William J. Humphrey

Wilson Travers and his brother, Mortimer, live singular lives, interested only in their respective hobbies of collecting rare gems and even rarer tropical fish. The police learn that jewel thieves are planning to knock over the Wilson gem collection, and the brothers take precautions. One evening, Marie Duquesne, dressed as a bride, appeals to the brothers to help her avoid a distasteful marriage to an old man. The brothers let her stay the night; Mortimer resents her presence, but Wilson falls in love with her. The following morning, the butler tells Wilson that, suspicious of Marie's nocturnal prowling, he has called the police; and a policeman soon arrives and takes her into custody. That night the butler is prevented from looting the safe by Marie, who has returned to the house. Marie, who is a detective, sees to the arrest of the butler and then turns her attentions to Wilson.

The story takes place three years into the future. Events represented take place in 1914 when supposedly there is a war between the United European States and the United States of America. The hero is commissioned to fly over the enemy's fleet in a war aeroplane and destroy them. This he does by dropping bombs. He is then told to spy upon their land forces, but his aeroplane is brought to earth by a portable gun of the enemy that shoots directly into midair.