Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-11
CHAPTER XIX.
Ybarra'S Downfall.

CHAPTER XIX.
Ybarra's Downfall.
When Allardyce had seen the torn silk
envelope of the balloon among the litter
| of extraordinary odds and ends which
lay about the barns wherein Ybarra had
been wont to divert himself during his
leisure moments with pseudo-scientific
pIaythinss he had been at a loss to know
by what means an ascent had been pos
! sible where there was no gas to be
counted on for Initiating it. But he had
not failed to realize the possible I'M
portance of his find. and his next dis
! covery had solved the difficulty. In the
steel cylinders stacked opposite there
were dry chemicals which. under heat,
would give off vapor volatile enough TO
| render flight quite feasible. although at
/, the gravest risk.
! Allardyce had had experience at Alder
I shot with a balloon corps. He called Cor
byn's attention to his find and Corbyn
quickly grasped it's salient features. Tney
cast their calculations into many points
of decfmals. and Corbyn set the two girls
/ to sew the rents IN the silk. When the
| time came Allardyce brewed with extreme
| caution the dangerous ether on which
they must depend for lack of safer me-
dunn.
! Escape by such means was the last and
| q most desperate resource. But for the
| sake of the girls escape was imperative
| COrbyn would have sent Allardyce with
| them but against that the EngiShman
mu;inied fatty. His place was with those
| for whom there was TO escape. Corbyn S
with Beatriz. And. since it was so settled
| Corbyn set ont with a stout heart. putting
! his trust in Providence and determna-
| ton to succeed in spite Of every obstacle.
| The start was none too auSpicious The
| weight in the car and beneath 1t Kept
them from rising sufficiently in that rare
| atmosphere. They were too low down
| TO cross with any assurance of safety
! the guarded ridge toward which they
| were drifting on dying wind.
! Schweitzer's Internal craftsmanship
was what he feared most. and how TO
| battle that without the aid OF clrcum-
stances he did not know.
The blast of bugle f1oated clearly up
ward from the enemys camp. ana ne
| turned to Beatriz. sitting behind him. her
| eyes on his every movement.
| Well have to jettiSon the last ounce
! OF our outfit" he said. swiftly. Il can
well drop your cousin here-it would be
murder at this height. But all We can
throw out must 60. One AFTER another
he sent oversize the almost Indispensable
provisions he had made for the girls
| comfort and with that the great sphere
rose a few feet. At last and most reiuct-
antly he had to rid himself even OF the
| three rifles and the ammunition on when
| he had depended for his last stand should
matters reach that stage. And with 1t all
they were sti|l within short range OF the
| guns.
| Duff of air set them a-stagger as a
| shell shrieked past but Schweitzer had
| not set his time-fuse AS he ought and II
| burst far beyond them. 4 second fol-
| lowed and went wide. COrbyn could see
| men with siovels digging behind the gun
trails to get elevation for the muzzles.
| Pale faced but silent. he was leaning
| with folded arms on the basket edge. ano
| he did not draw back when third shot
| swept closely by. so closely that MS halr
stirred in its angry breath.
The globe above rocked drunkenly and
| sank still lower as they approached the
ridge. where they were greeted with d
| wild rife fire.
to an irrepressible yell when a stray bull
| let Clipped white splinters off the cane
work close to his head. But otherwise
he made no protest as TO his very un-
| Immediately over the camp.
| The cold, clear moonlight showed the
| sunners shifting their pieces round, and
| Corbyn knew that, once they got ira
| jectory to the north, 1t would be easy Tor
| them to achieve their object. The time
| had come for him to avail himself Of his
| ultimate resource.
! .sit tight he said. over his shoulder.
| "There will be an explosion underneath
| lis in a moment Don't be afraid
| Then, with an inward prayer. he drop
ped the phial he had been holding to his
| humping heart since Allardyce mad
| handed 1t to him with whispered eau
| ton when they had started, narrowed his
| eyelids and clutched very nervously at
| the guy rope beside him. If the explosive
| gas caught light now
| curtain Of white flame spread sud-
| denly between the car and those on solid
| earth The crash that followed was as
| that of thunderbolt. The ball OF the
| balloon rebounded over 1t and 1t seemed
| as though the thin silk must surely burst
| under the pressure ere they shot upward
acrid vapor. through which they could
| hear Ybarra coughing like a consumptlve.
! Corbyn. breathing through contracted
nostfils. jerkily, peered through 1t all un-
til he saw the full effect of MS nomn. AND
presently he turned once more inWards to
assure the trembling pair crouched IN
/ corner of the car that they were out OF
| all immediate danger.
| "Schweitzer will worry us no more,
he said in tones which shook despite his
efforts to speak steadily. But that he
had been imperatively forced to employ
such means of dispensing the enemy ne
| would have scrupled to do so. The tiny
| flask had wrought heart-breaktng havoc
among them wholesale destruction
| Where but a moment before there had
been the gun pits. alive with men. lay
dark. gaping chasm. in which there was
| no more movement
i
| carried them to a height whereat there
was no fear of further trouble from the
survivors further along the ridge and
there an upper current OF air caught them
| and carried them northward In the direc-
! ton of Alta Cruz.
Corbyn looked back at the Golden
| Horseshoe black and silver In that light
| against the mountainside, and sighed TO
! think Of all that might yet happen there
before he should be able to return to the
rescue OF his comrades. And his two
| charges. overhearing him. tried hard TO
| pluck up heart for his sake.
| Both had been very gently nartured
| The scenes of death and desolation they
| had witnessed could not but have affected
| them most hurtfully. But both were
brave enough to put the pa16 with all its
horrors out of their minds and memories
| for the present.
| They were soon chatting quite content
| edly and Corbyn found comfort mex
| pressible I'm their calm courage.
He helped them to their feet and they
looked out upon a panorama unforget-
table-a white world. far away and very
lovely. flooded with tender radiance. and
only bounded by the handicapped bulk
| no ara mountain