us pretense of the
American newspapers. That, at least, became the announced view of the
Old World.

And so the time passed. There was no further news of our man, there
was no response from him. He appeared no more. For my part, not
knowing what to think, I commenced to lose all hope of reaching any
solution to the strange affair.

Then on the morning of the fifteenth of July, a letter without
postmark was found in the mailbox of the police bureau. After the
authorities had studied it, it was given out to the Washington
journals, which published it in facsimile, in special numbers. It was
couched as follows:

Chapter 9

THE SECOND LETTER

On Board the Terror

July 15.

To the Old and New World,

The propositions emanating from the different governments
of Europe, as also that which has finally been made by the
United States of America, need expect no other answer than
this:

I refuse absolutely and definitely the sums offered for my
invention.

My machine will be neither French nor German, nor Austrian
nor Russian, nor English nor American.

The invention will remain my own, and I shall use it as
pleases me.

With it, I hold control of the entire world, and there
lies no force within the reach of humanity which is able to
resist me, under any circumstances whatsoever.

Let no one attempt to seize or stop me. It is, and will
be, utterly impossible. Whatever injury anyone attempts
against me, I will return a hundredfold.

As to the money which is offered me, I despise it! I have
no need of it. Moreover, on the day when it pleases me to
have millions, or billions, I have but to reach out my hand
and take them.

Let both the Old and the New World realize this: They can
accomplish nothing against me; I can accomplish anything
against them.

I sign this letter:

The Master of the World.

Chapter 10

OUTSIDE THE LAW

Such was the letter addressed to the government of the United States.
As to the person who had placed it in the mail-box of the police, no
one had seen him.

The sidewalk in front of our offices had probably not been once
vacant during the entire night. From sunset to sunrise, there had
always been people, busy, anxious, or curious, passing before our
door. It is true, however, that even then, the bearer of the letter
might easily have slipped by unseen and dropped the letter in the
box. The night had been so dark, you could scarcely see from one side
of the str