The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-01-10


ing s.a,uun and an original gs.ius "
high order.
my dear lieutenant, am exoemely
glad to have met you. Nothins could
have been more fortunate" sale Mas
terman, recovering his equanimity
with n suddenness that surprise his
friend. "Can you find the hrle to
come into my club and have a little
chat with me? It's the Inventors, but
they call II the March Hnres,' be-
lieve, because Of some of the queer
characters there. In fact, between
ourselves, believe that ] am the only
member who Is entirely sane. l Joined
Ii for professional reasons--that Is to
say, we have an organization and Q
magazine, Ter the purpose Of getting
into touch with people who are inter
ested in our projects. But it's queer
company, Paget. for common-sense
man like myself, with no nonsense
about him."
"A little trying, can imagine" Mas
terman," said Pnget automatically.
'Trying, sir? It's confounded
bore to listen to theml For instance.
there's Brum, who has just been re-
fused patent for his eighth perpetual
motion machine. And Hatfield, our
president-he had to resign from three
other clubs because he insists that
Shakespeare was really James I.
"Yes, it's q queer world, lieutenant !;
and the oldest thing of all Is that
when one has something of the utmost
Importance to the human race TO make
public, not a single man will take the
least interest in 1t. l can't induce a
single member to listen TO me. How
ever, we live and let live; and, as j
said, the organization helps. But can
You dine with meT
'Tve nothing particular to do this
evening-for the first time in years.
"Then do come In and have dinner
with me-" said the old man eagerly. ~
won't pretend that I'm not going ia
try and enlist your aid to save the
human race In spite of those benight'
ed, besotted, blind-as-a-bat blasto
derms in the admiralty office, because
am. But I believe that Providence
has sent You to me, and II / can'
make you believe me, ut least / dom
want II said that Jonathan Roderich
Masterman went down into his grav<
d without warning the human race o.
what was coming.
"Sir, If the public knew a tlthe o.
what know, they would make peac'
with France-Germany? Thank you
and arm themselves against the mos
relentless enemy that ever threatened
mankind. Sir, you will yet live to se'
old Jonathan Roderick Masterson'
statue in gold, standing In front of tn
capitol"
Paget, now quite convinced .bat hi
,, old friend was raving mad, followe'
, him into queer little building, appaI
: emily a combination Of club and hote
The smoking room, which was sltu
ated on the ground floor immedlatet
! behind the clerks desk. was crowds
1 with members. all talking at once q
\ the top Of their voices. As the capital
I paused to enter his guests name
y the book, Paget looked In through tn
drifting smoke clouds.
A dozen men had the floor, and weT
gesticulating furlously.
Il Captain Masterman, having el
tered his guests name, touched hi
upon the arm.
/ "They're all mad, my lad, said tn
old man, surveying the assemblag
| with a look of pity. "No doubt yo
! wonder how I can associate my nam
| with theirs. II 1t wasn't for our maj
azine, in which our articles appear, an
our excellent organization, I couldn
bring myself to It."
"Who edits the magazlne" inquire
Donald.
| "That was matter of some diff
Guilty." replied Masterman. 'It prove
| impossible to find member sufficien
! ly broad-minded to consider the othel
and allow them space. and nobod
j would accept my own offer to becon
the editor. simply out Of profession
antagonlsm. Each wanted to utilii
the entire available space for his ow
crazy ideas. So we drew lots for
+ Fortunately, won the editorship la
D. month. Here is a copy" he adde
r, picking up an attractive little public
q ton that lay on the clerks desk.
3 "But I am not going to talk to "
h in the smoking room." continued Ma
terman, 'for that atmosphere wou
e prejudice you against believing VIII
9 I am going to say. And l must co
II | vince Won nv dear how because tho
{. lunatics are utterly beyond the boun
e. Of reason, and much Is at stake.
l. cataclysm is impending which will !
q evitably destroy humanity unless '
:" devote our common energies 10 Il
% maintenance of our lives, our liberti
y and our civilization"
!. Captain Masterman explains
"a lIAutAnant padek hIa theorv