Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1912-01-25

selves arrayed against their former
comrades and spat at the plain citi-
zenry.
Within the White House there were
throngs of those who deemed that
they had right to inquire, to argue.
to protest. to denounce. Day after
day Kelvin. sitting in calm pomp.
with his two huge, gaudily liveried
negroes behind him. enigmatically dis
posed Of one agitated patriot after an
other.
Just now Kelvin was entertaining
delegation picked by himself. They
were his cabinet officers, and they
were pale and nervous to man. Add
ed to them were two strangely out Of
place groups, the one consisting Of
Henry and Lillian Breed, Jens Nelson
and DR.. Zelphan and the other Of Rol-
Inns and Elsie White. All Of these had
been admitted by private door. The
arrival Of the latter two groups was
disconcerting to Phillip at the mo-
ment, although, after slight period
of cogitation, he had ordered them
both admitted. Rollins and Elsie
White came last, and the moment they
had entered Phillip ordered the door
to be relocked. He had been upon the
point Of making an important an
nOuncement to his waiting and ap-
parently prepared cabinet, and now,
his small audience once more quiet, he
raised his hand impressively, but be-
fore he could speak Elsie White hur.
ried forward to him.
Look in your desk quickly, but care
fully!" she cried. AN internal ma
chine is concealed there, timed to ex-
plode at twevev'
She was deathly pale. There were
dark rings under her eyes. Evidently
she had passed sleepless night. Phil
lip, obeying his habit of mentally ig-
noring sudden and agitated thoughts
that he might consider them in forced
calmness, looked down upon her COM
passiOnately, and the moment for
which Elsie had waited all these years
had at last arrived. Today she stood
nearer to him in affection than any
other living creature. Love had come
to him at last. Well, there was still
time. He had fought and he had won.
The moment of his triumph was at
hand, and with the fruits Of that
triumph he would crown love. He
glanced at the clock. 1t was then bare
ly 10. Jens Nelson had started hastily
toward the door, but now he returned
to the side Of DR.. Zelphan.
According to that, we have plenty
Of time" Phillip said calmly.
"Lookv' Elsie frantically insisted.
1.-The machine might be faulty. 1t
was timed for u because it Is known
that you never leave until 1, but there
Is danger this very second. Every act
Of your daily routine has been stud
led. and in half dozen places these
things lie in wait for you. Here is a
list of them" And she gave him a
paper. Moreover. today at noon
there will be flashed from one end of
the country to- the other by telegraph
and by wireless George Blagg's COM
mand to begin fighting. He has an
immense secret army ready awaiting
this word. Only small proportion of
the men are armed. but they intend
to take their weapons from the SOL
diers and capture the states simulta-
neously from coast to coast"
How do you know these things"
Kelvin demanded.
What little color there had been in
Elsie's face left it suddenly. Even her
lips We're as white as paper. II can
not tell you" she murmured family.
Kelvin nodded his head. He sur
missed that this vast conspiracy had
Ben White as one of its weak arms.
But hurry. Phillip, hurry plead
ed Elsie. using his familiar name un-
consciously. IF you find there what
have told you, you may know that
all the rest is true"
at is probably true enough" replied
Phillip calmly Herbert. I had wish
ed you to be here when I made my
announcement. but you know what it
is, as do the others of my cabinet. and
what your share in it is to be. i shall
excuse you for the time being. Wire
at once to every military force under
yum " Uc Ill lcuuilItSS lOl
this uprising"
One of the attendants opened the
private door and let Herbert out. KEEL
vim stopped and opened every drawer
of his desk on either side. but found
nothing He turned to Elsie with
slight smile, but she was ON her knees
now in front of the desk. with her ear
applied to it.
Search further" she insisted. II
hear something ticking"
Again Kelvin looked through the
drawers and found nothing unusual.
Pull out the bottom one on this side
and look underneath it," she directed,
with now almost frantic insistence.
Kelvin did so. Under the right hand
bottom drawer. in the six inches of
inc.osed space left beneath it and the
floor, he found a wooden box. Apply
ing his ear to it, he detected faint
ticking. He handed it to one Of the