The Detroit times., 1909-07-19


berg i1y placid and pleasant In the
sunshine as they came over the little
city The three other airships were
slowly settling around the borders OF
the town.
Strong made directly for the fore
courts OF the palace. aid. putting down
the Victor" there, helped Diana TO
alight
Diana went straight 10 her Old
rooms, and Strong went 10 his work.
There was much 10 be done. for he
learned by wireless that the kaiser's
airships were expected on the NOR
row
He took her hand. led her TO sofa
and seated himself beside her.
You must not think. dearest. ne
said, that II am compelled TO men
ton certain matters | do SO with de-
sire TO be unkind-much less do | de
sire TO triumph over you.
Unless | were forced 10 do so,
should not recall your defiance OF me.
or the fact that you declared that you
could not possibly return TO Bahama
until you returned as queen.
L know that it sounds rather like
splitting hairs, but. at the same time,
really think the best way out OF the
difficulty is, for you TO regard me more
as your servant than as the man who
has stolen your kingdom from you.
Tomorrow | meet the kaiser face
TO face, and | trust that before night
fall we shall have settled the whole
OF this bad business; and then, strong
because of the knowledge OF our
strength We shall be able 10 set TO
work upon Fighting the many wrongs
and lessening the many evils with
which this poos old world is troubled.
And in that work he continued
earne silly. 1t will be no exaggeratlon
10 say that | shall be your servant. |
am looking to you very largely for d.
rection. so that after all. you see, you
will be the real ruler"
Diana turned upon him face that
was both proud and glad.
Il will help you" she said. quite
simply.
AS soon as the fight is all over
{, said Strong, Il must be crowned; and
| If il is still your wish. il is my darling
desire that We should be married on
the same day. and that you should be
proclaimed my consort.
! Diana made him a little mock bow.
! and smiled the first gay smile that she
! had known for many weeks.
Il am quite agreed your majesty.
| she said
1t is rather hard" said Strong,
that | should have to leave you SO
soon after finding you again, but un'
J fortunately must. | must be with
| the airships in less than half an hour.
And he rose from his seat. Diana
rose too, and looked into his face long
and wistfully.
And supposing," she said, that you
should not return
| Strong laughed aloud
Dearest" he cried. there is not the
slightest fear OF that. My only anx-
iety at the present moment is to make
| il sufficiently fair fight to escape be
| ing called a bully by the world. When
| | met the kaiser at Potsdam | found
! him not only such splendid man, but
such a splendid gentleman that II real.
tiy makes me feel regretfu1 that
should have to shatter his power aud
! his majesty. OF course. 1t Is difficult
! in an affair of this sort to gauge alto
gether accurately what will happen,
! but my own impression is, and 1t Is
an impression which is shared by
| Langley and Arbuthnot, that the bat
| tie will be over in less than a quarter
of an hour
Diana drew little nearer, and
I placed a hand upon his arm.
is 1t not possible even now she
asked to avoid a battle?'
NO" said Strong, 1t is not And
even IL | could come To terms with
the kaiser without fighting II would
| be most inadvisabe to do SO. The
fact OF SCATTERING the greatest mill
tary power on earth VII. give me pres
tige and authority which | could not
otherwise hope to gain.
Strong paused. and then caught Di-
ana In his arms. He held her-eloSe
against his breast, and kissed her ten
DERBY on the eyes and mouth. Then,
without another word, he hurried from
the room.
The city was full of lie. People
thronged The long main thoroughfare
from the -palace,-exery window II
which was Illuminated, down to the
building of the different ministries on
the grand square.
So great. indeed. has been the ef.
feet of the proclamation which Strong
lESuGU
ulace OF Bomberg was practically ce'e'
brating beforehand the great victory
which they felt confident would 5000
be theirs.
IL was an extraordinary change to
have been brought about in so short
space of time. In few weeks
strong had lifted Bahama up from
being one q Europe's petty states to
the pinnacle OF the worlds power. And
with this great change IN the state
had come complete alteration OF
the peoples character No longer
hedged about by little quarrels; no
longer living In fear of Russia on the
one hand aud Germany On the other:
relieved from the tangle ~ intricate
European politics in which they had
dwelt SO long, the citizens OF Bomberg
had won to a larger point of view.
They dreamt OF wOrld-emp're such as
nation had never dreamt OF before.
But while Strong fostered this no.
ton Of world dominion for policys
sake. he had not the slightest inten-
ton of pursuing the wild and exag.
gerated dreams OF dominion. which
the more enthusiastic cllmored for.