Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-10


PART H.. CHAPTER II.
7 IKE criminals afraid of the light, and seek
- ing the cover of darkness, a score OF the
most distinguished men of the United States.
occupying its most responsible positions. and
bearing the burden of government, came to
the White House, which doomed massive and
apparently untenanted. They. came singiy.
obeying the instructions given them. left their
attended to the dark portals, which opened
and closed behind them. All were aware OF
the portentous reason for their visit. and the
importance of the utmost secrecy. Observant
indeed would have been the foreign spy who
could have surmised that they were gathering
to discuss plan involving the defense of the
nation, or the acceptance of challenge
to war.
There were only two visitors who came to-
gether, the inventor and his daughter, and
they were the last to enter the room. where
those who preceded them were divided into
groups round four officers of the navy, who
were answering questions, quoting hgures, and
volunteering details which were not written.
The men at the head of the nation were pre-
pairing to plunge headong into what under less
immediate menace would have seemed a sea
of folly ready to submerge them and their
country.
The entrance of Norma was the signal for
an abrupt halt in the conversation, and some
the part which she played in her fathers work
looked at her disapprovngly.
He, interpreting these glances, introduced
her as his assistant and concluded by saying,
more about my work than do myself. and as
far as l know she's the only woman living
who can keep her mouth shut.
They smiled at his manner and cynicism,
while the President rendered her seat at his
side and waited for the Others to resume their
chairs.
AN of you are familiar with the pos
sibilities of the invention offered by Doctor
Roberts"
And his daughter Norma" interjected the
inventor.
The President accepted the alteration and
continued without a halt" and have gone
over the reports of the four most expert men in
the United States navy, who have passed the
their laboratory are convinced of the merit
and practicability of the discovery, and
have prepared statements of what sup
plies would be needed. the time in which
they could be obtained, and their approx
mate COST
There was look of acquiescence. and the
Secretary of the Navy. who had been paying
no heed whatever to the chief executives re-
marks, rustled the reports in his hand as he
turned another page to scan its contents.
went on:
Doctor Roberts tells us that he does not
regard himself as beyond the experimental
stage; but further experiments cannot decrease
known values. and may perhaps add to them.
This invention as it stands, in the opinion of
the four men who have passed the day in
testing it, is sufficient to enable us within
three months to combat successfully any nation
which might begin hostilities."
Norma looked at her father admiringly;
but he seemed oblivious to all those round
him, and sat absorbed in thought, his eyes
fixed in a blank stare of concentration into
space, and the thumbs of his clasped hands
revolving round each other aimlessly. The
President reached over to a mass of papers
before him, referred to some of them in quest
of data, and then looked very grave and earnest
as he continued in a lower voice:
Extraordinary times demand extraordinary
measures We are without precedent, and are