CHAPTKH Xll.-tContlnncd.)
"Father, have you ever told llic Colonel
about mi-iiml Sergeant Lynn'"
"Vmi mid Sergeant Lynn?" he repeated,
vaguely.
"Our engagement, fulhcr. Have you
tulil the Colonel about it?"
"Why, no, Jenny, I can't nay that I
have."
"1 think he ought to know," said Jain1,
In her soft, low voice, which somehow
now gave the Quartermaster a greater
idea of finimcHH thun Mm. Knox's shrill
ami more dictatorial tones.
"You are thinking a lot of nonscns,
child," put in her father, good-huuioredly.
"The Colonel in not an old woman, to he
so eager after every hit of regimental gos
sip. You miiHt find another reason he
fore I go and bother him about a little
thing like that."
"Then do it just to please me because
I wish it," pleaded Jane, too earnest to
betray any trace of eoufuslon In her
manner.
"Well, if you put It that way," said the
Quartermaster, "I may as well haul down
my colors at once. You've been spoiled
all your life, my girl, and It's too late to
start a reformation now. Your mother
will be very angry. I'm afraid. You see
she reckons on that engagement coming
to nothing, and It will be a blow to her.
She Is hoping great things for you,
Jenny."
But more was to happen to agitate June
that day.
A well known voice struck upon her ear
with a deadly chill, and turned all her
loving warmth to ice.
It was Jacob Lynn standing a few
paces away from the veranda, calling and
beckoning her to join him. Mechanically
(he obeyed, descending the low, broad
steps with a Inggardness that told too
plainly of the aversion she felt.
She went bravely up to her fiance, and
touching his shoulder to attract his at
tention, she began:
"It seems you don't believe In me,
Jacob?"
"How can I?" he answered gruffly, not
turning to meet her gaze.
"I gave you my promise," Rhe remon
strated, gently.
"A promise only!" he retorted. "Do
yon think I can credit Its fulfillment?"
"It shall be fulfilled. I swear it!"
He turned now and looked down at her
sadly, incredulous still. Hut she did not
avoid his scrutiny instead she Invited it.
"Yon don't want anything else, Jacob?"
the asked, gathering up her gown from
contact with the wet grass, and making a
movement to go In.
"Want!" echoing her words with Imis
terous merriment. "Why, I want you; I
want my wife, Jenny. When is she com
ing home?"
"You ought to be satisfied," she said,
and ran away from him lightly up the
steps.
lint as she. reached the verandah a
thought seemed to strike her, and she
turned back slowly to where he still
Stood,
Thinking she had changed her mind,
and was shy in saying so, he went for
ward eagerly to meet her, and bent his
head low to catch w hat she was going to
say.
"No. no, ft Is not that, Jacob. Yon must
wait for that until we are proer!y en
gaged," she told him, w ith a cold, flicker
ing srnile.
"Then what is it, Jenny?"
"This application for leave to marry
to whom does it go first?"
"To the Colonel."
"O-oh! That Is all, Jacob."
"Good-night, my love."
"Good-night"
CHAPTKK XIII.
Mrs. Knox, happily unconscious of
what hnd passed between Jane and her
father, and equally so of the conversation
which occurred afterward between Jane
and Jacob Lynn, was living In a fool's
paradise. The only name Jane men
tioned while relating the story of her
week' visit to Caw npore was that of Val
entine Graeme, and her mother had im
mediately concluded that he was to take
the place of the obnoxious sergeant. She
showed her conviction so mimistnkably
that Jane, first amused, grew afterward
almost iingr.
"Grac Is a very good Scotch name,"
declared Mrs. Knox, complacently, three
mornings later, as she adjusted the work
on the plate of her sewing machine.
"Mr. Graeme's father was a brewer,"
put In Jane, slyly.
"Many of the liest families go into
trade. I siipH)He he is very rich," said
Mrs. Knox.
"I dare say. He Is not good looking,"
returned Jane, undergoing without winc
ing the piercing scrutiny to which her
mother subjected her.
Was the child laughing at her or ex
pressing her real opinion? Anil was she
mistaken Hi her conjecture? Mrs. Knox
wondered.
"He is a gentleman," slip persisted,
f.ebly.
"They were nil gentlemen that I met
at Cnw npore."
Hut though Mrs. Knox was silenced for
the moment she Was not quenched, and
after aw Idle returned to the attack.
"1 don't want to lose my daughter. I
should like you to marry In the regiment,
Jane," she began, rather nervously.
"I thought that was jnsl what you did
not wish," retorted Jane, now thoroughly
incensed; for the open discussion, which
seemed so natural and desirable to her
mother, to her seemed coarse and almost
Indelicate. The tears welled in her eyes,
and she was scarlet from mortification.
Mrs. Knox drew herself up stiffly, but
did not respond. The reference to 8er
geaut Lyon had alarmed her. Hha knew
it wss beat to let sleeping dogs lie, and
rut sorry she had said so mnch.
Mr. Knot went on busily turning the
- ggj
handle of her sewing machine, and bring
ing out apparently endless yards of com
pleted work. Jane's bead began to ache
with the monotonous noise, anil putting
down her embroidery, she went and stood
beside the open window, l'reseutly she
started, anil smiled a little consciously.
"Mother, here comes Mr. Graeme!"
The whizzing of the w heel ceased w ith
a sudden jerk, and starting from her
seat, Mrs. Knox went over to her daugh
ter's side.
"So it is, Jenny; and he is coming here'
to call. How you could say he was not
good looking passes my comprehension.
I always thought him handsomer than
any of the rest of the olliecrs."
"Mother, what you think will never
be!" she warms) her gravely.
"Don't be too sure." was the confident
reply. "Stranger things have happened."
She bustled out of the room, smiling
back encouragingly to her daughter, and
culling upon her not to be long in coming
to the drawing-room.
Jane stood und watched the Adjutant
a he came nearer to the bungalow. No,
she had not stated the truth when she
had denied his comeliness, for he was de
cidedly good-looking, in a happy, common-place
way.
Lounging along In his cricketing flan
nels, his hands thrust Into his pockets,
and whistling a tune as he came along,
unaware that any one was watching him
from the window, Jane thought him more
likable and attractive than she had ever
fancied him before.
She found Mr. Graeme In the drawing
room, discoursing In his happiest vein
with Mrs. Knox, but he stopped short,
and Jumped up to greet her as she en
tered. "The other fellows were all at lunch
eon, so I thought I'd just run ucmsM and
ask how you were after your journey,"
he explained.
"You must stny and lunch with us,"
said Mrs. Knox.
"Miss Knox must come and see the re
sult of the cricket this afternoon," put
in the Adjutant.
K, late in the afternoon, Mrs. Knox
and Jane, having promised Mr. Graeme,
strolled over to the cricket ground, which
was gay with flags and the colors of the.
contesting sides.
The artillery from a neighboring station
hnd challenged the th Hussars, and a
number of people had assembled to see
how the contest would end. Hut the in
terest was withdrawn from the game as
Jane hesitatingly approached, iu her pret
ty soft white cotton gown and large
white hat. glancing nervously at the
crowd of gayly dressed ladies, who as yet
had scarcely lecided to receive her among
themselves. Most of them had heard of
Jane's short but brilliant triumph at
Cawnpore, and some of them had seen
her there. The General's wife, a kindly,
portly lady of middle age, to whom Mrs.
Dene had introduced her, beckoned ber
smilingly to sit down beside her, and
asked to be Introduced to Mrs. Knox.
Then the Hon. Harry Larron came and
stood beside them, and the Quartermas
ter's wife felt as if fortune could have no
further favors to bestow. A furtive
glance around had assured Jane that Col
onel 1'rlnsep was nowhere within sight,
and she felt more at ease.
"Which side is winning?" she asked
Major Larron.
"Our side, of course; we always do,"
he answered.
"Who Is playing now?" askiil Mrs.
Knox.
"The Colonel is in: he and Mr. Graeme
have made a tolerable score, but the high
est score was made by Sergeant Lynn."
"Was that the man who was in just
now?" asked the General's wife.
"Yes. They were lucky In getting him
out for fifty runs; he is generally a very
brilliant player; but he has not been very
steady lately, and that spoils a fellow's
game."
Mrs. Knox glanced at Jane, but the girl
made no sign of having heard .Major Lar
ron's remark.
Just then a murmur of disappointment
broke from the crowd. Colonel lrinsep
had been bowled out, and they cheered
vociferously as he came toward the tent.
He was stopped, however, by Sergeant
Lynn, who divested him of his pads and
gloves, at the same time speaking to him
in an evidently confidential manner.
At last the conference between the two
unconscious rivals came to an end, and
the Colonel came on alone toward the
tent.
CHAPTKH XIV.
When Colonel Prinsep left Jacob Lynn
he meant to make his way straight to
ward Jane, whom he had seen as she ar
rived; hut Mrs. Knox stood in his way,
and common courtesy compelled him to
stay and talk to her a moment Indeed,
she seemed eager to speak to him.
"Was not that Sergeant Lynn who was
talking to you just now?" she asked, di
rectly she had shaken hands with him
and exchanged the usual greetings.
"Yes. He is very anxious to run his
head into a noose, and seemed to expect
my congratulations thereon," answered
the Colonel, smiling.
"On -on what?"
Not noticing her scared expression, bo
returned quietly:
"On his engagement to be married. Ho
is going to send the necessary papers iu
bef.ire long, 1 suppose, und w ished to be
speak my approval."
"Don't give it don't, I beg you!" cried
Mrs. Knox, In uncontrollable excitement.
The Colonel looked at her fixedly. The
little woman always excitable, was now
shaking with agitation, and she returned
his gaxe with one of breathless suspense.
"You Ihlnk perhaps I ought not to have
s pi. ken?" she said, timidly.
The Colonel was too polite to press the
matter, and seeing she had no more to
say, he went on quickly to where Jane
was walking np and down between Major
Iarron and Valentine Graeme, who bad
Just Joined her.
As he overtook them Major Larron was
railed away by a lady of his acquaint
ance, and ha took his place beside her.
At a sign from Mrs. Knox, who was
coming up than with another officer of
the regiment, they bent their steps sway
from the cricket ground. The sua was
down, and after the manner of the Indian
cliuate, the air at once grew chilly. Jaue
shivered in her white frock, and Valen
tine Graeme, with wbsH Stephen Prinsep
inwardly termed officious baste, wrapiwd
around her the warm white shawl h had
been carrying.
"Have you bean! anything of Captain
Dene yet?" asked Jane, quickly, to hide
the embarrassment she feit at his rather
marked care of herself.
"Oh, yes; be is getting on capitally;
the (Vilunel beard from Mrs. Dene the
other day."
"Iet the Colonel speak for himself,
Val," said that gentleman, laughing.
"1 beg your pardon, eir," said Mr.
Graeme, rather taken aback.
"Did Mrs. Deue send any message to
me?" aKked Jane.
"She said she would write to you S'n."
"Then we'll have to come to you for
news," put in Graeme, who seldom let an
opportunity slip.
Just as they were leaving the cricket
ground Sergeant Lynn came suddenly iu
their path.' He had nut seen who uas
coming, and fell back immediately with
a salute.
"How do you do?" said Jane, bravely.
A quick gleam of pleasure flashed into
the Sergeant's eyes, but he seareely
knew how to acknowledge the brief recog
nition. They all passed on. The Colonel
and the Adjutant both liked Jane the bet
ter that she had not been ashamed to
yjieak to a former friend iu their pres
ence, but both felt the awkwardness of
the situation, and were perhaps relieved
that no stranger had been present.
Jane walked on, pale but composed, and
looked neither to the right nor to the It-it.
"Hy the bye, 1 suppose Captain Dene's
illness will prevent our theatricals coin
ing off just yet," observed Vul, presently;
"and the Colonel did his part so well."
"And so did Mrs. Dene," said Jaue.
Hut Mr. Graeme shook bis head.
"I never thought so. She is very grace
ful, and looks the part completely, but
she lacks experience and pathos. Now
you would be perfect in it."
Hut June, unwilling to be praised lit
her friend's expense, made no reply.
They had reached the gate of their
eomiKuiiid, and she stopped to say good
by. "You are coming to see the polo to
morrow?" asked the irrepressible Val.
"Perhaps," she answered, smiling.
"I shall go and interview Mrs. Knox,
and make her promise to bring yon," he
said, and went off with his long, swinging
stride.
Stephen Prinsep and Jane looked after
him for a moment, and then looked at
each other on his side with a gaze so
tender as to be almost a caress, on hers
with a sad, almost agonized expression.
There must bean explanation soon, and
then she would lose all which might have
made her life so fair.
"Jenny!" At the sound of her name
spoken by him thus, as though with the
right to call her so, she turned a little
paler. "Jenny, when can I speak to you
alone?"
"Alone?" she echoed, In confusion, a
warm blush mantling in her cheeks.
"Alone!" he repeated firmly. "Can you
not guess what it is I have to say?"
.
That night, nearly an hour after his
wife had gone to bed, the Quartermaster
was startled by a faint rapping at his
office door. Hi! had stayed up to finish
some of iis accounts, and having com
pleted them, was leaning back in his
chair, having a quiet smoke.
"Come In." he called out In Hindoo
stance, thinking It was a servant asking
for admittance.
To his surprise, when the door opened,
It was Jane who slowly entered In a flow
ing wrap'HT of blue and white, her un
bound hair falling nloiit her shoulders,
her eyes dim with weeping.
"Why, childie, I thought you were in
bed long ago! Are you in trouble? Y'ou
look as if you hail been crying."
"I catno to speak to you about some
thing else, about what I asked you tho
other day," she said, timidly.
"About Sergeant Lynn."
She nodded aflirrnntively.
"I have done nothing yet about speak
ing to the Colonel. You see, there is al
ways the Adjutant or some one In the
orderly room when I am there. It would
give the subject too much importance to
ask a private interview."
"Why not go to his house?" suggested
Jane.
"I might do that," he answered thought
fully. "Do, father. Will you go to-morrow
morning?"
"There Is no hurry, Is there?"
"Yes; If Jacob spoke to him first he
would think I don't know what he would
think!" she broke off excitedly.
"Well, let It he as you please. It is
not worth arguing about. Y'ou will have
to take my part against your mother; if
she blows me up," he added, with a bois
terous, good-humored laugh. "There, run
off to bed, my girl; and don't spoil those
pretty eyes of yours by any more crying.
Not a sweetheart In Christendom is worth
it, as you will know when you reach my
age."
Laughing still at his own Joke, he
stooped, and kissing her affectionately,
pushed her gently from the room.
(To br continued.)
A Dakota Vcril.rt.
There la deep Indignation here over
the acquittal of Alice M. Giles, who
was tried Inst week for the murder of
her husband. The prosecution devel
oped what seemed to lie nbsoltile evi
dence, much stronger than was ii'Miic
ed In the trial of Willlnm Davidson,
Inst week, for the muiw crime, for
which he received n life sentence. The
defense 111 the Giles cum succeeded Iu
getting one man on the Jury whom It
could rely upon to hang It. The State
found this out shortly after the com
mencement of the case, and could only
hope for a disagreement. Imagine the
surprise of every one even the lawyers
for the defense w hen the Jury cnine In
with a verdict of "not guilty." After
tho Jury had been discharged, one of
the Jurymen told the Htory of the ver
dict. The Jury stood lo to 2 for couvle
tlon, but after being out 'M hours the
ten went over to the two, because, as
some of them afterward said, they had
to "got homo to cut their hay." Au
othcr said be voted for acquittal be
cause a new trial would ho "such an
expense to tho county." Belle Fourche
(S. D.) dispatch to Minneapolis Journal.
Revenge la but the debasement of
yourself to a lower level than that of
your adversary.
There la not a single momeut In llfu
that we can afford ta Iom.
0Q000CX)00000O00OOX)0000OOOO0000O0000000000000000O0000
KULPARKER'S AUTOMATIC BALLOON. jj
Some time in his life every man In
vents a flying machine, and It Is well If
lie gets safely through thn mania while
he Is yet a boy. If t jc fever takes bliu
later iu life he la certain to lose money
and reasonably sure of breaking, his
neck. It is said that there is no law to
prevent a man making a fool of him
self, but iu this case there Is, and It Is
the law of gravity, which was passed
previous to the time this country took j
to making statutes, and It has never
been Interfered wltii by legislative
amendments, nor has It been overturn
ed by the action of a higher court, ex
cept, perhaps. In the case of K.HJah.
Most men who go In for ballooning
take a tumble before they get through
with It, but Kulparker came to disaster
through remaining on the ground,
which was a unique experience In the
aerial business. I met Kulparker at a
health resort. He was there, lie said,
for his nerves. Ills nerves had gone
back on him. He read to me an article
on nerves from Hmlley'g Microscopical
Journal, which article said that If you
killed a bundle of nerveg and then got
them to die, you could see them through
any well-regulated microscope. It was
evident that Kulparker was now ns
much Interested In the subject of nerves
as he had formerly been on balloons.
"My nerves went wrong a few weeks
ago," he told me, "and by the Irony of
fate the doctor Informed me that I
should go to Malaga In Spain and that
place would put me all right."
"Why the irony of fate?" I asked;
"and why didn't you go to Malaga In
stead of coming to this place?"
He sighed and said it was all on ac
count of the Kulparker Automatic Bal
loon. When he said this I was In the
unenviable position of the questioner
who wanted to know how the other
man lost his leg, and was Informed
that It had been bitten off. I naturally
wnnted to hear about the balloon, and
Kulparker was good enough to oblige
me, the account he gave being at once
an explanation of how he lost his nerve
and why he dared not go to Malaga.
Some men Invent flying machines
merely because they want to fly; oth
ers, however, have humanitarian ob
jects In view, desiring to confer great
benefits upon their fellow beings. Kul
parker belonged to the latter class. He
not only wanted to bestow lasting ben
efits, but also dynamite upon his fel
low creatures. It would be a little
rough on humanity at the beginning
even Kulparker admitted this but as
It would ultimately abolish war, be
thought the experiment worth trying
as long as the dynamite did not fall on
his own head. Inventors are somewhat
prone, while benefiting the species, to
take good care that they do not them
selves come In for any of the disad
vantages. Such was Kulparker's In
tention, but It missed fire.
The Kulparker Automatic was very
much like other balloons except that It
had a propeller attached which was
worked by compressed air. The com
pressed air scheme was very Ingenious,
If I understand It aright. If what Kul
parker says Is true, you can, with the
proper machinery, compress something
like a continent of air Into the size of
a drop of water. This drop you can
put Into a strong but light aluminum
boiler, If I may call It so, and the drop
expands Into a workable compressed
air that will run a motor. If, there
fore, you have a bottle full of drops
of compressed air, and an automatic
arrangement that will allow a drop to
escape Into the boiler as needed, you
have at your disposal a tremendous
amount of energy stored In small com
pass and of comparatively no weight
at all, which Is very desirable when
you are dealing with a balloon. The
motor worked the fan which sent the
balloon In any given direction.
So much for the motive power. The
armament consisted of a tube through
which was dropped at satisfactory In
tervals regulated by a clock-work me
chanism, a dynamite cartridge which
exploded when It hit the earth. The
balloon, when fully loaded, contained
fifty dynamite cartridges, and Kulpar
ker's Idea was that the balloon could
be sent In any direction high above an
army, dropping dynamite down upon
the troops from Its elevation above rifle
shot, thus bringing discomfort, confu
sion and perhaps annihilation upon the
enemy. Kulparker believed that the
moment his bnlloon got a fair Innings
upon any warlike body of men, no coun
try would, after the trial, open hos
tllliles against any other nation. Thus
war, and also the first army on which
the balloon opened out, would be blot
ted from the face of the earth.
After much experimenting, Kulpar
ker at last had a successful trial of his
automatic balloon in the open country
some distance west of New York. He
used wooden plugs Instead of dyna
mite cartridges, and they came down
all right at the proper Intervals, al
though they nearly sacrificed several
Industrious farmers who vainly search
ed for the mischievous boys whom the
Indignant agriculturists thought were
throwing the blocks of wood.
Unfortunately at the time the auto
matic balloon was completed there was
no really first-class war going on, and
Kulparker knew of no people, tired of
life, who wished to have the balloon
tried upon them. The China-Japan
struggle had been brought to a close
without the aid of the Automatic, and
Knropo was In a state of profound
peace. However, It Is hard to discour
age a real Inventor, so Kulparker took
a glance over the universe and realized
that although It was but a one-horse
affair at the best, the Cuban rebellion
offered him the only chance of a sat
isfactory test for the balloon. His
sympathies were with the rebels, as all
our sympathies are, and so he opened
communications with the Cuban Hevolt
Committee In New York. He saw there
a most polished gentleman, Major Ko
tatizes, who listened with interest to
what Kulparker had to say. The In
ventor wanted J20.000 for his patent
and the sample balloon. Major Ko
tanzes said he would gladly pay double
provided the balloon did all that was
claimed for It. If, therefore, Mr. Kul
parker would go to Cuba with his bal
loon and wipe out a Spanish corps or
two the money would be promptly paid
to him, and they would finish up the
rebellion In brilliant style with the Pat
ent Automatic.
Kulparker demurred at this. He
hnd no desire to visit Cuba at that mo
ment. There was danger of being cap
tured by a Spanish cruiser before they
reached the land, and In that case, with
the balloon and dynamite In his pos
session, Kulparker did not rightly see
what excuse he could make to the
Spanish Government.
The major blandly pointed out that
the Spanish cruisers occupied them
selves with capturing Innocent mer
chant vessels of numerous neutral na
tions, thus keeping the government at
Madrid busy apologizing, but that they
never by any chance hit upon a real
filibustering schooner, and that the
rebels up to date had had no trouble
In landing all the munitions of war they
wanted. If the Hevolt Committee sent
over the balloon without any one to
work It who understood Its habits and
customs, the trial would doubtless be
a failure, and so no good would accrue
to anybody, while the Spanish troops,
who sadly needed amusement on the
desolate plains, would lie deprived of
the fireworks display which would
bring so much excitement Into their
camp, and, by blowing them up with
dynamite, prevent their dying of ennui
or fever. The committee were willing
to pay Kulparker's expenses to Cuba
and back, and, In the event of success,
to give him. In cash, double what he
asked, which offer, the major politely
Insisted, was all that any reasonable
man could ask.
If wars had been plentiful, It Is
doubtful that Kulparker would have
gone to Cuba, but, as every one knows,
they were deplorably scarce, so It was
that or nothing.
Kulparker was put aboard a lugger
from a deserted sand dune In Florida,
together with his balloon and about
1,000 rounds of dynamite cartridges. It
was an anxious voyage, ho knowing
that there was such a quantity of sen
sitive explosive stuff In the hold, but
the major proved to have been right
about what he said of the vigilance of
the Spanish cruisers. The lugger land
ed without molestation in a little cove
on the Island, and scouts were sent out
to find the whereabouts of the rebel
army, or some part of it. At last the
deadly apparatus was loaded on mules,
and thus they made for the hills, where
Information had been received that
Gen. Carambo and his men were sta
tioned. Carambo was not In good hu
mor when the outfit arrived. He had
Just had a brush with the Spaniards,
who were encamped in the valley, and,
although both sides had telegraphed to
the world at large that each had achiev
ed a great victory. Gen. Carambo did
not appear satisfied with the result and
had taken to the hills, while the Span
lards were busy contracting yellow
fever in the valley.
When Gen. Carambo found that the
committee had sent him a new-fangled
balloon and a tenderfoot to work It,
when what he wanted was something
to drink, he made no attempt to con
ceal his anger. Me wanted gunpow
der, not dynamite; In fact, he had never
heard of dynamite before.
It did not need Carambo's anger to
frighten Kulparker. He was already
nearly scared to death at the company
he found himself In. They seemed fo
him a ragged, unkempt assortment of
colored brigands; even the general him
self had no boots on, and the villainous
looking guns with which they were
armed added to their terrifying ap
pearance. If these barbarous cut
throats were fighting for liberty. Kul
parker wondered what sort of liberty
they would establish when they got It.
Gen. Cora mho curtly ordered him to
get his bag of tricks In working order
and let hlin see what there was In It.
warning blm at the same time that If
there was any skull-duggefy about It,
Kulparker would be Instantly shot, and
the general would do himself the hap
piness of apologizing to the lulled
States for the action later on. With
trembling hands, Kiiljiarker got his gas
machine In operation and inflated the
balloon, while the rebels, looked on with
scarcely disguised contempt. At last
the bnlloon arose with the fan whirling
and moved against a light zephyr to
ward the Spanish camp. Its unfortu
note Inventor watched It with Intense
Interest, for he felt that his life depend
ed on its actions.
"How soon will It begin to shoot?"
asked Gen. Carambo.
"It ought to begin In about ten min
utes.' said Kulparker, looking at hla
watch.
"Very well. If It doesn't commence
then, we will," replied the general om
inously. "We are not here to be trifled
with."
To Inspire confidence In the lnven
tor'a mind the rebel general ordered a
file of his ruffians to cover Kulparker
with their guns, and to fire when he
gave the order. Much as the unlucky
scientist wished for an adequate test
for his balloon, he did not yearn for It
under these conditions, and it Is prob
ably the only cae on record where a
man on the solid earth was in more
danger than If he had been up In the
flying machine. Kulparker watched
his Invention with much anxiety, and
it soon became evident that it was at
tracting attention from the Spaniards
underneath. Puffs of smoke were seen
In the valley below. They were firing
at It.
All at once Kulparker saw something
drop from the balloon. It could not be
a cartridge, for the balloon was not due
to begin firing; besides, he could not
have seeu a cartridge drop at that dis
tance. It came fluttering down very
slowly and once as It overturned In the
air he realized that it was the fan which
propelled the automatic. A rifle bullet
had doubtless deranged the machinery
and the fan had whirred Itself off. The
balloon hung motionless In midair for
a moment, then slowly the light wind
began to drive it back over the rebel
camp. Kulparker's hair began to bris
tle with the horror of the situation.
He was between two fires, for if the
balloon began to drop dynamite, he
would run an excellent chance of being
blown to pieces, while the moment Ca
rambo noticed that it was returning,
the suspicious wretch would see a plot
In the whole scheme, and would order
his prisoner shot.
Gen. Carambo had taken Kulparker's
watch on the plea that he had none and
wished to time the firing. The Inven
tor did not expect to have his watch re
turned, and subsequent events Justi
fied this suspicion, but he now looked
anxiously at the general, who was busy
studying the face of the watch, won
dering what would happen when he
turned his gaze upwards and saw the
balloon returning.
The automatic opened the ball by go
ing Into business on Its own account.
A shell dropped from It struck about
half a mile down the hill. The explo
sion was terrific and startled the whole
camp. Carambo slipped the watch In
his pocket with an oath and It was
oidy a few minutes before he took in
the situation. The second shell drop
ped perceptibly nearer and rent the
rock some distance below them.
"It Is a plot," yelled the general. "He
Is a minion of the Spaniards, as I
thought from the first. Shoot the low
scoundrel. Attention! Fire!!"
The balloon answered his command,
but not the soldiers. They, frozen with
terror, were watching the approach of
the aerial monster, which was steadily
dropping bombs and falsing consecu
tive earthquakes, and the accurate
mathematical precision of a minute
gun.
"Shoot, do you hear?" shouted Ca
rambo. ;
The men tremulously raised their car
bines, but the balloon got Its work in
first. The dynamite struck within a
few hundred yards of' where they stood
and the concussion knocked down most
of the squad and sent panic and flying
rock amongst the rest. Carambo was
stunned by a stone. Kulparker had
flung himself face down on the ground
and spent an eternity of wild suspense
wondering whether he would be struck
first by the bullets of the brigands or
the dynamite hitting him Iu the small
of the back, for the balloon seemed dl
rectly overhead. As he turned over af
ter the crash he rolled down the hill for
some distance, and there he flatters
himself he lost his senses with the tum
ble, although I don't think he had any
too much sense when he undertook to
Invent such an Idiotic contrivance as
the automatic balloon. The balloon
floated gently over the ocean and It Is
to be hoped in the interests of the mer
cantlle commerce of the world that the
dynamite bombs are all spent. There
are dangers enough at sea as It is, with
out an Irresponsible gas bag dropping
shells unexpectedly on a vessel's deck
from an altitude of half a mile.
Thus it comes about that Kulparker's
nerves have all gone wrong, and that he
dare not go to Malaga, In Spain, to have
them put right again. Free Tress.
A Vicarious Editor.
The busiest man In' Havana Is not
Martinez Campos, military dictator,
but an old chap, Jose somethlng-or-oth-er,
whose usefulness In life Is of a
unique but definite character. Ills pro
fession is that of suffering vicarious
imprisonment for the editors Who of
fend the government Of course, the
press censor, especially In troublous
times like these, sees to It that none
but loyal stuff and news favorable to
tho Spanish side gets Into the papers,
But now and then some bold editor
sneaks In an insinuation or allusion
which the censor skips. If then the
editor be hauled up in court, as Is very
likely, he doesn't go himself. Not be.
Instead he telepnones for Jose some-thlng-or-other,
who generally may bo
found at a certain corner saloon. "Are
you editor of El Pais?" asks the judge.
"I am," replies Jose. "Di. you publish
this?" "I did." "Ten days In Jail,"
and off to jail goes Jose. In these busy
times he Is generally satisfied with bla
sentences, but in more calm and dull
seasons he occasionally asks the court
to send him up for fifteen or twenty
days Instead of ten. Jose'a regular
compensation for representing Jour
nalists In jail Is 1 4 a day. He has been
In the business several yearn and la
a well-known character In Havana.
Walter Wellman In Chicago Tribunal
Blander ! the solace of malignity.
Joubert
