new weapon.

"Now, don't get nervous," directed the inventor, after he had explained
the mechanism to Paul, and also to the city officials who had gathered
to pass upon its merits.

"You can't make me nervous," declared the young actor. "I've gone
through too much in this moving picture business, though I will admit I
never jumped from such a height before."

"Don't look down," the inventor warned him. "You won't get dizzy then.
And don't think of the height. With this apparatus it is impossible to
get hurt. You will go down like a feather."

"That's comforting to know," laughed Paul. "Well, I may as well start, I
guess."

The belt was adjusted about him, and as it was done in the open window
Russ was able to get views of it, and of all that went on. Then Paul got
out on the sill. There he paused a moment.

"I--I can't bear to look at him!" murmured Ruth.

"Don't be silly," exclaimed Alice.

"But suppose--suppose something happens?"

"Don't be a Mr. Sneed!" retorted her sister, with a laugh. "I don't
believe anything will happen, and if--if he should fall--see!" and she
pointed to where a detachment of city firemen stood ready with their
life net.

"Oh, I didn't notice them before," confessed Ruth. "That makes it
safer."

"All ready down there, Russ?" shouted Paul, through a megaphone. "Shall
I go?"

"Jump! I'm all ready for you," was the answer.

Paul paused but for a moment, and then he jumped from the sill, and out
away from the building. The coil of rope in the metal case had been
swung out from the side of the structure on an arm, so as to enable Paul
to clear the lower window ledges.

For the first few feet he went down like a shot, and for one horrible
moment he felt that something had gone wrong. In fact the crowd did
also, for there was a hoarse shout of alarm.

"Oh!" gasped Ruth, faintly.

"I--I----" began Alice, as she, too, turned aside her head. Then someone
yelled:

"It's all right!"

Alice looked then.

She saw Paul descending as the rope payed out. He was coming down
gradually.

"That will make a good film," commented Russ to Mr. Pertell, for the
manager had come to witness the fire escape scene.

"Indeed it will."

Paul came down several stories, and the success of the apparatus seemed
assured when, at about the fourth story from the ground, something
suddenly went wrong.

Once more the young actor shot downward and this time it seemed that he
would be seriously injure