Cheyenne record., 1914-03-12
CHAPTER I.
Astra's Inheritance.

Astra's Inheritance.
A gloomy foreboding of approaching
disaster hung over the capital.
Hannibal Prudent. ex-President OF
the United Republics, was dangerous
ty 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
tightly and had worked increasingly.
On a flying trip to Labrador he had
contracted a severe cold which devel-
oped into pneumonia. Just as the dis
ease was nearing the crisis a curious
thing happened, something that had
cot happened in the halfcentury
which had passed since he had put an
lsolator between America and the
other continents.
A wireless message had come from
Europe.
The great man had been awakened
by the ringing of the 4.500-mlle bell on
the small electro-stylograph that stood
by his bedside. To his astonishment
the indicator that automatically reg
istered the sending station pointed to
Berlin. Germany. He stared in amaze
meRt at the instrument and saw spark
following spark on its small, square.
mflk-glass plate.
He put forth a shaking hand and ad-
1usted the receiving horn. The cleo
tric 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 a German accent said in English:
Professor Prudent?"
Yes. sir. Hannibal Prudent"
The figure bowed reverently. II am
Count Won Werdenstein. AS you see.
l 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-. 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 had
brought.
When he opened his eyes his daugh-
ter Astra stood at the bedside and the
house physician was counting his
pulse. The scientist still held Wer-
densteins message crumpled up In his
old fipgers-the message that con-
veyed huch crushing news. Inpatient
ly, as one who knows his time is short.
he asked to be left alone with his
daughter. AS the door closed behind
the doctor he cried out IL agony: All
my hopes and all my irfe work are
threatened. ! had hoped that here
where | had established it peace would
abide-peace that has spread comfort,
contentaent and happiness over our
continent: peace that created and
conserved fortunes greater than any
ever before known to man; peace that
permitted developments so high that
even the boldest would not have dared
70 dream them fifty years ago.
All this will 60" His voice failed
for moment. Read this" AS the
startled girl read Werdenstein's mes.
sages he cried bitterly: They want
vengeance" He felt his own pulse,
watching the large chronometer on
the wall opposite his bed "My will
is IN the safe in my library. Here is
the key. The Europeans think that
the Z-ray alone hinders them from
entering our beloved country, but they
are mistaken" He gasped for air. II
will defy them again. Astra. write
what have to say"
His breath came gaspingly: his clear
Dyes grew dull; a whirlwind seemed
to possess the great brain that had
been able to create peace In America
for half a century.
Astra watched him with apprehen-
sion: she did not speak, as she real.
tied that 1t would be q waste OF time,
ana the short time-feft her adopted
father was precious indeed. The old
man rested a moment. then seeing
Astra was ready. he said:
When the isolation has been brok.
IN Though ~ destroyed (both are pos.