Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 66, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1914 — The Isolated Continent [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Isolated Continent

A Romance of the Rotor*

By Cuido von Horvath and Dean Hoard

Owilin, KU, by W. G. Ohußts la Ua Oalta4 f Stein ftiil hlbili. n BYNOPSIS. ~r For fifty years the continent of North America has been Isolated from the rest of the world by Z-rays, the Invention of Hannibal Prudent, president of the united government. A message from Count von Werdcnstein. chancellor of Germany, that he has succeeded In penetrating the rays hastens the death of Prudent. Dying, he warns his daughter Astra that foreign Invasion Is now certain. Astra succeeds her father as president. Napoleon Edison, a former pupil of Prudent’s, offers to assist Astra and hints at new discoveries which will make North America impregnable. A man giving the name of Chevalier dl Leon offers Werdensteln the secret of making gold in return for European disarmament. The chevalier is made a prisoner. Countess Roslny, a spy, becomes a prisoner In the hope of discovering dl Leon’s secret. She falls In love with him and agrees to Join him in an attempt to escape. By the use of rockets he summons a curious flying machine. He escapes and sends a message' to Astra which reveals the fact that he Is Napoleon Edison. He warns Astra that the consolidated fleets of Europe have sailed to Invade America. He calls on Astra the following night and explains his plans for defense. By the use of aeroplanes made of a new substance which Is Indestructible he expects to annihilate the European forces. He delivers a note to von Werdensteln on his flagship demanding immediate withdrawal. He is attacked and. by destroying two warships and several aeroplanes, forces von Werdensteln to agree to universal disarmament. The countess, who has remained In America as a guest of Astra, receives an offer from von Werdensteln of the principality of Schomburg-Llthow In return for Edison’s secret. Edison and his assistant. Santos, go In search of new deposits of the remarkable substance, cirynith. They find It on the estate of Schomburg-Lith-ow. The countess gets Santos into her clutches. She promises to reveal Edison’s secret as soon as von Werdensteln turns over the Schomburg-Llthow estate to her. On the day of the wedding of Astra and Edison the countess and Santos flee the country. Santos perfects a machine, Is made a count and marries the countess, now princess of SchomburgLlthow. Edison finds a new deposit of cirynith and builds a new fleet of airships. He accidentally discovers a liquid that will render opposing airships helpless. Santos completes a fleet for the princess. The aviators of the fleet elect ner queen. She plans to master the world. Werdensteln sends an ultimatum to America He discovers the princess’ real plans and Is In despair. CHAPTER XXll.—Continued. An hour later an aerodromone landed the chancellor In Berlin. He retired to hie library and sank into the chair before his desk In despair. The weapon that he had counted on had turned against him. He, too, was glad that\he had sent Captain Hochamberg on his mission before the visit to Suemeg. —r— — — The next day fotir aerodromones started from Suemeg. They were carrying, suspended from their bodies a tremendous bomb. Their orders were to reach the Island of Ciryne by morning of the coming day. When Washington received the news that the European monarchies, with the exception of England, had sent an ultimatum, most people simply smiled and asked: “What can they do? Napoleon 'Edison can take care of them.” Captain Von Hochamberg waited in vain for orders to reach him at Liverpool, and at eight o’clock he opened the sealed order. There was another sealed envelope in the packet and this order: “Take this letter personally to the address mentioned in the quickest possible manner.” The sealed envelope was addressed to “Mrs. Napoleon Edison, Washington, U. R. of A.” The captain left the German consulate and hurriedly secured a stateroom on the quickest route to the United States, and at eleven that morning he sailed for New York. CHAPTER XXIII. The Second Victory. It was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving day. No one would have thought that the sunshiny, clear sky would soon be the field of the first aerial encounter. Napoleon took leave of his wife and mother, assuring them that as soon as he had finished his task he would hurry back to them. After another embrace from Astra he ascended to the roof of the Crystal Palace and stepped into the Eagle. He was alone. He floated slowly toward the east. His preparations were complete. Jerome Whistler had marshaled all the men together and they had taken the aerodromones from the island. The busy little place was as silent as the grave thiß ’Tuesday morning. Napoleon rose high in the air and connected his ’graph with young Sullivan who, with his three helpers, had been patrolling the Pacific Ocean all night. Young Sullivan told him that they had sighted four blue-flagged aerodromones headed for America an hour before. They were grouped together and carried a large, heavy object. s Napoleon told Sullivan to stop them and make them drop the object into the ocean. If they refused to obey (Sullivan was ordered to use his judgment In his treatment of them, but they were not to be permitted near toe coast. Young Sullivan bowed and the connection was broken.

The yemii bub mi nbig the Bust, the machine Santos Duprel had used. He went straight forward to meet the four strange aerodromones that were approaching slowly, being handicapped by the tremendous weight they were carrying. He signaled for his three men to come to his assistance. They answered from the north and south and he knew that they would hasten to him. He sped onward, meeting the four strange aerodromones. They had slackened their pace and the foremost answered Sullivan’s “Hello.” “What do you want?” he asked in German, through the speaking tube. “I want you to drop that balloon that you are carrying into the ocean right here!” replied Sullivan, decidedly, in the same language. “We’ll drop it in good time, my friend.” When the four aerodromones refused to stop their flight toward Ciryne,—Sullivan made a dart forward and upward and those in the burdened crafts, knowing the significance of that upward dart, rose also. “Will you drop that?” shouted Suk livan. The answer was a hail of bullets. Sullivan was surprised to see that they bored into the protecting shell of his machine. They did not entirely penetrate the cirynith. “That is something new,” thought he. After the return to Ciryne he examined those bullets and found each tipped with diamond chips. He saw, in the distance, two other aerodromones coming in answer to his call for assistance. The four hostile aerodromonee continued their fire, and finally Sullivan pulled the lever that discharged the collected lightning. Tt struck the metal shell of the bomb and the next second an explosion came that sent the flock of machines high up into the air. Sullivan’s ’dromone, being to one side, did not suffer the shock that the others had, and he succeeded in spreading the wings and checking the upward flight r- The nature of cirynith was such that the aerodromones escaped without much damage, hut had the explosive found a greater resistance than air there would have been great havoc among the machines. The awful shock In the air was felt by Napoleon, who was circling above Madeira. He knew what had happened, as his aerial instruments told him that the disturbance had been in the air and not on the earth’s surface. Ciryne was safe. He had been Vaiting for Rositta, but now, fearing that her feet had been diverted to another course, he hastened to meet her. Just as he sighted the Spanish coast he saw, spread out. in a great crescent, seventeen birds. He recognized the “Princess” as the glittering bird in the center, leading. His powerful telescope showed the Princess Rositta and two men were in the foremost machine. He began to elevate the Eagle, without advancing, and the flotilla of the Princess Rositta also glided upward. Thus he knew that he was seen. He still faced them and the distance between them was rapidly diminishing. He watched the oncoming Princess closely and saw that one of the two men was Santos, strangely chankW-Tfie Bate and he seemed taller. The other man was a stranger, dressed in the uniform of Rositta’s fleet. Hardily two miles separated the Eagle and the Princess wheh Napoleon turned and flew at full speed toward America. The Princess followed. The larger bird slowly gained on the retreating Eagle. Rositta’s eyes glowed with excitement; the man whom she feared, loved and hated was running from her. It seemed as though they gained on him with more rapidity; half a mile, then a quarter, then only yards were between them. Rositta was now sure of her prey and clutched the railing behind Santos, whispering sweet and encouraging words in his ear. She shook from the excitement of the

chase and never noticed that the sixteen aerodromones had been left far behind.. ~~ The Princess was' hardly a hundred yards behind the Eagle when she began to rise slowly., The distance was diminished to fifty, twenty-five yards, when something happened that opened the eyes of the pursuer. Napoleon made a dip, enforced by the power of the wings, so quickly that the Princess had sped onward several miles before they could check its flight Rositta looked back and saw the great Eagle shoot forward, with its wings touching the smooth water noyf and again, thus seeming to

give twice as much speed. The student was willing to learn and imitated Napoleon’s action, getting on his trail just as he passed beneath him. 'They quickly passed from the horizon of the sixteen other aerodromones. Napoleon was again far in advance when he began to ascend rapidly. As he k»se, he saw with satisfaction the faint blue line ot the American coast. The Princess was pressing him closely, rising as he rose. The Eagle slowed down and let them come nearer, then lie turned about and faced them. They were rising, each trying to gain in elevation. Rositta cried to Santos: “Why can’t we rise faster?” “There are three of us and only one of Napoleon.” “Did you hear that, Sulamov?” sharply said Rositta. He bowed submissively. “Your ancestors were always ready to die for their sovereign; are you?" “I am!” "Thank you!” She smiled at the Russian and pointing to the side door of the aerodromone, continued: “This way, my boy, we are too heavy.” Sulhmov kissed her hand and opened the door calmly. With a last ardent look, he jumped. The Princess leaped upward, gaining rapidly on the Eagle. Rositta urged Santos and watched Napoleon, who was following every move of the attacking Princess closely. He could have dipped again and run away, but that was not his game. They almost touched, and the Princess Rositta shouted through the speaking tube: "Give up, Mr. Peace President; you have no chance!” Indeed, It seemed so; the larger bird made a leap toward the Eagle that was below her, but a twist of the steering wheel saved him. Napoleon was watching the east anxiously, and Rositta’s eyes were focused on Napoleon. She felt sure that he was helplessly prolonging the surrender, This d&ngerous play went on until Napoleon could see the widely extended fleet of aerodromones with his naked eye. He dipped downward, and stopped in the air, about two hundred feet above the surface of Pamlico Sound. There the Eagle awaited the Princess. As she made a desperate rush for him, he escaped again, almost by a miracle, then turned and darted after the Princess madly, changing from the pursued into the pursuer. They rose upward together and Napoleon waved a smiling salute to the princess. The aerodromones of the latter were approaching steadily. She seemed to have forgotten them entirely in the heat of the pursuit, while she was the aggressor, but now, when Napoleon turned against her, she quickly turned to the stylograph and gave orders to her fleet to close in upon them, but not to interfere until it was necessary for her safety. Napoleon plainly heard the message and waited until she had broken connection, then he faced her machine and unhurriedly pulled a lever that was connected with the tube that had been lately attached to all his aerodromones. A thick stream of white liquid shot out and landed squarely upon tfee left wing of the Princess. The bird trembled. Santos calmly turned on the emergency dry battery and, like a great wounded bird, the Princess began to settle downward. The white stream was stopped, a deft turn of the wheel, a well-directed move and the Eagle slipped between the wings of the Princess, and she was a prisoner. Rositta was as pale as death. The terrible disappointment of losing, when victory was so near, made her faint. Then she remembered her fleet and signaled orders quickly. She had not noticed that Napoleon, just before he turned on the liquid that had disabled her machine, had hoisted a red signal, and a great fleet of aerodromones rose from the coast along North Carolina and silently closed in on the fleet of the enemy. The formation of Pamlico made this maneuver easy and Napoleon had cleverly led Rositta and her fleet into the trap. He turned his Eagle landward and, weighted as he vas, moved slowly away. His men had been fully Instructed in regard to their action and Whistler led them. (TO BE CONTINUED.)

It Struck the Metal Shell of the Bomb and the Next Second an Explosion Came.