The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1909-06-25
ILLUSTRATED
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AM::M;

room increased. Said he had found
something that would enable the gov
eminent to whip the Japanese; hau
been reading reports showing there
was no time to waste, and wanted 10
tell you about it at once"
The merriment subsidized as quickly
as it had been provoked, and the nj
lariOus ones, grown grave, looked at
each other in establishment and won
der. Here at the very moment OF dis
tress was a man who had done more
toward strengthening the natlOns
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 it was threatened by merci.
less foemen, they stared at each other
in amazed silence like men who had
been reprieyed.
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 it ap.
pears to me that there is no one here
who should not know what | have to
say, and who is not directly interested
in what | have to show. l 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 strung
with a suspense which he did not
share. Informal, isn't it," he asked
the president, and when assured that
such was the case he calmly drew a
handkerchief from his pocket anG
swept 1t across the dome Of his fore
head.
All were waiting for him to speak:
but, with exasperating slowness, anG
without asking permission from the
president, he thrust a hand into thu
roomy folds of his sack coat and pro
duced a bundle Of long stogies, one O
which he carefully withdrew and ex
amined with great care. He thrust i
into his mouth and revolved it, appar
emily for the purpose of tightening :
loose wrapper. He turned to tn,
chief executive. There was an air O
expectancy in the room and 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 sur
piled his want, and then, as the evi
odor of the weed was waited roun,
the room, he sat back in his chat,
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 cornice as if h
: was the sole occupant OF the room
then calmly reached into a pocket an
: drew out parcel which 70 laid on tn
presidents desk. While every ev
S was fixed upon him he tilted the stog
{. in his mouth to an angle where tn
t smoke would not interfere with hi
: operations, and began unwrapping tn
e package, throwing the newspapers O
t the floor at his feet. Then came
' fold OF silk, and last Ct all a sheet c
tissue paper, whose cracking cris,
ness sounded startlingly loud in tn
a stiffness OF the room.
S "There!" he remarked triumphantl,
exposing two small plates of metal nc
differing greatly in appearance fror
! two pieces of FURNISHED steel. Eage
ly all those in the room crowded To-
ward, while the president gingerl
q took one of the slabs in his fingers.
\ New explosive?" he asked.
NO, they're harmless" The inve,
tor smiled.
e (To BE CONTINUED)