The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1908-07-03
cannot be predicted With certainty.

avn . LEg-
Well, Welt" he said, briskly.
what next?"
your engineers must assist. me In
drawing plans. We shall want great
quantities of new material and cleo
trical equipment, and must have them
soon; because when we get well I'M
der way w should be able to create
two or three Of these radioplanes each
day"
The great plates were, locked in,
and the group repaired to n 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 col
ony the story Of the marvellous con-
ception, until even the most prosaic
workman found himself dreaming and
specializing ove his task. Before dusk
had crowded the light from the skies,
the Columbia, under a full head Of
steam, picked her way out to meet the
ocean swells, and headed for Miami,
where she was to send a message to
Washington, calling for strangely as
sorted supplies and notifying the anx-
ious naval men that the dry dock
would not be needed.
There where the heart of the Amer
lean government beat was nothing but
anxiety and suspense. Each succeed
ing days events had made it more
certain that Japan would force the is
sue to war, and, like an athlete, was
stripping and training for the fight.
The men who had taken upon them
selves the tremendous responsibility
Of intrusting the nations defense to q
single discovery, and were backing it
with funds for which they must ac-
count some day, say the days slipping
by, and grimly realized that they were
irrevocably bound to the success or
failure on the key. It 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 deter
mined little army that had sailed away
to the south. Hence it was with some
thing 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 en-
blazoned on the wall, f%oretelling fail
ure, disaster, disgrace and war, and
the president as he read 1t quoted
with inexpressible sadness: Meme.
Meme, Tekel-" and his h~alf-opened
lips framed the rest.
Then followed the requisition for
supplies, and once again before any
detailed report had been received
came another demand. The island In
the solitude seemed an Unsuitable
monster, devouring national funds and
giving back nothing in return. More
days went by. bringing nothing save
distressing stories from the orient.
where q clash had taken place ut Che.
mulpo 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 q
storm of protest and reiterated criti.
cisms 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 atten.
ton to it's unprotected state and the
imminence Of its danger.
Distressed and irate at the dearth
of information, the secretary Of the
navy was on the point of sending q
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 disap.
pointment was surmised from the
closing words Of the admiral, who re,
quested that all those who had been
party to the project should assemble
secretly as before at the White House
after nightfall.
Haggard and worn, they came to
gether, read the brief dispatch and
waited. The president, his melan'
choly face set and grave, looked al
them from cavernous eyes; but could
offer no consolation. There was moth
ing to do but wait-sit and wait-fol
that messenger Of i'll omen who was to
sound the knell Of hope and tell what
letters had been combined 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 an,
nouncement the door swung open I'm,
der the hand Of the presidents private
secretary, and there stood framed in il
the huge form Of the admiral, his hand
at salute, his eyes shining In triumph
and back Of him stood Norma, her ia,
Their and Jenkins. Brockton advanced
to the presidents desk, and faced him
and the secretary Of the navy.
Il have come to deliver my report
in person, and with me are those who
have given this nation the greatest
engine Of war that science has eve1
known"
The room was electrified; but the
president sprang to his feet and threw
UP q restraining hand commanding ST
lence.
Il -NL 49, ~ ~ EELL