RETURNED FROM AFAR.

Bush Advocate, Volume IX, Issue 811, 29 July 1893, Page 6

RETURNED FROM AFAR.

Chapter I. IN ALGIERS. A soldier, firm and sound of heart. Henry V., Act Hi., so. 6. A soft, warm wind was gently blowing across the blue Mediterranean, bringing the scent of roses and oleanders to a little grouploungingoniheterraceofa villaabove the town of Algiers. The party consisted of an elderly, grey-haired lady and her son and daughterArthur and Ursula Wyatt. The former of these two, a tiill, broad-shouldered young fellow, fair haired, tan complesioned, and unmistakibly English — or perhaps I should say British, for the Wyatts were Scotch people — was leaning lazily back in a long wicker chair, smoking a cigarette and reading a letter. His sister was lying on a couch covered by a rug of bright Oriental col-.ir-ing. Somewhat darker than her brother, with a pale, delicate face, Ursula .Wyatt could hardly be called pretty ; but people forgot this when talking to her, for her voice and expression wore her two great charms. She had been suffering from some lung complaint; which had given her motherand brother much uneasiness, but since they had brought her to Algiers, she was slowly recovering her strength in the sunny African air. She delighted in the place, especially in the old quarter of the town, where it was so quiet and dark and mysterious, with its little narrow steep streets and high houses, whose roofs almost met overhead, and where the white-turbaned Arabs, wrapped in their graceful bournous, gathered. She could not help feeling sympathy towards them ivhtn she thought of them elbowed Away by that other city which had sprung up before their old one. with its jostling crowd of French, English and Americans, its modern streets and gay French shops and cafes, its tramways, caba and omnibuses — Western influence was indeed predominating strongly in the city of thn Deys. She loved, too, the happy.idle villa life — it was such happiness to her, with her artist's love of color, to be on the terrace and look northward where the great blue Mediterranean lay, dotted with steamers and trim, rakish snowy - decked yachts , or in the opposite diredion, across the undulating country, to the distant, snow-topped mountains ; or nearer at hand, to see tho wealth of purple and crimson bourgainvillea climbing over the house and festooning the pillars ; and the garden with its profusion of flowers : rosea, geraniums and oleanders — pink, white and deep red — mingling with cactus and aloes, was auother source of pleasure to her. # Presently the sleepy silence was broken by soft footsteps, and the little group were joined by some Arabs, in bonrnou* and turbans, who came ■ up. and spread out a tempting array of brasses and bright metals, rich colored carpets and rugs and drapery, spears and weapons, embroideries and quaint pottery — a tempting collection brought from Tunis and Damascus and Cairo. Ursula rises from the couch to holp her mother add to their already 'large collection of Oriental treasures, and Arthur lazily gives advice from his chair, and then the mon gather up their wares and go softly away, and silence settles down again as the party return to their occupations — Mrs Wyatc to her knitting and Ursula to her book. *'By-the-by, Ursula," said Arthur suddenly, "I forgot to tell you Alec cannot come here, after all ; I hope you are not very disappointed V "Not in the least," answered his sister, a look of annoyance crossing her face for an instant, "At least, I am sorry in one way," she added ; " for lam afraid it is a disappointment to you. For my own part I amsolfishly glad we are not to be troubled with a visitor — what do you say. mother ?" " Well, dear, we can hardly look upon Alice as an ordinary visitor." returned Mrs .Wyatt. with a smile full of meaning. Ursula made an impatient movement, and rising from her couch, went to the stone balustrade and, leaning her arms on it, looked out across the stretch of blue sea. •'^Have you seen your scientific friend to-day, Arthur?" she asked carelessly, a slight tinge of color coming into her pale ] face. "De Launay ? 1 met him this morning . and he promised to look up this afternoon. He is soing to bring me the plan of that balloon he is inventing — Ah, heie he is !" he exclaimed, as the click of spurs was heard on the gravel path, and he jumped up to go and meet his friend. In a few seconds the new-comer was on the terrace. He was a tall, straight man, in the picturesque uniform of a Chasseur d'Afriqu«. His face was rather handsome, of a slichtly aquiline type, with smiling dark eyes and a determined mouth and chin, the.' former covered by a dark waxed moustache. He held in his hands a quantity of rosts — Grloire de Dijon, cloch of gold, and pale La France — which he presented to Miss Wyatt, with a low bow. "How lovely!" murmured Ursula, burying her face in them, perhaps to hide the bright color which had suddenly come into her cheeks. _" These aro the drawings and papers I ■wished to show you, monsieur," he said presently to Arthur, spreading out some plans on one of the little tables scattered about the terrace. Arthur Wyatt had been in the Koyal Engineei-3, but having come in for a large property on the death of his father, a year ,before, he had sent in his papers. He was very interested in all scientific pursuits, but particularly in anything relating to balloons or ballooning. In this he had ■found a kindred spirit in the Chasseur d'Afrique, Knoul de Launay. They had met about a fortnight previously at a din-' ncr given by tho Colonel *f de Launay's regiment and soon became very friendly. Arthur was writing a. paper on improved aerostation and tho use of balloons in wartime, and found that M. do Launay, who. like many Frenchmen, was a capital engineer and very scientific, and had also lately been studying at the military aerostatic establishment at Meudou, could give him great help in aeronautic experiments. " I wish, M. de Launay, you could dissuade Arthur from his love of ballooning," aaid Mrs Wyatt. "I am always in terror that he will want to go on a long expedition in one." " Ah, rnadaino. you should not come to me to do that," returned de Launay, with a smiic, " I am as enthusiastic as monsieur." " It is ao dreadfully dangerous," said Ursula ; " and what is the use of risking one's life in useless experiments." '• Ah. mademoiselle, pardon me, not useless. Think of the places which are now almost inaccessible, but which ono might reach in a balloon. Think of a besieged city to which ne could take despatches and convey provisions. What a difference it might have made to Paris if a balloon could have been properly used during the siege ! And then think of the use it would be to reconnoitre the enemy's (132)

lines and camps, and also in studying the , laws of atmospheric pressure." J " Yes ; but everything depends on the I wind,' 1 said Ursula, unconvinced. "If you have a fair wind it is all rit;ht ; but against a strong one it is powerless." "It used to be," returned Raoul ; "but we are going to change all that ; and this . balloon, of which I have brought the plans, will be fitted with a screw by which 1 hope to make it steerable, nnd even, perhaps, to rise against a powerful wind. Wm have heard of the balloons of Duprey de Some and of Tissandier ? This, I hope, will be an improvement on theirs. And now, monsieur," he said, turning to Arthur, "have you thought over what we were speakiug of this morning ?" Arthur looked round before heauswered then, seeing Mrs Wyatt had gone into the houso, he said : " l r e9 ; and 1 shall be ready to s;o with you when you like ; it i3 an opportunity I should not like to miss. ] did not want to say anything about it beforo my mother, as she is so ver3' prejudiced against it, but I hope to win her over yet." •' Oh, Arthur, what are you going to do ?" asked Ursula anxiously. " I havo been asking your brother to come with me when I go up in my balloon. Don't be alarmed, mademoiselle," he added | with a reassuring smile, " you may ! be sure I will take the greatest care of him, and, when you come to think of it, there ia not more danger than froing for a cruise in a yacht, and you would not object to his doing that ?" | "Oh, but thsre is !" cried Ursula ; " I have always heard that the dangers of the sea are nothing to the dangers of the air." "Eh bien ! that may be ! But we shall not make long expeditions the first time or two. and I shall take an experienced aeronaut, and we shall be provided with parachutes in case of any accident. I have taken the liberty to call my balloon ' Ursula,' mademoiselle," he added. "When, do you think of going up?" asked Arthur, as he folded up the papers. " I don't think I shall be ready much before next January — will that suit you P" " Perfectly," answered the other. " I will probably come across from England in the autumn. 1 suppose you will go up from here ?" " Yes, most probably ; but we can arrange that some other time— my regiment may be moved then." The weeks slipped away— all too quickly for Ursula— and the time drew near for their return to England. She could not bear the thought of leaving, the lime had been so happy ; every day seemed to bring some fresh pleasure — some delightful drive along the broad, smooth road, past cornfields and vineyards and fields, of geraniums; or a. scramble with Arthur and de Launay up some of the steep, rocky Arab lanes. Hardly a day passed that they did not see the Chasseur, he was always coming up to tho villa on one excuse or another — now to consult Arthur on some poiut in his work, or to bring Ursula some flowers or a briirht piece of embroidery from Tunis ; or to arrange with Mrs Wyatt about a drive to the Trappist Convent, or to some old Moorish house. Ah, no one but herself knew how fast her heart beat when she saw that tall, lithe figure, in itsblueuniform.comingquickly up the gravel path , or how she would miss him when she returned to her quiet Scotch honiG. And then the last day came.- It was Sunday afternoon, and they had just returned from the service held at Notre Dame d'Afnque for those lost at sea. Ursula and de Launay were standing together at one end of the terrace — the others had wandered off in the garden. The solemnity of tne scene they had left behind seemed to be on them still. It seemed to Ursula she couid still smell the perfume of the incense and hear the voices of the students as they sang the solemn words, and hear the priest ehantiDg tho service for the dead. The sun had sunk to rest ; the brilliant pinks and purples were fading from tho sky ; the liaht had caught the distant snow-capped mountains, and they were covered with a pink flush which gradually paled till they returned again to their pure cold white. And beneath was the groat, calm sen, spread out before them like a sheet of turquoise. "It is very peaceful," said Kaoul, breaking the silence, and speaking in a low voice. " Does it not suom hard to realise that, not so very long ago, the Dey had undisputed possession of tin's sea, and woe to any uufortunatoa captured by his pirntes !" ••Yes," said Ursula; "and yet one - feels sorry for those men — these Arabs who huve so little left now of what they can call their own out of what was so completely theirs." "A little too much their own. leannot think how it was they were allowed to have it all their own way so Ion". And you are sorry to leave !'" he asked presently. " Very sorry ; it has been a very happy time," she answered, and there was v slight C!»tch in her voice. " And a very happy timo for me alsn. Do you think you will come here again?" " We may in the autumn, perhaps ;" then she added, trying to speak lightly, to see you and Arthur go up in tho ' Ursula.'" ■' Your brother has very kindly asked me to visit him in England, and I hope to uo myself that pleasure someday, though I fear it will not bo until next year." "We shall bo delighted to see you," answered Ursula mechanically. She was thinking, " How can I live until then without seeing him ? I thought ho loved me, but bo cannot, he cannot, or ho would not let mo go away without speaking. » " Shall you be glad to see mo again ?" ho asked, softly ; but Ursula could not • trust her voice toanswer. "My dearest," he murinmvd, taking her hands in his and drawing her to him ; nnd Ursula's heart beat fa.it with joy, nnd tlio color came and wnnr in her fuce ; she lowered he." uyolids for fear he might road her secret ill her eyes. And then gay voices were iiom-d, and the noxt moment they were Joined by a party of English friends, who had arrived a day or two before. Do Launay dropped hur hands with a muttered exclamation of annoyance, and Ursula had to try and laugh and talk lightly, sis though her heart was not filled iVith bitter disappointment. * *■ • * * The months passed away, and once moro Aithu" Wyatt t'ound himself in Algiers — this time without his mother :m<l sister. They were to have {tone with him, but almost at the last moment Mrs Wyatfc was tiiken ill, and Ursula staved behind to nurso her. M. do Launny's balloon was completed, and they had made one or two ascents in^it, and though it was not quite as satisfactory as he desired, Eaoul was by no means discouraged — he hoped still ta go on improving. One day all was ready for a longer expedition than they haa made as yet. An aeronaut from the military aerostatic establishment was goin« with them, and all wore provided with parachutes. They wore to leave early in

the morning and return the fol'owing day. The air was hot and sultry, ana ono or two of de .Launay's friends prophesied a change in the weather and advised the ascent) being postponed. ButdeLaunay laughed at their fears, and the littlo party having seated themselves m the car, the iope3 wore cut and the huge air-ship rose slowly up-wards. Rather befars they had intended to put back, Raoul perceived tUe wind was ! freshening, and consulted Arthur as to the advisability of returning. Wyatt was examining the country beneath, and | looked up with a puzzled expression on his face. " I can't mako it out," he said; " the country seems to have become suddenly indistinct. Just look down." Eaoul bent over, and then pave a sudden exclamation. "A sand storm, how very annoying !" At that instant, as the balloon sank lower, one of those violent winds, winch arise so quickly in Africa, caught ie and drove it rapidly before it. Eaoul sprang to tlio steering gear, but it was useless against that powerful current. They were driven rapidly alons: ; boneath them flew clouds of dust and sand, completely blotting out fcho landscape and obliterating every landmark. The speed they were going at now was terrific — faster than the fastest train. Arthur looked ' anxiously at de Launay. " We can't do anything until this sub- ! sides," he said, answering the other's look. f " It would not do to attempt to descend, as we don't know where we are ; but 1 1 fancy we are going inland." On, on they flew ; each moment they | seemed to be gaining fresh speed. Night j had settled down, and there was nothing for it but to wait for the morning. And when that came, the scene below startled them ; the dust storm was over, the wind had abated, and there stretched away on svery side sand —sand, nothing but sand, broken by clumps of cactus and piles of rocks, with here and there some low shrubs. *' Where on earth are we ?" exclaimed Arthur, after blankly staring at this scene for some minutes. •Do Launay shrugged his shoulders. " Looks like the desert. Is it not, PieiTO ?" he said to the aeronaut. " Then, wo had better get back to our course," remarked Arthur. Raoul smiled slightly. " That is not so easy," he answered. "I am afraid wo have got very far out of our course, Arthur ; in fact, I am not at all sure where wo are." " Do yon think it would be better toi throw out some ballast, so as to try and rise out of this current ? " " I think not. I don't think it can last much longer." Still the balloon drove before the wind, and still the great waste of sand lay beneath them. Pierre, the aeronaut, now called Eaoul's attention to something about one of the valves. De Launay carefully examined it, and then looked very grave. " I think we ought, if possible, to descend." " You think there ia a:uit»er ?" said Wyatt, after looking in his turn ; but not beinjj as experienced as the other, he noticed nothing. " There may be nothing wrong, but I don't quite like the look of things," answered his friend. Arthur nroceeded to eet the anchor and cablo ready, as the balloon slowly and very gradually began to descend. They hoped soon to pass ovor some shrubs or palms, to which they could make the anchor fast ; and they were not disap- . pointed, for soon they saw they were noaring a little spot of verdure. The wind had lulled most opportunely, and as they sank lower the anchor caught and was firmly hold by some shrubs. De Launay be«an to examine some revolvers with which he had provided himself. "It may be awkward if we encounter any tribes," he said, '"for it is highly probable they would not bo very well-disposed towards us." " What is the object of descending here?" asked Arthur; "I don't know what we are to do in the niiddlo of the desert." " I hops by doing so to divert the accident which is threatening us," said Raoul. "]?rom my calculations, I imagine wo might make the coast easily — we have been going almost due east the whole time." " But, mon ami, you forjret that if the wind were to change — and it stems to me there is a littlo north in it now — we might go rather too far inland, which would be undesirable with our scanty supply of provisions," he added with a amile. The balloon touched the ground, but rebounded again, and strained at the cable. Raoul looked anxiously at it — would it hold? Then he glanced at the west ; that thick cloud gatherhitr there, and drawing quickly nearer, meant dimmer, tho atmosphere was too still. At'ain the balloon struck the ground, and acain rebounded, and in another instant tho cloud Kaoul had noticed broke— tho whirlwind, with its accompaniment of dust and sand, was upon them with a rush and a swirl. The balloon strained, tho cable snapped like a hnir, and they were whirled along before tho gust. "Shall we take to the parachutes?" asked Arthur. Pierre had got them ready in case they should havo to descend in that manner. " tt would bo madness to attempt it just yet ; but 1 suppose we must when this is over — we have lost our anchor." answered Riioul, taking his and getting ready for tho descent. "The wind has almost gone down," he v/eut on, standing near tho side, waiting for a favorable moment to give tho signal to descend. The next instant the car »\vayod violently, his foot slipped, he lost his buliince, mid than, like sumo borriblc drciim, ho felt himsolf falling — falling — failing through the air, with just sufficient presence of mind left to cling firmly to his parachute. (TO ]IK CONTIXL'iai.)