The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-12

not comprehend what Scanlon meant.
Climb up. damn you!" growled
Scanlon. We've got to stick It out
together"
The light Of understanding broke
into the mans eyes. and with rigid.
trembling muscles he drew himself
up on the bar and wound his arm
around the supporting rope. The two
sat crowded shoulder to shoulder.
facing, with scarcely enough room to
move.
Don't hurt me-" whined the man,
speaking for the first time.
Shut up and don't shake the bal
loon, snapped Scanlon.
The man kept his eyes on Scanlon
afraid to look toward the earth. us
1t very--very far?"
you'll think SO going down!"
Scanlon shot back.
The man whimpered and clutched
the rope without looking down.
What are you going to do about
chance to punish the intruder. The
danger now did not seem so imminent,
and SO Scanlon was bound to impress
on the man what he had done.
The man whimpered and shrank
away from the aeronaut. The fight
was gone out Of him. He dreaded the
%upbraiding more than the kicking.
What made you do it," demand
ed Scanlon.
"I-thought-I don't know"
A slight ripping sounded over their
heads. Scanlon became electrified.
but to the unwelcome passenger it
meant nothing. Scanlon glanced up.
His worst fears we're confirmed.
One Of the rope f%astenings on the
side Of the balloon and supporting
the parachute had ripped down a few
inches and h gas and smoke were
pouring II The bar rocked back
ed. In a moment 1t might tear larg-
er and h two would 30 rocking
swiftly downward.
The only chance for safety was for
one Of them to go in the parachute
and self-preservation is the first law
Of nature.
Don't rock the balloon!" shouted
scanlon, fiercely, although the man
was sitting quietly enough. The man
said nothing.
why don't you look down." de-
manded Scanlon. with all the fierce
ness that fighting for ones own life
brings up in n
The mar watched Scanlon numbly
a moment and turned his eyes down.
Wrappings his legs together, scanion
lunged at the man, and tore madly at
and the end Of the bar. silently the
two fought, their breaths coming
quick and fast, their nails bringing
great gashes on each others hands.
The bar and the parachute rocked to
the struggle, but that alone told the
story Of he struggle to the birds.
Finally Scanlon got the mans fingers
loose from the rope, inc in one surge
Of strength pushed him of backward.
around the bar, u~ndoubled, and with
out a sound he wen whirling through
the air, turning g~rotesquely, his arm
striking out as II they expected to
catch on something.
Fascinated. Scanlon could no keep
his eyes oft the whirling body. So
squarely under him was 1t that but
for the turnings it did not seem to
be moving. 1t seemed to be resting
ceased to struggle. falling like a dead
mass. A sparrowwhawk darted
toward 1t c%uriously, then turned away.
Then the body struck the ground
in a small pasture lot. The sound.
which travels upward more easily.
came to MIN with. Sickentng ~clearness.
1t seemed al though he was only a few
feet away. But look as he might
Scanlon could not see where the body
had struck. 1t seemed to have buried
itself In the ground.
His courage almost gone. Scanlon
pulled the rope hat severed the para
chute from the balloon and dropped
to the ground. When the people
came running UP he was so weak that
he could scarcely stand alone. That
evening he was arrested, and later
stood trial for the mans death. but
was acquitted on tho ground of self
defense.
But 1t was scanlon's. last ascension.
He Is now afraid as death Of a bal
loon and will scarcely look at a flying
machine in the air. His nerves are
completely gone. and as he talks he
keeps moving his hands aimlessly
around owe his lap and knees. He
makes his living during the summer
in small towns and during the winter
In vaudeville by doing high diving.
ITS the nights that make me mis-
erable," he said, buttoning and un.
buttoning his coat. II can stand the
daytime pretty we'll, for there's PEG.
pie around then. But the nights! I
always . something falling, falling
and waving its hands"