The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-12-25
CHAPTER L.-(contlnued.)

1T may sound a poor thing 10 say
that | will make amends. None the
lees, | pledge my word that will not
Just as | have made myself dictator OF
Bahama. 50 | will make Bahama die
tator Of the world.
For months | have been laughed at
for my boast that | would steal the
earth, but now the peoples OF the
earth no longer laugh.
Il WILL" Strong continued in louder
tones, steal the earth, but | Will only
steal II TO give 1t into your hands
but not into your hands alone. For
and this must be my greatest plea for
your considerations purpose 10 make
an alliance with the Princess Diana,
which | sincerely trust may TO some
extent soften your hearts toward me.
and enable me In the end TO atone for
what I admit is the great wrong |
have done you.
Yet, when the history Of Bahama
comes 10 be written | trust that II
will be conceded that the wrong was
not SO great as II now appears l
have no desire TO shed blood; | have
no desire TO destroy life; | have no de-
sire to lay waste even the smallest
and the humblest of dwellings. We
are told that out of evil will come
to II that there shall come great good
When | have made you masters or
the world IL shall be my first business
TO see that the world lays down It's
arms, and that the scenes OF carnage
which have scared your hearts and
minds this night. there shall arise
spirit OF peace which shall enfold the
earth"
As Strong finished his speech he
bowed once ,more TO the left OF him
and to the right OF him, and then re-
sumed his seat.
But even now the silence or the
deputies was unbroken. Still, there
arose not one murmur Of either ap-
proval or dissent The deputies were
as men who had been numbed.
30 Strong sat facing the deputies
for some five seconds. and then the
end OF the silence came.
One OF the deputies on the LETT
dashed forward from his seat, shrek
ing. You are the despoiler OF my
And before any hand could
be raised tc, stay him he drew a re-
volver from his pocket and fired al
most point blank at Strong. The Dul-
let sang past Strong's ear and buried
itself in the draperies OF the canopy.
But Strong never finched. Then
half a dozen hands seized the deputy
and bore him back. and II Is douotiai
IL some iii would not have oeiaiien
the shrieking man IL Strong had not
cried. Let him bit Is nothing.
M. Stalvan stood at the foot or the
throne waving his hat TO and ITO ann
utterins a food of exclamation. But IL
was not on him that Strong's gaze was
fixed.
AT the great door on the further side
he saw NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., Win
news written large upon his face.
He halted and looked about him Tor
a second. as IL hesitating to disturb
Strons's marley with the deputies.
Rut his hesitation was only moment
arv He came on again. crossed the
chamber at dog trot, and. dlsresalu'
ing the angry glances and the muI-
murs that greeted him, ran up tne
steps OF the throne and whispered ineo
Strong's ear.
stronRs message TO Diana In the
midst OF battle had come TO her as
little raw OF hope, and she was very
homeless. The duty which she had set
herself 10 do-the duty OF persuading
ner father that discretion was the bot
ter part OF valor, not merely for him
self. but for his country--was irksone
-irksome because her plea for peace
was not regarded as a duty.prompted
but as a piece OF mere In
pertinence.
The stress OF the past few day had
worn her fathers courage down, nhui
az last his weakness stood exposeL
and In his weakness he avenged his
and defeat upon those wrc
we're weaker than himself. Nor was
his daughter the least OF these