Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-06-28

huu low, began
when the door was closed and the
train had started again, "ten me
what you think of this affair, Le-
pine"
The LATHE gray man spread his
hands wide with a gesture of help
lessness.
AT this moment 1 know no
more than you, SIR he answered;
probably not so much. By morn
ing, [ shall have a report ready
for you"
"We shall not arrive until after
midnight" the minister pointed
out.
Nevertheless, my report will
be ready, SIR" said Lepine, quick
ly. Between midnight and dawn
there are six hours"
Delcasse looked at him. He
knew that this little man never
made an empty promise.
did you go through the papers
at the time Of the Jena disaster?''
he asked.
"Idid, sir. I assisted the inves-
tigating board"
"You are, then, familiar with
the theories in that case?"
S"There were four theories" an
swered Lepine. ssThe first was
that the ship had been blown up
by treachery; that is always the
first thought! But in the ease Of
the Jena, it was quickly discov-
cred that treachery was impossi-
BILE, unless it was that of the high
est officers, for only they had ac-
cess to her magazines. That was
unthinkable, for all of them had
served France for many years.
More than half of them we're
killed. l myself investigated the
life OF every one of these men, for
1T was necessary to be absolutely
certain-but not a breath could be
AdAoCo dSdlllSL Iuem.
And the second theory?"
"That there had been careless
ness OF some sort. That, too, was
disproved, for no one had entered
the magazines for many hours
previous to the explosion. 1t is a
rule Of the service that, except
when in use, the keys of all maya
zines shall be in keeping Of the
commander, who is responsible
for them. At the inquiry, the
commander Of the Jena testified
that the keys had not left his pos
session during the two days pre-
ceding the accident. There had
been no occasion to enter the mag
azlnes during that time. The Jena,
you will remember, was at anchor
IN Toulon harbor, just as the
Llberte was
Delcasse glanced at his compan-
ion keenly.
docs that fact suggest moth
ing to you, Lepin?" he asked.
Nothing, SIR" said Lepine
firmly. Il have thought Of it all
day, and l can see in it nothing ex-
cept coincidence"
Coincidence! Coincidence! I
detest the world do not believe
in coincidence" muttered the
minister.
Nor l." agreed Lepine; "but
even less do | believe in vague
theories and vague suspicious. We
must have a firm foundation be-
fore we begin to build"
Well, and the third theory?''
said Delcasse, at last.
"The third theory was most in
teresting. It was that the explo-
sion had been caused by waves
from the wireless telegraph. It
was asserted that these waves had
upset the unstable equilibrium,
either chemical or electrical, which
sometimes exists in the compon-
ents Of modern powder, and that
the explosion had resulted
"And this theory also was dis
proved?"
"The most exhaustive tests
failed to confirm it."
aAh," said D~elcasse; "but to
fail to confirm a thing is not to
disprove it"
HOur wireless experts agreed in
pronouncing the theory absurd"
Wireless waves penetrate
metal, do they mott"
Every metal except lead"
Delcasse turned this over for
some moments in his mind.
IF that had been the cause =
went on Lepine, at last, there
would have been other explosions,
many Of them - and our navy
would not have been the only one
to suffer. The whole atmosphere
is charged with such waves, Of ev-
or0v ov~@bsnr x~-~. s-s