The Southern herald., 1912-07-19

ready tied together round the wrists.
were drawn up ever ny head and fast
ened securely to one end Of the plank;
ny feet we're secured in q similar
fashion to the other. Just st this in
stant q brilliant fash Of lightning Lit
up the yard, and I caught sight Of
large dumb-beI shaped glass flask.
and also what appeared to be 3 tin
canister. These articles Kruse held
In his hand and proceeded, with Le
wins help, TO fssteR round the under
side Of the plank, Just below where !
vas lying. They were kept in their
places by an iron chain. As soon as
this operation was over levin began
to slash away at the ropes which held
the balloon In the yard. now found
myself lying stretched out fat. unable
to move an inch, staring up at the
great balloon which lowered above
me.
Suddenly the balloon was lifted from
its moorngs and shot up into the
night. As il cleared the buildings the
full force Of the gale caught il, and
l felt myself being swept with ter
rife velocity into the very heart of
the storm. Binding flashes of
lightning played around me on
every side, while the peals of thun-
der merged into one continuous roar.
Up and up l few, with the wind
screaming through the meshes of the
network. Then almost before / was
aware of it, found myself gazing up
at a wonderful star-Hecked fTmamen.,
and drifting in what seemed to be
breathless calm. heard the thunder
pealias away below NE, and was con-
scious Of bitter cold. The terrible
sense Of paralysis and inertia had
now, to a great extent, left me, and
my reason began to exert itself. l
was able to review the whole situa-
ton. l not only knew where / was,
but l also knew what the end must be.
Hydrogen and chlorine" mutter-
ed. THE dumb-bell shaped glass flask
which is fastened under the plank
contains, without doubt, these two
gases, and the tin canister which
rests beneath them is full of nitro
glycerine."
| knew right we'll what this combi.
nation meant. When the first CLINT of
the suns rays struck upon the glass
vessel 1t would be instantly shattered.
The nitroglycerine would explode by
the concussion, and the balloon and
myself would be blown into impalp-
able dust beyond sight or sound of the
earth.
This satanic scheme for my destruc-
ton had been planned by the fiends
in human shape who had lured me to
Cornwall. Having got my secret they
meant to destroy all trace of my ex-
istence. / tore fiercely at my bonds,
but the ropes merely cut the deeper
into the flesh of my hands. | wonder
ed how it was that the hydrogen and
chlorine had not exploded when | was
passing through the storm. Why had
the lightning not been merciful enough
10 hurry my death? l could not ac-
count for my escape, until l suddenly
remembered that in all probability the
stop-cock between the two gases in
the dumb-bell shaped glass had only
been turned just when the balloon was
sent off, in which case the gases
not have had time to diffuse properly
for explosion.
AT the dawn Of the day the deadly
work would be complete. The cues.
tlon now was this-how long had |
to live, and was there any possible
means of escape? The action of the
drug had now nearly worn off. and
was able to think with acuteness and
intelligence. l began to work the
cord between my wrists up and up be-
tween my palms until | could lust
reach 1t with my little finger, and by
a supreme effort slipped it over NV
left hand. l could now move nv
hands, although they were still tightly
tied together round the wrists. In
frantic despair / began to tear at the
cords which bound them. Cutting
hard with my teeth, at last managed
TO hberate my hands, and then nv
next intention was to unfasten the
horrible explosive from the plank
But the glass vessel and tin canister
mad been secured round the nlank hv
means of chain which was lashed
in such fashion that by no possihlo
means could | undo it. l was free IN
move, but the means of destruction
were still threatening me. How long
mad | before the sun would rise9 Even
now the light in the heavens was
gettlng stronger. What should I do?
MY hands were free, and could sit
up managed to unite the cords
from my legs. And then. with manv
slip and struggle, 1 contriyed to
Chamber up the network until l came
to the balloon itself, when I began
10 tear at the silk with nails and teeth
wrought furiously, and made a small
mole in the silk. This enlarged first
with my finger and then with NV
wnole hand, ripping away the silk till
mad made a huge rent In the side of