The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-08-15

Edison smiled slightly and waited un
til the girl was ready to turn from the
dazzling ring to him. She took the
ring in her hand and saw that 1t was
AZ transparent, clear and colorlese al
crystal: without that sparkling effect
It would have been invisible.
She slowly laid it down again and
looked questioningly at the man sit
ting before her. She did not know
that while she was admiring the ring
his eyes had rested on her yearningly
expressing love and admiration. o.
was it alteration?
He smiled strangely at her and said:
''If read your questioning gaze Alright
YOU want to know the meaning OF
my gift, a gift that l have brought
from afar for the daughter OF Hanni.
bal Prudent" He placed a peculiar
accent on the last four words.
'T thank you, sir, very much" she
replied.
"It is a present for you, and through
you to the whole American continent
Astra's face expressed surprise.
II will have to be more explicit
will have to tell you more about 1t.
May / ask you to let me have the ring
| for a moment?"
She handed it to Edison with gra-
cious movement of her slender hand.
He took it from her, and, grasping 1t
firmly with both hands, he pulled 1t
apart; it yielded like rubber and
jumped back to it's former size when
he released it. Then he let it drop
on the polished desk; it sounded like
glass.
What do you think of that, Miss
Prudent?"
"It is wonderful"
Indeed it is, and more: It carries
the solution of aerial navigation, max
ing the aerial crafts as safe as your
chair. It makes war on land or sea
absolutely impossible. It strikes the
word distance from the dictionary.
What do you think of it,"
Astra's face took on an expression
full of faith and thankfulness; her eyes
seemed to look far up to the power
| that moves worlds and creates new
stars.
"You-you have come to our aid;
peace and happiness will still reign
over our continent. God has sent you
to me in this trying moment"
Tear drops trembled on her long eye
lashes like drops of dew on a flower.
When the moment of enthusiasm had
passed they sat again calmly opposite
to each other. This time Astra spoke:
"My dear Mr.. Edison! You have
| not proved what you claim can be
done, but the way you said it con-
vinced me that you have the power to
do 1t. In other words, I trust you and
believe In you implicitly. Women
know much by instinct, and my intui-
lion has never led me astray.
II recognized you at once as the man
who spoke at the Continentalists'
meeting, trying to encourage the
masses and give them heart to brave
| approaching events.
"As you know, the Continentalists
have nominated me because was the
daughter Of the man who made this
continent what it is today. Now that
l have found, man who promises as
great things as you do shall not &C
cept this nomination, but will insist
upon you as a candidate"
Napoleon Edison shook his head
with smile.
Miss Prudent, I appreciate what
you say, but none must know about
our present conversation l have done
nothing but give you a jewel The
other things remain to be proved"
Astra looked thoughtfully at the
visitor and seemed to agree.
Besides" continued Edison, ut is
absolutely necessary that no one shall
know what l can do. You will be
elected and inaugurated the 4th Of
March this coming year. This Is the
18th Of September. The isolator now
existing will last until the coming
summer and you will hear from me
between now and then; indeed, you
can depend on me when the crucial