The Yale expositor., 1917-03-29
"This Will Garry You Down Safely" He Said.

along the bottom of the basket. The
fire extinguisher was empty.
The man in the car cast frenzied
look upward at the great balloon, its
silken coat filed with inflammable
hydrogen gas. Already the gas was
expanding under the influence of the
heat, and the balloon was shooting up
ward with prodigious rapidity.
"There's going to be an explosion
in 10 seconds" said Leontine's com
panion, dragging the parachute from
its rest. He thrust the handle into her
hands. "This will carry you down
safely" he said. Don't let go. I'm
derstand me? Don't let go. Now, jump"
And he drew her toward the edge of
the car.
The basket was ablaze from end to
end. Yet Leontine hesitated. 1t was
fearful, standing there in the midst
of the circling flames and looking down
into those fleecy clouds beneath.
"Jump!" cried the man, and forced
her over the cars edge.
Leontine fell into space. AS she
did so the other pulled the cord that
opened the valve. The great balloon
shot downward, passing her. Then she
fell swiftly, and the parachute passed
the balloon in turn. The dizzy rush
downward turned Leontine faint. With
all the intensity of which she was
capable, she clung to the parachute
handle. Then the swift descent ceased
as the wind opened the parachute. Sha
was falling ,earthward softly, as
feather might fall. Above her head
was the black outline of the burning
balloon. And standing i'm the midst
of the flames Leontine saw her COM
panion.
The parachute plunged down. The
sea rushed up to meet 1t. Leontine felt
the dazing shock of the icy water. She
felt the surface close above her head.
Then the parachute bobbed up like
q cork, and, faint and dizzy, the girl
found herself afioat on the waves. the
parachute and cork supports holding
her buoyantly.
Above her head she saw the fiery
mass that hurtled downward.
AS she watched, horror-stricken she
saw a column of flame shoot upward
For one moment the lurid light played
about the balloon, gliding 1t against
the sky. Silhouetted beneath the
sphere she saw the figure Of the pilot
standing bareheaded, a tiny outline
that disappeared as, with a terrific ex-
plosion, the balloon burst and van
ished.
Then something came falling froIn
above. 1t was the long rope that hung
from the bottom Of the balloon. Leon
tines companion was clinging to It.!
He had jumped for 1t at the moment
when the explosion occurred. Now,
from height Of 200 feet, he fell,
plunging into the waves.
Leontine cried out in horror as he
fell into the water, not dozen PAGES
from where she fioated. She sprang to
her feet, while the parachute tipped
dangerously, and straddled the floata
peering downward with agonized gan
into the water
Then the waves cast up their Booty
She saw the upturned face of the man
staring at her through the green, lap
ping crests Of the ocean,. She dragged
him, with an almost superhumen eff
fort, upon the float beside her.
The mustache which had hiddcr
the upper lip had come loose from the
flesh. 1t was disguise. A. Leontine
stared into the pilots face he opened
his eyes and smiled at her.
! And Leontine found herself starics
into the eyes Of her mysterious pa
server. Ravenger.
:. (END OF SEVENTH xxssoenl