The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1903-10-15
WALTER MoWBRAY
Copyright by w. R. HEARST.

! Of supplication. Don't go! For heav-
ems sake-tor my ~sake-don't go with
him! don't know him-oh. you don't
know him! He'll kill you! Oh, don't go!"
Hector Cover looked once at the APP
pealing figure OF his wife. In the impulse
Of his heart he almost leaped from the
car and took his grief-stricken wife in his
arms. Then he remembered and turned
away his head.
There was a cruel CLEAN in the aero
naut's dark eyes, while q sneer curled htD
lips as he looked at the woman.
Presently Hector Cover turned his eyes
from the things around him to the aero
| matt who was seated at the opposite side
OF the car.
Somewhat to his surprise, he saw that
the mans eyes were fixed upon him with
an expression which was anything but
comfortable. It might have been only his
fancy. but, though he turned his eyes
away, he was conscious that those other
eyes were still regarding him.
! For a few moments he avoided them,
but, in the end, met the fixed stare of the
man before him. He was not a coward,
but there was something in the lack lus-
ter expression Of those horrible eyes that
was anything but r~eassuring. Still the
man stared till Hector Cover, unable to
endure it any longer, said colby:
you appear to be more interested in
LAC ~ lld41 Soul. hllO " u LNSoA4
seem to warrant
The man made no reply, but, looking
out Of the car, watched the now rapidly
disappearing panorama Of busy Brighton.
They were too high up now to be distin-
guished by the Inhabitants Of earth, and a
CLEAN of satisfaction came into the dark
eyes as he turned them once more on his
companion. Then, for the first time since
their ascent, he spoke:
aaEJactor Cpura,I no c,id seJor,l1, u1,o,y
wonder why I scraped acquaintance with
you when / found you, like a miserable
fool, nursing your wounded vanity in the
title Inn where you had hidden yourself,
like the veriest cur, from the wife you
had deserted"
Pardon me-" interrupted Hector, "the
problem has no interest for me-"
II may as well EXPLAIN continued the
man, utterly ignoring the interruption,
that your wife herself acquainted me
with the facts Of you separation, and
that I5ohn Terrett-am the dear Jack
whom, in company with your wife, you
80 virtuously condemned.
w are cousins-she and Land were
brought up together as children, which
accounts for her use Of my Christian
name, though you, In YOU unreasonable
vanity and self %conceit, put quite another
construction on the circumstance. h
S tASS@IS CIV 41CLI w Co AL
imagining I had followed her to Brighton.
This ascent was billed long before 7
knew you We're coming here, but I had
prosecuted her SO much before that she
had cause for that supposition. There is
IN this wide world, Hector Cover, no
woman more pure and true than she who
has honored your name apd dishonored
her cWn by becoming your Wife"
An angry flush dyed Hector Covers
cheeks.
Look you'll" he said, leaping to his feet
till the car rocked and swayed in midair.
w have had enough OF this. Get to
earth as speedily as you can, and have
done with matters which do not concern
you
Again the eronaut laughed and said
slowly:
50 l sought you out, my strutting pea
cock, and, pandering TO your vanity, per-
suaded you to me on this
aerial voyage. And why" He rose to
his feet and drew from his pocket a gilt
tering revolver. Because, Hector Cow
er. ! will not see the life Of this priceless
pearl of ~womanhood cast before swine to
be tranpled under foot. You shall go
down into the deep sea, and none shall
know how you went"
He lifted the revolver and took deliber.
ate aim. There was a sharp report, and .
PNoS LIN 1CaoT VI I1cClST 1OWs
er. The swaying Of the car had saved
him.
With a bound he crossed the car and
%grappled with his adversary, A wrench
of the wrist and the revolver dropped
from the hand that held it ana fell into
the airy abyss below. But the mans
hand was free again in an instant, and
tho struggle began in deadly earnest.
A faintehumming sound high above his
head told him thai the ga valve was
open and the gas fast escaping from Its
sllken prison. In the struggle, the rope
attached to the valve had been
among the outer ropes of the car, and the
huge balloon, fast losing its b%uoyancy,
was speeding downward into the wide ex-
panse of blue water below them.
But he dared not relax his hold OF the
by him. So the struggle continued.
hercer thar before, while each mans
breath came in labored gasps and the
sweat stood on their foreheads.
At last, with q supreme effort, Hector
GoWer pinned the aeronaut to the floor
q the sWay1ng car. and, holding him
there. looked about him.
They were within 500 yards OF the wa
ter, descending with marvellous rapiditv.
and death seemed inevitable. But. glanc-
Ing out on the other side, he saW,Sto his
Eunbounded relief, a channel steamer not a
hundred yards from the spot where 5they
must soon strike the water.
It was evident that the captain OF the
steamer had seen their peril, for a boat
was being rapidly lowered and AIMED
BY the crew. The next instant the car
struck the surface Of the water. There
was a m~omentary rebound, and In that
moment Hector Cover released his hold
Of his adversary and spranig Into the sea.
a moment later the aeronart had leaned
to his feet and followed his xampl an
as to escape the death trap which the
COLLAPSE of the balloon would speedily
make for any one who remained therein
The two men were quickly rescued nv
the crew Of the boat and went on hoard
the channel, steamer, which was On her
way to England.
No#one hadswitnessed the terrible fpht
IN the car Of the balloon, and tts descsnt
vas attributed to accident. So Rector
IGoWer held his peace, #i1ie the aeronalIt
sunk out OF nissway and went below. a
lew hours and they were in England.
Without a moments delay Hector Cow
: rtook train for Brighton, where he
thoped to find his wife.
he reached her dressing room. wbera
she sat arranging the coils of colder bair4
uSons ner head. She saw his image III fha
giass before her and, with a IiftIe psaS
cry sprang up to meet him. Going l1nstos
ns 81 Took her Stenderly in.nss4 armssa1,d