The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-03-17
ILLUSTRATED
III IS
HMNM

larious ones, grown grave, looked at
each other in establishment and WON
der. Here ut the very moment Of dis
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 it been any. less 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 1t was threatened by merci
less focmen. they stared at each other
in amazed silence like men who had
been reprieved.
1t 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
isfied 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.
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 l have t.
say, and who is not directly interested
in what | have to show. am glad
you are all 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 struni
with a suspense which he did moi
share. Informal, isn't it," he asked
the president. and when assured tha
such was the case he calmly drew Z
handkerchief from his pocket AMI
swept it across the dome of his fore
/ head.
All we're waiting for him to speak
but. with exasperating slOwness. ant
without asking permission from thu
president, he thrust hand into tn.
roomy folds of his sack coat and pro
duced a bundle of long st0gies, one o
| which he carefully withdrew and ex
amined with great care. He thrust I
into his mouth and revOlved 1t, appar
entity for the purpose of tightening ,
loose wrapper. He turned to TIL
chief executive. There was an air o
expectancy in the room and a leanin,
forward, that no word of the grea
secret might be lost. They caught al
he said.
Got a match. Mr. PRESIDENT" h,
asked with the utmost nonchalance.
They dropped back into their seats
some with evaporation and other
smiling. The president gravely sup
| piled his want, and then, as the evi
| odOr of the weed was waited rount
| the room. he sat back in his chair
with the tips of his fingers touchin;
each other. The secretary of war wa
beginning TO fidget with Impotence.
Roberts pulled three or four times
fixed his eyes on a cornice as If h.
| was the sole occupant of the room
then calmly reached into a pocket an,
drew out a parcel which he laid on tn
presidents desk. While every ey'
was fixed upon him he tilted the stog.
in his mouth to an angle where tn
smoke would not interfere with hi
operations. and began unwrapping tn
package, throwing the newspapers OF
the floor at his feet Then came
field Of silk. and last of all a sheet o
tissue paper. whose cracking crisp
ness sounded startlingly loud in tn
stiffness CT the room.
| There! he remarked triumphantly
exposing two small plates of metal no
differing greatly in appearance from
two pieces of FURNISHED steel. Eager
ly all those in the room crowded for
ward, while the president gingerl!
took one of the slabs in his fingers.
New explosive?" he asked.
NO. they're harmless" The inven
tor smiled.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
IN