Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1913-10-03
CHAPTER !.
W0CHHHNN N II uQ1fD STATS AND GRAF bRlUM


CHAPTER l.
Astra's Inheritance.
a gloomy foreboding Of approaching
Gsaster hung over tho capital.
Hannibal Prudent, ex-President OF
tAo United Republics. was dangerous
h IN. The people walked quietly and
talked In subdued tones, - though
eAay feared to disturb him.
Hannibal Prudent, the scientist
whose invention had saved the coun-
~. was eighty-four years old. but he
I'D carried the weight of his years
Aghtly and had worked INCREASINGLY.
o. flying trip to Labrador he had
contracted . severe cold which devel
opod into pneumonia. Just a. the dis
oaso was nearing the crisis . curious
thing happened, something that had
ut happened In the half-century
which had passed since he had put IN
bohtor between America and the
o4Asr continents.
4 wireless message had come from
1arope.
The great man had been awakened
- the ringing Of the 4.500mile bell on
~ small electro-stylograph that stood
~ his bedside. To his astonishment
~ indicator that automatically reg
Doored the sending station pointed to
Berlin. Germany. He stared in amase-
Aent 1t the instrument and saw spark
following spark on it, small. square.
n1lk-glass plate.
He put forth . shaking hand and ID
)0stsd the receiving horn. The cleo
04o sparks then formed . picturea
0oving picture that talkedl A man
\ military uniform looked at him
nem the picture and . clear voice
With German accent said In English:
Professor Prudent"
sYeo, cir. Hannibal Prudent
The figure bowed reyerently. Il am
Count Won Werdenstein. A you sec.
have bored through your isolating
J0ys with my sparks Of electricity.
his u tho beginning. Tho next time
talk to you there will be nothing to
hep the dest Of consolidated Europe
no0 entering the ports Of the Ameri.
80. am giving you this warning b.
eanse I admire you-you were my
Asaesed fathers teacher"
9As figure on the plate bowed again.
a. vanished.
Ua1nibal Prudent gaSed curiously
q ~ glass Of the apparatus, trying
y bolisvs that No had experienced .
vlsaoa: bst when he saw the words Of
WeG1snstsiA clearly printed By the
magnificent instrument on . sheet Of
DaDer ~ the stylus he tainted. The
Vitality that could combat physical
009sring could not bear the menacing
0sWs that the little instrument had
1se1ght
When M opened hi eyes his daush-
~ Astra stood ct the bedside and the
hsass physician Wa counting his
yalse. The scientist still held Wsr-
1engtsin's message crumpled mp h his
~ Angers-the message that CON
vovod such crushing news. Impatient
h. ~ one who knows his time II short,
- asked 70 b left alone with his
laughter. A the door closed behiud
~ doctor he cried out IN agony: All
ny hopes and all my life work are
threatened. had hoped that here
whsss ! had established It peace would
abide-peace that has spread comfort,
eootsntment and happiness over our
oo0t1nent: peace that created and
conserved fortunes greater than any
ever before known to man: peace that
permitted developments - high that
even the boldest would not have dared
70 dream them nifty years ago.
AN this win Co." His voice failed
for . moment Read this." A. the
startled sirl read Werdenstein's mss-
sasss he cried bitterly: They want
vsnssance." He felt his own pulse,
watching the large chronometer on
~ wan opposite his bed. my win
= n the safe In my library. Here n
~ key. The Europeans think that
~ xray alone binders them nom
satsring our beloved country. bat they
ers mistaken" He gAspsd for cir. r
YIN DEFY them again. AstTa, write
what I have 70 say" .
His breath came gaspingly; Ais clear
49, grew dun; . whiriwind oesmed
- possess the great brain that had
beso able 70 create psaos h America
1ee half . century.
Astra watched him with appreAenr
S1o0: she did not SPEAK, - che real
isod that Il would b . waste Of time.
80 The short time lslt her adopted
la&Aef vas precious indeed The old
nan rested Q moment, thsa seelng
Asesa was ready. he said:
WAsa ~ isolation has booa bret.
- tAFo1gA q destroyed (boeA aso 20.