e that, three days after it was issued, it should
be in the hands of M. Delcasse. He read it with a lively pleasure. He
was beginning to enjoy life again. He knew that the tone of his
ultimatum had astonished the German ambassador; but he also knew that,
while the German press still talked of the national honour and of
Germany's duty to Morocco, the inner circle about the Emperor was
distinctly ill at ease. The Emperor himself had been invisible for some
days, and was reported to be suffering with a severe cold.

After reading the order, Delcasse summoned Marbeau.

"How do your plans shape themselves?" he asked.

"Admirably, sir," answered the wireless chief. "We shall be ready to
start to-morrow."

"When is the test to take place?"

"If everything goes well, one week from yesterday, at noon."

"You must use great care. The Germans are on their guard. Here is
something that will interest you."

Marbeau took the order and read it carefully.

"If the magazines are flooded," Delcasse pointed out, "we can do
nothing."

"It will be something to have occasioned the destruction of so much
ammunition," Marbeau rejoined; "but we are not taking that chance. All
our instruments will be tuned and tested before we start. The Germans
will hear those signals but once."

A little tremour passed across Delcasse's face.

"You believe in this invention?" he asked. "You have investigated it?"

Marbeau shrugged his shoulders.

"I know nothing more of it than you do, sir. M. Vard tells me nothing,
shows me nothing, persists in working alone. He is most jealous of it.
But yes--I believe; when I remember the twenty-fifth of September, I
cannot but believe!"

Delcasse was pacing to and fro, his hands behind him.

"Sometimes I doubt, Marbeau," he said. "Sometimes I doubt. The
destruction of _La Liberte_ may have been one of those strange
coincidences which sometimes happen. And sometimes I hesitate; sometimes
I draw back before the idea of this demonstration. For Morocco we no
longer need it; I have in my possession a paper which will win that
battle for us. But then, when I falter, the thought of France's future
nerves me. So I stand aside and let the test proceed. But I warn you
again, Marbeau, to be most careful. Do not neglect to provide a way of
escape. Failure this time is of little consequence--we can always try
again; but under no circumstances must this machine fall into the hands
of Germany; and for you and for Vard