Amador ledger., 1906-04-27
SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTER ONE.

SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTER ONE
Henry Adans, European REPRESENTATIVE of
4Meytcan A0nHfaefHreyS, and a H,est Point
graduate, IS visiting in Paris at the time Of
va, oetueeH France and GERMANY He zuas
6yatgis tnt0 conJtrenee Uith tie French General
SEag. The German inUdS7o1t has beguT on ne
Son.Hs6S5ern So1 l1 ooraer. A6amS declares this Q
northeast. and defa1toJ troops to block dduance.
f'ive thousand automobiles are Impressed, fkied
VIE %9 xrG9oPs, P, and are SEM HOrthlUGrd. .Adams
GenfT0I MdrEsnf, RecheTe (expert bdLi0onlsf
TyfHg field lUar balloon. The ascent as MADE
Sna os :. n1a.n German lorGe IS diScoOered c6i
GerntdS shell and begins TO fall szuiftIy inko M
nsf6st OF fAe TROOPS.
3 CHAPTER II.
the balloon was now within half a
mile OF the earth, and settling steadily.
SeneaIh hSIieaI us US was a sea of troops. The
gave a groan and sank by nv side.
shot through the heart. Martini's hand
vas w shattered as it gripped the rail
OF tne basket. l expected death, and
slood erect again, grasping the sup
porting cable at one end of the ba slIet
lI seemed miserable to be thus a tar
get Tor the bullets of a thousand SOL
dlers with no opportunity to reply.
suddenly the basket gave a violent
1urch. lnstinctively. my grasp tight
ened on the supporting cable: and well
IL was, Tor at that instant a well di-
rected Shell from a rapid-firer cut the
cable at the other end, and the car
sWayeo, hanging by the one slender
wire rope; drew myself up and got
nrm hold of the network surround-
ing the gas bag. There 1 hung, grip
ping Tor my very life with both hands;
and as looked down l saw Martini
Wh1rling over and over in mid air, and
the body of poor dead Rechere falling
Ike plummet. Then the single sup
port gave way, and the basket went
down after them.
I closed my eyes, sick with horror
ana faint from my tremendous muscu-
seio9s SET 9sOrfs; of sviff AZ in dream was con
Mhe sounds of shooting became fainter.
Hsne Whlstle of bullets ceased. 1 real
azed that the balloon. freed of its
pasKet, was rising rapidly into the up
per air. All, then 1 would escape, after
an tried to, collect my thoughts,
ness my grip would weaken.
Suddenly 1 felt that had entered a
stratum of cold air. 1t was sweet and
pure. II stimulated me. 1 opened my
eyes, and glanced below me. Earth
iGsuld not be seen. I was in the clouds.
> Remember, now, that 1 hung by the
grip OF Two hands, from a coarse net
made or half-inch rope forming a cas-
l9g for the balloon. I knew that L
shuld soon be comnelled to rest or
must let go and follow my late COM
Panlons. Summonfng all my nerve L
nave 1T, caught my foot in a mesh of
the net. 1 pushed my leg through un-
III the rope was under my knee; then
ing there like a crab, one leg swing
ing free. Presently secured a Similar
mold 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 IN he -oor,-
ing swiftly in the wind, but neither
rising nor falling. The steady gliding
Weariness of body resulting from my
tight grip of the net, produced ten
dency feIly to sleep; l was compelled to
eaik 10 myself to keep awake, and
l determined to make myself secure
AT Imminent risk, for 1 was getting
Woefuiiy eramped. l let go with my
got my knife, opening it with my teeth
I cut through half a dozen meshes of
the net and thus made a hole large
ders, pushing away the enveloping
folds of the somewhat habby balloon.
BY degrees I 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
rel1ef or this position that I sank 1ngo
instant sleep.
1t seemed an age later when I awoke,
hearing my name spoken by the voice
of q woman. I opened my eyes and
looked around me- 1 lay in a bed
surrounded by siIken drapery. NV
whole body ached, and my head SEEM
ed ed to be several times its ordinary size.
Then a voice--that of the woman
spoke again, in soft, ripping French:
Monsieur must be quiet. It is best
Monsieur is safe and will soon be well
again."
L looked in the direction of the sound
and saw approaching me what I
thought to be the most beautiful wo-
man I had ever seen. Fair and tall, of
the old French type, she seemed a YER
liable angel. Upon her head sne wore
a Wh1te lace cap, which served only
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-
YES showed her fair, plump arms nigh
the desire, as I fell asleep, that 1 could
have those arms about my neck.
-, awohs again, some time later. feel
brought me q glass of cool milk, and
held my head in the hollow of her arm
as drank, smiling and nodding at me-
presently found myself able to speak.
tion. N'0
She told me that was in the Cha
SS1o Ae-sNioS, OlL lL6 west Ddnk OF the
Meuse River, some distance northwest
of Verdun. In the prettiest French
which I could readily understand
though my own pronunciation was
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 I had
been brought into the house, by her
fathers instructions, and cared for
through the night. I was seriously
bruised about the head and shoulders,
and they thought at first that 1 was
dead. Later her father, a French
nobleman of the old regime, came to
the bedside, expressed his pleasure
that Monsieur Ad-dams" (they had
learned my name from papers found in
my pockets) had recovered, assuring
me that need have no concern as to