Williams news., 1918-01-24

ing seaman and an original genius of
 a high order.
 My dear lieutenant, am extremely
 glad to have met you. Nothing could
 have been more fortunate" said Mas 1 terman, recovering his equanimity
 with a suddenness that surprised his
 friend. Gan you find the time to
 come into my club and have a little
 chat with me? It's the Inventors, but
 they call it the March Hares,' I be- 1 lieve, because of some of the queer
 characters there. In fact, between
 ourselves, believe that am the only
 member who is entirely sane. joined
 it for professional reasons-that is to
 say, we have an organization and a
 magazine, for the purpose of getting
 into touch with people who are inter-
 ested in our projects. But it's queer
 company, Paget, for a common-sense
 man like myself, with no nonsense about him.
 | "A little trying, I can imagine" Mas terman," said Paget automatically. | Frying, sir? It's a confounded bore to listen to themi For instance,
 there's Brum, who has just been re- fused a patent for his eighth perpetual
 motion machine. And Hatfield, our president had to resign from three other clubs because he insists that Shakespeare was really James I. "Yes, it's a 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 it. I can't induce a single member to listen to me. How ever, we live and let live; and, as I said, the organization helps. But can you dine with me?'
 i've 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. 'I won't pretend that I'm not going to 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 I am. But I believe that Providence has sent you to me, and if I can't make you believe me, at least I don't want it said that Jonathan Roderick Masterman went down into his grave without warning the human race of what was coming.
 "Sir, if the public knew a tithe of what know, they would make peace with France-Germany? Thank you) and arm themselves against the most relentless enemy that ever threatened mankind. Sir, you will yet live to see old Jonathan Roderick Masterson's statue in gold, standing in front of the capitol
 Paget, now quite convinced that his old friend was raving mad, followed him into a queer little building, appar- ently combination of club and hotel. The smoking room, which was situ- ated on the ground floor immediately behind the clerks desk, was crowded with members, all talking at once at the top of their voices. AS the captain paused to enter his guests name in the book, Paget looked in through the drifting smoke clouds.
 A dozen men had the floor, and were gesticulating furiously.
 Captain Masterman, having en- tered his guests name, touched him upon the arm.
 They're all mad, my lad, said the old man, surveying the assemblage with a look of pity. 'No doubt you wonder how I can associate my name with theirs. If it wasn't for our mag azine, in which our articles appear, and our excellent organization, couldn't bring myself to it.''
 ''Who edits the magazine?' inquired Donald.
 "That was matter of some diff culty," replied Masterman. "It proved impossible to find a member sufficient ly broad-minded to consider the others and allow them space, and nobody would accept my own offer to become the editor, simply out of professional antagonism. Each wanted to utilize the entire available space for his own crazy ideas. So we drew lots for it. Fortunately, won the editorship last month. Here is a copy" he added, picking up an attractive little publica- tion that lay on the clerks desk.
 'But I am not going to talk to you in the smoking room," continued Mas terman, 'for that atmosphere would prejudice you against believing what | I am going to say. And I must con vince you, my dear boy, because those lunatics are utterly beyond the bounds | of reason, and much is at stake. A | is impending which will in | evitably destroy humanity unless we | devote our common energies to the of our lives, our liberties and our civilization