A Silver Brand — page 155: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A SILVER BRAND. = 447 longer hide our danger from you,” he explained. “For Heaven’s saxe hold on with your hands, and your breath both. I expect every moment we shall descend likea stone. Heaven only knows what will be the result.” | She only gave a little sob, then looked up to the sky that stretched still as far above them as if they. had not mounted twice an eagle’s flight above the solid lands. ~ “TI have not surely been released from prison to die this horrible death. Ihave faith that we shall be preserved from harm,” she murmured, softly. “ There is a life-preserver under the seat. Tie it around your waist. If I am not stunned I can swim,” he re- turned, hurriedly. ‘‘And help me throw out these bags of sand. There is not a moment to be lost, the gas is escaping more and more swiftly. Oh, my_poor balloon!” And the zronaut groaned in anguish, amid his:‘own im- minent peril, at the destruction which menaced the object of his ambitious hopes and fondest pride. | Five minutes longer they swung blindly to and fro, an then the full, the swift rush, the strangling distress came. Lady Pauline clung desperately to her hold upon the _ seat, and shut her eyes, the pale lips still moving in prayer, when almost the breath seemed snatched from them. : | And then the heavy shock, and the merciful release of unconsciousness followed. etic CHAPTER XIV: ON THE WATCH, The night, filled with excitement, and alarm, and gen- eral consternation and perplexity slowly slipped away, and a golden sunrise broke radianly over the little island which was crowned by. the house from which the Hum- ming Bird had vanished. Somehow one and all seemed to feel assured that the welcome daylight would disperse the nightmare terror which had confronted them through the sleepless hours of the night. They gathered together ina pale, scared group, the Foss family talking in low, stern accents. and Nat pacing to and fro with lowered eyes and knitted brow. Penelope was not there, she had been wan- dering tireless and fearlessly over the rocks, into the very breakers which flung up their foaming columnson the W Eomicboo SS (ele)