The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-06-19
1.-THE Death In THE BIRIGIBLE
AN ADVENTURE OF PETER cREWE -aTtiE. MAN
5sg WITH THE CAMERA EYES"
By lHARoL B CARTER


fASNSao ,pStNu Aohbhhyt SLChG. t"Ad
by, some process known to himself
alone, had obtained leave for US, both
to be present, watt.od Tie doctor in,
tently,
~ doubt--I fear.T stammered the
doctor, your condition docs not
wholly warrant yoaf ascending. There
Is no organic arrangement, but the
heart cohtraGilons are little feeble.
At q high altitude" He broke of.
hesitating.
Have you eyer inhaled oxygen,
Herr Lieutenant?" he asked.
Once, when I had pneumonia, to
ease the lungs"
~ would counsel You to let me place
small tank in the bastet,". the doc.
tor said. Then II, when at height,
you And the rarity Of the air oppres.
sfve, you can take rev breaths from
the inhaler"
/ livery twell% said the lieutenant, ia.
differently. The doctor summoned his
assistant, and they placed small
tank In among the thermometers. by,
grometers, and other instruments for
gauging the atmospherical conditions.
And ~ hat moment I saw Crewe's
face liglt up and knew that he had
solved the mystery, for had seen
that expression often, and 1t never
failed to, he productive.
The lieutenant climbed into the car
which rested few feet above the lev;
Ell of the ground. All but one of the
ropes, were ,unfastened, and to that
one a dozen soldiers chung with all
their power, while the enormous gas.
dilated sphere swayed like an intoxi,'
Gated thing. striving to leap upward
and gain the security OF the skies.
Meanwhile Crewe had gone hastily TO:
ward the chief Of the aeronautical
staff, who was standing by, and con-
ferred turrfediy with him. What he
said do not know; his arguments
must indeed have been ,cogent. and
probably backed by some authority
unknown to me. for Just as the men
we're about to cast off the rope saw
General Won stimm wave his hand
toward the lieutenant and shout to
him to descend.
The lieutenant climbed hastily out
OF the. wickerwork basket; at the
same time somebody-Crewe, as I dis.
covered afterward, but in the confu.
sion he was nnoticed-shouted to the
mea to release the rope. Instantly
the balloon shot up into the skies,
leaving the lieutenant standing. morti-
fed, upon the ground, watching its up
ward flight.
This contretemps sent the general
ipto.a furious passion. The balloon
was as good as lost; fits course had
taken 1t out toward the North sea,
with little hope Of Its recovery. He
issued an order to his adjutant and, a
moment or two afterward, while J
still stared round to discover my
companion, found myself under ar
rest. was conveyed to the generals
headquarters. along with Crewe, WHO
had been apprehended in another sec
ton Of the Enclosure as he was trying
to leave. Ten minutes later We were
hailed into his presence.
WHO the devil are your" he
shouted roughly, in cultural English.
Unless you can offer a suitable ex-
PLANTATION you shall both be placed un-
der arrest as spies. You have spoiled
the ,Kaiserin. IV.-the devil take it,
the third balloon to go!" He CRASHED
his, teeth in modification.
At his side stood the lieutenant,
his face pallid, his brow covered with
sweat. ra l..
General" said Crewe quietly,
when, was a younger man spent
some months In Germany"
well, what the devil has that to do
with ,me?" $500, -
May | speak to you prlvately?"
asked. Crewe. 1T concerns a beer
garden-a youthful officer whose
sword was stolen"
The general became paler than the
lieutenant,
Gentlemen. you may leave me-" he
said; and. .saluting, the lieutenant and
the orderly departed.
Nov. general" said Crewe briskly,
III alluded to an unfortunate incl.
dent In your early career, which I wit.
messed when you were a subaltern,
It vas not for the purpose Of seeking
immunity through my knowledge of It.
1t was necessary, In your own inter.
est, that ] should gain your ear. I
save the, order which resulted in the
releasing of the balloon. For. II had
not done 80, the lieutenants life would
have been sacrificed. So surely as
that balloon comes down on land It will
come down In fragments, and drench.
ed with water"
,'.why?" asked the astonished gen,
eral.
because you have a traitor upon
1.-THE staff of your division. and his
name is Fenelou. It Is he who de.
stroyed the two dirigibles that pre-
coded this and was the cause Of the
death of four officers" -
| Your proofs?" asked the general In
a strained voice.
They -will.be found when the bal