按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
saw something which filled his heart with bliss unspeakable。
Lady Caroline； with a divine smile on her face； feeding the monkeys！
8
… Page 9…
CONDENSED NOVELS
CHAPTER VI。
Encouraged by love； Little worked hard upon his new flying…machine。
His labors were lightened by talking of the beloved one with her French
maid Therese； whom he had discreetly bribed。 Mademoiselle Therese was
venal； like all her class； but in this instance I fear she was not bribed by
British gold。 Strange as it may seem to the British mind； it was British
genius； British eloquence； British thought； that brought her to the feet of
this young savan。
〃I believe；〃 said Lady Caroline； one day； interrupting her maid in a
glowing eulogium upon the skill of 〃M。 Leetell；〃〃I believe you are in
love with this Professor。〃 A quick flush crossed the olive cheek of Therese；
which Lady Caroline afterward remembered。
The eventful day of trial came。 The public were gathered； impatient
and scornful as the pigheaded public are apt to be。 In the open area a long
cylindrical balloon； in shape like a Bologna sausage； swayed above the
machine； from which； like some enormous bird caught in a net； it tried to
free itself。 A heavy rope held it fast to the ground。
Little was waiting for the ballast； when his eye caught Lady Caroline's
among the spectators。 The glance was appealing。 In a moment he was at
her side。
〃I should like so much to get into the machine；〃 said the arch…
hypocrite； demurely。
〃Are you engaged to marry young Raby；〃 said Little； bluntly。
〃As you please；〃 she said with a courtesy； 〃do I take this as a refusal？〃
Little was a gentleman。 He lifted her and her lapdog into the car。
〃How nice！ it won't go off？〃
〃No； the rope is strong； and the ballast is not yet in。〃
A report like a pistol； a cry from the spectators； a thousand hands
stretched to grasp the parted rope； and the balloon darted upward。
Only one hand of that thousand caught the rope；Little's！ But in the
same instant the horror…stricken spectators saw him whirled from his feet
and borne upward； still clinging to the rope； into space。
9
… Page 10…
CONDENSED NOVELS
CHAPTER VII。*
* The right of dramatization of this and succeeding chapters is
reserved by the writer。
Lady Caroline fainted。 The cold watery nose of her dog on her cheek
brought her to herself。 She dared not look over the edge of the car； she
dared not look up to the bellying monster above her； bearing her to death。
She threw herself on the bottom of the car； and embraced the only living
thing spared her；the poodle。 Then she cried。 Then a clear voice came
apparently out of the circumambient air：
〃May I trouble you to look at the barometer？〃
She put her head over the car。 Little was hanging at the end of a long
rope。 She put her head back again。
In another moment he saw her perplexed； blushing face over the edge；…
…blissful sight。
〃O； please don't think of coming up！ Stay there； do！〃
Little stayed。 Of course she could make nothing out of the barometer；
and said so。 Little smiled。
〃Will you kindly send it down to me？〃
But she had no string or cord。 Finally she said； 〃Wait a moment。〃
Little waited。 This time her face did not appear。 The barometer came
slowly down at the end ofa stay…lace。
The barometer showed a frightful elevation。 Little looked up at the
valve and said nothing。 Presently he heard a sigh。 Then a sob。 Then； rather
sharply；
〃Why don't you do something？〃
10
… Page 11…
CONDENSED NOVELS
CHAPTER VIII。
Little came up the rope hand over hand。 Lady Caroline crouched in
the farther side of the car。 Fido； the poodle； whined。 〃Poor thing；〃 said
Lady Caroline； 〃it's hungry。〃
〃Do you wish to save the dog？〃 said Little。
〃Yes。〃
〃Give me your parasol。〃
She handed Little a good…sized affair of lace and silk and whalebone。
（None of your 〃sunshades。〃） Little examined its ribs carefully。
〃Give me the dog。〃
Lady Caroline hurriedly slipped a note under the dog's collar； and
passed over her pet。
Little tied the dog to the handle of the parasol and launched them both
into space。 The next moment they were slowly； but tranquilly； sailing to
the earth。
〃A parasol and a parachute are distinct； but not different。 Be not
alarmed； he will get his dinner at some farm…house。〃
〃Where are we now？〃
〃That opaque spot you see is London fog。 Those twin clouds are North
and South America。 Jerusalem and Madagascar are those specks to the
right。〃
Lady Caroline moved nearer； she was becoming interested。 Then she
recalled herself and said freezingly； 〃How are we going to descend？〃
〃By opening the valve。〃
〃Why don't you open it then？〃
〃BECAUSE THE VALVE…STRING IS BROKEN！〃
11
… Page 12…
CONDENSED NOVELS
CHAPTER IX。
Lady Caroline fainted。 When she revived it was dark。 They were
apparently cleaving their way through a solid block of black marble。 She
moaned and shuddered。
〃I wish we had a light。〃
〃I have no lucifers；〃 said Little。 〃I observe； however； that you wear a
necklace of amber。 Amber under certain conditions becomes highly
electrical。 Permit me。〃
He took the amber necklace and rubbed it briskly。 Then he asked her to
present her knuckle to the gem。 A bright spark was the result。 This was
repeated for some hours。 The light was not brilliant； but it was enough for
the purposes of propriety； and satisfied the delicately minded girl。
Suddenly there was a tearing； hissing noise and a smell of gas。 Little
looked up and turned pale。 The balloon； at what I shall call the pointed end
of the Bologna sausage； was evidently bursting from increased pressure。
The gas was escaping； and already they were beginning to descend。 Little
was resigned but firm。
〃If the silk gives way； then we are lost。 Unfortunately I have no rope
nor material for binding it。〃
The woman's instinct had arrived at the same conclusion sooner than
the man's reason。 But she was hesitating over a detail。
〃Will you go down the rope for a moment？〃 she said； with a sweet
smile。
Little went down。 Presently she called to him。 She held something in
her hand；a wonderful invention of the seventeenth century； improved and
perfected in this： a pyramid of sixteen circular hoops of light yet strong
steel； attached to each other by cloth bands。
With a cry of joy Little seized them； climbed to the balloon； and fitted
the elastic hoops over its conical end。 Then he returned to the car。
〃We are saved。〃
Lady Caroline； blushing； gathered her slim but antique drapery against
the other end of the car。
12
… Page 13…
CONDENSED NOVELS
CHAPTER X。
They were slowly descending。 Presently Lady Caroline distinguished
the outlines of Raby Hall。 〃I think I will get out here；〃 she said。
Little anchored the balloon and prepared to follow her。
〃Not so； my friend；〃 she said； with an arch smile。 〃We must not be
seen together。 People might talk。 Farewell。〃
Little sprang again into the balloon and sped away to America。 He
came down in California； oddly enough in front of Hardin's door； at Dutch
Flat。 Hardin was just examining a specimen of ore。
〃You are a scientist； can you tell me if that is worth anything？〃 he said；
handing it to Little。
Little held it to the light。 〃It contains ninety per cent of silver。〃
Hardin embraced him。 〃Can I do anything for you； and why are you
here？〃
Little told his story。 Hardin asked to see the rope。 Then he examined it
carefully。
〃Ah； this was cut； not broken！〃