The Breckenridge news., 1906-04-18


arstgn INFO conference uflh the French GSneyal
SfaE. TIE Gfrsfas isvaSioH has beqHs on khs
soEfteds5ern oordsy, adams declares thi5
noyfheasf and fefafioI ttoopg 10 6IOck advance
Ffte fhoESdHd dEfom0biEes are fn1pre5sed, fAed
w,sh s9 s,99es;, & snd are Q senI nOrtht0a,d rlaamS
ard q fvfysfeSS felegyaphy, lead IhS advance, car
xyfsg a ned yar BALLOON. The Gseenf IS mGds
ss,as IN 1 Ioy,s,1f M 5aooa S'gVsy,a IS xxx gD Sy
Geynsds shell and begI1S 10 IaH stVIf!y info tie
DAdSf oj the Er0oPS
CHAPTER II.
The balloon was now within half
mile of the earth, and settling steadily.
Beneath us was sea of troops. The
bullets came in shower. Rechere
gave groan and sank by my side,
shot through the heart. Martins hand
of the basket. l expected death, and
stood erect again, grasping the sup
porting cable at one end of the basket.
1t seemed miserable to be thus a tar
get for the bullets of a thousand sol
diers with no opportunity to reply.
Suddenly the basket gave a violent
lurch. Instinctively my grasp tight
ened on the supporting cable; and well
II 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
wire rope. l drew myself up and got
a firm hold Of the network surround
ping for my very life with both hands;
and as / looked down 1 saw Martini
whirling over and over in mid air. and
the body OF poor dead Rechere falling
like a 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 dream was con-
scious OF swift flight through the air.
The sounds of shooting became fainter.
nA I IL
lied 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
all l tried to collect my thoughts,
knowing that should 1 lose conscious
ness my grip would weaken.
Suddenly 1 felt that had entered
stratum Of cold air. 1t was sweet and
pure. 1t stimulated me, 1 opened my
eyes, and glanced below me. Earth
could not be seen. 1 was In the clouds.
Remember, now, that 1 hung by the
grip OF two hands, from a coarse net
made OF half-inch rope forming a cas-
ing for the balloon. 1 knew that 1
must let go and follow my late COM
panions. Summoning all my nerve,
threw up one leg, and as luck would
the net. 1 pushed my leg through un-
til the rope was under my knee; then
rested for a few sweet minutes hang
Ing there like a crab, one leg swing
ing free. Presently 1 secured a similar
hold with the other foot; then working
slowly and carefully. managed TO get
blessed interval was relieved of severe
strain, though my hold was by no
means secure.
ing swiftly. IN the wind, but neither
rising nor falling. The steady gliding
motion, the. absolute quiet. and the
tight grip OF the net, produced a ten
dency to sleep. 1 was compelled to
finding that even this would not suffice
! determined TO make myself secure.
At Imminent risk, for l was getting
woefully eramped. / let go with my
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 I worked my whole body
through, and finally, with q prayer OF
thanks to God found myself lying fiat
upon the strong net work, my back
against the gas-pag: 50 great was the
instant sleep.
: 1t seemed an age later when / awoke,
hearing my name spoke spoken by the voice des
looked around me-, 1 lay in a bed
surrounded by silken drapery. My
whole body ached, and my head SEEM
ed to be several times it's ordinary size.
Then a voice-that OF the woman
spoke again, in soft, rippling French:
Monsieur must be quiet. 1t is best:
Monsieur Is safe and will soon be well
/ looked in the direction OF the sound
and saw approaching me what
man had ever seen. Fair and tall, OF
the old French type, she seemed ver-
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
over me. shall remember to my dy-
ing day her soft cool hands pressed
upon my aching brow. Her loose slee-
to the elbows, and recall, even now,
the desire, as fell asleep, that 1 could
have those arms about my neck
/ awoke again, some time later, feel
ing much refreshed. My fair nurse
brought me glass of cool milk, and
held my head in the hollow, OF her. arm
as drank, smiling and nodding at me.
Then 1 lay quiet for a. while. and
presently found myself able to speak.
Where am I?' was my first Ques-
tion.
She told me that I was in the Cha
Meuse River some distance northwest
%hes % coud the eea9y
though my own pronunciation was
execrable. she told me how at dawn
a grove OF trees near the Chateau; how
the gardeners had released me from
my prison in the net; and how. I had
been brought into the house, by her
fathers Instructions. and cared for
through the night / was seriously
bruised about the head and shoulders,
and they thought at first that I was
dead. Later her father, a French
the bedside, expressed his pleasure
that Monsieur Ad-dams" tthey had
my pockets) had recovered. assuring
me that need have no concern as to
nv perfect welcome to remain as his
guest until should be completely re-
stored to health.
I suppose II was the shock that blot
ted out, for the next few days. all
recollection Of my identity, or my re-
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
hut twenty, an only child, with no
mother that she could remember t She
wants lived alone. She seemed very