New-York tribune., 1907-11-10

that he wanted to see you now"
The President and others IN the room
laughed toiersnt.v. knowing the inventor
pccullar1tle-.
What else did he saw" the President
asked
sand held he hanged il he'd 60 until hc saw
vou. I'll, laughter ii the room increased.
sand be had found something thar would
enable the Government 10 wh,p the japanese.
had been reading reports showing thtr, w..-
no time t. waste and wanted u tell yau about
Il - once
The ucr-lrncrt subsidized as quickly as r. had
been provoked and the hilarious ones. grown
grave. looked ~ each other III astuul-hmcut
and wonder Here - tine very moment ot
distress was man VIII. had done more toward
strengthening the ration agents ~ ut:cu-c
and defense than amy other individual. com
hdeutlT asserting that be could show them the
way out OF their dittcutiea The President
ordered that the caller be conducted to the
room ~ once.
Had It been any less parsonage than the
famous inventor they would have paid small
heed - the p- mise ni hope. had they been
informed IN les rraCuiou- tiue= that such au
invention wa- pending. they wHu.d have looked
upon u with great interest and curiosity. Aut
nOW- when aI avenue OF escape seemed
closed. when the eagle perch was rocking
beneath IT. t.lou-. and IT was threatened hv
mercile-e focrueu. they stared ~ each other
in amazed silence like men who had been
rrprlevei.
II wa IN the midst 81 this eciuczs thar the
inventor entered the room and stood bcWil-
dercd for Il moment peerIug from beneath
the thatch of his bTowe al one and another.
Then eatl fed that his visit was oppnrtuuc
and that none was present whom be- all not
know. he gave them individual greeting "a hls
acquaintance hip warranted.
You were not expecting me, he addressed
the President, but It appears T. me that
there is no one here who should not know what
have 70 say, and who Is not directly inter
csted III what ! have to show. ] am glad Nuu
are all here, gentlemen he concluded. turn
ing 10 the Others. And then. following the
example of the President, he seated himself.
and the other did likewise They We're strung
with q suspense which he did not share In
formal. lsu : it, he asked the Pre- ldcnt. and
when assured that such was the case he calmly
drew q handkerchief from ms pocket and swept
II across the dome Of has forehead.
All were waiting for him L. speak, but.
with exasperatlng slowucss, and without ask
ing pcrIuls IOn from the President, ne thrust
a hand into the rOomv folds Of hle sack coat
and produced a bundle OF long stoFles, one OF
which he carefully withdrew and examined
with great care. He thrust II into ms mouth
and rcvolved It, apparently for the purpose
OF tightening q loose wrapper lie turned 10
the chief executive. There was an AR OF cH-
uectancv IL the room and leaning forward,
that no word OF the great secret might be lost
They caught all he sand
Got a match. Mr.. Presidcnt," he asked
with the utmost nonChalance-
They dropped back into their seats, some
with cxasperation and others smiling. The
President gravely supplied his want, and then,
as the evil odor OF the weed was waited round
the room he sat bacl; IN his chair, with the
tips Of his fingers touching each other. me
Secretary OF War was beginning TO Midget with
lInpatIence. c,,
Roberts puffed three or four tunes, liked ms
ewes on a cornice a If he was the sole occupant
oi the room. then calmly reached INTO a pocket
and drew out a parcel which ne lald on the
President desk While every eye was ilAed
upon him he tilted the stogy IN his mouth 10
an angle where the smoke would not interfere
with his operations, and began unwTapplng
the package throwing the newspapers on e Lhe
floor at his feet. Then came q told oi SILK
and last of all a sheet OF tissue paper, whose
cracking crispness sounded starthngly Ioud
IN the stiffness OF the room.
"Therel" he remarked trlumphanuE' eA-
posing two small plates OF metal not dlilerlhg
greatly in appearance from two pieces oi
FURNISHED steel Eagerly all those IN the room
crowded forward, while the President gingery
tool, one OF the slabs in his fingers.
'New explosivel" he asked.
No, they're harmless" The inventor
smiled. 49,, ,- ,te
pres;dent held them, wondering what con
.[.l.-1., +ba ,Up little strips OF metal COuld