The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1908-06-12

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each other in establishment and won
der. Here at the very moment of dis
tress was a man who had done more
toward Strengthening the nations
agents Of offense and defense than any
other individual, confidently asserting
that he could show them the way out
Of their difficulties. The president
ordered that the caller be conducted
to the room at once.
Had 1t been any less a parsonage
than the famous inventor they would
have paid small heed to the promise
of hope; had they been informed in
less troublous times that such an in.
vention was pending, they would have
looked upon it with great interest and
curiosity; but now, when all avenues
OF escape seemed closed, when the
eagles perch was rocking beneath its
talons and it vas threatened by merci.
less foemen, they stared at each other
in amazed silence like men who had
been reprieved.
It was in the midst Of this stiffness
that the inventor entered the room
and stood bewildered for a moment,
peering from beneath the thatch of his
brows at one and another. Then, sat-
is1ed that his visit was opportune and
that none was present whom he did
not know. he gave them individual
greeting as his acQuaintanceship war.
ranted. ~ -a
"You were not expecting me-" he
addressed the president; "but 1t ap-
pears to me that there Is no one here
who should not know what I have to
say. and who. is not directly interested
in what ! have to show. am glad
you are ell here. gentlemen" he con
cluded, turning to the others. And
then. following the example Of the
president. he seated himself, and the
others did likewise. They were strung
with q suspense which he did not
share. Informal. isn't IT." he asked
the president, and when assured that
such was the case he calmly drew a
handkerchief from his pocket and
swept it across the dome Of his fore.
head.
All were waiting for him to speak;
but, with exasperating slowness, and
without asking permission from the
president. he thrust q hand into the
roomy folds Of his sack coat and pro
duced o bundle Of long stogies, n Of
which he carefully withdrew and ex.
amined with great care. He thrust 1t
into his mouth and revolved 1t, appar.
emily for the purpose OF tightening a
loose wrapper. He turned to the
chief executive. There was an air OF
expectancy in the room and q leaning
forward, that no word Of the great
secret might be lost. They caught all
he said.
"Gotea match, Mr.. Presidents" he
asked with the utmost nonchalance.
They dropped back into their seats.
some with evaporation and others
smiling. The president gravely sup.
piled his want, and then, as the evil
odor OF the weed was waited round
the room. he sat back in his chair.
with the tips Of his fingers touching
each other. The secretary of war was
beginning to fidget with Impotence.
Roberts pulled three or four times,
fixed his eyes on a cornice as II ne
was the sole occupant of the room,
then calmly reached into a pocket and
drew out a parcel which he laid on the
presidents desk. While every eye
was fixed upon him he tilted the stogy
in his mouth to an angle where the
smoke would not interfere with his
operations, and began unwrapping the
package, throwing the newspapers on
the floor at his feet. Then came a
fold of silk, and last Of all a sheet OF
tissue paper, whose cracking crisp
ness sounded startlingly loud in the
stiffness of the room.
"There!" he remarked triumphantly,
exposing two small plates of metal not
differing greatly in appearance from
two pieces of FURNISHED steel. Eager
ly all those in the room crowded for
ward, while the president gingerly
took one of the slabs in his fingers.
New explosive?" he asked.
"No, they're harmless" The inven-
tor smiled.
The others looked eagerly at them
as the president held them, wondering
what connection the two little strips
of metal could possibly have with the
defense of . nation against a multi
tude of battle ships. Nothing but Rob-
ers' known ability prevented them
from looking upon him as q crank.
They inspected the objects before
them in turn, passing them from hand
to hand with blank looks. Only the