Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-01-12

starlit sky. there rose a huge spheri-
cal. don,e-like object, dark in the
shadows but glinting browntsh yellow
in the starlight.
Good Lord" he murmured, with
| sudden inspiration. "Paddock's bal.
loon!"
Then, bending forward, he shout
ed in the chauffeur's ear:
What place is that over there?"
| Point Breeze Park" was the an
swer.
Whose balloon?"
Don't know, sir. Some New
Workers., I'm told. There to be an
ascension tonight"
Instantly Brooke decided.
Take US thereto the gate" he
directed.
If Foley was their follower this
would, he believed. be an excellent
way of throwing off the scent. They
could alight, go into the Park, and
have the machine proceed, and then
Foley might be lured into giving
i, chase to the "a believing them still
in II. 1t was q chance, but a chance
worth taking.
Briefly he conveyed to Mr.. Colby
his plan.
Tip top, my boy" he applauded.
Eve been in there to trotting faces
often: It's a big enough place to get
About the entrance gate when they
arrived they, found a throng of in
terested sightseers. Admission to the
public was absolutely forbidden, so
these curiosity seekers hung about
outside and waited for word that the
balloon had been released.
Brooke, the first man out Of the
machine, elbowed his. way to the
Cerebus at the gate. Hezwas not GER
tain that the balloon vas the one
him to take his maiden voyage, bu,
he made up his mind to assume that
it was. He nodded Familiarity to the
gatekeeper.
"a party Of Mr.. Paddock's friends!''
he ventured. H.
The man interposed his bulk across
the narrow entrance.
TOO late" he said laconically.
TOO late?" queried Brooke nerv-
pressing behind him now. Constance
Colby was at his elsow. Her father
and the mar he had been told was
named Smith were just back Of her.
They're just about casttn' of, -
said the gate-keeper.
But" Brooke perBisted, I'VE pre-
fer to see the ascension from inside.
tell you Mr.. Paddock invited US.
It's all right"
Mr.. coiby's hand anne out from.
under his coat, and Q fellow back
hill was reached over Brooke's shout
der. Then. there being no longer
anything to impede their entrance,
the four Of them passed into the
great enclosure. But ven as they
did 0 the deep. palpitating rumble
of a motor suddenly brought to Z
halt penetrated to their ears.
This was followed by a babel OF OK
the other side Of the gatekeeper once
more blocking the narrow doorway
before he WAS running as fast ~ his
legs could carry him towards where
perhaps q score of . in the light
OF the half-doxen electric torches,
were busy around what he knew WA
the basket of the balloon.
L Paddock" he shrieked. Pad
The distance between the gate and
the group Of busy men was not over
q hundred yards. yet. to Brooke,
tearing though he was at breakneck
speed. 1t seemed as though he would
never cover it-never ever make
himself heard.
But as he drew near man after
another looked up pauSed in hil
work. and stepped aside. Then he
heard:
what the deuce are you fellows I,
there? What are you stopping for?
Didn't -
It was waltsr Paddook.s voice. He
recognized it at ones. and now o. the
tone changed. he knew that Pad.
dock saw>hin7 and that he was not too
sweM wen, well!" he heard,
i ANA fhAnE No VRAh ~ Nh0v - a. asSrF~-iq