The Detroit times., 1909-06-12
THE Man
Who Stole
The Earth"
CHAPTER LxvIlI.-(continued.)
By ". Holt Whife

| CHAPTEH LXvIil.-(Continueo
By now the child had lost his dread
Of him. and came running, with his
small arms outstretched, as Strong en-.
tered the room.
Strong caught the boy and tossed
him high In the air again and again,
while the future car of all the Russias
crowed and chuckled at his dearest
foe.
Strong romped with the boy until he
was well night exhausted. And the
child was tired too, and conten-
enough 10 nestle half drowsily in his
arms while Strong sat before the nur'
sery fire.
And the strange humor OF the situa-
ton appealed forcibly TO Strong. so
greatly did II appeal TO him that he
sat for quite an unnecessary time
dwelling over the irony OF the clrcuin-
: stances. ,,
In his arms he held the baby who
was a hostage for a great people
peace. Within a few days II woulo
| he necessary for government con-
trolling the lives of 115,OOO.OO0 people
to decide whether they shoufu-accept
the law OF Strong. or whether they
should defy him and lose their ruler
heir. or whether they should accept
tho law OF the stranger and receive
hack the baby in whose small person
their destinies were bound up
Presently the boy went to sleep, and
Strong tiptoed with him TO the cot,
and there laid him down.
The old peasant woman who had
taken up the duties OF nurse. whlch
Miss Hunt. much against her Will had
been forced to relinuuish. smiled anu
nodded at the dictator as he stood Dy
the baby's bed still bordering over
all that depended on the safety or
that tiny specimen Of humanity.
From the nursery he walked back
To his bare study. and there received
The news that the airships were now
quite ready for their fight.
And Strong smiled a smile or al
most childish satisfaction to himself
because he realized that in those four
] instruments of warfare he held the
power OF life and death over the whole
world
True he recognized that many years
/ must mass before he would be able 10
enforce his will In every country. but
mundane things being possible when
the forces of civilization are united on
noint. he realized that In the end
ne must emerge triumphant, because
nothing could prevent his mastery
over Europe being complete within
the next few months.
Ringing up Langley on the tele'
phone. he congratulated him very
warmly on his work, and urged him
To come up 10 the palace with all the
speed he could.
Then he summoned Gen. Martel. II.
Stalvan. Hertz, Pelham, Wildney. and
those BalkaaIan- officers whe had stood
by him when his fate was still being
weighed in a trembling balance.
when all were assembled he made
them plain and simple speech.
Gentlemen" he said, Il have ask
cd YOU to gather here because | want
10 establish among you all the friend
shin and cooperation that | can. IL Il
necessary. 10 gain my end. that my
will should be absolutely law, but at
the same time desire II TO be obeyed
out OF affection rather than out OF
fear I hope that even the most fear
ful man In this country will recog'
nize tonight that Bahama Is now In
sured against attacks Of Europe.
trust. too. that II Will see, WITHIN the
next few days, that, far from being
al the worlds mercy, the world lies at
our feet, and that. from being num-
bered among the smaller and less I'M
portant states Of the civilized earth.
we shall suddenly have become the
only world power
There would have been some slight
outburst Of applause, but Strong held
mn his hand to check the faintest dem
onstration. and briskly turned from
one man to- another. quickly giving
hfs orders for the morrow.
lie decided 10 Issue proclamation
that night. stating what would soon be
achieved. And in that proclamation
he included an order for general
holiday TO be held on the following
day
soon the newspapers of Bomberg
announced that on the morrow Bal
kania's aerial fleet would make an
ascent at noon. Further, they called
upon the people to honor the event by
gathering on the Morning Hills TO
cheer their aerial navy.
(To 10 ContinuedJ