The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1906-03-16

through the hood: Here's the fas
Wars declared"
The general twitched with suppress
ed excitement. For moment longe
he watched the picture in the reflecto
Then he saw that the feet had II
news. Across the Atlantic the Il
stantane0us service had carried the d
claration Of war.
Far below him was the chief city {
his nation, now subdued in the know
ledge that 1t and the nation had bee
brought to the final test. In the sent
ing station was the man On whom hi
nations hopes depended. He Grml
pressed the button.
In the reflector he saw the enemy
squadron move. He knew that It ha
been IN readiness to start, and on tn
instant OF the receipt of the tfdiug
was setting forth. II it came unmc
tested, as it had every right to expec
1t would, there could be but one result
to his nation.
1t seemed an eternity Of time as b,
watched the reflector.
Suddenly one of the ships disap
peared In q blotch which sent confused
shadows over the reflector. Montrus
trembled in his excitement.
The pictures grew clear for an in
slant. Then another blur-a quick
succession Of blurs, between which he
could see nothing.
He grew dizzy, and held tightly to
the supports of the reflector to steady
himself. His unblinking eyes were so
held by the grim, silent chaos Of de-
struction portrayed before him, that
the seeing faculty seemed thing apart
from him and separated completely by
his dazed condition.
The tumultuous heaving and blur
ring on the reflector cleared away. 1t
revealed a torn and shattered fleet
two-thirds Of the ships had vanished
completely, others beating feebly and
in their last efforts, others slowly
sinking through the air, few trying
to escape from an unseen terror.
General Montrus, veteran though he
was, shuddered at the horror of the
sight. Unseen, unheard, softly through
the thick darkness, the wireless death
had swept that proud aerial fleet out
Of existence in one tense instant. And
Atsins, the shock-headed youth, was
the destroyer, sitting calmly up there
IN the sending station, with one soiled
hand on the lever Of his great, terrible
concentration. It was he who had uti.
lied the means formerly used to send
to bear intelligence across
ooundless areas, which, Increased a
hundred thousand-fold In voltage, had
low carried absolute destruction.
Still breathing heavily, Montrus
brew of the hood, coming back to the
litter blackness and the drizzle Of the
night.
A bulletin was flashed on the board
which carried the duplicates from
Curtis.
Fleet gone-Vanished In Convul.
ion-Pictures Actual and Accurate
disturbance not caused by defects but
y destruction Of fleet-Can't explain
t, but America is saved"
Montrus turned the wireless televue
n to the sending station, and saw At
ins sitting quietly ON box in one
orner Of the little room, gravely
moking a short pipe, his shock of
londe hair badly rumpled, smile ON
Is freckled face. "Atsins"-the COM
was trying hard to con.
'ol his voice-Atsins. You have saved
$. It is all over. Their fleet was an
Inflated"
It seemed to the old soldier, veteran
dozen campaigns, absurdly impos.
BILE that the safety Of a great nation
lould have been put into the hands
that grfmIy boy in blue overalls.
''lt worked All right. didn't it?'' At
rs answered calmly. I.
"Come over here" Hontrus went on
furry and come. Tomorrow Con.
'ess1l be giving you vote of thanks; :
,u'1l be bigger man than old Dewey !;
'er was"
A troubled frowH came on Atsin's :,
&c. Excuse me, please, general" he :
Id. I'm going back to the shop, +
re Just thought Of big improvement q
| my concentration. Good night" g