Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1914 — SERIAL STORY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SERIAL STORY

Isolated Continent A Romance of the Future

By Guido von Horvath and Dean Hoard

1918. by W. G. CW reran !■ UattaA Sutra and Great Britsia. SYNOPSIS. For fifty years the continent of North [America had- been isolated from the •of the world by the use of Z-rays, a wu,v Kierful invention of Hannibal Prudeftt. The invention had saved the country ifroHi foreign invasion, and the continent had been united under one government ■with Prudent as president. For half a .century peace and prosperity reigned in this part of the world. The story opens •with President Prudent optically 111. His Meath Is hastened by t ,>the receipt of a [message from Count von Werdensteln of •Germany that he has at last succeeded In .penetrating the rays. Dying, he warns Inis daughter Astra that this means a foreign invasion. He tells her to hurry to 'the Island of Clryne, but dies before he can tell the location of the place. Astra is nominated for the presidency by the party. Napoleon Edison calls .on Astra. Informs her that he was a pu‘ptl of her father's, and promises to help ner. He gives ner a ring made of a new;ly discovered substance which, he says, will solve the problem of flying. ChevalBer <K Leon appears in Europe. He calls |on von Werdensteln and offers him the •secret of making gold in return for absolute disarmament and peace. The chevalier Is suspected of being an American. [He Is seized at night and carried off in ’an areoplane. Astra Is Inaugurated as [president. She receives a message from [Edison, whose long silence has worried •her. that he has been a prisoner for two [months on the island of Helgoland and has just escaped. He announces that the (Confederated fleet of Eurbpe has sailed for America. He promises to call on her 'the following night. Countess Roslny. a spy. becomes a prisoner in hope of securing Napoleon’s secret She falls In love with him. She agrees to join him In an •attempt to escape. By the use of fireworks he summons a curious flying machine which resembles a monster eagle. He escapes and sends his message to ,Astra. Edison calls on Astra as promised He -tells her his plans for defense have 'been completed, but that he will give fuller details at his workshop on the Island cf Ciryne tn the Pacific. They make the ■ trip In three hours. . His plans are on the peculiarity of the new substance, cirynith, which is lighter than any known metal and Is practically Indestructible. Tbe Europeans succeed in passing the*. Hne of isolation, but find that the Americans have established a second one. Edison delivers a note to von Werdensteln ‘ln his flagship demanding that the fleet be withdrawn. Edison is attacked, but by the use of some mysterious power he destroys two warships ahd several aero-., ■planes. Realizing his helplessness Wer--denstein withdraws his fleet and consents to universal disarmament. Edison’s mother is ill on the island of Clryne. Countess [Roslny offers to go and comfort her. hopling to discover Edison’s secrets. She begins to weave a net around Santos Duiprel. Edison’s assistant. | CHAPTER X| 11.—Continued. There were reports from her agents, a cheek from her banker, a sad sonnet •from a former captain of the Royal Guard, one of her most steadfast admirers, but none were of great Importance. She glanced through them and then opened the one that most Inter■ested her: [ j~ "My Dear Countess: —I was pleased "with the news that I received through •Edison that you are safe and well. The (political situation has received a tremendous shaking up, but the people are happy and preparations, are under •way to restore the same good order that we enjoyed in former days; but mo more militarism. "I think the European peoples will eoon be as rich as our American brothers. We expect them to teach us the latest methods of finance, etc. We will gladly welcome every opportunity to learn from them. ' “A bit of news: The Princedom of Schomburg Lithow Ts in great sorrow. It has lost the last member of its reigning family. lam telling yott this, as I know you always liked the jovial young Prince Otto, who died without issue. "European monarchs were much surprised at the American defense, but they had to accept what I had td offer them. Now in their disaster they are bonded together. “I will be glad to hear further from you. sou know that I have always taken keen interest in your movements. “With the best wishes.—Count von ■Werdensteln.’’ . •Rositta glanced once more through the letter, interpreting it. “He has received my message. They want to restore the old order. They iare anxious to get the secret of the >aerodromone, for which they offer me the Princedom Schomburg Llthow All [European monarchs are in the pact.’’ She answered the count’s letter, then Heft it and her reply open on her desk, to be read by anyone who might wish. I She dressed and went to Astra’s ’boudoir. Together they entered the dining-room in time to pee' Napoleon and Ambrosio Hale enter from the other door. Napoleon’s eyes rested with appreciation on the picture the two presented. Mr. Hale greeted them effusively, then turned to the countess, whose charms were, in many respects, even more fascinating than the President’s. A ride on horseback was scheduled for the afternoon; that old, invigoratllng sport still held Its charm, as all (were accomplished horsemen. The days were still short, and they had to hurry homeward, as they wished to reach the capital before sunset. 'Napoleon, who knew the country >est. led them through a short cut, a gpsedou- nestling between two deep

forests, end thus to a shorter road. By the time they reached the first suburb it had begun to grow dark. They had to cross the town to reach the Crystal Palace. As they passe<| under the first street" lamp two men who were standing on the corner, near an automobile, peered closely at them. One of the men grasped the other by the arm and said: “Come.” They jumped into the car and it shot forward, turning the nearest 'corner, and raced toward the north, to the heart of the city. At the new congressional building they stopped and beckoned to a man who seemed to await them.

"I tell you, Mozrak, they will pass this corner,” said one of the men impatiently. . j “But I would prefer to stand farther down, where there is a greater crowd," said the man who had been waiting. “What do you want with the crowd T’ “To help me escape,” was the laconic answer of the man called Mozrak.

“Just as you please,” assented the man in the car. “Select your own place.** The automobile with the three men went farther, where the streets and elevated sidewalks <vere crowded with people. Mozrak looked around and back, as if be expected to see some one he knew.

“Here!” The man at the wheel obeyed. “Wait for me at the next corner, with everything in readiness, and when I jump into the car you are to let her out” Mozrak left the automobile and threaded his way through the crowd. The big car turned the corner indicated and stopped. Mozrak walked far enough to get its bearings, then returned to the center of the block. His hand strayed toward his hip pocket, rested there for a second and then he stood watching the passing throng. ' - In the meantime the four on horseback neared the building in a slow trot; as they reached the busier streets their horses fell into a walk. Napoleon rode on Astra’s left and they were cloeely followed by Rositta and Hale.. They passed the building and were nearing the place where Mozrak leaned against a lamp post, smokTng contentedly. He saw the coming quartet, and took a deep breath. When they had reached the center of the block, near where he stood, his right hand went into his hip pocket Just as the four on horseback reached him he jumped toward Astra with leveled arm, and the glint of an automatic pistol was seen.

The pistol was pointed at Astra, whose horse made a nervous jump when the man came forward. Before the man could pull the trigger Napoleon’s whip hissed through the air, hitting him squarely in the face. The pistol exploded; the bullet grazed Napoleon’s right shoulder, and before the fellow could make another attempt to shoot he was seized by two onlookers and his pistol was knocked fro in his grasp. He was dazed by a blow and stood looking at them blankly. Astra fainted, but many kind and willing arms were there to prevent her falling from her horse. Rositta, who just a few minutes before was so full of joy, looked at the scene shudderingly. Napoleon, like a god of revenge, stood over the man. She could see blood oozing from hie right coat sleeve, but that blood was not the cause of her pale, terror-stricken face. It was the face of the assassin that had startled her. She knew that face. The police restored order, but before

Napoleon let the shaking wonld-be assassin go he spoke to him in a stern, low voice: “Who are you ?” “Nikolay Mozrak.” “A Russian?” The pale man simply bowed. “Who sent you to commit this most miserable deed?” Anxf he shook the man as a storm shakes a withered leaf. "It was my fate; I had to do it,” the naan answered calmly. “Miserable cur!” said Napoleon,and tossed the man into the arms of the waiting guard, then turned toward Astra. . Her eyes met those of Napoleon, apprehensively. “You are hurt!” she whispered, pointing toward bis hand. “It must be a mere scratch, as I have not felt it” The return to the palace was a silent one. Napoleon submitted to the doctor’s treatment, but his wound was slight, and when it was properly dressed he returned to the drawingroom, where Hale was doing his best to drive away the oppression caused by the accident Astra had regained her composure; her only fear was that Napoleon’s wound might be dangerous, but whan

she knew Its insignificance she felt better. Not so the Countess Roslny. The color had left her cheeks, and she sugaring into space. A face danced before her eyes, the face of the anarchist. They tried in vain to reassure her, but it was impossible. x * It took all, her will power to force a smile to her pale lips when Napoleon returned and still more to utter the words: “I am glad you were not badly hurt." During a lull in the conversation she askedjr' “What is the name of. that man?” “He said it was Nikolay Mozrak.” answefefr’ Napoleon. "Nikolay Mozrak,” she repeated slowly. "A Russian," added Napoleon. Then Mr. Hale turned the conversation into other channels. Napoleon could not but notice that after he had told the name of the assassin the countess had partly regained her composure. At eleven o’clock Rositta was on the roof of the Crystal Palace, waiting for the Hawk. Astra and Napoleon had come up to see her off. Napoleon helped her into the machine, where a tall stranger stood at the Wheel. The bird rose and took its direction and sailed off toward the west. Rositta went to the aerial chauffeur and spoke, but he signaled back that he could not hear or talk. She returned to the comfortable bench and tried to think: “Does Napoleon suspect BomethlngT Nb.ltcannot be, or he must be a wizard.” With this she lay down and in a minutes was sleeping like an innocent baby in a cradle. - ,

CHAPTER XIV. The New Clrynlth Deposit. The fact that Rositta found a stranger in the aerodromone, instead of Santos Duprel, was not the result of any suspicion on Napoleon's part. Santos had received a more important order. The substance "cirynith,” that wonderful, glittering element combined all the quail ties of glass and rubber, that was a thousand times stronger, than eteel, lighter than aluminum and absolutely indestructible, was very scarce. The volcanic island of Ciryne, where Napoleon had discovered the precious metal, was rapidly becoming depleted of the material with which to build aerodromones, and as Napoleon’s plans for the future were based "on cirynith, he must look for other sources of supply. He felt convinced that this metal must be in other places, and whenever he had time he flew over countries where he suspected its existence. x A wonderful instrument, similar to a spectroscope, was of great assistance to him in his searches. He had found some trace of cirynith in the volcanic regions in Italy, but not sufficient for his purposes, so he went farther. Immediately upon Santos’ return, from Ciryne with Rositta he had been dispatched upon this search, and Napoleon himself started out the next morning. His wound was so slight that it did not interfere with his movements, and he started early, flying toward Italy. He went slowly along the western coast of that boot-like peninsula, searching diligently, but without results. Santos was looking through the Alps. The poor fellow labored under great difficulties. His mind was not clear enough to work on the delicate radioscope. Rositta had robbed him of his peace and he dreamed more than he watched the changing colors of the little instrument.

The radioscope suddenly began to show interesting colors and recalled him from his dreams. The tiny plate that was framed in platinum glowed greenly; it was like a pale emerald, and growing more intense at every stroke of the great bird’s wings. Santos looked around. He saw a splendid picture: Toward the right great forests stretched, then came a few volcano peaks, with ancient ruins on top, and beyond all this spread a long, silver lake. Before him was-a mighty plain in the center of which stood a tremendous pyramid with the top as flat and level as though it had been sliced off with a knife. The radioscope showed plainly that this pyramidlike hill was rich in the precious cirynith. Santos was so excited that he forgot even Rositta for a while. The plateau and the whole pyramid was barren of human beings, so he descended. It had been thousands of years since the volcano had been active, and the lava composition was full of the crystale that produce cirynith. Santos gathered some in a small box and then began to figure out his geographical situation. He found that he was near the town Kis-cell, County Suemeg. “I am in Hungary,” he muttered. “And thia is a richer deposit of cirynith than the master ever expected to,find." (T()BE CONTINUED.)

Napoleon, Like a God of Revenge, Stood Over the Man.