uld
almost see her house and the snow-clad trees in the park, and knew that
at that hour she was dressing for dinner, and hoped and believed that
he was in her heart. While he thus mused, one moon after another rose,
each at a different phase, till three were at once in the sky.
Adjusting the electric protection-wires that were to paralyze any
creature that attempted to come within the circle, and would arouse
them by ringing a bell, he knocked the ashes from his pipe, rolled
himself in a blanket, and was soon asleep beside his friends.

CHAPTER II.

ANTECEDENTAL.

"Come in!" sounded a voice, as Dr. Cortlandt and Dick Ayrault tapped at
the door of the President of the Terrestrial Axis Straightening
Company's private office on the morning of the 21st of June, A. D.
2000. Col. Bearwarden sat at his capacious desk, the shadows passing
over his face as April clouds flit across the sun. He was a handsome
man, and young for the important post he filled--being scarcely
forty--a graduate of West Point, with great executive ability, and a
wonderful engineer. "Sit down, chappies," said he; "we have still a
half hour before I begin to read the report I am to make to the
stockholders and representatives of all the governments, which is now
ready. I know YOU smoke," passing a box of Havanas to the professor.

Prof. Cortlandt, LL. D., United States Government expert, appointed to
examine the company's calculations, was about fifty, with a high
forehead, greyish hair, and quick, grey eyes, a geologist and
astronomer, and altogether as able a man, in his own way, as Col.
Bearwarden in his. Richard Ayrault, a large stockholder and one of the
honorary vice-presidents in the company, was about thirty, a university
man, by nature a scientist, and engaged to one of the prettiest society
girls, who was then a student at Vassar, in the beautiful town of
Poughkeepsie.

"Knowing the way you carry things in your mind, and the difficulty of
rattling you," said Cortlandt, "we have dropped in on our way to hear
the speech that I would not miss for a fortune. Let us know if we
bother you."

"Impossible, dear boy," replied the president genially. "Since I
survived your official investigations, I think I deserve some of your
attention informally."

"Here are my final examinations," said Cortlandt, handing Bearwarden a
roll of papers. "I have been over all your figures, and test