Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-08

don on a radiopane tonight, and the worlds
mystery is at an end. We must say good
night.
The light of the hotel entrance full
upon them bringing out in detail to the curl
Gus guests who were gathering the marble
steps, the men with barred heads and the gray
bearded English gentleman in the machine
They saw him nod to the chauffeur. who was
looking back, saw the latter turn to his work
and then the machine leaped away into the
broad drive toward the nearest park entrance.
And to the amazement of the onlookers the
men in uniform stood at salute until the
machine had disappeared Not even then
did they disperse, but stood there silently
watching the skies Pedestrians joined the
group, specializing to the cause of this
uniformed gathering
Several minutes elapsed, and then from one
and another came startled EXPLANATIONS Up
from the silent park, soaring above the trees
and shrubberv with stately sweep came
strange of brilliant lights. The secret was
out at last, and the American officers gave
frantic cheer, which was joined in by the Eng
lishmen and taken up by the crowd As II to
recognize their parting shouts, the search.
lights of the Roberts in dazzling rlpples OF
color hared suddenly upward and round IN
fan shaped sweeps which were finally directed
full upon the streets below. At a compare
lively low altitude the craft went slowly
across the CITY and headed toward the Atlantic,
Wlllle 1IcI upon lllt pdNtlllSHlS tooh uP
the crv, until from all sides windows opened
and the people rushed into the streets tor
sight of this MYSTERIOUS aerial visitor Reach
ing the lower edge of the city, the radloplane
shot up and up until it was speck OF hight
against the stars, took one last circling fight,
and with marvellous speed disappeared in the
east And while America gaining her
first knowledge OF this incredible flying ma
chine the Roberts was shooting away IN
long straight track for the Old World.
The King had watched the sights below as
long as they were visible. Through his glasses
he had seen the streets become filled with
excited men, women, and children, and their
shoutings had come to him family above the
hum of the dynamos, The gllrnmer1ngs OF
the great harbor dimmed and died away, and
here and there could be deserted the lights OF
the slow steaming patrol ships keeping the
outpost watch upon the sea. When the last
sign of life had vanished, he turned to his
companions in silence thinking OF all that
had taken place within the few recent hours:
Only a short time ago they had entered
this aerial chamber, standing in dread of the
unknown terror of the waters, and the menac-
ing silence of this western continent they were
leaving behind. Only few hours past they
had trembed at the powerlessness OF their
nation and shudderi.lgly awaited the shock
of invasion Now they were going back to
England, bearing news that would upset old
ideas, remove all fear for the future and ally
her with the most powerful nation history
had ever known They had sailed away FUR
lively, with darkened ports, and were now re-
turning in a glare of white light, careless OF
who might observe. Events had followed
one another in such remarkable sequence,
with such astounding rapldity that 1t Wearled
the mind to follow them.
The King was bordering over the new sltua-
ton, when with no preliminary notice every
light in the radioplane went out and they
were left in darkness. From without and
through the open door came the voices OF the
Admiral and engineer in conversations
at can't be enemy.
Hardly: but we dare take no chances
What do YOU think it is?
Il don't know. A minute or two will tell
if they have seen us
The King and his countryrnen tumbled for
their glasses in the darkness, found them,
and lined themselves up against the transPar-
ent port, which had not been closed. The
cause of the sudden cautlonary measures was
apparent There, comparatively far away,
and high up against the starlit sky, they saw
the blazing line of a searchlight thrust up
into the darkness. 1t wavered uncertainty
for an instant and then slowly if feeling
its way, approached them. 1t seemed uncer-
tain, and for moment disappeared. Their
own machine had come to halt
For an instant nothing was visible and then
there leaped into the air a vertical beam OF
red Beside it came another ray of brilliant
white and then to complete the color trio
vivid shaft of blue arrayed itself beside the