Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1896-03-03

md let him see what there was in IL,
warming him nt the same time that IL
here was any skull duggery about il
would be instantly shot, and
he general would do himself the hap
,inesa Of apologizing to the United |
States for the action later on. With I
hands, Kulparker got his gas !
in operation and inflated the |
balloon. while the rebels looked on with
scarcely disguised contempt. AZ last the |
balloon arose with the fan whirling and |
moved against light zephyr toward
Ihe Spanish camp. It's unfortunate in
ventor watched Il with intense interest,
for he felt that his life depended ON its
actions.
"How soon will II begin to shootY'
asked General Carambo.
''It ought to begin in about zen min
Dtes, said Kulparker, looking at his
watch.
Very we'll. II IL doesn't commeace
then. We will" replied the general
ominously. "We are not here to be tri-
fied with"
To inspire confidence in the inventors
mind the rebel general ordered a file Of
his rufians to cover Kulparker with
their guns and to fire when he gave the
order. Much as the unlucky scientist
wished for an adequate test for his bal
loon, be did not yearn for it under these
conditions, and it is probably the only
case on record where man ON the solid
earth was in more danger than If he had
been up in the flying machine. Kulpar-
ker watched his invention with much
anxiety, and it soon became evident that
It was attracting attention from the
Spaninrds underneath. Puffs Of smoke
were seen in the valley below. They
were firing at It.
All at once Kulparker saw something
drop from the balloon. 1t could not be
a cartridge, for the balloon was not due
TO begin firing. Besides, he could not
have seen a cartridge drop at that dis
tance. II came flnttering down very
slowly, and once as il overturned IN the
air he realized that it was the fan which
propelled the automatic A rife bullet
had doubtless deranged the machinery,
and the fan had whirred itself of. The
balloon hung motionless in midair for a
moment, then slowly the light wind be-
gan to drive it back over the rebel
camp. Kulparker's hair began to bristle
with the horror Of the situation. He
was between two fires, for if the balloon
began to drop dynamite he would run an
excellent chance of being blown to
pieces. while the moment Carelnbo no.
ticed that il was returning the suspi-
cious wretch would gee a plot in the
whole scheme and would order his pris-
oner shot,
General Carambo had taken Kulpar-
ker's watch ON the plea that he had
none and wished to time the firing. The
inventor did not expect to have his watch
returned, and subsequent events justified
this suspicion, but he now looked aDx-
iously at the general, who was busy
studying the face Of the watch, wonder
ing what w uld happen, when he turned
his gaze upward and saw the balloon re-
turning.
The automatic opened the ball by 60
ing into business on its own account. A
she'll dropped from II struck about half
a mile down the hill, The explosion
was terrific and startled the whole
camp. Carambo slipped the watch in
his pocket with an oath and It was only
few minutes before he took in the sit.
uation. The second she'll dropped per.
ceptibly nea-er and rent the rock some
distance below them.
"It is a plot" yelled the general.
"He is a minion Of the Spaniards, as
Thought from the first Shoot the low
scoundrol. Attention Firer'
The balloon answered his command
but not the soldiers. They, frozen with
terror. were watching the approach o.
the aerial monster, which was steadily
dropping bombs and raising consecutive
earthquakes witk the accurate mathe
matical precision Of a minute gun.
"shoot. do you hear" shouted Car
ambo.
The men TREMENDOUSLY raised their car
bines, but the balloon got its work Il
first. The dynamite struck within a few
hundred yards Of whore they stood, and
the concussion knocked down most o
the squad aud sent panic and flying rocl
among the rest Carambo was stunned
by a stone Kulparker had flung him
self face down on the ground and spen
an eternity Of wild suspense wonderinr
whether he would be struck first by t.
bullets Of the brigands or the dynami
hitting him IN the small of the back
for the balloon seemed directly over
head. As he turned over after the cras
he rolled down the hill for some dii
tance, and there he fiatters himself b
lost his senses with the tumble, a.
though / don't think he had any to
much sense when he undertook to In
vent such an idiotic contrivanca as th
automatic balloon. The balloon fioate
gently over the ocean, and 1t IS to 1
hoped in the interests Of the morcantil
commerce Of the world that the dynl
mite bombs are all spent. There a.
dangers enough at'sea as II Is withoJ
an irresponsible gas bag dropping shell
unexpectedly ON a vessels deck from q
altitude Of half mile.
Kulparker managed TO work his wa
back to the coast. where he got into b
luggar again, and the crew, not know
ing wha, had happened, landed hil
according to instructions on the floriC
sands once more.
The Spanish government have made
roquisition for the body Of Kulparko
i. aud they don't seem TO bo pariicull
4 whether the body Is dead or alive, ~
4 United States began searching for hin
J. and 30 he thought II best 10 take a tr
J. 70 Europe and wait til his balloon rol
2 BY.