The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1911-03-08

where. without a word, she entered
waiting automobile. The wheels spun
and the car leaped forward. For
mile or more it wound aimlessly in
and out, occasionally bisecting its own
path; finally Miss Thorne leaned for
ward and touched the chauffeur on the
arm.
Now" she said.
The car Strengthened out into
street of stately residences and scut-
tied along until the placid bosom OF
the Potomac came into view; besides
that for a few minutes. then over the
bridge to the Virginia side, in the
djlapidated little city OF Alexandra.
The car did not slacken it's speed, but
wound In and out through dingy
streets. past tumble down negro huts,
| for half an hour before II came 10 a
standstin in front of an old brick
mansion
This is number ninety-seven,' the
| chauffeur announced
Miss Thorne entered the house with
| a key and was gone for ten minutes
perhaps. She was readiusting her
veil when she came out and stepped
| into the car silently. Again 1t moved
| forward on to the end of the dingy
street. and finally into the open coun-
| try. Three, four, five miles, perhaps.
out the old Baltimore Road, and again
| the car stopped this time i'm front of
an ancient colonial farmhouse.
Outwardly the place seemed 10 be
deserted The blinds. battered and
stripped of paint by wind and rain,
were all closed, and one corner OF the
small veranda had crumbled away
from age and neglect A narrow path,
strewn with pine needles, led tortu-
| ously up to the door. In the rear OF
the house. rising from an old barn,
thin pole with a cup-like attachments
at the apex, thrust its point into the
open above the dense, odorous pines.
1t appeared to be a wireless mast.
Miss Thorne passed around the house,
and entered the barn.
A man came forward and kissed her
"a thin. little man of indeterminate
age-drying his hands on a piece OF
cotton waste. His face was pale with
the pallor of one who knows little out
door life. his eyes deep-set and a-glit-
ter with some feverish inward fire,
and the thin lips were pressed togeth-
er in a sharp line. Behind him was
long bench on which were scattered
tools OF various sorts, Enthusiastically
shaped chemical apparatus, two or
three electric batteries of odd sizes,
and. ranged along one end of ii, in
row, were a score or more metal
spheroids. shade larger than one
pound shell. From somewhere In the
rear came the clatter of a small gaso-
line engine, and still farther away was
an electric dynamo
"Is the test arranged, Rosa?" the lit
tie man queried eagerly in Italian.
"The date is not fixed yet" she re-
piled in the same language. 1T will
be, | hope, within the next two weeks
And then"
Fame and fortune for both of us,
he interrupted with quick enthusiasm.
"Ah, Rosa, | have worked and waited
so long for this, and now It Will come,
and with It the dominion Of the world
again by our country. How will know
when the data is fixed? II would not
be we'll to write me here"
My lady of mystery stroked the
slender, nervous hand caressingly. and
@ great affection shone in the blue
gray eyes.
AT eight o'clock on the night of the
test" she explained, still speaking
Italian. "a single light will appear at
the apex of the capitol dome in Wash
ington. That is the signal agreed up
on: il can be seen by all in the city,
and is visible here from the window
of your bedroom"
Yes, yes" he exclaimed. The fe-
verish glitter in his eyes deepened.
IF there is fog, of course you Will
not attempt the test" she went on.
No, not In a fog" he put In quick
ly. 1T must be clear"
And if it is clear you can see the
light in the dome without difficulty"
And all your plans are working out
well?"
Yes. And yours ?"
II don't think there is any question
but that both England and the United
States will buy. Do you know what
it means? Do you know what IT
means?" He was silent moment, his
hands working nervously. Then. with
an effort: And his Highness?"
His Highness is safe" The subtle
eyes grew misty thoughtful for a mo-
ment, then cleared again. He is
safe she repeated.
Mexico and Venezuela WERE" he
began
I'VE don't know, yet, what they will
do The Venezuelan answer is locked
In the safe at the legation; l will
know what 1t is within forty-eight
hours" She was silent little. Our
difficulty now, our greatest difficulty.
is the hostility of the French ambas-
sador to the compact His govern
ment has not yet notified him of the
presence Of Prince d'Abruzzi he does
not believe In the feasibility of the
plan, and We have TOTO proceed to
extremes to prevent him working
against u.s."