Show I SWINGING IN THE CLOUDS uv li l JOI En S It h Is 14 tit not uncommon to be at t i i net i d dt I t I t the feature if tf l t ir member of or the he Aero cro ero club you OU pee eQ Idling about the club house ft for foi forth th they who have ha time money anti and nei to cut loose loo e from Crom coin the earth and anit follow fol tul- low a great balloon above abo I lit In- clout clouds are arc men who lio all th lh ir 11 lives lIes havo avo be be 1 n doing something to make their features feE fea- eai ea- ea i tures lures t from the Iho ordinary ordnary 14 Foi or orone instance one may have havo L been en a financier and the strain of or tau strett l ft fth t is h sketched In every detail letaU of ut hi his nance Another nother may 1111 have ve bet betI been heen beenA I A n merchant an and I the lie It t 1 J 1 in I his eyes as well as the precise calc calculating lating way ay he lIe goon about everything o marks him him different to a de deglee degi de- de gi glee ee e than others otheN The habit ll of or trying I to In solve conditions of or the ho future clings to him I lint delineation of r character an and amI appearance as b by a tl life life's I work ork and accomplishment Is a mere merc mercI I i di dt tall tail of or this tale talc of or ex experience I perl once once-It It ItI I serves an on Introduction 1 I There was one man In the club who j Instantly attracted attention above all ai allI I j others On entering the reading room S o one fl could glance over ocr those lounging lounging- I about with the swiftness of oC a hawk I but hut a as 88 soon Hoon o as his gaze rested on ot Martin Ralston Halston there lle lI Martin was wan 35 years old but ut luI he lu I looked far beyond that thal age His hair nair cropped lose was white while Ills II Is fact face was ens seamed and furrowed furrowed finely finely it loI to lo I p sure sure hut but seemed nevertheless so cc soI I roily generally that hat each line wrinkle elo- elo lol told of effort or at I urr worry over O UI His hotly body wal a lender his hands slim lII like e a womans wo w va mans nans Yet to ti look at his fac- fac out out- would Huh think he- he was tas possessed of or Iron Inn nerve nc and ii of a tI hiko lIko cr-lIko h th irefully hidden by y the thc apparent deli deli- ac acy of a sinewy frame And behind ils ma mask k of or line finc thread thread-mt und and In this prematurely tJ hair there thre was a lor story of oC human n nn 1111 nt or ur nerve nel and wIP wll power Pt has few ren ew equals L It lands andt ta without rival lI for Co l' l never novel as as here re h rc such a situation a Martin 1 11 found himself in two year azo ao Mar Marlin 1 I In was 18 a lawyer with u god old practice lie Ito was was was' an nn ardent man and amid when the lie balloon fever revel became became be be- came camo epidemic In ill New York l i wa was one of or the first enthusiastic lI A balloon bal loon did not require a man of or ma massive h strength Nerve was vas the one ne no requisite and of or this Martin po possessed se std a n. moun- moun tain taiti lie He lien lIea ira n chosen to man K one omu of ur the lal large e balloons in a twin as a. ei a. 01 I that thai Is Is two balloons were cr released sc J at Ol the the- same ame time lime the object ct being to determine determine deter deter- mine Just how bow th the upper o oL ot the time all air There had been an ar argument that the balloons if It charged as aM nearly as S with the fame ame amount c of sas gas would at o Ins muse inse together no nu matter what altitude they reached Martins Martin's I closest cluse l friend Tom rom Ul iU S was III In th the the- theother Ol other twin both hoth balloons were released tI iSo 10 no one I noticed the thc darkening of ut th the clouds rat ar beyond the To lo i set se e Jh die he inc hie of black ky fringing tho tito creat clent He f tIme the hill hilt from tron tho the grounds of oC the club But both holh ero cIo was n Impossible Martin and nC Reynolds aw av It U OH OM thc they shot hot skyward It Jt hOll boded J ugly 1111 weather woo und quick ugly ut that Ay o et the two balloon m In i l a ht In Iii Inthe j he the nil air they were olo olom nolt Tilt nit til the tho tw two friends to to eo J h megaphones nc Better Belter let lel out un g-un Jt and les descend culled Not ol this V shouted tl Man Mania al' al in fool the weather l Well We'll go o It And Auth tl ih- ih distance widened wid enc ened o u that i y II r was wa before Hardly 20 o minutes s elapsed he anxious sp e atol below sav th- th balloons disappear Into vapor apor as ilS thick and amI dOl daik k as ns night Uy this time Ume lh they were wele a 0 quarter of a mile mH apart In 11 Inthe Inthe the air matters were worse orse than those below could even speculate When the storm accompanied a. tl by a of wind that drove both ud loo tew tC ard aid Now Yo Yuk Yok k ha bay at ot 1 a L IU ou-i ou rate rale of speed enveloped en d the balloons bal hal loons loomis the tho atmosphere atmo 11 cooled i alarming speed Mart Marm 11 bent on goIng goIng going go go- ing above the clouds and the tho norm so as to lo eaten catch 1 a hacic current and remain re r.- r main over or land realised l' l that the jasIn Jas as asin in the great bag bas was vas condensing vii wll h the tle cold old and I hat fal al ho could not nol pus is Clui go high higher r h lightening I he he 1 11 J 3 after of ot sand mined a wa va atin tin Un Liko 0 own n over th lilt hll mitia a nJ I Hie li h r responded s b by li in U upward Iward nil I aek Iw he to l' t-rop t slowly as US gas g-dH Thunder hunder roam roal with d' d deafening inS il r r. r i l IWi o and the at so W eo emore c lage almost lur lutt t Martins Martin's eardrums ear lill drums lums lie was not frightened or at even onn nervous but he was nettled and felt concern for his friend aa n well as him him- self salt He lie knew lute that by this time the they were over o the bay If not out at al sea for or the wind whirled th Gt balloon along at lightning speed It was a po JI to lo make most men tremble Martin Mania I would have trembled only h ht w was to certain peculiarities that thai others possessed only in shakable degrees IE I Blacker 1 and blacker b bp l the h clouds cloud until if It he had hud hot known the time lime Martin lalUn would hf c believed d it was vaa midnight With Ith d the thunder crashed d tiu l IU the In Ing III In long Icing streaks split spilt he te ie buick black blanket t of ur cloud at al 1 r. i of a u few fe see n us Only one of th tim am I fla s n ht touch the he gas bag bog m muttered re 1 Martim S as 5 he h h aved over the la last t bag bay t iii tit f ballast ballat Only one little shinin streak ne need d touch It The Thu silk might tb do something but bUl Im I'm afraid th e l might bo r. An on if It the should come in contact contact contact- lIe He did Uel not finish th th th-j sentence for tor forthe the balloon with l terrific Inc hock shock whirl ed cd lick something hud hard and almost throw him bun trout rom tun basket HI Ills him heart hoai t almost topped TJ- TJ beating and involuntarily in In- In voluntarily his hie eye clo closed closel el tightly He lit was of the li U tt an and now nov he believed I d h I j knew that th the balloon ballon ha had been struck and he be ta was falling fahrig shock hoek til tIne time a lurch and 1 i L sickening motion Tk t was l loy y H L u Un Unlike like n a t lish tishi en cr a I H II o. o Brought him t. t to his s senses nl 6 There wi j no nn rush of or air ait anti and h he lie know he H J ivis js PO tU f. hut Ini there ras it-as a ng lh the mutter with the tho I. I Sh She Vf u acting lJ like ic a ship O on l a t 1 ock j Jerkin K I winging and ands ands' s' s sweeping about aj 81 f f held III in leash He ok Okd d at h bi It IL apparently apparently ap ap- was war all aJi right He lIe lIeas was as about to ox examine the ropes s When a sharp shaff Jerk threw him off orT hl his fc feet t and ani atthe at atthe atthe the same same- In Instant there was vas as a frightful fright fright- ful crash of or thunder anti and a flash of or lI lightning lit up the clouds Martin MarlIn was wa so amazed that he lie could not believe behove be be- hove lieve his tenses cn el for foJ there not 40 feet coli awn away was or at least his I j balloon The They had collided In the mist I and by strange 0 circumstances a j million tIme thc the anchor ol t Reynolds Reynolds' balloon balloon bal bah loon had caught in the wicker work of or Martins Martin's car cor For a minute he could not speak hen imen realizing let th that t Reynolds ls must be beIn bein In hi the time same Hume condition he ho grabbed up the megaphone and shouted There was tas no response He lie shouted again and placed tile the th small email end of ot the tile megaphone mega mega- megaphone phone to lo his ids ear eal to catch a n response This time he was wat successful for 01 a weak moaning halt voice Ice tried to re re- re pi ply For several so minutes Martin shouted and finally tl naJi 1 he was able to tomake tomake make male Reynolds answer Im h hurt he replied weakly Legs Leg broken and I I-I I I think my shoulders shoulder's gone ono too Cant Can't mO move mauve Martin Marti n. n Were you thrown In the collision 1 shouted MartinI Martin I r was on on the edge c of or the basket adjusting ropes and amid Il Its It's mighty lucky I pitched into the basket Ins instead lead or of on the Lime outside There Thele was a pause of s c min mm- utes when hen Martin alUn realizing that in injured In- In a ns as h he was Reynolds could not move hOve to operate rale the valves cs of or the thc 1 balloon bat bal loon and when the storm lifted he would go o helplessly sailing sailing- out to toca ea TI Try to lo move ea a a little old man he hc shouted It may many not nol nole be e so soad bad bad bad- maybo a There was another silence and th then lien 11 h his mIs s voice In Its weakness showing the effects of at exertion anti and pain ne Reynolds assured Martin laitin that not nol alone alone- his le leg legut hut hul ut his shoulder as ns well was badly fractured Ho lie was was- helpless N. N Im ini going to pull iuli on this rope as ns soon as aN Ive I've tied lIelI the anchor of your our I car ar to nl my own oun he said rold and maybo bo we cc can get the time beasts to together All hl hut his efforts WOre Ineffectual for Martin wn was wasu u lL little man mann It II Av uld not ill have ave muttered llOu hough Chough he the the strength th of for fat a m lU hor horses e would not have hat d Id I'd the tho thea car cam a I out of or I that hurricane channel In Jo which they tho were VOe sailing galling I Martin l almost In that hl his frIends blends life Ute wa was a at stake a minChe no nohe he was WM helpless Ho Hc determined Mat t Matthe th the hO balloons should not nOl be unfastened nd come what would Suddenly he lie gr grabbed grabbed grab grab- b- b bed bel the megaphone Im coining over the line hey Rey he shouted tI Ke Keep I up a little and J Ill I'll be he with you The weight of both of ot us will Ul bring your your balloon down n and well we'll get out of t those these e clouds anyhow Youre crazy Reynolds Ills His voice was now sharp und and strong Dont you dare attempt anything of or orthe the kind Why man Its It's Il ul j i You just be he quiet luie Iule Turn Tom said Mar Mar- tin Theres no difference b h. hanging by 1 a line lino In the cleans and aud hanging by one oric only six fe e t ground The height does tot not maU maI I me any heavier does It And Au hII ho hI I climbed over Lao edge of or the bv Ket het I l Go oa back ck g shouted Reynolds knowing b by the the- disturbance of the cam cai that Martin was coming coating to him Not on your our life UCe said Mai Martin lalUn tin swinging s clear cleal of the basket Time The rope was a Inch half on one wet wot and anti slippery and amid It will he l Martin was at not a strong man Here he ho was with little trepidation swinging on a slender cord thousands thousand of feet above ove the time earth carth or am- water ater I whichever er It Il chanced to be be swinging swinging in the clouds ii lIe He had hod not made five O feet teel when thi thu strain began to tell A trem frenzy persisted persisted per per- slated in getting Into his brain am anti and his nerves nel as valiantly drove dron It out Ills His Jaws closed harder hadel and anti harder His Ills hands gripped tighter I and tI tighter ho lost his grip gill with one land aund and anti for fol a second he ho was by one hand 1 while he hc grabbed lot for lh th rope lope with the time other An And it was thousands thou thou- sands n s of or if feet feel to tu the earth All the while Reynolds was as culling calling to lo him begging to hold ham halo for tOl oI his life crying crying- like a n. baby Bm But Martin steadily tea ll worked his wa way along the line When hen pa past t t e center of or lh distance between the two balloons there was war a sudden lurch Jurch and balloon relieved cd of oC II his Is weIght begar to rise mIse This he ito had not on The rope now was slanting ant an the task tacit more than ever 1 foi his lingers were ele slipping sUppIng slipping His IUs gli grip became more tight with will each slip SUI His jaws vs became more set set- And slowly he continued Reynolds by bv this otis time was v.-as silent hut His real feat tot foi Ol his hi Ilet had made him dumb Martins Martin's Mar Mar- tins tin's balloon rose rosc steadily as he lit neared Reynolds There was on only t 11 more Inure feet to lu go o. o but ut Martin larlin did no not know knots It He lie was vas just m making I his wa along the tte line Blood was vas flowing flowing- from his lips Jill anti and from froan th tho thu gums gains of his jaws jaw Sf so tightly ere i-ere they clenched The hc light balloon mantle made u a sud sudden en swing and shut shot upward There was as a shock and as os the rope on which Marha Martin Mar tar tin ha wa aas hanging sIan slanted led to an acute cul anI magic angle he 10 io felt himself thrown against the suspending cords o of the haven he struggled fOl for He wound his lila arm about them slid down to lO the rim ilm of or the ball basket et und and In lii worked l mechanically He NI Now IW his h Ii i spoke to Reynolds In u. u quiet tin nn- natural voice voJe Ho to himself him him- self licit a as to l' l It would It-would be hu butter bolter to cut ut cutti of his own rim after much decided decided- ial lal he would gradually rella release e tho ho thoas tas as ns in the balloon th they y w vie rc IC us-I us from anti and save av the other olhas as a sustaining power How he lie did it IL v nove-v nc Reynolds watched him and said ald 1 le te like one In a Q dream It Il was hours before they reached reache l larth marth for lor a tt slow ascent was waK necessary it Il it was as an aim uncertainty uncertainly as to cm whether hey hl were Cle over land or water tater Finally t the they H landed n away wa down Long Island and Martin according ding lo to Reynolds Reynolds' testimony maelo one of or the Iho most skillful ascents over heard 0 of ind md In a oto m nt at that He lie lifted his friend out the of basket and anul I making him comfortable lie he tat sat al down his imis head d sank satik on itt Ill hl lila his knees i und and he lie was asleep Anti And in lit this Ilo position l- l lion tion th they were found miami and taken care 1 of f by sympathetic farmers s. Martin 1 did ll not nOl a for Cor thirty thirty- tot st MK hours hen When he lie dill did he was so ISO weak he ho could not stand for fat threes three days lie Ito remembered nothing huLking o of the tho descent That's how Martin 1 the tho little tho nervy y the tho run frail man Inan got ot the tine Una S wrinkles In his hiM features anti atiel hl his whites while main hall Tho rhio transformation was complete com coin I within two weeks after no he ic haul had crossed a Inch half lino In tho the clouds S. S t |