The Detroit times., 1909-01-04

OF having the hull riddled With shoi.
strong was still staring at the bal
loon through has glasses. although
they were TOW so close and tie glass
- magnited so much tina; he Souli
watch every shade OF expression On
the mems faces.
At las IL was perfectly obvious 10
him that they were about To fire, and
lealizins the force OF l.angleys argu.
ment. h" uddcnly Sent the Victor
up
II was none too soon. The blllets
from the Maxim passed In "A shricklns
steam !ust beneath them.
The gun al the stern OF he balloon
was lifted still more. and | was only
The speed 81 which the Victor was
ascendius that saved them from dis
aster.
Strong St; his jaw and put the Vie
tor" dead over the balloon, SO that
The great silk bag interviewed between
the airship aud the occupants OF the
kings car
Strong bundled langley into tie
steering seat. and told him as Ear as
possible 10 keep dead above the bal
loon. He lad increased the distance
between The airships 10 the extent OF
a thousand feet
Then he went aft aud sat down and
endeavorcd 10 puzzle out what he
had better do.
For assuredly the king held the
irump.card He held Diana; and once
again Suong realized with anger that
his majes', VAS using his daughter as
q shield
Il was all very well TO inveieh
against TIE king for a coward. but at
the same time II was a matter OF tao
tCs, and Strong was forced 10 admit
that the Kings tactics were mastery
and complete.
True. a shell would have settled tho
whole matter and had not Diana been
IN the balloon. IL is quite certain that
Strong would have dealt with the king
once and for all But. as IL was. to
drop "a shell was impossible.
He wondered IL be dared fire into
the gas-bag. and SO bring the balloon
TO earth. But he was ignorant as 10
the possible effect OF this. and Langley
was unable 10 enlighten him. ard
therefore,. ;or a while all that he could
do was 10 sit in more or less moody
silence and admire the clever deviltry
OF the man below him.
The Balkanian frontier had now been
passed, and Austria was slipping away
beneath them, and Strong, for the mo-
ment being unable 10 find any solu-
lion 10 TIE difficult problem with
hich be Nss confronted fell TO won
dering TO- what place the king OF Bal
kama night be making.
He also wondered TO what extent
the dirigible balloon was dirigible. Pc
could form no estimate as 10 its proc
able powers OF endurance. He could
only see that it was OF the most mod
ern type. and. therefore, unless faced
by extremely adverse weather. quite
capable OF doing a trip OF thousand
miles or so And that being the case
where would the king descend Not
In Austria, for certain.
Austria. Strong knew well enough
was in no mind at the present time 10
be embroiled with Russia by harboriug
a fugitive monarch OF Bahama. Italy
would not serve the kings purpose
in the least. and Spain was. fguretive
~ speaking. on the map"
France seemed the most likely coun
TRY for which the king would make
out could he make H.? The wind was
getting slightly from the north OF west
and unless the propellers OF the bal
loon below we're OF unusual power and
ne steering gear OF more than ordi
nary strength. Strong Judged II uu
likely that the king would be able &c
keep north OF the Mediterranean Bat
his speculations Oh this point were
Cf short duration, for Wildney called
20 him ina, the balloon was altering
her course. and leaning over the side
Strong saw The helm put 10 port ard
the balloon blunder clumsiy on. They
only put heI helm far enough over to
leave the Wnd on the quarter
What was taking place in the car
! they coulI not see, and Strong judged
| IL time TO make a few investigations
lie therefore put the Victor" about
half a mil, or so TO the weather side
of the balloon.
But there was very little to be OBJ.
served. Diana sat in the stern with
folded hands The king was appar.
emily busy with chart Ludwig still
Gung on &c the steering gear. and the
I )ther men were idle
Once again Strong endeavored ~
get into communication with the kim
Lut not the slightest notice was taken
OF his ticking
Therefore he kept the Victor" about
i thousand feet above his enemy. and
slowing down. kept pace with the
speed OF The balloon
With Langley he worked ont the
course which they were now pursu.
ing and drawing a line dead across
the map OF Europe. Strong discovered
with start that they were making
a straight course for Paris Was that
the destinatIon ~ the king? II so then
his majesty was doing a daring thing
for abou sun-up on the morrow be
would be compelled 10 cross the Alps
Could the balloon hold out9 Should
he smallest leak be sprung then II
was patenr that she could never maxi
the passage ~ the mountains. Sns
could MT even make the pass
age at all al her present al
t,tude. and Strong wondered II they
carried Sufficient ballast ire discard
ing OF which would give them the
necessary elevation.
Continued Tomorrow