The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-03-20


not entirely familiar with the part
which she played in her fathers work
looked at her disapprovingly.
He, interpreting these glances, in
troduced her as his assistant, and con-
cluded by saying: II can't do any
thing without her. She knows more
about my work than do myself, and
living who can keep her mouth shut"
| They smiled at his manner and cyni-
cism, while the president rendered her
seat at his side and waited for the
| others to resume their chairs.
"All of you are familiar now with
the possibilities of the invention
offered by DR.. Roberts"
| And his daughter Norma" inter-
| jected the inventor.
The president accepted the altera-
ton and continued without a halt
land have gone over the reports of
the four most expert men in the
United States, who have passed the
day with the inventor and his daughter
in their laboratory, are convinced of
the merit and practicability of the
discovery, and have prepared state
ments of what supplies would be
needed, the time in which they could
be obtained, and their approximate
cost"
There was look Of acquiescence,
had been paying no herd whatever to
the chief executives remarks. rustled
the reports in his hand as he turned
another page to scan its contents. The
room became still again, and the
speaker went on.
DR. Roberts tells us that he does
not regard himself as beyond the ex-
perimental stage; but further expert
ments cannot decrease known values,
and may perhaps add to them. This
invention as it stands, in the opinion
of the four men who have passed the
day In testing it, Is sufficient to en-
able us within three months to COM
bat successfully any nation which
might begin hostilities."
Norma looked at her father admir-
ingly; but he seemed oblivious to all
those round him, and sat absorbed in
thought, his eyes fixed in blank
stare of concentration into space, and
the thumbs of his clasped hands re-
volving round each other aimlessly.
The president reached over to mass
of papers before him, referred to some
of them in quest of data, and then
looked very grave and earnest as he
continued in lower voice:
Extraordinary times demand ex-
traordinary measures. We are with
out precedent, and are confronting an
emergency of such immense import
that those of us who were here last
night believe it is a time when all
rules, official routine and regular meth
DDS must give way in behalf of quick
accomplishment. We have no time In
which to seek special appropriations;
but must take it upon ourselves to
levy upon the various budgets which
are now open for the considerable
sums of money necessary to prosecute
this work"
One or two, who were evidently late
arrivals and had not heard the earlier
discussions, looked at each other with
some hesitation. 1t was hard to drop
routine and dip into the nations
treasury on such short consideration
The high dignity of the presiding Of
ficer, however, forbade any Interrupt
ton, and he went on unchallenged.
1.-The absolute preservation of oul
secret is recognized by all as vita
necessity, and to obviate all leakages
the members of the army and nav
board suggest that our work be car
ried on in one of the most secluded o.
the Florida keys. On this they pur
pose to erect plant adequate to cas-
and perfect this metal on which we de
pend. and as rapidly as possible appl!
it to the vessels of our navy, which
will be sent there as quickly as prepa
rations can be made for their recep
tion"
Norma, who had not been informed
of this part Of the project, gave
start of protest, foreseeing that she
too, would have to share in this isola
ton and become an exile until the ex
periments were concluded. Her fathe
turned a questioning look toward heI
- and then reached over and patted he
70 hand in sympathy. The president wa
- steadily summing up the situation.
n 1.-The navy department will atten
r to purchasing supplies, including me
Is chinery and crude metals necessar
for the first work, while DR.. Robert
will place his orders for apparatu:
and all will be consigned to the collie
Penobscot, which will transport ther
It, to the chosen spot. The gunboat Hal
a per will accompany her, and will
N the first boat to be experimental upo
is and equipped with the new plates
r. Rear Admiral Brockton will be a!