The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-08-11
CHAPTER IX-Continued


queerly in a choked voice, and
kissed her, fierce kiss, deep and
desperate.
Then she was leaping out into
swift and singing air and was
amazed to find that she did not i'm
mediately fall. The speed of the
Hermod was carrying her along be-
meath it, face downward, with her
arms and legs spread out like a
starfish. There was the strange
sensation of travelling across the air
rather than through it.
HE kissed mel" she exulted.
"Gunnar kissed mel"
She began to fall, her body twist
ing and turning. Now she was look
ing up at the plane, now down at
the earth which was coming swift
", perilously closer.
There's something I must do,
now!" she thought anXiously. "Oh,
yes!-The cord! But where is that
ring?"
Her fingers fumbled for it. It
seemed to be lost in the webbing.
Why hadn't she kept her hand on it
all the time? She turned over again
and saw the Hermod still above her
but further away, somersaulted and
saw the earth rushing up to meet
her. Why hadn't Gunnar taken her
higher than three thousand feet?
Sarah Lynn thought suddenly of
her mother. She had a poignant
picture of Adelaide Dana's upstairs
sitting-room, pretty and peaceful.
with potted plants whose every leaf
glistened, and a canary warbling
tenderly in an expensive cage, and
quantities of framed photographs Of
her big brothers and herself and
young Bill in all stages of infancy
and childhood.
She found the ring and gave des-
perate jerk.
Now! She knew exactly what
would happen. The rip-cord would
release the pack and the spring
rips of the little pilot chute would
open instantly, catching the air and
dragging the main chute out into
long line and the wind would rush
In at the bottom and expand it. It
simply couldn't fail: Gunnar and
Conrad and Vance LIE Roy had
checked it thoroughly. "And even if
it doesn't work." she told herself
sensibly, "there is the emergency
chutel I'm not ratified" she re-
joiced. my mind is running like
clock. And Gunnar kissed me! He
was white as sheet and scared to
death about me, and he kissed
mel And it was the kind of kiss"
There was a weird noise which
was something between whistle
and shrek: something was f1utter-
ing overhead, and then swapping,
loudly, urgently.
Its opening!"
Then a gun went off somewhere,
q shocking, thunderous boom, and
her downward progress was halted
so abruptly that she thought her
arms and shoulders were being torn
loose from her body. There were
uncounted instants of confusion and
terror, and then peace enveloped
her.
Her chute opened and was func-
tioning perfectly. She was floating
gently, and everything was quiet
about her, a sweet, celestial quiet
ness which was soothing and COM
forting
She could see the ambulance NOV
ing slowly to keep in line with her.
She had lost the Hermod for the
moment, but surely Gunnar would
&C
come to her. That kiss, she felt,
was not final: it must be prelude.
Even if it had been given in high
excitement, it stood for an emotion
which wasn't to be disposed of with
this adventure. Filters did not mar
~. Oh, didn't they? Then what?
There was a confused clamor of
voices, cheerful, exultant.
"Good grill" Conrad Jordan said,
lifting her to her feet. Perfect per-
Torrance"
"'Atta grill" Vance LIE Roy was
christening her harness, warmed
for once into enthusiasm.
"Where is Gunnar?" Sarah Lynn
demanded.
Old Pete from the airport was
swearing softly and happily, paying
her high praise with picturesque
embellishments.
Hold still Conrad Jordan had
taken out his handkerchief and was
wiping her face, and there was
bright blood on the white linen.
Whats that from?" she asked
impatiently. "I'm not hurt"
"Of course you're not, just
scratch or two when you were
dragged"
where's Gunnar?"
Hell be here just as quick as
he can set the ship down." her I'M
cle's friend said. "Now we'll just
get aboard and let them run us
back to Lynn and the old lady"
He was steering her toward the
ambulance.
"I'm not hurt. I'm not going to
ride in that thing!" she told him
spiritedly. where will he come
DOWN."
Quickest way to get there" he
said, taking her arm in firm grip.
well all pile in. Half mile
away!" He lifted her and set her
inside and a white-suited orderly
grinned and congratulated her.
81 want Gunnar," Sarah Lynn
said.