The Washington times., 1912-02-24
SERIAL STORY
The Second Deluge sARRETFS srRyIss
lily SERIAL STORY.

| the long days, and never had the over
| arching heavens seemed so spotless and
motonless In their cerulean depths,
All over the world, as the news dis
patches showed, the same strange calm
prevailed. Cosmo did not fail to call
attention to this unparalleled repose OF
nature as sure prognostic OF the aw-
full event in preparation.
The heat be Ccame tremendous. Hun
dreds wero stricken down In the blaz-
ing streets. Multitudes fed to the sea-
shore and lay painting under umbrellas
on the burning sands, or Vainly sought
relief by plunging into the heated watof,
which. rolling lazily in with the TIDE
Sun, perspiring crowds constantly
watched the workmen, VINO struggled
with the overpowering heat, altnouSh
| Cosmo had erected canvas screens for
them and installed a hundred immense
electric fans to create breeze.
Beginning with 500 mon, ne had. in
less thar a month, increased his force
to nearer 5000, many of whom, not en-
gagged in the actual construction, were
preparing the materials and bringing
| them together. The ark was being
made of pure levinn,, the wonderful new
metal which, although already em-
plCNed In the construction OF aeroplaneS
and the framework OF dirlgible balloons,
had not before been used for shipbuild.
ing, except those used only in the navy,
For mere raw material Cosmo must
nave eADenutu an Suill, anu
his expenses were quadrupled by the
fact that he was compelled, in order to
save time, practically to lease several
Of the largest steel plants in the coun-
try. Fortunately levium was easily
| rolled into plates, and the supply was
sufficient owing TO tho discovery two
years before of an expeditions process
| of producing tie metal from its ores.
The wireless telegraph and telephone
offices were besieged by correspondents
eager to send inland and all over Eu-
| rope and Asia the latest particulars OF
| the construction OF the great ark. No
| body followed Cosmos advice or eN-
ample. but everybody was intensely in
terested and puzzled.
| At last the Government officials found
| themselves forced to take cognizance OF
| the affair. They could no longer ignore
1t after they discovered that 1t was
| seriously interfering with the conduct
! of public business. Cosmo VersaI $
pressing orders, accompanied by cash
displaced or delayed orders of the GOV
ernment commanding materials for the
navy and the air fleet. In consequence
about the middle of July he received a
| summons to visit the President OF the
United States. Cosmo hurried TO Wash.
inGton on the given date and presented
| his card at the White House. He was
shown Immediately into the Presidentf
reception room, where he found the en-,
| tire Cabinet In presence. AS ne entered
| he was the focus of a formidable bat
| terry OF CURIOUS anu HoI 'oO iiiN"''
| eyes.
President Samson was a large. heavy
| man, more than six feet tall: Every
member of his Cabinet was above the
average in .avoirdupois. and the heavy
| weight president of the Carnegie In.
stitution, President Pludder, who had
been specially invited, added by niI
presence to the air of pondrrosity tina,
characterized the assemblage. a:
seemed magnified b. the thin white
| ,t.hi ACCOlltll
| Of the oppressive heat. Many or th"h
had come in haste from various sum
mer resorts, and we're plainly anno!SC
| by the necessity of attending at th'
| Presidents command.
| Cosmo Versal was the only cool mar
there, and his diminutive form presen;'
ed a striking contrast to the others
| But he looked as If he carried more
brains than all of them put together
| He was not in the least oVGraweC
by the hostile glances of the states
! men. On the contrary. his lips per,
| ceptibly curlcd in half -disdainfuI
smile as he took the big hand whicf
| the President extended to him. As
soon as Cosmo Versal had sunk into
| the embrace of q large easy chair
the President opened the subject.
81 have directed you to come" he
said in a majestic tone, 'in order the
sooner 10 dispeI the effects of your
unjustifiable predictions and eXtraor'
| binary proceedings on the public mint
and, I may add, on public affairs
! Are YOU aware that you have inter
fered with the measures of this Gov
ornment for the defense of the coun,
| try? You have stepped in front OF
the Government, and delayed the be
ginning of four battleships which
Congress has authorized in urgent
| haste on account of the threatening
aspect of affairs In the East? I neet
| hardly say to you that we shall, II
| NECESSARY, find means to set aside
| the private agreements under which
you are proceeding. as inimical tc
| public interests, but you have al
! ready struck serious blow at the
/ security of your country"
| The President pronounced the last