210 ‘ FOR THE FLAG

It is an invention which will lead to a radical change in
the art of war.”

“ Defensive, M. Serko?”

“ And offensive, Mr. Hart.”

| « Naturally,” I replied.

Then, pressing the engineer, I added,—

“ So—what no one has yet succeeded in obtaining from
Thomas Roch—”

“We have obtained it without great difficulty.”

“ By paying him—” :

“An unheard of price; and, in addition, by striking a
chord which is very sensitive in this man.”

« “What chord ?”

“ That of vengeance.”

s Vengeance—against whom?”

“ Against all those who have made themselves ‘his
enemies by discouraging him, by repulsing him, by ex-
pelling him, by constraining him to beg the price of an
invention of such incontestable superiority from country
to country! Now all idea of patriotism is extinguished
in his mind! He has but one thought, one fierce desire:
revenge on those who have slighted him. . . even on all

‘mankind! Truly, your governments of Europe and
America, Mr. Hart, are injudicious in having failed to
purchase the Roch Fulgurator at its worth.”

My informant then described, enthusiastically, the many
advantages of the new explosive, incontestably superior,
he told me, to ‘the very latest then talked of.

- “ And so destructive!” he added. “Its effect is similar