The Men Who Wrought

ow found himself surrounded by the tasteful luxury of the saloon of the long, low, strange-loo

r exciting experience. But for Ruxton they possessed a far deeper significance. Nor was the least the feeling th

e, he had no more power to raise a hand to stay the tide of life upon which he was floating than h

y its powerful motor, surged through the water till the sea washed over its prow, and Ruxton was forced to shelter beneath

posing currents along the coast. Here the boat was tossed about like the proverbial feather, and to navigate

rds away, and the grey-green monster of the deep reared its forlorn-looking deck, with its conning-tower, its sealed hatchways, and its desolate deck

passed down the "companion" to the saloon beneath the flush deck, once more to be greeted

ting was

of warmth, shadowed for a moment. "And now that you have come I-could almost wish that I had had nothing

of the Waters Ros

influence of the woman wa

imply. "We are not fighting

ning of that regard was known only to herself. Had Ruxton possessed more vanity it is possible he

oman held o

must go, too, while the courage your words have momentarily inspire

ot travel

ly disappointed. The other

there. I know it all, as you will understand later, but-no, I return

Then, as he heard the door of the conning-tower above close with a slam, he turne

ght in the room. He knew at once that the vessel was returning once more to those depths whence he had witnessed it emerge. He gazed

ngs essentially of the character of a ship's cabin. True, there was a centre dining-table bolted to the deck, and the accompanying swinging chairs, but there was a full grand piano of German make. There were several comfortably upholstered lounges. There was exquisite plastic panelling of warm, harmonious tints on the upper parts of the walls an

in the mahogany panelling and the entrance of-Mr. Charles Smith. He came s

reeting, "you have done me a great honor, sir. You have don

inventor, almost slavishly striving to enlist sympathy for his invention. There was something about him which suggested command-even an

rust and liking which had been inspired at their first meeting by the noble forehead and the gen

ed hand. And the man seemed to expec

n you came aboard. Now I am

el there must be a lot of ta

the lounge from which Ruxton had risen, and seated hi

re supper is served. May I sen

d into the se

ined early-purposely. All I am

a keenly penetrating quality. He wanted explanation, full and exhaustive explanation. Warnings, and mere intan

gentle eyes yielded to something very like an expression of dejection. It was almost as if

s and regarded his guest wi

here shall I begin?" He crossed his long legs and strove to settle him

ed his honor and his country's honor before all things in the world suddenly finds himself called upon to confess that his country's honor has been outraged

rd of his eyes. He did not des

an, which he spoke with the perfect accent of a man educated in Frankfurt. "But it may save

startled eyes ga

old you?" h

shook h

w did yo

I desire to make

more into daylight. There was again the sound of the opening and shutting of iro

s being taken on board and stowed within the parent craft. Presently the sounds died away. Once more the light

el

self entirely to the use

or cleared

aus. Stanislaus, Pr

detail of change of expression. Yet he was not unmoved at the mention of the man's r

it? Was it not the one name, out of all the great German names associated with t

cent victims upon the high seas. The man at whose door was laid the responsibility for that inhuman massacre-the sinking of the Lusit

name," he said simply

the powder train of the P

expressive hands. "That is it. Everybody! Everybody know

he fire of his emoti

to it now? Will you listen to it with an open mind, or-or have you already sat in

assionate in her horror of the tragedy of the world war. These things had been beyond all doubt in their sincerity and truth. She was this man's daughter. She was loyally supporting her father now. Then his mind passed on

possess all the facts," he obser

was leaning forward full of an anxious, nervous expression of attitude. It almost seemed as if his guest's judgment were to him a last straw of hope. The noble forehead was a-dew with moisture. His bu

eater devotion to the problems of making possible those things which seemed impossible. In not one of the problems of invention have I ever possessed a motive other than that which has inspired every engineer engaged upon naval armaments in every other country. Never in my life have I devised any weapon for the army other than the monster siege mortar. The liquid fire, the gases, the dozen and one contrivances for slaughter have fou

g. So he went on, his body slightly swaying to and fro, his eyes assuming a p

rman Empire is taught, to believe that Germany is above and before all the nations of the world, and that, in the brief life of this earth, nothing else but German national interests matter to its people. Now mark the obvious result of such a training. I make no apology. I, beginning life in my father's little

d a secret weapon which could destroy theirs, then our empire was safe from invasion for all time. So it came about that I took plans of my great siege mortars to the authorities. They were considered, and the guns were ultimately made. On experiment they proved an instantaneous success, and I was at once given rank and wealth, and ordered to work on the development of the

iration in the tones of his voice. With each word which announced the progress of hi

to be told. Nor had he any desire to break up the man's train of thought. T

ch had lost all light and shade. He spoke lik

saster of my life was when I converted the paltry little coast defence submarines into the ocean-going pirates they afterwards became. But it was not until Germany declared a submarine blockade of these shores that I knew what I had done. Up to that time I had been a-German patriot. Fro

ce of a man who for the time is beyond all further feeling. Quite abruptly, however, he

he strangling rope of the hangman with hands tied. To my horror I found that I belonged body and soul to Germany, and my rank and wealth was the price the country had paid fo

for his crimes than I have done. I have striven, by every possible argument, to assure myself that mine was not the blame,

rt, which has saved me. She, in her great pity and love of humanity, started a fresh thought in the poor brain with which Providence endowed me. It surely was only a woman's mind could have c

ins at his temples stood out with

re staggering in their possibilities. They are so simple, yet so vast and terrible when made against England. Listen: Germany has abandoned all other naval construction in favor of my new boat-the Submersible Dreadnought. Do you realize the type? It is a heavily armored vessel with the gun-power of the surface dreadnought, and its speed, but with all the attributes of the submarine. A fleet of nominally three hundred is being constructed. It will be larger by far. In a few years it will be possible to ring your country round wi

He shifted his position. The

y the obvious retort," he said reflectively. T

Tempor

s. Both were thinking ahead, much f

Ruxton's question was not addressed to

of these two countr

es

e. Again Ruxton shifted his p

ese things. The risk wil

laughed without

has few attractions for me now. For you? My power is

fixed upon the almost cadaverous features wi

" he

on listened, as was his way, and only occasionally interpolated a shrewd, incisive question. His dark,

ad him down to the remotest depths of his honest soul. Wherever Prince Stanislaus's devotion to his life's work had l

f the plan had been ex

f under your guidance. Since the opportunity of discovering the secrets of Kiel and Cuxhaven has been vouchsa

ion his words inspired i

o that peace which I have long sought and I had come to

ut

n was

go to either Ki

was s

?" he deman

rvices is hovering over those places, and the forges and foundries are working to deceive them. But the real work and preparations I speak of are not being made in Germany at all. We go t