The Taney County republican., 1908-11-26
CHAPTER |.
A Sleeping Nation.

anu lUe SuDlECl VI tllt iliptAdLAs NSA
aict was gravely discussed. Disun.
guished orators in great cities pre-
dicted dire losses In prestige and |
homer, and every hamlet had its |
prophet of woe. The nations position |
as first-class power, even its very in
tegrity, seemed at stake.
And in all this ominous unrest, this
clamor for action, the administration
at Washington sat urnoyed, smiling
what seemed to the country and the
world at large a fatuous smile of COM
placency. 1t was then endeayorng,
as in previous crises, Through the use
OF high.sounding words, to avert an
actual clash at arms.
For some years there had been
mooted questions between Japan and
the great American republic, due in
the first instance to troubles Of a pure
" racial character. The Pacific coast,
which for many decades had been COM
PEELED by its geographical situation
TO face an economic invasion from the
orient, wanted none OF the small men
from across the water.
Other complications followed. ia
pan by example and prccept rejuv-
enated the sleeping giant which spoke
her sister tongue and had with her
an offensive and defensive alliance
that could be invoked in time Of need,
and by further adroit policy main
tanned a similar compact with Great
Britain. She waxed prosperous, de-
manding trade concessions where
once she had begged them, Nor had
she neglected the peEfecting of her
navy, which from the time of her war
with Russia had been one Of the most
capable. Now 1t equaled in size and
probably excelled in fighting efficiency
that of the United States.
In the Philippines the racial war
came to such an acute stage that ia
pan demanded immediate adjustment,
although following the same diplo-
matte methods which characterized
her career as an advanced nation -
pitifully pleading to the world at fargc
that she was a small power whose
only wish was for peace; invoking
sympathy On the one hand and pre-
pairing to strike before hostilities were
anticipated on the other.
And in the midst Of all this turmoil
Of mind and passiveness of accom-
plishmeat, Guy Hitler, secretary OF
the British embassy in Washington
found other and more personal annoy
anccs. The particular veXation was q
womans peryersity.
He brooded over his love affair
more than the welfare of nations, a.
he stood in the great railway station
of the capital on this night, watching
for the arrival of the Florida specia
which was to bring to him Norm'
Roberts, after an absence OF nearly ;
month.
With some bitterness he recalled
that it was not the first time within
six months that he had loitered il
this station. To him it seemed tha
since he first had known the girl he al
ways had been waiting and longing
She had held him in thrall since tn
night he met her more than Il yea
before, when half reluctantly he ha'
accepted an invitation to a reception
given to her father; and yet in al
that aftertime he had been in pei
pctual suspense. The reception ha
been much like other receptions, an
was given in honor Of another inyer
tion by "Old Bill Roberts" as he style
himself and was known to his int
mates.
Guy had gone through mere cur
osity, wishing to see at short range
man who only a few years before ha
been dubbed 'harebrained crank,
but whose work had proved him othe
wise. He remembered the lights {
the drawing room. the throng {
guests, and that Roberts had forgo
ten the event and kept some Of th
most distinguished men Of the natiol
Including every member of the cab
net, waiting till he could be dragge
from his laboratory at the end of th
garden.
Everyone had taken the remissnes
with American good humor, laughe
and chatted till a search could
made. and then given way to the Il
yentors entrance, which was not II
umphal. 1t was effected with somethir
approaching a lack Of prophetic
There had been the sound of a hig
strung, snarllng voice in protest fro
the lower end of the drawing roor
which was luxuriously furnished an
presided over by Norma. There he
, been a moments silance, then an e
. elaInation loud enough TO be heard |
those who we're curiously expectar
VI "Well, couldn't help It." the pet
? lant words came. 81 got tired OF wa