Charlevoix county herald., 1906-04-21

5ae".y 5;y |ItII.', european rePresenkdLfUe OF
dnierieaS fdnSlaefErerS and Vest Poinf
graduate, IS rlsifing rn Paris al he fime of
ga,..!. Iga, 1e!.se. France ana Germany. lie wSs
drayn tnfo conference tctLh the French General
SIag. The German tnvaGon has BEGAN on fhe
S0EIHeayIern oorder. adams declares rms q |
,sa morfisa gss SaO9r ,seonno,ssanee % the
Ftve IhoSSaad automobiles are Impressed, dXed |
wifh frooPs, and are sem n0ytAsua,d. adams, |
GsrsrH Mayfint, Reehere (eepe,1 baLloonisO, |
1ying a feld udr balloon. The ascent as srade |
ana 1he NAN Ger"an force ,s d,Scoversd mo6il-
GERMAN shell and begIns TO JaH s,csfsh iafo y he
nsi6sf or She troops.
CHAPTER II.
The balloon was now within half a
mile or the earth. and settling steadily
h,1iieah hPeinieash US was a sea OF troops The
gaIls's gaVs Game sroen IN ana shOwer Rechere
shot through the heart. Martini's hand
VA w ths hshdttered h as 1t gripped the rail
stood erect again, grasping the sup
porting cable at one end of the basket.
It seemed miserable to be thus a tar
dlers with no opportunity to reply.
Suddenly the basket gave q violent
lurch. Instinctively my grasp tight
ened on the supporting cable; and well
1t was. for at that Instant a We'll di-
rected shell from a rapid-firer cut the
cable at the other end. and the car
wire rope; drew myself up and got
a hrm hold of the network surround
ing the gas bag. There l hung, gris-
ping for my very life with both hands;
and as 1 looked down L saw Martini
whirling over and over in mid air, and
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
ana rant from my tremendous muscu-
scious OF swift flight through the air.
The sounds of shooting became fainter.
The whistle of bullets ceased. L real
dzed that the balloon, freed of it's
weight OF passengers, apparatus, and
basket, was rising rapidly into the up
per air. All, then would escape, after
knowing that should l lose conscious
ness my grip would weaken.
=, suddenly felt that had entered
stratum of cold air. 1t was sweet and
eyes, and glanced below me. Earth
lGsuld not be seen. 1 was in the clouds.
, Remember, now, that L hung by the
grip or two hands, from coarse net
made or half-inch rope forming a cas-
ing for the balloon. | knew that l
should soon be compelled to rest or
must let go and follow my late COM
panions Summoning all my nerve, 1
threw up one leg, and as luck would
have 1T, caught my foot in a mesh of
the net. L pushed my leg through un-
til the rope was under my knee; then
rested for a few sweet minutes hang
ing there like crab, one leg swing
ing free Presently L secured a 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
means secure.
The balloon seemed now to be NOV
rising m nor falling. G The Th9 steady & gliding gliding
motion, the absolute quiet, and the
weariness of body resulting from my
tight grip OF the net, produced ten
talk to myself to keep awake, and
finding that even this would not suffice
At Imminent risk, for 1 was getting
woefully cramped. I let go with my
right hand, and reaching in my pocket
got my knife, opening it with my teeth.
1 cut through half a dozen meshes of
the net and thus made a hole large
enough to admit my head and shoul-
folds of the somewhat flabby balloon.
BY degrees / worked my whole body
through, and finally, with a prayer of
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 lnro
It seemed an age later when awoke,
hearing my name spoken by the voice
OF Q woman. 1 opened my eyes and
looked around me-. lay in a bed
whole body ached, and my head SEEM
ed to be several times it's ordinary size.
spoke again, in soft, ripping French:
Monsieur must be quiet. 1t is best.
Monsieur is safe and will soon be well
again..
looked in the direction OF the sound
and saw approaching me what 1
thought to be the most beautiful .wo..
the old French type. she seemed YER
table angel Upon her head sne wore
a white lace cap, which served only
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 and leaned
ing day her soft, cool hands pressed
upon my aching brow. Her loose slee-
YES showed her fair, plump arms nigh
to the elbows and 1 recall, even now,
the desire, as I fell asleep, that could
have those arms about my neck.
awoke again, some time later, feel
ing much refreshed. My fair nurse
brought me a glass of cool milk, and
held my head In the hollow OF her arm
as drank, Spiling and nodding at me;
presently found myself able to speak.
where am II" was my first ques-
tion.
She told me that was in the Cha
teau Lagunay, on the west bank of the
Meuse River, some distance northwest
OF Verdun. In the prettiest French,
which 1 could readily undeTstand,
execrable, she told me how at dawn
my balloon had come crashing into
a grove OF trees near the Chateau; how
the gardeners had released me from
my prison in the net; and how, 1 had
been brought into the house, by her
fathers Instructions, and cared for
through the night, was seriously seriously
and, they thought at first first that FroTof ! was
nobIeman of the old regime, came to
the bedside, expressed his pleasure
learned my name from papers found IN
my pockets) had recovered, assuring
me that / need have no concern as &c
my perfect welcome TO remain as his
guest until should be completely re-
stored to health.
suppose ii 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 j
was in Paradise, with this adorable
angel always at hand to minister TO
hunger or thirst. and to talk softly to
me at intervals between maps. she
told me much about herself She was
but twenty, an only child, with no
aIanr hr