L. P. M. (The End of The Great War) | Page 5

which they came in contact in their
futile struggle to escape destruction.
Edestone loved to watch these little smoke phantoms, their first mad
rush to assume their beautiful form and the persistency with which they
clung to it until overtaken by another, were brushed aside, or else
drifted on in wavering elongated outlines and so gradually disappeared.
They suggested to his fancy the struggling nations of the world, battling
with the currents and cross-currents near the storm-scarred old earth,
and continually endeavouring to rise above their fellows to some
calmer strata, where serene in their original form they could look down
with condescension upon their harassed and broken companions below.
The little rings were, however, more interesting to him for another and

more practical reason. It was their toroidal movement around a circular
axis which moved independently in any direction that first suggested to
him the principles of his discovery.
Before him the fire upon the hearth sang and crackled as it tore asunder
the elements that had taken untold ages to assemble in their present
form, and with the prodigality of nature was joyfully rushing them up
the chimney to start them again upon their long and weary journey
through the ages.
The bubbles coming into existence in the bottom of his glass, rushing
in myriads through the pale yellow liquid to the top and obliteration, set
the thin glass to vibrating like the sound of distant bells.
From his workshop came the soft purr of rapidly moving machinery,
punctuated now and again by the roar of the heavy railroad trains that
thundered past his little flag station.
Had he seen then what the future had in store for him, had he realized
that he was in that well-beloved environment for the last time, he
would not have hesitated to have gone on along the road that he had
marked out for himself. It would simply have made the wrench at
parting a little bit more severe.
His musing was interrupted by his man, who had attracted his attention
by noiselessly rearranging on the table the objects that were already in
perfect order.
"Mr. Page is outside, sir."
It was a call to action. Edestone, without changing his position, said:
"Tell him to come in." And then taking two or three deep puffs at his
cigar, he blew out into the clear space in front of him a large and
perfectly formed ring. Rising he followed it slowly as it drifted across
the room, twisting and circling upon itself. Then with a low laugh,
which was almost a sigh, after sticking his finger through its shadowy
form, with a sweep of his powerful hand he brushed it aside.

"Good-bye, little friend," he said, "we have had many good times
together, and whatever you may have in store for me, I promise never
to complain. Let us hope that I shall use wisely and well the knowledge
which you have given me."
Turning quickly at some slight sound, which told him that he was no
longer alone, he threw his shoulders back, and with his head high in the
air there came over his clean-shaven face a look of quiet determination,
a look before which those who were born to rule were so soon to quail.
Then, with a complete change of manner, upon seeing his old friend
and fellow-workman, his face lighted up, and he laughed:
"Well, old 'Specs,' I'm back, you see, and the 'Dove of Peace' is safely
caged. He came to hand with scarcely even a struggle." Then as he
looked down into the other's worn and haggard eyes which peered up at
him through their round, horn-rimmed spectacles, his voice softened
and he spoke with a touch of compunction.
"By Jove, old chap, you look all in. I've been driving you boys a bit too
hard; but don't you worry. I'm off in the morning, and then you'll have a
chance to take it easier. Soon our beautiful Little Peace Maker," he
winked, "will be tucked safely away in some quiet corner, and you
scientific fellows can devote all your attention to your beloved bridge,
while I bid up The Hague Conference for a no-trump hand.
"But to business now. How did the films for the moving pictures come
out?"
"Splendidly."
"Good. I'll have you run them over for me presently. I don't want to
show too much when I give my performances for Royalty, you
understand; just enough to scare them to death. And how about the
wireless? Did you test that out, and tune it to my instruments, as I asked
you?"
With a satisfactory answer to this also, he ranged off rapidly into a

dozen other inquiries.
"Does Lee understand exactly where he is to go, and what he is to do, if
by any