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


was to be maintained because in the meantime the
Chinese armada might have sailed. In case it had
not, the secret would be given out and search begun
actively for the missing Norma and her dis
tinguished passengers; but in any event British
support would have been assured.
Bevins foreseeng the difficulty of his task, asked
and obtained permission to invite the British Ad
nira1 to accompany him, the wisdom of which was
evidenced later Favored by the difference in time,
the speedy Roberts on that very night crossed the
Atlantic and deposited letters to secret service
agents in London, nstructlng them to obtain posi-
tive knowledge of where the King might be found
the following evening. On her return she conveyed
Fields and the Dreadnought to the key preparatory
to the momentous journey.
That flight which was again to disturb the
thrones OF Europe was accomplished wlthopt mel
swooped down from the heights of air, untenanted
save by her, to find spread between the earth and
sky blanket of fog, thick and impenetrabe. Into
it she slowly dropped cropping this way and that
the unsuspecting city, whose sounds came up
to her but gave no hint as to locality. Amlessly
desperate chances in her quest. Suddenly something
doomed directly below the open port, from which
Bevins leaning and peering down, and only a
quick change of course avoided collision. Fields
Joined him. and identified the dome of Saint Paul's.
1t was escape, but enabled them to set
their course and gain the deserted greens OF st.
Ia1neS'S Park, where BeVlnS lowered by ropes
to the earth.
He stood for a moment while the bulk of the
radioplane and the Dreadnought which she was
carrying into the air and disappeared from
view. He felt alone IN untrlendly city, but set
his teeth and stumbled out to a street, where he
enlisted the services of constable and hanson,
and was conveyed to the Cecil whose lighted doors
stared out upon the fog washed courtyard leading
from the Strand. His message of the previous night
had met with instant response, and no one would
have suspected that the two men who ounged IN
the hotel entrance in seeming idle conversation
smoking and watching passersby, were important
agents in the hands of Fate. AS nonchalantly
they had met they parted, one returning within
doors, and the other Saunterng back to the waiting
hanson which to convey the Admiral to the
Hippodrome and daring audience with the King
The fog deadened bells of the ancient city marked
only an hours time before he had emerged and re-
turned to the park entrance, where the wondering
driver dismissed, shaking his head and marveling
at the idosyncracleS of the Americans, who
seemed never to have reasonable destination.
Once the grim old Admiral limped 4
through the paths to his rendezvous and
gave the whistled signal to his waiting
craft, which during his absence had re-
leased its burden near Westminster
bridge and above Blackfriars, where
her position would be both accessible
and impressive to the people on the
following morning.
Up into the air for short dis a
lance, then down again in hover
ing silence the Roberts went, and
landed her commander in the -
garden behind Buckingham. The
fog longer enemy; for
now she remained motonless only
a few feet above the roof which
had sheltered many Kings and
Queens. This nearness aided the
quick visit of the British officer -
to his sovereign when called, and E<
prevented delay when the monarch 8
and his companions appeared for
their journey. The fog had become &{4<
an ally. zj<E
Those who sit upon Englands throne
may never show surprise, so runs tradi- Y
ton, but on this night an expression
of astonishment burst from of her
ereigns he entered the yawning portal of
the strange machine. Up to that moment
neither he nor his companions had entertained
belief that the American engine of destruction could