Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1917-08-09

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stronger in one general direction
than in others, that is all. And, il
this case, that general direction
would have embraced all the ships
at anchor in the harbor.
"There must, then, have been
some other force which, at the APP.
pointed time, struck from this
stream of signals a spark, so ia
speak, into the magazines Of La
Liberte, one after the other. That
there was an appointed time we
cannot doubt-we know that it
was the moment of sunrise yester-
day. That the magazines were
fired one at a time, and a spaced
intervals we also know. That they
could not explode of themselves in
that way seems certain.
"You will remember that the
signals began more than an hour
before sunrise, and continued for
at least half an hour afterwards.
We know that the signals were
sent automatically. Why? Partly,
no doubt, because it was necessary
that they be absolutely regular;
but also because the man who did
this thing-who is himself, per-
haps, the inventor of the method
chose to make no confidants, to
have no accompliccs, and he could
not himself be in the hut to send
the signals. Again you ask why.
Not because the danger Of discov-
cry, since there was no such dan
ger. l believe it was because it
was necessary that he be some
where else, directing from an
angle, perhaps, that other force,
so mysterious and so deadly. /
seem to see two forces, travelling
in converging lines, as two bullets
might travel, their point of meet
ing the magazines Of La Liberte.
At the instant of their meeting,
there is a shock, a spark = as
though flint and steel met-and
the magazine explodes-first the
forward magazine, then the after
magazine, then the main maya
zine-one, two, three! This is all.
mere guesswork, you under
stand, SIR" Crochard added, in an
other tone, "but so 1 see it. And,
after all, it is susceptible of
proof"
"What. proof7" demanded Del
casse.
eff my theory is the true one,"
Crochard explained, "there must
have been, somewhere, another In
stallation to create the intercept
ing force, which, Of course, must
also be transmitted by ether waves
as wireless is, if it is to penetrate
wood and steel. It must have
been within an hours walk -
probably half an hours walk-of
the hut in the grove. For remem-
Der, the mechanism there was set
going an hour before sunrise, and
the man had then to reach his
other mechanism, and have it
ready to start at sunrise. It is for
us to discover the place where this
second mechanism was installed
and where it probably still re-
mains"
Yes, that would be proof"
agreed Delcasse thoughtfulIy;
and for myself, / will say that /
believe your theory the right one.
But you have not yet explained
the part played by the two watch
ers on the quay.
Their part was that Of watch
ers merely" said Crochard. "Tfey
were sent there to observe and to
report to their masters-as they
did"
"As they didi''
"Surelyh is evident, "Crochard
explained, that, If our theory is
true, they would hasten to report.
Imagine their masters anxiety un-
til he heard from themi AS a mat
ter OF fact, their report was filed
within Is minutes after the ex-
.plosion. N. Lepine has 1t in his
pocket"
Delcasse stared, Incompetence
ing; but Lepine, his face suddenly
Mumined, snatched out his pocket