Meanwhile Billie was still "haunting" Mona, and shortly was able to
tell the other three that Fort had called, taking the surgeon out in
a machine large enough to hold them both. They proceeded to a
near-by park, where a game of aerial punt-ball was already in
progress. [Footnote: The game is described more or less completely
in various sporting publications.]
Billie took great interest in the darting play of the little flylike
machines, the action of the mechanical catapults, and the ease with
which the twelve-inch ball was usually caught in the baskets on the
machines' prows. She reported the score from time to time in a
manner which would have made a telegrapher jealous.
Returning from the game, Mona and Fort became pretty confidential,
the natural result of a common enthusiasm; for their side won. But
Fort was content for a while to merely watch Mona, who was driving.
Finally the conversation made an opening for him to say, "I asked
your mother, Mona, what she thought of me as a prospective
son-in-law."
The girl was in no way rattled. "I suppose she told you that it
wouldn't make any difference what she might say; I'd do as I pleased
anyhow. Didn't she?"
Fort nodded, slightly taken back. Then his boldness returned. "Well,
I had to bring up the subject somehow. And now that I've done it--do
you love me well enough to marry me, Mona?"
She pretended to be very busy with the driving; so that Billie never
knew whether Fort looked anxious or not. Presently Mona said:
"I think--I rather think I like you too well to marry you. What I
mean is, I'm afraid it would spoil you, my dear boy. You're too well
satisfied with yourself. I don't want to marry a man who is content
to fly around half the time and admire me the other half; although,"
she added, "I like to be admired as well as any one."
Fort looked as though he would, with an ounce more provocation, take
her in his arms and say something to get quick results. But he
didn't. "I see," pretty soberly, for him. "You want me to get in and
do something important. Like Powart?" suddenly.
But Mona would not answer him directly. "It's only fair to say that
I've given him an ultimatum, too." She hinted at what she had told
the chairman. "I said nothing about--you."
Fort took a deep breath. Mona gave him a glance or two, and Billie
could see a startling change come over him. It was amazing; Fort,
for the first time in his life had made a serious resolve!
"This makes everything very different!" he declared; and even his
voice was altered. There was a determined, purposeful ring about it
which was altogether unlike his usual reckless tones.
"Thanks for not telling Mr. Powart," Fort went on in the same quiet
way. "Clearly, I should tell him myself. And I shall. After that it
is up to me!"
Next instant he had thrown off his seriousness, and for the
remainder of the flight was his former jovial self. He seemed a
trifle ashamed, however, of his old lightheartedness; so much so
that Mona warned him not to tamper too much with his disposition. "I
like it too well, boy."
He went straight home after a hurried leave-taking, and Mona did not
see him again until after the declaration of war. The next the four
heard of him was through Van Emmon; Fort called upon the self-made
commander-in-chief as quickly as he could.
"I have the honor to inform you," said Fort, coming straight to the
point, "that Miss Mona has seen fit to encourage my suit. In short,
sir," with the strange new note of resolution in his voice, "I am
your rival for her hand! I thought it only right that you should
know."
Powart took this as he took everything, standing. And Van Emmon
could see no sign that the announcement had disturbed his poise.
"You are considerate," he stated with the faintest trace of sarcasm.
"Let me call your attention to the fact that, because of the
position which recent events have forced upon me, it is quite within
my power to dispose of your opposition"--significantly.
"Quite so! I shall appreciate your consideration also." Then the
athlete permitted himself a slight smile. "On second thoughts,
however, you can't afford to be other than considerate. If anything
happens to me now, Miss Mona will naturally think of you; for she
knows I have come here!"
A single exclamation escaped Powart, and from the light in Fort's
eyes, Van Emmon knew that the chief was sorely provoked. However, he
spoke with his usual coolness and certainty.
"Under the circumstances, you will be exempt, Mr. Fort, from the
conscription which is now under way. I shall do nothing that might
hinder your activities in any way? I take it"--evenly--"that you
hope to accomplish something--big?"
Fort bowed. "It is my intention to set a mark even further than your
own, sir!"
For the first time Powart laughed. It was a really hearty laugh, as
though Fort's preposterous boast was so utterly ridiculous that
sarcasm was out of place.
"Mr. Fort"--when his mirth had subsided--"I only wish your judgment
was as sound as your optimism! Tell me--do you intend to make
yourself ruler of a bigger world than this?"
Fort dropped his seriousness for an instant. "To tell the truth,
Powart, I haven't any plan at all--yet. Thanks for the exemption. In
return, I assure you that whatever I do will be as truly in the
interests of the people as what you have done."
Powart eyed him keenly. For a moment Van Emmon thought he would try
to learn if Fort had any suspicions. But he said nothing further
than a curt, "The audience is ended."
A few minutes later Billie, through Mona, knew that Fort was
reporting progress. He did it by telephone.
"Thought you'd like to know," he finished. "Hope I didn't rouse you
out of bed."
It was night in Mona's part of the world, and Billie had come upon
the girl just as she was preparing for bed.
"Thank you," she said, through a tremendous yawn. "I was just about
to retire. Good luck"--another yawn--"and good--"
Her voice changed. "Mr. Fort!" sharply. "Powart's declaration of war
on Alma is a frame-up! Never mind how I happen to know; it is true;
they are not planning to invade us at all! He trumped up this affair
in order to make himself dictator!"
"What!" The athlete was astounded. "Are you sure of this, Mona?"
The girl's manner had changed again. "I beg your pardon?" she
inquired, vastly confused. "Did I say something that--why, I am not
aware, Mr. Fort, that I had said anything more than 'good night'!"
"You AREN'T!" His voice was strained and excited. "Mona--you just now
said something of the most extraordinary--surely--incredulously--you
recall saying something, don't you?"
She was still bewildered. "I do not!" Then gathering her poise
again, "What did I say?"
"You said--" He stopped and waited a long while before going on.
Then he stated with a soberness that was almost stern:
"Mona, you told me something which could have come only through a
supernatural agency. I am sure of it, from your manner. You were
temporarily possessed." He paused again.
She sensed his earnestness, and spoke just as seriously. "It is not
impossible. I have heard of such things before. I was sleepy,
and--the point is, what did I say?" she demanded.
"I do not intend to tell--you. What I learned gives me a great
advantage over Powart; that's all I can say. More would be
dishonorable. Will you take my word for that, Mona?"
"Certainly," with swift decision, and a grace that Billie envied.
Whereupon she went to bed, but not to sleep until after many an hour
of wide-eyed wondering.
Fort next showed himself to Smith, through Reblong. He had secured a
pass to the engine-room of the Cobulus; and shortly his breezy
manner completely broke down the engineer's usual reserve.
"Always glad to show the machinery," said Reblong, denying that the
visitor was making any trouble. Fort's technical knowledge had
delighted him. "Come again any time you like."
Which Fort did, the very next day. And this time he brought a
package of sweetmeats, during the eating of which the two men became
pretty friendly.
"You're different from most of the folks of your--station," Reblong
finally made bold to remark. "Any harm in my saying so?"
"On the contrary," laughed the athlete. "I rather pride myself on my
democracy.
"The fact is, I want you to tell me a few things about your
fellow-workers. I understand you're one of the officers of your
guild?"
"Secretary," replied Reblong, a little dubiously. Was Fort a secret
investigator?
"Then you can tell me. Is there any dissatisfaction? Are the men
entirely content with their treatment?"
Reblong hesitated about replying, and Fort assured him, "This is a
purely personal matter with me, old man. I am really anxious to know
whether the working world is as well satisfied, as happy as I am."
And thus Fort discovered, just as another man had already
discovered, that the average Capellan workman was entirely satisfied
with what he knew to be unjust treatment. Even when Fort told
Reblong what he had learned about Powart's trickery--leaving out all
details about Mona, of course--the engineer would not listen to any
hint of revolution.
"I don't like to question your word, Mr. Fort"--Reblong was very
uncomfortable--"but I have such confidence in the commission
that--well, you understand."
And Fort said, just as the other fellow had said after talking with
Reblong--Reblong, the representative Capellan workman; Reblong, who
voiced the opinions of his billions of fellow-workmen when he
refused to consider a rebellion--Fort said:
"Well, I'll be utterly damned!"