Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-01-31
The
By BURTON e. STEVENSON
The inventor smiled.

The inventor smiled.
There is no danger" he said
until the other current is turned
on"
Marbeau's face was livid and
beaded with perspiration. He
wiped it with a shaking hand.
Nevertheless you startled me, .
he said. "The sound the machine
makes has a frightful menace in
I'll" Then he looked at his watch.
ut is now H."
Ward nodded, and bent again
above his apparatus, touching it
here and there with the touch of a
lover-tightening a wire, examin-
ing a contact, testing the vibra-
His usual pale face was flaming
with excitement, and his eyes
shone with a strange fire.
Marbeau glanced at him uneas-
lily, then stared out at the grey
wall of the arsenal. Upon it's sum
init a sentry walked to and fro
with the precision of a machine.
High above him Tapped the i'm
perial flag of Germany, display
ing it's eagles and complacent mot
to. Marbeau, like every French
man, considered that flag an in
suit, for the lower arm of its cross
bore the date "187O," and he
stared out at it now, dreaming of
the future, dreaming of the day
when France should tear it down
90
Ward touched him on the arm.
" should like to see the plan Of
the fort again." he said.
Marbeau opened his shirt, and
from a little oilskin bag produced
a square of tracing paper. He un-
folded it and handed it to the in
ventor.
"This is the side toward us" he
said. "There are the magazines,
the main one being here in the
CENTER"
With a nod of understanding,
Ward carried the drawing to the
window and compared it carefully
with the stretch of wall, swinging
his pivoted machine from side to
side to be sure that it's range was
ample. Then he refolded the map
and returned it to Marbeau.
1T must be almost the hour"
he said.
With a start, Marbeau pulled
out his watch. 1t showed Is min
utes to IL. Then, watch in hand,
he stood gazing out at the bastion.
-Four minutes passed, five, six,
seven
Suddenly from the fort came the
deep boom of an alarm gun. A
minute later, a file of men ap-
peared upon the sumit of the bas-
ton; a gate, away to the right,
swung open and an armed bat
talon marched out at the double
quick.
"The signal" gasped Marbeau.
ut is the signal! Their wirelss
men have picked it upl"
Again the alarm gun doomed
sullenly, and they could hear the
faint, shrill calling of a bugle.
Then came the distant thunder of
the answering guns from the forts
about the town; from the streets
rose excited voices, the clatter Of
running feet =
One minute-two-three-
"Now!'' said Marheau, snapped
shut his watch and thrust it into
his pocket.
Ward, his face twitching, closed
the switch and touched the key.
Again came the sharp crackle Of
flame, the deep hum Of the vibra-
tor. Marbeau, the marrow frozen
in his bones but with the sweat
pouring from his face, stared out
and then, close beside him, came
q white burst of flame-the horri-
BILE odor Of burning flesh
He jerked around to see Ward
fallen forward above the table,
while about his hands played those
lived tongues Of fire sss
Half an hour before midnight Of
that day, a man, roughly dressed.
with q stubble of beard masking
his face, appeared at the ministry
OF marine, was passed at once by
the guard atsthe entrance and
made his way quickly to the office
of N. Delcasse. he tapped at the
door, which was instantly opened.
by the minister himself.
"Ah, Marbeau," he said, quiet
y. Come in. We have failed,
theni"
"Yes, we have failed" groaned
Markham and oorh ;rxn : ohn