The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-07-19
BY W. Holt Whin
CHAPTER txxL-(continusd.)

berg l1y placid and pleasant In the
sunshine as they came over the little
city. The three other airships were
slowly settling around the borders OF
che town.
Strong made directly for the fore /
courts OF the palace. ard. putting down
the Victor" there. helped Diana 10
alight.
Diana went straight TO her old
rooms. and Strong went to his work.
There was much To be done. for ne
learned by wireless that the kaiser's
airships were expected ON the NOR
row.
He took her hand. led her 10 sofa
and seated himself beside her.
You must not think. dearest he
said, that IL am compelled TO men
ton certain matters do SO with a de-
sire 10 DE unkind-much less do l 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.
Il know that Ii sounds rather like
splitting hairs, but. at the same time.
/
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 to set to
al. IL haa MR. 90
and lessening the many evils with
which this poor old world is troubled.
And In that work." he continued
earnestly, lit will be no exaggeration
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 a face that
was both proud and glad.
II will help you" she said. quite
simply
LAS 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.
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-
fortunately | must. | must be with
the airships in less than half an hour
And he rose from his seat. Diana
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 a sufficiently fair fight to escape be-
ing called bully by the world. When
met the kaiser at Potsdam | found
him not only such a splendid man, but
such a splendid gentleman that 1t real
ly makes me feel regretful that
should have to shatter his power and
his majesty. or course. ii is difficult
in AN affair Of this sort to gauge alto
gether accurately what will happen.
but my own impression is, and it is
an impression which is shared by
Langley and Arbuthnot. that the bat
tie will be over in less than quarter
OF an hour.
Diana drew little nearer. and
placed hand upon his arm.
lis II not possible even now" she
asked. Ito avoid a battle?'
No" said Strong, lit is not. And
even II | could. come TO terms with
the kaiser without fighting it would
be most inadvisable 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 close
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 life. People
thronged The long main thorougnfare
from the palace. every window of
vtict was Illuminated, down TO the
building of the different ministries on
the grand square.
So great. indeed. has been the eff
feet of the proclamation which Strong
issued In the afternoon that the pop
ulace of Bomberg was practically ce!e-
brating beforehand the great victory
which they felt confident would soon
be theirs.
II was an extraordinary change to
have been brought about In so short
a space OF time. In few weeks
strong had lifted Bahama up from
being one CT Europe's petty states TO
the pinnacle of the worlds power. And
with this great change N the state
had come a complete alteration or
the peoples character. No longer
hedged about by little auarrels; no
longer living in fear OF Russia on the
one hand and Germany on the other;
relieved from the tangle Of intricate
European politics in which they had
dwell so long. the citizens OF Bomberg
had won TO a larger point OF view.
They dreamt OF world-emp're such "a
n nation had never dreamt OF before,
But while Strong iosterei this no.
ton of world dominion for policy
sake. he had not the slightest inten-
ton OF pursuing the Wild and exag.
gerated dreams OF dominion. which
the more enthusiastic clamored for.