Edestone looked at him in surprise, for instead of the simple, smiling old gentleman, with the soft gentle voice and fatherly manner, he saw a crafty, dangerous, and determined man of steel. His voice was cold and harsh, his winning smile had gone. He had come to fight and to fight desperately to the finish. “In the first place,” he continued, “we do not know exactly what is the relationship between you,” looking at Edestone, “and the United States of America,” with a wave of his hand toward Jones, “and as there can now be no reason for further concealment, since we are virtually on the verge of a declaration of war--a step which I am here to prevent if possible--I will say that it makes no difference to His Imperial Majesty’s Government what that relationship may be, so long as Germany gets the use of Mr. Edestone’s invention. But we will declare war upon the United States tomorrow night unless we get an assurance from you that we shall have the exclusive right to the one and only flying machine in which this invention has been installed.” At this Jones looked over at Edestone with a glance of inquiry. “Yes,” said Edestone in answer to this, “there is only one.” “Germany understands, of course,” proceeded the General, “that the United States will construct others, but so will Germany. Germany is willing and prepared to pay well for this, although she knows that by holding Mr. Edestone she controls this machine and could have it without paying for it. We admit that we do not know where it is, but we are confident that Mr. Edestone does,”--he turned upon Edestone the look of a wild beast who has his prey and loves to torture it,--“and we intend that he shall communicate with the commander and see that this ship is sent to some place where we can take possession of it.” And then with a grim smile he leaned forward on the table, looking first at the Secretary and then at Edestone. “You are both virtually prisoners in this Embassy,” he said. “That is my hand.” “Then we are now at war,” said the Secretary with a quiet smile. “No,” replied the General, “it has not come to that yet. And it does not necessarily have to come to that. We should be able to arrange this matter here tonight. As I have said, Germany will pay well. She is willing to start on even terms with the United States, who can build just as fast as we can. Germany will bring this war to an end within a week, and then she and the United States can come to an agreement as to how they will divide up the rest of the earth.” Edestone smiled and made no answer. The Secretary said: “I can do nothing until I have communicated with my Government.”