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ByCSPyMond Synopsis of Chapters I and II. The United States is about to go to war with a foreign nation. The em ployes of the government power s.ta tion which supplied Washington and New York with electricity for light, heat and power, are expecting orders to supply heavier current. Atsins, an electrician at the station obtains leave to place an invention of his before the head of the United States Army at Washington. He obtains an interview with the General who is favorably im pressed with the annihilating appara tus and gives directions for its instal lation under the supervision of its in ventor. Chapter III To the surprise of the nation, Con gress held back during the day, a nar row fringe of conservative members standing between the country and war. The news service, which had picked up again and was voluminous and detailed once more, still carried the prediction that war was inevitable and could be only delayed. Meanwhi - the stolid helplessness t the War Department. which had blan keted even the energetic efforts of the department chiefs to do the best they could at the eleventh hour, had give' away to a feverish activity extending even to departments unaware of th purpose. Atsins had taken a fast express ship back to Susquehanna, returning at top speed with the concentrator, the plans of which he bad shown Shod and Mon trus. and which, many months before, he had constructed. Shod h.d his orders regarding power, orders which carried a sig nificance to him but to none other at the power station. At No. 10 Sending Station, Atsins, with an army of electricians and mechanics under him, worked at nerve racking speed during the day. Mon trus, possessed by a devil of im patience. foreboding, and fear, could not contain himself either in the office or at the station. The work progressed; the death dealing concentrator went into place; DESTRUCTION OF THlE Gi reinforcement was added to every de tail of the station; its capacity was' increased to the limits of possibility. Night had come and was advancing. Still Congress held to its tense debate. Ten o'clock came: and Atsins sought|I Montrus, finding him nervously pacing I back and forth in his office. The young electrician was calm and charged with quiet confidence. "If' we can get their location, they will not leave," he said. "Maybe you cannot furnish it'?" "'We can if we can get Curtis again," said Montrus. '"What if we can't?" "Then we shall have to take them when we get it." replied Atsins. "It would be safer to annihilate them be fore they start." "Try for Curtis again," ordered the general, turning to the aide in the room. They waited for an answer which came back presently. The ope rator at the Sending Station No. 5 re ported that his efforts were not suc cessful. and he advised against many repetitions "It endangers him." he said. "He will report when he can." With nothing to do but wait, in nervous tension. they saw the hours mount to 12. Then came a bulletin from Congress. The vote was about to be taken. Of the result there could be no doubt, and there was none in the minds of the men sitting in the office. There had been none from the start: and yet. now that the moment had come, they looped at each other, pale' faced anid heavy-eyed. "Come outside," said Montrus to At Courtezy Te mca . sins. "Well feel better in the open. Before they could step out of th door, a messenger came in. "Curtis reports," he said. "The flee has left Kiel. He will send location. "Tell Curtis," said Montrus speakin low-voiced, 'that the (utcome of thi war depends on him. We want the k cation. We must have it. If he ca send ele:trographs, send them; bu first the location." Wth ATsins. he walked out into th night. The shy was black. The ai was heavy and wet. A gentle drizzl was starting.. The two men took a few dee breaths, and tlin turned to each other Neither spoke. but. each held out Th hand. One close grasp. anl thcy parted, Atsins for the sending station MIontrus for the tower. When the latter stepped off The ele vator at the top, he found two assis1 nts busy with the reflector. Far awa: i the drizzle were the lights of Wash ington and the Capitol. The general glanceO at the bulletin, but it tcld hin nothing new. The roll-call was being 'layee by members who insisted or explaining their votes, notwithstand i - tha+ the3 and the others had reach ed tht, limits of human endurance. HE glan'er' at the other board. which woul( give him in duplicate any word tha. migh come from Curtis. It was blank; but as he looked, it flashed out with "52 30 17 N. 0 53 34. 9 E." "We've goc i " he almost gasped; and then he turned to the assistants, jerking out his commands: "Ready there. We ought to get some thing from Curtis in a moment. Tell the Capitol we must have instant no tice of the declaration." At another televue he got Atsins at Sending Station No. 10. There they also had a duplicate of Curtis' message giving the longitude and latitude of the hostile fleet. 'Ready?" asked the general. "Ready." said the electrician. Montrus enveloped' his head in the hood at the reflector-hardly a necessi ty, so black was the night. Across the Atlantic, day had broken, and Curti: had the light he needed in his electro EAT GERMAN AIR FLEET. photography and transmission. Some wthere abov e the hostile fleet, Montrus knew, the scout hungo precariously in a position to send not only informa tion but a continuous reflection of the movements of the airships. He might be discovered, but that was the hazard of his occupation. If he were well concealed by distance, and out of the path of the enemies' scouts, he would win out. If otherwise, he at least had done his duty to the best of his ability. With one finger on a button whicli would give the signal to Atsins, the general waited word from the Capitol Sixty seconds after the vote had beer taken and war declared, the worki would know it. The hostile fleet wouk' know it almost as soon as Montrus. I was in the arrogance of superior foret tha' the enemy had waited the forma beginning of hostilities. Ripples of light were chasing enc] other across the reflector: shadow2 forms appeared and disappeared il vapors and f'-s. Then came an outlina growing - distinct, and presentl: he had the picture again. Outside the hood was the blac1i drizzling night: inside, the face of th reflector was glowing with a pictur of clouds lighted by the early rays ( the sun and of a fleet of airships lai guidly floating at rest. Montrus ctr'1' see the flags floatin from the ships. could see their torpedt tubes and the graceful movementc one here and there as it changed pos tion slightly. .One oL the assistants at his sic thiough the hood: "Heres the flash. \\ ar's decla red." The general twitched with suppress ed excitenteit. For a moment longer, he watched the picture in the reflector. Then he saw that the fleet had the news. Across the Atlantic the in stantaneous service had carried the de claration of war. Far below him was the chief city of his nation, now subdued in the know ledge that it and the nation had been brought to the final test. In the send e ing station was the man on whom his nation's hopes de:ended. He frmly t pressed the button. In the reflector he saw the enemy's squadron move. Ire knew that it had been in readiness to start, and on the instant of the receipt of the tidings was setting forth. If it came unmo lested, as it had every right to expect it would, there could be but one result to his nation. It seemed an eternity of time as he watched the reflector. Suddenly one of the ships disap peared in a blotch which sent confused shadows over the reflector. Montrus tremiled a his exc-itement. The pi:tuib grce clear for an in stant. Then another blur-a quick succession of blurs, between which he ould see nothing. He grew dizzy, and held tightly to the supports of the reflector to steady himself. His unblinking eyes were so held by the grim, silent chaos of de struction portrayed Lefore him, that the seeing faculty seemed a thing apart from him and separated completely by his dazed condition. The tumultuous heaving and blur ring on the reflector cleared away. It revealed a torn and shattered fleet two-thirds of the ships had vanished completely, others beating feebly and in their last efforts, others slowly sinking through the air, a few trying to escape from an unseen terror. General Montrus, veteran though he was, shuddered at the horror of the' sight. 'U tseen, unheard, softly through the thick darkness, the wireless death had swept that proud aerial fleet out of existence in one tense instant. And Atsins, the shock-headed youth, was the destroyer, sitting calmly up there in the sending station, with one -soiled1 hand on the lever of his great, terrible concentrator. It was he who hal uti lized the means formerly used to send messages, to bear intelligence across boundless areas, which, increased a hundred thousand-fold in voltage, had now carried absolute destruction. Still breathing heavily, Montrus threw off the hood, coming back to the utter blackness and the drizzle of the Washington night. A bulletin was flashed on the board which carried the duplicates from Curtis. "Fleet gone-Vanished in Convul- I sion-Pictures Actual and Aczurate Disturbance not caused by defects but by destruction of fleet-Can't explain it, but America is saved." Montrus turned the wireless televue on to the sending station, and saw At. sins sitting quietly on a box in one corner of the little room, gravely I smoking a short pipe, his shock of blonde hair badly rumpled, a smile on his freckled face. "Atsins"-the com mander-in-chief was trying hard to -con trol flis voice-Atsins. You have saved us. It is all over. Their fleet was an nihilated." It seemed to the old soldier, veteran of a dozen campaigns. absurdly imnpos. sible that the safety of a great nation' should have been ptit into the hands of that grimly boy in blue overalls. "It worked all right, didnt it' At sins answered calmly. "Come over here," MIontrus went on Hurry and come. To-morrow Con gress'll be giving you a vote of thanks yot'll be a bigger man than old Dewey ever was."Atn' A troubled frown came onAti' face. "xcuse me, please. general," he said. "I'm going back to the shop. I've jtist thought of a big improvement on my concentrator. Good night." Longest Climb in the World. Imagine making the ascent of Mount Wasnington by means of a staircase. But a feat akin to this many travellers iL China have accomplished in going to the top of the holy mountain, some six thousand feet. above Taingan-fu. The road leading to it is the best in all I the kingdom. About a mile north of the city walls stands a large gate amid the ruins of a once flourishing suburb. Leading from this gate the road is lined with temples, convents and shrines, where pilgrims stop to pray if they are fortunate enough to rid themu selves of the hordes of beggars. Where the real ascent begins there is a stone portal which is inscribed - ith the fact that here the great Con fucius halted 2,600 years ago, not hav ing the strength to ascend the six thousand stone steps leading to the top. These Taischan stairs are by far the highest in the world, for, taking the number of steps in one story of an orinary house to be twenty, the num er of~ Taischan steps equals three hundred stories. The coolics will carry a pilgrim up the stairs and back, a dis tance of twice sixteen mices, for thirty cents--fifteen cents for each coohie. When the ascent is made one finds himself upon a large plateau, which is covered with numerous temples and s~tone monuments. The main temple is that of the holy mother, consisting of several buildings surrounded by a stone wall. The several courts are adorned with magnificent statues and monuments of bronze, with a huge statue of the holy mother on the altar These doors atre opened once only each year, when an imperial commis sion comes to collect the money offer ings of the pilgrims. By means of a substantial "tip" the guard may be in duced to push the bar of the main gate aside, so that one may have a glimpse within. The floor of this large temple is usually filled with a heap of coins of every description. size, and value, probably represent ing $10,000 in American curren"y The money is Alivided among the --" vents and beggars of the holy moun' tan, but the largest share goes i to the pockets of that enterprisingI lady, the Dowager Empress. - In all Cuban cigar factories in the f West Indies. Key West and Tampa, a -'ublic reader is em->loyed. This man occupies a high seat and reads aloud enewpapers, maaazines and novels "THE DECIDER" A New Trap for Women Who Hesi tate About What to Duy. An ingenicus attempt is now being m1l:ale in some of the big department establjishments to assist the opinions of undecided women who come to shop. Every salesman and every sales woman knows the woman who haunts the bargain sales, flutters from count er to counter, is shown goods until the attendants are driven to distraction, thinks she will buy everything, and finally invests in a yard and a half of pink ribbon, simple because she is absolutely incapable of making up her own mind as to what she wants. Drapers have long tolerated this form of mental weakness. Now they have revolted, and the day of the "De cider" has come. The Decider is an American insti tution, and Gibsonian at that. She is beautiful as to face and features, and always gowned to perfection. Her duty is to induce the doubtful to buy. To the customer she appears as a customer, with the earnest intense "sale face" that one now sees every day in the big stores. She sees a custom. a little worse dressed than herself hesitating over the purchase of a dress length of chif fon velvet. The shopman hag done his best to persuade the lady that it is the superlative bargain of the season. "You ought to take it at once, mad am." he says. eagerly: "if you leave it to think the matter over, you will regret it." "I suppose so," the lady says, "but I want to look about first: it is so hard o decide-an evening gown is so very important." And she surveys the Iress length again from three different tngles. Entrapping the V.ctim. It is now the Decider's moment to step in., Pretending to have noticed he chiffon velvet, for the first time. she thrusts out a perfectly, gloved and, and eagerly catches hold of an:' nd of the material. She hangs it up gainst her fingure, and looks at it dmiringly. The doubtful lady looks nnoyed, gives the chiffon a tug, but he. Decider holds on. "If you are not going to buy this ress length," she says, "I will take it t is the only one I suppose," she adds. urning to the attendant, and is told t is. Meanwhile the genuine customer has ibserved the exquisite "turn but" of Lhe eager "sale-hawk," as she im lrines the Decider to be. If si el - ant a person is anxious to buy the stuff it must be worth securing, she rgues, so without further doubt she says sharply; "But I am going to take it." The transaction is closed, and the seeming y chagrined Dc-ler disappears, Having settled this little business of he chiffon velvet she sails off to.the ur department. Here she fixes on a sallow-face& 'oung wife, who has brought her hus and to help in the choice of a set of 'urs. "Do you like it, dear?" the lanky irl-wife asks, holding up a white boa "Is $22 too much for this, and the nuff?" She has $400 a year of her own, and e has his pay'as a lieutenant in the rtillery, so he decides to be gracious. "No, $22 isn't too much." he re lies, but isn't the whole thing a bit oo light--for-" he stops. Then another is brought out but he ,~jects to it too. "I hate these ashy olored things." he says petulantly. Oh: take it off." "Well, dear, what am I to do? You hink the first one is too light and he other one is too ashy." The tone s despairing. "Try this one on again madam," ays the saleswoman, and the wife uns to take it but it is gone. She ids herself confronted with the ele ant figure of the Decider, who has rrayed herself in the boa and abol ster muff. The young wife looks at her hus and and sees his eyes fixed on the harming vision of bright hair, bright ves, gleaming teeth, and warm com lexion, set off by the fluffy softness f the boa and muff. Entirely for. etful of her own sallow appearance, he quickly makes up her mind to ave that boa-it is so very becomitig. "I think dr'-"" she says to her hus-: and, "that this is just what I want am sure mamma would-like it. Her usand is still gazing at the pretty Decider" arrayed 'in the boa, and nswers her jerkily. "Yes, it's pretty." he says, absent indedly, "awfully becoming to-to es, it is so clean and fresh-looking. sn't it?" You can't do better; have t." In another second the boa and ~uff are both in the shoe girl's hands. Lnd the pale wife is giving her ad ress. The Decider is liberably paid. She iraws a regular salary, and in ad. ition receives a commission on all ~ales effected through her interference. ['he profession opens up a new vista or attractive women whom circum stances have forced into the labor narket. Fine Indian Photographs. We recently published an illustra tion of Indian Twins which should tiave been credited to Major Lee Moore tiouse of Pendelton, Oregon, who has perhaps one of the best collection of ndian pictures of the north west. ~Iajor Moorehouse's famous pictures of the Cayuse Twins has had more re ognition, perhaps, than any other ndian photograph ever taken and he has now issued an album containing other striking pictures. "The Last utpost of a Dying Race" is a plictur esque phioto~rraphi of a lone Indian teT)ee r wigwam with a background of dark landscape, suggestive in the extreme of the title of the picture. Many of the Moorehouse pictures attracted much attention at the Lewis and Carke Exposition. 45c DiSH PAN SAVED * By Usisg St. John's Tin Mender and . a Match. 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The Greatest English Story Of Modern Times. - Lauhte r of the Duke of da 4ndon and lives and tols with the poor. A trling ry awe in the~ getest city in the ltsbould berad by everyone desiring to Idad t e of hat story has a thrill. It carrries yoM ofa the humdrum of every day existence intoa sphere of enthnsbtam arensra ofth Captain Co nroy -~ . Arthur, eo ei4 '- a-EE LsI f ol -- AEACTE - - C- mmissioner? LERREG A- A East End friend-of L ALdAd-The Trror. auntry, you should have you Cfl~~nread it, so - iey may understand 'hat lire In ab bcity ~ oud rea this storyto aied bnhe eortt form London's East thycongtng rid hugyloigc her heart. As you r I, ea d this wonderful V . arrative of the condi oniiof life in agreat = ore fully the esings The suor adsuf-N ec author of this won adwome serchn iturbuln tsearah nao by the an ~ws ofblf that she ssher oespl one the arsocrc and takes her lf or ascinates strangel but It also edncate It is r'gr e Engis tor eve ritte. - ~Wonderful work oft the &vion Army inex oohthe freedom of / ~ "you love yonrechll Sowill want the / ~to redthis story that / they may know the har rors, the dangers and Sed with the old farm ohn!c rea that the ejran e u meadt characterhsbg tie -eyes which gaze out from the thron atth / stoy poit to the ideals S n wakening vr - ~Applin,.it author, wll 'Th str alne is worth t.50. but yucan get t ali th IOLS AOo310NT1Ytle ears for 25c. Don't miss the openingcasebe. muse it is fascinating from the very frtlns Other stories of ad ave prhaseda se thefollwlng: The Entfishma's Ad. renttwse." The Maniac'3 Manu script," 'HsCateof Heart."* Flirtation." " HeartsLed mly to many to ist We want to Include rou in the thousands eders of ourrmga ine. You won't want o0 miss any of these sories, 5o remember any I c o ne Iai year, but we can cdeL with the deem eein. In.thrIli. aedcatinlg. Send your solerfp ROUTSEHOLD MONTHLY,