The other--he studied again--the strongly marked angular features, the large brilliant eyes, big nostrils and high forehead. He could be used for the first steps--it might be necessary to hang him later. All right, he would use him and then let him hang himself--suicide was common with his type. Waldron smiled, quickly approached the table and took his seat. He nodded to Meyer and spoke suavely: “Your invention has been perfected?” The deep lines about the thinker’s mouth twitched. He suddenly thrust his hand in his pocket, drew out a box and placed it under the light. “I have it with me.” Mora bent close and Waldron watched keenly as Meyer opened the leathern case and exposed the new device which he had promised to perfect. “Examine the mechanisms,” he said, passing it to Waldron. “It’s perfectly harmless at present. The clockwork inside is as delicate as a Swiss watch.” The master of the house placed the smooth round surface to his ear, listened, laughed softly and passed it to Mora. Meyer spoke with the certainty of positive knowledge, holding Waldron’s eye with a steady gaze. “I guarantee to stop the trade of this money-grabbing nation with all belligerents. I’ll sink a ship from inside her hold as slick as that torpedo ten days ago got the _Lusitania_--” Waldron made no reply. His jaw merely closed tightly. The throb of an automobile climbing the steep roadway from the river drive struck the window. Waldron rose, listened a moment, walked to the casement and looked out. A tall, distinguished-looking man with deep-cut lines in his strong face, who moved with military precision, opened the door of the tonneau without waiting for the chauffeur and leaped out. The flunkey in the hall was evidently expecting his arrival. Villard whispered to the servant who closed the door quickly and led the way to the library. The new guest was evidently nervous in spite of his well drilled manners. In his right hand he gripped an extra edition of a New York sensational evening paper. Villard himself brushed the flunkey aside and rapped on the library door. Waldron opened and closed it instantly on his entrance. There was no mistaking the fact that the newcomer bore an important message. His deep, cold, blue eyes glowed with excitement and his hand visibly trembled. He drew his host to the window, opened the crumpled copy of the paper and pointed to its huge head lines: CONGRESSMAN VASSAR OF NEW YORK INTRODUCES BILL DEMANDING A GREAT NAVY AND A MILLION TRAINED MEN FOR DEFENSE! “This is a serious business”--Villard said curtly. Waldron smiled: “Serious--yes--unless we know how to meet the crisis. I happen to know--” “It can be defeated then?” “It will be defeated,” was the quiet reply. “Many bills are introduced into our supreme law-making body, Villard--but few are passed. This is one that will die an early and easy death--” “You are sure?”