The sea coast echo., 1906-04-21
CHAPTER II,

CHAPTER II.
The balloon was now within half a
mile or the earth, and settling steadily.
Beneath US was q sea Of troops. The
bullets came in shower. Rechere
gave groan and sank by my side,
shot through the heart. Martins hand
was shattered as it gripped the rail
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 tar
get for the bullets of 4 thousand sol
diers 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 well di
rected shell from rapid-fircr 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 Arm hold of the network surround
ing the gas bag. There I hung, grip
and as l looked down | 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.
l closed my eyes, sick with horror
lar efforts. As IN a dream l was con-
scious Of swift flight through the air.
The sounds of shooting became fainter.
The whistle Of bullets ceased. / real
nzed that the balloon, freed of its
weight or passengers, apparatus and
basket, was rising rapidly into the up
per ar. An, then would escape, after
all | tried to collect my thoughts,
knowing that should [ lose conscious
ness my grip would weaken.
Suddenly I felt that I had entered a
pure. 1t stimulated me, 1 opened my
eyes, and glanced below me. Earth
gould not be seen. I was in the clouds.
, Remember, now, that l hung by the
grip of two hands, from coarse net
made or half-inCh rope forming q cas-
ing for the balloon. [ knew that l
should soon be comAflled to rest or
must let go and follow my late COM
panions. Summoning all my nerve, l
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 4 few sweet minutes hang
ing there like a crab, one leg swing
ing free. Presently l secured q similar
hold with the other foot; then working
slowly and carefully, managed to get
both arms into the meshcs, 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
motion, the absolute quiet, and the
WEAKNESS of body resulting from my
tight grip OF the net, produced a ten
talk to myself to keep awake, and
finding that even this would not suffice
l determined to make myself secure.
woefully cramped, [ let go with my
right hand, and reaching in my pocket
got my knife, opening it with my teeth.
l cut through half q dozen meSheS of
the net and thus made a hole large
enough to admit my head and Shout
ders, pushing away the enVelOpinG
folds OF the somewhat habby balloon.
BY degrees l worked my whole body
through, and finally, with n 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 1nro
instant sleep.
hearing my name spoken by the voice
Of woman. L opened my eyes and
looked around me. L lay in a bed
surrounded by silken drapery. My
ed tc be several times its ordinary size.
Then a voice-that of the woman
spoke again, in soft, ripping French:
Monsieur must be quiet. 1t is best.
Monsieur is safe and viii soon be well
again.
and saw approaching me what 1
thought to be the most beautiful wo-
man had ever seen. Fair and tall, OF
liable 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. I 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
TO the elbows, and l recall. even now,
the desire, as I fell asleep, that L 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 I drank, smiling and nodding at me.
Then | lay quiet for a while, and
presently found myself able to speak.
Where am II" was my first ques-
tion.
She told me that was in the Cha
Meuse River, some distance northwest
which 1 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 Chatea1; 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 | was
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
my perfect welcome to remain as his
guest until should be completely re-
stored to health.
I suppose it 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 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 |
mother that she could remembers. She
and her father. and the faithful SER
wants, lived alone She seemed very
of myself? Before I was able to sit /
m and eat solid food L knepnlfhat nv