Evening star., 1907-11-17


bombs of high explosives, and thus sweep the
seas. But future events, he was to learn, can
not be predicted with certainty.
We'll, well!' he said briskly. What
next?"
Your engineers must assist me in drawing
plans. We shall want great quantities of new
material and electrical equipment, and must
have them soon because when we get well
under way we should be able to create two or
three of these radioplanes each day"
The great plates were locked IN, and the
group repaired to one of the offices, where for
hours the inventor elaborated his scheme of
control, the mechanical means OF which were
to be worked out and drawings made by the
engineers. And as they toiled over their
plans, there spread from mouth to mouth
throughout the strange colony the story OF
the marvellous conception until even the most
prosaic workman found himself dreaming and
Specializing over his task. Before dusk had
crowded the light from the skies, the Columbia,
under full head of steam picked her way out
to meet the ocean Swells, and headed tor Miami,
where she was to send message to Washing
ton, calling for strangely assorted supplies and
notifying the anxious naval men that the dry
dock would not be needed
There where the heart of the American
Government beat was nothing but anxiety
and suspense. Each succeeding days events
had made it more certain that Japan would
force the issue to war and, like athlete, was
stripping and training for the fight. The men
responsibility of intrusting the nations de-
fense to a single discovery, and were backing
it with funds for which they must account
some day, saw the days slipping by, and
grimly realized that they were irrevocably
bound to the success or failure on the key:
1t was too late now to attempt other projects,
and glory or defeat hung suspended on the
issue.
No reports had been received, and no news
had come from that determined little army
hiatt had lied fQ Hence
was with something of a shock that the first
word received was to the effect that the dry
dock could not be utilized. 1t seemed like
the first dread handwriting emblazoned on
the wall, foretelling failure, disaster, disgrace,
and war, and the President as he read it
quoted with inexpressible sadness, Meme,
Meme, TekeL-'' and his half opened lips framed
the rest.
Then followed the requisition for supplies,
and once again before any detailed report had
been received another demand The
island in the solitude seemed an Unsuitable
monster devouring national funds and giving
bringing nothing save distressing stories from
the Orient, where a clash had taken place at
Chemulpo between Japanese sailors and
American marines This was of such serious
nature that apologies were rendered the
Japanese Embassy and then from the entire
country burst storm of protest and reiterated
criticisms of the administration, which was
contumaciously accused OF showing the white
feather. From the western coast came appeal
on appeal, the whole Pacific seaboard calling
attention to its unprotected state and the i'm
mnence of its danger,
Distressed and irate at the dearth of in
formation, the Secretary of the Navy was on
the point of sending a message to Brockton
demanding news, when he received from Miami
the terse message that in two nights more the
Admiral would report in person. That he
bore nothing but a tale of disappointment
was surmised from the closing words of the
Admiral, who requested that all those who
had been party to the project should assem-
BILE secretly as before at the White House after
nghtfall
Haggard and worn, they came together,
read the brief despatch and waited. The
President, his melancholy face set and grave.
looked at them from cavernous eyes; but
could offer consolation. There was nothing
to do but wat-sit and wait-for that mes
senger of i'll omen who was to sound the knell
of hope and tell what letters had been COM
bined to spell the word failure In hushed
voices they discussed the situation, and tried
to evolve some project for its alienation
And then without preliminary announcement
the door swung open under the hand of the
Presidents private secretary, and there stood
framed in it the huge form of the Admiral, his
hand at salute, his eyes shining in triumph,
and back of him stood Norma, her father, and
aIu TO he