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 NO. 23233 
 
 The 
 
 world destroyer[a nove'lby ""^^ "^ 
 
A Cornell University 
 y Library 
 
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 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
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THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
®Ij^ Horlh i^Btrapr 
 
 HORACE MANN 
 
 
 THSl LTJOAS-LINOOLN OOMPANX, 
 715 14th street N. W. 
 
OOPXRIGHT. 1&03, 
 BY 
 
 Francis O. Ijttoas. 
 
 J/5'-? ^Z P^ 
 X 
 
 CRE^j or 
 
 flafl«BNlnEIMEK, WeiL »- CO. 
 BAUTIMOKEj Mb> 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 I 
 
 It at last became evident to me that 
 the whole world was wrong, but you 
 may guess that this was after a bitter 
 struggle. Why, even after the shock 
 of my father's death, when I fainted 
 and got that terrible cut on the fore- 
 head, I was still ready to believe that 
 all men were good. " It surely could 
 not be," I said to myself, "that that 
 old gray-haired man, Philip Winship, 
 was guilty of such a dastardly act! 
 Why, he had been my father's life-long 
 companion and business partner! 
 Surely he could not have been the cause 
 of his death!" 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Ah, I remember that night well, 
 when it all happened! It was a time 
 when we entertained at our house, and 
 Alice Winship and I were to announce 
 our engagement. I had secretly seen 
 that all our closest friends were gath- 
 ered there; and we were to hold high 
 revelry. Then I discovered that the 
 man of all men, to whom I wished to 
 announce the engagement, was not 
 present. Telephone connections were 
 cut off from his club, but it being only 
 a short distance away, I put on my 
 great coat to step over there. 
 
 I might have known that something 
 would happen from the very nature of 
 the night. 
 
 Inside everything had seemed warm 
 and beautiful; but outside the night 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 was terrible — bitter cold, and dark and 
 stormy. The wind swept down the 
 dark canyons of the city streets in great 
 rattling gusts, wrenching at every 
 available object, roof, and shutter, and 
 door, hurling its weapons headlong into 
 my path. The fine, lifted snow struck 
 my face and eyes like a shower of 
 arrows; the sting of the cold pene- 
 trated to the bone. I braced myself 
 for renewed effort, when a lull in the 
 wind let me fall to my face. I heard 
 the wild cry of the night renew itself 
 over my head. It was a cry of laugh- 
 ter — too shrill and terrible for the mere 
 play of winds. I could not find him, 
 and as I left the club to return, I 
 blamed myself for not taking a cab. 
 It was as if I felt my way along the 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 wall of the street till I came to our 
 home. As I pushed up the steps and 
 through the swinging storm doors, the 
 same wild cry of the night followed me 
 viciously through the cracks. But I 
 stamped the snow from my feet and 
 laughed aloud. This kind of thing 
 would do very well on open sea or land, 
 but inside was the little comer of para- 
 dise it could not touch. Surely my 
 father was in there now. 
 
 Music as I entered, and the velvety 
 sweep of feet. They were dancing in 
 the ecstacy of their joy. Silence; then 
 the murmur of joyous voices of friends, 
 who talked in exclamations of pleasure. 
 I put aside hat and coat, and on the 
 instant was cheered. I stepped to the 
 drawing room to discover he was not 
 there yet ! 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 You may be sure I was disappointed, 
 but seeing Alice, I took her aside and 
 caressed her. I looked into her blue 
 eyes, noted her mass of brown hair and 
 splendid figure. 
 
 "Your father is absent, too," I said. 
 " Shall we wait for them or shall we go 
 on?" 
 
 She smiled in that strange way she 
 had, telling me plainly that she was 
 now mine and that whatever I wished 
 was law. 
 
 " They will come soon, " I said, " and 
 we delay the guests. " 
 
 But when we were seated at table, I 
 still found it strange that my father's 
 place was vacant — that the one man 
 who would have enjoyed this feast 
 most of all was absent. 
 
10 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 But what need to worry ? He would 
 come soon; and I fancied I could see 
 his kindly smile and the light in his 
 eyes, when we told him the news. I 
 fancied I could see him rise in his tall, 
 graceful way, then look at AHce, the 
 beautiful daughter of his oldest friend, 
 look at Darling and Hilliard, my best 
 boyhood companions, look slowly at 
 the assembled guests, one by one, gaze 
 lastly, with tears in his eyes, at me, 
 who was the strange likeness of him; 
 then, after a gentle talk, lift his glass 
 and wish Alice and me all the happiness 
 in the world. 
 
 Then I forgot him, as I listened to the 
 toasts and heard the delighted excla- 
 mations of those within. According to 
 them, there never could be a more 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 promising marriage than that before 
 Alice and me; and I beHeved them, 
 too. Why, our marriage had been pre- 
 arranged in childhood ! We had grown 
 up together! And now this announce- 
 ment! — this fulfillment! Then, to 
 make it all the more wonderful, Alice 
 was to me the most beautiful girl in the 
 world, and— I loved her! Loved her? 
 Why I loved that sweet woman and her 
 presence more than all else in the world 
 comhined. I worshipped her, ideal- 
 ized her; my heart ached with veri- 
 table agony when I looked at her, 
 blinding myself with the light in her 
 eyes, and the glow of her hair. And 
 there was always that quiet smile, that 
 sweet womanliness, as well as the 
 graceful figure. " No worldly creature 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Alice," I thought. "She is beautifiil 
 in both mind and form. " 
 
 Supper over, the toasts drunk, we 
 forgot the missing ones in the rapture 
 of the night. That it stormed so out- 
 side served but to heighten the enjoy- 
 ment within. Here, at least, the lights 
 shone warmly, reflected in polished 
 wood and marble. Here, at least, was 
 the little comer of Paradise still, — the 
 air vibrating with music and song, and 
 everything brilliant and lovely. And, 
 in my mind, these friends of otirs were 
 happy, in all human justice, because 
 they represented the flower of social 
 chivalry. And as I moved among 
 them, trying to convey my greater 
 beatitude to them, in being the grand 
 gentleman my father was, lighting up 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 13 
 
 eyes and cheek with kindling words, I 
 felt myself blessed as no other man had 
 been ; I felt them blessed a shade less, 
 only in so far as it was my night. They 
 were not going to marry the most beau- 
 tiful girl in the world ! 
 
 Then came the change! Even as I 
 stood near Alice and looked into her 
 eyes, everything began to waver. 
 Horrible suspicion crept into my mind. 
 It must have arisen in seeing that 
 inscrutable little smile on her lips ; but 
 I could not know that then. 
 
 Yet the change was as distinct and 
 sharp as the bite of the freezing wind 
 without. What if these finer feelings 
 I had were but ideal and had no corre- 
 spondence in the world around me? 
 What if I were mistaken in Winship, 
 
14 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 and his friendship for my father? 
 What if this girl before me did not 
 believe as I did, but was playing a part? 
 I looked across at Darling and Milliard. 
 Weren't they eyeing Alice, and laugh- 
 ing? From the most favored man, it 
 seemed to me, I had become the least 
 so. 
 
 The orchestra ceased. The voice of 
 the singer behind the palms died away. 
 Everything was still, except for a shai-p 
 clanging of the door bell. 
 
 It caused me to turn upon Alice 
 sharpty. "That must be your father 
 and mine," I said. 
 
 The whistling of the wind now; the 
 slam of the great door in the hall and 
 the stamping of feet; low voices, as of 
 that of the night-cry, dying away. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER is 
 
 "My father must be there," I 
 thought. And I rushed out, filled 
 for the moment with the greeting I 
 would give him, happy with the news I 
 was to convey, when I encountered 
 three stalwart men standing silently in 
 the hallway, the gray-haired Winship 
 in their midst. 
 
 "Your father is outside," said Win- 
 ship, solemnly, as I came up — " out- 
 side — yes — and dead ! ' ' 
 
 With a cry of horror, I sprang for- 
 ward, stumbled and reeled to the foot 
 of the stairs, where I fainted away. 
 
 It was weeks afterward before I came 
 to consciousness again, and after a 
 raging delirium. I still had the band- 
 age over my eyes where you see the 
 scar I received. But it did not take me 
 
i6 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 long to know then, just what'sort of a 
 world I lived in. It was plain as day 
 now that my fears were real. I looked 
 about; and I was a changed man. 
 
 And when Winship came to call upon 
 me with his daughter Alice, I told them 
 of it. I raised myself upon my elbows, 
 with all my feeble strength, and 
 pointed at them with scorn. 
 
 "I understand it all now," I said. 
 " You, Winship, are the man who did 
 this deed, and this, your daughter 
 Alice, has joined you in deceiving me." 
 
 Then I fainted again. 
 
 This had been my first impxilse after 
 my long delirium. But when I grew 
 well and went back to the office and 
 my law-practice, I was loath to be- 
 lieve the truth for a time. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 17 
 
 What! — Winship, my father's oldest 
 friend, a man like that? Surely not! 
 Then came the proof, — the endeavor of 
 Winship to get control of all the prop- 
 erty. Why, he even went so far as to 
 try to be appointed my guardian — as if 
 I were insane and did not practice law ! 
 That was the most audacious move of 
 all. As a lawyer I was forced to take 
 up my own case. But he won — ^he 
 robbed me of my father's property, at 
 least. 
 
 Then came the worst of all, — the 
 discovery that Alice was untrue. It 
 was a long time before I could believe 
 this ; but I found it out at last. 
 
 Do you wonder now, I found the 
 world all wrong ? Do you wonder now, 
 I found it necessary for me to change 
 
i8 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 f — — 
 
 it? If laws and morals were so dis- 
 torted it was high time that I took a 
 hand in them, to see what I could do. 
 If things could not be corrected in the 
 ordinary way, then I should have to 
 correct them myself. And it must 
 have been the cut on my forehead that 
 gave me the power and insight to do 
 this. 
 
II 
 
 Yes, I was a strangely changed man, 
 and I said to myself: " Certainly there 
 is such a thing as justice — law — how- 
 ever little we poor blinded creatures 
 know it! Why, justice — law — natural 
 right — is written in the very face of 
 man! There is such a thing as law; 
 and, by the Lord God of Israel, I will 
 find it, and see it enforced! ' ' 
 
 This was the origin of my work — 
 called "the Book of Laws"— and in- 
 directly the discovery of the Power, by 
 which I could enforce those laws! I 
 made the astonishing discovery that 
 with an exceptional knowledge of hu- 
 man deserts comes the Great Power! 
 In my earnest endeavor to find the true 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Hierarchy in men and settle their 
 natural rights, I had run across the 
 most marvelous secret of the century! 
 
 Do you wonder then, that I aban- 
 doned my club and my up-town rooms 
 (I still had enough money to retain 
 them), and spent most of my time in 
 the office? It was my only retreat; 
 and I rigged up temporary hving quar- 
 ters there, and prepared to fight the 
 battle out. I would write the Book 
 of Laws, as the laws were written in 
 the face of man; and I would enforce 
 them, too! I would bring about the 
 Great Reassortment and the World- 
 Repuhlic! 
 
 In some respects my selection of an 
 office was a good one. It was in the 
 top floor of the great newspaper build- 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 21 
 
 ing (then the highest in all New York) 
 and commanded a most pleasing view 
 of the city. There, when I could lose 
 the idea of the hurry and bustle of 
 news-making below me, I was content 
 to sit and give myself up to great 
 dreams. And it took but a little effort 
 to mount the winding steps that led to 
 the top of the dome above me, to push 
 open the iron scuttle there, and seat 
 myself upon the benches, where I could 
 find a still more inspiring View. 
 
 There the city lay before me, rich 
 and wonderfxil, built on so grand a 
 scale you would scarcely believe it was 
 the work of the tiny black creatures 
 that followed one another in long 
 droves down the fissures of its streets, 
 and gathered and dispersed at all 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 points, — those marvelous black crea- 
 tures that controlled all moving things 
 there, on the water and on the land, in 
 all the great New York archipelago. 
 
 It would take my breath away at 
 night to watch the great string of elec- 
 tric lights twinkling down either shore 
 and see the myriad bright points 
 spring from the hills and islands; to 
 see how many eyes winked in the city 
 and moved with the ceaseless move- 
 ment of ferries. Conspicuous was Bed- 
 loes' guardian light on the south, while 
 the smaller ones, on the north, were 
 lost in the smoke, and dust, and mist. 
 It was a grand galaxy numbering with 
 that of heaven itself, and even more 
 brilliant. I had grown to know them 
 so well, they seemed to speak to me; 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 23 
 
 and their very expression was eloquent 
 of people and events. I learned to 
 know the moods of the city by them, 
 for people gathered about them as 
 moths to the flame and gave them 
 meaning, sad or gay, gentle or fierce. 
 I was enthroned, it seemed, over the 
 whole wide world where people of all 
 nations came by land or sea and joined 
 hands in this most cosmopolitan city; 
 and T could study it impartially, even 
 as a being of another planet. I found 
 myself listening closely to the voice of 
 the earth that rose to me, the whisper 
 of its ocean, mingled with the cries of 
 its people; and, filled with the faint 
 intention of its babble, I had grown 
 great in pursuit of the greatest project 
 of man ; for the voice of the world was 
 calling me ! 
 
24 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Inspired by all this I would descend 
 by the elevator, day or night, to mingle 
 with the crowds below, to read the face 
 of man, and find the hidden Badge of 
 Caste and true Hierarchy. 
 
 In this life the Book of Laws pro- 
 gressed and— strangest thing of all! — 
 the Power forced its way forward in 
 thought and word. I felt it swell in 
 my throat, clutch in my hands, and live 
 in every bone and muscle of my body. 
 It made me feel like a giant in strength ! 
 This faculty, the highest in man, while 
 yet tmdeveloped, had gained in per- 
 suasive force; and in imagination I 
 could see the world cnmibling and 
 tumbling to my feet at my command, 
 as if I were already the President of the 
 Republic — the Emperor of the World! 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 25 
 
 But there came a moment of respite 
 in my work, and I feared a touch of 
 insanity. At any rate I grew afraid 
 of myself and my intentions. I aban- 
 doned my task for a time and went 
 back to the social life and my old ways. 
 
 But I was dissatisfied. My friends 
 had deserted me, and I could take no 
 interest in the ordinary life and its 
 ambitions. I still thought of Alice 
 Winship, and the sting of her betrayal 
 hurt me more than I can tell you. 
 How pleasant it would have been to 
 make her the World-Empress! But 
 that affair was all over now; I must 
 look elsewhere for my consort. Some 
 other woman must be the World- 
 Empress; and if I could but find that 
 other, it would all be easier to bear. 
 
26 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Then I should have the courage to face 
 this out, and go back to the Book of 
 Laws. I had always been fond of 
 women; why would not the right one 
 appear? I went about searching the 
 city for her, high and low. If there 
 was a woman there worthy to be my 
 consort in the Republic I would find 
 herl 
 
 I found her, too ; and it was she that 
 led me back to the Book and the 
 search for the avenging Power. 
 
 Stiggestion is a powerful thing. One 
 day I met on the street a most beauti- 
 ful girl leaning on the arm of my old 
 friend Hilliard, of all men. Now, take 
 this as you will, remembering that 
 strange things happefi in this world, 
 that girlish face with its setting of 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 27 
 
 brown hair, its changeable, mysterious 
 gray-blue eyes, reminded me somehow 
 of a woman of whom I had dreamed — a 
 sort of ideal. I was always an imagina- 
 tive man, and I really believe it was 
 she that suddenly brought me back to 
 my senses, my old spirit, and all I had 
 forgotten. Indeed, thank God, she 
 seemed to take the place of Alice Win- 
 ship; and, seeing her again on a cer- 
 tain day — this time also with Hilliard 
 — my resolutions had taken shape and 
 I was determined to return to my work! 
 But as a matter of habit, I think, I 
 wandered back to my club that night 
 and took a place, as was my custom, 
 behind a screen in the library. Per- 
 haps I wanted to take one last look at 
 my club-mates before bidding them 
 
28 - THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 good-bye. Then, for the first time, I 
 knew how much I despised them. And 
 I found not one of them worthy of a 
 high place in the Great RepubHc — the 
 World-Empire. 
 
 It did not change my opinion to see 
 my old intimates, Darling and Hilliard, 
 come in to join the group at the central 
 table. It did not help matters to find 
 that their conversation, after a time, 
 took a turn about me. 
 
 It began with Darling and Hilliard. 
 My whilom intimates had often found 
 cause to comment in public on my 
 eccentricities; it seems they cotdd not 
 let the absorbing topic rest. 
 
 "Perhaps he aspires to be a politi- 
 cian," said Darling. "This is the 
 reason he lives down there and asso- 
 ciates with the lower classes." 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 29 
 
 Darling would have been a politician 
 himself had he not been the Devil's 
 devotee of pleasure. He was clever 
 and his remark was natural. What 
 hurt me more was Hilliard's comment. 
 
 " He would be more than a politi- 
 cian," said he, " and for that reason he 
 is dangerous. He would be a reformer, 
 since he is not quite sane. " 
 
 It was that very day I had seen 
 Hilliard with the gray-eyed goddess. 
 Had he made such remarks to her? 
 
 So they ran on; and I don't know 
 yet how I restrained myself and lis- 
 tened. 
 
 "Well, he's crazy," said one, at last. 
 "He's gentlemanly, quiet, and harm- 
 less, it's true, — going about as he does 
 with ragged sleeves and that wild look, 
 
30 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 — but he's crazy, just the same. The 
 only thing that surprises me is that he 
 is still such a devil of a man with the 
 women. He is, isn 't he ? Why T know 
 of one who loves the harmless creature 
 yet." 
 
 "Ha! ha! ha! ha!" (it was HiUiard 
 who did that), " I know of one myself, 
 and I wonder if it is the same one. 
 And I've talked with her, reasoned 
 with her, and all in vain. He may be 
 dangerous, but she says she is not 
 ashamed of him. She cried a little, 
 too. Poor girl! Poor man! But she 
 will see ! ' ' 
 
 Did he have the goddess of gray-blue 
 eyes in mind, that I was so infuriated ? 
 I could endure the talk no longer; and 
 I rose, frothing with rage, and stepped 
 from behind the screen. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 31 
 
 " You are a jealous and infernal liar, 
 Hilliard," I cried. "You are a false 
 friend, and you were never known to 
 speak the truth. Yott have blackened 
 the names of more people in your time 
 than any man I know of. If I had 
 been that young lady I should have 
 branded you as a low, contemptible 
 cur!" 
 
 I have no doubt that the Power was 
 in me then, and that I could have 
 withered him where he stood; but I 
 was lost in my fury, and forgot. 
 
 He looked for a moment as if he 
 would hurl his glass into my face ; but 
 he did not. At last he broke down, 
 and whether from contempt or not, 
 ejactilated: "Poor man! poor man! 
 and everybod}^ likes him so well, " 
 
32 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Then I laughed loud and long. " Ha ! 
 ha ! ha ! ha ! " I cried — at first bitterly, 
 then in uncontrolable mirth — "you 
 say, 'poor man!' You do not know 
 me. Yoti do not know of the Laws of 
 the World, and the greatness of the 
 Power. You do not know the man 
 who sees your Badge of Caste and who 
 will cause the Great Reassortment 
 among you— yes, you! And as for the 
 woman I saw you with today, you can- 
 not belittle me before her; for I believe 
 she knows me. I am going to make 
 her Empress of the World! " 
 
 Then I stamped out, blaming myself 
 that I had come to this club at all. 
 
 " This is no fit place for me," I cried. 
 " My business is with the Book of Laws 
 and the Power that makes them real. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 33 
 
 These men are beneath the hatred I 
 feel. I will forget them and go back to 
 my office and my Republic." 
 
 With this, I made my way to the 
 elevated trains. Later, as I walked 
 across Park Square to my office, I had 
 almost forgotten the insult of Hilliard's 
 words, since I realized that he would be 
 but a small part of the great World- 
 Change. 
 
Ill 
 
 From that time on I was seized as if 
 in an undercurrent and swept on 
 toward my destiny. I was wild with 
 enthusiasm. It was plain that it had 
 been left for me to obtain that mental 
 control of men. Heretofore philoso- 
 phers of little faith had dreamed of it ; 
 moderns had blindly scoffed at it; 
 Brahmins had idly played with its 
 glory; but I, and I alone, would wrest 
 it from the depths of night, from base 
 and human dreams ; and I, and I alone, 
 would rise and rule by it! Nothing 
 would now deter me from finishing the 
 Book. 
 
 Though I lived in the bee-hive build- 
 
36 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 ing, in the midst of the ceaseless hurry- 
 ing to and fro, the whine of the flying 
 elevators, whirring machinery, and the 
 laughter and noise that go to make up 
 a busy newspaper, it was only on very 
 rare occasions that visitors to the build- 
 ing, or one of the night editor's staff, 
 molested me; and I made great prog- 
 ress. 
 
 The only thing that grated upon my 
 nerves, after a time, was the presence 
 and action of the night editor himself. 
 Coming from his room, next door, this 
 man of the weak, overworked eyes, 
 brown beard, and evilly-thin face, 
 would sometimes sprawl out in my easy 
 chair, smoke his pipe, and eye me in a 
 most curious way. I had not minded 
 this at first, because I took his low and 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 37 
 
 cunning appearance for granted; I 
 found it natural that he had a carrion 
 nose; and that he sniffled and coughed 
 in an exasperating way. 
 
 But, after a time, I began to think 
 that he left his door open, not so much 
 for the convenience of those who came 
 from the press-room, as to keep a watch 
 on me. I began to have a dim idea 
 that he was trying to get some sort of a 
 "story" out of me. 
 
 In general he said little and I allowed 
 my ire to sleep. But one night while I 
 was at my work, he came into my room 
 and began to show open enmity. On 
 this occasion he maintained his usual 
 silence for a time, batting his dull eyes 
 at the light ; but he at last broke out : 
 
 "Why should you write a book in 
 
38 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 this strange cypher?" pointing to the 
 manuscript before me. " Do you want 
 to conceal your thoughts r What is the 
 meaning of all this ? ' ' 
 
 And I replied: " Sometimes it is not 
 wise and sometimes it is dangerous to 
 tell great truths." 
 
 He broke out into a sort of laugh. 
 
 " You are a strange man, Milton, and 
 heaven knows what object you have 
 living in this place. " 
 
 " My man, ' ' I replied, " the world has 
 progressed very slowty, and I merely 
 want to know the /azf . " 
 
 He was silent for a time, but his 
 heavy eyes batted spitefully. 
 
 " Well, it seems to me you have ac- 
 quired some very curious acquaint- 
 ances for a well-bom person since you 
 came here." 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 39 
 
 After this he went out; and I 
 laughed to think how soon I should 
 control even that paper of his. Then 
 I noticed that he seemed more curious 
 than ever about me. 
 
 But I had a way of ridding myself of 
 Fincke. When annoyed be^^ond en- 
 durance, I would throw aside my manu- 
 script, and descend through the hurry 
 and whir of the building to the swarm- 
 ing streets below. The Book could not 
 be written and the Great Reassortment 
 could not be found, in mere dreams. 
 No, I must scan the face of man, and 
 find the truth about him, though 
 changed by habit, by drink or drug, or 
 strange social customs. I must find 
 the Badge of Caste, so long buried in 
 centuries of wrong, in ignorance and 
 
40 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 vice. I must discover the hidden 
 rights of men and know the true 
 Hierarchy. 
 
 " If necessary," I said, " I will know 
 each individual, that I may properly 
 find his class and adjust his rights when 
 the power comes. And there shall be 
 no coterie or secret club, no gathering 
 in saloon, dance-hall, or sumptuous 
 mansion, that I do not know the spirit 
 of; I will know the true origin and life 
 of all men from rag-picker to moneyed 
 king. Each man bears on him the 
 stamp of his deserts, and I will pierce 
 his exterior and find it, however diffi- 
 cult or dangerous my search. " 
 
 So speaking many languages, many 
 dialects, acting all parts, I went among 
 all nationalities, all classes in the great 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 41 
 
 city of the sea. I became all things to 
 all men, and a companion to them; I 
 was taken into their most intimate 
 thoughts and made a part of their most 
 secret life. There was no street, no 
 comer, no alley in all New York with 
 which I was not familiar ; there was no 
 saloon, no dive, no haunt of wealth or 
 beauty, ignorance or vice, I did not 
 know. I knew the sorrows of the peo- 
 ple; their sins, joys, and regrets; I 
 knew their faces wherever they were 
 on parade ; I knew them intimately, as 
 no other man has known them. It has 
 been my lot even, to join memly in the 
 Dance of Thieves ; I have participated 
 untrammeled in the rites of a hundred 
 different nationalities; found a place 
 even in the homes of anarchists, adven- 
 turers, thugs, and murderers. 
 
43 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 And during that period I was to wit- 
 ness the rapid rise of the Power. It 
 was swelHng up in my frame, acting in 
 a most remarkable manner. My body 
 was strengthening; my eyes were 
 brightening; my mind became keen; 
 my speech sharp-cut and clear. I 
 could feel it straining in my arms, ring- 
 ing like metal in my voice, manifesting 
 itself in my face, preparing to make my 
 word law, all men my weapons, and the 
 city and the whole world mine. It 
 seemed sometimes like the gathering of 
 a storm, dark and threatening, the 
 lightning of it flashing in my eyes; and 
 it was plain as day, that if I went on, I 
 would soon be able to give it expression. 
 
 Then one night, I decided it was 
 about time to begin. Here I was; I 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 43 
 
 had gone everywhere about this res- 
 taurant-smehing city, gazing alike on 
 faces pinched by povert)' or, as was 
 common, fattened into glass}^, frog- 
 eyed appearance; and what was the 
 result? Already I had seen a wife- 
 beater drop at my command and 
 strong men turn aside into my ways* 
 why not go on ? 
 
 As I stood on a street comer I found 
 that even then the strength of the 
 Power was knocking at my ribs and 
 clamoring for expression. My brain 
 seemed to expand and grow as if it 
 approved of my desires. There was 
 but one thing to do — go back to my 
 office, finish my Book, and begin! 
 
 In this temper I arrived at my room ; 
 and knowing how near the task was to 
 
44 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 completion, I cried with delight. There, 
 everywhere, on tables, shelves, and 
 chairs, in the confusion of bottles, 
 boxes, and law books, was the scattered 
 manuscript of the Book of Laws. It 
 was certainly not a dream; and I 
 gathered the sheets together and seated 
 myself for the absorbing task. 
 
 I struck out boldly into the laby- 
 rinths of thought, caring little for con- 
 sequences. In a moment everything 
 else had passed from my mind, — the 
 murmur of the city below me, the whir 
 of the printing presses, the snttffling of 
 the editor in his room, the rocking of 
 the great building, and all. I was 
 approaching the Great Truths, ten-ible 
 as they were. I had caught the faint 
 echo down the labyrinth which tells us 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 45 
 
 of the Laws of the World, the Nature 
 of Man, his Origin, the Great Reassort- 
 ment, and the most terrible thing of 
 all — the World-Destruction ! 
 
 But there was something else that, 
 strange as it appeared, seemed to be 
 coming with this knowledge; and it 
 was something more than the Power I 
 sought. That had often approached, 
 too, with these thoughts, but it had 
 never seemed so intense. My face was 
 flushed, I know ; my temples were burn- 
 ing; and there seemed to be a tight 
 grip on my brain. But, though I was 
 possessed by a kind of fear, I kept on 
 till I had completed the Book! 
 
 I paused. There, once and for all, 
 were written the secrets of the world 
 and man, and all the laws of the Great 
 
46 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Republic. The cryptogram was com- 
 plete; and, realizing it, I cried with the 
 ecstacy of my joy. Some day when 
 the world was much advanced through 
 my Power, and man had deciphered the 
 signs of Mars, perhaps, he might dis- 
 cover the secret of this book, and, with 
 developed insight, read it and see that 
 I was justified. But for the present, 
 the secret in it must remain buried in 
 the hidden cypher, just as the secret 
 of my great power, it being beyond the 
 endurance and comprehension of man. 
 I knew of great religious wars and 
 martyrdoms that had followed less 
 truth than this book contained. But, 
 worst of all, the awfulness of the pro- 
 jects therein proposed, might bring 
 forth terrors above human life, as a 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 47 
 
 ghostly visitation from some dead 
 planet. 
 
 Then I ttimed to write the preface, 
 in which the hidden key is given. And 
 that preface you shall know, though 
 the secret of my book may be a mys- 
 tery long after my death. 
 
 " What we call ' Mankind'," it reads, 
 " is divided into two great classes. The 
 first class is that which may well be 
 termed ' Men ' — really human beings. 
 The second class is that of the ' Man- 
 Forms '. In the first class — that of 
 ' Men ' — we find, not a part, but all the 
 human faculties existent. But what 
 shall we say of the second class — that 
 of the 'Man-Forms'? Though they 
 bear the human shape, and talk and 
 act like 'Men', they are but imitators, 
 
48 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 and are more dangerous than all the 
 malignant raicrobes we know. 
 
 "I, Edward Milton, am here to erad- 
 icate the power of the ' Man-Forms ' ! 
 For those of them that poison the mind 
 of 'Men', in art, philosophy, religion, 
 morals, or manner of life, there are 
 many laws that shall make them stand 
 reduced and naked in the sight of 
 'Men'; but for those that not only 
 deceive, but, like parasites, feed upon 
 the rich blood of real 'Men', causing 
 great mental and moral distress, and 
 bodily want, there shall be but one 
 punishment — and it is terrible! Be- 
 cause of them shall come — not only 
 the Reassortment but — the World- 
 Destruction! ' ' 
 
 Ah, how well I remember that night! 
 
The world destroyer 49 
 
 When I finished the preface, I closed 
 the book and stepped to the window to 
 look out over the city. There I found 
 a thousand eyes blinking at me in a 
 pleading way. I fancied I heard 
 through the quieting groan of the city, 
 the shaking voice of humanity crying 
 up to me. Then I knew that, alone, 
 threatened on all sides by discovery 
 and death, perhaps, and by the terror 
 of the Truth, I would try and wrench 
 that world below from the reign of the 
 Man-Forms. 
 
 As I turned again to the completed 
 Book, that lay on the table under the 
 shaded red lamp, a feeling of tremen- 
 dous possibility ached and grew in me, 
 making my veins swell to bursting. I 
 passed my hand over my forehead and 
 found it hot, and the vein there much 
 
so THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 distended. Some movements of m,y 
 hand, were involuntary ; and it seemed 
 that my eyes were shining with Hght. 
 
 At first I was csrlm; but soon, it 
 seemed, voices were in my ear — then 
 streaks of Hght like lightning in my 
 eyes. I was surprised by a dizziness, 
 as of great heat. A sort of blind fury 
 seemed to possess me. The veins stood 
 out in my hands; my throat was hot; 
 my muscles quivered; and my heart 
 beat fast. Whatever it was I had con- 
 jured out of the depths I could not fight 
 it off, or subdue it. I was suffocating, 
 burning up ! Why was it ? 
 
 Then a suspicion made its way 
 through my mind, and clamored with 
 all its might. 
 
 Could it be possible — what I feared ? 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER Si 
 
 There was one way to know, and I 
 arose to look at myself in the glass. 
 
 Good heaven, it was true! There, 
 after all these months, was the Black 
 Demon, staring out of my eyes at me — 
 the World-Destroyer — the Black 
 Death! It had never appeared so 
 terrible as now. As a light it seemed 
 to live in my form and blaze in my 
 eyes. Sometimes it appeared laugh- 
 ing, coaxing, mischievous, joyous; but 
 it was always appalling. Filled with 
 the terror of it I should have shrieked 
 and fainted had not a kind of shame 
 sustained me. T felt compelled to con- 
 front it in as defying a manner as possi- 
 ble, though all the while a great whirl 
 of terrifying thoughts rushed over me. 
 It clutched at my throat and flooded 
 
52 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 my whole being. And more and more, 
 as I struggled against it, it seemed to 
 be vSuffocating me, burning me up. 
 
 And then I laughed. 
 
 "Ha! ha! ha! ha!" I cried, aloud, 
 there above all the city, "what fear 
 have If This is myself! It indicates 
 the Power! The Power has come, and 
 by it I shall rule! Ha! ha! ha!" I 
 laughed, now standing erect, looking 
 down over the lights of the city, "it 
 has come — the Power ! They say I am 
 a mild-mannered man and mean to do 
 no harm ; but they do not know how I 
 shall fulfil the Book of Laws! And 
 this creature within me but teaches the 
 fate of the Man-Forms, for there is 
 more in this than the World- Reassort- 
 ment and the World-Creation! — there 
 is the World-Destruction! 
 
IV 
 
 You may imagine the feeling with 
 which I awoke the next day. Why, 
 think of it! I had suddenly become 
 the greatest man in the world and the 
 ruler of it. By the force of that Power, 
 I could control, not by violence, but by 
 mere word, by mere command, the 
 whole of the living earth; I could de- 
 mand the obedience of plebeian or king 
 and obtain everything I wished! There 
 was nothing that did not seem possible. 
 
 And knowing this, I was crazed by 
 the hot blood and wild fancies that 
 mounted to my brain ; I was ready for 
 mischief and destruction at all costs. 
 I rushed, with fierce delight, to the 
 mirror, to see myself as I really was. 
 
54 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 And what was the curious expression 
 I caught sight of there ? Heaven help 
 me, the creature that stared at me from 
 the depths of my eyes, was handsome 
 as the Devil himself, and manifested 
 itself in every muscle of my face and 
 frame ! The power of the Black Demon 
 was in me, struggling for expression; 
 and where would it lead me ? 
 
 I did not care. I rushed to the win- 
 dow, and doubling my fists at the 
 world below, gave vent to all the wild 
 thoughts that arose in me. Every- 
 thing in the great city would yield to 
 my slightest caprice! There were a 
 thousand impudent people in the world 
 I would stamp upon; I would strike 
 down without mercy characters un- 
 justly elevated there; I would play 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 55 
 
 havoc with all their prejudices, social, 
 financial and religious, and I would 
 drive them all like cringing cowards 
 before the lash of my scorn and hatred ! 
 Was not all the wealth of the world at 
 my hand? Could I not command the 
 love of all its women — the most beau- 
 tiful in the world? What material 
 here for all the mad pranks of the 
 heart's desire! And when I was tired 
 of play I could scatter them all like 
 dust in the wind! Yes, I would de- 
 stroy them; I would bring on the 
 World-Destruction! I would show 
 these practical law-making slaves, that 
 even then went proudly forth, who was 
 ruler there ! 
 
 " Let the people in the city beware ! ' ' 
 I cried. " Let those that are the most 
 
S6 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 confident, and feel the most secure, rely 
 no more upon precedent or tradition; 
 for their pride shall suddenly be 
 knocked from under them and all their 
 brave world tumble about their heads ! ' ' 
 
 Wild laughter was gurgling and 
 bubbling up in my ears as I dressed to 
 go forth. The wine of action was in 
 me. I was like an animal that had 
 tasted blood and would have more. 
 Before I could realize it, my arm lifted, 
 crossed my eyes, and a clenched fist 
 shook itself at the world without ; and, 
 filled with an aching desire to prove my 
 power, I seized my hat and cane, and 
 flung myself from the room. 
 
 As I went through the hall I noticed 
 that the editor's door was closed. But 
 standing before it, crazed with the 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 57 
 
 pride of power, I broke into wild, un- 
 seemly, shrieking laughter again, that 
 must have penetrated all the rooms of 
 the building, as I sank in the elevator 
 to the ground. 
 
 It must have struck terror to the old 
 drudge — the maid of all work — who 
 was polishing the brass railings in the 
 hallway. Often I had smiled upon 
 her, and helped her in her troubles; 
 now I was excited by the Power. I 
 heard her mumbling her prayers. 
 
 ' ' God-a-mercy ! God-a-mercy ! ' ' she 
 cried, "what has come over the poor 
 gentleman now ? ' ' 
 
 Arriving in the street I found the 
 newsboy I had so often bought papers 
 of, and permitted to miscount my 
 change. 
 
S8 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 " And SO you are bvit a thief in this 
 great ant-hill of thieves! " I cried, wish- 
 ing to surprise him and show my power. 
 " I'll teach you to take my money ! ' ' 
 
 I struck the fistful of change he had 
 in his grimy hand till the pennies rat- 
 tled over the pavement. 
 
 He could hardly believe his senses; 
 then, realizing the situation, he began 
 to cry. 
 
 "Stop crying!" I said, wishing to 
 show my mental control of him, "why 
 boy you are a millionaire! You're 
 rich! You're the richest man in the 
 city ! Don 't you know thatf ' ' 
 
 Ah, there was no doubt of my Power! 
 His eyes cleared instantly of tears, and 
 a look of astonishment passed over his 
 face. His mouth opened wide, and his 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 59 
 
 miserly little soul fairly blazed in his 
 pinched, greedy eyes. He believed! 
 
 "Why thankee sir," he said, " dis is 
 too good! What will dey say when 
 dey find me so rich ? ' ' And he shouted 
 for joy. 
 
 I paid no more attention to him; for 
 I had proved my Power. Where 
 should I go now? Wbat should I do? 
 Should I go to Wall street, to the 
 courts, to the prisons, to assert the 
 wonderful will? Should I go to the 
 banks and demand their gold? Should 
 I go to the head of the militia and cause 
 an uprising and revolution ? I thought 
 of how I might seize the fortifications 
 on Sandy Hook and command the 
 harbor. Whatever I asked for, people 
 would give me ! Whatever I said, they 
 would believe ! 
 
6o THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 The day was bright and beautiful. 
 New York was running along in its 
 busy way. Crowds were pouring in 
 from the Brooklyn Bridge. Noise was 
 everywhere. The courts, offices, and 
 shops were open. Everywhere the 
 people were running to and fro, pursu- 
 ing the daily tasks that now seemed so 
 senseless. 
 
 Obedient to impulse, I dodged 
 through the crowd and struck across 
 the park. All my vagabond subjects, 
 the nomadic population of the city, 
 tramps, thieves, hangers-on, old aban- 
 doned women, homeless youths, dis- 
 graced politicians, all that would later 
 fill up the various comers of the city, 
 seemed to be sunning themselves on the 
 benches there in the morning air. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 6i 
 
 Their heedlessness of my presence 
 irritated me. Did they not recognize 
 the Rtiler of the World? One old 
 tramp aroused me especially as he 
 sprawled out selfishly, his grimy foiTn 
 appearing through his torn clothes and 
 worn shoes. I struck him with my 
 cane. He rubbed his eyes and stretched 
 his arms. 
 
 "Can't you let a feller lone," he 
 said, "when he's havin' a quiet 
 snooze ? ' ' 
 
 " You're a villain ! " I said, " I know 
 you, and I suppose there is not a more 
 abandoned character in town ! ' ' 
 
 "Well sir, I can't help it, can I, sir? 
 I know I'm a poor hungry dog." 
 
 His abject submission irritated me 
 even more than his insolence. In it 
 
62 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 was profound deceit. He did not 
 recognize his master yet. 
 
 "You lie," I said. "You're just 
 pretending! You're a nobleman in 
 disguise. You know you are. ' ' 
 
 "Am I sir?" He stared at me and 
 gave a strange laugh. 
 
 "Yes, you are! Why man, you're 
 noble! Get up! Get out! Get you 
 some clothes! Go into society ! You'll 
 be the rage ! Marry money ! ' ' 
 
 I turned and left the fellow, knowing 
 he was bound for one of two careers, — 
 either a great social success or the mad- 
 house, — I didn't care which. 
 
 Arriving at Broadway, I paused. 
 There they were, — all sorts and condi- 
 tions of men, — hastening to and fro as 
 if they had wills of their own, yet so 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 63 
 
 helpless in my grasp! There they 
 were, — pale business men, brokers, 
 clerks, typewriters, beggars, million- 
 aires, great ladies, workmen, all strug- 
 gling creatures! What hurry! what 
 madness! what folly! what selfishness 
 and greed ! and what endless pursuits 
 of nothing now that I had the Power ! 
 
 I looked at them with a kind of pity. 
 These millionaires that were so filled 
 with pride, — I could impoverish them 
 at a mere word! Professional men, 
 clerks, typewriters, shoppers, politi- 
 cians, workmen, beggars, — I could mix 
 them up in a strange heap and inter- 
 change them, so that they would not 
 know who was who! I could gather 
 them together at a moment's notice, 
 stop all business, and at a word of 
 
64 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 exhortation, lead them forth like a 
 mob, — to the courts — to the City Hall 
 — to the avenue, — to do my will. 
 
 " Why, these are my people and 
 must obey me!" I cried, — "these nar- 
 row-minded, serv'ile, opinionated, me- 
 chanical, ridiculous people! — these 
 creatures of false customs and laws ! ' ' 
 
 I could not control a long loud fit of 
 laughter that lasted till, through my 
 tears, I saw them pause in their hurry, 
 turn, and look at me in astonishment. 
 They did not understand; but the 
 laugh of the handsome villain in me 
 had its tone otit of the deep ; and they 
 could not mistake it ! 
 
 A moment after I stood on a comer 
 of Broadway, where the thick crowd 
 eddies past from the side streets; and. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 65 
 
 motionless, in the center of that current, 
 I was wilHng to hsten to the voice of 
 the Demon within. And as I stood 
 there, the Power arose in my throat, in 
 my muscles; my arm twitched ner- 
 vously, my blood ran fast ; I knew that 
 something of great moment was about 
 to happen. 
 
 " But what shall I do first?" I asked. 
 " There are so many wrongs in the city, 
 — of widows, wives, and children; 
 there are so many wrongs to love and 
 innocence. There are — " 
 
 "Suppose," interrupted the Demon 
 in me, "you take these wrongs as you 
 find them. You are the Ruler of the 
 world, aren 't you ? ' ' 
 
 Whether by chance or some super- 
 natural power, I do not know, — but 
 
66 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 there loomed up in the crowd just at 
 this moment, the bent form and wicked 
 face of Philip Winship! I caught the 
 look in his evil, restless eyes; and — 
 well, thank God! — that form suddenly- 
 brushed past, and whirled and eddied 
 down Broadway into the crowd. Before 
 I could act he had disappeared, hurry- 
 ing to his office. 
 
 I debated for a time wondering what 
 I should do, listening to the voice 
 within me. Then — it was no use to be 
 pushed headlong, as it seemed I was, 
 out of the eddy, into the crowd, down 
 the street, in the mad effort to lessen 
 the time and distance between that 
 corner and Wall street, where Winship 
 would be ! 
 
 As I went mv furv increased. It 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 67 
 
 seemed bitterly painful to wait till I 
 had come to his office to deal with him. 
 I could see his evil face at his desk in 
 my mind's eye; and I ciirsed and 
 struck at that in my rage as I went. 
 
 As I bumped and tumbled about in 
 the crowd, what was it that so set me 
 on fire? My brain was reeling; my 
 blood was scorching m.e in its rapid ebb 
 and flow. Then I noticed how the 
 crowd began to scatter before the blaze 
 of my eyes. Perhaps they could see 
 even then that I was the greatest and 
 most powerful man in the world. 
 
 I hurried along the tall row of build- 
 ings past the old church and entered 
 Wall street. I glided like lightning by 
 the smoothness of banker, politician, 
 gentleman, and Jew; and, with all the 
 
68 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 accumulated hatred of years, the hot 
 blood in my temples, the thick vein 
 swelling on my forehead, I sprang up 
 the steps of the banking house of 
 " Philip Winship and Co. " 
 
 There was something in my voice or 
 in my eyes, no doubt, that carried 
 fright with it; for, in an instant, the 
 clerks had all sprung to their feet be- 
 hind their cages, and were staring with 
 white faces through the bars. 
 
 An older clerk came down, pretend- 
 ing ease, rubbing his hands together as 
 he must do in any case by habit and 
 instinct. I know he was quaking at 
 the knees. 
 
 "Philip Winship is in his office," I 
 said, " and I will see him ! ' ' 
 
 " I believe your name is Edward 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 69 
 
 Milton," he stammered. "Have you 
 ever been here before ? ' ' 
 
 "Perhaps," I said, "but that is 
 neither here or there. I will see Philip 
 Winship." 
 
 The blood and will were gone from 
 him on the instant. The gate swung 
 upon its hinges; and I brushed him 
 away. 
 
 " You may remain where you are," I 
 said, and, stepping forward, threw open 
 the door of Winship 's office. Once 
 inside, I closed it and turned to him. 
 
 There he was at his desk, with his 
 white face, dark eyes, and heavy brows. 
 His eyes contracted strangely as if in 
 some doubt, as he saw me. 
 
 " You know the purpose with which 
 I have come here, Mr. Winship," I 
 
70 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 said, as I took a seat, " and I need not 
 explain." 
 
 For a moment he did not reply, and 
 I found him staring at me, his eyes 
 narrowing as if he was trying to under- 
 stand. 
 
 "I know nothing concerning "you of 
 late," he replied, at last. "I do not 
 understand the reason for your pres- 
 ence, or your hideous lavighter. As 
 your guardian — " 
 
 " I laugh because you do not under- 
 stand," I went on. "You little know 
 the danger you are in; you have not 
 heard of the Book of Laws. You do 
 not know of the Man-Forms." 
 
 He stared at this. Then his eyes 
 widened a bit. " If you have come in 
 regard to your father's business," he 
 began, " I may tell you — ' ' 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 71 
 
 Here I drew a chair up to him. " Mr. 
 Winship," I said, "you know well my 
 mission; you know my story. Some 
 months ago my father was your friend. 
 You betrayed him, and you betrayed 
 me; and now I am going to demand 
 the papers you stole; and then, for all 
 the evil you have done, you shall see — " 
 
 " Yes but — " he began. 
 
 " But this time," I broke forth, "the 
 case is different. I have not waited all 
 these months, — waited, and watched, 
 and trusted, — to be put off by you 
 again. You little know what I can 
 do." 
 
 Even as 1 spoke, dizzy with heat, I 
 could see how his face whitened and 
 how he trembled. He had begun to 
 understand. Knowing what he de- 
 
'72 THE. WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 served I was maddened the more. All 
 I could see was the evil face before me ; 
 and I was talking to it. 
 
 "This time I shall surprise you," I 
 insisted. " This time there shall be no 
 mistake. You shall return all the 
 property, deeds, stocks and bonds, and 
 see that all titles are corrected. I am 
 the Ruler of the World ! ' ' 
 
 I could see how his face fell before 
 my words. He knew my terrible ha- 
 tred by this time. How his lips trem- 
 bled, and how his body swayed! My 
 command had taken hold of him. 
 
 " But— " he began. 
 
 " But do as I command! " I said. 
 
 For a moment the pointed, shaggy 
 brows turned toward me in astonish- 
 ment, the eyes switching back and 
 forth. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 73 
 
 But what hope was there for him? 
 what help? Not only my words, but 
 my eyes, my presence, had told upon 
 him. He was no longer himself, and 
 must yield to my wishes. There was a 
 slight struggle in his eyes; his arm 
 shook; he looked dazed, distressed. 
 Then, without another word, he arose, 
 went to his private safe, and swung 
 open the great door. There, after 
 fumbling about for a time, he drew out 
 a package of papers. 
 
 " And do you really want these, and 
 is there no reason left in you?" he 
 asked, as he turned and looked at me. 
 
 Then I laughed in spite of all the 
 bitterness and anger in me. "Do I 
 really want the papers?" I mocked 
 him. "Why, have I not commanded 
 
74 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 you? You might as well have asked 
 me if I wanted to be, or really was, the 
 Emperor of the World! It was the 
 papers I came for. I want these first; 
 we shall see after that what else I want. " 
 
 Then he broke down. " Good God ! ' ' 
 he cried, " I don't know what to say to 
 you! I have already humored you in 
 every way I could. And now it has 
 come to this! Oh Alice ! Alice ! what 
 would you think now, if you knew of 
 his actions ? ' ' 
 
 But I did not care for Alice. I 
 looked at the package he handed me 
 and found, not only the stocks and 
 bonds, but the missing will my father 
 had made; and seeing that will I was 
 almost overcome. To think that this 
 man had such an infivience over mv 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER n 
 
 father ! He had concealed his stealings 
 all the time, gained his confidence, and 
 then sent him to his grave! Why it 
 was terrible! God help me! With 
 this will before me, with that terrible 
 Power, with the Demon in me shriek- 
 ing for vengeance, what would I do? 
 
 My form grew; my eyes blazed; I 
 remembered the decrees of the Book of 
 Laws that spoke of the Man-Forms; I 
 remembered what it said of the World- 
 Destruction! I felt the grip of the 
 Demon on my brain ; I heard the noise 
 of its triumph like distant hideous 
 laughter, coming nearer and nearer; it 
 grew and grew until it crashed like the 
 sound of a forest storm, even in the 
 very heart of the city ! 
 
 Then it abated, and it was / that 
 
76 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 laughed aloud, while Winship stood 
 before me terrified beyond expression. 
 I said to myself : 
 
 "Leave him alone for the present. 
 Why, he is like a child in my hands. I 
 can destroy this man at any time ; and 
 now I have so much else to do. " 
 
 "But his evil face!" protested the 
 voice of the Demon. 
 
 " Leave that to me, " I cried. " You 
 shall do my work now. Without is the 
 whole wide world that must feel my 
 Power ! Let us go forth and begin ! ' ' 
 
 And I laughed again with the joy of 
 one who is all powerful, — of one who is 
 the Ruler of the World! 
 
 "And now. Mr. Winship," I said, 
 "you must know that this is but the 
 mildest treatment you shall receive. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 77 
 
 Wait! — wait till I have begun to deal 
 with the worst class of Man-Forms! — 
 and wait for the Destruction of the 
 World! This is but the first display of 
 my Power ! And when the proper time 
 conies, have no fear but that you shall 
 be the first to go\" 
 
 That he was frightened, almost out 
 of his senses, I have no doubt; and 
 knowing he had. heart disease, I left 
 him to his fears. 
 
V 
 
 A moment after I found myself again 
 bumping and tumbling against the 
 crowd on Broadway, laughing within 
 myself, wild with delight. I had re- 
 ceived every proof of the Power now, 
 and — it was wonderful! Why, here 
 was the will my father had made ; here 
 were his stocks and bonds ; here all the 
 wealth whereby my family had main- 
 tained itself in its gentle position ! And 
 what was more — I had discovered there 
 was nothing now I could not have ! 
 
 As I passed a mirror in a shop win- 
 dow, and saw the handsome devil 
 within me, I wanted to shout my ecs- 
 tasy from the house tops. " Oh you! ' ' 
 I felt like crying to the people in the 
 
8o THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 street, " did you but know! You little 
 dream how idle and silly your mad 
 pursuits are now ! I have these papers ; 
 I have that Power ! And who are ^''ou ? 
 And what is this city? Mine! Bad 
 and good alike, I can crush you with 
 my Power! And T will do it, too! I 
 will see you squirm! Your torture 
 shall be my delight ! ' ' 
 
 Oh, if I could but tell some one of 
 this! If I could only confide in some 
 one that was worthy! To be com- 
 pelled to keep all this to myself— it 
 seemed a shame! But where was the 
 person I could explain it to; and trust? 
 Where was the one that could under- 
 stand? I thought of the goddess of 
 gray-blue eyes that I was to make 
 World -Empress. Where was shef And 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 8i 
 
 then I laughed — I looked about me and 
 laughed. Why should I think of one 
 woman now, when all women were 
 mine? 
 
 The humor seized me to walk among 
 my subjects and watch the manifold 
 play on their features, as I tested my 
 undoubted powers. I swung north- 
 ward through the great crowd, chuck- 
 ling as I went. Ah, to think that all 
 these people must do my will! To 
 think that a new era for mankind was 
 at hand ! And still I laughed. 
 
 Instead of the nods and smiles I had 
 met before in the days of my gallantry 
 and mild manner, I encountered 
 strange, frightened stares and frowns. 
 Two men I knew especially well, 
 passed, and I heard one of them say : — 
 
82 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 "What is the matter with Edward 
 Milton? This is the strangest thing of 
 all." This made me laugh the more. 
 Oh, how delicious! What unheard of 
 pleasure! For me these people were 
 all mad creatures of mischance, living 
 in a world of fancies. I could change 
 the life they lived in a word — I — I! 
 Then I noticed the women and how 
 they looked at me. Tt seemed that my 
 good appearance was not for nothing; 
 and it was plain that if I wished for 
 mischief, I had but to mingle in their 
 affairs and set it going. 
 
 Arriving in Union Square, I felt a 
 sudden desire to prove my Power again. 
 I stopped before a well-known firm of 
 jewelers ; then entering, went up to the 
 senior proprietor. He was a gray, 
 bushy- whiskered man of serious air. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 83 
 
 "Sir," I said. "I have unlimited 
 credit here, as you know. I'm glad of 
 that because I want to buy everything 
 in the store. Yott know I can. " 
 
 Was there ever a more astonished 
 man than he ? 
 
 " Why you'd ruin me, " he said, " how 
 do I know that you 'd pay ? You 'd ruin 
 me, Milton." 
 
 "Oh dear," I said, "don't you know 
 that I am the richest man in the world 
 — going to own everything? And you 
 talk like that!" 
 
 He looked at me in astonishment, 
 but he did not doubt my word. That 
 was the curiotis effect of the Power. 
 
 "You own everything?" he asked. 
 Then he dropped his eyes from mine. 
 " Oh yes, I know you do. " 
 
84 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 "Why man" — and I laughed up- 
 roariously — " I suppose you've for- 
 gotten that I own this store, even. I 
 should say I did have a right to have a 
 credit here." 
 
 "Why so you do," he said. "How 
 strange! Your father was very rich. 
 Why yes, let me see; I must have it in 
 trust." 
 
 "Well, that is good!" I said, " You 
 have it in trust — you? Why I own it 
 all! I own your fine house, for that 
 matter, and the dearest things you 
 have, — your horses, yacht, stimmer 
 home, wife, and children!" 
 
 "Is that true? I don't understand 
 it, but I suppose you do." 
 
 I left the old fellow stupefied, and, 
 wandering about the store, selected a 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 8s 
 
 diamond ring from a brilliant display. 
 Ah, this was passing strange! The 
 Power certainly worked like a charm. 
 
 I passed out into the street, where 
 the morning shoppers were and looked 
 about. I found them again — women 
 in all stages of beauty — and I looked 
 eagerly at the occupants of carriages 
 as they came up. It struck me again 
 that the love of all these finer creatures 
 was mine, if I but wished it — all mine ! 
 mine! But no one caught my fancy, 
 till, after a time, I was surprised by the 
 appearance of one with familiar face. 
 
 This was no other than the beautiful 
 Miriam Worthington. I knew her to 
 be a friend of Alice Winship, but I did 
 not care for that; my interest was 
 aroused at once. Exultant with my 
 
86 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 previous success, I called to her, and 
 as she paused, caught up. It was 
 plain, as she smiled at me and gave me 
 her hand, she was not Alice Winship's 
 friend more than mine. As a social 
 leader she could not afford to take sides 
 in this matter; but I determined on 
 her conquest at once. 
 
 She began by asking me why I had 
 been away from her so long. 
 
 "By the way," I said, paying no 
 attention to her question, "you know 
 you have one friend in the world, at 
 least. To prove it, see — here is the 
 ring I promised yoti on our engage- 
 ment! Sorry I have been so careless." 
 I handed her the ring. 
 
 She took it and looked at it a mo- 
 ment. "Why what do you mean?" 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 87 
 
 she asked, — " you goose! Yoti know I 
 ara married — unhappily it is true — but 
 still married. Now you're playing one 
 of your jokes. You're so queer. ' ' 
 
 " No, yoii're not married! " I insisted. 
 "Your husband's dead. I saw him 
 die. He died last night — a year ago! 
 You are engaged to me. Surely you 
 haven't forgotten!" I laughed with 
 keen pleasure at her astonishment. 
 
 She evidently believed ; but she per- 
 sisted still. " Even if that be so," she 
 said, " you yourself are engaged. Why 
 you are engaged to Alice — ' ' 
 
 "Ha! ha! ha! ha!" I cried. "I have 
 heard that name before — and how 
 absurd! I am not engaged. Why all 
 the women in the world are mine, at 
 my command. And you are mine ! ' ' 
 
88 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 I saw her eyes flash into mine and I 
 knew the love she was capable of. She 
 laughed and we passed up the street 
 like a bridal couple, the center of all 
 eyes. How the people stared and 
 shook their heads ! But if Mrs. Worth- 
 ington's acquaintances were surprised 
 then, they should have followed us to 
 where the great hotel looms xvp over the 
 Avenue. We certainly sat down in a 
 flutter of excitement there. 
 
 I fell into absurdities. " I want a 
 bridal breakfast for two that costs 
 thousands," I said to the waiter. "It 
 must cost a hundred thousand, at least ; 
 and you may make it more. " 
 
 "But we haven't such breakfast for 
 two, not if you order all we have, " cried 
 the astonished waiter. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 89 
 
 " How absurd ! " I said coolly, " when 
 I ordered dinners for the same price 
 heretofore, you always understood. 
 You have but to multiply every sum by 
 one hundred. That's very simple and 
 makes it right." And I turned away 
 from him as if in disgust. 
 
 "And now Miriam," I said, feeling 
 that this was an excellent chance to 
 inaugurate a change in the social world, 
 " this foolishness in society has gone 
 far enough, and I want to begin work in 
 earnest. Let me see, they say that 
 New York is ruled by the Four Hun- 
 dred. Do I understand that you, as 
 one of its leaders, approve of this 
 number?" 
 
 She stared at me very hard, for no 
 doubt she had not heard of mv leader- 
 
90 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 ship. Poor woman, she would soon 
 learn; but she was rebellious for the 
 moment. 
 
 "The Four Hundred," she said at 
 last, — "most certainly I approve of it. 
 Have you any objections to that 
 number?" 
 
 "Well," I laughed, in the conscious- 
 ness of my greatness, and knowing I 
 could afford to be sarcastic, " there was 
 a time when I thought of sending in my 
 application for membership to your 
 society, but I have changed all that 
 now. Perhaps you have not heard of 
 the Book of Laws." 
 
 "Upon my word" — and she stared 
 at me now in renewed wonder — "I 
 have not heard a word about the Book 
 of Laws. Is that what you've been 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 91 
 
 doing all this time — writing a book?" 
 
 "T admit the terrible scandal of it," 
 I answered, "but the Book of Laws is 
 nothing without the Power to carry it 
 through. Have you heard of the 
 Power?" 
 
 She tttmed a little pale. " Upon my 
 word, no," she said. 
 
 "Well perhaps you never will," I 
 went on, "but I tell you one thing: it 
 was a mere joke — my putting that 
 advertisement in the paper, applying 
 for a membership to the Four Hundred. 
 I know the waiting list is too long. 
 Besides I have decided to make the list 
 larger than its present number; and I 
 am going to have you help me. Do 
 you understand ? ' ' 
 
 She was pale as death by this time. 
 
92 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 She looked about as if in appeal to the 
 guests of the hotel, a few of whom she 
 knew. She gasped: "Just give me a 
 little time to understand you. I'll 
 help you all I can." 
 
 "You may be sure of that," I re- 
 sponded. " I don't see how you could 
 do anything else. Well, now that you 
 have decided to help me, I may as well 
 tell you all the rest." Then I caught 
 her eye. " The Four Hundred, ' ' I said, 
 "shall be increased at my will. But 
 this is the easiest thing of all. We have 
 another duty ; and that is, to weed out 
 more than half of the present number; 
 and we have to add a number of my 
 own selection. I know this will go 
 hard with you, because you do not even 
 know some on my list, and you do not 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 93 
 
 speak to others. But I assure you 
 they are all right. They are not pre- 
 tenders like some on your old list ; they 
 haven't vulgar faces or frog-eyes; but 
 they'll do. Why, Mrs. Worthington, I 
 know them. I've tested them. The 
 Book of Laws tells of the Reassortment 
 and explains the Badge of Caste. My 
 people speak for themselves. Here 
 now is the list." 
 
 I handed her the paper on which I 
 had written all the names. She took 
 it and read; and as she read, her eyes 
 opened with wonder ; for I had written 
 at the head of that list : 
 
 " World-Empress: She Who Is of the 
 Mysterious Gray-blue Eyes." 
 
 Then she looked at me, frightened a 
 bit, it seems. " Why, Mr. Milton, ' ' she 
 gasped, " what can you mean ? ' ' 
 
94 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 " Let me see the paper, " I said. And 
 then as I glanced at it, I laughed. 
 "Upon my word," I added, "I have 
 forgotten to add your own name. But 
 you must remember I made that list 
 when your husband was still alive. He 
 looked like a fat pig, and it was too 
 much to ask that he should belong. 
 But there, now! don't look at me so 
 mournfully. I'll fix it. As the City 
 Censor and the World-Dictator, I am 
 empowered to do all things." 
 
 Then I wrote her name at the bottom 
 of the list. 
 
 "Will it do now? "I asked. 
 
 She looked at me a long time; and 
 as she looked, the tears gathered in her 
 eyes. She seemed to be trying to 
 understand. At last she spoke. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER gs 
 
 " I was not wondering about myself, " 
 she said. " I was wondering about the 
 person that heads your list. And who 
 is she?" 
 
 "Miriam," I cried, moved by her 
 tears, " I have told you that you were 
 engaged to me, and I don't want you to 
 feel bad ; but I must ask you a question 
 before it is too late." Here I took a 
 photograph from my pocket, and 
 showed it to her. " Do you know who 
 that woman is ? " I asked. 
 
 Her eyes opened wide, as she looked 
 at it. 
 
 "Oh, you may well be astonished," 
 I cried, " but even that picture does not 
 do her justice. Why you should see 
 her beautiful eyes in real life — her 
 beautiful gray-blue eyes. This is the 
 
96 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 woman I am to make Empress of the 
 World. And now you must not blame 
 me." 
 
 "Great heaven!" she cried, "the 
 Empress of the World ! And don't you 
 know who she is ? " 
 
 "To be sure I know who she is!" I 
 said. " Don't I read faces as never 
 man read them before? The only 
 trouble is — I can't find her! I have 
 looked for her everywhere — and I must 
 find her! You must help me too. 
 While you go about making this social 
 change I speak of, you must look for 
 her. Now go speak to the ladies, and 
 change society— God bless you ! I love 
 you next to her; and in case you can't 
 find her, I will do all things for you! ' ' 
 
 When she had gone, I rose to look 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 97 
 
 about me, scanning the faces of the 
 half -world of society that laughed and 
 fed at the tables about me. What 
 were they now? By one stroke, by the 
 mere mention of the list to Miriam, I 
 had upset the whole social world. 
 Money would be a factor in it no longer ; 
 but it would be governed by the Badge 
 of Caste. Why, on my list was a nurse- 
 girl and a waiting maid. They were 
 beautiful, and I was exceedingly lucky 
 to discover them. It would not take 
 a month to wipe the stain off their 
 names and make people forget their old 
 occupations. 
 
 "Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha !" I laughed, 
 as I looked about me. " This is a won- 
 derful thing — this Badge of Caste ! And 
 it's so strange that I can read faces like 
 
98 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 that! No man can hide from me! I 
 know his place in the world. The 
 social life, indeed! How absurd! — 
 since the original gentlemen and gentle- 
 women had died out of the world long 
 ago!" These people were but pre- 
 tenders, imitators, women of display, 
 and men of ready wit but little man- 
 hood! They were not human beings 
 even. They were Man-Forms ! Society 
 needed a new era and I would give it 
 that. I would weed out these im- 
 postors as I saw fit. And good fun I 
 should have in doing it ! 
 
 I broke out into mad laughter again 
 like the fiend I was — wild, insolent, 
 laughter; for I enjoyed the present 
 excitement, while plotting the Great 
 Reassortment and World-Destruction. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER gg 
 
 These^women now seemed to me but a 
 fit part of the most absolute monarchy 
 the world had ever seen. And think 
 how I should bring agony to the hearts 
 of these men — these Man-Forms ! 
 
 " Good Lord!" I cried, springing up, 
 " doesn't everybody recognize me as 
 the Emperor of the World ? ' ' Never a 
 one of you fear! to-morrow I shall 
 change all this! ' ' 
 
 Perhaps I drank a great deal of wine 
 after that. At any rate I found my- 
 self, a short time afterwards, laughing 
 like a fiend in the corridors of the hotel. 
 But as I walked through, T saw how the 
 women looked at me. They were 
 going to some reception upstairs. How 
 easy it was to obtain them by merely 
 speaking to them ! 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 "Ha! ha! ha! ha !" my voice rang 
 through the halls of the great btulding. 
 I knew it was for these fair creatures 
 men slaved so unwittingly — the thief 
 and miser, as well as the rest — ^while 
 they were for me alone ! 
 
 But I left them there and went up 
 the street as far as my club, where I 
 turned and entered my up-town rooms. 
 
 When the afternoon waned, and 
 darkness had poured for hours into the 
 lamp-Hghted streets, I put on evening 
 attire. If the city had changed its 
 dress and the time had come for dis- 
 play, wliy I should feel at my best! 
 And later on I sat in the Minot box at 
 the opera and caused a stir. It was 
 the opening night, but all eyes were 
 turned upon me! 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER loi 
 
 "Edward Milton has come back to 
 us! How strangely he acts!" I could 
 hear the people say. 
 
 For a time the opera lagged and 
 almost stopped. The singers them- 
 selves knew I was there! And every- 
 where I heard bits of expression, — 
 " Edward Milton "—" Edward Milton is 
 here ' ' — " he has come back. ' ' 
 
 But I, who had always been so mod- 
 est before, now stared at the aston- 
 ished audience, knowing what a stam- 
 pede I could create among these 
 fashionables with a few words of com- 
 mand. 
 
 And why did I not act ? Why did I 
 not strike at that moment? I had 
 gone carelessly through the day, wait- 
 ing long enough, surely; and this was 
 
102 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 the time if ever! Was there a woman 
 of gray-blue eyes there somewhere, 
 who gazed at me earnestly and held me 
 back? Surely it was not that; for 
 what was I doing now but staring 
 coolly at other eyes — other women. 
 
 At any rate I did not strike or dis- 
 play my Power, but continued to be 
 pleased with the feminine display. 
 And, as if not satisfied with this, I 
 followed up my folly later by providing 
 supper for all the actresses and kindred 
 spirits I knew. And after that, I found 
 myself in a brilliantly lighted ballroom 
 on the Avenue, watching the dancers 
 swaying to and fro in the flush of a 
 quickening waltz, and wondering what 
 further mischief I could do. 
 
VI 
 
 When I awoke the next morning I 
 found myself in my up-town rooms, 
 though it was sometime before I could 
 realize it. My eyes were still swim- 
 ming with visions of beautiful dancers ; 
 I heard warm laughter in my ears, and 
 caught the odor of luxuriant hair, 
 mingled with that of the perfume of 
 flowers; a face seemed near me, of 
 passionate black eyes, long-lidded eye- 
 lashes, and raven black hair; a mouth 
 bloomed near me with clusters of kisses 
 on the lips. And these things seemed 
 to mean more than all else to me, till a 
 vision of brown hair and gray-blue eyes 
 appeared; and I understood at last 
 that a great day was before me. 
 
104 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 It was late. As I breakfasted, I was 
 conscious that the sun was shining in 
 all its glory without, and cabs were 
 clattering along the street below; then 
 T knew that it was time, and the world 
 awaited my further decisions. 
 
 What should I do? I had set the 
 social world all agog, and I was satis- 
 fied with that for the present ; but that 
 was not enough I had chosen so far 
 to begin the World-Change in a mild 
 manner — there was plenty of time for 
 the worst decrees of the Book and the 
 Destruction — ^but even so I must be up 
 and doing. 
 
 With this idea I descended to the 
 Aventie and walked rapidly southward, 
 thereby escaping the social district. 
 
 Once on Broadway, I breathed a sigh 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 105 
 
 of relief, knowing I had passed out of 
 the artificial world of art, religion, and 
 life. Here I found myself once more 
 in the region of actual struggle. In 
 this great mercantile artery I could 
 find a pleasanter task, if I but chose. 
 Here the atmosphere was broader and 
 more cosmopolitan, speaking of all 
 classes and all nationalities. Almost 
 every day I had gone along this street, 
 as well as in the other parts of the city, 
 taking great pleasiire in the constant 
 ebb and flow of the business people, 
 learning to know them in their daily 
 pursuits. In spite of the many tran- 
 sient faces, I felt that I knew the his- 
 tory of each individual there in his 
 madness. From the prosperous busi- 
 ness man to the most wretched woman. 
 
io6 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 I felt I knew them all, and had taken 
 part in their affairs. 
 
 And on this day I could not help 
 noticing how many of them had al- 
 ready changed at my hands, even as in 
 the near future all should change. Was 
 it not strange? What if they had 
 known that I was more than mortal 
 man? 
 
 But I could not stop to talk to them 
 now. I received their nods and smiles 
 in silence, leaving them surprised as I 
 passed on down. 
 
 But I could not help noticing the 
 signs on the business houses in the 
 lower street. Jewish names there — 
 almost all of them ! This section of the 
 city was owned by Jews who supplied 
 nothing to the human race, and were 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 107 
 
 mere selfish bargainers and go- 
 betweens! I should arrange all that! 
 These very Jews, these calculating 
 creatures of mechanism, should be the 
 workers of Men! Their superior trad- 
 ing qualities should be utilized well in 
 the economical system of the Republic ! 
 I should go to the owner of the great 
 department store there and I shotild 
 say to him: "Mr. Isaacs, I do not dis- 
 like your race especially, though it is 
 not that of ' Man ', or your religion, but 
 the manner of your development. You 
 shall keep your store and you shall run 
 it as before; but your genius shall 
 hereafter be used for the sake of hu- 
 manity and not for you alone. " 
 ;l I was about to do this when the 
 insignificance of the deed struck me. I 
 
io8 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 was out to do things on a larger scale; 
 and I crossed over to Sixth Avenue and 
 took the Elevated to the lower town, 
 
 I came once more into the heart of 
 the great financial district of the city — 
 the great bee-hive of tall buildings, 
 where not only vast fortunes were 
 made and lost, but the present social 
 system was upheld and half the con- 
 spiracies of the world were formed. 
 Here were headquarters for the real 
 rulers of our land, and the offices of the 
 vast army of their captains and aids, — 
 lawyers, bankers, brokers, politicians, 
 and promoters. 
 
 This, at least, was a fit place to con- 
 tinue the destruction of the present 
 order, and try reform. I knew there 
 were good men here as well as else- 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER log 
 
 where, the most subtle and intelligent 
 minds of the world; but the force of 
 evil was hard at work there as well, and 
 the good men were hard to distinguish 
 from the bad; and if I were not mis- 
 taken, there was going to be a great 
 commotion in the bee-hive of buildings 
 that day. It seemed but a little thing 
 that I passed like any other mortal by 
 the silent old church, and into the 
 " Street", but it would be the origin of 
 a wonderful change. 
 
 Down the row of tall buildings I 
 went, in the hurrying crowds, till I 
 came to the statue of Washington 
 which stands with hands lifted warning 
 the people. Jews and Christians alike, 
 he is supposed to protect ! Poor man ! 
 he did not know the Badge of Caste ! 
 
no THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 I may tell you that it was not with 
 the spirit of a Washington, I turned to 
 look about me, seeking my first victim. 
 But, with an overpowering sense of 
 duty in my mind, and with no wish to 
 compromise, I found myself embar- 
 rassed by the first sign I saw : 
 
 "PHILIP WINSHIP & CO." 
 
 Puzzled in the extreme, I stood there 
 a moment looking at this, standing out 
 as it did in letters of gold. The terrible 
 decrees of the Book that speak of the 
 World-Destruction again came clearly 
 to my mind; and it took me sometime 
 to regain my steadiness. But, thank 
 God! the warning of a pleading voice 
 within me — a voice that T somehow 
 associated with gray-blue eyes— pre- 
 vented rash action and bade me wait! 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 I passed on to the next business house 
 knowing it would suffice for the pur- 
 doses of that day; and, gathering my- 
 self together, mad with my knowledge 
 of the Power, I entered. 
 
 Going up to the cashier's window, I 
 was informed that the president was 
 out; but, knowing that the vice-presi- 
 dent would do, I passed on to the rear. 
 Andl found that man — as bad a rascal 
 as you will meet in Wall street — a 
 smiling, smooth, lying villain, of mo- 
 bile brows and high forehead. 
 
 "Now," I said to him, "you have 
 planned well, and your ventures seem 
 unfailing, but I have a surprise for you 
 this time ! Know that there are going 
 to be many failures, and a tremendous 
 tumble in Wall street stocks this day. 
 
112 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Wealth shall change hands as never 
 before, and few men shall know before 
 the end of the day whether they have 
 gained or lost. But look to the plans 
 you have laid ! Do you now see that 
 your conspiracy has failed and you are 
 a ruined man? ' ' 
 
 He turned pale as death ; and I knew 
 where the blow had struck him. 
 
 "What is it?" he cried, in growing 
 surprise. " You surely do not know 
 me! Why should trouble come? — tell 
 me! tell me!" And he caught hold of 
 my arm with a wild fling of his hand. . 
 
 "Hear you not rumors of war?" I 
 demanded, " and strikes and endless 
 failures? Great changes shall take 
 place, and you shall be one of the first 
 victims. Now, try to save yotirself if 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 113 
 
 yoti can, and spread the news as you 
 will — ^for there are many houses that 
 will go with you, and you are a ruined 
 man!" 
 
 For a moment the man stood there 
 in his office, white as paper, then fell 
 into a dead faint to the floor. At- 
 tracted by the noise of the fall, the 
 whole ofhce force rushed madly up to 
 him; and I knew that the mischief I 
 wished had been done. 
 
 "And now step aside," I said to 
 them. " I have tried to save him, as 
 he will tell you when he wakes; but 
 wars and troubles will come, and even 
 the most careful will fail in business 
 this day." 
 
 They turned and stared at me, but 
 each one believed; and in the con- 
 
114 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 fusion I escaped to the street. I felt 
 something akin to fiendish joy at the 
 starting of the trouble. Pitiless now, 
 I went into the next place, and then 
 the next, spreading rumor right and 
 left, careless of pain so long as I 
 achieved my wishes and made men 
 mad. I had studied the situation well ; 
 I knew what to say to each man; the 
 whole street would be crazed and the 
 electric shock would start through the 
 city from there and go out over the 
 world. And I cared not, so long as the 
 great, the grand, the marvelous Reas- 
 sortment took place. 
 
 In an hour or so after the first blow 
 I entered the Stock Exchange to see the 
 effect. Men were gathering there after 
 the morning's lunch. There was still a 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 115 
 
 lull — ^until something was said; — and 
 in a moment even^one seemed to rise; 
 and there came up to me a mighty roar 
 of humanity. vSuch a wild panic as 
 then ensued had never been seen in Wall 
 street. Everywhere was a scramble 
 and tumult. Men were jumping about 
 like corn in a popper — mad — everlast- 
 ingly mad ! 
 
 I smiled grimly to see how things 
 were going. It was just as I intended 
 — just as it was meant in the Book of 
 Laws! Proper men were on top, and 
 the others were wild with fear or over- 
 confidence. Jxxst so their madness 
 would spread throughout the city! just 
 so it would pass out into the world! 
 and the grand Reassortment would 
 take place! 
 
ii6 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 "So much," I muttered to myself, 
 ' ' for the beginning ! To-morrow it shall 
 be the same, and so on, until those who 
 are worthy shall go up and those who 
 are not shall go down. And then — 
 come the last, the most terrible de- 
 crees that deal with the worst of so 
 called 'Men'! Ha! ha! ha! ha!" 
 
VII 
 
 The next afternoon, and the few 
 days after that, I was busy with elec- 
 tions. If the city was to have a new 
 set of counciknen, I found it just as 
 well for me to take my place among 
 them. It was not a very great am- 
 bition, but such an election would serve 
 as a stepping stone for higher things. 
 Besides it kept my mind off those 
 terrible decrees of the Book; and I 
 could see how, in my political rise, I 
 could obtain control of the nation 
 without violence. The truth is, I 
 wanted to delay the Destruction as 
 long as I could. 
 
 And it was with this idea, and while 
 the campaign fever was high, I spoke 
 
ii8 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 to the Governor one day, meeting him 
 on the street. When he recovered 
 from his astonishment I said: 
 
 " How strange it is, Governor, that 
 so few honest men enter politics." 
 
 " You are right," said he, " and it is a 
 pity, too." The governor was by 
 nature honest and frank. 
 
 " Now I am an honest man, myself," 
 I went on, " and if you are ever looking 
 about for a candidate for Congress, I 
 want you to remember me. Don't be 
 vSurprised now; for I don't intend to 
 stop with city elections." 
 
 The governor eyed me curiously for 
 a time. "You talk sensibly enough 
 now, I can't deny that; but" (I hated 
 the way he looked at me at this point) 
 — " how about Winship ? ' ' 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 119 
 
 You may guess I was angry in a 
 moment. "I know," I cried, "that 
 Winship thinks he owns this town; but 
 if he dares to enter this race, jovl shall 
 elect me sure. " 
 
 The governor agreed to help me, and 
 with his assistance, as well as with that 
 of Murphy and Franchetti, I threw 
 myself into the arena with a vengeance. 
 
 I need not tell you how bitterly I was 
 opposed by both political factions in 
 the city. Any one who has entered 
 into a just fight in elections may under- 
 stand that. But against me the bitter- 
 ness was the more intense because by 
 this time the leaders of the old parties 
 had, by blind instinct, begvin to fear me 
 like death. 
 
 But I mav tell vou that, assured of 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 victory, I permitted this opposition to 
 express itself in the most violent ways. 
 Aside from the interest it created, I 
 found that it gave me an insight into 
 the methods of the " rings ' ' and taught 
 me to know better the kind of men I 
 had to deal with, and the growing num- 
 ber of my enemies. Then it taught me 
 to know more of the man who was my 
 worst enemy. 
 
 It was no other than Philip Win ship 
 who proved to be the most determined 
 of my opponents. He was to put 
 through that street-car ordinance, and 
 he secretly worked for my overthrow, 
 pouring money into the coffers of the 
 factions, and into the hands of the 
 voters. And for the first time I dis- 
 covered what a tremendous influence 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 121 
 
 he had over the poHtical element of the 
 city. The "machines" were really 
 owned by him and he was making, 
 through them, a tremendous fight, 
 especially against me. It was not the 
 grizzled reprobate of the one party or 
 the bland hypocrite of the other, I had 
 to deal with now. Winship, with all 
 his wealth, was the present source of 
 the city's corruption. 
 
 It must have been a sad blow to him, 
 as well as the rest of the corrupt ele- 
 ment, to see how unavailable their 
 efforts were. I spoke no word to them ; 
 but relied upon the assistance of Mur- 
 ph}'^ and the governor. I took up my 
 down-town quarters, and paid atten- 
 tion to the people themselves. My 
 strong words were upon them con- 
 stantly, irresistably. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 There followed such an election as 
 had never been seen before in that 
 section of the city. You remember 
 that election ; how it proved a surprise 
 to the political parties ! There was no 
 violence on my side; but what mass 
 meetings were held in my favor! what 
 wives and mothers spoke for me! how 
 men suddenly changed their minds and 
 worked for me! Ah, I whispered into 
 the ears of, and made friends of, people 
 of all nationalities, till I was carried 
 forth to victory. And when the Ital- 
 ians, Germans and Jews had come and 
 done voting for me it seemed there was 
 but a handful of leaders that had cast 
 the opposing ballots. With scarcely a 
 dissenting voice, I found I had reached 
 the first step of my political ambition 
 and held a seat in the City Assembly. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 123 
 
 But when the shouting was over that 
 night of victory, the bands had ceased 
 playing in the City Hall Park, and I 
 had bowed my last acknowledgement 
 from the balcony above, 1 returned to 
 my office in the Dome (as I called the 
 high building), and for the first time 
 had a chance to think of the import of 
 it all. 
 
 To be sure, I found myself at the 
 head of the minority in the Assembly; 
 but I laughed when I thought how 
 easy it would be to speak and bend 
 them all to my will. Thieves, as they 
 were, out for private gain, cormorants, 
 headed by the most corrupt men in the 
 city, they were powerless, though they 
 knew it not. No repetition of former 
 corruption should be made while I was 
 
124 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 a member of the Assembly ; I was now 
 the curator of the city and would exer- 
 cise my proper functions there. I 
 wovild now, at least, prevent the great 
 municipal stealings while I waited for 
 the World-Republic; and, though the 
 councilmen would eye me with the look 
 of hatred, I would insist upon holding 
 them in check. Their power would be 
 as nothing when I spoke. 
 
 And it was but a short step now to 
 be elected to the State Assembly or 
 National Congress. I would permit 
 myself to be carried on the popular 
 wave into the national life, where I 
 would rise and secretly rule. And I 
 could not help seeing how this again 
 was biit a short step to the seat where 
 I would be Ruler of the World. The 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 125 
 
 Great Republic, the World-Republic, 
 must come then! I should make New 
 York the Capital, and secretly or 
 openly, as president, rule mankind. 
 
 If never before in the history of the 
 world, it could be said now, at least, 
 that there was a method in the order of 
 things and a power moving toward 
 some definite end. As I leaned from 
 the window of my dome that night, 
 and stretched forth my hand over the 
 gleaming city, the Capital City of the 
 World, I reigned — silently and surely I 
 reigned! Already I had done so much 
 and it seemed to me that the whole city 
 was in an uproar at the tremendous 
 adjustment of affairs. Mild as my 
 method had been, even now the groan 
 of Reassortment was most pitiful to 
 
126 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 hear. Not only Wall street and Fifth 
 avenue, but it seemed as if the whole 
 city had become dnmk or mad. It was 
 as if some giant foot had stamped the 
 ant-hill there into an earthquake, as its 
 creatures poured forth and tossed 
 about in wild confusion. Down, down, 
 down, tumbled all the phenomena of 
 present life into the abyss of change, 
 and, revolving in all the fire of chaos, 
 were moulded into a new world that 
 would be mine — the Great Republic ! 
 
 Then it happened, I thought of the 
 woman of gray-blue eyes. It was too 
 bad to keep all this from her, when she 
 should know and rule with me ! Why, 
 it might be that she would regard this 
 as too tedious; it might be that she 
 would wish the World-Destruction at 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 127 
 
 once! And why not? I thought of 
 Philip Winship and I began to curse 
 the delay. Was not all this political 
 effort unnecessary and meaningless? 
 I would find her! I would call on 
 Miriam Worthington at once to see if 
 she had found her. My Empress would 
 decide what was'to be done ! 
 
VIII 
 
 For the first time in her life Miriam 
 did not greet me cordially as I entered 
 her home. There were no words of 
 praise for me, no words of congratula- 
 tion ; no, she gave me no sign of recog- 
 nition ; but reclined on a divan, in the 
 beautiful room, her head, massive with 
 black hair, resting on her finely-shaped 
 hand, her long eyelashes cast down 
 concealing her beautiftol eyes. 
 
 Abashed by her behavior, I forgot 
 my good fortune, and not knowing 
 what to say for the raoment, began to 
 play with the dagger-like hat-pin and 
 the roses— red roses — on the onyx 
 stand there. 
 
 At last I spoke. " You are the only 
 
130 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 one," I said, reproachfully, "that has 
 not congratulated me on my election. 
 Do you want to, now ? ' ' 
 
 "Oh yes, I do," she said, in a low 
 voice. " I do. I wish you everything 
 well in the world. " 
 
 But why did she not lift her long eye- 
 lashes and look at me? Why would 
 she not disclose her beautiful eyes ? ' ' 
 
 "I want to congratulate you, too," 
 I said. "You have done excellent 
 work in society. The change will come 
 gradually." 
 
 "Oh yes," 
 
 "Unless," I went on, — "unless I see 
 fit to make a more sweeping change. I 
 was thinking of that to-night — after 
 elections. It occurred to me that it 
 was all too slow and tiresome." 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 131 
 
 " Yes, you have been very gentle and 
 patient. Everybody loves you so. " 
 
 But why would she not lift her eyes 
 to me? Was she not beautiful? My 
 God, was she not beautiful? Yes, on 
 this night, even more than ever before ! 
 I looked at her, caught the shimmer of 
 her neck, her beautiful closed eye- 
 lashed eyes, her bespangled, quivering 
 form in recline, and I knew I loved her 
 next best of all the women in the world. 
 And I wanted to tell her of that. Why 
 would she not lift her eyelashes and 
 look at me? 
 
 I noticed that she was crying — sob- 
 bing as if her heart would break. Great 
 tears were in her eyes when at last she 
 looked up. I was stunned with pity as 
 I watched her brush them away and 
 try to laugh. 
 
132 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 "And to think," she said, "you are 
 so handsome and everybody likes you 
 so well! Does that cut on your fore- 
 head ever hurt you ? ' ' 
 
 "Why no," I answered, somewhat 
 surprised. " That's what gives me my 
 great Power! To it I owe my genius! 
 But what has that to do with us, after 
 all? I came to tell you that I am pre- 
 pared to rule now, either by gradual 
 Reassortment, or the Destruction. I 
 came to see if you had fotind her, — my 
 World-Empress. She shall decide!" 
 
 Miriam smiled at me through her 
 tears. "Poor man," she said, "you 
 are as handsome as a god, and so strong 
 and powerful, too! How your eyes 
 shine, as if you could indeed do won- 
 ders! But your coat is shabby — you 
 seem so docile and gentle!" 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 133 
 
 I grew impatient. "What has all 
 this to do with finding the World- 
 Empress?" I said. "And as for being 
 gentle, I hate that word. Gentle!" 
 (and here I laughed bitterly) — " gentle ! 
 You shall see, if you but wait! I came 
 to find my consort." 
 
 She spoke irrelevantly. " Alice Win- 
 ship was here to-day," she said, smiling 
 at me, still through tears. 
 
 I could scarcely believe my ears. 
 " Alice Winship!" I exclaimed. 
 
 "Yes, yes," she answered. "She 
 was here to-day, and, indeed, we cried 
 together. I find ' ' (and here she looked 
 at me earnestly) — "I find that she 
 loves you, even after all that has 
 happened." 
 
 I could scarcely conceal my im- 
 
134 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 patience. " Why, of course she does ! ' ' 
 I cried. "How could she help loving 
 me now — ^when all the women love 
 me?" 
 
 "But don't you love herf" she 
 insisted. 
 
 "Alice Winship?" I cried. "Why, 
 even if I knew a person of such a name, 
 I could not love her. Love one who 
 bears the name of Winship ? Why that 
 man Winship is marked for the World- 
 Destruction and shall be the very first 
 to go!" 
 
 A kind of fright gathered in her eyes 
 at this. She laughed gently for a time ; 
 then fell into a long, loud fit of sobbing. 
 Why did she cry so much? I began to 
 tmderstand. I rose and put my hand 
 in benediction upon her beautiful head 
 — ^rich'with its dark wealth of hair. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 135 
 
 "There, there, Miriam!" I said, "I 
 know why you cry! But Miriam" (I 
 spoke very earnestly), "I cannot love 
 you. You are beautiful, but I simply 
 cannot love you. ' ' 
 
 At this she sobbed as if her heart 
 would break. I gazed at her for a 
 time, astonished; then I said, slowly: 
 "I take it for granted that you have 
 not found my World-Empress or you 
 would tell me of it. I will never again 
 annoy you by mention of her. I will 
 go now. I will find her myself. I 
 must see her. If she wants to save the 
 world, she must do it soon." 
 
 But Miriam still sobbed. 
 
 " Good God! ' ' I cried at last, " I can- 
 not stand this. You think I do not 
 care for you; but I tell you now, that 
 
136 The world destroyer 
 
 if I do not find this woman to-night, I 
 will bring on the World-Destruction, 
 anyway. And if I do it for no one else, 
 I will do it for you ! There ! there ! I 
 will do anything in the world for you — 
 if I cannot find her! ' ' 
 
 Without revealing my secret, I told 
 her how I could make the whole world 
 bow down before her; how her every 
 command would be law, and people 
 would do her will ; how she would have 
 riches, adoration, power; how even I 
 should be one of her slaves. I would 
 fotmd a great Empire, such as the 
 world had never dreamed of, for her. 
 America would be its center. This 
 city would be my capital. As for those 
 old-world empires, I would buUd pyra- 
 mids and temples and a Tower of Babel 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 137 
 
 that would eclipse them all! I would 
 string tombs to ourselves and our 
 descendants across this great continent, 
 high as the mountains themselves! I 
 would build great military roads across 
 the land, and man great fleets. And 
 then, if she liked, I would tear down 
 and destroy them all — just to show m.y 
 power ! Let her lift her beautiful eyes ! 
 — speak! — I could create life or death! 
 I could recklessly pull down the uni- 
 verse itself over our heads and die in 
 the universal crash. 
 
 "You shall see!" I cried, "for I will 
 not wait. If I don't find this other 
 woman to-night you shall see ! ' ' 
 
 I left her there, sobbing aloud; then 
 as I clattered through the hall-way and 
 down the steps, I heard her cry after 
 me: 
 
138 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 "Edward, Edward, comeback!" 
 Ah, it was too bad I cotild not love 
 that woman, too ! But even as I went, 
 though confused a bit, I knew it was 
 the other woman, for whom I meant to 
 do all! 
 
IX 
 
 For sometime I wandered forth, 
 dazed in mind, but feeling that a crisis 
 was near at hand. The desire for 
 action was driving me on. All of a 
 sudden I had come to the conclusion 
 that there was no longer excuse for 
 delay. If the city would not give up 
 my Empress, I would decide to act 
 myself. I would pass through it like 
 lightning and strike and bum as I went ; 
 I would rouse the city from its slumber, 
 turn forth the lights, build fires, sound 
 the whistles and bells, tumble the peo- 
 ple out into the streets. As a dictator, 
 I would make them do my will; I 
 wotild command the action of the 
 Emperor and Czar, and send their 
 
140 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 armies moving over the world ; I wotild 
 bring on a reign of terror, bloodshed, 
 and destruction. It should be done, 
 and now! 
 
 But where should I begin? As I 
 hurried on it chanced that I passed by 
 the great hotel that towers with its 
 thousand eyes over Fifth ' Avenue. I 
 paused for a moment at its entrance, 
 wondering at an iinusual stir there. 
 Then I heard the swing of dance music 
 above, and remembered that the most 
 brilliant ball of the season was to be 
 given there that night. I saw the 
 painted faces of women, in fancy dress, 
 bewigged men, and drunken striplings, 
 descend from incoming cabs, and pass 
 through the entry-way. Then I knew 
 that this was the place ! 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 141 
 
 '■']If]I had any doubt of this, it was to 
 be dissipated by the appearance of an 
 old man and young girl who darted 
 past me up the steps. I could not 
 make out who the girl was, but as the 
 old man turned to give some orders to 
 his footman, I saw the white, heavy- 
 browed face of Philip Winship ! 
 
 " The infernal letcher ! ' ' I cried. 
 
 But the presence of the young girl 
 stunned me for a moment, and I made 
 no move toward him. Then the joy in 
 my Power came again. I would enter 
 and settle accounts with Philip Win- 
 ship -first! and afterwards, see to the 
 rest of these midnight revellers! I 
 might as well begin the World-Destruc- 
 tion here! 
 
 What exultation I felt as I ascended 
 
142 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 the steps through the crowd of trav- 
 esty-makers ! I was headed ofJ at the 
 door of the ball-room. " No costume, " 
 the liveried servant explained to me; 
 and I laughed heartily. 
 
 "You think you know me," I said. 
 " Why man, I am masked, indeed, and 
 better than all the rest. No one can 
 know me, for I am disguised, even from 
 myself. My very countenance is a 
 mask. The others here are easily read 
 because they are so common. But I — 
 I wear the Badge of Caste! I am the 
 City Censor! — Emperor of the World!" 
 
 Some one whispered to him, and they 
 let me in. Extdtant at the excitement 
 I had caused, I walked over to a pillar, 
 under the balcony, and stared at the 
 painted revellers. It seemed to me 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 143 
 
 theygjwere already dancing over their 
 graves. I cotild see in my imagination 
 the faces they stamped upon, and the 
 blood that ran. And all the time I 
 laughed softly to myself. Of all the 
 people there, masked or unmasked, not 
 one but I read him as a book ! I alone 
 was disguised. They could not read 
 my Badge of Caste. 
 
 Then I thought of the World-De- 
 struction, the Great Reassortment, the 
 Great Republic, and I wondered if it 
 was time to begin. I thought of Philip 
 Winship, whom I hated, and I looked 
 around for him. 
 
 But I could not find him. I saw but 
 the decorations of the hall and the 
 staring, familiar eyes that were glued 
 upon me. Then the rat-tat-tat of the 
 
144 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 drum and the whirl of the dancers got 
 into my blood. I wanted to dance 
 myself and enjoy the idle travesty of 
 the night. I wanted to shout aloud — 
 to tell them who I was. 
 
 I was. about to begin, when some- 
 thing strange occurred. Had I spoken 
 the name of Winship aloud or had some 
 one else? For a moment I stood 
 trembling at the knees scarcely daring 
 to turn. " Suppose," I said to myself, 
 "that Philip Winship is in this room, 
 the interloper, the man who has stolen 
 into my father's social world, what 
 shall I do?" The blood began to rise 
 in my veins, and a dark look must have 
 come to my eyes, as I slowly wheeled 
 in my tracks. 
 
 But I must have stood staring like a 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 145 
 
 man possessed. Instead of Philip 
 Winship I saw a glowing vision in 
 white; and a fine girlish voice rang as 
 the murmur of the sea in my ears, re- 
 minding me of— what? Could I be- 
 lieve my senses? Then I noticed a 
 mass of brown hair, and the eyes! They 
 were gray and blue ! Here at last then, 
 was the girl I had been searching for, — 
 my goddess — my Empress — the near- 
 est earthly approach to my lost ideals. 
 Ah, there was no mistake. There she 
 was, standing the tallest among a bevy 
 of beautiful women, with mysterious 
 changeable gray-blue eyes, thoughtful 
 brow, brown hair. And, strange to 
 say, she was talking to Milliard — still 
 attended by this, my companion in 
 days gone by. 
 
146 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 How beautiful she looked on that 
 night of pageantry and revel in the 
 upper city! Had I been waiting for 
 her all these years that I should be so 
 thrilled at her appearance? It seemed 
 to me that my heart had long ago gone 
 out to that fresh innocent face with the 
 moods of summer in its smile. Look- 
 ing at her, I forgot about Winship. I 
 was filled with the questions that rose 
 to my mind and seemed so vital. What 
 was the meaning of that face with its 
 sweet smile and gray-blue eyes ? Why 
 did she so strangely resemble my ideal? 
 And who was she? — this girl who was 
 to be my future consort — my Empress? 
 
 Ah, it was natural that, as I gazed at 
 her, I should thank heaven for being 
 the greatest man in the world, a man 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 147 
 
 of fabulous power, and, in spite of the 
 scar I saw for a moment in the glass, 
 the one person in the world who could 
 make her mine. The old romance 
 arose in me; the love, not for all 
 women, but for this woman alone, 
 suddenly took hold of me, and made 
 me mad. Just as one passes through a 
 beautiful garden and suddenly sees the 
 fairest flower there, so did I see her in 
 that midnight travesty. Just as one 
 desires to possess this flower, so I 
 desired her. Long I gazed at her, till 
 I found her eyes had stolen into mine 
 and were looking just as they had 
 looked at me so often in my dreams. 
 
 Then it was I grasped at what I 
 thought was the best in life. Filled 
 with the insolence of my Power I 
 
148 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 crossed to where she stood, surrounded 
 by Hilliard and the women; I took her 
 hand in mine and spoke. 
 
 "You remember me, no doubt," I 
 said, " for we used to know one another 
 so well." 
 
 Instantly there was a stir and a sur- 
 prised flush among those who had been 
 talking to her. No doubt she had told 
 them she did not know me. For a 
 moment she seemed embarrassed; then 
 she felt the power of my words. She 
 placed her hand in mine, and with eyes 
 uplifted, chose to remember me. 
 
 "Yes, I believe we have met," she 
 said, " and — you surprise me! Do you 
 remember? But, perhaps — you re- 
 member better than /.' ' ' 
 
 "That would be natural," I replied, 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 149 
 
 "for who could forget so fair a face?" 
 But I added, because a strange fright- 
 ened blush had mounted to her cheek: 
 "Forgive me! I was but comparing 
 myself with you; for who am I that 
 you should remember me? No matter 
 how great I am, I am but a servant to 
 your will." 
 
 She forgave me; then, as her eyes 
 fluttered toward Hilliard and her com- 
 panions for a moment, I said, simply: 
 " I have been looking for you every- 
 where, and I have wonderful things to 
 tell you. Come, let us walk. ' ' 
 
 She seemed frightened for the mo- 
 ment; but, speaking soothing words, I 
 led her into the palm-garden, far away 
 from the rest of the dancers; and, 
 strange as it seemed, when we had 
 
150 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 arrived there, it was / who became 
 abashed. In her presence the sense of 
 my Power had strangely left me; and 
 I knew my will was hers. 
 
 We walked some time in silence; 
 then I said: "I cannot tell you how 
 pleased I am that you remember me." 
 
 And she replied timidly : "You must 
 tell me where it was I met you." 
 
 "Perhaps it was in my dreams," I 
 said, softly. " You seem so much like 
 a woman — a sort of ideal woman — I 
 used to know." 
 
 "In your dreams? Yes, that is 
 possible, for, you see, I have dreams, 
 too; but they are mostty day-dreams. 
 I have noticed you in actual life." 
 (She blushed.) "You did not know 
 that did you?" 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 151 
 
 Ah, she knew me! Then I would 
 test her. 
 
 " And are you ready to take up your 
 duties now?" I asked, "And do you 
 think it is too great a responsibility to 
 be my Empress? You will trust me, 
 will you, to do right in the Great Reas- 
 sortment ? — in the World- Empire ? ' ' 
 
 She hesitated — gazed at me a mo- 
 ment, as if she wished to understand. 
 
 "Yes, I can trust you," she said, 
 slowly, and, I thought, sorrowfully (for 
 tears ■^vere in her eyes),—" yes, you are 
 so gentlemanly ! — so mild ! — I can trust 
 you. But" (pleadingly) "will you 
 explain a little about this ? ' ' 
 
 Then it was I gathered courage. 
 
 "My Empress," I began, "I see you 
 do not know the strange secret I possess 
 
152 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 — a secret I can reveal to you alone. 
 But I have come to tell you that great 
 events are happening in all New York 
 — all over the world — events of my 
 creation. The destiny of all people is 
 to be changed ; and I ask you to believe 
 that, whether it be done by gradual 
 process or expedience, this change is 
 necessary. And it may be that I shall 
 have to use violence; but you must 
 remember now that the world is all 
 distorted, and the Great Reassortment 
 must come." 
 
 She looked at me queerly, frightened 
 for the moment, no doubt ; then some- 
 thing like tenderness came into her 
 eyes, while they looked away as if into 
 the far distance. 
 
 "Yes, yes, I know," she said, as if 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 153 
 
 recovering herself. "You always be- 
 lieved that, it seems. Yes, you are 
 right. The world is all distorted — the 
 world is all wrong ! ' ' 
 
 "There are so many wrongs in re- 
 ligion, art and society," I said. 
 
 " Yes I know — ' ' slowly. 
 
 " But that is not where the terrible 
 part of it comes in," I now began, " and 
 when I tell you of that, you will know 
 that I am just in not waiting for the 
 gradual Reassortment. You will be- 
 lieve then in the World-Destruction." 
 
 "But how? — ^how? What do you 
 mean?" she asked, as if in genuine 
 fright. "What do you mean by the 
 Great Reassortment? What do you 
 mean by the World- Destruction ? Why 
 are your eyes shining so — in that terri- 
 ble way?" 
 
IS4 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 " And do you mean to say," I asked, 
 "that you know nothing of the Em- 
 peror of the World and the Book of 
 Laws?" 
 
 She shrank from me timidly; for 
 those were terrible words. 
 
 " Indeed, indeed, Edward, I'm afraid 
 I do not," she pleaded. Then she 
 added : " But I do so wish to know — so 
 that I can help you! I do so wish to 
 help you in this! Will you explain?" 
 
 "Listen then, and I will teU you," I 
 cried, "for you are the only person I 
 can trust. You are the World-Em- 
 press ! ' ' 
 
 Then I told her of the Great Repub- 
 lic and the World-Empire, while she 
 stood there with wavering form and 
 glistening eyes. When I had ended 
 
THE WORLD DESWOYER 155 
 
 she was motionless, — ^white and still 
 as a statue. 
 
 "I see you understand," I went on, 
 at last, "and now I ask you to share 
 with me the destiny and the honor that 
 shall be mine in these events. You 
 know I love you ; and I want you to go 
 with me and believe in me whatever 
 happens. This New York world is too 
 narrow for an Emperor and his con- 
 sort. I ask you to give it up, without 
 question, and share my life and rule as 
 you deserve to rule — ^with me. ' ' 
 
 " Why, what can you mean, Edward 
 Milton?" 
 
 "Oh, my Empress!" I cried, "leave 
 this worthless life! accept me without 
 further struggle! for I promise I will 
 make you a queen in a new realm. 
 
iS6 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 You are the most beautiful woman in 
 the world! — the woman of my dreams! 
 Do you not believe in me ? Do you not 
 think I can make you Empress ? ' ' 
 
 At this her resistance gave way; her 
 face was softened by love; her eyes 
 were limped and beautiful. 
 
 "Yes, yes," she whispered, softly. 
 "You are the Emperor of the World; 
 for you were always the man most 
 sensitive to its wrongs." 
 
 A great flood of love — of ecstacy — 
 now came over me. It seemed almost 
 too good that I had at last found my 
 Empress, and that she agreed with me. 
 I was about to clasp her to my breast, 
 when she stepped aside, and suddenly 
 broke down into tears. " But I am so 
 afraid of you," she cried. "Hitherto 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 157 
 
 you have been so mild and good; but 
 what was that you were telling me of — 
 the World-Destruction? It is all very 
 well — ^what you say about changing 
 false customs, false people, and false 
 laws; as I look at you, and remember 
 what those people are out there" 
 (pointing to the ball-room), "as I see 
 how gentlemanly you are, how sensitive 
 to wrong you are, I can understand 
 your reason for changing everything; 
 but, as for this Destruction you speak 
 of, why, I do not believe you could do 
 that! No that isn't a part of you! You 
 are not evil! Ah, I do not believe you 
 are that! ' ' 
 
 She looked at me now, wistfully, 
 longingly, with those eyes changeable 
 as the sea. She seemed to study every 
 
158 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 faint line of my face. Then she went 
 on: 
 
 " I beheve I can trust you. You are 
 so gentle! — so mild! — I can trust you." 
 
 Would people never get over speak- 
 ing of me as "gentle", and "mild"? 
 In an instant I was maddened. 
 
 "No, no, no, no, you are wrong!" I 
 cried. " You do not understand! Why 
 it was only this night — ^but just the 
 moment before I saw you — I was 
 planning the most wicked thing con- 
 ceivable ! You do not know me. You 
 cannot understand. If I have been 
 gentle it was because I was waiting for 
 you! I wanted you to share in all I 
 did. 
 
 Then I went on, telling her of the 
 quandary I was in,— how I wanted her 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 159 
 
 advice, — how, not being able to find 
 her, I had determined on the World- 
 Destruction — this very night — at this 
 dance ! 
 
 "And there is one man especially 
 who is my enemy, and who, the very 
 moment I saw you, came near feeling 
 the keenness of my hatred," I said. 
 " That man has wronged me and I am 
 determined to repay him a thousand- 
 fold. Even now I am wondering if he 
 remained here! And heaven knows 
 what I would do if I should find him! 
 Perhaps you know and will tell me if he 
 is here. He has a daughter who is 
 admired very much — I suppose even 
 by you. I've no doubt you know that 
 daughter; I've no doubt you know that 
 man, and will tell me if he's here. His 
 name is Philip Winship! " 
 
i6o THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 I saw a sudden change in her counte- 
 nance at my words, and how she be- 
 trayed a curious fear. Like one dazed 
 she turned to me, her eyes growing 
 wider every moment, her face as white 
 as death. 
 
 "All I can say is," she gasped, as she 
 placed a trembling hand on mine, " that 
 you must be mistaken! You surely 
 have no evil thoughts against him! 
 Why, you must do nothing like this! " 
 
 I could not have felt more miserable, 
 seeing this agony in her, if the earth 
 had opened and we had sunk into it to 
 be buried alive. I was bitterly disap- 
 pointed. 
 
 " I am sorry you do not agree with 
 me," I said, at last. "But after all, 
 you are the World-Empress. I will 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER " i6i 
 
 not bring about the Destruction yet, if 
 you say so. It must be done; but at 
 your command, I will wait ! " 
 
 She suddenly seized my hand! 
 " Edward Milton," she cried, with tears 
 in her eyes, " if you love me, if you love 
 the woman that loves you, be mild, be 
 gentle, as you have been heretofore. 
 Then I shall have no fear! It will all 
 come out right some day! " 
 
 Here she burst into tears and bowed 
 her head before me. 
 
 " I love you so much! " she moaned. 
 
 "What ails these women that they 
 cry so much over me," I asked myself. 
 Then seeing her tears, I was moved, far 
 more than I had been before at Miriam 
 Worthington's grief; and I broke down. 
 
 " I will go about it gradually then, if 
 
i62 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 I can! " I said. Then I shrieked: " Just 
 so they all know me! — that I am the 
 Emperor of the World! " 
 
X 
 
 God help me, I meant to do as she 
 desired! Like an insane man I wan- 
 dered back to my rooms that night, my 
 mind in a whirl of wonderment. All 
 of a sudden, in this vexed period, she, 
 who was so near my ideal, had, with 
 her sweet face and gentle eyes, crossed 
 my path and intervened, to prevent 
 disaster in the ball-room. She had 
 checked me in the World-Destruction. 
 But could she interfere with Fate ! 
 
 In my dreams that night I could see 
 how it was. I always had great 
 dreams ; and it seemed to me that night 
 that I sat in the Center of the Great 
 Universe. Above me circled the 
 mighty suns that swing in the Galactic 
 
i64 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Circle, and each sun was a living crea- 
 ture, an individual of light and warmth. 
 And I sat there at the Center of the 
 Universe, not alone. No, beside me 
 was the girl I loved! I had my. arm 
 about her, and we listened to the music 
 of the spheres together, happy, glori- 
 fied beyond expression, living in the 
 light and warmth, viewing with wide 
 eyes all the harmony and beauty 
 there. 
 
 And I said to her, at last: "There is 
 no meanness or wrong that has not its 
 right. We live in a beautiful world." 
 
 And then I knew I lied! And sud- 
 denly the evil genius arose in me — the 
 Black Demon! Impulsively I arose, 
 and standing on the black ball in the 
 twilight, stretching my ai-ms aloft, I 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 165 
 
 cried, so that my voice rang as a bell, — 
 deep and terrible, swinging forward, 
 echoing, — clattering, — stamping, — 
 throughout the universe, carrying dis- 
 may with it wherever it went: — "See! 
 I am the All in All ! And you, who live 
 beyond there in the shining ring of 
 stars, who are you? I am the Will; I 
 am the Universal Gravitation; there- 
 fore I shall drag you down and you 
 shall perish!" 
 
 A rushing of winds ! a clang and wash 
 of the elemental metals! a great, 
 furious crash of the jarring worlds! 
 awful, stupendous, vastly widening 
 showers of darkness and light! mad- 
 dening, burning, white, elemental heat ! 
 the blinding rain of ashes of spreading 
 darkness from innumerable worlds! 
 
i66 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 the crashing, crackKng, rending, shriek- 
 ing of the mighty Universe which is the 
 domain of Hving Creation! — and the 
 fight was on! My Demon and its 
 ministering passions were against them 
 all! 
 
 How long the fight lasted I do not 
 know; but I could realize that, 
 scorched, bruised, blinded by the heat, 
 torn from my place as I was, I should 
 conquer! 
 
 I did conquer! Everywhere was 
 ruin ; and lo ! I sat alone, looking upon 
 the ruin I had caused, a prey to my 
 own dark thoughts. For I was burned, 
 and bruised, and across my forehead 
 was a vicious wound. 
 
 Then I awoke and remembered what 
 the goddess of gray-blue eyes had said ; 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 167 
 
 and I resolved again to delay the De- 
 struction. 
 
 But the next day was Tuesday, and 
 as I sat in the City Assembly, on my 
 flower-bedecked throne, I was enlight- 
 ened further as to the ways of Winship 
 and his political friends. I was struck 
 with amazement at the audacity of the 
 remarkable street-car ordinance that 
 came so near robbing the city and re- 
 ducing men to slavery. The plot was 
 well planned; the city treasury was to 
 be drained; the control of all street 
 franchises was to be thrown into Win- 
 ship's hands; the citizens were to be 
 bound in chains of steel; and every- 
 where was to be robbery and oppression 
 for us all ! I heard this ordinance read, 
 and my heart leaped at the audacity of 
 
i68 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 it. I could not have felt more sur- 
 prised if they had tried to sell the beau- 
 tiful park in the center of the city. 
 Could it be possible ? 
 
 I looked around at the bloated and 
 eager faces of the councilmen; I saw 
 determination written upon their 
 greedy lips, and I knew that they had 
 met in secret and had decided to make 
 the law pass. Then I knew that, 
 though I would try to be mild, I could 
 be silent no longer. 
 
 "We shall see," I cried aloud, "who 
 is the true ruler of this city, — Philip 
 Winship, who really owns these people, 
 or myself, — the true master! the City 
 Censor ! 
 
 It so happened that I sat next to a 
 councilman of a very bi-utal type who 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 169 
 
 had been drinking and was disposed to 
 talk; and I heard him laughing and 
 making vague remarks concerning my 
 antagonism to the bill, saying how it 
 was useless for me to try to suppress it. 
 Ah, they knew my opposition, then! 
 I looked about the room to make sure 
 of this. 
 
 I was surprised. They seemed to 
 know me; for I found their eyes fixed 
 upon me, and noticed the appearance 
 of awe in their faces. Even such as 
 they, the vulgarians of the city, out for 
 public spoils, audacious as they might 
 be, hating me as they did, were fearful! 
 These men who had been elected by 
 party politics, and who would have 
 robbed at every opportunity, were 
 beginning to squirm! And I laughed 
 
170 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 to myself at the thought of how well 
 they might ; for they were like children 
 in my hands. And I cared not for the 
 hatred in their glance, since I had them 
 in my power. I knew, too, they were 
 envious of the roses the women had 
 sent me. 
 
 I turned away and listened carelessly 
 to the dreary and wasteful talk of a 
 councilman who seemed to be particu- 
 larly anxious for the ordinance. They 
 might talk of street cars, tunnels, 
 bridges, rapid transit, franchises, and 
 street improvements all they wished; 
 no bill would pass by me! A few words 
 would settle them, and paralyze all 
 action ! 
 
 I could scarcely believe my senses 
 when I was brought back to the reality 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 171 
 
 of things by the cessation of the coun- 
 cilman's harsh voice, and reahzed that 
 the ordinance was about to be voted 
 upon. I listened, with my mind made 
 up, to the last reading. 
 
 "Be it ordained by the Municipal 
 Assembly of the city of New York — " 
 so it began. 
 
 I looked around and noticed the hard 
 faces before me. They were panting 
 and eager to pass that law, and they 
 eyed me with a strange expectancy as 
 I arose. 
 
 "I may as well tell you," I began, 
 rising, as quietly as possible from my 
 bank of roses, " not this law, or any of 
 its kind, authorizing an improper grant 
 and enormous expenditure shall ever 
 pass in this council chamber ; and I may 
 
172 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 as well tell you that the time has come 
 when the corrupt members of this 
 assembly shall no longer be a power. 
 This body is now purified; and I defy 
 any man to vote for the ordinance! " 
 
 But, saying this, I looked around the 
 assembly for the last time, preparing 
 to go — and something struck me! 
 Though my words had worked, as I 
 knew they would, and had changed 
 their attitude toward the bill, I found 
 a roomful of eyes turned upon me, and 
 I heard instead of laughter now, a hiss 
 as of snakes at my back. I had never 
 encountered the like before, and, had I 
 been less, I should have had great fear. 
 
 "Put him out! put him out!" one 
 cried. "He's crazy!" 
 
 This was a threat, I knew, but I had 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 173 
 
 no time to reflect upon it. There were 
 several standing around him as he 
 spoke, and, when he had finished, 
 spectators and all had crowded for- 
 ward. I had no fear, but gently- 
 pushed them aside and went out into 
 the lobby. I had a terrible desire to 
 go back and finish my work ; but I con- 
 trolled myself, and hastened out of the 
 building to the steps. I burst through 
 the outer doors only to encounter a 
 more exasperating sight. I found my- 
 self face to face with the arch-enemy, 
 Philip Winship! He planted himself 
 squarely in front of me, and — his look 
 was terrible! His grey face was the 
 color of ashes, though his eyes were 
 ablaze. 
 
 " Maniac ! " he cried, " what have you 
 done? What right have you to come 
 
174 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 here and create such a stir? Now, I 
 must tell you, I know you! You are 
 crazy with your boasted Power! I 
 have watched you from the beginning, 
 and I know you! Be careful! look 
 about! see what will happen when the 
 truth is known!" 
 
 With this he shuffled away and left 
 me astonished. Descending the steps, 
 I walked across the park, stunned and 
 stupefied. 
 
 As I rode up the elevator to my 
 office, I was accompanied by the city 
 editor; but I did not notice him till I 
 heard his mocking remark : 
 
 " Guess you will have all the corpora- 
 tions down on you, now that you have 
 killed that bill! "he said. 
 
 I did not answer him, but went 
 straight to my room. 
 
XI 
 
 When I reached it I struck a light, 
 for it was growing dark, and in doing 
 so, I happened to look at myself in the 
 glass. I was startled ; for my eyes were 
 blazing, and a creature of intense heat 
 seemed to be radiating from my form! 
 The scar on my forehead was burning 
 intensely. At my glance this appear- 
 ance faded away, and I saw my own 
 pale face. Then I noticed the fire rising 
 in my eyes again, as I threw myself 
 down into a chair. 
 
 Here was I, the founder of the Great 
 Republic, the ruler of all men, now in 
 the very height of my power, suddenly 
 confronted by a strange situation, — 
 the rebellion of the City Assembly and 
 
176 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Winship! The Emperor of the World 
 had been insulted, not only by a mere 
 handful of vulgarians, but by my very 
 worst enemy — Philip Winship! In- 
 stilted? Nay! I had been openly de- 
 nounced and defied ! Why, if this kept 
 up, I would soon have all the worst 
 element in the city down upon me, and 
 would lose in my fight for Reform! 
 Philip Winship would soon be leading 
 the forces against me, — Philip Winship, 
 who, according to his own statement, 
 knew my secret ! 
 
 And what would happen, when, not 
 only these few men but, the eyes of the 
 world were turned upon me with ques- 
 tioning hatred? Would not all the 
 Man-Forms arise, and given strength 
 by their knowledge, drag me forth into 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 177 
 
 the public gaze to stiff er at their will? 
 Why it was the old, old story, through- 
 out history, of the ultra wise or power- 
 ful! I knew I could start a religious 
 movement, or a war, that would sweep 
 the earth, my followers pitted against 
 the Man- Forms; but I thought of 
 Caesar and I thought of Christ! What 
 a terrible thing a blind and misguided 
 mob could be! Then I blamed myself 
 for having talked so much of the Power. 
 Aroused by these thoughts I started 
 to my feet, and began to reproach my- 
 self for all my hesitancy as to the Man- 
 Forms and Winship. I had been a 
 fool! My love for the grey-eyed god- 
 dess and my tenderer feelings had 
 placed me in this predicament! God 
 help me, I had meant well, but now — I 
 
178 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 must act! The Destruction must 
 come, and first— with Winship! 
 
 "As for my Empress," I cried, "she 
 is too good ! I love her, but she must 
 not prevent the crash that is to come. 
 If I could but see her now, I would 
 explain, and beg her forgiveness. She 
 would forgive me ; then we should rule 
 together, happy in our secret. Now — 
 I must do my duty ! " 
 
 Filled with this resolution, I arose, 
 seized my hat, and, in a few minutes 
 more, pushed forth into the warm 
 night, where, calling for a cab, I was 
 soon hastening to the northern end of 
 the city. 
 
 Arriving at the top of Murray Hill, 
 not wishing to drive too near, I dis- 
 missed my conveyance and hurried 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 179 
 
 through a side street to the Avenue, a 
 few blocks distant from Winship's 
 home. Cursed with strange doubt, 
 fearful of myself, I found the cool night 
 air fanning my heated brow. I pushed 
 through the crowd of cabmen till I 
 came to the glowing lights along the 
 Avenue. 
 
 Here I paused. Somehow I thought 
 of my goddess again, and her fears. 
 How I wanted to speak to her! I 
 looked at the yellow cab-lights waver- 
 ing up and down the street, and caught 
 the note of festivity there. Below me 
 and above me were the homes of feast 
 and dance, where the rich had already 
 begun their nightly revels. Countless 
 carriages clattered along, carrying their 
 passengers on pleasure bent. 
 
i8o THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Then I was startled, as a carriage 
 came flashing by. There was my Em- 
 press! Yes, I saw her face— none but 
 hers — pressed against the window of 
 the carriage! I waved to her and 
 called ; but it was too late. She was 
 still in the old world, and was even now 
 going to some scene of festivity — to 
 dance with my old enemies Darling and 
 Hilliard, for all I knew! I must wait 
 to explain to her! And now for Win- 
 ship! 
 
 Suddenly, as I thought of him, and 
 turned northward, the old fury arose — 
 fury such as I had not felt for many 
 days. The old hatred of the man came 
 back, and the memories of the sorrow 
 he had caused me and my father. 
 Nothing could now prevent the tragedy 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER i8i 
 
 to follow, the ftilfiUment of the Book of 
 Laws! 
 
 "Ha! ha! ha! ha!" I cried, as I 
 stumbled on, "they say I'm gentle! — 
 they say I'm mild! They do not know 
 how the Destruction must come! — 
 they do not know that Winship must 
 go first! Now for the Great Reassort- 
 ment indeed! Now for the end of the 
 Man-Forms =" 
 
 Then I tried not to think of my 
 duties; and 1 started into violent 
 trembling when I realized that every- 
 thing was favorable to my plan ! 
 
 There was no one going or coming 
 from the club near to see me, and, 
 safely past that, I stood in front of 
 Winship's house, finding the lights in 
 the hall burning low and no sign of life. 
 
i82 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 I mounted the steps and piolled the 
 bell. A servant that I knew opened 
 the door. He stepped back as he saw 
 me, as if in great fear. 
 
 " I came to see Mr. Winship on grave 
 affairs," I said, "and I command you 
 to be silent forever as to my presence 
 here ! Do you understand ? ' ' 
 
 The servant fled in fright ; but I knew 
 he would obey. I passed through the 
 dimly lighted hall-way to the drawing 
 room and pushed open the door of the 
 library. 
 
 Ah, the happiness of that moment! 
 Winship was there, without a possibil- 
 ity of escape! He was alone, just as I 
 had expected him to be — seated at a 
 table, under a red lamp, among his 
 numberless papers and books! Gasp- 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 183 
 
 ing for breath a moment, I gripped my 
 hands, stilled the beating of my heart, 
 and entered. But even as I did so the 
 terrible decrees of the Book stood out 
 as clearly in my mind as if they had 
 already been enacted! 
 
 "Mr. Winship," I said, as he turned 
 toward me, " you saw fit to speak to me 
 this afternoon; now — by the will of 
 God — I see fit to speak to you! There 
 is no one here — ha ! ha ! ha ! ha ! — and I 
 have come to settle accounts ! Ah, but 
 I told you I would come again — ha ! ha ! 
 ha! ha!" 
 
 I sank into a chair at this, for I could 
 say no more. Lightning seemed to be 
 floating before my eyes ; and there was 
 a noise as of thunder in my ears. Now 
 that I was to begin the World Destruc- 
 
i84 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 tion, I felt a tremendous relief! I 
 cotild but laugh again — "ha! ha! ha! 
 ha!" 
 
 He spoke quite gently. You would 
 have thought that grey-haired man 
 was a saint ! Quite gently — quite gen- 
 tly: — "Edward, I am sorry you have 
 come. Do you wish to see Alice ? " 
 
 How that name grated upon my 
 nerves ! 
 
 "For God's sake," I cried, "be care- 
 ful ! You know not what peril you are 
 in! You may know of the Power but 
 you can not know of the decree as to 
 the Man-Forms, and the World-De- 
 struction ! Ha ! ha ! ha ! ha ! You must 
 notmention that name again. Ha! ha! 
 ha ! You must be careful ! ' ' 
 
 But would he drive me mad? Was 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 185 
 
 he bent on his own destruction? He 
 still defied me. 
 
 "Edward Milton," he began, "you 
 are a strange man. Crazy as you are, 
 you have stolen my daughter's affec- 
 tions, and you now try to break her 
 heart. Moreover you have tried to 
 interfere with my financial affairs. But 
 I warn you that you can not go this 
 pace much longer. You have done no 
 harm as yet, but heaven knows what 
 you may do in the future. Suppose 
 now we should lock you up ? " 
 
 On hearing this I sprang to my feet. 
 It seemed to me that the Ruler of the 
 World had been insulted long enough. 
 I could not reform this man, and I must 
 act! The time for the great World- 
 Destruction had come ! He, the leader 
 
i86 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 — the very first of the Man-Forms — 
 should go! This man should be an 
 example for them all ; then — once done 
 with him — I would attend to the rest! 
 Now to show the wonderful effects of 
 the Power that could create life or 
 death ! 
 
 "Ha! ha! ha! ha!" I cried again. 
 Then, as he eyed me in growing curios- 
 ity, if not fear, I was glad! I thanked 
 heaven that I had no doubts, and was 
 free to begin. I thanked heaven that 
 I could have the anger I had at this 
 man. I was glad at what must have 
 been my appearance, as the hatred 
 gathered in me. The blood ran hot in 
 my veins; my mind was whirling; 
 strange noises were in my ears; and 
 red and green streaks blurred the vision 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 187 
 
 of my eyes ; but I cared not ! Drunken 
 with careless anger, my words must, 
 nevertheless, have sounded intense to 
 Winship. 
 
 "Nay then," I cried, raising my 
 hand aloft for the final word, "if you 
 defy me, and you know my secret, you 
 must take what you deserve! — what is 
 written in the Book of Laws ! And not 
 as a shallow spectacle of ruin, misery, 
 and idiocy, shall you be, lest the secret 
 should, in some raving moment, escape 
 you. Take then what you deserve! 
 Purveyor of all things false! corrupter 
 of all things human! take what has 
 been decreed for you from the start ! — 
 and that is — death! Worst of all the 
 Man-Forms you shall die! 
 
 That terrible decree had gone forth 
 
i88 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 and there was no recall. He had evi- 
 dently not expected it ; for in an instant 
 there was a great change in his face. 
 His jaws dropped. The sneer died 
 on his lips. His eyes started from his 
 head. 
 
 "Die? — death?" he gulped, spring- 
 ing to his feet. " What is it you say? 
 Why man you dare not do this! You 
 have not that power. You dare not do 
 this! And see!" he cried, pointing to 
 an electric button on the wall, " there — 
 there is that which will save me! I 
 have not gone altogether unprepared 
 for you. That rings for the police, and 
 its meaning, as they should know, is 
 murder! Do you hear? — murder!" 
 
 At this he made a lunge toward the 
 bell with outstretched arm; but I was 
 too quick for him. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 "Stop!" I cried, in a voice even 
 thunderous to me, "you dare not touch 
 that button! " 
 
 I still stood with warning hand over 
 him while my eyes must have flashed 
 fire. The Power had told! He 
 stopped, and slowly wheeled around at 
 me, while his jaws weakened, and his 
 arm dropped nerveless to his side. 
 There was certainly no smile on his lips 
 now, and his face was white. 
 
 " Die! — death! " he repeated, as if he 
 had begun to realize the words for the 
 first time; "You dare not! Why, that 
 would be horrible! That would be 
 murder!" 
 
 The wickedness in his eyes had 
 burned out and I saw a great terror 
 gathering in his face. His threatening 
 
igo THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 attitude was gone and he seemed to 
 shrivel up into a weakened shadow 
 before my glance. He looked as if he 
 were trying to dodge the whirl of my 
 coming words. I held my hand over 
 him, and continued: 
 
 " Not in the whole wide world do 
 you deserve life ! You shall die! " 
 
 He would have said something, but 
 his voice died in his throat. And, as 
 he stood there, he swayed before me 
 like a tall tree shaken by the wind. 
 The power of my words could not be 
 withstood! Evidently the life was 
 going out of him. A sudden flush was 
 on his cheeks. He seemed to stop 
 breathing. And — if his heart was 
 beating fast, it would soon be slow! 
 Then his face grew pale, as all his vital 
 functions gave way. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 191 
 
 "Die! death!" I repeated— for I 
 would stamp out all hope. 
 
 Again the sudden flush as if with 
 struggle ; then an ashen paleness ! His 
 throat seemed choked by strong hands. 
 
 " You shall JiW" 
 
 There was no mercy in my voice, for 
 I saw the end. His body shook and 
 shivered as if heavy and inanimate. 
 
 "Die!!!'' 
 
 His heart stopped beating altogether ! 
 There was a look on his face as if pure 
 fright had killed him! He suddenly 
 swayed forward, and rolled to my feet, 
 his white face and staring eyes turned 
 up to the light. He had suffered the 
 penalty of his crimes; and I had ful- 
 filled the decree of my Book! 
 
 Then — strange thing! — as I looked 
 
192 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 at him, lying there on the floor; as I 
 reahzed what I had done, and the 
 terrible effect of the Power; even as I 
 realized that he was the King of Man- 
 Forms and deserved this treatment 
 more than all the rest, a strange fear 
 struck me. And I turned and fled. 
 
XII 
 
 It was a time for rejoicing; but, God 
 help me! all my mirth seemed to stick 
 in my throat. The deed was just; I 
 had struck at what was practically the 
 heart of corruption in the city, and 
 could now, with but little effort, con- 
 tinue the World-Destruction, and 
 sweep the Man-Forms off the face of the 
 earth ; but I could not laugh ! I found 
 myself, as I hurried away, confronted 
 by the face of the dead man — with its 
 tangle of silky white hair. Then I 
 heard a great noise behind me, and a 
 thousand devils seemed to be in my 
 pursuit. 
 
 With a wild sob, as of some wounded 
 animal, I stumbled on down the street. 
 
194 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 And SO much did the horror of the 
 whole affair affect me, I barely noticed 
 the few stragglers standing on the 
 street comer under the light. Then I 
 noticed I was nearing my club, and I 
 pulled my hat down over my eyes, just 
 in time ; for there in the shadow of the 
 steps stood my club-mates Darling and 
 HiUiard. 
 
 I hurried on, trying to shake off the 
 effects of my deed, crying aloud that 
 this was but the beginning of the De- 
 struction, and I must go on; I cried 
 aloud, that I was Emperor of the World 
 and the deed was just; but in vain! 
 The white face of the dead man arose 
 before me; and I heard that terrible 
 cry of the demons in pursuit ! I turned 
 and rushed away from the lights of the 
 Avenue, into the darkness. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 195 
 
 What ailed me? Would I not call 
 upon all to obey, and complete the 
 work? No, I hurried on and on, in my 
 wild flight, in darkness and light. I 
 wanted to escape from everybody, every- 
 thing, myself in particular; and I hur- 
 ried on, up and down, across and back, 
 trying to find relief. I know not where 
 I went; I only know I was knocked 
 about hither and thither in the warm 
 and crowded night, stumbling up one 
 street and down another, interfering 
 with the passers-by, and crying to all 
 for pity! To have such a power now 
 seemed terrible! Instead of the great 
 Curator of the World, I now seemed 
 but a common murderer! — a moral 
 monster living on human flesh and 
 blood! And I began to have great 
 
196 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 fear — I, who was the greatest man in 
 the world ! 
 
 As I passed the people in the streets 
 it seemed that the glitter of their eyes 
 was upon me. They hated me ; and it 
 seemed that all the world hated me! 
 They would soon know me as a crim- 
 inal, and be after me — if they were not 
 after me now! Already, in my imag- 
 ination, I could hear their echoing foot- 
 steps down the street wherever I went ! 
 It seemed that they wanted my blood, 
 as I wanted theirs. They were at my 
 back, now yelling with all their might, 
 now creeping up slowl)'' and silentty; 
 and the terror in me multiplied their 
 number a thousand-fold. It seemed 
 to me as if the whole city, the whole 
 world, the demons of heaven and earth, 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 197 
 
 came after me! I coiold hear millions 
 of them following on, and crowding in 
 upon one another. It was as if the 
 streets of New York were filled with 
 echoing feet. And then it struck me: 
 — they might be led by the very 
 Demon that had caused this de'ed ! 
 
 "Ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha! ha!" they 
 cried, "you now see that it is terrible 
 to fulfil the Book of Laws! " 
 
 Then I looked back. There mvist 
 have been a dozen forms at first in 
 plain sight; but they soon increased to 
 scores, hundreds, until it seemed cer- 
 tain that the whole world was on my 
 trail. Eyes were peering at me from 
 the dark, and, down the narrow chasm 
 of the side streets the forms came 
 pouring in, as an army, thundering 
 
198 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 with their footsteps, laughing in their 
 glee, crying "murder" within my ear. 
 They were hounding me down, as if I 
 were the meanest criminal alive, and 
 no longer the Ruler of the World. 
 
 To make it worse the lights were 
 growing dim, and the darkness was 
 increasing; and I now discovered that 
 the heavens themselves were blacken- 
 ing with a coming storm. There was 
 a mutter of thunder in the distance, a 
 few big drops of rain, and a hurry of 
 wind. It seemed that the heavens 
 themselves had taken part against me, 
 and that I was really hated by nature 
 itself. Were not the elemental 
 demons, now unchained, potiring out of 
 the void and into the blackness after 
 me ? Good God ! it seemed best for me 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER igp 
 
 to hurry out of the darkness, and away 
 from the wrath of the heavens; and I 
 hastened, as it seemed to me, through 
 miles and miles of black streets, until, 
 all breathless, I came into a main 
 thoroughfare, with its rows of lights. 
 From there I crossed to the Avenue 
 and, under the yellow eyes of a hotel, 
 leaned against a street lamp, trying to 
 give myself courage, respect. 
 
 After a time I began to say to my- 
 self that the noise I had heard was but 
 that of the thunder, and the forms and 
 eyes following me but those of the 
 street lamps; and I gathered courage. 
 But as I moved on, I became conscious 
 again of the staring faces I passed. 
 There was no rest here for one who 
 seemed a murderer! I felt that the 
 people must know my crime. 
 
200 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Then I began to grow angry. " Was 
 not my deed just?" I asked myself, 
 "and am I not still the Rtiler of the 
 World?" What was the trouble with 
 me ? I was not an ordinary murderer. 
 Why, I was the greatest and justest 
 man alive! I was but fulfilling the 
 Book of Laws ! Winship had deserved 
 this ! He should have been the first to 
 go! Was I turning upon myself now? 
 Was I going to give up the World- 
 Assortment and the Great Republic? 
 Was I, who had read the face of man 
 and knew the places of all in the world, 
 and the Badge of Caste, to be judged 
 as a common criminal? No! I had 
 done right and this was but the first 
 step toward the end ! I would go on ! 
 
 Then I thought of my Empress, and 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 201 
 
 wondered what she would say to this. 
 If only I could have company in my 
 misery! If only I could see her! She 
 would justify me! She would encour- 
 age me! Ah, it was time she was re- 
 turning from that dance. I would 
 walk up the Avenue now and try to see 
 her. I would have no fear, for I must 
 see her — that very night ! 
 
 Thinking of her, forming my plans, I 
 paced restlessly to and fro along the 
 Avenue. One by one the people en- 
 tered the holes whence they had come, 
 and the city became more quiet, until 
 at last but a few stragglers remained 
 on the streets, with now and then a 
 flying carriage. By and by I gathered 
 courage and approached the Winship 
 home. Then, just as I was about to 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 pass it, hurrying on for fear of dis- 
 covery, I saw a carriage drive up and 
 stop. And suddenly a vision in white 
 flashed out of its dark interior, and, 
 bidding good night to a protesting 
 escort within, hastened past me with a 
 slight glance of recognition. Then, as 
 the carriage hurried away, she turned 
 and stood before me, beautiftd in the 
 night as an angel of light. 
 
 "Edward! Edward! — what are you 
 doing here? " she asked, as if in fright. 
 
 "My Queen!" I cried, grasping her 
 white-gloved hands, " I have made you 
 Empress, yet you do not give up your 
 old ways! Here I have been waiting 
 for you all the night. Great events 
 have happened!" 
 
 She must have seen the wildness in 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 203 
 
 my eyes, for she drew her hand away 
 from mine, and gazed at me long and 
 earnestly. 
 
 " Have you disobeyed me? " 
 
 I stammered on. "Yes," I said, 
 "and you drove by so fast to-night I 
 could not explain it to you. But be- 
 lieve me, there was a reason. It had 
 to be done — it had to be done — and I'm 
 sure if you heard how it was, you would 
 forgive me!" 
 
 Then I saw her look of fright come 
 again. "But what did you do, Ed- 
 ward?" she asked. "What did you 
 do? You surely haven't been des- 
 perate. Why, I trusted you! You 
 surely couldn't have — " She could 
 say no more. 
 
 "Why, my darling," I began, at- 
 
204 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 tempting to place my arm around her, 
 "you mustn't feel so sad. You know 
 I love you and — " 
 
 "But what did you do, Edward? 
 What did you do?" Tears sprang to 
 her eyes; and she began to wring her 
 hands. " You surely couldn't have — ?" 
 Then she almost shrieked: "Tell me' 
 tell me ! What have you done? " 
 
 "I know I disobeyed you," I said, 
 desperately, "but I had to begin with 
 him! Why, he was the very worst of 
 the Man-Forms!" 
 
 "Great heaven!" she cried; then 
 stood, staring at me, stUl as death. 
 
 "He had to go," I went on. "I 
 killed him! He lies in the library 
 there — under the study-lamp." 
 
 " But who, Edward ? Who ? " 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 205 
 
 "He's in there," I said, pointing to 
 the Winship door. He's in there — 
 haven't I told you? — PhiHp Winship! 
 I killed himl" 
 
 " My God! " she shrieked, so that the 
 night echoed with the sound, "you 
 have not! You couldn't! What is the 
 matter with you, Edward? You are 
 crazy ! He is my father! " 
 
 "Your father?" I cried. "Are you 
 crazy ? " Then as she ran up the steps : 
 " Wait ! wait ! I want you to forgive me, 
 and tell me I am right ! " 
 
 "Oh yes," she gasped, as she strug- 
 gled wildly at the door. "Oh, yes! 
 But if— " 
 
 Then she gave a piercing shriek. 
 The door opened. She was gone ! 
 
 ' ' Poor girl ! " I thought. ' ' I[f ear her 
 
2o6 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 mind had been touched by the news. 
 It is a terrible thing to hold the position 
 of World-Empress! She's not used to 
 it yet!" 
 
 Then, as I hastened away, the cry 
 she had uttered somehow got into my 
 brain. What did she mean by shriek- 
 ing so ? What did she mean by talking 
 so wildly and rushing up those steps? 
 Then, all of a sudden, the horror of the 
 deed occurred to me again. I could 
 excuse her now because I felt the terror 
 of it myself. Out of the darkness, 
 down the street, the face of the dead 
 man suddenly arose before me! Then 
 the lightning seemed to get into my 
 path, and the rain spat spitefully into 
 my face. I heard noises in my ears 
 again; and out of the heavens, where 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 207 
 
 the storm had paused for a time, the 
 thunder of the demons broke forth! 
 The Avengers were after me! "He is 
 her father! He is her father!" they 
 seemed to say. 
 
 Worse than human assassins were 
 these terrible Avengers! They killed 
 by fear! I heard their hoarse mutter- 
 ings and the sound of their footsteps 
 approaching. A hand seemed placed 
 on my shoulder to hold me in check, 
 and a voice said, " Come! " 
 
 Then, frightened, nigh unto death, I 
 lost my dignity for the moment and 
 ran; but I heard the laughter of the 
 legions behind me, and the echoing 
 steps of pursuit. 
 
 After a time I found myself on lower 
 Broadway, near the great Dome, and 
 
2o8 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 my office rooms; and I hastened to 
 enter the shelter afforded. 
 
 But I feared to encounter the mem- 
 bers of the paper. I knew that the 
 news of Win ship's death had pene- 
 trated there by this time. I heard the 
 clack of the printing presses through 
 the elevator; but I had no heart to 
 interfere. Safely past the editor's 
 door, and in my room, I feared to look 
 at myself in the glass. I turned the 
 lamp light low and sat by the window, 
 looking out into the wild night. 
 
 The storm, that had been gathering 
 in fury all this time, now broke forth, 
 indeed' I heard the building rocking; 
 I saw the wild streaks of lightning ; and 
 then, as if the roots of the heavens had 
 been torn up, the whole world seemed 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 209 
 
 to fall into a crashing abyss! Great 
 gusts of wind rushed through the city, 
 carrying rain and hail, sweeping the 
 wan streets and the ghostly buildings 
 bare, and plunging with all their force 
 against the windows of the Dome! 
 Then I heard the shriek of the demons 
 above the wild cry of the night, and 
 felt the whole building shaking in the 
 hands of the storm-devils! Every- 
 thing seemed to swim before my up- 
 raised eyes ! The heavens cracked and 
 opened upon me; I saw the mighty 
 Universe, streaked with lightning, 
 whirl rapidly above me; and, for all I 
 knew, this building, the whole earth, 
 was tumbling down into chaotic night ! 
 
XIII 
 
 When I awoke the next day from my 
 leaden stupor the sunshine was knock- 
 ing warmly at the windows of my room ; 
 but I rose from the floor where I lay, 
 the chill still in my bones, sick at heart. 
 It was not easy to recover from so 
 violent a wrench; and the terrible 
 scenes of the night before stood out 
 clearly in my mind, as I realized the 
 effect of my power. 
 
 Then, of a sudden, I recovered, 
 knowing that I was the greatest man 
 in the world. Over half the people on 
 the outside, I realized, were still, 
 whether I wished it or not, obeying the 
 impulse of my will. Great changes for 
 the better had already taken place; 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 and the people were but awaiting my 
 further command — the final command 
 of the Destruction. It was but a 
 question now whether I, cursed by the 
 horrors of the night before, could go on. 
 
 Then, irrationally as it may seem, 
 even as I began to gather courage, I 
 remembered the strange action of the 
 Gray-eyed One. Surely I had ex- 
 plained enough; surely she understood 
 me; yet I could not help remembering 
 now the shriek she had given when I 
 told her of my deed, and the strange 
 thing she had said: — "He is my 
 father!" 
 
 What did it all mean ? Surely it was 
 Philip Winship I had killed! Why I 
 could see his ashen-gray face now, and 
 3ts every expression, as he died. Surely 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 213 
 
 it was Philip Winship who had suffered 
 the penalty of his crimes. 
 
 I stepped to the window now to see 
 how the people were taking the news 
 of his death. Already the sun was 
 drying for new life the rain-washed 
 streets, and the people had come out of 
 their hives and were stamping down 
 the narrow passages. The wheels of 
 commerce had begun to spin; and the 
 tide of pigmy population had set in to 
 the lower town. I could see them 
 moving along as if the event were 
 already old news, or, at least, con- 
 tained no element of the unusual. 
 They evidently had no knowledge that 
 the very air was charged with murder. 
 
 It pleased me to see that the tragedy 
 had caused no unwonted stir as yet. 
 
214 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Certainly I was not suspected, or the 
 whole of the City Hall Park would be 
 crowded with a shouting multitude, 
 clamoring for my blood. 
 
 "Nevertheless," I said, "an investi- 
 gation must have been had, and — what 
 do the papers say? " 
 
 I could see the newsboys hurrying to 
 and fro in the crowd, already crying 
 their extras. I could hear their thin 
 rasping voices threading the denseness 
 of the city's roar. I touched the bell, 
 and called for the " Morning Sunshine." 
 
 When it had come, I turned to it 
 with eagerness. It took me some time, 
 in my nervousness, to find what I 
 wanted. Then, as I read, I was satis- 
 fied. There was no word in the account 
 about me. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 215 
 
 It Spoke in various ways of the death 
 of Winship, commented upon the sud- 
 denness of it, his age, his tendency to 
 heart trouble, his over- work of late, 
 and his disappointments. There was 
 also a long account of his life, his fabu- 
 lous riches, his clubs, his friends, and 
 his daughter, Alice, who, it seems, had 
 found him dead in his study. But 
 what annoyed me so much was the way 
 it spoke of his character, — with nause- 
 ating praise, telling of his "high integ- 
 rity," his "many virtues," his "civic 
 pride, " his " beautiful chivalry. " This 
 made me angry. I felt as if they were 
 merely writing a long account to curry 
 favor with him — as if he were yet in 
 the land of the living ! 
 
 I threw the paper aside in disgust; 
 
2i6 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 then as it fell, I saw a glaring head-line 
 on the front page that made my heart 
 leap. There was an article about my- 
 self; and it proved to be the most 
 ridiculous thing of all. 
 
 I discovered that the most sensa- 
 tional news in the paper, aside from 
 that of the tragedy, was the question 
 of my candidacy for Congress! To 
 take their word for it, I was the rising 
 man of the hour, and a certain factor in 
 coming politics. Columns were 
 printed of my sayings and deeds, and 
 my strange success in obtaining fol- 
 lowers. Strange commentary on Win- 
 ship's death! — even if this paper did 
 ridicule, and did not favor me! 
 
 But as I remembered that I had not 
 been spoken of in connection with 
 Winship, I felt pleased enough. 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 217 
 
 "Ah, very well," I said, at last, "if 
 this is the way they are going to take 
 the news of the tragedy, it will be folly 
 for me to lie low very long; and I must 
 be busy again with the Destruction." 
 Winship was but one of a thousand to 
 meet the fate of the Law. The Great 
 Republic was calling for me, and I must 
 not wait. And to-night, whether I 
 received word from my Empress or not, 
 I would go forth, and take up the case 
 of the Man-Forms ! 
 
 But I waited in vain for a word from 
 her. The day passed into dusk; the 
 night came, and the city lights shone 
 forth. I arose and placed the lamp on 
 the table, trying to drive away the 
 gathering demons by the cheerfulness 
 within. 
 
2i8 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 There followed a silence — an oppres- 
 sive silence that was ominous ! I heard 
 the clamorings of the people of another 
 world waiting about the Dome for an 
 opportunity to break in. I heard them 
 whispering, without; and, again and 
 again, I fancied I could see glaring eyes 
 peering through the windows at me. I 
 felt that I must hurry, before my world 
 fell in and the demons struck! I knew 
 but a thin circular shell kept them out. 
 They had fought their way to that ; and 
 I felt that if I stayed in the Dome I was 
 lost! Why would she not send word? 
 
 And, suddenly, I began to have fear 
 again. I found myself alone, cursed 
 with a secret Power, satanic, godless, 
 mounted upon a ruined empire, a 
 usurper without authority, and inter- 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 219 
 
 fering with the divine plan! And was 
 it because that girl had cried what she 
 did about her father and had rushed 
 up those steps? There seemed some 
 gigantic mistake somewhere; and the 
 more I thought of it, and wondered 
 what it was, the angrier I became. 
 
 "No, no, I must not think of these 
 things!" I now exclaimed. "I must 
 remember the Book of Laws, the Badge 
 of Caste, the Great-Republic, the God- 
 like Power! I must remember the 
 Destruction! I must go out this very 
 night and complete this work! " 
 
 But in spite of my resolution to re- 
 member this, I could hear the hosts of 
 mocking laughter without, and the 
 tramp, tramp, tramp, of invisible feet, 
 as if of creatures of another dimension. 
 
220 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 crowding in upon me. Nay, they were 
 in the very building now, — even 
 ascending the stairs, and in my room. 
 How horrible it all was you may never 
 know; for no one but I ever possessed 
 that Power, and, in desiring justice, 
 had done such deeds ! 
 
 At last I felt that if I did not take 
 some action, I should go mad. The 
 creatures of the invisible world seemed 
 to be hammering on the windows of the 
 brain itself. 
 
 I arose and looked through the dark- 
 ness. Noise about me — though I could 
 see that the city itself was quiet! I 
 pressed my face against the window- 
 pane and shaded my eyes with my 
 hand. Where were they? If I could 
 but see them! 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 221 
 
 Suddenly, a dark form passed before 
 the window between me and the Hghts. 
 It moved slowly as if walking. Then I 
 saw a great hairy arm and a pair of 
 eyes ! At the same time I heard a noise 
 on the stairs behind me, and a sharp 
 knock at the door of my room ! Startled 
 into fear I turned and looked about. 
 The room was as bright as day, as I 
 saw the door slowly swing on its hinges. 
 
 How was I to know that the men 
 that stepped in so quietly were not the 
 emissaries of another world? Their 
 faces were familiar, it was true, but 
 what spirit lay in them that they 
 should come at this time? Quietly 
 enough, as if of this world alone, they 
 nodded and took their seats. 
 
 There were three of them, — the city 
 
322 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 editor, Darling, and Milliard; but, for 
 fear of others, I shut the door fast. 
 Even as I did so, I could hear a terrible 
 clamoring without — on the stairs! 
 through the whole building! echoing 
 throughout the whole world ! 
 
 It was Hilliard who spoke first — not 
 to me, but in an excited whisper to the 
 others: — " It's too bad," he said, "that 
 his fiancee, Alice Winship, should con- 
 vey the information about him; — but" 
 (and here he turned to me) — "you 
 must go with us now — and go quietly." 
 
 What ailed me ? Was I not Emperor 
 of the World? Why was I so sick at 
 heart ? With but a word I could crush 
 these men at my will! Then — sud- 
 denly — the whole world reeled about 
 me, and I fainted away. The last 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 223 
 
 thing I thought of were the words she 
 had spoken : — " What is the matter with 
 you, Edward? You are crazy! He is 
 my father! " 
 
XIV 
 
 They say that this palace from which 
 I command all this brilliant court, and 
 the world without, is my prison! It's 
 one of their jokes, and I let them say 
 this. And that old white-haired man 
 that comes to see me so often, — they 
 say he is my guardian ! That's a joke, 
 as well, — as if he were not the most 
 genial court-fool in the world! Why, I 
 need but to utter a word of command 
 and all these doors would fly asunder 
 like magic! They know they jest with 
 me; but the Emperor of the World 
 must have his amusements. 
 
 This is a splendid condition I have 
 brought about to humanity. Thank 
 God, I have eradicated all the Man- 
 
226 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Forms at last! — those poisoners and 
 parasites that gave me such worry! 
 There is only one Jew left now, that I 
 know of. He's a violinist and drives 
 away the awftil noises in my ears. You 
 can't get too near the secrets of nature, 
 and keep out all the horrible sounds 
 and dark forms that wander through 
 the awful void of space. I suppose the 
 Emperor of the World must have his 
 troubles as well as the rest of mankind. 
 Well, everjrthing has been done. 
 Everything runs on smoothly now. I 
 don't have any more trouble with the 
 vicious side of life. After that great 
 battle in Siberia I drove the Demon's 
 army into the Sea. That was most 
 awful slaughter, and is to be pitied. 
 But, my! it's according to the Badge of 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 227 
 
 Caste and the Book of Laws! I have 
 no regret, since we could not have had 
 the Millenitim without it. The Book 
 of Laws is our Bible now. Everybody 
 knows it, and follows its decrees. I 
 have given each person a copy. 
 
 What I regret most about this whole 
 thing is, that so few people are left 
 after eradicating the Man-Forms! It 
 surprised even me, to find so few per- 
 fect men and women in the world. 
 What was the matter with them ? Did 
 they obtain satisfaction out of all their 
 falseness, pretence, and folly? 
 
 Just as if a woman could obtain any 
 satisfaction from a painted face! or an 
 artist or philosopher in creating false 
 beliefs! What a lot of sha,m and pre- 
 tense there was ! Good God ! as if men 
 
238 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 weren't what they were! As if riches, 
 assumption, or power could make a 
 difference in a man's brain or heart! 
 And just as if the Hierarchy was not 
 always there, and the Badge of Caste! 
 Did they think they could deceive God 
 Himself — much less me, who am the 
 Emperor of the World? 
 
 Well everybody is happy now. If it 
 hadn't been for me I suppose they 
 would have gone on that way always. 
 What a selfish, hood-winked, cringing, 
 blinded world it was, anyway! How 
 different now, when everybody is 
 happy! Well, everybody except one 
 person. 
 
 That is Miriam. I had to save her, 
 too. You see I couldn't help saving 
 her. She loved me. I have every 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 229 
 
 proof in the world of it. Of course she 
 and my Empress come in together at 
 times, pretending great friendship for 
 one another; but I know they quarrel 
 when they are away from me ! 
 
 I send for them one at a time now. I 
 don't let them come unless I do send 
 for them ! They might meet and quar- 
 rel — ^though they do pretend to be such 
 old friends. Both of them pretend to 
 be such old friends of me, too. That's 
 the strangest part of it all ! 
 
 What bothers me, sometimes, is to 
 remember just when my Goddess, my 
 Empress, did come into my existence. 
 It's curious how I get her mixed up 
 with that dream — that old ideal of 
 mine! Sometimes I think that cut on 
 my forehead has something to do with 
 this vexation. 
 
230 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 She says she has loved me always. I 
 wonder if such an absurd thing can be 
 true! 
 
 Sometimes she sits before me, when 
 I send for her, and cries as if her heart 
 would break. I heard her say she was 
 engaged to me. If she didn't say it, 
 someone else did — Miriam, perhaps. 
 What in the world can the woman be 
 thinking of? — ^being engaged to me 
 when I have already made her my 
 consort, and Empress of the World? 
 
 Ah, she is an Empress, too! — the 
 most beautiful the world has ever seen ! 
 Sometimes I can not look deep enough 
 into her beautiful eyes. She's more 
 than an Empress ! Those eyes betoken 
 her a goddess! And she has such a 
 quiet smile and sweet manner ! Some- 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 231 
 
 times, when the noises are in my ears, 
 she talks to me. What a gentle voice 
 she has ! 
 
 Byt I wish she would not cry. It 
 makes me think she regrets the Win- 
 ship tragedy — just as if he really were 
 her father! That genial silky -haired 
 old man says she does not think of him 
 now; but I know she does. You can't 
 depend upon him, anyway, because he 
 says my coat is out at the elbow, and 
 my hat needs brushing. " Poor de- 
 cayed gentleman," he says, by way of 
 a joke. 
 
 That was a sad thing wasn't it — her 
 father's — I mean Winship's — death? I 
 mean because I loved his daughter 
 once, and she loved me. Sometimes I 
 dream of him. I can see his form 
 
232 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 passing before me. It frightens me. 
 I become conscious that there is 
 another world about me besides the 
 one I reign over. But I'll recover from 
 those illusions yet! I sometimes mis- 
 take that old white-haired gentleman 
 for Winship ! — ^ha ! ha ! ha ! 
 
 I heard him say that I "would 
 recover;" and Alice — it's curious her 
 name is Alice! — cried at that. Now 
 what did they mean? Have you seen 
 the pictures of her — my Goddess? — 
 my Empress? Don't you think she 
 looks beautiful, gentle and good? 
 Upon my word, I believe she is the best 
 woman in the world; and sometimes, 
 when I think of her, a lump rises in my 
 throat. I don't think Alice could cry 
 half as hard as I, if I only had the 
 chance! 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 233 
 
 And why haven't I the chance? 
 Great God! since I have that great 
 Power and rule Mankind itself, I ought 
 to be able to cry! And see the good 
 I have done to the world, too! Why I 
 have brought on the Millenium, and 
 explained the Book of Laws ! Any one 
 with half a heart would give me a 
 chance to cry, just a little, and explain 
 to Alice how she and my dream are 
 one! 
 
 I've loved Alice — ^I mean my Em- 
 press — I can't tell you how well, and I 
 know I have loved her a long time; — 
 but how long? Sometimes I think my 
 life would not have been worth while 
 if I had not known her always, — as a 
 child, say, and through the sweet 
 period of engagement that lovers have. 
 
234 THE WORLD DESTROYER 
 
 Well, suppose I am crazy, as some 
 one said, and should wake up to find 
 that I knew Alice all the time, and she 
 had been so faithful and true, — it 
 would be sweet, wouldn't it? We 
 could take Miriam (that old white- 
 haired gentleman could act as her 
 father) and we could have a quiet 
 wedding. Sometimes I wish I were 
 mad and could wake up ! 
 
 ^If ^tf ^)f stf *l^ ^1' 
 
 After I had written the above para- 
 graph, I called Alice in and showed it 
 to her. She broke out into a thousand 
 smiles and her laughter was like the 
 ringing of bells. She sat down before 
 me, took my hands in hers, and looked 
 deep into my eyes. Then she said a 
 curious thing: 
 
 " Pshaw, Edward, you're perfectly 
 
THE WORLD DESTROYER 235 
 
 rational by this time! — or will be as 
 soon as you finish that awful book! 
 Why don't you be sensible now and 
 listen to reason? We are engaged! " 
 
 Then that old white-haired man 
 came in with his genial smile, rubbing 
 his hands in glee. Had he been listen- 
 ing? 
 
 "Alice," he said, "the doctor says, 
 he will get well. And aren't you" 
 (turning to me) "glad, too, Edward?" 
 
 At this Alice cried a bit and said: 
 " It's such good news father." 
 
 Then they both cried, till I cried, too ! 
 
 "Alice, I begin to understand," I 
 said, at last. " But what is all this 
 bookV' 
 
 "Why that, my dear boy," said she, 
 with her arms around my neck, "is 
 your book!— the Book of Laws! "