The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-12-26
CHAPTER LI.-(contlnued.)

Dana only sighed and shrugged her
shoulders alphabetically.
Further than this the king went
en-. Il do not intend TO tell you any
thing, although | may say this-that
Il is possible we may come TO grips
with Mr.. Strong in mid-air. | VIII now
beg you 10 accompany me-"
Diana rose like one in dream and
walked a little unsteadily after her
father.
Ludwig was hanging about the end
Of the passage, and he followed the
king and his daughter down the STAIR
way, his majesty leading the way into
one OF the many side corridors. He
made fol- an entrance In the courtyard
at the rear OF the palace, where was
the lodge in which Strong had waited
on the night when Capt. Petron had
brought him TO Bomberg. Here. just
within the gates. was one OF bomperg
ordinary ramshackle CABS.
The king opened the door and mo-
toned &c Diana to enter. Then he
stepped in himself and called TO Lud'
wig to follow, and Immediately the
cab. drawn by a swift horse from the
kings stables. began TO rattle over the
cobbles OF the smaller streets o: the
town. They made a wide detour and.
Judging only by the position or the
fires. which were still starting up into
the night, Diana guessed they were
working their way round the back OF
the ministry to the outer edge OF the
southern part OF the town.
fuht
She began to wonder what their dos
tinatlon might be, when she realized
with slight shock that the rough COD
hles had been exchanged for grass, aid
that they were in fact now travelling
across the sward OF the Bomberg bal
loor ground.
Then the cab halted and the king
assisted Diana 10 alight
A soft glow as Of dawn Illuminated
the ground. but the actual light came
from the many fires still raging In
the city.
AS the king turned about Diana be
came aware OF the presence OF a man
whom she particularly detested. THIS
was a certain Col. Conrad, TALL dark
man whom she always suspected III
yillany. but who, TO her invariable
astonishment, seemed TO carefully. not
TO say unctuously, walk In the PATHS
OF rectitude and duty.
This forbidding-looking officer ga.
luted the king without a flicker OF sur
Prise upon his face, and Diana
guessed, and guessed rightly. that Col.
Conrad expected them.
When her eyes had grown accus-
toned to the new half-light, she per-
ceived that there was a thin Gordon OF
troops stationed round the balloon
grounds Moreover. the gates were
strongly guarded. In the center o. the
ground lay the great ellipse-shaped
basket OF the balloon. the completion
OF which the king had been hurryinG
forward for the last 48 hours, and
above the basket the huge cigar.
shaped gas-bag was slowly filing.
To her surprise. Diana noticed that
at either end OF the elliptical basket
had been fastened a small gun. and
her know ledge Of military affairs YVES
tuficient to tell her that they were
Maxims.
As the king drew near the men Ell
gagged upon the task Of filling the bal
loon ceased from their work and stiff-
ened TO a salute. His majesty babe
them fal. to again upon their labors.
And the men worked on In silence.
The king said never a word, and
Ludwig occupied himself by stunning
from one foot TO the other. Diana, who
was very weary, sank down on little
coil OF rope to rest.
From wabbling, the great silk bag
took to shivering. and then to CULVER
ing. until at last the gas had done It's
work SO we'll that the huge bag wos
taut and swayed to and fro uneasily In
the morning air.
The dawn was now coming up red
and angry In the east, and the red
light OF the morning fought for mas
terry with the dying fires In the city
But, still. under the direction OF the
morose Col. Conrad. the men worked
On.
So great was the pull on the balloon
that the basket was hung thicklv with
handbags. Presently II became obvious
even 10 Diana that the balloon was
ready for fight.
Then > strange and disturbing incl
dent came 70 pass. j..
Foremost among the mon who had
labored had boon q great shock-headed
giant who had worked with a sort OF
savage 10y, as though every ounce CT
energy he extracted from himself gave
him real and keen delight.
But though hs had worked on 70 tie