Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-12-27
The
|DESTROYER
BY BURTON E. STEVENSON
The young man2N

The young MANI"
81 glanced in at him, sir, som
time ago. He was lying on his bed
with his eyes closed, but | do no
think he slept?"
"Did he have dinner?'
eve had no orders to that eff
feet, sir"
Good; let him go hungry. Yo,
will serve him no food until | or
der it. That is ALL"
They saluted and withdrew.
| Pachmann turned to a leisurel,
examination of the suit cases. They
were unlocked, and he soon foune
the queer box with sides of glass
lined with tin foil. He snatched il
up eagerly, but after a glance at it
his face fell.
$50 he was telling the truth y
he muttered. "Well, so much the
worse for him ~
Nevertheless he examined the
box attentively, with minute con
centration, noting the arrange
ment of the interior plates, the
scheme of wiring-each detail,
Then, with it in his hand, he left
the room, saw that his men were
on guard, mounted to the upper
story, unbolted a door there and
entered. Closing the door care
fully behind him, he switched on
the lights, placed the box on the
table, and entered the room be-
You'd. Here, too, he turned on the
lights, and stood for a moment
contemplating the occupant of the
bed, who returned his gaze stead
lily, with glittering eyes.
"You are awake, then, my dear
Vard9" said the admiral, at last.
CAS- you see."
"You are feeling better, l
trust?".
II am quite we'll"
"You have had dinner?"
81 cared for none"
IL wish to talk with you for a
few minutes"
ut would be a waste of time"
Pachmann paused to look again
at the g%littering eyes, and the
thought flashed through his mind,
as it had done more than once be-
fore, that he had to do with a mad
man. An inspired genius, perhaps,
but mad, nevertheless. Pachmann
knew that there was about mad
a certain childishness, and he
determined to humor it.
For you, perhaps, it would be
waste of time he said, approach
ing the bed and sitting down /;
"but not for me. My life work
has been the study of electrical en-
ergy as applied to war, and | fan
cied myself fairly we'll informed,
when, suddenly, you come and
prove to me that | know nothing.
That morning, 10 days since, when
| stood on the quay at Toulon and
saw a great battleship reduced to
a twisted wreck, l realized my ig-
norance, and my heart glowed
with admiration for you, my mas
ter
Eyes, I am your MASTER" and
Ward raised himself upon one ell
bow. Even here, your prisoner,
| am still your MASTER"
II admit it. AMI / have a pro-
posal to make to you"
~ have no confidence in your
proposals.
"Yet listen to this one. Place
this power at the emperor's serv-
ice, and he will name you ruler of
any nation you choose - of this
one, if it pleases you-and leave
you to govern it as seems best to
you, without interference of any
kind. Think, my friend, what a
destiny-free to embody your own
ideas in the government of what
is in some ways the greatest ma
ton on earth free to make a para
disc here, if you can. And if you
succeed, your dream comes true,
for all the other nations of the
world will follow"
Ward gazed at the speaker with
wistful eyes.
1t could come true" he said.
Ii could come true it could not
fail. But You are too blind, too
selfish, too narrow. You are only
a German
And youi"
81 am q Pole-that is to say q
citizen ofsno country and Of every
country"
But You love that country,
even though it does not existf'
.Ayo-more than you love
yours.
Pachmann was silent. q moment
thinking deeply.
listen, my FRIEND he said, at
asst. Idesire to meet you; l will
ZONE along the road toward you -
oran am ah1n1,