.ides.
But it needs only a blow with a knife
20 separate them. See, now here are
The two ends free. have only to pull
one The rope glides through the
ring and falls at my feet and, behold!
we have started on the grand voyage!'
He had joined tho action to the
word The rope had fallen to his feet.
He coiled with a turn Of his arm and
hastily flung is into the void beneath
lhem.
The young woman started to her
teet, trembling aud Mortified. "Oljver,
what are you ahout9 Are you mad?'
The young man looked her full in
the face aud said very calmly: Il am
not mad.
Then what are you doing that torP'
II have planned It all. l Intend
that we shall die together hero in mid
air far from that earth which in
tensoIy hate since it is there You have
proved TO me what you are, since the
mire Of which il Is made has splashed
the idol that my superstition adored IN
you
The supplied girl made q gesture IS
Il appalled,
ooh 30 not protest cried Oliver.
.All feint Is useless. l will convince
you in one sentence that you are lost
10 mc-that you intended to marry
another Yes, that fool that insipid
Moreno. who has followed US from
Venice whom We have found every
where Milan, Florence Rome. Lon
4on. New York, Chicago. You made
me treat him as companion. have
shaken hands with him daily-imoe-
sile that am, Have I not been con