The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1906-04-20
CHAPTER IL

~ CHAPTER H.
The balloon was now within half q
mile or the earth, and settling steadily
Beneath us was sea of troops. The
bullets came In a shower. Rechere
shot through the heart. Martins hand
was shattered as 1t grlpped the rail-
Of the basket. | expected death, and
stood erect again, grasping the sup
porting cable at one end of the basket
IL seemed miserable TO be thus tar
set ior the bullets OF thousand sol
dlers with no opportunity to reply
Suddenly the basket gave a violent
lurch. Instinctively my grasp tight
ened on the supporting cable; and well
IL was, for at that instant well di-
rected shell from a rapid-firer cut the
cable at the other end, and the car
swayed, hanging by the one slender
a firm hold Of the network surround
Ing the gas bag. There l hung, grip
ping for my very life with both hands
and as ! looked down l saw Martini
the body of poor dead Rechere falling
like plummet. Then the single sup
port gave way, and the basket went
down after them.
closed my eyes, sick with horror
and faint from my tremendous muscu-
lar efforts. As IN q dEeam l was con-
The sounds Of shooting became fainter.
The whistle of bullets ceased. / real
1zed that the balloon, freed of It's
weight OF passengers. apparatus, and
basket, waserising rapidly into the up
per air. All, then would escape, after
all. tried to collect my thoughts,
knowing that should lose conscious
ness my grip would weaken.
Suddenly l felt that I had entered a
stratum OF cold air. 1t was sweet and
pure. 1T stimulated me, l opened my
eyes, and glanced below me. Earth
eeuld not be seen. was in the clouds
Remember, now, that / hung by the
grip OF two hands, from coarse net
made of half-inch rope forming a cas-
i l,,i for the the balloon; 1 knew that I
must let go and follow my late COM
panions. Summoning all my nerve,
threw threw up one leg, and as ,,pck would
the net. pushed my leg through UNI
til the rope Was under my knee; then
rested for q few sweet minutes hang
ing there like crab, one leg swing
ing free. Presently | secured similar
hold with the other foot; then working
slowly and carefully managed TO get
both arms into the meshes. and for a
blessed interval was relieved of severe
strain, though my hold was by no
The balloon seemed now to be NOV
Ing swiftly. In the wind, but neither
rising nor falling. The steady gliding
motion, the. absolute quiet, and the
WEAKNESS of body resulting from my
tight grip of the net, produced a ten-
dency to sleep was compelled to
talk TO myself TO Keep awake, and
finding that even this would not suffice
1 determined to make myself secure.
Al Imminent risk, for ! was getting
woefully cramped, / let go with my
right hand, and reaching in my pocket
got my knife, opening 1t with my teeth.
/ cut through half a dozen meshes OF
the net and thus made a hole large
enough to admit my head and shoul-
ders, pushing away the enveloping
folds OF the somewhat fabby balloon.
BY degrees | worked my whole body
oh md mi NJ
thanks to God found myself lying fiat
upon the strong net work, my back
against the gas-bag. SO great was the
relief of this position that / sank inso
instant sleep.
1t seemed an age later when / awoke,
hearing my name spoken by the voice
Of woman. / opened my eyes and
looked around me, / lay in a bed
surrounded by silken .sdrapery. My
whole body ached, and my head SEEM
Fl s0 q n the sse
spoke again, In soft, ripping French:
Monsieur must be quiet 1t is best.
Monsieur is safe and will soon be well
/ looked in the direction or the sound
land saw approaching me what /
thought to be the most beautiful wo-
man had ever seen. Fair and tall, or
the old French type, she seemed YER
liable angel. Upon her head she wore
partially to restrain her brown curls.
Her dress was simple--of white, with
a touch Of blue at throat and shoulders.
she came to the bedside h and leaned
Ing day her. soft cool hands pressed
upon my aching brow. Her loose slee-
YES showed her fair, plump arms nigh
the desire, as ! fell asleep. that l could
have those arms about my neck.
awoks again sgrs.s some tim tin later feel.
brought me a glass of cool milk, and
held my head IL. the hollow Of her. arm
as drank. smiling and nodNing at me. |
Then / lay quiet for a while, and |
presently found myself able to speak. |
tion.
teau Lagunay, on the west bank OF the
Mouse River, some distance northwest |
of Verdun. In the prettiest French,
fbossb could eadlg Yntd1erstSnd
execrable. she I'd me how st dawn
my balloon hi come crashing into
the gardeners lad released me from
my prison In 1he net; and how I had |
been brought into the house, by her
fathers instructions and cared for
bruised about the head and shoulders.
and. they thought at first that l was
dead. Later her father, a French {
the bedside, expressed his pleasurel
that Monsieur Ad-dams" (they had
learned my name from. papers found in
n
me that / need have no concern as to
guest until l should be completely re-
stored to health.
I suppose 1t was the shock that blot
ted out. for the next few days. all
recollection Of my identity, or my re-
cent experience / knew simply that I
was in Paradise, with this adorable
angel always at hand to minister toll
hunger or thirst, and to talk SOFTLY to
me at intervals between maps. She
teld me much about herself She was
bat twenty, an only child, with no
sn6taeT that she could remember. She
aad her father, and the faithful SER
wants, lived alone. she seemed very .
happy And re she was happy. what !
Of myselff Before I was able to sit /
up and eat solid food knew shat my