Charlevoix county herald., 1909-03-13

the mystery OF true deviation is solved,
making the most important discovery OF
centuries Roberts evolves great flying
machine. rendering warships useless.
CHAPTER XVI.-Continued.
There where the heart of the Amer
ican government beat was nothing but
anxiety and suspense. Each succeed
ing days events had made it more
certain that Japan would force the is
sue to war, and, like an athlete, was
stripping and training for the fight.
The men who had taken upon them
selves the tremendous responsibility
of intrusting the nations defense to
single discovery, and were backing it
with funds for which they must ac
count some day, saw the days slipping
by, and grimly realized that they were
irrevocably bound to the success or
failure on the key. 1t was too late
now to attempt other projects. and
glory or defeat hung suspended on the
issue.
No reports had been received, and
no news had come from that deter
mined little army that had sailed away
to the south. Hence it was with some
thing of a shock that the first word
received was to the effect that the dry
dock could not be utilized. 1t seemed
like the first dread handwriting en-
blazoned on the wall, foretelling fail
ure. disaster, disgrace and war, and
the president as he read it quoted
with ineXpressible sadness: Meme,
Meme, Tekel-" and his half-opened
lips framed the rest.
Then followed the requisition for
supplies, and once again before any
detailed report had been received
came another demand. The island in
the solitude seemed an Unsuitable
monster devouring national funds and
giving back nothing in return. More
days went by, bringing nothing save
distressing stories from the orient,
where clash had taken place at Che
'mulpo between Japanese sailors and
American marines. This was of such
serious nature that apologies were
rendered the Japanese embassy, and
then from the entire country burst a
storm of protest and reiterated criti-
cisms of the administration, which was
-contumaciously accused of showing
the white feather From the western
coast came appeal on appeal, the
whole Pacific seaboard calling atten.
'tion to its unprotected state and the
imminence of its danger.
Distressed and irate at the dearth
of information, the secretary of the
navy was on the point of sending a
message to Brockton demanding news.
when he received from Miami the terse
message that in two nights more the
admiral would report in person. That
he bore nothing but a tale of disap.
pointment was surmised from the
closing words of the admiral, who re.
quested that all those who had been
party to the project should assemble
secretly as before at the White House
after nightfall.
Haggard and worn, they came to-
gether. read the brief dispatch and
waited. The president, his melan-
choly face set and grave, looked at
them from cavernous eyes; but could
offer no consolation. There was moth
ing Co do but wait-sit and wait-for
that messenger OF i'll omen who was to
sound the knell of hope and tell what
Letters had been combined to spell the
word failure In hushed voices they
discussed the situation, and tried to
evolve some project for its alienation.
And then without preliminary an.
nouncement the door swung open un.
der the hand of the presidents private
secretary, and there stood framed in il
the huge form of the admiral, his hand
at salute. his eyes shining in triumph.
and back of him stood Norma, her ia.
iher and jenkins. Brockton advanced
TO the presidents desk, and faced him
and the secretary of the navy.
IL have come to deliver my report
IN person, and with me are those who
have given this nation the greatest
engine of war that science has ever
known"
The room was electrified; but the
president sprang to his feet and threw
up a restraining hand commanding 81
lence.
"Well?" he queried, inviting further
words; but Brockton's place had been
taken by the shriveled figure of a
dimiRutive old man, who put a trem-
bling hand out to his friend and in a
voice OF affection, hushed but exultant,
sxofnimed: