and Wisconsin, from
end to end without anyone of our agents giving us warning, without
any interested person rushing to a telephone?

After these two momentary appearances, if appearances they were, the
machine again dropped out of knowledge. Mr. Ward did not think it
worth while to dispatch me and my men to either point whence it had
been reported.

Yet since this marvelous machine seemed still in existence, something
must be done. The following official notice was published in every
newspaper of the United States under July 3d. It was couched in the
most formal terms.

"During the month of April, of the present year, an automobile
traversed the roads of Pennsylvania, of Kentucky, of Ohio, of
Tennessee, of Missouri, of Illinois; and on the twenty-seventh of
May, during the race held by the American Automobile Club, it covered
the course in Wisconsin. Then it disappeared.

"During the first week of June, a boat maneuvering at great speed
appeared off the coast of New England between Cape Cod and Cape
Sable, and more particularly around Boston. Then it disappeared.

"In the second fortnight of the same month, a submarine boat was run
beneath the waters of Lake Kirdall, in Kansas. Then it disappeared.

"Everything points to the belief that the same inventor must have
built these three machines, or perhaps that they are the same
machine, constructed so as to travel both on land and water.

"A proposition is therefore addressed to the said inventor, whoever
he be, with the aim of acquiring the said machine.

"He is requested to make himself known and to name the terms upon
which he will treat with the United States government. He is also
requested to answer as promptly as possible to the Department of
Federal Police, Washington, D. C., United States of America."

Such was the notice printed in large type on the front page of every
newspaper. Surely it could not fail to reach the eye of him for whom
it was intended, wherever he might be. He would read it. He could
scarce fail to answer it in some manner. And why should he refuse
such an unlimited offer? We had only to await his reply.

One can easily imagine how high the public curiosity rose. From
morning till night, an eager and noisy crowd pressed about the bureau
of police, awaiting the arrival of a letter or a telegram. The best
reporters were on the spot. What honor, what profit would come to the
paper which was first to publish the famous news! To know at