The Angel of the Revolution A Tale of the Coming Terror   By: George Chetwynd Griffith (1857-1906)

MORRISON AND GIBB, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH.

[Illustration: Drawn by Edwin S. Hope.

NATASHA]

THE ANGEL OF THE REVOLUTION

A Tale of the Coming Terror

BY GEORGE GRIFFITH

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY FRED. T. JANE

FIFTH EDITION

LONDON TOWER PUBLISHING COMPANY LIMITED 91 MINORIES, E.C. 1894

Copyrighted Abroad ] [ All Foreign Rights Reserved

TO CYRIL ARTHUR PEARSON TO WHOSE SUGGESTION THE WRITING OF THIS STORY WAS PRIMARILY DUE THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR

CONTENTS.

CHAP. PAGE

I. AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR, 1

II. AT WAR WITH SOCIETY, 8

III. A FRIENDLY CHAT, 16

IV. THE HOUSE ON CLAPHAM COMMON, 23

V. THE INNER CIRCLE, 30

VI. NEW FRIENDS, 37

VII. THE DAUGHTER OF NATAS, 46

VIII. LEARNING THE PART, 54

IX. THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS, 63

X. THE "ARIEL," 70

XI. FIRST BLOOD, 78

XII. IN THE MASTER'S NAME, 85

XIII. FOR LIFE OR DEATH, 91

XIV. THE PSYCHOLOGICAL MOMENT, 98

XV. A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY, 103

XVI. A WOOING IN MID AIR, 110

XVII. AERIA FELIX, 119

XVIII. A NAVY OF THE FUTURE, 127

XIX. THE EVE OF BATTLE, 135

XX. BETWEEN TWO LIVES, 141

XXI. JUST IN TIME, 153

XXII. ARMED NEUTRALITY, 162

XXIII. A BATTLE IN THE NIGHT, 169

XXIV. THE NEW WARFARE, 179

XXV. THE HERALDS OF DISASTER, 188

XXVI. AN INTERLUDE, 193

XXVII. ON THE TRACK OF TREASON, 201

XXVIII. A SKIRMISH IN THE CLOUDS, 208

XXIX. AN EMBASSY FROM THE SKY, 216

XXX. AT CLOSE QUARTERS, 225

XXXI. A RUSSIAN RAID, 233

XXXII. THE END OF THE CHASE, 241

XXXIII. THE BREAKING OF THE CHARM, 247

XXXIV. THE PATH OF CONQUEST, 251

XXXV. FROM CHAOS TO ARCADIE, 258

XXXVI. LOVE AND DUTY, 267

XXXVII. THE CAPTURE OF A CONTINENT, 276

XXXVIII. THE BEGINNING OF THE END, 289

XXXIX. THE BATTLE OF DOVER, 295

XL. BELEAGUERED LONDON, 301

XLI. AN ENVOY OF DELIVERANCE, 308

XLII. THE EVE OF ARMAGEDDON, 315

XLIII. THE OLD LION AT BAY, 323

XLIV. THE TURN OF THE BATTLE TIDE, 331

XLV. ARMAGEDDON, 339

XLVI. VICTORY, 347

XLVII. THE JUDGMENT OF NATAS, 355

XLVIII. THE ORDERING OF EUROPE, 366

XLIX. THE STORY OF THE MASTER, 375

EPILOGUE. "AND ON EARTH PEACE!" 386

THE ANGEL OF THE REVOLUTION.

CHAPTER I.

AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR.

"Victory! It flies! I am master of the Powers of the Air at last!"

They were strange words to be uttered, as they were, by a pale, haggard, half starved looking young fellow in a dingy, comfortless room on the top floor of a South London tenement house; and yet there was a triumphant ring in his voice, and a clear, bright flush on his thin cheeks that spoke at least for his own absolute belief in their truth.

Let us see how far he was justified in that belief.