The free press., 1895-09-26

had plenty of time to gnze on the vast
and extending panorama below us.
Presently we entered huge bank
or mountain of cloud of tho kind
called cumulus, and were surrounded
by chilling mist which induced me
to put on the wraps we had brought.
When We emerged from the cloud
scene of fairy-like beauty suddenly
burst upon us. We were in kind of
basin surrounded by mountains of
cloud of the most fantastic shapes, of
enormous size and of dazzling bright
ness. Now and then, as we rose, we
caught sight also Of wondrous ravines
OF curious shape and great depth.
These mountains of clouds, with their
silvery and golden sides, their dark
shadows, their varied tints and sum-
mits of dazzling whiteness, presented
to our wondering gaze q scene of sur
passing beauty and grandeur.
This sublime spectacle evoked my
highest admiration, while the silence
and vastness of space inspired me with
awe. l drank in these exquisite and
varied delights with such nvidity and
with such absorbing interest, that 1
had scarcely looked at, or spoken to
my companion since we had started.
But an exclamation from him now
diverted my attention, and glancing
at him, I was surprised to see that he
had risen and was much excited.
"What is it, Jack?" I asked.
"Isn't it glorious?" he replied. 81
wonder if heaven is much more
beautiful? How delightful it would
be if We could reach it! should see
my Ada again, then. +"
"My dear fellow!" I interposed,
hastily, somewhat alarmed-not SO
much by his words as by his excited
manner and wild look; 'you think
too much of these things. You have
been brooding over your loss more
than is good for you. Will YOU !"
cat any rate" cried he, vehement
ly, "it's worth trying, SO here goes, -
and seizing one of the sandbags he
threw it over. The lightened balloon
at once began to rise moro quickly.
"What are you doing, Jack?"
shouted. "For heavens sake, keep
calm. We are good height already.
We shan't be able to breathe if we go
much higher. It's getting uncomfort-
able as it is.
"Shan't we? We shall see about
that. Tn going to try, anyhow. Be-
sides, I don't care if 1 can't breathe.
want to see my Ada. That's all /
care about"
I began to fear the worst. Was he
going mad? Were the reports my
wife had heard literally true, and not
exaggerated after all? What fool
I had been not to be moro cautious!
Whether he was mad or not, he was
in dangerous mood, and my posi-
ton was far from pleasant. To op-
pose him would evidently aggravate
him and make matters worse. To
humor him was undoubtedly the wisest
course.
"Look here, Jack l cried. "You
say you want to SEQ Ada. l can tell
you of better and surer way of going
to her than this. If you will listen
to me-there I involuntarily moved
nv hand toward the valve cord If
you will listen to mo l.
None of your blarney, man? I'm
not to be wheedled so. I'm to old Il
boy for that. Leave the cord alone,
can't you? I'm not going down again
to-day. I'm going to see what's up
there, and don't you try to stop me,
and he glared flercely at me.
The horrible nature OF my situation
was now only too apparent-there
could no longer be any doubt of Tun-
niclife's condition. l was in bal
loon with mad man, and about four
miles from the earth. felt the cold
sweat on my brow, and my brain be-
gan to rest. But with tremendous
effort I pulled myself together for
my only chance of safety was IN re-
tanning my self-posssession. Io at
tempt to overpower him was out OF
the ouestion-the strength OF mad
man is so we'll known My only hope
of escape was to outwit him. But
how? Forced into unnatural activity
as my brain was by my desperate
situation, and by the necessity OF