The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-06-14
CHAPTER I.
Astra,s inheritance.

A gloomy foreboding of approaching
7 disaster hung over the capital.
Hannibal Prudent, ex-President of
the United Republics, was dangerous
+ ~ i'll. The people walked quietly and
talked in subdued tones, as though
they feared to disturb him.
Hannibal Prudent, the scientist
whose invention had saved the coun-
try, was eighty-four years old, but he
had carried The weight of his years.
lightly and had worked increasingly.
On flying trip to Labrador he had
contracted a severe cold which devel-
oped into pneumonia. Just as the dis
ease was nearing the crisis curious
thing happened, something that had
not happened in the half-century
which had passed since he had put an
isolator between America and the
other continents.
A wireless message had come from
Europe.
The great man had been awakened
by the ringing of the 4,50e-mile bell on
the small eIectro-stylograph that stood
by his bedside. To his establishment
the indicator that automatically reg
I Berlin, Germany. He stared in amaze
ment at the instrument and saw spark
following spark on its small, square.
milk-glass plate.
He put forth shaking hand and al
justed the receiving horn. The cleo
, trio sparks then formed a picture-a
. moving picture that talked! A man
in military uniform looked at him
from the picture and a clear voice
with German accent said in English:
Professor Prudent?"
eyes, sir Hannibal Prudent"
The figure bowed reverently. 81 am
/ Count Won Werdenstein. AS you see,
have bored through your, isolating
rays with my sparks of electricity
/, This is the beginning. The next time
talk to you there will be nothing to
keep the feet of consolidated Europe
from entering the ports of the ,Ameri-
cas-. I am giving you this warning be-
cause I admire you-you were my
honored fathers teacher"
The figure on the plate bowed again,
: then vanished.
Hannibal Prudent gazed curiously
at the glass of the apparatus, trying
to believe that he had experienced a
vision; but when he saw the words OF
Werdenstein clearly printed by the
magnificent instrument on sheet OF
; paper by the stylus he tainted. The
vitality that could combat physical
suffering could not bear the menacing
news that the little instrument haC
, brought.
> When he opened his eyes his daugh
ter Astra stood at the bedside and tbs
D. house physician was counting hi!
pulse. The scientist still held Wer
denstein's message crumpled up in his
old fingers-the message that con
- veyed such crushing news. Impatient
% ~, as one who knows his time is short
Il he asked to be left alone with hi
daughter. AS the door closed behin'
the doctor he cried out in agony: al
my hopes and all my life work ar
threatened. l had hoped that her
where had established it peace woul
abide-peace that has spread comfort
contentment and happiness over GU
Id continent; peace that created an
conserved fortunes greater than an
ever before known to man; peace tina
b
even the boldest would not have dare
to dream them fifty years ago.
"AIl this will CO. His voice faile
a for a moment. Read this" As tn
. startled girl read Werdenstein's mes
sages he cried bitterly: They wan
vengeance" He felt his own pulse
watching the large chronometer o
the wall opposite his bed MY wi
is in the safe in my library. Here
the key. The Europeans think tia
the fray alone binders them froI
entering our beloved country, but the
"A are mistaken" He gasped for air.
will defy them again. Astra, writ
what I have to say"
His breath came gaspingly; his cIea
80 eyes grew dull; whirlwind SCENE
to possess the great brain that ha
been able TO create peace in Americ
70 for half a century.
Astra watched him with apprehel
ie sion; she did not speak, as she rea
lied that it would. be a waste of tim,
and the short time left her adopte
oh father was precious indeed. The oil
,ts man rested a moment, then seem
Astra was ready, he said:
when the isolation has been brol
en- through or destroyed (both are pc
sible. if one knows howl, then ne
isolations must be created, one IA
after another We can gain a yea
Id" that way, and that year must be use
. to prepare for war. War! That no
ror will destroy the work of d peae
x full country But we are forced TO il
we viii win, and peace will come 70
ever. Plans are ready for new era
m that will be invincible Navigation {
n the air will solve the problem" H
:, voice had grown so weak that Astr