The

IIGER in the House

n from

lite

by Dan Smit ii

DO YOU KNOW?
Do
you know that the true cause
of

colds is now believed by many scientists to be a virus so fine that it passes through filters which retain the 8 ordinary germs frequently associated with colds? These germs and the virus itself

lodge in the mouth, nose and throat.

Gargle Listerine

YOU Tiger
For

call it

a cold, but physicians

cal| it

the
is.

in the House. Their experience teaches

potentially dangerous a cold really

Over a period of more than 50 years, the antiseptic found best suited to this purpose is Listerine. Its results are a matter of record.
Listerine is fatal to germs, including those associ-

them how

this universal

ailment often results in pro-

longed ill-health and sometimes death. Unchecked it runs through entire families. Un-

and mastoid, as well as bronchitis and pneumonia

less treated it frequently leads to sinus, ear,

(particularly in the case of babies).

illnesses in children

80%

of acute

ated with colds. It is non-poisonous. It does not as many mouth washes do. For oral cleanliness and to fight colds, gargle with Listerine every morning and night. If you feel a cold coming on or one has already started, repeat the gargle every two hours. You will be
irritate delicate tissue

infections.

loss estimated

up to 5 are due to respiratory Every year colds cause industry a to be between $450,000,000 and
the body? and nose, of course.

delighted to find

The moment
begins to
kill

germs.

$2,000,000,000.

reductions in the

And how does a cold gain entrance to

have been noted.

how often it brings relief. Listerine enters the mouth it Even four hours after its use, number of germs ranging to 64% Numerous tests we have

Largely through the mouth Bacteria enter and breed by millions. It therefore becomes evident that daily oral hygiene is an
absolute necessity.

conducted have shown that twice-a-day users of Listerine contracted fewer and milder colds than those who did not use it. Lambert Pharmacal
Company,
St. Louis,

Mo.

'CSfr

'M

t/m

Comsnon

Gnd nHtti L isteriae /&*$,

Rupture Curbed by College Physician

Essentials

of 10 Students

Used by Physician of Great Eastern University in Curing 7 out . Now Part of Amazing New Rupture Relief System
. .

ATHLETES

THROW AWAY

TRUSSES.

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part of this new rupture system 1b device which sudports rupture by the Suction-Cell method, wlthout leg traps st turturous springs and pads. PeopL ruptured for tell of astounding quick results.

ing ruptured students indicnte cure (n 7 out of 10 cases. Now. the essentials of the Searer method are being given to ruptured we*j>wB8W, as part of a great new rupture system. The coupon at thf bottom of this page brings full details.

!W

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Ruptured people are now getting the complete Suction-Cell method fur free proof trial. You are not obligated to unrt with a cent unless you can see that your rupture has been reduced In siae within the trial allowed. Be sure to mail
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chance

to

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atr angulation.

E.H, SCOTT.

*?i,^

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WARNS AGAINST STRANGULABuptured people often forget Tl bout the danger and fatal conie<iuencei of strangulation. How to properly reduce rupture, how to reduce risk Of strangulation and other interesting facts about rupture will be sent to everyone who mall! the coupon on this page to John O. Homan. President, 6020 New Bank Build' Ing, Steubenrille, Ohio.

PH """

BORN RUPTURED.
trae
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XK'.iE

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Newsstand Fiction Unit when answering

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Amazing Stories
Science Fiction
Vol. 8

APRIL,

1934

No. 12

CONTENTS
Editorial Conic Sections
Serials
Triplanetary
(Story in

T.

O'Conor Shane, Ph.D.

Four Parts

Conclusion)
III)

Edward
H.

E, Smith, Ph.D.

33 80

Terror Out of Space

(Story in Four

H overstock

Hill

Parts Part

Science Questionnaire (What Do You Know?)

Stories
Gat's

79

Complete
Eye

in

This Issue
Harl Vincent
Francis Flagg
10

The Mentanicals The Gold-Bug Why Read Amazing

Discussions

60
109
132

Edgar Allan Poe

Stories?
/.

E. Reynolds

133

Our Cover
depicts a scene

from the

by Francis Flagg

story,

"The Mentanicals," Drawn by Marey

Published Monthly by

TECK PUBLICATIONS,

INC.
III.

4600 Diversey Avenue, Chicago,

Executive and Editorial Offices: 222 West 39th Street,

Lee Ellmaker, Fres. and Treas. Warren P. Jefiery, Vice-Pres.

New

York, N. Y.

Abner Germaan, Seo'r Hoston D. Crippen, Vice-P.

Copyright, 1934, by Teck Publications, Inc., in United States and Canada. Registered in U. S. Pat. Office. All rights reserved. Entered as second-class matter Sept. 8, 1933, at the postomce at Chicafre, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 25c a copy, $2.50 a year. $3.00 in Canada. $3.50 in foreign countries. Subscribers are notified that change of address must reach us five weeks in advance of the next date of issue.

New
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Newsstand Fiction Unit when answering

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THE MAGAZINE OF
SCIENCE FICTION
T.
April, 19J4

No. 12

O'CONOR SLOANE,

Ph.D., Editor
Street.

Editorial and General Offices: 222

West 39th

New

York, N. Y.

Extravagant Fiction Today

Cold Fact Tomorrow

Conic Sections
By
T.

O'CONOR SLOANE,
been
plane,

Ph.D.

A
the

POINT
is

as a scientific conception

made
could
in

of

the

conception

of

the

defined as location without size

space.
It

and of a two dimensional being,

be
a

or

may

be taken as
of

who

imprisoned
figure

by

laying

origin

or

starting

point

measnon-diof
it

thread

urements and dimensions. mensional space, which

contradictory

It is
is

around him. Next we may move our plane in any

closed

sort
it,

direction

other than

either

that

of

its

way

of putting
that

but

length and breadth.

sometimes happens do explain things.

contradictions

This gives a third dimension and we have a solid. We are three dimensional beings, our surroundings are three dimensional and
to have reached the limiting

So move
us a

starting with our point suppose

it

we
is

along and
it

its

trace

or track

we seem number of

left after
line,

as

it

proceeds.

This gives

dimensions.
tion

It

requires a vivid imagina-

which taken in the abstract, It may he has length and nothing else. entitled space of one dimension, for it
has no width or height. Now move the line along in a direction other than that
of
its

to

formulate

four
is

dimensional

object.

But the

effort

a frequent one,

and we
a

find the attempt

made
or

to depict

four
is

dimensional

solid

ultrasolid

which
is

called a tessaract.

This word
for
to

length and

it

gives

us

plane,

derived
It

from the
is

Greek word
fair

which

has

length

thickness.

Therefore

dimensions.

and width but no it is space of two good deal of use has

four.

perfectly

pro-

nounce the effort a failure in

the tesseract tells nothing.

its result

CONIC SECTIONS
When
it

comes
entitled

to

defining

four diis

teresting

to
tell

know what
what conic
intersect

proportion
sections

of
are.

mensional space, the foufth dimension

us could

sometimes
does not
as

space-time,

but that

We

may
a

start

with the simplest.

a
cone,
to

tell

us much.
"free
will,

In "Paradise
fixed
fate,

Let

plane
it,

cut
its

Lost," Milton describes the fallen angels

through
axis, or,
to
its

being
is

perpendicular

discussing

what

the

same

thing, parallel

foreknowledge absolute," and says they "find no end in wandering mazes lost." This is substantially what happens to us

base.

The
be

surface thus

formed
is

will
first

obviously

circle

and
it,

the

or simplest,
sections.

we may
Webster

call

of the
to
it

when we

try to figure out a four dimen-

conic

refers

sional object.

nor picture
imagination.
If

it

cannot conceive of it to ourselves; it transcends

We

as a special case of the ellipse.

the plane cutting across the cone
is

Now

if

or intersecting

out of parallel with the base

'

we

think of a plane of limited area

attached to an axis and turned around

it,

a curved surface would be formed

scien-

and yet not parallel with its side, it gives an ellipse. In everyday phrase this is often called an oval, which is
quite
incorrect.

"generated" if we employ more tific terminology whose shape would depend on the contour of the plane, and the surface would enclose a volume.

An

ellipse

is

like

a
is
is

prolonged or drawn
perfectly symmetrical,

out

circle

and
of

while an oval
the

one

sided,

it

is

of

shape

the

Thus we
ject

get

three

dimensional

ob-

longitudinal

section
its

of

an

egg,

by

simple rotation.

from a two dimensional surface by Surfaces thus fonned

solids

plane through
is

longer axis.

The

oval

and the

they

enclose
of

are

called

respectively

surfaces

rotation

and

solids of rotation or revolution.

Thus a

therefore of smaller contour at one end than at the other, and is named from the Latin word ovum, meaning an egg. But our friend Webster's Un-

sphere

is

a solid of rotation generated by

its

abridged

"passes up," accepting

as
it

they say the

as
the

rotating a circle about

diameter.

word
ele-

"oval,"

popis

All that

we have
it

given

may seem
on.

ular
If

name

for an ellipse.
the

mentary, but
or a
billiard
at,

is

precisely the elements

fail

the plane intersecting

little

cone

which so many of us
ball
is

globe

inclined a

more

so as to be paris

simple enough to

allel to its side,

a curve

produced, one
large the cone

look

but

how

often

do we picture

which

is

closed at one end and open at

by the rotating of circles around their diameters? The most ordinary objects we meet with have their The very individual stories to tell us. elements of our knowledge give Uie
their generation

the other, no matter

how

may

be.

This

is

a parabola.

Now

let

the intersecting plane be parallel to the axis of the cone and to one side of it

and we have the hyperbola, another open

curve.

basis for
science,

a great proportion of

an expanding amount of true which is

These are the

historic

and

classic conic

completely missed by too

many
its

of us.
right

sections; taking the circle as an ellipse

Figure

in

your imagination a
its

three of them are

all

that can be pro-

angle triangle standing on

base and
ver-

duced.
matical

There
used

is

more than dry mathein

rotated completely around with

tical

interest

them.
the

The

ellipse

side as

its
is

axis.

It

will

generate

has

been

in

design

for

the

a solid, which
basis
called

of

three

very

a cone, and thi3 is the important curves

It

of stone bridges. There is a method of drawing an approximate elarches

lipse using bits

conic sections.

would be

in-

of circles or arcs thereof

AMAZING STORIES
the
planets
in

so as to get an approximation to the true curve.

called,

always

sweeps over equal

degrees
subject

But
is

this "false ellipse," as

it

is

areas

equal

times.

considered to give an inferior

moves
long,

over

more
is is

architectural effect

when compared with

is

radius vector

short than

Thus a planet when the when it is

to

the true ellipse.

and thus
again

the

sim-

Waterloo Bridge across the Thames

plest

kind of a law.

one of the glories of London and of the great architect, John Rennie. This gives
the
effect

And
which

we meet another amazingly

exact.

simple law of the motion of the planets

is

of the ellipse in bridge con-

approximately

The
a

struction, yet the beautiful structure

was

square of the time of

planet around the sun
the cube of
its

revolution of
is

threatened by the powers that be, with

proportional to

"improvement,"
tion

in the shape of destrucuntil

is

mean

distance from the

and tearing it down, rose in arms and now it

served.

London
be pre-

great

to

Suppose a planet is three times as far from the sun, on the

luminary.
as

average,
to be noted
is

we

terrestrials

are.

Another interesting thing

in

cube of three

(3

X 3,X

The 3=27) is
take as

speaking of
in

the
solar

ellipse

that

the

twenty-seven. Therefore, the square root

of twenty-seven, which
five

planets

the

system follow the

we may

curves of ellipses in their paths around

the great luminary, carrying out several

and two-tenths, would be the length

of the planet's year, taking the earth's

curious
space.

laws

in

their

courses

through
of
its

year as one.

Or we may

multiply 365 ]/

by 5.2 to get the length of the assumed

line

The
a

drawn from
its

the
is

center
called

planet's year approximately.

circle

to

periphery
ellipse

Simple as these laws are there are

al-

two radius. In the such lines and they must be spoken of as radius vectors. The radius of a circle
there

are

ways annoying

fractions to be encounted.
is

The

earth's

year

not exactly 365*4

days in length, and the relative distance

of the planets
cidedly

properly

speaking

is is

radius

vector,
re-

from the sun are

proportions,

in de-

but the last

ferring to
it.

word

omitted

when

fractional

one

to

Now

the earth in follow-

the other.

around the sun pursues an The radius vectors of an elliptical path. ellipse, there are two of them, meet at all points on its circumference, and our
ing
its

orbit

The
the

ellipse

not

only

is

beautiful

curve for an arch, but

it tells

us one of
planets
archiec-

laws

of

motion
It

of

the
in

through space.
rated subjects.
If a plane
is

appears

earth, as

it

vectors along with

were, takes the two radius it, but appropriates

itself,

ture and in astronomy,

two widely

sepa-

one of them to
is

so that
of

its

motion

supposed to pass through

referred to

only one
the
three
its

them, and
it

this radius vector varies in length as

a sphere, it will always cut out a circle. The cone as we have seen may give any

goes
sixty

through
degrees
or
is

hundred
rate of

and

one of three figures when cut by plane,

if

of

course

through

we

take the circle as a special case

space around the sun.

tion

The

speed
tor

speed of the earth varies its greatest when the radius vec-

mo-

of the ellipse, but the sphere gives only

one.
If

the

plane

an equator, or
sphere where
it it

is passed through any other part of the is

is shortest.

of largest diameter,

And
law

here comes the amazingly simple

gives

what

is

called

a great

circle.

telling us that the radius vector of

This brings before us a curious

simplicity in geometry.

bit

of

the earth, and radius vector of each of

The

outside area

CONIC SECTIONS
of a sphere
great circles.
spherical
is

equal to the area of four

a great

deal,

because of the high velocity

or

you had an absolutely round apple, and cut it

If

involved,

and the curve followed departs from the true parabola and is entitled

into two equal pieces, the areas of the two cuts would be equal to the area of

the ballistic curve.

If a cord, cable or chain is attached to two separated places on the same level, will hang down in a loop, forming a known as a catenary or a "chain
it

the outer surface of one of the halves of

the apple.

As

contrast

to

this

the

factor

which the diameter of a

never been calculated to

circle

by must be
It is 3

curve

multiplied to give the circumference has

its

Now suppose the cable sustains an evenly distributed load referred to its
curve."

end.

span and which load

effect,

is

so

heavy that

followed by a decimal which has been

carried to over one hundred figures, with

the weight of the cable has no perceptible

it

will

take the parabolic curve.

no hopes of reaching the last one. We may go back to Milton"s fallen angels and say that we "find no end in wandering mazes lost." Probably the
decimal
in

suspension bridge never has either a

true catenary or a true parabola for the

line of its cable, but a cross

between the
cables
to-

two, a sort of mixture, the heavy road-

question

is

without end.

way

pulling

the

suspending

The
of

parabola possesses some features

outside of
If
in
its

interest

mathematical

wards a parabolic curve. There is a horizontal factor

tached.

in the pull
at-

relations.

projectile

were

dis-

which a cord produces when thus

charged

a horizontal

direction

in

The

straighter

the

cord

the

vacuum and subjected to the pull of gravity, it would follow a parabolic

course as
it

greater will the pull be.

In the words

of

Bishop Berkeley, a

famous

philos-

descended to the earth.

to

A
will It

opher with theories of his own, "There

is

marble swept off a table by a cane or

otherwise,
in its
fall

no

force,

however
fine,

great,

can stretch
a horizontal

the

floor

a cord however
line,

into

follow

a virtually parabolic curve.

its

has the resistance of the aid to modify

the parabola, but

which shall be absolutely straight." (Quoted from memory.) This is abtrue.

motion
it

is

so slow

solutely

The

story goes that the

to be poetical

that this does not affect

tent.
tile

to any ex-

good bishop never meant

In the case of an artillery projec-

in writing the above, he is said to

have

the resistance of the air counts for

dropped into verse unconsciously.

The End

ELLIPSE

OVAL

FALSE ELLIPSE

10

Qafs ye
By

HARL VINCENT

We have all read about the fourth dimension. A great deal has been written about it, either in fiction or seriously, and we have here a true mystery story based on the scientific conception of higher dimensions. These conceptions are woven into one of Harl Vincent's best efforts, and not content with the fourth dimension he even speaks of higher ones. The reader will find that the story is very interesting and that a difficult subject is carried out to a very successful end.
Illustrated

by

MOREY
Arab
thrust the smooth, hard object into Wyatt's hand, letting go of it as if it burned his fingers and then shambling
off

CHAPTER

Mysterious Stone
Jim Wyatt first saw the thing cuddled in that grimy palm, he grinned and shook his

WHEN
head.
that

rapidly into the shadows of

Wash-

ington Street.

queer sense of belief in the thing's

worth came to Wyatt with his handling of the stone. Not that he thought it so
intrinsically

He knew
;

all

these

valuable,

but there was an

old tricks of the panhandlers

that breed

saw only most decrepit representative of was trying to sell him a bit
to pass on,

uncanny
of
it

light in

the brown-gold depths

like the stare

of a basilisk.
in
its

Sin-

ister

cunning
It

of colored glass.

witchery.

was was a

gleam,

and

tiger's eye, looking

About

Wyatt was

arrested

up at him with hypnotic gaze.

Shivering
unaccountably,
It

by the desperate entreaty in the wizened face and the violent trembling of the hand laid on his arm. There was a curious look in the nighthawk's eyes.

he

shoved

the stone in his pocket.

had seemed
chill.

almost that the mild breeze from off the

An

Hudson took on a sudden

Greenwich
night
quiet
Street,

And
mid-

awful fear,
watery

it

was

that lurked in those

the rumble of an elevated train over on

optics.

Stark terror, almost.

shattering

the

"Only

half

a buck, mister," the old

of

downtown New York,

shock to his nerves.

fellow whined.

came

as a distinct

into his pocket.

Wyatt laughed sheepishly and reached "You win," he chuckled.

He

shouldn't

be

knew,

especially

"Here's a dollar. But I don't want the Better keep it for the next thing.
sucker."

his repair parts stock.

working this late, he on the inventory of It was enough to

drive any

man

to

mad

imaginings.

He
it.

"No, mister; you keep

sump'in, I'm
tellin'

It's

yuh.

Plenty.

worth An'
street

that

steps once

shrugged off the strange feeling had come over him and turned his more toward the subway at
pistol shot

thanks fer

th'

buck."
the astonishing old

Cortlandt Street.

With

that

roared out of the shad-

CAT'S EYE

11

fBiliil

Others of the red men came from nowhere, seeming to spring ut> from the very floor, and he was carried, kicking and struggling vainly.

12
ows he had
left behind.

AMAZING STORIES
A
half-human
You're stuck,
dime.
is
it

aU-

It

ain't

worth a

cry followed, ending in a horrible gurgle. There came the shrill notes of a

Throw
forget

away
"

anything."
The
officer

"But, say

and voices shouting, the thunderous exhaust of a powerful car.

police whistle,

"Aw,

it.

Scram."

Wyatt stopped

in his tracks.

turned his broad back. small crowd of night prowlers was

then a whimpering, sobbing creature in tattered clothing stumbled into

the light.
It

And

gathering, and others of the police had

arrived.

Some one produced

and

ragged
face

was

the old derelict

Wyatt
at

tarpaulin

drew
ghastly

it

over

the

had befriended, and he was clutching

popping from their sockets.

his throat with writhing fingers, his eyes

"Beat
"They're
his

it,

mister !"
it.

he

croaked.
stone.

after

The

yellow

They'll get
face

yuh

sure."

Tottering then,

purpling,

he collapsed on the
still.

sidewalk and lay

burly policeman hove into view and

took in the situation at a glance.

With

deft fingers he loosened the man's scant clothing and straightened out his limbs.

he pronounced, rising and facing Wyatt, who stood rooted to the spot. "Scared to death, looks like." "Scared! Wasn't he hurt? There was a shot." Shaken by the experience, and

"Dead,"

under the van came clanging, and the crowd was warned back. Muttering disgustedly of the thickheadedness of cops as a class and of this one in particular, Wyatt drew aside. But he returned the tiger's eye to his pocket. There was a mystery connected with this stone, and it might be they'd He'd listen to him at the station house. follow the van when they loaded the body inside. Still it was hardly reasonable to think the polished pebble had anything to do with the case. There was no case at all, when it came to that. It was only which
stared

there

street light.

The

patrol

a matter of a pair of escaped thugs,

law,

al-

much

mystified,

Wyatt

stared

foolishly

at the officer.

ready forgotten by the minions of the and an outcast meeting a natural

death.

Apoplexy, they would write on

""^TAW,
^

shot over the heads of a

the police blotter, and the poor old fel-

^
is

couple of guys that was maulin'

all.

him,

He

yelled

and

ran,

and

the others got away.

In a big Packard,
obviously puzzled.

too; can you beat it?"

low would be buried in Potter's Field. With the ingrained caution that keeps the native New Yorker from mixing in police matters, if he can avoid it, Wyatt
decided to
his

The patrolman was

leave the
visiting

scene and
the
station
to the

forget

He
head.

stood

there,

looking

down

at

the
his

idea

of

house.

twisted

dead

face

and

scratching

He made

his belated

way

subway.

"Sorehead gang, most

another

likely,"

he said
just

But Jim Wyatt was destined to spend

a restless night.
his

with a grunt of dismissal.

"And

bum dropped
it."

dead. Nothing to

mind.

do about

sleep that

The tragedy preyed on And, even in the snatches of came to him, it seemed that

"Wait

a minute; listen."

the queer

stone

in

his

Wyatt had hand and was

the baleful eye of the polished mineral

blurting out his story.

was ever upon him. Daylight was a welcome

felt

"That thing !"

laughed
scornfully.

The uniformed one "Hell, man; he's

much

better

after

shower and shave.

hold of

relief, and he his morning But the thing took

been trying to get rid of that for hours.

him with renewed

force

when

CAT'S EYE
Bronx apartment and boarded subway for his place of business. He was unable to read his newspaper
he left his
the
instead,

13

"Sorry, old man, but the thing sort

of got on

my

nerves.

had to

see you,

had to

tell

some one."
Carr
as

he stared

vacantly

at

his

fel-

low passengers.

And

the tiger's-eye

was

"jV/f M-M."

sobered,

running

an uncomfortable lump against his ribs

A'A
mop
of
thinking

long fingers through his tousled

hair,

where

it

reposed in his vest pocket.

was

his

habit

when
we've

Addison Carr!

Wyatt's
the

spirits

rose

deeply.

"Well,

seeing

when he thought of

one friend to

started the day with such a bang, lets

whom

he could go with the story.

Carr

give a thought to this innocent looking

would know what to do in a case like this. He was interested in many things besides his favorite hobby of scientific
research
;

gem."

he dabbled in the mysterious

;

go.

"Not worth anything, is it?" "Not a great deal, as ornamental stones It's a crocidolite. Most people would
the thing a South African cat's-eye.
silicate

and occult
adventures.

had

been through strange

to see. at

call

The very man

the

A
in

mineral

with silky fibers and

Wyatt

left

subway

Seventy-

colored with iron oxide, ordinarily found

second Street. This was one morning his

Griqualand West.
it

When

cut en cab-

downtown
hang.

garage

business

could

go

ockon*

shows
it

this beautiful

chatoyant

luster, the line of light across the

dome
So
its

In
Carr's

the

spacious

drawing

room

which makes
of

look up at you like the

it

Wyatt waited nerThe place was vously for his friend. gloomy the house was one of those old
apartments,

eye of a feline and gives

its

name.
for

much
us."

for

its

background.
;

Now
what

individual

history

that's

interests

brownstone fronts in the Seventies

and

Wyatt paced the floor, then stopped suddenly and drew the strange cause of his perturbation from his pocket, placing it
gingerly
easier,
silly

"Yes,
thing?"

why
the

the

big

to-do
his

about
chin

the

Wyatt scratched
at

and

gazed anew.

staring

eye,

hypnotized

on the

mantel.

He

breathed

then

laughed aloud at his

own

"Creepy

thing, at that,"

mumbled

Carr,

peering closely at the stone.

He

fell si-

fears.

When
in

Carr greeted him, he broke out

a torrent of swift speech, telling with excitement the happenings of the night
before.

lent, his brow wrinkled in thought. Then: "I've heard of this stone lately, I think, or one like it. Yes, I know, there was an ad. in yesterday's paper."

He drew
it

his friend to the fire-

With
two
at

characteristic

abruptness

he

place and indicated the stone.

dashed to the hall and was up the stairs

"There
tel!

is,"

he
so

wound

up.

"Now,
Wyatt

a bound.

In a moment he
sheets

re-

me
it

what's

all-fired

important

turned

with the crumpled

in his
is,"

of

about

was

in

and what I'm to do." a ferment.

newspaper

arms.

"Here
tising for

it

he

exclaimed

after
is

Carr picked up the stone and turned it over between a thumb and forefinger,
his

quick search.
it.

"Luther Emory

adver-

Offers a thousand dollars

gray eyes twinkling.

this

"All steamed

up

morning, aren't you, Jim?" he

reward and no questions asked. Something back odd thing, that.

it."

An
of

grinned.

"The
spoil

idea,

waking

me up from

a sound sleep to listen to a yarn like

this.
It'll

my

breakfast."

14

AMAZING STORIES
thousand reward, and Lute Emory I'll say something is behind
it

"A
it!"

CHAPTER
Ayra

It

the owner!

Wyatt found

difficult to

believe

what he saw there in black and white. But the description was exact; this was
undoubtedly the stone the great explorer

BUT
ordinary

Carr's

moan and

his peculiar
that

actions were

enough to show

had

lost.

"Sa-ay," drawled Carr. "I'm going to Emory put this under the microscope.

something very much out of the had occurred. The scientist reeled jerkily toward his apparatus and
switched off the power with a hand that
stiffly

knows something, and

people.
is."

so do

Come

on, let's find out

some other what it

moved
bidding.

as

if

unwilling to do his

As

the purr of the

mechanism
raised

Wyatt followed him into the laboratory and saw him insert the shiny pellet into a receptacle that was part of a ponderous
electrical

died down, he slumped into a chair and

sat

swaying weakly.
agonizedly.

His head

slowly,

purple

splotch

mechanism.

Dazzling

was spreading from

his cheek.

his temple to cover

light bathed the stone at Carr's touch of a switch, and his instrument purred

softly

from some force from within. "Microscope!" scoffed Wyatt. "That's

Carr laughed.

looked

Wyatt recoiled from the face that up at him. "Lord, man!" he

"what
is
it ?

gasped,

Shall

get

no microscope."

doctor?"

He was

peering through

Carr's lips were

drawn back from

his

a double eye-piece, making mysterious

adjustments as he replied, "Not exactly

teeth with the intensity of his suffering;

a microscope, no. It's a device utilizing radio waves which bore right into an
object.

seemed suddenly to have sunk deep within their sockets. He made a

his eyes

desperate effort to speak but could not.

We

are able to see beneath the

this,

Slowly he shook his head

in

in

negation,

and the magnification can be made enormous. Say !"

surface with
.

pointing a rigid finger to the receptacle

which lay the

Understanding,

cat's-eye.

"What's wrong?"
tion

Wyatt was

Wyatt

retrieved
that

the

startled

stone,

wishing

fervently

by the intensity of his friend's exclamaand the sudden rigidity of his

he

had

crouched

body

never seen the thing. it gave him a chill.

The very

touch of

as

those

long

fingers

tightened on the

control

knobs of the

instrument.

"Why-y
form
ulous.
erect, his

"

Carr snapped his lean face white, gazed incred-

Still Carr was unable to speak, and the purple blotch was growing larger rapidly. He fumbled for a pencil and wrote painfully on the back of a notebook that lay on the table.

And
tacle

then

it

was
held

as

if

a writhing,
cat's-eye

liv-

Emory," was what he wrote. Rousing from the stupefaction which

"Call

ing substance flicked out of the recep-

had

gripped

him,

Wyatt grabbed

the

which

the

and

splashed against Carr's temple, clinging

there a
jelly

telephone directory and started thumbing its pages. He knew that Emory had a

moment

like a

dab of quivering

Wyatt blinked

and then vanished in a puff of light. as he would before a

Riverdale a spooky old house that was hidden from the road by a tangle of unkempt shrubbery. Wyatt
place in

photographer's flash lamp.

at first that his eyes

He

thought

had never
hardly

liked

the

man, although he

had deceived him.

knew him

personally.

And

his

CAT'S
disappearances from civilization
constant
freres
. .

EYE
dated old mansion where
his

15

...

his

Emory made
rare

bickerings
.

with

his

con-

headquarters on the

occasions
air

when
came sharp-

he was in America.

An

of

The
ly

voice of the explorer

decrepitude

over the wire. Seeing that Carr was barely able to

himself
out
erect
in
his

ancient frame structure;

and decay hung about the its tumble-down

hold

chair,

Wyatt
in

askew shutters proclaimed grossest neglect. Yet the exgables

crazily

and

blurted
single

the

story

to

Emory

plorer-scientist

was

reputed

to

be

muddled sentence.
the

shout greet-

wealthy man.

ed his words.

By
stone then!"

this

time Carr had lapsed into a

"You have
Carr?
in

semi-conscious condition and

considerable difficulty in

Wyatt snapped: "Yes, but what about The devilish thing has got him
a bad way.
Shall
I

Wyatt had getting him up

the rickety steps to the porch after dis-

take him to a

charging the over-inquisitive taxi

hospital ?"

Emory's voice was almost panicky in the receiver. "Keep your shirt on, young fellow. He'll be all right just bundle him into a cab and bring him up here."
Although this was far from reassuring to Wyatt, Carr nodded when he asked whether he was agreeable to the proposal.

"No, no!"

man. His temper was none too good as he called out loudly for Emory.

The
his

explorer appeared at the door in

sleeves,

shirt

a stocky, middle-aged

man

with a fiery red beard that bristled

with intolerance and arrogance.

He
him

said

"Ha

stout fellow.

Bring

right in.

But where's the stone?"

exploded

After that

it

was

the

work of
in

"OTONE!"

but a minute to get the afflicted scientist

into the street
cab.

Wyatt.

"You
give

just forget that

now and
"

me

and ensconced

a taxi-

lift

with Carr.

So help me,

you'll

pull

him out of

this or

The ride up Riverside Drive and out the city limits was a nightmare. Carr made ghastly, inhuman noises in
past
his

throat

and
of

his

body was attacked

twitchings
fit.

by a
eral

series

violent
in

like

those of a times

man
call

an epileptic

Sevstop

Emory made haste to lend a hand and they brought Carr through an ancient oak-paneled hall and into a laboratory whose wealth and excellence of equipment seemed utterly incongruous here. When they had the suffering scientist stretched on a divan, Emory compounded a potion from several colorless liquids and poured it down his throat. Carr's body relaxed immediately and he
fell

Wyatt was tempted

to

the cab

and

for an ambulance, but

each time the scientist was able to make

his objection understood by unintelligible

into a natural sleep.

croakings and agitated jerkings of his

head.

The hideous purple now covered

and the sunken eyes had

The

explorer's gaze measured

Wyatt

his entire face

swollen completely shut.

pitiable state

He was

in a

"I've seen you somewhere before this?" he inquired blandly.

contemplatively.

and Wyatt raged inwardly

driver's grin reflected in

"Yes, once or twice.

Club."
Carr's

as he

saw the

Wyatt
direction.

jerked

Union League in his thumb

about

the rear-view mirror.

Although

it

was

"How

my

only natural that the fellow should think

friend?" he asked shortly.

Carr was drunk.

Eventually
they

Emory
reached
the
dilapi-

an hour

ahand

glowered.

"He'll sleep about

then be as good as

16
new.
But,
tell
it
?'*

AMAZING STORIES
me
about
the
stone.

gering the cat's-eye in his pocket.

It

You

have

was icy-cold to
until

his

touch

and he

re-

"That can wait

Carr comes

to."

linquished
taste.

it

with a
could
not
this.

new

shiver of dis-

"Ha!"

The

explorer's
in

bushy

red

He

not

have

explained

brows drew together

for a

anger, then he

why he had
long before
air close

flung the thing

away

got control of himself. "There's a check

Suddenly finding the

he ambled out

thousand

in

it,"

he

reminded

and

fetid inside,

For a moment Wyatt Emory would spring at his and a feeling of exultation up within him, In the mood which had come over him he would have welcomed the encounter. Then he saw the thick biceps relax under the
thought
throat

Wyatt. "It can wait."

upon the porch.

A
He

soft

voice

hailed

him

from the

shrubbery.

caught a glimpse of a small round

surged

face with frightened eyes under a wind-

vision age.

blown mass of golden hair, then the was obscured by the dense leafHe plunged into the shrubbery on
instant.
girl,

man's

shirt.

the

"Very
obviously
leave

well,"

said

the explorer
indifference.

with
"I'll

A
stuff

whose

like

he had never seen,

outlines

feigned

only in a garment of some shimmering

that

you to watch over your friend, who, by the way, is a friend of mine
I

scarcely

hid the

of

her superb figure, she was like a wild

creature of an alien jungle.
of

as well.

He
so

strode

have other things to do." out of the rom without

Obviously
stature

another

race,

small

in

and

much

as a backward glance.

with skin like old ivory, birdlike in her

she seemed about to run off through ,the underbrush like a startled
poise,

\irHEN
f

half

an

hour had passed,

relief Carr's

V Wyatt saw with

nor-

fawn.

Her

eyes,

wide and

clear,

were

mal healthy color was returning.

breathing was easy and regular.
It

The
was

of the deepest violet.

swelling of his eyes had abated and his

and
att's

Not

blue; violet

flecked with glints of gold.

Wytones,

heart skipped a beat.

evident that he would soon recover.

"Please,"
"please
to

she

said in

agitated

Thinking the matter over more calmly now, Wyatt regretted his antagonizing He would have preferred of Emory. talking with the man about the mysterious stone that

make way with

the

stone.

To

the old

man
it

give

it,

that he might
is

dispose of

before the time

it

too

late.

Now
I

you have returned

tragic
fear.

here.
it."

Oh,
the

was

in his pocket

about

the

queer

missile

which

and had

ask of you, please to destroy

There was
plea

Without doubt there was a connection between it and the cat'sthere was some secret known to eye Emory and which Carr had glimpsed
stricken Carr.
;

nameless

earnestness in

in the depths of the weird stone

he had

it

in the radio microscope.

when More

than one questionable happening had fol. the panhandler's lowed that stone
.
.

"But why?" stammered Wyatt. "How know I had it?" "I There are others who I know. " seek it. And you must She was interrupted by a call from It the house. was Carr, his voice
did you

vibrant

with

suppressed
off

excitement.
the

possession

of
.

it
. .

and
. .

his

strange death

The

girl

slipped

into

tangled

in the street

the two thugs

who had
hall,

shrubbery and was gone.

. escaped the police Wyatt walked out into the

For
finless,

moment Wyatt

stood

speech-

hardly believing he had seen and

CAT'S
heard aright. Then, awakening to reality, he answered his friend's call. "Coming," he sang out.

EYE
but
it

17
made
little

impression

on

his

consciousness.
girl

He was

thinking of the

But

in

that instant
aboil*, the

in

the shrubbery

and of her ob-

he

decided

to

say

nothing

vious fear.

Of

her strange beauty.

girl, at

least for the

time being.

Carr

seemed as excited as Emory

answers given by the explorer. Then
silent

Carr was standing on the porch with Emory, looking as if nothing had happened to him at all. His lean cheeks were flushed and he was fidgeting with
impatience.

he talked incessantly, ignoring Wyatt in

his intense interest in the
to his questions

both scientists

fell

as

the

rising

give

"Make it me the

snappy," he urged.
stone.

"And

whine of a generator somewhere in the house resounded through the laboratory.

There's a big thing

here

in the laboratory."

Wyatt saw the gloating in Emory's mien but handed over the cat's-eye without a word. If Carr said a thing was Besides, he all right, it was all right.
was glad to be rid of the stone. The two scientists dashed through hall and into the laboratory, Wyatt lowing at a more leisurely pace.
the
fol-

Wyatt looked at the cat's-eye where It seemed to it was held in the clamp. him that the thing glimmered suddenly
with a
blinked
in

new and unholy

light,

that

it

the head

knowingly and evilly as if set of a cunning and vicious

feline.

And
the

then a small figure dashed into

herself

room and flung

now humming mechanism.

It

toward the was the

WHAT
knew
nal

golden-haired girl of the bushes.

next ensued was utterly into

Emory
rushed

shouted angrily, "Ayral" and

comprehensible

the

man who

in to intercept her.

all about automobiles and intercombustion engines, but who had

Her
it

objective

was not long

stone
to

in doubt;

never

delved
of

into

the

intricacies
science.

and

was the

glittering

which had
so

mysteries

physical

Wyatt

seemed of such importance

people.

many

was amazed at the enthusiasm of the two scientists as they fingered the cat'seye and discussed subjects that seemed entirely foreign to the thing they were
examining.

She hurled her body between the two spheres of the machine and
snatched at the cat's-eye with trembling
It was held fast by the clamp fingers. and she tugged desperately to wrench
it

They

talked of

the

fourth and fifth

of

free.

dimensions,

of

the

possibility

two

objects occupying the

same space

at the

this

"Ayra !" Emory shouted again, and time his voice was a throaty bellow.
grasped the
girl's

same time due

stitution

to difference in the con-

He
it

arm, but she tore

of matter and the reversal of of

electronic

free of his grip.

direction

revolutions,

of

Carr stood watching as

if

stupefied.

the existence of a world within a world,

Then Emory shook

growling and cursing.
explorer
the
flat

the girl violently,

and of planes of
of

vibration.

They spoke

She

resisted

him

unseen realms and the nearness of by

the
senses,

valiantly, her eyes ablaze

with fury.

The
with

creatures that existed but were not per-

struck

her

resoundingly

and then they placed the cat's-eye in a clamp that was between two huge spheres of a complicated electrical mechanism. Wyatt heard what they said dimly,
ceived

of his hand.

That was too much for Wyatt. In one stride he reached Emory and yanked him away, whirled him around. The explorer was quick and was a

18
;

AMAZING STORIES
on the instant and the
feet.

powerful man he drove a massive fist into Wyatt's mid-section, momentarily winding him. Recovering, Wyatt drove in a right that snapped the man's head back and rocked him to his heels, then followed with a left that started from
the floor

girl leaped to

her

Her
that

glance darted in

all

directions like

of

a trapped

animal.
relief.

Then she
said.

breathed a sigh of

and caught the whiskered chin

"For us it is most fortunate," she "None of them is here.*'

at precisely the correct angle.

The ex-

plorer crashed in the

midst of his ap-

"Who?" asked Wyatt, staring stupidly. He saw then for the first time a pedestal
that

paratus and lay

still.

rose

The
tion,

girl,

Ayra,
still

had paid no attentrying

Rising, he

from the saw that

floor
it

at

his
its

side.

held at

tip

but

was
if

cat's-eye free of its clamp.

weakly as
att

about to circled her with his arm to support

work the She sagged collapse, and Wyto

replica of the cat's-eye

which had been

Disthe

the cause of so

much commotion.
"Another
of

gusted,

he

growled:

her.

blamed things, so help me!'* "It is the same stone," the girl averred,
regarding
it

was shouting an unintelligible There came a sudden spiteful whirr of the machine and a blinding
Carr
warning.
flash.

with

new

fear in her gaze.

Clinging fast to the

girl,

Wyatt

was buffeted by a force which permeated every fibre of his being and racked him with insupportable tortures. There was
a warping of
the very

universe about

him, a cataclysmic upheaval that flung

him

into a fathomless abyss of blackness.

But this time she made no attempt to remove it from its mounting. A derisive comment was on the tip of Wyatt's tongue. The same stone, she had said But the words did not come he could not find it in him to ridicule this girl who was so obviously in earnest and so greatly agitated. Even now she was tugging at his sleeve, her parted lips
!

He knew no

more.
III

tremulous, her gaze beseeching.

She whispered: "No time there

is

to

CHAPTER

if we are to preserve our Come; Ayra show the way."

be lost

lives.

The Other World

CONSCIOUSNESS
ruptly
lay
senses.

returned

ab-

for

and painlessly. Wyatt a moment collecting his

Nothing loth, for the silence of the place and the blinking of the cat's-eye gave him the creeps, Wyatt followed her. He was amazed to see a section of the
seemingly solid metal wall slide
to

away

at

Overhead was a high dome; the room in which he found himself was circular in shape, windowless, and with
walls metal.
floor

a wave of Ayra's tiny hand, disclosing

of

an unfamiliar bluish white Beneath Hs sprawled body the

cold

view a long downward-sloping tunnel which was lighted by a dim rosy glow. Like the circular room, this passage was walled with smooth metal.

was

and hard,

but

on his
It

breast

reposed a soft burden.

her head to
his

was

the girl Ayra.

He moved
he sat erect.

knee as

"Where in time are we ?" he asked the as they entered the passage and the door closed silently behind them. "In Idilna my home. But please
girl

Long

lashes

fluttered

on

to

hurry

the ivory of her cheeks, then they raised

may
his

and those gold-flecked violet eyes looked up into his own. Terror came into them

the Keepers of the Stone return and find us." Ayra grasped hand and urged him onward as she
;

sped through the tunnel.

CAT'S
" "But Wyatt started to object. "Hush, no sound must be made." The
girl

EYE
tip
it

19
must have measured twenty
eyes
to
feet.

pteranodon!*

increased her speed.

Wyatt turned inquiring

girl.

the

There was nothing to do but follow It was utterly weird and imwhich had happened that by some mechanical or electrical means he and the girl had been transShe had ported to this strange place. named the place, called it her home.
in silence.

"It

is

Idilna,"

she explained simply.

possible, the thing

"My
"I

home."
is it ?"

"But where

know

not."

Ayra seemed

lost

in

thought for a moment, but was quickly

herself again.

"Please to come at once,"

Where was

had they arrived? Who was Ayra anyway? And what had the cat's-eye the two cat's-eyes to do
it?

How

she begged.

"From Ayrad, my
more."

father,

you

will learn

They moved along

the ledge to a sec-

with

all

this?

Wyatt could

only wait

ond door which opened into the rock.

for the answers.

They
the air

left

the main passage and

en-

Beyond this there was an apartment slits cut whose windows narrow

tered one which

was unlighted. Here was bad and the footing insecure,

through

three-foot

wall

of

stone

looked out over the barren valley.

called out in

Ayra

but Ayra moved with the assurance born

of long familiarity with the way.

a strange tongue and with

Wyatt
It

a catch in her ordinarily mellow voice.

clung to the soft

warm hand

within his

An
came
his

undersized but stalwart old

in

man
his

own, stumbling along

the
first

blindly.

was

from an adjoining room,

But,

entirely

time he had ever depended so on a woman. And what a woof her hair was

face alight at seeing the girl.

when

eyes rested on Wyatt, he stiffened

man!

The fragrance
. . .

in his nostrils.

There
seemed.
wall.

were

other

dark

passages

it

maze of them.

Endless wandering,

and scowled darkly. A blur of harsh sibilants fell from his tongue and he advanced threateningly. Ayra shook her golden head in negation, silencing the

And

then they halted at a blank

old

man

with

w ords
7

Wyatt heard the click of a latch and a door swung outward. They were
in the

of his

own

speech,

which, though imheld

periously

delivered,

none of

the

open

air,

on a ledge that projected

cliff,

harshness that had marked his enunciation.

from the sheer wall of a

of feet above the ground.

hundreds

With not too good grace he moved

to in

her side and pressed his cheek to hers

a barbaric sort of greeting.

an arid and desolate valley with rugged mountain peaks in the distance,

AN

amazing scene was before them,

"My
ger

father," smiled

Ayra

in

Wyatt's

no sign of human habitation in evidence. The sky was leaden and a huge blood-red sun hung motionless at
with
the horizon.

"That you were another stranEmory was his thought. To you was his wish, but I have persuaded him otherwise."
direction.
like

slay

Perceiving that Ayrad's manner was

still

Dust-clouds

filled

the air,

sullen,

a choking, powdery dust that held the

had been successful.

with a nod the deep

Wyatt was not so sure she But he returned

odor of dissolution and decay. As Wyatt

bow

of the old

man

came out of the skies and a great gaunt creature winged its way from the cliff and swooped down From wing tip to wing into the valley.
stared, a raucous shriek

and squatted before him on a mat provided by the girl. These people had

20
certainly quaint

AMAZING STORIES
and primitive customs.
in English, addressto
is

of forces long lost to the knowledge of

Idilnians.

Ayrad spoke then

ing his guest
:

"It

me

certain that

Then Emree had come

this

to

them from

from the land of Emree. What do you here in the company of my daughter?" His words were snapped out jerkily and his mien was haughty. The girl drew in her breath sharply as she saw Wyatt stiffen.
you

come

other world and they had at first He had remained with them for a year, in Ayrad's household. That was how father and daughter had learned the language. But Emree had betrayed them and

looked upon him as a god.

"Perhaps your daughter can answer

that better than I," he said curtly.

Ayra

did answer, in a rush of breath-

brought about their present exile. There were two races in Idilna, warring races, and this Emree, whom they had thought
a god, had aligned himself with the en-

was as much addressed to Wyatt as to her father "Of Emory's land is he, assuredly, but not of Emory's
less English that
:

emies of Ayrad's people and planned the

kind.
to

Innocently he returned the stone

after I had thought to lose
it.

Emory

huge treasure from the TemThe plot discovered, Ayrad and Ayra were in disrepute, their
theft of a

ple of the Stone.

at

But of Emory's plans he knows nothing all. Besides this, my father, he came
here

lives

forfeit.

And

so they had hidden

themselves in this place.

Emree, escap-

it.

An

unknowingly and without willing accident it was, caused when he

ing to his own world, had been followed by two of the emperor's guards who

tried to protect

me from
this

the wrath of

sought his

life

as well as the stone that

the fiery whiskered one.

Please to know,
is

oh Ayrad, that
kind

man

goodand

was in his possession. Ayra followed in an attempt to destroy Emree's stone and, by sacrificing herself, clearing her father
of the suspicion which had come upon him. Incidentally, by making away with Emree's stone, would she not prevent the
return of the red-whiskered one, who might be planning to come with reinforcements?

The
her.

old

man

raised a hand, silencing

toward

His manner softened as he turned Wyatt. "I was mistaken in

you," he apologized.

thousand questions raced through Wyatt's mind, but he voiced none of Ayra had dropped her head on them.
her
last words and he was staring at its tumbled crown of gold. As if in answer to Wyatt's unspoken Ayrad commenced a longwinded explanation which soon had his

WYATT
of his

listened

in

amazement

to

the old man's dissertation.

Some

own
all.

questions had been answered,

thoughts,

but not
this

There was yet much about business which was incomprehenhim.

the gateway between the
is

guest's attention.

The

cat's-eye

on the
circular

sible to

pedestal

in
it

that

metal-walled

"It

two

room was,
as were
its

seemed, an object of worIt

worlds, the cat's-eye,"

ship to Ayrad's people.

was sacred, Keepers, of which Ayrad had

Sacred indeed,
another
not

"Through
to other,

it,

this

Ayrad went on. Emree pass from one

force

using the
of.

we Keepers
is

been one
for

until recently.
it

knew nothing
fective."

In both worlds exist

ef-

did

mirror

world

the stone and in either the force

where godlike beings dwelt? Beings who resided in comfort and luxury, who rode the heavens in great winged machines of their own contriving, who had command

All
dealer.

very confusing to an automobile

a cigarette and flipped the match through one of the

lighted

Wyatt

CArS EYE
slits with an unerring aim that brought a gasp of admiration from Ayra. "But where is Idilna?" he demanded.

21

window

Another of the weird weapons twanged and Ayrad was down. Ayra screamed and rushed upon the guard who had
fired,

"Ayrad knows
shrugged

not."

The

old

man
it

beating at his face with ineffectual

helplessly.
is

"But one thing we

your world,
stand
still

little fists.

Wyatt, who had been stunned

know

it

not

like

is

dead world.
die

Our sun

in sky,

by the suddenness and deadliness of the thing, went into action, his long arms
flailing.

our heat gradually leave us.

Vegetation
die

and beasts dying

also

finally."

"Emory promised Lukha

he

mankind our enemies

own
world,"

These men were of similar mold

to

Ayrad
they

short, stocky fellows with bulg-

ing muscles and massive shoulders.

But

will take
in.

them

to his

knew nothing of

the art of boxing

Ayra put

"This to bribe them, but

he He, I know."
Recalling certain unsavory rumors con-

and were completely taken by surprise when Wyatt rushed them. The first went off his feet and crashed in a corner under the

cerning Emory,
that

Wyatt was not

and
this

so sure

impetus

of

a hard-driven
like

fist

he had

lied,

opened up new
of

which made a sound

board,

breaking

possibilities.

He

scratched his chin unthe

when

it

struck his jaw.

The

sec-

certainly,

thinking of some

ex-

ond

fired his pistol,

but Wyatt had his

plorer's talk with

Carr back there in the

their

laboratory.

Of
and

enthusiasm over

in a grip that spoiled his aim. Milky protoplasm splashed the ceiling

wrist

the fourth
bital

fifth

dimensions and orelectrons,

and dripped

stickily, nastily.

Having no
feed,
it

revolutions of

whatever

organic substance on which to

these might portend.

isting at the

space as

Of one realm exsame time and in the same another. It was all too fantastic
. . .

became inert. But Wyatt had

one.

his

hands

full

with this

Ayra's cries were

in his ears, driv-

and unreal, yet here he sat. There came an insistent banging

the

ing him frantic, distracting him.

at

And

the

guard had
in

wound
his

legs

and arms

outer

door.

Ayra

paled,

and her

around him
himself
free.

such a manner that he

fists

father rose to his feet, drawing a curi-

could neither use

nor wrench
to

ous pistol-like weapon from the folds of

his tunic.

He
arms

resorted

an

old

trick, relaxing

suddenly and slumping in

as
if

the

fellow's

yielding.

In

ALMOST
were
in

immediately

the

door

that

moment
off

his antagonist

was

off

guard

crashed in and four husky guards

the

and

balance,

releasing his

crushing
needed.

room.

Ayrad's

weapon

grip for just the

moment Wyatt

twanged and a writhing shaft of milky

substance darted to the breast' of one of
the intruders.

The

pistol changed hands swiftly and came down with a crunch on the guard's
skull.

Memory came

to

Wyatt
Carr

of the thing which had stricken

effect was The milky substance congealed

The
yelled

one,

who

struggled

with Ayra,

down, hut here the

covering
its

different.

when he saw

his only

remaining
flee.

instantly,

ally fall, released

her and turned to

victim with a quivering mass

Wyatt shot him down without compunction,

of jelly that brought

in

him to the floor a squirming, helpless mound. It was

that
jelly,

albeit

he shuddered

at

the avidity

of the ghastly living shroud that envel-

horrible,

living

protoplasm

oped him so speedily.

Ayra, bruised and sobbing, was glad
for Wyatt's supporting arm.

which absorbed swiftly the human food

that

was within

its

folds.

Gently he

22

AMAZING STORIES
Of
the others or of the jelly which had

drew her from the room of sudden and

wholesale slaughter.

overcome

them

there

was

no

sign.

CHAPTER IV
Emory's Return

Whether the devilish stuff had crawled away after feeding or whether it had
itself

been consumed in the consuming

victims, he couid only conjecture.

of

its

sound rang through the apartment,

of

IN ed

an adjoining chamber, Wyatt waituntil the girl had regained a

the crash

an

overturned

object

in

measure of composure. Finally her sobbing ceased and she looked up at him expectantly. Not once had she spoken
of her father's passing, but those violet
eyes were eloquent
of grief.

some distant room. Genuinely alarmed, Wyatt barged through the place, calling for Ayra as he ran. There was no reply.

He

had thought that the door through

sole en-

which they had entered was the

girl

trance to the hideaway, but certainly the

"How

do we get out of here?" Wyatt

there

asked her.

had not gone out that way, else he should have seen her. As certainly, she

"No way

is

but

through the
girl's

was not

Temple of the Stone." was dubious.

The
came

tone

A
"How
first

sudden

thought

to

Wyatt.
in

did you get to

my

world

the

place?" he inquired.
possible,
it

If return

were

now

would be

the easiest solu-

in any of the rooms. Cursing himself for a fool, Wyatt came to the grudging conclusion that Ayra had deceived him, that she had deliberately left him to his own devices in a place that would soon be swarming with foes. But a more careful search

tion of her difficulties.

of the place unearthed evidence to the

contrary.

Ayra
Keepers,

brightened.
this

"Unknown to the Emory had put a machine

In a dark corner he found

a shred of clothing amidst the fragments

of what had been a large urn.

in the pedestal of the Stone.

When

ac-

There

cused by the emperor, Ayra revealed this

to him,

had been a struggle then.

Another shred

and thus

it

was

his guards did

of filmy material apparently

follow the red-whiskered one.

Ayra

es-

the wall at a point waist-high

embedded in from the

a secret

caped after that and she, too, followed

in

floor indicated the existence of

such

manner.
"

If

but

the

machine

panel.

There was another

felt

exit.

remains
"I'll

Wyatt
it

carefully along the wall un-

gamble

does.

Let's go."
to

til

his fingers

encountered a spring.

The

Ayra's gaze dropped

her garment

panel slid back noiselessly and he was io

It and hot color flooded her cheeks. was torn almost to shreds from her

a passage like those through which the

girl

had brought him here.

Clutching

struggle with the guard, revealing startling the ivory creaminess of her skin.

the dead guard's pistol, he

felt his

way
with

cautiously through the blackness.

"I

must change
chuckled.

my

robe," she fal-

His
ter

mind

no

longer

seethed
It did

tered.

doubts and questionings.

not mat-

Wyatt

"Make

it

snappy

then," he urged.

After she had gone

from the room

chamber of death Only two bodies were they had left. there, those of the guards he had fought with his hands. Both had died instantly.
he
strolled

into

the

now where Idilna was located, what a world he was in, nor how he had arrived. All that mattered was Ayra. Finding her and getting her out
sort of

of this mess became his sole concern. Once he thought he heard voices ahead and he increased his pace only to come

CAT'S
up against the dead end of a passage. He retraced his steps and went into a branch passage where the going was This sloped upward and soon he easier.

EYE
But you keep your
shirt on,

23
young
fel-

low, and don't butt in on this until you

know what

saw was

dim
It

light

ahead.

And

then he

in a lighted tunnel,

one that he rec-

Carr here has it's all about, thrown in with me and I'll have an offer In the meanwhile FU for you presently. deal with this hell-cat, Ayra, as I see
fit.'*

ognized.

was not

far to the circular

room

of the cat's-eye.
at the

Wyatt
end of the
thought

restrained himself at

Reaching the door

metal.

was

warning

signal

what he from
her,"

passage, he pressed his ear to the smooth

Carr's gray eyes.

"You'll not

harm

The rumble

of an angry voice

he offered.

Nevertheless he was puzzled

came from beyond

the

voice of

Lute

Emory

by the entire proceeding, surprised that Carr had cast his lot with Emory in a
deal so obviously shady.

Or had he?
re-

SWIFT
It

search of the moulding dis-

"No,

she'll

not be harmed," the ex-

closed the spring which released the

slid

plorer rumbled.

"Only kept under

door.

back, revealing a strange

straint during the revolution.

Emory in the circular room. and Carr stood by the pedestal which held the stone, and facing them was a much disheveled Ayra, who was between
tableau

Revolution!

Wyatt

realized then that

these gibbous-headed monsters with

Ay-

ra were of the Lukha, enemies of her

people and the allies of

plottings.

Emory
came

in his
faintly-

two most hideous man-creatures. Emory was berating the girl in no uncertain
terms.

Sounds

of strife

through the metal walls, and he knew

now why he had

ers of the Stone.

seen none of the Keep,

These beings who guarded Ayra were nowise similar to her father or to Wyatt had seen before. They tall and gaunt, red skinned, and naked save for loin cloths of some glittheir heads were tering woven stuff
in

"He

lie,"

the

girl

averred

stoutly.

the guards

were

"Well he knows the Lukha will slay Ayra so soon as he departs with what he came for." "You'll release her, Emory," said Wyatt

enormous,
shape.

totally bald,

and globular

in

grimly.

"I'll

look out for her, not

They had no ears, but, instead, round diaphragms set flash with their skulls and stretched tight like drumheads. Almost transparent, these diaphragms fluttered under the impact of
great

these skinny apes, so help me."

The
you
fell

explorer laughed raucously.

for the
little

"So
shot

trollop," he sneered.

Wyatt saw

red and his long

arm

out like a flash.

But

this time

Emory

Emory's voice waves. Carr was watching in a dreamy sort of way, apparently unmoved. "What's the big idea?" Wyatt de-

beat a swift retreat, dodging behind the

pedestal.

In a fury he bellowed: "I've

had enough of your interference.

him away, Lukha

take the
it

Take
too
!"

girl,

manded wrathfully, edging Ayra and the explorer.

in

between
to

Ayra

cried out in fear or in pain, he

tell

could not

which, but

was enough

Emory's face purpled; he seemed on the verge of apoplexy. But Carr nudged him and the explosion that had been imminent expended itself in a mere
splutter.

goad Wyatt

into a wild lunge over the

pedestal.

Carr's attempt to restrain

went unnoticed.

was

in

Emory's

leer

him But vicious triumph and Wyatt never

"Ha!" he growled.

expected to see you yet,

"Hardly Wyatt. Hm!

reached him, for he was halted

in his rush

midway

by a pair of wiry arms which

24
encircled

AMAZING STORIES
him and pinned
in
it

his

own arms

defenders,

to his sides.

fought
the grip of

valiantly

He was Lukha and

was impossible

one of the to squirm

toriously.

outnumbered many times, and occasionally vicBut quarters were too close
forces

and
tols.

their

own

too

disorganized

out of that steel-muscled embrace. Others of the red men came from nowhere, seeming to spring up from the very floor,

for effective use of their protoplasm pis-

There could be but one outcome.

helplessly,

Fuming
the bench.

Wyatt

left the ap-

and he was carried, kicking and struggling vainly and ignominiously, carried one moment and dragged the next, until

erture and hunched his aching body on

One

tiling

was sure

Can-

the circular room was left behind. The sound of Emory's laughter died out

was not in as an ally.

this thing

with Emory, not

He had come to this nightmarish place with the explorer under

that pretext, but actually because

in the distance.

he was

Eventually, bruised and sore, he was

the kind

dumped

into a

narrow

cell

and the door

clanged shut behind him.

who would never desert a friend who was in difficulties. Wyatt knew Carr of old; even now that fertile brain
his

of

had

probably

concocted
of
this.

RUEFULLY,

surroundings.
in
this

Wyatt The

surveyed
air

his

scheme

to get

them out

some But

was
floor

stag-

nant
ankle

place,

and the

was
Its

deep

with

indescribable

filth.

the getting out was likely to be a slow and dangerous process, for Carr's scientific bent was sure to keep him on the

sole article of furniture

was a long metal

scene as long as
to be

new

discoveries

were

bench which must serve as seat or couch.

door was securely locked and the only light came through a four-inch

made.

The

grilled

Piecing together the bits of information given

him by Ayra and her

that

father,

slit

in

the metal

wall,
his

slit

that

rose

Wyatt could only conclude

Emory

ceiling
this

from the level of some three

opening

shoulders to the

feet above.

Through
combat.

had carefully organized this raid of the Lukha and timed his return to coincide
with
it.

filtered the din of

That was why he had been so

Wyatt

moved

to

the

opening
it

and
little

sniffed the outside air, finding

better than that in his prison.
this

but

anxious to get his hands on the cat's-eye, though it was still not at all clear to

place he

had a

restricted

But from view of

Wyatt how
the
picture.

the weird stone fitted into

If

there

was a treasure

what was evidently a public square, a broad plaza with a tall monument in its
center and flanked by conical buildings

Emory
would
shared

expected to get for himself, he

whose lustrous
the
dull

metallic
the

walls

reflected

sure that no one else His promises to the Lukha would mean nothing he would find some
it.
;

make

red of

motionless sun in

way
likely

of

sombre and eery shades.

light

Patches

of

double-crossing them. Quite he planned to double-cross Carr

for

at

the tips of the cones

made

of

as

well.

them huge poniards whose points had

As

drawn human

blood.

stricted

Ayra Wyatt's throat conwhen he thought of her. He

least

And human

blood was being spilled in

had not the

idea

what they had

the square below.

Hundreds

of

Lukha
Idil-

swarmed over the area and they were

battling

the

shorter

and stockier

nians with
rose and

wicked curved blades which

with deadly accuracy.

done or would do with her, and certainly there was no help for her to be obtained from Emory. Wyatt's hand encountered a hard object in his pocket.
It

fell

The

was

the pistol he

CAT'S
had taken from the guard; luckily the Lukha had not frisked him. He examined
it

EYE
a chance

25
we'll

curiously and found

it

to

be a

But while he is celebrating to do something." "Meaning what?"

have

simple enough arm, operating by com-

"Why, thousands
be
It's

of these killers will

pressed air and

containing
its

eight

gray-

streaming through into

New
If

York.
"

ish-white pellets in

magazine.

These
the the

our job to prevent

confused

it.

were
deadly

the

missiles

which

released

A
with

murmur was heard

immediately
it

in the
filled

protoplasm.

He
in

replaced
;

corridor and

was

weapon
be that

in his pocket gingerly

it

it

might

men,

the

white-skinned

folk

of

would come

handy

later.

Idilna.

sudden increase

in the din outside

open door of the

pistol

cut short his reflections and brought him again to the narrow window. The fighting out there had ended and in the corpse-strewn plaza not one of the white-skinned men of Idilna remained on his feet. Only the hideous big-heads were left, and these formed a howling, milling, triumphant mob. In their midst was Emory, grinning evilly and shouting approbation. Carr was not with him. Wyatt's stomach went suddenly hollow and he returned to his bench.

A number of them halted at the cell. Wyatt drew the from his pocket. "Hold on now," whispered Carr.
if

"Let's see

we can

arbitrate."

He
tended

faced the Idilnians with hands exto

indicate

peaceful

intentions.

Wyatt, not without reluctance, followed

him

into

the

corridor.

The two were

undersized

surrounded at once and hustled along

by the press of gibbering,

creatures.

CHAPTER V
Keepers
of the

Stone
in

"DSST!" The

dible but

sound was barely auwas repeated, more loudly

THEY
the

passed

this time:

"Psst!"

corridor and

many barred cells Wyatt tried

to

Wyatt
rectly

raised his head

and looked
gray
eyes

di-

peer into each one, hoping to see

into

the

smiling

of

Ayra.

Efforts to communicate with the

Addison Carr, who stood on the other

side of the grilled door.
in

key rattled

Idilnians were of no avail, as there seemed to be none among them who un-

the lock.

derstood his words.

!"

He saw

Carr ahead,
one

"Dog-gone

exulted Wyatt.

"I

knew
I

waving
vey

his arms, doing his best to con-

some

understanding

to

you'd be here."

who

seemed
thought
I

to be leader.

But there was no

"Hanged
to

if I

would.

had

indication that he
It

do for the fellow with the keys and Carr had he was a tough customer." the door open now, and Wyatt saw
that

was succeeding. was impossible to know whether those about them were friendly or inimical,

as they presented countenances that

he was bleeding freely from half a

were devoid of expression.

robes that

They ap-

dozen gashes about the head and arms.

peared to be unarmed and wore scarlet

"Emory's completely nuts," he grunted

then.

hung

to the floor.

Finally, in

"And
square."

then some;

saw him

in

the

att

mounting impatience, Wygrasped one of those nearest to him

cell

and brought him to a stop by one of

at the

Carr glanced

narrow window.

the
grill

doors.

He
:

pointed through the

"An odd
doesn't

thing, that,"

he drawled.
let

"He
loose.

and

repeated

"Ayra

where

is

realize

what he has

she?"

26
The

AMAZING STORIES
Idilnian's eyes lighted with

com-

of the dome, projected

ering cat's-eye as
if

prehension,

then

became

crafty.

He

from from the

the

flick-

lens of a

jerked himself free of Wyatt's grip and

fell

motion picture machine, was a swiftly

changing panorama.
of lower and
in review,

back

in the procession to

jabber exit

The

tall

buildings

citedly

with a comrade.

Wyatt gave

midtown Manhattan passed

and
the

up

after that.

the ships of the harbor

Presently they emerged in the circular

river, a great dirigible soaring

high over
of

room
fifty

where possibly of the red-robed Idilnians were asof

the

cat's-eye,

the

Palisades.

Closer

views
;

streets,

dizzyingly

swaying

men and

sembled.
stood one

At the side of the who was taller and

pedestal

women
traffic.

walking; surface cars, trucks and

usual

of even

taxicabs in the

rush of mid-day

more dignified bearing than the others. Wyatt and Carr were led before him. "You be friends of Emree," he intoned without expression.

The chanting

of the Keepers rose to a

high pitch of enthusiasm, then broke off

illumination
stored.

Carr replied feelingly: "Not friends,

no.

on a note of expectancy as the normal of the chamber was re-

Lukha."

command,

Only countrymen." "Then you help defeat Emree and It was not a request but a and uttered in tones that

"You have
the
pedestal.
like

seen,"

said

the

one by
gods,

"To

us

are

these

these

you and

like

Emree.
spirit.

But

brooked no argument. After what he had seen, Wyatt was

Emree we

Already have he cause Lukha to slay more

learn to be evil

saw Carr nod agreement, but could not resist demanding: "Where's Ayra?" The spokesman of the robed Idilnians frowned. "Of more importance this,"

more than

willing.

He

than half of those our people.

Already

have he
neath.

steal treasure

He

shall die

from temple beand you, his coun-

trymen,
chief

shall assist."

Switching
sharply.

to

his

own

tongue,
his

the

he droned tonelessly.

Keeper

addressed
dispersed

cohorts

hand and an awed sion the assemblage. The hidden lights dimmed and the Idilnians fell to their knees in a circle which enraised his
lence fell

He

They

immediately,

going out through numerous doors which

opened
cular

in the metal wall.

When

the cir-

closed the pedestal, their eyes raised to

New

room was empty save for the two Yorkers and the chief Keeper, the
the

the great

dome

overhead.

Wyatt, look-

doors closed.

ing furtively at the cat's-eye, saw that

it

"Very soon now,"

Keeper

in-

was aglow with a

fitful

and eerie

radi-

ance.

This was a ceremony, these were the

Keepers of the Stone.

The

silence

lasted

several

minutes,

toned. "Very soon come Emree and his murderers to take riches of temple to your world. But we prevent. He know powers of Stone we not know, but Keepers know other powers."

then was broken by a low chant that came from the throats of the kneeling
.ones.

pencil

shaft

of

orange

radiance imsud-

stabbed

down from

the

dome and
it

Seeing that the eyes of the wor-

pinged on the cat's eye, making of

rhythmically,

shippers were not closed but wide and

staring,

denly a thing of dancing flame. Pulsing

it

Wyatt craned

his

neck to peer

filled

the air of the

room

into the depths of the

dome above them.

in

with a vibration which caused the skin

to creep

Immediately he was
Pictured there

lost

wonder.

and hair to
see

on the inner surface

Wyatt could

rise on end. from Carr's expres-

CAT'S EYE
sion that
he,

27
a
glittering
trickle

too,

was puzzled by the

than
a
little

leasing
stones.

of

precious

phenomenon.
disturbed.

And more

Two
Emory
the metal panels slid back and

of

the robed

Idilnians dragged

to his feet

and brought him be-

of ONE Emory
ing.

fore the chief Keeper.

cat's-eye

burst into the

room

shout-

had

died

The down

flame of the
to

mere

score of the

Lukha followed him

sack.

smoulder and he seemed to be recovering

and each of the monsters bore on his

shoulders
a

from

his incapacitation.

He

snarled

bulky

The

chief

defiance.

Keeper stood regarding them with impassive

breast.

Unmoved,

the

chief

mien,

arms

folded

across

his

"Now Emree you see other the stone. You see treasure
you
die."

Keeper said powers of

of temple

Seeing Wyatt and Carr,

beserk with rage.

Emory went
bellowed.

forever lost to you or your kind.

Then

"Ha!" he
I

"A
now

fine
I

sneaking pair you are.

And
in

Once more
from the

the

flame
tip,

struck
this

down

have you where

want you."
his

pedestal's

time with

heavy automatic appeared

a furious roaring and a white heat.

pile
its

hand, a weapon strangely out of place

in these surroundings but deadly.
Its

of bulging sacks melted

The away under

cursed and was hurled

none the

less

fury, leaving only a blackened area

floor.

muzzle raised slowly and a

on the metal
back

Emory

grin of anticipation spread over the red-

raved like a madman.

He

whiskered face above

it.

But before he

could press the trigger living fire spouted from the cat's eye, hatning him from

alyzed

among the jabbering, partially parLukha by the two Keepers who

you,"
said

held him.

head to foot in a ghastly flickering

lumination.
floor

il-

The

"And

the

chief

Keeper,

pistol

clattered to the

and Emory shrieked with pain. But he seemed to be unsinged as the

turning to Carr and Wyatt.

"You

die

with Emree."

Wyatt
"Hold
ly.

flame receded, only gripped by a strange

paralysis that contorted his features and

fingered the protoplasm pistol

in his pocket undecidedly.

cramped

his

limbs

into

grotesquely

on,

now." Carr said placatingenemies

;

twisted members.

Some weird energy

eye.
. .
.

"We

are no

we've done

from out the cat's Emory slumped

"Kill
the

nothing

"

to the floor

and lay
three,
I

there writhing. "Kill

them
Kill

!"

he babbled.

"Enough! You came here with ree; with him you die."
Palming
the

Em-

Keeper.

all

heavy

pistol,

W)'att
the blow

say

!"

struck out at the Keeper.

Had

of

stricken down The bags they

fingers.

But flame spouted anew from the tip the pedestal and the Lukha were as had been their leader. carried fell from helpless
chief

like

reached him he would have been felled an ox. But it did not reach him,
for a blinding light leaped

up from the

cat's

eye and flung Wyatt back amonj?

the fallen Lukha.

Excruciating agonies
if his

Keeper yelled exultantly and the room swarmed with his cohorts, who streamed in from their hiding places.

The

ran through his veins as turned to molten metal

out his vision;
his
;

blood had

a red film blotted

muscles refused to

They gathered
the

the sacks into

do

his bidding,

heap

at

base
as

of

the

pedestal.

Dimly he heard Carr's shout of anger

and
the

Wyatt gasped

one burst

open,

re-

ensuing

scuffle.

confused

28

AMAZING STORIES
Wyatt went cold with horror.
her out of here!" he yelped.

babble of sound followed, and the red

film cleared away.

'Get

He saw

that

fresh

numbers of the Lukha were crowding into the room, that a furious fight was
raging.

"KTO,
^
^"

no!" the

girl

begged.
;

"Please

short swords they had

their

draperies,

The red-robed ones fought with drawn from under the Lukha with the
square.

to let

Ayra
her

stay

she help."
it,

Before Wyatt could prevent

she

wicked curved knives he had seen them

use in the

The

chief

Keeper

stood calmly by the pedestal of the cat'seye,

watching for a chance to release

its

body through and miraculously reached the pedestal, where she faced the chief Keeper. Wyatt battered in a bulbous head which came up before him
had wriggled
bloody
small

the

press

energies against the enemies of his people.

under a blade that never completed

arc.

its

But

his

followers were so inextri-

and fought

his

way
in

to her side.

cably

mixed

in

with the attackers that

for

it

She was arguing

her

own tongue

was

impossible
friend

the
foe.

time

to

dis-

with the chief Keeper but his compressed

tinguish

from
his

Hps and unyielding countenance showed

that he

had no thought of giving in to

it

FINDING
groaning, but

strength

returning,

whatever

Wyatt drew himself up on one elbow, then to his knees. Carr was beside him,
gamely fighting the parits

At
er

that

was she was moment a group

victim
to

requesting.
of

Lukha
vicious

rushed the pedestal and the chief Keep-

was

swiftly

the

alyzing energy which had him in

grip.

thrust

of a curved blade which

passed

Emory, crawling near them,

pedestal,
fellows. If

hissed:

"The

entirely through his body.

his
tol,

Wyatt brained
pis-

they

get me, try

base.

assailant

with the butt of his

and

start the

generator in
"

its

You

drawing Ayra
left

into the protection of

get back.

Sorry

his

arm

as he

dying Keeper staggered against him

with his right.

swung at the others The robed one who had

fray

and the two went down in a heap. Wyatt remembered what Ayra had said about
that

brought her leaped into the

of the Lukha before he was
att

with

sweeping short sword, decapitating two

slain.

generator and he struggled to his

Wygood

feet, pulling

Carr with him.

He

still

had

snatched up a dripping curved blade

floor

the pistol.

Gubbing

it,

he struck

down
his

from the
effect.
It

and wielded

it

to

a Keeper
sword.

who swung

at

them with

Then

steel bit into

his shoulder

from another quarter and he was forced to release his hold of Carr and fight for
his life.

the

was a nightmare, this struggle in room of the Stone. The shaft of

still

orange light

struck

down from
bathed
in

the
its

dome and

the

cat's-eye,

Pandemonium reigned in the circular The fighters surged this way and that, and Wyatt found himself batThen tling Lukha and Keepers alike. he saw before him a robed one whose face seemed familiar; it was the one he
chamber.

luminescence,

was

a living, gloating thing, to

watching the carnage, seeming

for

wait

an opportunity of

its

own.

Carr had managed

estal

to

reach the ped-

and was working^swiftly through he

girl

had halted by the cell and spoken to of Avra. The girl was with him. Whether
with
friendly

a door which Thrusting the

found
behind

in

its

base.

him.

Wyatt

kept his blade whistling in a

sweeping

or

malicious

intent,

the

arc which held back ihe nearest of their

attackers.

Keeper had sought her out and brought

her to this place of death.

He

saw Emory

rise

up howllike

ing and

bowl over Keepers

nine-

CAT'S EYE
pins. estal

29
rhythm.
Indiscriminately

He
and

too
the

was making for the pedLukha were defending

deadly

now,'
a

he fought Lukha and Keeper.

blinding light shut out the view.

Then

him.

A
short

sharp cry from Ayra warned Wyatt

of danger behind and he wheeled in time

to catch on his

Again there was the wrenching of the very universe about Wyatt, a tremendous

own

blade a descending

thump

as of the blasting asunder of the

sword meant for Carr.

then a

He

im-

cosmos.

The

rush

through

infinite

paled the Keeper

And
til

who wielded it. humming commenced

space in utter blackness, the physical torwithture

in the pedestal, rising higher in pitch un-

grew to a shriek. The hubbub of was lulled as the orange lightfrom above flashed out with a Mighty energies had been in conflict, forces beyond human comprehension, and the one in the pedit

came next. But through it all there was the comforting knowledge of Ayra's warm body

fighting

pressed close to his own.

sha ft

thunderous roar.

CHAPTER
Nemesis

VI

estal

had triumphed.
hitherto engaged

Lukha and Keepers,

in to

THIS
that he

time

he

did

not

lose

con-

mortal
stare

combat, ceased their efforts

sciousness, but,

reeling

drunkenly,

open-mouthed toward the pedcat's-eye

estal.

The

blinked

wisely

in

the

midst of a growing blue radiance

which seemed to be a tangible substance.

prickly

sensation

crept

up Wyatt's

arm

as the light bathed his flesh and he

recoiled

from

it instinctively.

Carr rose up and grabbed him. "Stay

here,"
its

he

said.

"Inside the sphere of

came suddenly to the realization was in Emory's laboratory. So tightly was he holding Ayra that she whimpered softly in the semi-coma into which she had fallen. He moved her to one of Emory's deep armchairs and disposed her comfortably there. Carr was hanging on to one of the supports of Emory's apparatus, looking
dazedly
at

influence."

the

cat-eye

where

it

re-

Wyatt ducked
light-bubble with
diately

into the swelling

blue

posed in the clamp between the two huge

spheres.

Ayra and was immeand through with vibratory energies that were more exhilarating than otherwise. There was a
shot through

Seeming
had

to
left

be identical with

the one they

the

behind in Idilna,
eerily.

uncanny thing blinked "Say!" Carr croaked.

I

"Do you

see

sharp

tang

of

ozone
radiance

in

the
all

air

he

what

do?"

breathed.

The

was

around

him.

Wyatt growled, "Yes," and pounced on the stone. The ill-omened thing would
bring no further destruction; he'd tear
it it

Recovering from their astonishment,

Keepers and Lukha made a concerted Immediately the rush for the pedestal.
fighting

from

the

anything
"Hold

clamp and smash

to

it.

Bury
Carr.
fight

get

it

out of the way.

was resumed.
it,

on,

now,"

drawled

"Hold
lever

Carr!" shouted Emory. "The

beneath the
tip.

"There's

Emory back

there; he

may

just

Move

it

through, poor devil.

He

didn't
let

know."

forward."

"That's right."
the
fall

Wyatt

his fingers

Wyatt saw Carr fumbling with

lever;

from

the

clamp and stepped back

nearer

saw the battling Idilnians surging saw Emory, a blood-smeared

swinging a

demon,

Lukha knife with

ing them.

from between the spheres. Then he saw the two who were watchSquat, wide fellows in the

30

AMAZING STORIES
at

garb of civilization, they were undoubt-

the

movement.

Still

nothing hap-

two guards sent by the emperor, the "thugs" who had followed the old panhandler in Emory's
edly Idilnians.
the

pened.

Then the floor heaved to some unnamed and unnameable force. From the
cat's-eye
it

car after
eye.
pistol.

Ayra had given him the cat'sEach of them held a protoplasm

back/'

came a

hissing sound,

and with
that

blue-lit,

vaporous

emanation

"Stand
manded.

one

of

them

com-

into a perfect sphere which on the base of the mechanism of the two spheres. Came a tremendous

formed

rested

Wyatt's hand moved toward his pocket dropped abruptly as one of those wicked looking pistols came up sharply. "No resistance!" snapped the Idilnian.
but

jarring of the place and the blue light

vanished.

"Else you

die.

It

is

but to obey the

OTAGGERING toward
ory,

them was Emrib-

blinded, hacked almost to

emperor's word

we

are here."

bons, but alive!

licked 'em."

"Ha!" he
pistols

gloated.

"I

For a long space no one moved or spoke. The silence was fraught with unWyatt fidgetted, shiftuterab.le menace.
ing
his

The

Idilnian's

twanged simul-

taneously and two milky blobs of proto-

weight

from one foot

purring of a

to

the

chest.
feline,

other.

And
like

then he was aware of a

a

plasm splashed on the explorer's bare Cursing and shrieking horribly,

but

he tore at the jelly-like stuff with his

hands,
floor,

sound

the

sound that rose and fell but always seemed to emanate from the winking
cat's-eye.

was borne quickly

to

the

his cries smothered.

The emper-

or's

guards had not waited in vain.

"Confound the thing!" he muttered.

"It's got

me

Sick with horror, Wyatt averted his gaze from the writhing mound of white.

dotty."

The two

Idilnians

direction,

Darting a sidewise glance in Carr's he saw that he too was starif

the apparatus of the

were backing toward two spheres, their

pistols covering their retreat.

ing at the yellow stone as

his

hypnotized,

and through his rumpled and blood-matted

hair.

long fingers running nervously

Divining their purpose, Carr yelled: "Don't touch the controls It's sure
!

death,

with the machine in Idilna run-

ning at the same time."

rose weakly from her

Ayra sighed and

chair.

"The word of
Still

the

emperor must be

obeyed," answered one, grimly.

of
the

One
down!"

Idilnians

barked

"sit

threatening with their pistols, both

in

moved
nothing happened.

between the spheres, flanking

Without protest she subsided.

Still

the clamp which held the cat's-eye.

light

The
to

Then Wyatt

in

the

uncanny stone seemed

scratched his chin, looking over at Ayra,

flicker
so.

with renewed vigor as they did

its

who had slumped

stoically

into the chair

waiting.

and sat Her eyes were wide

still

In

stare

was ghoulish

anticipa-

tion.

but unafraid.
gold.

Violet eyes, flecked with

One

of them reached for the starting

More

loudly

came

the purring

from the vicinity of the cat'sWyatt lighted a cigaret and flipped The muzzle his match into the fireplace. of a protoplasm pistol swung toward him
sound
eye.

hidden generator.

switch and there came the whine of the Dazzling flame bathed
for

them

an instant and was snuffed out with a blast of heat so intense, as to drive the watchers to the far side of

CAT'S EYE
the room.
the spheres

31
to say
it

Molten metal dripped from

at

"Mean

survived that heat

up
I

and these sagged down into shapeless lumps; where the two guards

Emory's placer"
Carr answered thoughtfully: "No,
has

had stood was nothing but a smouldering mass. second flash from the appara-

don't;

it

ceased

to

exist

in

our

plane, that's certain.

But

in other planes

tus

itself

was accompanied by a cloud

don't know."
all

of black smoke, and the odor of burning

insulator filled the room.

"What's
mensions?
about it?"

this

about planes and ditelling

The whine

of

Mind

me some more

the generator ceased abruptly.

Wyatt was

risking exposure

The

cat's-eye

had been consumed

of

in

to

one of those long

scientific disserta-

the white heat

the released energy,

tions of the scientist's.

or at least was fused into the melted material.

"You've
universe
is

seen

the

theory

that

our

five- dimensional,

of
is

course.

"And
that."

that,"

Carr said regretfully,

"is

Well, the fourth dimension

call

what we
unex-

space-time,

the

fifth

is

yet
it,

Looking
shrinking
floor,

Carr

once more at the rapidly mass of protoplasm on the took the pistol from his
it

plored.

But Emory

called

and I'm

inclined to agree with his definition, the

ratio of oscillation intervals.

There may

pocket and tossed

into

the

pool

of

be

many

planes in this fifth dimension,

molten
been.

metal

where

the

spheres
it

had
sink

each with a different rate of electronic

With

satisfaction,

he saw

motion and constituted of matter

in

built

into the

mass and disappear.

softly.

an

entirely

different

manner

up from

Ayra was sobbing

that

which we are familiar.

its

Idilna might

"Ill gamble that's the end of Idilna,"

well be on one of these planes, separated

Wyatt whispered to Carr. "And she knows it, poor kid." The scientist nodded solemnly. Then
his

from us only by
time,

differing automatic

makeup. The co-ordinates of space-time,

now

"
his slide-

gray eyes twinkled.

"It's

the

end
he

Carr paused and reached for

rule.

of

your

thousand

bucks,

too,"

grinned.

"Oh,
hastily.
later,

I'll

believe you,"

Wyatt put
is

in

"I'll

believe that Idilna

any-

AN

hour

having

cleansed
the

and two

**
men

bandaged
sat
in

their

wounds,

where you say or that atoms can turn inside out. But I want to know where
the cat's-eye
in

Carr's living room.

Ayra,

exhausted
curled

from her experiences, up on the divan, asleep.

was

came in, and what you saw your radio-microscope, and what hapI

"Wish we
at that,"

could have stayed longer,

pened between the time Ayra and through and the time you and
arrived."

went

Emory
slide-

said Carr, his gaze far away,

his

fingers

drumming

the

arm of

his

Carr sighed and replaced the

rule.

chair.

Wyatt

said

feelingly:

"You

would.

Wyatt knew he itched to maze of involved mathematics.

"I

get into

You'll be walking around with a magni-

saw
to

Idilna

in

the

stone,

if

you

fying glass and a notebook when you get But I'm all-fired :o the pearly gates.

want

know," he

said.

"And

evidently

the etheric vibrations of the microscope

thankful
skin

we came
that

out of

it

with a whole
is

beam were of such nature

a
partial
I

as to permit

and

the

cat's-eye

out

of

connection

between

the

two

existence."

planes.
if
it

saw

the Keepers of the Stone

"I wonder

is."

and they saw me.

One

of them fired a

32
protoplasm pistol and
its

AMAZING STORIES
charge

came

"It

means

that the time co-ordinate of

is

through, incompletely materialized in our plane because the getaway was not wide
open.

existence in Idilna
ours.
rapidly.

far different

from
is

Time

there
is

passes

much more

That's

why

the stuff acted as

it

Idilna

on a planet which
it

did instead of killing

me

outright.

Be-

of incalculable age;

has ceased rotating

cause of similiar experiences previously,

on
be

its axis,

as

is

evidenced by the fixed

It

Emory knew how to cure me. "He came across the stone
in

position of its sun in the sky.

originally
it is

our

own

planet

may
of

millions

bodia

some ruins he unearthed in Camand discovered its reflections of

years hence."

"Rats!" Wyatt guffawed

noisily.

by accident. Later, he developed an apparatus which altered the vibration characteristics of space around the
Idilna

But the

scientist

was

serious. "It's pos-

sible, at that,"

he insisted.
struck

A
It

new

thought

Wyatt
laugh.

and

stone and permitted

him
told

to pass

between

he glanced anxiously at Ayra.

the planes.
after

Emory
I

me

these things

was Carr's turn

to

you and the

girl

had gone through

I

You

needn't worry," he grinned.

and, naturally,

agreed to follow with

"She'll not

him.
do."

The

rest

you know as much as

become an old woman

in a few weeks. Passing through to our plane has altered

"You
same
asked.

believe the stone here

one we saw in "Existing in both places at the

probably in the
in

was the Idilna?" Wyatt

her make-up to suit her to the

new

ennot

vironment.

Otherwise,

she

could

have come through."

same time?"

"And
position
correct."

space,

if

same relative Emory's theory is

Wyatt did not reply. He was marveling anew at the fresh beauty of the
sleeping
girl.

"Wonder how
about the tricks the head
played with it?"
I'll

she'll

take to our

way
it

of living," Carr said softly.

"W!Keeper
"Those,
ful as

HAT

"I'll

do everything possible

to

make

pleasant for her, so help me."

Saying

unfortunately,

never

be

this,

able to explain."

Carr's face

was rue-

that

Wyatt did not observe the twinkle came into his friend's eyes, nor the

he said

this.

"And

another thing

puzzles me."

look of something like envy, which replaced it so quickly.

"What's that?"

Ayra surred
her

in

"Have you looked at your watch?" Wyatt consulted his timepiece, seeing
that
it

arms

in

her sleep, flinging out beseeching gesture.

plaintively.
call

"Jeem," she called

lacked

ten

minutes

of

noon.

"We've been away more than twentyfour

Wyatt had told her to He was at her side in a

In

him Jim.
bound.
eyes

single

hours!"
so

he exclaimed.
it,"

another

moment
at

those

violet

"Not
Carr.
thirty

you could notice "We were in Idilna

started.

said

were looking up
lashes.

him from under dewv

took notice

less

than

minutes of our time."

Neither

Ayra nor Wyatt

Wyatt
manded.

"So what?" he de-

of the fact that Carr crept silently to-

ward

his laboratory,

slide-rule

in

hand.

The End

33

^Trtplanetarj
By

EDWARD
Illustrated

E.

SMITH,

Ph.D.

CONCLUSION
by

MOREY

Our

readers

now

tary experiences.

bid farewell to Dr. Smith's friends and their interpU+t* We say "friends," because though they are characters

in fiction, the author has inspired

them read

like characters in real life.

do

them with true individuality and has made Perhaps our readers will feel as we

little

sorry to part with their company.

CHAPTER

XI

each of you one box of the things he

most

wishes

to

take

with

him,

and

Roger Carries

On

report back here in not more than thirteen

minutes.

Say nothing
out
calmly, the
hall

to

anyone

FOR
.

gray Roger had not perin

else."

ished

the floods

of

Nevian
terrific

They
passed

filed

and as they
Baxter,
per-

energy which had destroyed his

planetoid.

out
trifle

into
less least

While those
of
force

haps a
fellows,

case-hardened than his

voiced

streamers

emanating

at

a thought

for

from the crimson obscurity surroundspace-ship were ing the amphibians'

driving into his defensive screens,
sat impassive

those they were so brutally deserting.

"I
say,
it

seeins a bit

thick to dash

Roger

off this

way and
I

leave the rest of tliem

."
.
.

and immobile at his desk. His hard gray eyes moved methodically
;

but

still,

suppose

"You suppose
heartless

correctly."
filled

Bland and
pause.

over his instruments and recorders

after

and

Nishimura

in the

few minutes he smiled coldly,

struggled

"A

small part of the planetoid

may

be

while an expression of relief

fleetingly
face.

able to escape; which, to

me

at least, is
It

to

move

his his

expressionless

pleasantly

surprising
of

news.

cannot

Even though
it?

screens

were

carry

all

our

men and mechanisms,

better than

anyone had supposed,

Hartkopf,
Penrose,
Chatelier,

why

therefore

only

admit

both are saved.

"Baxter,

AnanMirlist

the rest

it

is

drusung,
sky

Nishimura,
called
off

fortune

of

the most important of What would you? For simply what you call 'the war/ no?"

..."

He

of

names.

"Report
planetoid

to
is

me

here at once!"

"The

lost,"

he informed

"But the beautiful ..." began the amorous Chatelier. "Hush, fool!" snorted Hartkopf.

his select group of had assembled, "and we must abandon it in exactly fifteen minutes, which will
scientists

when they

"One word

of that to the ear of Roger

left

and you too are

non-essentials
the
in

behind.
is

Of

such
to in this

Universe
of

full,

be the time required for the robots to

fill

be collected

times

ease,

but

this first section

with our most nec-

times hard to be disregarded.

is

Und

essary machinery and instruments. Pack

a time of schrecklichkeit indeed!"

34

And through

that terrific conduit came speeding package after package of destruction.

TRIPLANETARY
The group broke
to his
up. each
;

35

man going
in

the metal wall of the planetoid opened

own

quarters

to

meet again
"office"

and

the

First

Section

shot

out

into

the First Section a the

few minutes before

space. Full-driven as they were, Roger's

zero

time.

Roger's

was

screens flared white as he drove through

the

now packed
left

so tightly with
little

machinery

temporarily
;

lessened

attack

of

the

and supplies that but

for the
still

strosity
dials.

room was The gray monscientists. sat unmoved behind his

Nevians

but in their preoccupation the

amphibians did not notice the additional disturbance and the section tore on. unobserved and undetected. Far out in
space,

"But of what use is it, Roger?" the "Those physicist demanded. waves are of some ultra-band, of a frequency immensely higher than anything
Russian
heretofore known.
not have stopped
It
is

Roger

raised

his

eyes

from the
inter-

instrument panel and continued the conversation as though

rupted.
it

had not been

Our

screens should
instant.

them for an
this

a mystery that they have held so

long,
will

and

certainly

single

section

not be permitted to leave the plan-

"Everything is relative, Mirsky, and you have misused gravely the term 'unlimited.' Our power was, and is, very definitely limited. True, it then seemed ample for our needs, and is far superior to that possessed

etoid

without being destroyed."

by the inhabitants
I

"There are many things you do not know, Mirsky," came the cold and level answer. "Our screens, which you think are of your own devising, have several improvements of my own in the formula?, and would hold forever had I
the
this

of any

solar

system with which

am

familiar; but the beings behind that red

whoever they are, have sources of power as far above ours as ours are above those of the Solarians."
screen,

"How
then,

power

to drive them.

The

screens of

do you know?" "That power, what is it?"

the

"We

have,
re-

section, being

smaller, can be held

analyses

of

those

fields

as long as will be

"Power!"
exclaimed.
finite

the

dumfounded

found necessary." Russian

in-

corded!"

Came

simultaneous

questions

power

unlimited
departure

"Why, we have almost

sufficient

and explanations. "Their power-source

so,

is

very probablv
if
I

for a

the intra-atomic energy of iron; and

lifetime of high expenditure!"

much remains
most

to

be done before
plan.
I

O UT
He
the

can proceed with

my

must have
in
act.

Roger made no
of

reply,

for the

the

powerful
I

structure

the

*-* time
robot

was

at

hand.

known Universe

before I can

In

pressed
in

down

tiny

lever,

and a
in

the light of what

have just learned,

is

the

power
plunger
the

room

threw

the loss of the planetoid

but a

trifle."

gigantic

switches

which
stu-

launched

against

Nevians the

Roger, as unmoved as one of his automatons, was coldly analyzing

situation,
to
its

own
the

pendous beam which so upset the complacence of Nerado the amphibian the

thinking

the

thing

through

logical

conclusion, paying

no

at-

beam

which was poured recklessly every resource of power afforded by the planetoid, careless alike of burn-out and
into

whatever to the losses of life, time and treasure now behind him.
tention

"But

what

can

you

do

about

it?"

of exhaustion.

Then,

all

the attention

of the Nevians and the greater part of

their

power output devoted

to the

neu-

growled the Russian. ".Many things. From the charts of the recorders we can compute their
fields

tralization of

that last desperate

thrust,

of

force,

and

from

that

point

36
it

AMAZING STORIES
is

only

a the

step

to

their

method of
shall

what
but

mean.
late
I

Ridiculous,

of

course,

liberating
robots.

energy.
shaft

We

build
robots,

of

have

been

wondering
things.

They
in

build other
construct
that,

whether he

really is

human.

who

shall

turn

another
wielding

too much, about too

many

He knows He

planetoid;

one this time

seems to be acquainted with many solar

systems,
life

the theoretical

be suited to

maximum my needs." "And where will you

Invisibility
will

of power, will

to

visit

which would require

times.

Then, too, he has dropped

that

build

it?'
is

We

remarks which would imply that he ac-

are marked.

now

useless.

Triplanetary
take

up an

orbit

find us, even if wc !" beyond that of Pluto

left

saw before any

tually

tilings

happened long
could
possibly

living

man

have
well,

been

born.

Finally,

he

looks

"We
system

have already
far behind.

your Solarian
are going to

peculiar

and
I

certainly

does

not

We

act

human.
have

have
able

been
to

wondering,
nothing

another system; one far enough removed

so that the spy-rays of Triplanetary will

and

been

learn

about him; as you have said, such talk

as this aboard the planetoid
sible."

never find us, and yet one that

reach
in

we can
of

was impos-

reasonable
energies
at

length

time

with

the

our

command.

"You

needn't worry about being paid

that's

Some
are

fifteen

days will be required for

your price;

one thing.

If

we

live

the journey, however,

and our quarters

and

that

cramped.

Therefore

make

places

you know
out for.

we

for yourselves wherever

lessen

you can, and

was part of the agreement, will all get what we sold You will become a belted earl.

the tedium of those fifteen days

by working upon whatever problems are

most

pressing

in

your

respective

re-

I have already made millions, and shall make many more. Similarly, Chatelier has had and will have his women, An-

searches."

andrusung and
monster
fell

Nishimura

their

cher-

ished revenges, Hartkopf his power, and

gray THE mersed

silent,

im-

so on."

He

eyed the other speculatively,

in

what thoughts
the

no

one
obey

then went on:

"I might as well
spill it
all,

knew, and the

his
ist,

scientists set out to

since

I'll

orders.

Baxter,

British

chemin-

followed Penrose, the lantern-jawed,

saturnine

American

engineer
his

and

ventor, as he

made

way

to the fur-

never have a better chance and since you should know what the rest of us do. You're in the same boat with us and tarred with the same brush. There's
a
lot

thermost cubicle of the section.

"I say,

of gossip, that
I

Penrose, I'd like to ask you of

questions,
if

be

true, but

may or may not know one very startling

is.

couple

you

don't

fact.

Here

it

My

great-great-

mind ?"

grandfather
ahead.

"Go
to be

Ordinarily

it's

dangerous
here

a cackling hen anywhere around

but

him,

he

can't
is

hear

anything

now.
pieces.

His system

pretty well shot to

You want
so.

to

know
have

all

know
with

some notes which, taken I mybeyond question that our Roger went to Harvard University at the same time he did. Roger was a grown man then, and
left

in connection with certain things

self

saw on

the planetoid, prove

about Roger?"

the

elder

Penrose
like

noted

"Exactly

You

been

marked,

this,"

that he was and the American

him so much longer than I have, you In some ways he impresses one as being scarcely human, if you know
know.

sketched a cabalistic design.

"What
adept of

!"

Baxter

exclaimed.

"An
then?"

North Polar Jupiter

TRIPLANETARY
"Yes.

37

That

was
really

before
it

the

First

Baxter went to his

each

own
up

cubby, and

Jovian War, you know, and

was those
sci."
.
.

man
to

of

the

adept's

cold-blooded
his

medicine-men
entists^

high-caliber

crew

methodically
prediction,

took
in

task.

that prolonged that

I

war

so

True
planet

fifteen

days

"But
bit
it

say,

Penrose, that's
they

really

a
."

loomed beneath them and their

a reeking atmos-

thick.

When
lot

were wiped out

. .

vessel settled through

was proved a

of hocus-pocus
but

phere toward
plain.

rocky and
another

forbidding

"Some
wasn't,"

of

it

was,

most

of

it

Then
along,

for

day

they
feet

Penrose interrupted in turn. "I'm not asking you to believe anything

except
that

plunged

few

thousand

above the surface of that strange world,

while Roger with his analytical detectors

one fact; I'm just

it.

telling

you the
things

rest of

But

it

is

also a fact

sought the most favorable location from

that those adepts that

knew
a
lot

things
of

and did
is

which
for his
It

to

wrest the materials necessary

take

explaining.

program of construction.

\ ow

for the gossip,

none of which
undoubtedly

guaranteed.
Tellurian
that
his

Roger

is

of
is

distant,

was a world of cold; its sun was pale, and wan. It had monforms
with a
of
vegetation,

parentage,
father

and the story

strous

of

which

was a moon-pirate,

his

each

branch and

member writhed and

and
horrible

mother a Greek adventuress.

pirates

When
moon

the

fought

grotesque

were chased

off the

they

went to Ganymede, you know, and some

of
It

seems that Roger was born

them were captured by the Jovians. at an inof time sacred to the adepts, so

stant

Ever and anon a struggling part broke from its parent plant and darted away in independent existence; leaping upon and consuming or being consumed by a fellow creature
individual
activity.

they took'

him

on.

He worked
Forbidden

his

way
as

equally

monstrous.

This
lurid,

flora

was of

up through
all

the

Society

a uniform color

sickly yellow.

adepts did, by various kinds of mur-

In form some of
cactus-like,
it

der and job lots of assorted deviltries,

until

it was fern-like, some some vaguely tree-like; but

he got clear to the top

the

sev-

was

all

outrageous, inherently repul-

enty-seventh mystery

..."
eternal
in

sive to all Solarian senses.

And no
slunk

less

hideous were the animal-like forms of

"'T^HE

secret

of

youth!"
spite

life,

which

slithered

and

rapa-

gasped Baxter, awed

of

ciously

through

that

fantastic

pseudobat-

himself.

vegetation.

Snake-like,

reptile-like,

"Right,
in spite of

and he stayed Chief Devil, all the efforts of all his amkill

like,

the

creatures

squirmed,

crawled,

bitious sub-devils to

him, until the

and flew; each covered with a dankly oozing yellow hide and each motivated
by twin
insatiably

turning-point of the First Jovian

Fie cut

War.
and

common
and

impulses

to

kill

and
de-

away then

in a space-ship,

indiscriminately
this

to

ever since then he has been

working

vour.

Over

reeking
vessel,

wilderness

and working hard

plan of his

on
that
not,

own

some stupendous nobody else has

That's the
a
lot
it

Roger drove
its

his

untouched

bv

disgusting, its appalling ferocity

and

ever got even an inkling of.

stbry.

horror.

True or
I

explains

of things that no other theory can touch.

of a kind," he mused, and swept the surface

intelligence,

"There
the

should

be

And now
along
plenty
;

think

you'd
this

better
is

shuffle

of

planet

with an exploring beam,

enough
I"

of

great

"Ah,
in a

yes. there is a city, of sorts," and few minutes the outlaws were look-

38
ing

AMAZING STORIES
down upon
a metal-walled city of

studded
called

men

roundly conical buildings.

Inside these structures and between and around them there scuttled formless blobs of matter, one of which Roger brought up into his vessel by means of a tractor ray. Held immovable

who,
still

if

"men" they might be

incarnate,

ferocity

rushed

the

robot

line.

Mowed down by
;

hun-

came on willing, it expend any number of lives in order that one living creature might once
dreds,

they

seemed

to

touch a robot with one outthrust metallic

by the beam
strangely

it

lay

upon the
amoeba-like
leathery

floor,

extensile,

metal-

studded

mass
ears,

of

substance.
it

Of

eyes,

limbs,

or organs

ap-

Whenever that happened there was a flash as of lightning, the heavy smoke of burning insulation, grease, and metal, and the robot went down out of
stud.

parently
intensely

vium
hatred.

concentrated

had none, yet it radiated an hostile aura a mental effluof rage and of
;

control.

Recalling

his

remaining autoout
the

matons,
screen,

Roger

sent

a shielding

against which

defenders of

their planet raged in impotent fury.

1

For

"Apparently the ruling intelligence of

the
planet,"

days they hurled themselves and their

every
barrier,

Roger commented. "Such

useless
in

force

against

that

impenetrable
temporarily

creatures

are

to

us;

we can
training. to

then

withdrew:

build robots

half

the

time required

stopped, but by
defeat.

no means acknowledging
di-

for
Still,

their
it

subjugation

and

should

not
it

be

permitted

Then, while Roger and his cohorts

rected affairs
able

carry

back what

may have

learned

from within

their comfort-

of us."

As

he spoke the adept threw

the peculiar being out into the air and

dispassionately
istence.

rayed

it

out

of

ex-

"That thing reminds me of a man used to know, back in Penobscot." Penrose was as coldly callous as his
I

and now sufficiently roomy vessel, came into being around it an industrial city of metal, peopled by metallic and insensate mechanisms. Mines were sunk, furnaces were blown in,
there

smelters belched

forth into the already

unbearable air their sulphurous

rolling

fumes,

unfeeling

master.
in

"The

eyenest-temall

pered

man

townmad

the time!"

EVENTUALLY
cation

Roger found
satisfied

lo-

which

his

require-

raw materials, and made a upon that unfriendly soil. Sweeping beams denuded a great circle of life, and into that circle leaped Robots requiring neither rest robots. nor food, but only lubricants and power;
ments
of

landing

mills and machine shops were and equipped; and as fast as new enterprises were completed additional robots were ready to man them. In record time the heavy work of girders, members, and plates was well under way; and shortly thereafter light, deft, and multi-fingered mechanical men bebuilt

robots insensible alike to that bitter cold

and to that noxious atmosphere. But the outlaws were not to win a foothold upon that inimical planet easily,

gan the interminable task of building and installing the prodigious amount of precise machinery required for the vast structure. Roger was well content; but one day he was rudely awakened from his dream of complete isolation. Even though he had no reason to believe that there

Through
circle's

nor were they to hold it without effort. the weird vegetation of the
bare

was anything dangerous

it

within hundreds of millions of miles,

edge
a

there
of

scuttled

and

poured

along

horde

the

metal-

was Roger's cautious custom to release the screens from time to time, in order

TRIPLANETARY
to allow his detectors to range out. This

39
at once.

your vessel
for

We

will

come back

day, as he

sent out his beams, his

hard

you

later."

gray eyes grew even harder.

snapped,
plate

"Mirsky! Nishimura! Come here!" he and showed them upon his

an enormous sphere of steel, its "Is there any flaming viciously.
in

"Any of you wishing to leave this my full permission to do so," Roger announced, disdaining any reply
vessel have
to the challenge of the "Boise."

"Any

rays

such, however,

will

not be allowed in-

doubt whatever

your minds as to the

side the planetoid area after the rest of

System to which that ship belongs?"

us return from wiping out that patrol.

re-

"None
plied

at

all

Triplanetarian,"
its

We

attack in one minute."

the Russian.
I

"While larger than

construction

"Would

not one do better by stopping

in

any
is

have seen before,

unmistakable.

They

managed

to

on?" Baxter, American, was

the

quarters

of

the

in doubt as to the

most

trace us,

and are testing out their weap-

profitable course to pursue.

"I

should

ons before attacking.

Do we

attack or

leave immediately

if

I I

thought that that

do we run away?"
"If Triplanetarian,

ship could win; but

do not fancy that

we

attack/' coldly.

and it surely "This one section

is,

is

armed and powered

ary's
ship,

to defeat Triplanet-

can, do you?" "That ship? One Triplanetary ship against us?" Penrose laughed raucously.
it

entire

navy.

We

shall

take that

"Do
if

as you please.

I'd

go

in

a minute

to our

and shall add its slight resources own. And it may even be that
have
for

thought that there was any chance

isn't,

of us losing; but there

ing.
I

so I'm stay-

they

picked

up the
Yes,

three

who
take

know which

side

my

bread's but-

escaped me.
balked

...
long.

have never yet been

tered on.
all-

Those cops are

it

bluffing, that's

we

Not

bluffing exactly, either, because

shall

that vessel.
later.

And

they'll

those three sooner or

last.
. . .

go through with
Foolish, but
it's

as long as they

Bradley I care nothing about and the but Costigan handled me

. . . . .

way

they have

they'll die trying

every time, instead of

woman.

."

Diamond-hard eyes glared

urge of thoughts to a

running away,

even

balefully at the

they're licked before they start.

when they know They

clean and normal

mind unthinkable.
he ordered.
function

"To your
their

posts,"

"The
under
the

robots will continue to

don't use good judgment." "None of you are leaving? Very well, you each know what to do," came Roger's

emotionless

automatic
it

controls

during

voice.

The

stipulated

short time

will

require to abate this

nuisance."

minute having elapsed, he advanced a lever and the outlaw cruiser slid quietly
into the air.

tl

/~\NE
>-^

moment!"
under

strange

voice

roared from the speakers.

arrest,

"Con-

sider yourselves

of the Triplanetary Council!

by order Surrender

Toward the poised "Boise" Roger Within range, he flung out a weapon new-learned and supposedly irresistible to any ferrous thing or creasteered.
ture, the red converter-field of the Nevians. For Roger's analytical detectors had stood him in good stead during those

and you
fight
trial.

shall receive impartial hearing;

us and you shall

never come to

From what we have learned of Roger, we do not expect him to surrender, but if any of you other men
wish
to

frightful minutes in the course of

the

planetoid

which had borne the brunt of

Nerado's

avoid

immediate

death,

leave

good stead

superhuman attack; in such that from the records of those

40

AMAZING STORIES
scienlized
it,

ingenius instruments he and his

tists

drove

it

back with his

obliter-

had been able

the

to

reconstruct not
the

ating zone of

force; but even that all-

only

generators

of

attacking

forces, but also the screens

employed by

peculiarly

devouring zone could not touch Roger's The outlaw efficient screen.
vessel stood out,

the amphibians
similar

in the neutralization of

unharmed.

Ultra-violet,

beams.

With

a vastly inferior

infra-red,

armament the smallest of Roger's vessels had defeated the most powerful
battleships of Triplanetary
;

beams

of

pure heat, infra-sound, solid high-tension high-frequency

current in whose paths the most stub-

what had he

born metals would be volatilized instantly;

all

to

fear in

such a heavy craft as the

iron-driven, vibration

every

deadly

and

one he now was driving, one so superlatively

torturing

known was

hurled

armed and powered ? Well it was for his peace of mind that he had no

inkling that the harmless-looking sphere

he

was

so

blithely

attacking

was in
Secret

it, too, was ironEven the awful force of the macrobeam was dissipated by it reflected, hurled away on all sides

against that screen; but

driven,

and

it

held.

reality the much-discussed, half-mythical

in coruscating torrents of blinding, dazzling

cer,

"super-ship"
Service-;

of

Tri planetary 's

its

energy.

Cooper, Adlington, Spen-

nor that

already

unprece-

dented armament had been reenforced,

thanks to that hated Costigan, with Roger's

own
with

every worth-while idea, as well every

and Dutton hurled against it their and still it held. But Roger's fiercest blasts and heaviest projectiles were equally impotent against

bombs and torpedoes

as

weapon

and

defense

the force-shields of the super-ship.

adept, having

The
upon

known

to that arch-Nevian,

Nerado

no

liking for a battle

anything like equal terms, sought safety

in flight,

only to be brought to a crash-

UNKNOWING

and

contemptuous,
field,

ing,

stunning halt by a massive tractor

Rlbger launched his converter

beam.

and instantly found himself fighting for his very life. For from Rodebush at the controls down, the men of the Secret
Service countered with wave after wave and with salvo after salvo of vibratory and material destruction. No thought of mercy for the men of the pirate ship

"That must be that sixth-phase polycyclic screen that

Conway
work on

reported on,"

Cleveland frowned in thought. "I've been

doing a
Fred, but

lot

of

that,

and
for

I
it,

think I've calculated an opener

I'll

have to have number ten

projector and the whole output of

num-

could enter their minds.

The outlaws

ber ten power room.

play with that

Can you

let

me

had each been given a chance to surrender, and each had refused it. Refusing, they knew, as the Triplanetarians knew and as all modern readers know,

much

juice for a while?

All right, Blake, tune her up to fifty-five

thousand

there,

hold
!

it

Now, you

other fellows, listen

to drill a hole

I'm going to try

meant that they were staking their lives upon victory. For with modern armaments it is seldom indeed that a single

through that screen with

out
core.

a hollow, quasi-solid beam; like a dia-

mond
hole

drill

cutting

You
you'll

man

lives

through the defeat in battle

his field of red opac-

won't be able to shove anything into the

of a war-vessel of space.

from outside
orifice

the

beam, so
ten

Roger launched
ity,

have to steer your cans out through the

central

but

it

did not reach even "Boise's"

of

screens.

All space seemed

to

explode

number
don't

projector

that'll

be

cold, since
I

I'm going to use

into violet spender as

Rodebush neutra-

only the edge.

know how long

TRIPLANETARY
I'll

41

be able to hold the hole open, though

shoot

so
can.

them along Ready? Here

in

as

fast

as

you

goes!"

paid no attention to them at all, nor to any of his own useless offensive weapons: he struggled only and madly to

He
below,

pressed a series of contacts.

Far number ten converter room,

break away from the savage grip of the

"Boise's" tractor rod.
neither cut nor
Futile.

He

could

massive switches drove home and the enormous mass of the vessel quivered

stretch

that

inexorably
his

anchoring beam.
every
resource
to

Then he devoted
the
in

under the
that

terrific reaction of the

newly-

closing
his
all

of

that

calculated, semi-material

beam of energy
backed

unbelievable

breach

shield;

the

was

hurled

out,

by

the

barrier which through

previous em-

of all the mighty converters and generators of Triplanetary's supermightiest

ergencies had kept death at bay.

futile.

Equally
re-

His most desperate

only
in

efforts

dreadnaught.

That
of

beam,

pipe-like

sulted

more

frenzied

displays

hollow
flashed

cylinder
out,

intolerable

energy,

of incandescence along the curved surface of contact of that penetrant cylinder.

and there was a rending,

it

tearing crash as

struck Roger's hither-

And

through that

terrific

conduit

to impenetrable wall.

Struck and clung,

grinding, boring in, while

from the ragthe

circle

came speeding package after package of destruction. Bombs, and armor-piercing

shells,

ing inferno that

marked

of

gas

shells,

and

shells of

poisonous

contact of cylinder and shield the pirates'

and corrosive
tists

fluids

followed each other

screen

radiated scintillating torrents of

in close succession.

The

surviving scien-

cracking,

streaming

sparks,

lightning-

of

the

planetoid,
all,
it

expert

gunners
of the

like in length

and
arid

in intensity.

and ray-men
projectiles,

destroyed

many

DEEPER
drill

deeper

the

gigantic

sible

to

was not humanly posfrustrate them all. And the

but
Cleveall

was

driven. It

was through!

breach could not be forced shut against

the
all

Pierced Roger's polycyclic screen; exposed the bare metal of Roger's walls!

but irresistible force of "opener."

land's

And
grip
of

with

his

And now,

concentrated upon one point,

power Roger could not

position' in

shift hit vessel's

flamed out in seemingly redoubled fury

Triplanetary's

the

raging

rays

Triplanetary's

in

vain.

tractors sufficiently to bring a projector

to

For even as they could not penetrate

the screen, neither could they penetrate the

now

bear upon the super-ship along the unprotected axis of that narrow,

wall

of

Cleveland's
it

drill,

but

rebril-

but deadly tube.

it was that the end came soon. A war-head touched steel plating and there ensued a world-wracking ex-

bounded from

in

the cascaded

liance of thwarted lightning.

THUS

Cleveland.

"Oh, what a dumb-bell I am !" groaned "Why, oh why didn't I have

somebody rig up a secondary on Ten's inner rings? Hop

you, Blake, so that we'll have

SX7 beam
to
it
it,

plosion
helpless,

of atomic iron.

Gaping wide,

will

in case

with all defenses down, other torpedoes entered the stricken hulk and

they are able to stop the cans?" But the pirates could not stop
Triplanetary's projectiles,

completed
all

its

destruction

even
to

before

of

they could be recalled.

literally

Explosive bombs
frag-

now
fast

hurrying
as

tore the

pirate vessel

along inside

the

pipe as

they

In fact, for a few could be driven. minutes desperate Roger, knowing that

ments, while vials of pure corrosion dissolved her substance into dripping corruption and

reeking gases

filled
its

every

he faced his long

life's

gravest

crisis,

cranny of the wreckage as

torn and

42

AMAZING STORIES
then

dismembered fragments began their long The space-ship plunge to the ground. followed the pieces down, and Rodebush sent out an exploring ray. " resistance was such that it was necessary to use corrosive, and ship and contents were completely disintegrated," he dictated into his vessel's log. some time later. "While there were of
.

sending out into

hopeless

empty space an
for the aid
so

almost

appeal

desperately

needed

CHAPTER

XII

The Specimens Escape

KNOWING
with
est
its

well that conversation

is

course no

remains recognizable as hupractically certain that

fellows

one of the great-

man, it and his

is

Roger

needs of any intelligent being.

last

eleven

men

died.

the Kevians had permitted the Terrestrial

Fred," Cleveland called his attention to the plate, upon which was pictured a horde of the peculiar
here,

"Look

specimens to retain possession of their

ultra-beam communicators.
that Costigan

Thus

it

was
in

had been able to keep

inhabitants of the ghastly planet, wreak-

touch with his sweetheart and with Brad

ley.

ing their frenzied electrical wrath upon

He
;

learned that each had been placed

in

everything

within

the

circle

bared

by

upon exhibition
city

different

Nevian

Roger.

we
but

clean
I

was just going to suggest that up that planetoid Roger started,

that
it."

that the three

had been separated

in

response to an insistent popular defor such a distribution of the pe-

see

the

local

boys are atI

mand
culiar,

tending to

but

highly interesting

creatures

"Just as well, perhaps.

to stay
while,

would

like

and study these people a little we must get back on the trail of the Kevians," and the "Boise" leaped away into space, toward the line
but
of flight of the amphibians.

visited daily

from a distant solar system. They had not been harmed. In fact, each was by a specialist, who made

sure that his charge

the pink of condition.

was being kept

in

As soon
condition

as he

of

things
sat
still,

became aware of this Costigan became

drooped, and pined
refused to eat, and

reached THEY they

it

that line

and along

morose.

He

traveled at full normal blast.

away

visibly.

He

As

they traveled their detecting receivers

of the worried specialist he demanded

and amplifiers were reaching out with their utmost power ultra-instruments capable of rendering audible any signal
;

Then, failing in that as he knew he would fail, he demanded something to

liberty.

do.

They

pointed out to him, reason-

originating

within

them, upon any

constantly at

many light-years of known frequency. And least two men were listeninstruments

ably enough, that in such a civilization

ing

to

those

with

every
deaf-

sense concentrated in their ears. Listen-

ingstraining

to distinguish in the

ening roar of background noise from the

over-driven tubes any sign of voice or
signal.

was nothing he could do. They assured him that they would do anything they could to alleviate his mental suffering, but that since he was a museum piece he must see, himself, that he must be kept on display for a short
as theirs there

time.
self

Listening
millions

while,
human

millions

upon
even
pitted

Wouldn't he please behave himand eat, as a reasoning being should?

untold

of

miles

beyond
beings,

Costigan sulked a
ered.

the prodigious reach of those ultra-in-

struments,
against

three

He
fit

overwhelming odds, were even

little longer, then wavFinally he agreed to compromise. would eat and exercise if they would up a laboratory in his apartment, so

TRIPLANETARY
that

43
there
here.

he could continue the studies he had

his

broke.

"Why,
all

are
If
.
.

thousands of

begun upon
that one

own

native planet.

To

them,

around

you can get

."
.

this they agreed, and thus it came about day the following conversation was held:

away, go, dear, but don't

if I

"I said I was coming after you, and

can get away

I'll

be there.

good

"Gio?
to tell

Bradley?
this time.

I've got something

whiff of this stuff will lay out a thou-

you
out,

Haven't said any-

thing before, for fear things might not

sand of them just as easily as it will one. Here's the idea. I've made a gas mark
for myself, since
thick, but
I'll be in it where it's you two won't need any. The

work

but they did.

hunger
a darn

strike

complete laboratory.

I went on a and made them give me a As a chemist I'm

;

gas

is

soluble

enough

in water so that

good

electrician

but luckily, with

it's

three or

four thicknesses of

wet

cloth
tell

the sea-water they've got here,

a very

over your noses will be enough.

I'll

simple thing to make.

."
.

you when to wet down.

break
aren't

We're going
trying

to

"Hold on!" snapped Bradley. "Some!" body may be listening in on us "They aren't. They can't, without my knowing it, and I'll cut off the second anybody tries to synchronize with my beam. To resume making Vee-Two is a very simple process, and I've got every-

away or
to

go out

there

enough amphibians between here

keep us humans coopspecialist
like

and Andromeda
ed up keys

menagerie animals forever!

But here comes

to

my
;

with the

the city

time for the overture

!"

to start.

See you

later

thing around here that's hollow clear full

of
it.
.
.

The Nevian

physician directed his key-

."

tube upon the transparent wall of the

"How come they let you?" asked Clio. "Oh, they don't know what I'm doing. They watched me for a few days, and all I did was make up and bottle the Then I weirdest messes imaginable. finally managed to separate oxygen and
nitrogen,

a valve open

chamber and an opening appeared, an opening which vanished as soon as he had stepped through it; Costigan kicked and from various innocent
;

tubes there belched forth into the water

of the central lagoon and into the air

after trying

hard

all

of

one

day; and

when they thought they saw

a flood of deadly vapor. As the Nevian turned toward the prisoner there
over
it

that I didn't

know anything about

either

was an almost inaudible

jet of the frightful, his
cal

hiss

and a tiny
stuff struck

one of them or what to do with them after I had them, they gave me up in
disgust as a plain

outlawed
tensed

open

gills,

just below his huge, coni-

dumb

ape and haven't

since.

head.

He
to

momentarily,
fell

paid any attention to

got

me

So

I've

twitched convulsively just once, and

motionless
the

me

plenty of kilograms of liquid Vee-

the

floor.

And

outside,

Two,

all

ready to touch

off.

I'm getting

streams of avidly soluble liquefied

spread, dissolved, and diffused with
is

out of here in about three minutes and

gas rushed out into air and into water.

It

a half, and I'm coming over after you folks, in a new, iron-powered spacespeedster that they don't

the extreme mobility which

characteristics;

one of
in

its

know

know
it

and as
the

it

diffused and

was
their

anything about.
its

They've just given

it's

borne

outward

Nevians,

final tests,

and

the slickest thing

massed hundreds,
that they died.

died.

Died not know-

you ever saw."

ing what killed them; not knowing even

Costigan, bitterly resent-

UT

Conway,

dearest,

you

can't pos-

ful

of the

inhuman treatment accorded

fiercely

sibly

rescue

me,"

Clio's

voice

the

three and

anxious for the

44

AMAZING STORIES
tives

success of his plan of escape, held his

breath and, grimly alert, watched the

phibians die.

am-

topped

dropped upon their cushioned, fiatdesks hurrying travelers and

;

he could see no more motion anywhere he donned his gas-mask,

strapped upon
of the poison
his back a large canister his capacious pockets

When

messengers dropped upon the floors of the corridors or relaxed in the noxious
waters of the ways
servers
;

lookouts and obtheir

were

dropped
;

before

flashing

already full of smaller containers

and

screens
tions

central operators of

communicalights

two savagely exultant sentences escaped

him.
"I

dropped under the winking

of their panels.

Observers and centrals

am a

poor, ignorant specimen of

in the outlying sections of the city

won-

ape, that can be let play with apparatus,

dered briefly at the unwonted universal

motionless ness and stagnation
;

am

I?" he rasped, as he picked up the keytube of the specialist and opened the

then the

racing taint in water and in air reached

door of his prison. sometime that it

"Maybe
ain't
flea

they'll learn

them, too, and they ceased wondering

forever.

always safe

to

judge by the looks of a

how

far he

can jump!" He stepped out through the opening into the water, and, burdened as he was,

Then through those quiet halls Costigan stalked to a certain storage room, where with all due precaution he donned
his

own

suit

of

Triplanetary

armor.

made

shift to

swim

to the nearest ramp.

Making an ungainly bundle

Solarian

of the other
there,

it he ran, toward a main corridor. But ahead of him there was wafted a breath of dread Vee-Two, and where that breath went, went also unconsciousness an unconsciousness which would deepen gradually into permanent oblivion save for the prompt intervention of one who

Up

equipment
it

stored

he
he

dragged

along

behind

him

as

clanked back toward his prison, until he

neared the dock at which was moored

Nevian space-speedster which he was determined to take. Here, he knew, was

the

me

first

of

many

critical

points.

The

possessed,
dote, but

not only the necessary antithe equally

important knowlto use

it.

edge of exactly
the
floor of

how

Upon

that corridor

were strewn

Nevians,

who had dropped

in their tracks.

Past or over their bodies Costigan strode,

crew of the vessel was aboard, and, with its independent air-supply, unharmed. They had weapons, were undoubtedly alarmed, and were very probably highly suspicious. They, too, had ultra-beams and might see him, but his very closeness
to

pausing only to direct a jet of lethal vapor into whatever branching corridor
or open doorway caught his eye. was going to the intake of the
ventilation plant,

them would tend

to protect

him from

He
city's

ture dependent for life

and no unmasked creaupon oxygen could

reached
the
intake,

ultra-beam observation Therefore he crouched tensely behind a buttress, staring through his spy-ray goggles, waiting for a moment when none of the Nevians would be near the entrance, but grimly
resolved to act instantly should he feel any touch of a spying ultra-beam. "Here's where the pinch comes," he growled to himself. "I know the com-

bar his path.

tore the canister

He
vast

from

leased

its

full,

his back, and revolume of horrid

contents into the primary air stream of

the entire city.

AND Nevians dropped;

all

throughout that doomed city

quietly and with-

out a struggle, unknowing.

Busy execu-

enough and act quick enough they can seal that door on me before I can get it open, and then rub me out like a blot; but .... ah!"

bination, but if they're suspicious

TRIPLANETARY
The moment had
arrived, before the

45

touch of any revealing ray.

He

trained

the key-tube, the entrance opened, and

"Any excitement around there yet?" he asked her then. "Nothing unusual that I can see," she
replied.

through that opening in the instant of

appearance there shot a
glass,
brittle bulb

its

"Why?
couldn't

Should there be some?"

of
It

"I hope not, but

when

made my
all,

get-

whose breaking meant death.

away
and
I

kill

them

of course,

crashed into fragments against a metallic

wall and Costigan, entering the vessel,
erstwhile crew one by one

thought maybe they might con-

nect things up with

my

jail-break

and

tell

consigned
to

its

the other cities to take steps about

you

the already crowded

waters of the

two.

But

guess they're pretty well dis-

lagoon.

He

then leaped to the controls

organized back there yet, since they can't

and drove the captured speedster through the air, to plunge it down upon the surface of the lagoon beside the door of the
isolated structure

know who
why.
that
it

wasn't

hit them, or what with, or must have got about everybody sealed up somewhere, and

been his prison.

to

which had for so long Carefully he transferred

doesn't stand to reason that those

left

who

are

can check up very closely for a

the vessel the motley assortment of

while yet.
they'll

But they're nobody's

get

fools

containers of

check-up to

Vee-Two, and after a quick make sure that he had over-

certainly

conscious

when

snatch you, maybe before

see your city, I think."

....

there, I

looked nothing, he shot his craft straight

up

into the air.

Then

only did he close

his ultra-wave circuits

and speak.

"What "Same
I

are you going to do ?"

as I did back there,
air
if

can.

"CHo, Bradley
after you, Clio." *'Oh,
it's

got

away

clean, with-

Poison their primary

can reach.
.

and

all

the water

out a bit of trouble.

Now

I'm coming

."
.

wonderful that you got away,

the
girl

Conway!"
first?

exclaimed.

"But

"Oh, Conway!" Her voice rose to a scream. They must know they're all getting out of the water and are rushing

hadn't you better get

Captain Bradley
."
.

inside the buildings as fast as they possibly can

!"

Then,

if

anything should happen,

I
. .

he would be of some use, while

"I'll

"I see they are," grimly.

"I'm right
locating

if

knock him into an outside loop he does!" the captain snorted, and
to.

over you now, 'way up.

their

Been

primary
all

intake.
it,

Costigan went on:

dozen ships around

They've got a and have guards

"You won't need

Clio, of course.

You come
far

first,

posted
it;

along the corridors leading to

But you're too

away
and
I

and those guards are wearing masks!

all right,

for

me

to see you with

my

spy,

They're clever birds,

phibians
there and

those

don't want to use the high-powered

beam

they know what they got back

how
!

am-

of this boat for fear of detection; so you'd better keep on talking, so that I can
trace you."

they got

it.

That changes

things, girl

If

we

use gas here

we won't
I

stand a chance in the world of getting

old Bradley.

Stand by to jump when

!"

"'Tp HAT'S one

thing I

am

good at!"
"If

A
band

Clio laughed in

sheer relief.

open that door "Hurry, dear!

here after

They

are coming out

talking
!"

were music, I'd be a full brass and she kept up a flow of incon;

me !"
are."

"Sure they

Costigan

had

al-

sequential chatter, until Costigan told her

that it was no longer necessary had established the line.

ready seen the two Nevians swimming

out toward Clio's cage, and had hurled
his

that he

vessel

downward

in

screaming

46
power
but
if

AMAZING STORIES
valuable a you be gassed, they can get there before I do
dive.

"You're

too

announced, calmly.
after

"They're coming out

specimen for them to

let

me now."
fight

"Don't
so that
I

they're traveling fast!"

won't paralyze you.

He

miscalculated slightly, so that in-

them and probably they Keep on talking, can find out where they take

stead of coming to a halt at the surface

of the liquid

you."

medium

the speedster struck

of

"No

good, Costigan."

The

voice of

with a crash that hurled solid masses of

the old space-flea did not reveal a sign

water for hundreds of yards.

ordinary crash could

But no
were not

emotion as he made his dread an-

harm

that vessel's

nouncement.
out.
all

"They have
to paral

it

all

figured

structure, her gravity controls

They're not taking any chances at

. . .

overloaded, and she shot back to the surface; gallant ship and reckless pilot alike

they're going
With
a
bitter

."

His

voice broke off in the middle of the word.

unharmed.
tossed

Costigan

trained

his
cell,

keythen

imprecation

Costigan

tube upon the doorway of Clio's

it

flashed on the powerful ultra-beam projector of the speedster

plate

aside.

and focused the upon Bradley's prison careless now

;

"Different combinations over here!" he

barked.

"Got

to cut

you out

He

down

of detection, since the Nevians were al-

ready warned.

Upon

that plate he watched

in that far corner!"

the Nevians carry the helpless

body of
into

as Clio

His hands flashed over the panel, and fell prone without hesitation or

the captain into a small boat, and con-

tinued to watch as they bore

it

one

question a heavy

beam

literally

blasted

of the largest buildings of the city. a series of ramps they took the
placing
it still

Up
form,

away a
air

large portion of the roof of the

structure.

The speedster shot

into the

and dropped down until she rested upon the tops of opposite walls; walls
glowing, semi-molten.

upon a soft couch in an enormous and heavily guarded central

finally
hall.

Costigan turned to his companion,

still

The

girl piled

CHo, and even through the helmets she

could see plainly the white agony of bis
expression.
tried

a stool upon the table and stood upon

it,

reached upward, and seized the mailed

hands extended downward toward her.

Costigan heaved her up into the vessel

twice to speak

but he
their
tion.

with a powerful jerk, slammed the door

shut, leaped to the controls,
ster darted

He moistened his lips and tried and failed; made no move either to cut off power or to change their direc-

and the speed-

away.

"Of

course,"

she approved,
I

steadily.

"We

are going through.

to

know

that

YOUR armor's
Better put
it

in that bundle there.

you ivant
ally did

and check your Lewistons and pistols no telling what kind of jams we'll get into," he snapped,
on,

if you actuwould never want to see you or hear of you again, and you would
it,

run with me, but

I

hate

me

forever."
that."

without turning.

"Bradley, start talking

"Hardly

....

all right,

I've got

your

line.

Better

leave his eyes

and

The anguish did not his voice was hoarse

hands did not vary

get your wet rags ready and get organized generally

every

and

strained, but his

second will count

the course of the speedster by so

as a hair's breadth.
little

much
finest

by the time we get there. We're coming so fast that our outer plating's white hot, but it may not be fast enoughs at that."
"It isn't fast enough, quite," Bradley

"You're the

fellow
I

that

ever waved a plume,

and

would love you no matter what

I'd trade

happened.

my

immortal soul

TRIPLANETARY
would get you out of this in it up to our necks and we can't dog it now. If they kill him we beat ithe and I both knew that it was on the chance of that happening
to the devil if
it

47

mess, but we're both

which Bradley was incarcerated, and a mighty beam had flared downward, digging a fiery well through floor after floor
of stubborn metal.

The

ceiling of the

amphitheater pierced, the beam expired

that I took

you

first

but as
it's

long as

all

three of

us are alive

all

three or

none."

and down into that assembly hall there dropped two canisters of Vee-Two; to crash and to fill its atmosphere with imperceptible death.

"Of
thrilled

course,''*

she said again, as steadily,

Then

the

beam

flashed

this

time to the depths of her

on again,

this time at
it

maximum

power,
half

being by the sheer

manhood
his

had thus simply voiced

the infinitely

of him who Code a man

;

and with
until

Costigan burned

away

of the gigantic building.

of such fiber that neither love of

life,

nor

Burned it away room above room gaped open, shelfouter atmosphere

;

more powerful love of her which she knew he bore, could make him
lower
I
its

like, to

the great hall

now

resembling an over-size pigeon-hole

Into that

high standard.

surrounded by smaller ones.

"We
am am

are going through.

Forget that

largest pigeon-hole the speedster darted,

a woman.

We

are three

human

beings, fighting a world full of monsters.

I

simply one of us three.

I will steer

your ship, fire your projectors, or throw your bombs. What can I do best?" "Throw bombs," he directed, briefly. He knew what must be done were they to have even the slightest chance of win"I'm going to blast a hole ning clear. down into the auditorium, and when I do you stand by that port and start dropping bottles of perfume. Throw a couple ol big ones right

and cushioned desks and benches crashed down, crushed flat under its enormous weight as it came to rest upon the floor. Every available guard had been thrown into that room, regardless of customary
occupation or of equipment. Most of them had been ordinary watchmen, not even wearing masks, and all such were
already down.

Many, however, were

pro-

tected by masks,
in
full

armor.

could
to

mount defenses of

and a few were dressed But no portable armor sufficient power

down

the shaft

make, and the

where, after
I

rest

of them most anyThey'll

cut the wall open.

withstand the awful force of the speedster's weapons, and one flashing swing of a projector swept the hall almost

do good
water."

wherever

they

hit,

land

or

clear of life.

"Can't shoot very close to Bradley with

too,"

"But Captain Bradley he'll be gassed, Her fine eyes were troubled.
he helped.
it'll

this

big beam,
of

but

I'll

mop up on

the

rest

them by hand.

Stay here and

cover me, Clio!"

Costigan ordered, and

Clio replied in-

"y^iAN'T
an hour.

I've got the anti-

went

V>dote, and

work any time under

open the door. I won't!" "I can't

to

That'll be lots of time

if

we

stantly.

"I don't
I'd kill
;

know

the controls well

aren't gone in less than ten minutes we'll

enough.
ley,

you or Captain Brad-

be staying here.

They're
full

bringing in
if

sure

but I can shoot, and I'm going

platoons of militia in

armor, and
it

to!" and she leaped out, close upon his

heels.

we
for

don't beat those boys to

we're in

plenty
!"

of

grief.

All

right start
to a halt di-

throwing

The

speedster had

come

rectly over the

imposing

edifice

within

Thus, flaming Lewiston in one hand and barking automatic in the other, the two mailed figures advanced toward Bradley; now doubly helpless: paralyzed by

48

AMAZING STORIES
" 'At-a-girl,
as he picked

his enemies and gassed by his friends. For a time the Nevians melted away before them, but as they approached more nearly the couch, upon which the captain

Clio

!"

cheered

Costigan,

tossed

up the burly captain and him through the doorway. "High-

ly useful, girl of

my

dreams, as well as

was, they encountered six figures encased

in

ornamental.

In with you, and we'll start

!"

armor
that

fully as capable as their

own.

out to go places

The beams
from
the
bullets

of the Lewistons rebounded

But getting the speedster out of

the

armor

in

futile pyrotechnics,

of the automatics spattered

now completely ruined hall proved to much more of a task than driving it
trials

be
in

and exploded impotently against it. And behind that single line of armored guards were massed perhaps twenty unarmored, but masked, soldiers and scuttling up the ramps leading into the hall were com;

had been, for scarcely had the Terresclosed their locks than a section of
the building collapsed behind them, cutting off their retreat. Nevian submarines and airships were beginning to arrive the scene, and were raying the building viciously in an attempt to entrap or
to

ing

the

platoons

of

heavily-armored

upon

figures

which Costigan had previously

seen.

crush the

Terrestrials

in

its

ruins.

Decision instantly made, Costigan ran

Costigan managed finally to b'ast his

out, but the

way

back toward the speedster, but he was

not deserting his companions,

Nevians had had time to as-

semble
instruct-

in

force and he was met by a

'"Keep the good

work up!" he
"I'll

ed the girl as he ran.

pick those

beams and of metal from every inimical weapon within

concentrated
of
range.

storm

jaspers off with a pencil ray and then stand off the bunch that's coming while you rub out the rest of that crew there and drag Bradley back here."

But not for nothing had Conway Costigan selected for his dash for liberty the
craft which, save only
for the

mense

interstellar cruisers,

BACK
armored
tion,

at the control panel, he trained

powerful
Nevia.

vessel

ever

built

two imwas the most upon red

last,

a narrow, but intensely dense pencil

of livid flame, and one by one the six
figures
fell.

And

not for

nothing had he
to

studied minutely and

the

least

Then, knowing that

attention

detail every item of its controls

its

Clio could handle the remaining opposi-

and of armament during wearily long days

solitary imprisonment.

he

devoted
so

his

to

the

and nights of

He
& *d

reenforcements

rapidly

approaching

had studied
at

it

under
it

test, in action,

from the sides. Again and. again the heavy beam lashed out, now upon this side, now upon that, and in its flaming path Nevians disappeared. And not only Nevians in the incredible energy of that beam's blast, floor, walls, ramps, and every material thing vanished in clouds of thick and brilliant vapor. The room temporarily clear of foes, he sprang again to Clio's assistance, but her task was

rest; studied
its

until

he

knew

thor-

oughly
ship
it

every possibility
!

and

what a

was

The

iron-driven generators

of his shielding screens handled with ease

the terrific load of the Nevians' assault,
his polycyclic screens

any material

projectile,

were proof against and the machines

supplying his offensive beams with power

nearly done.

She had "rubbed out"

all

opposition and, tugging lustily at Bradley's

feet,

were more than equal to their tasks. Driven now at full rating those frightful weapons lashed out against the Nevian blocking the way, and under their impacts

had already dragged him

al-

her

screens

flared

"brilliantly

most

to the side of the speedster.

through the spectrum and went down.

TRIPLANETARY
And
in the instant of their failure the vessel

49
much now
finally,

know

altogether too
;

to be let

enemy

nothingness
in the

was literally blown into no unprotected metal, how-

get back to Tellus

and

they'd

all

die of acute enlargement of the spleen

if

ever resistant, could exist for a moment pathway of those iron-driven tor-

we

get
I

away with
hope to
silent,
tell

this prize

ship of

theirs.

you

they'll

chase

nadoes of pure energy.

us!"

Ship after ship of the Nevians plunged toward the speedster in desperately suicidal attempts to ram her down, but each met the same flaming fate before its mass could collide with the ship of the TerThen, from the grouped submarines far below, there reached up red rods of force, which seized the spaceship and began relentlessly to draw her
restrials.

He

fell

devoting his whole atouter

tention to his piloting, driving his craft

onward
of

at such velocity that its

plating held steadily at the highest point

temperature compatible with safety.

in

down.

open space, hurtling toward the sun under the drive of every possible iota of power, and Costigan took off his armor and turned toward the helpless body of the captain.

Soon they were out

"What

are they doing that for, Con-

"He

looks so

....

so

....

so dead,

way? They can't fight us!" "They don't want to fight

want to hold
us,

Conway!
us.

Are you

really sure that

you
Just

They
to

but I

know what

do

can bring him to?" "Absolutely. Lots of time yet.

will

about that, too," and the powerful trac-> tor rods snapped as a plane of lurid
light

three simple squirts in the right places

drove through them.

Upward now

at

the highest permissible velocity the

few ships remaining above her she dodged there was nothing now between her and the
speedster leaped, and past the
;

do the trick." He took from a locked compartment of his armor a small steel box, which housed a surgeon's hypodermic and three vials. One, two, three,
he injected small, but precisely measured

amounts of the
localities,

fluids into the three vital

freedom of boundless space. "You did it, Conway; you did it!" "Oh, Conway, you're just Clio exulted.
simply wonderful!"

then placed the inert form upon a deeply cushioned couch.

"There!

That'll take care of the gas

in five or six hours.

The

paralysis will

wear
*'T

off before that, so he'll be all right

;

HAVEN'T

done

it

yet," Costigan
is

J- cautioned her.

"The worst

yet to

when he wakes up and we're going away from here with every watt of power we
can put out.
I

come. Nerado. He's why they wanted to hold us back, and why I was in such a hurry to get away. That boat of his is bad medicine, girl, and we want to put
plenty of kilometers behind us before he
gets started."

We

have done everything

know how to do, for the present." Then only did Costigan turn and look
Clio's

down, directly into

into
his,

eyes.

Wide,

eloquent blue eyes that gazed back up

freighted

"But do you think he will chase us?" "Think so? I know so! The mere facts, that we are rare specimens and that he told us that we were going to stay there all the rest of our lives, would make him chase us clear to Dustheimer's Nebula. Besides that, we stepped on their
toes pretty heavily before

tender and unafraid; eyes with the oldest message of

woman

to chosen

man.

His hard young

face softened wonderfully as he stared

at her; there

were two quick steps and

Clio's

they were in each other's arms.

lithely

tigan's

we

left.

We

tightened around her

rounded form nestled against Cospowerful body as his mighty arms his neck and shoul;

so

AMAZING STORIES
other hand, I gave Rodebush a lot of
data,
less

der were no less enthusiastically clasped,

and
eager

strongly only

because of

her

and
it

if

he and

Lyman
stuff

Cleveland

woman's

slighter musculature. Lips

upon

can add

to their

own

and get that

lips,

blue eyes to gray, motionless

super-ship of ours rebuilt in time, they'll be out here on the prowl; and they'll
of

they stood clasped in ecstasy; thinking

nothing of the dreadful past, nothing of

the fearful future, conscious only of the
glorious, the

wonderful present.

have what can give even Nerado plenty argument. No use worrying about it, anyway. won't know anything

We

"A^LIO

mine .... darling .... girl, V^girl, how I love you!" Costigan's deep voice was husky with emotion. "I
haven't kissed you

until we can detect one or the other of them, and then will be the time to do something about it."

"If

Nerado catches
I

us, will

you

."

years!

I
;

don't

rate you,
I

of steps of
this
.
.

but
."

if

mess,
.

for seven thousand by hundreds can just get you out I swear by all the

She paused.

"Rub you out?

will not.

Even

if

he does catch us, and takes us back to Nevia, I won't. There's lots more time

space

"You
way "Chop
.

needn't, lover.

Rate met Good

just the other

coming onto the dock.

hurt either
scars, I'd kill

Nerado won't of us badly enough to leave

a second
if it

Heavens, Conway?
.

It's

either physical, mental, or moral.

."

you

in

were Roger;

"I'm

still

he commanded in her ear. dizzy at the idea of your loving

it!"

me
this

at

all,

to say nothing of loving

me

and he's thoroughly bad. But Nerado's a good enough old scout, in his way. He's big and he's clean. You
he's dirty

way!

But you

do,

and

that's all I

know,
could

I could really like that fish, if I

ask, here or hereafter!"

Love you!" Their muembrace tightened and her low voice thrilled brokenly as she went on: "Con"Love you?
tual

meet him on terms of equality sometime?"

"/ couldn't!" she declared, vigorously. "He's crawly and scaly and snaky and
;

way, dearest
but you

.... know ....

I can't

say a thing, !" Oh, Conway

he smells so .... so ...

."

AFTER a time
tremulous,

Clio

but

supremely

drew a long and happy

deeply.

"So rank and fishy?" Costigan laughed "Details, girl mere details. I've
;

seen people
the of

who

looked like

money

in

breath as the realities of their predica-

ment once more obtruded themselves upon She released herself her consciousness. gently from Costigan's arms. "Do you really think that there is a
chance of us getting back to the earth, so that we can be together .... always?"

violets

bank and who smelled like a bouquet that you couldn't trust half
to

the length of Nerado's neck."

"But look what he did

protested.

us!" she

"And
us."

they weren't trying to

recapture us back there; they were trying to

kill

"A

chance, yes.

probability,

no," of
is

"That was perfectly

did and what they did

he replied, unequivocally.

"It

depends

upon two
a start

things.

First,

how much
His ship

what else could they have done ?" he wanted to know.

all right,

what he-

we
he

got on Nerado.

the biggest

and he

fastest thing I ever saw,

and
ner

if

strips

her

down and
he'll

drives

"And while you're looking, look at what we did to them plenty, I'd say. But we all had it to do. and neither side will

which

will

catch us long

blame the other (or doing

square shooter,
I
tell

it.

He's a

before

we can make

Tellus.

On

the

you."

TRIPLANETARY
"TT 7" ELL, maybe, but I don't like V a bit, and let's not talk about
him him
the circle of Costigan's arms.. Clio

51
nodded
that

her head against his shoulder.

any more. Let's talk about us. Remember what you said once, when you advised me to 'let you lay,' or whatever it was?" Woman-like, she wished to dip again lightly into the waters of pure emotion, even though she had such a
short time
their

"Of

course

can,

dear.

Now

you are with me, out here alone. I'm not a bit afraid any more. You will get us back to the earth some way, sometime I just know that you will. Good-night, Conway."
"Good-night, Clio
Bradley's side.

before led the

;r
l

man

out of

....

little

sweetto

profoundest depths. But Costigan,

heart," he whispered, and

went back

into

whose hard

e love of

woman had

never before entered, had not yet recovered sufficiently from his soul-shaking

In due time the captain recovered consciousness,

and

slept.

Then

for

days

plunge to follow her lead.

distrusting his newly found
piness,

Inarticulate,

the speedster flashed on toward our distant solar system

;

supreme haphe must needs stay out of those

days during which her

screens

enchanted waters or plunge again.

cle

he was afraid to plunge diffident, still deeming himself unworthy of the miraof this wonder-girl's love even

And

wide-flung
cold.

detector

remained

"I

don't

know whether I'm

afraid

they'll hit

something or afraid that they

though every
its

fiber of his being shrieked

won't,"

Costigan

remarked more than

demand

to

feel

again

that

slender

once, but finally those tenuous sentinels

body in
acted

his clasping arms.

He

did not

did in fact encounter an interfering vibration.

consciously

think

those

thoughts.

He

Along the detector

line

visi-

them without thinking; they were

think

beam

sped, and Costigan's face hardened

inherent in His personality.

"I do remember, and
a
I
still

as he saw the unmistakable outline of

it's

Nerado's
them.

interstellar cruiser,

far behind

sound

idea,

even though

am

too far

gone

now

to let

you put

it

into effect,"

"Well, a stern chase always was a long

one," Costigan said
finally.

he assured her, half seriously.

her, tenderly

He

kissed

and reverently, then studied her carefully. "But you look as though you'd been on a Martian picnic. When
did you eat last?"
"I

catch us for plenty of days yet

"He can't ...

.

now what?"
tectors
still

for the alarms of the de-

had broken out anew.

There was

don't
I

remember,
think."
last

exactly.

This

another point of interference to be investigated. Costigan traced it; and

there, almost

morning,

dead ahead of them, between

"Or maybe
morning?
I

night,

or yesterday

them and
two

their sun, nearing

them

at the

thought so!

Bradley and

incomprehensible rate of the

vessels'
velocities,

sum

of the

can eat anything that's chewable, and

came

another

drink anything that will pour, but you Ill scout around and see if I can't.
can't fix

cruiser of the Nevians!"

up something

that you'll be able

"Must be the sister-ship, coming back from our System with a load of iron,"
Costigan deduced.

to eat."

He rummaged through the store-rooms, emerging with sundry viands from which
he prepared a
highly satisfactory meal.
sleep

she

is,

we may be

able to dodge her

"Heavily loaded as and

;

she's

coming so

fast that if

we can
right

stay

out of her range well be

or four days.

all

she
is

"Think you can

now,

sweet-

won't be able to stop for probably three

heart?" After supper, once

more within

But

if

our super-ship

52
anywhere
in these parts,
!"

AMAZING STORIES
now's the time
the
side-

for her to rally 'round

through the illimitable reaches of empty space, and now the long vigil of the keeneared listeners was to be ended.

He

gave the speedster

;

all

Rode-

would take then, putting every available communicator tube behind a tight beam, he drove it sunward and bethrust she

bush cut off his power, and through the

deafening roar of tube-noise an almost
inaudible voice
".
.
.
.

made

itself

heard.
us.

gan sending out a long-continued

his

call to

all

the help

you can give

fellows

of

Triplanetary's

Secret

Samms
This
is

ClevelandRodebushanybody
who
can hear me, listen
Costigan, with

Service.

of Triplanetary

Mis Marsden and

NEARER
became evident

and

nearer

the

flashed, trying with all her

Nevian power
it

Captain Bradley, heading for where

think the sun
is,

we

from right ascension

Distance
of

to intercept the speedster;

that, heavily

and

soon

about six hours, declination about plus

fourteen
degrees.

laden though

unknown,
light-years.

she was, she could

meeting.

make enough sideway

but

probably

hundreds

to bring her within range at the time of

Trace

my

call.

One Nevian
sun.

ship is over-

hauling us slowly, another

they've got partial neuinertia,

is

coming

to-

"Of

course,

tralization

of

the

same as we

have," Costigan cogitated, "and by the

may or may not be able to dodge it, but we need all the help you can give us. Samms Rodeward us from the
bush
tary.

We

way

he's

coming
well as

I'd

say that he had

orders to blow us out of the ether

he
can't

Clevelandanybody
."
.

of Triplane-

knows
tive

as

we do

that

he
I

Endlessly the faint, faint voice went

on, but

capture us alive at anything like the relavelocities

Rodebush and Cleveland were

we've got now.

can't

give her any more side thrust without overloading the gravity controls, so overStrap down, loaded they've got to be.

no longer listening. Sensitive ultra-loops had been swung, and along the indicated
line shot Triplanetary's

super-ship at a

velocity

you two, because they may go out entirely !"

which she had never before even approached; the utterly incomprehensible, almost incalculable velocity attained

"Do you think that you can pull away from them, Conway?" Clio was staring
in

by

inertialess matter, driven

through an

almost perfect vacuum by the "'Boise's"

horrified

fascination

into

the

plate,

maximum
would
earth's!
lift

projector blast a blast which

watching the pictured vessel increase in

size,

her stupendous normal tonthe full frightful measure

moment by moment.
girl,

nage against a gravity five times that of

"I don't know,

try.

but I'm going to

don't, though, I'm

At

Just in case

we

of that velocity the super-ship literally

annihilated distance, while ahead of her

going to keep on yelling for help.

solid?

In

All

right,

boat,

DO YOUR

the furiously driven, but scarcely faster

STUFF !"

spy-ray

beam

tore on in quest of the

three Terrestrials

who were

calling

for

CHAPTER
The Meeting

XIII

help.

of the Giants
blast,

^HECK

your

Fred, I think

"Got any idea how fast we're going?" Rodebush demanded, glancing up for an instant from the observation plate. "We
should be able to see him, since

sharply.

I hear something trying to come through!" Cleveland called out, For days the "Boise" had torn

we could

hear him, and our range

is

certainly as

great as anything he can have."

TRIPLANETARY
"No,
ter

53

can't figure velocity without

any
mat-

even touched our detector screen yet. I'm

reliable data

on how
cubic

many atoms
meter

of

exist

per

out here,"

mighty glad to have seen you fellows again, though, anyway."

Cleveland was staring at the calculator.

"It's constant, of course, at the value at

"A

couple of hours!"

In his

relief

Cleveland

almost

shouted

which die
to
it

friction of the

our thrust.
long.

medium is equal Incidentally, we can't hold

a temperature,

"That's time to burn.

out of the Galaxy in

We
less

the words. can be clear

than

..."
!"

We're running

He

broke off

at a yell

from Rodebush.
that

which shows that we're stepping along faster than anybody ever computed be-

"Broadcast, Conway, broadcast

worthy had

cried, as Costigan's

image had
power,

Taking Throckmorton's estimates it figures somewhere near the order of magnitude of ten to the twenty-seventh. Fast enough, anyway, so you'd better bend an eye on that plate. Even after you see him you won't know anything about where he really is, because we don't know any of the velocities involved our own, his, or that of the beam and we may be right on top of him." "Or, if we are outrunning the beam, we won't see him at all. That makes it
fore.

disappeared utterly from his plate.

Now
stopping
space,

he cut
her

off the "Boise's"

instantaneously

in

midbeen

but

the

connection

had
his

broken.

Costigan could not possibly have

the orders
to

heard
pick

change

beam

signal to a broadcast, so that they could

it up; nor would it have done any good if he had heard and had obeyed. So immeasurably great had been their

velocity that they

speedster

without seeing

nice piloting."

the ultra-plates, and

had flashed past the it, even upon now they were un-

"How
when we "Lock
if

are you going to handle things

get there?"
to

known

billions

of miles beyond the fugi-

them and take them aboard

If not, if they are fight-

we're in time.

ing already

there they are!"

The
room
gan's

picture of the speedster's control

flashed

had come so far to help far beyond the range of any possible broadBut Cleveland had understood inwhat had happened. He now had a little data upon which to work, and his
tives they

cast

stantly

upon

the plate

voice

greeted

them

and Costifrom the

fingers

were flying over the keys of the

blast,

calculator.

speaker.

"Back

maximum,
that'll

seventeen sec-

"Hello, fellows, welcome to our city!

onds I" he

directed, crisply.

"Not
!"

exact,

Where

are you?"
don't know," Cleveland snapped

of course, but

put us close enough

to find 'em with our detectors

''TTTE

Then
at the

for the calculated seventeen sec-

VV
you
air.

back, "and
either.

we

don't

know where
breathing

are,

Can't figure anything

still

onds the super-ship retraced her path, same awful speed with which she
far.

without data.

I see you're

had come so
there,

The

Where much time we

are

the

Nevians?

How

plainly limned

blast expired and upon the observa-

got yet?"
afraid.

"Not enough, I'm

By

the looks

of things they will be within range of us in a couple of hours, and you're so

far

was the Nevian speedster. "As a computer you're good," Rodebush applauded. "So close that we can't
tion plates,

use the neutralizes to catch him.

If

we
I

away

yet that

it

took our voices four

use a dyne of driving force we'll overshoot him a million kilometers before

minutes and about

fifty

seconds to

make

the round trip, on the ultra!

Play that
haven't

can snap the switches out"

on your

calculator,

Lyman

You

"And

yet he's so far

away and going

so

54
fast that
if

AMAZIJNG STORIES
we keep our
full

inertia

on

it'll

the studs the "Boise"'

was upon them;

direct

take

all

day at

drive

to

overtake

had struck them

pact.

in

central

im-

him."

Cleveland was
to

frankly puzzled.

Moving
at

at the full measure of her

"What

do? Shunt

in a potentiometer?"
it."

unthinkable
ship
the

velocity

"No, we don't need

Rodebush
"Costigan!
!"
it

turned to the transmitter.

was most

though the superthe moment* of impact, yet

recording instrument;
could

delicate

We

are going to take hold of you with

of

the

speedster

not

detect

the

a very light tractor.

Don't cut

slightest

shock as the enormous globe

"A

tractor

inertialess?"

Cleveland

struck the comparatively tiny torpedo and

wondered.

clung to

it

accommodating

instantly and

"Why
tractor,

effortlessly her

not?" Rodebush launched the

set at
its

own

terrific

pace to that

absolute

minimum

of the smaller and infinitely slower craft.

Clio sobbed in relief

of

power, and threw in his master switches.

and Costigan, one

arm around
to see

her, sighed hugely.

While hundreds of thousands of miles

separating the two vessels and the tractor

which

beam was exerting the least effort of it was capable, yet the super-ship
in the twink-

"Hey, you space-fleas!" he cried. "Glad you and all that, but you migfr
kill
!

as well
to death

man

outright as scare him

leaped toward the smaller craft at a pace

So

that's the super-ship,

huh

which covered that distance

ling of an eye.
jectives

SOME
way!"

ship!"

So rapidly were the obenlarging upon the plates that

focusing
devices

"Hello,

Conway!" "Clear ether, ConThe two scientists answered the

the

automatic

could

hail of their fellow.

scarcely function rapidly

enough

to keep

them

in place.

Cleveland flinched invol-

"I didn't realize that an inertialess approach would be quite such a terrifying
spectacle, or I

untarily

and seized his arm-rests in a

would have warned you,"

on.

first inertialess

spasmodic clutch as he watched this, the space-approach; and even

Rodebush went
the super-ship
last.

"Yes, thanks to you.

Rodebush, who knew better than anyone else what to expect, held his breath and
swallowed hard
at at the unbelievable rate

suits

works as she should, at But you had better put on your and transfer. You might get your
. .

which the two vessels were rushing

things ready. " 'Things'

."

together.

is good !" Costigan laughed, and Clio giggled sunnily.

AND
speedster,

if

these two,

who had

rebuilt

"We've made so many transfers already that what you see us in is all we
have," Bradley explained.
ourselves,

the space-flyer, could

trol themselves,

hardly conin the

is

and

we'll

what of the three

"We'll bring hurry; that Nevian

who knew nothing whatever

coining up fast."
"Is
there anything on
this ship

Clio. of the super-ship's potentialities? staring into the plate with Costigan, ut-

you

fellows want?" Costigan asked.

tered a piercing shriek, as she sank her

swore a mighty deep-space oath and braced himfingers into his shoulders. Bradley
self

against certain annihilation.

Costi-

"There may be, but we haven't any enough to let her inside and we haven't time to study her now. You might leave her controls in neutral, so
locks big
that

gan stared for an

instant, unable to be-

Lyman can
right."

calculate her position if

lieve his eyes, then his

hand darted to the

we

should want her later on."

contacts which would cut the beam.

late.

Too

"All

The

three

armor-clad

Before his flying fingers could reach

figures stepped into the "Boise's"

open

TRIPLANETARY
lock, the tractor

55
it.

the speedster flashed

beam was cut away from

off,

and

the load, and they carried

And

again

the

now

Triplanetary's every mighty

weapon was

stationary super-ship.

brought into play.

"Better let formalities go for a while," Captain Bradley interrupted the general
introduction taking place.

"I was scared

THE

"cans" were thrown, ultra- and infra-beams were driven, the furi-

out of nine years' growth when I saw you coming at us, and maybe I've still got the humps; but that Nevian is coming up fast, and if you don't already know it I can tell you that he's no light
cruiser."

ous macro-beam gnawed hungrily at the

Nevian's defenses
;

defenses went down.

and one by one those In desperation the

his every gen-

enemy commander threw

to see Cleveland's even

erator behind a polycyclic screen; only

more powerful
it.

"That's
rhat

so,

too," Costigan concurred.

drill

bore relentlessly through

that
last

Punc-

fellows got enough stuff so you think you can take him ? You've on him, anyway you can certainly run if you want to!" "Run?" Cleveland laughed. We have
got the legs

"Have you

tured
soon.

defense,

the end came

secondary

SX7 beam was now

in place

on mighty Ten's inner rings, and one fierce blast blew a hole completely through the Nevian cruiser, Into that
hole entered Adlington's terrific

a bone of our

own

to pick

with that ship.

We

licked her to a standstill once, until

set of generators,

and their gruesome

fellows,

bombs and where

of
the

since

we burned out a we got them

all

and

they entered, life departed.

vanished, and under the

All defenses
blasts

fixed we've been chas-

ing her
ing her

over space.

We

were chascall.

"Boise's" projectors,

now unopposed,

the
in-

when we

picked up your

metal of the Nevian vessel exploded

vapor.

See there?

She's doing the running."

stantly into a widely spreading cloud of

The Nevian was running, in truth. Her commander had seen and had recognized
the great vessel which had flashed out of nowhere to the rescue of the three
Terrestrials
;

Sparkling vapor, with perhaps

here and there a droplet or two of

terial

ma-

which had only been

liquefied.

So passed the
of Nerado.

sister-ship,

and Rode-

and, having once been at

that

bush turned his plates upon the vessel

grips

with

venge f ul

super-dread-

But

that highly intelligent

nought, he had
encounter.

little

stomach for another

Therefore his side-thrust was

amphibian had seen all that had occurred. He had long since given over the pursuit
of the speedster, and he did not rush
in to

now
tion;

being exerted in the opposite direc-

much
self

he was frankly trying to put as distance as possible between him-

do hopeless battle beside his fellow Nevians against the Terrestrials. His
detectors

and

Triplanetary's

formidable

analytical

had written down

In vain. A light tractor was clamped on and the "Boise" flashed up to close range before Rodebush threw
cruiser.

each detail of every weapon and of every

screen employed
;

and even while prodigi-

ous streamers of red force were raving

out from his vessel, braking her terrific

on her inertia and Cleveland brought the two vessels relatively to rest by increasing gradually his tractor's pull.

progress and swinging her around in an

And

this

immense
bling and

circle

time the Nevian could not cut the tractor.

his scientists

back toward far Nevia, and mechanics were douinstallations,

to

Again
into
it

that shearing plane of

force bit

redoubling the power of his

to match overmatch those of

and tore at it, but it neither yielded nor broke. The rebuilt generators of Number Four were designed to carry

already Titanic

and

if

possible

Triplanetary's super-dreadnought.

56

AMAZING STORIES
kill

"Do we
him
suffer

him now or do we

let

under
ploded

full

beam

control; only to be ex-

a while longer?"

Costigan

harmlessly in

mid-space,

to

be

demanded.
"I don't think so, yet," replied Rodebush.

rayed into nothingness, or to disappear

innocuously
against

impenetrable

poly-

"Would

you,

Lyman?"

cyclic screens.

Both

vessels

were equipped

NOT

yet," replied Cleveland, grimly,

completely with iron-driven mechanisms; both were manned by scientists capable

of

reading the thought of the other

it.

wringing the

last

possible

watt of
ap-

and agreeing with

without a guide.

"Let him

pilot

us to
it

power from

their sources.

They were

Nevia; we might not be able to find

proximately equal in

While we're at it want to so pulverize that crowd that if they never come near the Solarian system again
they'll

we

size, and each now wielded the theoretical ultimate of power for her mass; therefore neither could

harm

the other, furiously though each

was

think

it's

twenty minutes

trying.

too soon!"

And more and more nearly they were approaching the red atmosphere of

Thus

it

was

that the "Boise," under

the world of the amphibians.

that

Down

into

only a few dynes of propulsion, pursued Apparently exerting the Nevian ship.

every effort, she never came quite within range of the fleeing raider; yet never

crimson blanket the two warring down toward a city which Costigan recognized as that in which Nerado made his headquarters.
space-ships dropped,

was she

so

far behind that the

space-ship

was not

in clear register

Nevian upon

"Better hold off a bit," Costigan cautioned.

"If I

know

that bird at

all,

he's

her observation plates.

Nor was Nerado

alone in strengthening his vessel. Costigan knew well and respected highly the

cooking up something," and even as he spoke there shot upward from the city
a multitude of flashing
ians
balls.

The Nev-

Nevian

scientist-captain,

and

at his sug-

had mastered the secret of the exit

gestion the entire time of the long and

plosive of the fishes of the greater deeps,

uneventful
ing
the

flight

super-ship's

iron-driven limit

was spent in reenforcarmament to the of theoretical and me-

and were launching

in a veritable

storm

against the Terrestrial visitor.

chanical possibility.

"Those?"

asked

Rodebush,

calmly.

Thus, when Nevia and her hot, blue sun appeared upon his plates Rodebush was ready for any emergency, and hurled his battleship upon the Nevian with every But so was Nerado weapon aflame.
ready; and, unlike
vessel

The

detonating balls of destruction were even the atmosphere beyond the polycyclic screen, but that
literally annihilating

barrier

was scarcely

affected.

"No,
ical

that," pointing out

a hemispher-

her

sister-ship,
scientists

his

dome

which, redly translucent, sur-

was

manned by

well

versed in the fundamental theory of the

rounded a group of buildings towering high above their neighbors. "Neither

those high towers nor those screens were
there the last time I

weapons with which they fought. Beams, rods, and lances of energy flamed and
flared;

was
time

in this town.

planes and pencils cut, slashed,

They're
that's
all

stalling

for

down

there,

and

stabbed;

defensive screens glowed

those fireballs are for.

Good

redly or flashed suddenly into intensely brilliant, coruscating incandescence. Crim-

sign,

toomaybe
If
not,

they aren't ready for

us yet.

you'd better take 'em

if

son

opacity

struggled

sullenly

against

while the taking's good; and

they are

violet curtain of annihilation.

Material

ready for

us,

we'd better get out of here

in

projectiles

and torpedoes were launched

while we're

all

one piece."

TRIPLANETARY

57
warfare was waged.

AMD
i

in fact

Nerado had been

in touch

spectacular
it

Well

with the scientists of his city; had

was

for Triplanetary, that day, that its

been instructing them in the construction

of

converters

and

generators

of

lotypic iron
inally

super ship carried ample supply of alwell it was that her orig;

such weight and power that they could

crush even the defenses of the super*hip.

Gargantuan converters and gen-

erators had been doubled and quadrupled

They were
of

not,

however, quite

done-, the
ities

entirely unsuspected possibilspeed inherent in absolute in-

ertialessness

had not entered into Ne-

power on the long Nevian way! For that oven-girdled fortress was powered to withstand any conceivable assauYc but the "Boise's" power and momentum
in

rado's calculations.

were now inconceivable, and every watt

"Better drop a few cans down on that dome, fellows, before they make trouble for us," suggested Rodebush to his

and every dyne was

hellishly
ing,

solidly behind that

flaming,

that

voraciously tear-

that

irresistibly

ravening

cylinder

gunners.

of energy incredible

"We
reply.

can't,"

came Adlington's

instant

"We've been trying it, but that's Can you drill it? a polycyclic screen. If you can, I've got a real bomb here that special we built that will do the trick if you can protect it from their beams until it gets down into the water."

Through the Nevian shield that cylinder gnawed its frightful way, and down
its

protecting length there drove Adling-

ton's

"Special"

bomb.

"Special"
girth
that

it

was indeed; so great of

could
orifice

it

barely
of

pass

through

the

central

Ten's

mighty

projector,

so

"I'll

try

it,"

Cleveland answered,
physicist.

at

heavily

charged with

sensitized

atomic

nod from the

"I
I

couldn't
couldn't

drill

Nerado's polycyclics, but

its detonation upon any planet would not have been considered for an

iron that

use any

momentum on

him.

Couldn't

instant

if

that
to
its

planet's

integrity

ram him
off,

he

meant
the

fell

back with

my

thrust.

anything
shielding

attackers.

Down

But that screen down there

so

can't
it.

back Get

pipe

of

force

the

"Special"

maybe

can work on

screamed under
neath the
plunged.

full propulsion,

and beocean
it

your

special ready,
I"

and hang

on, every-

surface

of

Nevia's

body
an

The "Boise"
altitude

looped upward, and from

miles

"Cut!" yelled Adlington, and as the

scintillating
drill

of

dove

downward

expired,

the

bomber

through a storm of force-balls, rays, and

shells
;

snapped his detonating switch.

a moment the of F'R plosion seemed unimportant.
effect

dive

checked abruptly as the

the ex-

hollow tube of energy, which was Geveland's

drill,

snarled savagely

down ahead

dull,

of her and struck the shielding hemis-

low rumble was

all

that

was

to be heard

phere with a grinding, lightning-splitting

shock.

of a concussion that jarred red Nevia to

As

it

struck, hacked by

all

the

her very center; and

all

that

could be

enormous momentum of the plunging space-ship and driven by the full power
of her mightiest generators,
it

seen was a slow heaving of the water.

But
ly,

that heaving did not cease.

Slow-

bored

in,

so slowly

it

seemed

to

the observ-

clawing and gouging viciously through

the tissue of
that
rigid

ers

now

high in the heavens, the waters

;

and unyielding
Then, mighty

barrier of pure energy.

drill

up and parted revealing a vast chasm blown deep into the ocean's rocky
rose
bed.
tains

driven

and plunging mass against ironwall, eye-tearing and furiously

Higher and higher the lazy mounof

water

reared ;

effortlessly

to

58

AMAZING STORIES
fragthat

pick up, to smash, to grind into

ments, and finally to toss aside every

building,

ever

structure,

every

scrap

when we first neared your planet, so much life, both Tellurian and Nevian, might have been spared. But
is past cannot be recalled. As reasoning beings, however, you will see

of material substance pertaining to the

what
the

whole Nevian
Flattened

city.

backward for were urged, leaving exposed bare ground and broken rock where once had been the ocean's
out,

driven

futility

of continuing
is

a combat in
of course, decities,

miles the tortured waters

which neither of us
ing the other.
stroy

capable of injur-

You may,
our

more of

Nevian

in

busy
1

floor;

while tremendous blasts of

incandescent gas raved upward, buffeting even the

space-ships,

which case I should be compelled to go and destroy similarly upon your earth;
but,

enormous masses of the two poised by their breathless

site

to reasoning minds, such a course

is

of procedure

sheerest folly."

crews so high above the

plosion.

of the ex-

Then
water
pit,

the displaced millions of

Rodebush cut the communicator beam. "Does he mean it?" he demanded of

Costaigan.
"It

tons

of

rushed

back into

that

sounds reasonable, but

broke in Cleveland. "Al. .

newly rived

seeming to seek in that

mad

rush to

make even more complete

torrents

"But
"Yes,
it,"

fishy/'

the already total destruction of the city.

together too reasonable for a

."

The raging
yawning

poured into
it,
;

that

he

means

it;

every word of

cavern,

filled
it

and

piled

interrupted Costigan in turn. "That's

mountainously
piling up, again

above

receding

and

the
less.

way

they are.

Reasonable, passion-

and again, causing tidal waves which swept a full half of Nevia's mighty, watery globe.

we
too.

Funnythey lack a lot of things have, but they've got a lot of things
more of us Tellurians had
Give

that I wish

me

the

plate

I'll

talk

for
re-

THE
Nerado's
that long

city forever silenced,

again

directed

his

Rodebush weapons upon

first

Triplanetary,"
stored.

and the beam was

vessel, but the

Nevian was no
time in

longer fighting.

For the

screens,
ever,
to

and bitter engagement, not a His Nevian beam was in operation. however, were as capable as and after a few
fruitless attempts

Nerado," he greeted the Nevian commander. "Having been with you and among your people, I know that you mean what you say and that you speak for your race. Similarly, I believe that I

"Captain

can speak for the Triplane-

bush

make an impression upon them, Rodecut off his own offensive and
of
it,

tary

Council

the

government of three

turned to Costigan.

of the planets of our solar system in saying that there need be no more conflict

"What do you make You know these people

"I
voice

better than

Conway? we
Nerado's
I

between our peoples.

also

was

do; what are they up to?"

wish to

talk

to

you,"

compelled by circumstances to do certain things which I now wish could be undone; but as you have said, the past
is

came from the speaker, "and

past.

Our two

races have

much

to

could not do so while the beams were You are, I now perceive, a operating.

much

higher form of life than any of

;

from each other by friendly exchanges of materials and of ideas, while we can expect nothing except mutual exgain
termination,
if

a form perus had thought possible haps as high in evolution as our own. It is a pity that we did not meet you

we

elect to

continue this

warfare.

offer

Triplanetary.

Will

you the friendship of you release your

TRIPLANETARY
screens
treaty ?"

59
The Solarian system was
which the Nevians were

and

come

aboard

to

sign

be balanced.

rich in iron, to

"I will come; my screens are down." Rodebush likewise cut off his power, although somewhat apprehensively, and Nevian lifeboat entered the main airlock of the "Boise."

welcome;
dant

red
of

Nevia

possessed

abun-

stores

substances

which upon

earth were extremely rare and of vital

Therefore commerce was to be encouraged. The Nevians had knowlimportance.

edges

and
but

skills

unknown

to

earthly

THEN,
of
there

at a table in the control

first

room

science,

Triplanetary's

super-ship,

many
fore

things, to us

were entirely ignorant of commonplace. Thereof

students

was written the

first

Inter-Systemic

interchange

and

of

Treaty.

Upon one
amphibious,

side the three

Neloop-

books was highly desirable.

And

so on.

vians

cone-headed,

Thus was signed

the

Triplanetario-

necked, scale-bodies, four-legged things to

us monstrosities
:

Nevian Treaty of Eternal Peace.

Ne-

upon the other the three

rounded-headed,
two-legged

rado and his two companions were escorted ceremoniously to their vessel, and
the

humans,

air-breathing,

shortnecked,

smooth-bodied,

"Boise" took off

in

an

inertialess

creatures equally monstrous to the fastidious

dash

toward
that

earth,

bearing

the

good

Nevians.
of

resentatives,
felt

Yet each of these reptwo races so different,

race increase
as

news
more.

the

Nevian menace was no

respect

for the other

Clio,

now

a hardened space-flea, im-

within

him minute by minute

Nevians

the

mune even

to the horrible

nausea of
in

in-

conversation went on.

ertialessness,

wriggled

lithely

the

The

had

destroyed

Pitts-

curve of Costigan's arm and laughed up

at

burgh, but Adlington's

bomb had blown

vessel

him.

an equally populous Nevian city out of

existence.

"You
way, but
give

can talk

all

One Nevian

had wiped

I don't like

you want to, Conthem a bit. They

I

out an entire unit of Triplanetary's fleet

me

the

purple jitters!

suppose

had depopulated one Nevian city and had seriously damaged another. He had also beamed down many Nevian ships. Therefore loss of life and material could
but

Costigan.

practically

unaided,

that they are really estimable folks; tal-

ented, cultured, and everything; but just

the

same

I'll

bet that

it

will

be a long,

long time before anybody on earth will

really, truly like

them!"

The End

THE LOST CITY

MILTON
A New Serial
R.

PERIL'S
in the

impressive story of a lost people

Commencing

May

Issue

The ^hCentankah
By FRANCIS
The name of this story gives a clue name for a new party, and possibly
on the government
it

FLAGG
It

to its topic.

really

seems

to suggest

with

all the intellect

now

being lavished
It is certainly

might be adopted for immediate use.

most suggestive
spiritual basis of

in substitutittg for the physical basis of mechanics, the

mind.

The readers

will find in

it

a new development of

the most suggestive kind presented in a most amusing way.

Illustrated

by

MOREY
sorts,

THIS
if

is a strange story, and you are the kind of person

a dilettante of
arts,

a patron of

the

stout, distinguished looking gen-

who

believes nothing without

tleman under sixty,

leges

who endowed

col-

overwhelming proof, read no

further,

for

the

story

is

an

and founded chairs and laboratories for research work. Through these be^
he

incredible one acters

and centers around chardivergent

as
to

nevolences

became acquainted with

widely

back-

ground

and walks of li f e B ronson, Smith and Stringer. Bronson was by way of being an adventurous man, one
seven seas,
first

Professor Stringer, the physicist, whose

remarkable achievements in his chosen field (which also covered mathematics)

had won him an international reputation.

who had
fo'cas'le

sailed the

Professor Stringer was not a "pop-

as

hand, then

ular" scientist, his abstruse and remarkable paper

Its

as mate and skipper of rusty tramps for

Chinese owners

in

the

Orient.

Yet he

Relation

was by no means uneducated, though the knowledge he possessed on a wide range of subjects seldom met with in the repertoire of that type of tramp captains,
had been gleaned from books and not from colleges. Olson Smith had picked

cally

on "The Electronic Flow and With Time" being practiunknown to the general public
his colleagues he

But among
coveries

was regarded
actual
dis-

with great respect

in the

for

his

realm

of

physics;

and

even

looked askance at the radical theories advanced

in his paper, portions of the paper itself

though

many

of

them

him up I never rightly understood when or how-^in the Indian Ocean and made
him captain of
querading
as
his sleek

were received as a genuine,

abstract,

if

somewhat

ocean liner mas-

contribution to knowledge.

yacht.

Olson

Smith
canny

Olson Smith read the paper.

How

could afford the luxury of thousand ton

yachts, because his father had been

much
tion.

of

it

he understood
the

is

a moot ques-

As
I

secretary of his benefacin I

enough to get

into a packing-house

com-

tions

was instrumental
"Here,"

bringing
said,

it

bine at the right

moment and

so turn

to his attention.

"is a

an already sizable fortune into millions. Olson himself, however, had nothing to do with the packing business aside from
helping to

chance to do something for pure science."

He was
terested.

not at

first

inclined to be

in-

"The

thing," he said, "is

moon-

spend

its

profits.

He was

shine,

pure moonshine."

"For heaven's sake, man!" The Professor tried to reach his "Careful, you fool! Careful! Don't touch anything!"

side.

62
"Perhaps
precedes
sider,
sir.

AMAZING STORIES
so,"
I

replied;

must remember
the
.

that the

"but you moonshine often

science.

ploits,

that

Olson Smith declared him

multimillionaire
his

to be.

The

practical
.

Con;

one to make friends of

was scarcely hired men,

."

He

considered

and

be they valets or private secretaries, but

after due reflection loosened the pursestrings.

between
doubted

himself intimacy

and Bronson an unexisted,

based,

per-

haps, on the dual nature of the Captain.

PROFESSOR

Stringer graciously al-

Bronson was capable

prize winner

either of

fighting

lowed himself to be endowed.

He

or of discussing the merits of a Pulitzer

:

was (one sensed) fed up with wasting

his genius on unappreciative college stu-

a sort of

Wolf Larsen

of

a fellow, but more versatile and amenable than Jack London's character.

wanted money, much he said, to carry out his experiments. But he made it clear that he was honoring Olson Smith
dents
;

and

he

money, a million

dollars

There was drink that night of course,

wines, liqueurs, and a very good brandy,
all

brought from the boat, but the Protouched

nothing.

by allowing him to donate the money; and strangely enough for Olson Smith

fessor

"A
he

scientist

must have a
alcohol
is

clear head,"

said,

was a
weight
agreed.

plutocrat convinced

of

his

own

not conducive to that

no

"and

and

importance

the
of

magnate
Professor
little

The

personality

But he drank coffee, and when the servants had served it and left us alone,
he

Stringer
scientist

and

this dried-up

wizened

began

to

talk,

almost

musingly.

in the middle

fifties

possessed
all

"Time," he
the
agination.

said,

"is the great

enigma,

a dynamic personality
it.

carried

before

phenomenon

that captivates the imtravel

in
it

Olson Smith turned over to him his Long Island home, built workshops and
laboratories,

We

from the
Nothing,"

cradle to the grave, and yet," he said,

seclusion

his annual trip to the

and then left him to the and privacy he desired, taking Bermudas. What

"what do we know of time?

he
to
said, "nothing, save that
it

is

related

space."
all

He

paused and looked at

with one thing and another

see

we

did not
until

us

half -dreamily.

"As you know

I

Professor
later,

Stringer

again

have discovered a force that

Electronic
related

call
I

the

year

when

the yacht tied the

up

at the

Row, and

that force

have
I

private pier of

Long

Island

estate

to the

phenomenon of
in

time.

and we dined with him.

Smith,

Besides Olson

am
the
that

convinced
subject
the

my

various papers on

Professor Stringer and myself,

three others were present that night, a

Electronic

have sought to show Flow, being to all

capable of bear-

middle-aged business
son,

man named

Glea-

intents

and purposes the absolute as far

are concerned,
its
is

pooing and good

ruddy of face from constant shamliving, a noted surhis

as

we

ing us on

bosom

into the future.

is

Or

geon who does not wish

description

name or

rather

its

tremendous speed

capable

given here, and Captain Bronson of the steam-yacht. Perhaps I have failed to mention that Captain Bron-

of holding us suspended at the core of

things,
.
.

while the phenomenon of time.

."

He
as I

was a remarkably handsome man, somewhere under forty, whose medium height and slender figure belied the great phvsical strength that was really his.
son'

more

directly. "Really,"

know
clear.

broke off and regarded us he said, "I donf am making this subject very But you must understand," he

said, "that there are points,

on which

He

certainly did not look the two-fisted

am

not very clear myself.

Whether

the

fighter,

the dubious hero of shady ex-

speed of the electronic flow carries one

THE MENTANICALS
forward into time, or the speed of time
passes one held in the electronic flow,
is

63
financial sense, this time

he

said,
is

'a

mait

chine

yours.

If

you care

to

see

a question

difficult

to

answer.

Yes,"

demonstrated ..." he stood up.

he

said,

"very

difficult to

determine.

Of

The business man did not

muttered
nuts

stir.

He
But
fresh
as

course I did not start

my

recent investi-

something

about
his

damn-fool
glass.

gations with any intention so radical as

and snorted into

building a

Time Machine.
intentions

Not

at first,"

the rest of us were interested.

he

said.

"My

were merely
."

to

breeze

was blowing
and helped,

off

the

water,

verify mathematically some further theories,

we

passed from the house to the laborapartially,

and

to demonstrate.

He mused

tory,

to

dissipate

"But do you know the idea of an actual Time Machine grew on me? It were," he said, "as if something
a moment.

the fumes of alcohol.

Professor String-

er threw open the laboratory door and

turned on the

lights.

We

saw

it

then,

whispered in

my

very brain and drove

it.

me

on.

I can't describe

Foolishness

an odd machine, shiny and rounded, occupying the center of the workshop floor. had been drinking, you will recollect, and my powers of observation were not
I

of course.
chine."

But

built

the

Time MaSmith.

He

looked

at

Olson
the

"Yes," he
chine.

said, "I built

Time Ma"I

at

their

best.

It

It lies in the

laboratory yonder;

the

others.

When
it.

was the same with I questioned them

dethis,"

and to-night
going
time
!"

to-night," he said,
it

am
first

later,

they could give no adequate

to

demonstrate

for

the

scription

of

"So

said

Olson
un-

Smith rather

flatly, "is

a time machine."
little
it

The

doctor walked
I

abouta

THE
whiskey

business

beefy

individuals

man was one of who stare

fail to

those
into

steadily
all

noticed

and

viewed

from
the

angles.

"The passenger,"
the
it

said

glasses,

and make strange noises

Professor, "sits here.

Notice this lever

dial;
this
it

in their throats

when they

under-

on

the

graduated face of

stand anything.

"Stuff and nonsense,"

controls the machine.

Turn

way

he said now, "stuff and nonsense."

from Zero and one

don't

travels into the past;

Bronson stared

at

him.

"Oh,

throw
future.
will

it

ahead and one travels into the

know."

The

return of the lever to Zero

the
in

"But

to travel in time!"

return

machine to
time.

the

point

"It does

sound absurd."

of

departure
, .

The

electronic
details.

"Absurd," said the famous doctor.

flow.

."

he went into obscure

you know what they said about iron steamships sinking and heav-

"And

yet

"Will

it

work?" demanded the Doctor.

.

ier-than-air flying machines."

"According to the equation. "Equations?"

".
.

."
.

"That was
"Different,"
".
. .

different."
I

it

cannot help but function."

said with conviction.

"If time travelling were possible."

in

my
time

time," said Olson Smith;

Bronson laughed loudly.

in time!

"To

travel

"building

machines."

He

looked

That

zvottld

be an adventure."

reproachfully at his glass.

"Will some

"On

paper," jibbed the Doctor.

one," he asked, "pass the brandy?"

Bronson laughed again.

about that."

"We'll

see

The brandy was

passed.

We
good
put

were
for

all

drinking; more than was

perhaps.
coffee cup

us
his

The Professor
and addressed
"In a sense,"

ALL
felt

of us were a

little

drunk,

tell

down

you,

and

despite

the

respect

we

himself to Olson Smith.

for Professor Stringer as an emin-

64

AMAZING STORIES
occurred
old the
terrific

ent scientist, no one believed in his time

explosion

by the

machine.

am
Or

quite certain that Bron-

stone

wall,

half

mile

from, the

son didn't.
his

did he?

have sketched
is
little

workshop, and when we hurried there,

background and there by temperament

doubt
he

that

and

training

was to find Bronson entangled in a wreckage of steel and other metals. We

it

was a wild and

perate chances.
that

reckless fellow,

to doing bizarre things

one given and taking des-

hauled him forth.

shreds,
battered, his

body terribly
it

With a quick movement

and

His clothes were in bruised and was some time before

to

no one anticipated he stepped forseated himself in the passenger

he could be made
was.

realize

where he
"for

ward and
him
liant,

"Brandy!"

he

exclaimed;

seat of the
yet,

odd contrivance.

can see

God's sake give

me brandy!"

We

gave

his face flushed, his eyes bril-

his

mop

of dark hair disordered,

"All aboard for the future!" he shouted

recklessly.

him brandy and other things, and the doctor patched him up, and we rushed him to a hospital, where in time he recovered from the shock and his broken
bones
knit.

"For heaven's
you
fool!

sake,

man!" The Pro"Careful,

fessor tried to reach his side.

careful!

been
livid

his

But the beauty that had was forever marred by a

diagonally crossing the nose

Don't touch anyabruptly ahead.

scar

thing!" But Bronson grasped the lever

and running to the bulge of the jawbone.

and pushed

it,

pushed
describe

it

He

fingered

it

as he told us of

How

can

what

followed?

his incredible adventure.

There was a chaotic moment when the machine spun we saw it spinning, a A sudden wind rushed blurred mass.

II

Branson's Story
(he TIME nomenon,
travel in

through the room in quick fury, raged,

subsided,

and

left

us

staring in

dumb
spot.
it

said)
I
it

is

the great phethat,

amazement and fear at an empty The machine and Bronson with

know
ah,

but

to

that

seemed imI

had vanished before our eyes!

possible to

the point

of

absurdity.

That was on June the first, a little before midnight, and five days passed, five days, during which Bronson was
lost

had read H. G. Wells' "The Time Machine," as

tastic

who

has not, deeming Wells' story

is

it

fan-

fiction.

fantastic

to

his

own

time and place.

fiction, of course,

though scarcely as fanmyself

in

Ahead

of us in time!

That was the

tastic as

what
I

I experienced.

implication.

When
fessor's

seated

the

Pro-

Gcse to the machine when Bronson turned the lever, Professor Stringer had
been thrown to the
floor, his

time

machine

that

night

and

pushed over the

to
tell

head struck
as
it

by a portion
whirled into
up,

of

the

machine

lever, I have no need you that I was in a drunken and reckless mood. The room turned around like a pin-wheel, dissolved into mist.

invisibility.

We

picked him

me
I

unconscious, and for days he hov-

was conscious of the

terrible vibration

The next ered on the verge of death. morning the business man went his way
to

of the machine, of a deathly sickness at

the pit of

my

stomach.

Blackness fol-

the city,

ignorant of

what had
fatly.

oc-

lowed the mist.

Wells describes what

curred.

"Time machines," he

chortled,

"time machines," and smiled

the rest of us settled

But

the character in his story saw as he journeyed into the future, the procession

down

to wait for

of days and nights ever accelerating their

motion, but
I

we

Ww

not what, and on the fifth day

saw nothing

like that, per-

THE MENTANICALS
haps from 'the beginning the speed was
too great.
retained
Terrified, bewildered,
I

65

color.

They were machines

as to

it

thought
rea-

yet

of

them

machines
suppose

and
that

was

enough presence of mind

halt.

to de-

sonable

behind

press the lever into neutral and so bring

rhe

lurked a

human
I

intelligence.

them The people

machine to a

Moments passed
seat,

of the future,
devices

thought, have invented

while I lolled in
then
It

my

blind,
I

dazed
see.

my

vision cleared

was day.
can
I

Sunlight

Everything was strange

and could around and

fell

unknown to us of the Twentieth Century; and it came over me how wonderful

it

me.

was going

to be to

meet those

different.
I

superior people, talk to them, gaze upon

the marvels

How
great,

make you

see what

saw?

with which they had sur-

The machine

stood near one end of a

rounded

themselves.

open square that was surrounded

So

went
soft
at

to

meet the
whispering

cylinders.

by massive buildings.
I

Those buildings

Their
ing to

meant

nothI

yet there

had never seen was a

their like before.

And
of

me

first.

Nor

at first did

similarity

of

line,

suspect the source of the gentle pres-

mathematical precision which linked them

with the architecture of

sure

running over

me from
came
of

head

to

New York

and

foot, as the cylinders

close.

Then
I

Chicago.
struction

It

was

as

if

the building concarried

with an

odd

thrill

apprehension

of

to-day

had been

realized that the curious cylinders

to

cliine

an extreme length. As if the inahad carried it forward. I did not

.
, .

handling, examining me, that

emanated an

electrical

force, a

were from them manipu-

think that at the moment, but later.

lation of invisible rays

which functioned

The
this,
I

walls

of

the

massive

buildings

as organs of touch.

Alone, bewildered,

were broken by yawning doorways. So

thought,
less
is

trying vainly to comprehend the strange

situation,
I

the future

it

can be

had

to

call

on every ounce
fool

nothing

than that.

I stepped out of
it

of
I

my

self-control to

remain calm. Yes,

says of

the machine, holding on to

port,
still

for sup-

was afraid
is

feeling terribly sick

Then

gliding

saw the cylinders! from one of the openings in an upright fashion, and this was the
I

and giddy. They came

never

only the but more afraid

showing
fear.

he

being

afraid, of

I still believed

that behind those cylinders

must lurk

human
making
tides,

intelligence.

The genius of

the

singular

thing

about them,

that

their

race seemed

means of locomotion were not apparent There were no wheels or to the eye. treads. They appeared to skim the stone
or concrete with which the square

run along the line of There was the "metal brain" at Washington, that told of the
to

robots.

the electrical

eye which watched

paved, rather than touch

pellant they were,
I

was it. Oddly reand intimidating, and

its

a thousand industrial processes, a myriad

automatic devices functioning with

or
;

little

loosened the automatic in

shoulder

holster

the

no supervision from man and of course I had read the play "R. U. R.,"
science fiction stories dealing

small one I always carry

with the

as I

and prepared for emergencies, though bullets were useless against the cylinders was to discover later.

future of machinery, and

table

strange,

that

should

it was ineviand yet not so strange expect an advancement,

a realization of

all

those things in the

I

THE
about

cylinders

were smooth things

a dulled metal

future.

Man

the inventor,

thought,

five feet tall, of

hue, with here and there shining spots

this

had achieved them; and for a moment belief seemed borne out when I

which constantly waxed and waned

in

saw the men.

66
They were
and the
in

AMAZING STORIES
city of buildings,
all

one of the buildings, which I was

sides of

The

cylinders

seemed
I

watching

atten-

tively, listening.

don't

soon to know, lay on

and

they gave
I

me

that impression;

know how, but and now

on them

beyond the square.

did not struggle

noticed that the shining spots

when
away.

the cylinders lifted and carried

me

were glowing
sound.

intensely, that their whis-

That

is,

ceased

my

involuntary
It

pering was not a steady but a modulated

resistance almost at once.

less to

was

use-

As
I

if it

were language,
if

I thought,

struggle against a force far suto

language! and a strange dread came over

perior

my own

puny strength; bewere carry-

me and

shivered as

with cold. Other

sides I believed the robots

ing me to their human masters. The building into which I was taken through an arched openingwas a
vast place; too vast,
too

men, perhaps a dozen in number came forward, naked and shambling, with
beast-like looks on their faces and rumblings in their throats. In vain I endeavored to communicate with them, intelligence seemed dead back of

stupid

overwhelming

for

me

to describe save in the vaguest,

human

most general terms. You know how it is when you see something stupendous, something so intricate that you are bewildered by its very complexity. There

their lack-luster eyes.

Filled with rising

in

horror,

squirmed
tore

the grip of the

their hold

cylinders

and suddenly
and
I

on me

relaxed
fled,

myself

free

and

was a huge room

less

filled

with almost noisetheir places like

possessed with but one overwhelm-

machines rooted in

ing desire, and that was to win to the

shackled monsters, or going to and fro

time machine, leave this uncanny future

on cables and grooves which determined

their spheres of activity.

and return to

my own

day and age. But

it

Strange lights
I

the arched opening leading to the square

glowed, weird devices toiled; but

tell

can

had vanished, blank wall rose where

you no more than that;

saw them

for too short a time.

The men were among those machines.

At
I

had been. The cylinders appeared to watch me with cold impersonal watchfulness. The thought of being marooned

sight of
is

them
the
I

my

heart leapt. Here,

intelligence

among them
future

in this incredible
chill

and
to

alien

thought,

human

back

brought the
I

sweat

my

of the wonders

view, the masters of

forehead, but

did not lose

my

head.

the cylindrical robots; yet even at that

Perhaps the closing of the doorway had

not been a calculated thing; perhaps
I
if

moment
giving.

was aware of a doubt, a misthe

awaited events with caution and pa-

One

of

men shambled

forward.

tience the door

I

would re-open; meantime

His blond hair long and matted fell Otter the forehead and he brushed it back with a taloned hand and stared at me stupidly. "Hello!" I said, "what
place
is

could search for other exits.

BUT

other exits did not give on the

I

square

desired.

discovered but

this,

what year?
let

Tell

these

two of them anyway, though there may

have been

robots of yours to

me

go."

many more, one

leading into

was naked and thin, his skin of a greeniih pallor, and save for a mouthing of toothless gums, vouchsafed me no answer.
sponse
Chilled by his lack of re-

He

a dark, forbidding tunnel, the other giving access to a second square entirely

surrounded by buildings.

was afraid

to venture into other buildings for fear

my

heart

fell

as suddenly as
I

it

of going astray, of losing the neighbor-

had

leapt.

Good God!

thought, this

can't be master here, this pitiful thing.

hood of the time machine. Filled with what feelings you can imagine, I re-

THE MENTAMCALS
turned
to
I

67
in the prepara-

the

first

doorway

(through
it

advance of that utilized

tion

which
closed.
like

had been carried) to find

still

of
it

certain

foodstuffs
I
filled

today.

Be

Then

thought of the beast-

that as

may,
I

my
if

pockets with

men. Perhaps they possessed knowlcould succeed

them, and
search
will

dare

say
I

edge that might be helpful to me; perhaps after

all

the

clothes

returned
pellets.

you were to in you

in

com-

find

some of those

municating with them.

It was hazardous work penetrating any distance in that maze of almost noiseless and ever-toiling

1 SPENT
ingly they

several hours at the squat-

ting place of the beast-men trying to

mechanisms, but
steps

followed in the footretreating

beast-

talk to them, but without success.

Seem-

of

the

timidly

were as are the animals of

men and
chinery,

so at last

came

to a kind of

the field, lacking coherent language,

men
to

squatting place in the midst of the

ma-

who had somehow

talk,

lost

the

power

which

locality

appeared to be

to

think, the ability to grasp the

their place of abode, since a

number of

women with children cowered there, and the men showed a disposition to pause and dispute my further progress. At
the edge of the squatting place I seated

meaning of simple signs, such as possessed by the lowliest aborigine to-day. In

vain I speculated as to the reason for
this.

That the cylinders were somehow

I
felt

responsible

certain.

Man,
the

myself,
tion,

my
lit

automatic
a cigarette.
I

ready

for

ac-

thought,

had developed the robot, the

machine,
until

and

know

of nothnico-

automatic

human

ing that soothes the

tine.

nerves like

worker was ejected from the industrial

process and cast out to degenerate and
perish, the beast-men being a surviving

Slowly the beast-men drew near

I

me.
tures.

smiled and made Some half-grown

peaceful geschildren crept

clothes.

remnant of those
though
left

toilers.

This reason-

closer

and
eating,

fingered
I

my

They
scuttlepellets.

ing seemed plausible enough at the time,

it

were
like

noticed, a kind of biscuit

at will

much

to be desired, for, in

which they took

from a

machine, and chewing small

from which I had come, wasn't the machine replacing huthe twentieth century

Water ran through a huge metal trough

with a subdued roar.
got

man workers

with a ruthlessness

sug?

After awhile

gestive of what I found in the future

up and went to the trough to satisfy a growing thirst, helping myself at the same time to biscuits from the scuttle. They were rather flat in flavor lacking salt perhaps and possessed a peculiar The pellets were taste I did not like. They too were obtained from a better. scuttle -machine (I can call them nothing

How

right I

was

in

my

reasoning, and

how wrong, you

Thinking thus
cylinders.

will shortly see.

it

was natural

that
to

should again turn

my

attention
I

the

Never once had

observation,

been free

from
of
it.

their

or unconscious

Through them,
the
rulers

I thought, I shall

contact

of

this

realm,

the

else)

and

were pleasant to chew.

all

human
the

masters whose servants they are,

soon discovered that swallowed

intervals

at regular

pitiless

ones

who have doomed

grimly waited

one of them gave had eaten an hour

ravenously
hungry.
a

the sen-

portion of humanity to beast-hood and

extinction.

sations of having partaken of a hearty

So

meal.

twenty centuries?
feeling

before, but

or

prey

was

it

to

what

emotions

you

can

imagine

ate again,

observing the beast-men,

watching the

Probably
dehydrated
in

blank wall for the possible opening of

the

the

pellets

represented

way

to the square
all

method of concentrating foods, far

chine,

and

the time

and the time maaware of the

68

AMAZING STORIES
cylinders.
I

coming and going of those

every precaution,
lessly

lost

Time

passed

how much
since

of

it

had no

and
my

my way hopelost

spent futile hours trying to

steps.
I

means of
finally
I

telling,

my

wrist-watch

retrace

have been
;

in

refused to run; but a long time; and

tropical jungles.
in

There was that time

grew

tired of

waiting for the

Siam.

cylindrical

robots

to

communicate
to

my
their

so panic-stricken.
alien

But never before had I felt Remember, I was an

presence to their masters, or to conduct

creature

me

there,

and
of

decided

seek

separated

in an incredible future, from the only means of re-

presence myself.

turning to

my own
like
its

place and time.

One
gave
start-

By way
luded
to,
I

the

opening already

al-

square was
similar to

another,

one building

gained access to the second

squares

neighbor.

Soon

were a peculiar feature of the place, as I was soon to learn. There were no streets or roads
square.

The

up the vain
ing
point.

effort to return to

my

My

sole

hope now lay

this

in

finding

the

rulers

of

bewildering

leading

from

square

to

square;

the

maze.

squares were isolated with radiating arteries

That night
darkness
thirst
fell

knew

it

was night when

always ending against some buildat least those did, that I explored.

in the squares

ing

I slaked

my
and

with a trickle of water running

a
pipe,

Dusk was
square.

falling

as

entered
it

the

from

swallowed

pellet,

Indescribably

lonely

was,

almost instantly sank into the sleep of

exhaustion.

lonely and weird, to look

stars blazing

up and see the

I

far overhead.
to

followed

The next day

were

came

to a part of the

one radiating artery

another, another.

a blank wall;
I

city free of the beast-men.

The squares
were

Then suddenly
further

was
re-

larger, the radiating arteries

too

tired

to

proceed

and

spendid roads, but in the midst of

many

turned to the vicinity of the closed door, where I lay down at the base of the
blank wall and
fell

squares stood circular buildings not met with before. I entered one of them and

asleep.
I

was surprised to

find

huge rooms
tools,

filled

The
with

next morning
pellets

filled

my

pockets
out.

with

pieces

of

rusted

shovels,
all

and
after

again
I

started

spades, chisels, hammers, axe-heads,

Square

after

square

passed through,

displayed in a kind of chronological order.

and building
terfere with

building.

The

cyl-

The thought of

its

being a
It

museum
was only

inders were everywhere but did not in-

did not occur to

me

at once.

my

movements.

group of

after a while that

self,

them constantly accompanied me, but whether always composed of the same Their incescylinders I could not tell.
sant
thing,

I exclaimed to my"Why this looks like a museum !" Then the inevitable conviction came: "It is a museum!" But who could have ar-

whispering

was a
felt

nerve- wracking
like

ranged
nothing.

it?

Certainly

not

the

witless

and

often

turning on

them and

shooting.

WISH
I

could
full

tell

you

all

saw:

men I had seen This failure to find human beon a par with the stupendous buildings and machines all around, filled me
beast-men, and of other
ings,

buildings

of

toiling

machinery
of beastarteries

with anxious forboding.

cylinders.

gazed at the
time
it

and now and then a score or so men; squares and radiating

For the
that

first

came

over

me

they were the only uni-

without a blade of grass or a tree, and never an animal, a bird, or an insect.

versal inhabitants I had seen.

ered, amazed, I
to

Bewild-

On

that first

day of exploration, despite

wandered from building building, and from floor to floor (for

THE MENTANICALS
some of
a dozen
the buildings had
floors

69

as

many

as

taken in believing the odd metal disks

accessible

to

myself,

arranged

in

piles

on shelves and

tables,

gained not by stairways, but by gradually

mounting run-ways or ramps

for

in cirI

and consulted by the cylinders, to be a species of recording plates but it was

cular wells), engrossed in what

forgetting
plight.

saw,

here

found the books.

They were

in

the

nonce

my

terrible

boxes of thin metal, the better evidently

to protect

them from

injury.
!

There were chambers filled with fragments of machines such as cash-registers, clock-wheels, gasoline engines, and similar devices. Nothing was complete; nearwear and ly everything showed the
tear of
time.

The

thrill

of seeing those books

Old,

they were, old, covers gone, pages torn

And

there were

others

containing various machines more or less

correctly reassembled

automobiles,
tives
;

for

instance,

from ancient parts and locomo-

with an arrangement of simpler

couldn't

mechanical forms leading to more complex ones.

all

and missing; but they were books and magazines, thoitgh few in number, and I examined them eagerly. All this time'* the cylinders were following me, watching me, as if weighing my actions, and all the time I fought back a feeling of weirdness, uncanniness. Unnerving it was, intimidating. I had the feeling that in some perfectly incomprehensible way

comprehend why

my
what
me.
I

actions

were being controlled,

I

di-

those things had been gathered to-

rected.

Experimenting,

thought, that's

gether for preservation and display; nor

they're doing, experimenting with

account for the age of them, their general condition of

ruin.

But you mustn't get the idea that

first.

realized or suspected this at

Even

it

Not on that was on the

day, nor on the next

last

up
of

to that

moment
as

was
or

still

thinking
devices

day that

spent in
to

the

cylinders

automatic
reason,

the strange future

library.

did

come

the

without

intelligence

and

it

And

here I must touch on an-

other phase of my adventure. have no idea how horrible

at times to be alone
yes,
I

You
it

can

must be kept in mind that, if I speak of them from time to time as if understanding their true
ning, I

became

nature from the begin-

among hundreds,
their subtle

am

speaking as one

who

looks

thousands of whispering cylinders.

back upon past

happenings

from the

was always aware of

touch.

and
felt
it

vantage-point of later knowledge.

invisible

Have you
I recall

ever

The books and magazines were typed

in

the antennae of an insect?

Like that

English!

was amazed of course,

of
the
as
cylinI

was, like that.

Gold Coast.

my

tottering sanity

one time on the Only it bolstered up and control to gaze

similar
in

seeing English print at such a time and

place.

The whispering
rose louder and
title

ders

louder

ex-

now and

then on creatures
if

amined a book. The

It dealt

page was gone.

structure to myself, even

they were

with a dry subject

interested

but the soulless beast-men of the machines.

city

dently

which

physics evilittle.

me

For

in all that vast

and

intricate

turned from the books to the magazines.

they were the only

human

beings

One was
March of
publication

dated

1960.

Nineteen-sixty!

I could discover,

and

began

to suspect,

that year.

And

the place of

to dread,

scarcely

knew what.

was given as
still

New

York.
this,

could not help but marvel at

for

CAME I
last

to the library, I say, on that

I

1960 was
future

twenty-six years in the

left

day.

did not

know
I

library at first

and

perhaps

was a was misit

when

that

night on

the

time machine, and to judge by the yel-

70
lowing pages of the magazine
old.
It

AMAZING STORIES
it

was

old,

So

thought at

first.

have a good
given exactly
(article)

was

difficult

to

decipher

the

memory; but of
as I read
titled
it.

course I do not claim

is

print,

many

of the pages being torn and

that everything I repeat

defaced; but a portion of an article I was able to read. "In 1933," stated the

The

story

was
I

"The Debacle" and

given as

the

author's
re-

unknown
brain-cell

writer,

"the

first

mechanical

name

Mayne

Jackson.

was invented; with its use a machine was able to learn by experience to find its way through a maze. To-day

peat with what fidelity I can.

"Little did the people of the latter half

of the twentieth century realize the

men-

we have machines with a dozen mechanical brain-cells functioning in every community. What is this miracle taking
place under our eyes,

ace to humanity that resided in the con-

tinuous
chinery. of

development of automatic ma-

There was that curious book

what of good and

creators?"

of

ill

does

it

bode to

its

Samuel Butler's, "Erehwon," which provoked comment but was not taken
seriously.

Over

a period of years the

MARVELING
another

much,

I in

turned

to

robot marched into action as a mechanical curiosity.

magazine

much

the

same condition, but this time lacking date or title page, where I gleaned the following
:

of

It was not until the genius Bane Borgson and of a host of

lesser

known

scientists

furnished

the
it

machine with
is

brain-cells
itself,

and so made

"Man

not a machine in the purely

sense,

conscious of

as

all

thinking things

mechanical

though many of his functions are demonstrably mechanical.

ability

must become, that the Mentanicals (as they were called) began to organize and
revolt. Man or rather a section of mankind, a ruling and owning class had furthered his immediate interests and

The

to

reason,
it

however

it

has

evolved, whatever

may

be at bottom,

whether a bewildering complexity of reflex actions or not, lifts man above the dignity of a machine. Does this imply

ultimate

doom by

placing Mentanicals in

every sphere of industrial and transportation

activity.

the

impossibility

of

creating
that can

machines
profit

Seemingly

in

need

of

(mechanical brains)
experience,

by

neither rest nor recreation, they became

ideal

go

through

the

processes

(and cheap) workers and servants,

which we
ated)

call

thought?

No;

but

it

does

replacing millions of

human

toilers,

re-

imply that such machines (however creare no longer mere mechanisms.

is

ducing them

to

idleness

The
all,

plea of

many

thinkers that the

and beggary. mabenefit

There

here a dialectical process to be

with.

chines

be socialized

for the

of

reckoned
Living
phrase

Machines
I

that

'learn'

are living machines."

machines
I

mouthed
to

over
it

and over

myself

and
.
. .

that

chic)

them be collecand not individual (that is, anarwent unheeded. More and more the masters of economic life called for
that the control of
tive

mouthing
chines.

looked at the cylinders

further

specialization

in

the

brain-cells

with increasing dread.

They were ma.

of the Mentanicals.

Mentanical armies

Were

they

could they

marched against
ful

rebellious

took the story in the third magazine (which like the others was woefully

But

it

countries, and subdued

slaughter.
revolt so

workers and them with fearMentanicals

so
insidious,
inevitable,

delapidated, with

many

pages and pieces

"But the
so

of

the

of pages missing) to clarify

my

thought.

themselves was
that for years

subtle,

Story

call it that
little

based

on fantasy,
fact.

(under the circumstance)

it

perhaps, and a

substratum of

went unnoticed.

THE MENTANICALS

71

EVERYTHING
ered
cally

into

their
:

had been surrendpower or practi-

claim

it

is

reflex action.

What

is

lang-

uage?
flex

It is the

marshalling of our re-

everything

factories,

means

of

actions

in

words.

Animals

may

communication, raising of food supplies,

policing of cities

everything! When the

danger,
it

"think", remember, but lacking a vocab-

ulary save of the most primitive kind (a

stupid ruling class at last

knowledge of
to act

its

awoke to a was to late

matter
thinking,

of

laryngeal

structure),

their

mankind
it

lay helpless before the

their remembering, is on the whole vague and fleeting, incoherent. But

monster

had created. "The first warning vouchsafed

Man, by means
to

of words, has widened

men

the scope of his thinking, remembering,

was the whispering of the Mentanicals. Heretofore they had been silent save for
the slight, almost inaudible purr of func-

has created philosophy, literature, poetry,

painting,
tion,

has

made

possible
era.

civiliza-

the

industrial

Vocabulary

tioning machinery within them, but

now

they

whispered

among

themselves

the ability to fix his reflex actions into

if they were talking. "It was an uncanny phenomenon. I remembered the uneasiness with which And when I saw several of I heard it.

whispered, as

crowned him supreme among animals. But now comes

coherent speech
the

has
of

Mentanical

his
its

own
turn.

creation,

evolving language in

Without
all

speech the Mentanical was, to

intents

them (house-servants of mine) whispering together, I was filled with alarm.

'Come!'
get your
I

said

sharply, 'stop loitering;

done.'

work
is

They

stared

at

and purposes, thoughtless and obedient, as thoughtless and obedient as trained domestic animals. But with vocabulary comes memory and the ability to think.

me.
metal

That

cylinders.

a funny thing to say of Never before had I

What
will
it

effect

will

this

evolving

faculty

have on Man, what problems, dangers,

pose for him in the near future?"

inquired very closely into their construc-

came over me, with a shock, that they must possess organs of sight some method of cognizing their
tion.
it

But now

"So

wrote

Bane

Borgson,

seventy

years of age, fifteen years after his in-

vention of the multiple mechanical-cell,

environment

akin

to that of vision in

and
to

God
wait

help

us

we
the

had not long

man. was at about this time that Bane Borgson the creator of the multiple
"It

for

the Mentanicals to supply

an answer
"I

to his questions.

have told of
servants.

whispering

of:

mechanical-cell which had

per- Mentanical
ticle in

made

the su-

my

possible

wrote
all
is

an

ar-

thing.

"Science
the

And Mechanics" which

of thoughtful
scarcely

to hear that whispering

radio,
drical

That was a disquieting But more disquieting still it was coming over the

riveted

attention

people.

He

said, in part: 'It

the telephone, to observe cylinMentanicals listening, answering.

felt

within the province of an applied scientist

Frankenstein must have

in

as

felt

to

become

speculative, yet the startl-

those

days.

During

that

period,

ing fact that the Mentanicals have begun

to acquire a faculty not primarily given

them by
speech,

their inventors

for
as

their

whispering
else

construed

nothing

the can implies

faculty of

lasted several years, things went smoothly enough; to a great extent peoaccustomed to the pheple became

which

be an

nomenon and decided

save
and

for a
there,

few
like

men and women

to myself

here

evolutionary process which threatens to

place

that

the

whispering was an

them on a par with man.

is

idiosyncrasy of the Mentanicals, implicit

in
their

" 'What

thought ?

The Behavorists

make-up, and that the various

72
scientists

AMAZING STORIES
with

talked

and thinkers who wrote and foreboding were theorists

and country was separated from country. "But before that happened man talked
of

and alarmists of the extremest type. Indeed there were certain scientists and philosophers of reputation, who maintained them in this belief. Then came the first blow The Mentanical servants
:

subduing
as

the yet

Mentanicals,
his utter

scarcely

realizing

helplessness

in the

face of their aloofness; but the

Mentanicals came and went, whispering,

gliding,

indifferent

to

his

plotting

and

ceased

waiting on

man!
the
terrible

planning.

sought to destroy the things of his

"'^T^O understand

nature

creation.

The machine,

Then man went mad; he own it was cried,

So starving millions upon the machines and
All over the civi-

X
stand

of this defection, one

must underbe-

had evolved too far; the machine must

be
annihilated.
fall

how dependant humanity had

the Mentanicals,
toilers

come on

In those days

sought to
tear
lized

human

were

relatively

few

in

them to
world

pieces.

number, laboring under the direction of the Mentanical superintendents and also
guards (in the bloody wars of a decade

they

attempted

this,

but

without weapons or tools of any kind,

before and
cimated)

the ones preceding

them

the ranks of labor had been woefully de-

was doomed to failure. A few Mentanicals were destroyed, a few automatic devices, but the power was
the attempt

and it was estimated that the growth of the machine had lifted, and was still lifting, millions of workers into
;

with the ensouled machine and the onslaughts

of

man were
times!

repulsed

with

comparative ease.

the

leisure

class.

The dream

of

the

"Those
ever

terrible

Technocrats
tists

How

can

group of

pseudo-scien-

and engineers who held forth in 1932-33seemed about to be fulfilled. "But when the Mentanicals struck, the
this

them! I was but thirtythree and newly married. Marna said

forget
breathlessly,

'Why

can't

we

strike

at

the root of all this?' "

whole fabric of
tottered.
cities,

new system swayed,

into

'How?'

Food ceased coming

distribution

the

" 'By attacking the factories that pro-

of
first

food
did

supplies
starvation

duce the Mentanicals, the power-houses

stopped.
tin-eaten.

Not

at

from which they derive

" 'Listen,'
I

their

energy.'

Men and women

fetched food

cried.

from the supply depots. But in a few weeks these depots were emptied of their Then famine threatened, not contents. alone in New York, Chicago, San Francisco,

"From
stricken
blare

the
cries

street

rose

the

panicshrill

of

the

mob,
room,
torn,

the

of

alarms.

Marna
the

shuddered.
breathing
disordered.

Morrow
heavily,

entered
his

Montreal, but in the great

cities

clothes

of Europe.

about
to

it

all

The strange, the weird thing was that men were still able

'God,' he said, 'they've beaten us back!

There's no getting at them

1'

talk

city.

to one another from city to Boston spoke to Los Angeles, and

" 'The wages

greed.' " 'What

of

sloth,'

said,

'of

Buda-Pest to Warsaw.
in

Listeners tuned

do you mean
I

?'

with receiving

sets,

speakers broad-

casted

through

microphones

and
;

the

NOTHING,'
membered
son's
fifteen

said;

but

re-

but newly improved television-cabinet the grim spectre of want soon drove them from those instruments, and, in the end, city was cut off from city,

that

speech

years

a youngster then

the

before-

of Denwas only

speech he gave a

month before

his

arrest

and execution:

THE MENTANICALS
'Man waxes
great by his control of the
utilized
it

73

machine; rightly

is

a source

Those who might have been able to lead us aright, act as our guides, were prisoners

of leisure and plenty for the race.

But

prisoners
!

in the

power of Menhunt
for
arti-

rob him of that control, evict him from

the industrial process, allow the machine
to be monopolized by a
class,

tanicals

" 'So

began

that

ghastly

and his His face

all

food; people pouring through the

ficial

doom is certain.' "Morrow sank

canyons of great

cities,

collapsing

into a chair.

in

thousands on their

streets,

dying daily

We was thin, haggard looking. showed signs of fatigue and hunger.

" 'Food,'

by the hundreds, the tens of hundreds.

he said,

'it's

giving out.

"T
-*-

TOW
A

much

of this agony and suf-

shudder to think what the future holds

in

fering

the

Mentanicals

under-

store for us.'

'"Is

there

no solution?'
at
. .

asked.
'I

stood will never be known. They came and went, seemingly indifferent to the
fate

"He

looked

us
.'

slowly.

don't

of

man whose

service

they

had

know. Perhaps. "Years before Morrow had been an engineer; he was nearing seventy now he was Mama's uncle. His had been

deserted.

In the privacy of their

homes, or in certain public places,

own men

and women
them.
It

smashed machinery, automatic devices. Nothing sought to stay

one

of

the

voices

raised

in

warning.

was only when they strove

to

Yet he had not been like Denson; he had wanted to stand between and seemingly there had been no standing be;

attack sources of power, of public utility,

that their actions

was

that devoted
to

were arrested. There band of scientists that

the

tween. " 'A charnel-house,' he said

will

sought
;

paralyze

energy- stations

'the city

become that;
die.'

all

the cities: millions

uncontrollably.

and was wiped out to a man. Doubtless many such bands perished throughout the civilized world.

must
'All,*

Marna shook
live.'

he

said, 'save those

who
It

can reach

ganized

efforts

were

But soon all orswept away by

food and

famine
live!

...

by the growing need for

"Reach food and

to
that,

our boasted civilization!

had come 'The

sustenance.

"That hunt for food!

be described?
of civilization,
Stript

How

can

it

Mentanicals,' he said, 'are ignoring

man
in

of the veneering

they will not

harm those who blend

Don't
length.

man

ran amuck.
cities.

HunBut

with

the

machine.

you
I

underI

dreds of thousands fled the

stand?'
replied,
I

he

said

at

'Yes,'

thinking intently, 'yes,

think

the huge farms and orchards, run solely by automatic devices under the. superin-

do.

You mean

that

the
still

automatic
continue,

tendency

of

Mentanicals,

were
too

surto

processes Of making food

rounded
scale.

by
in

sheer

walls

high

and

will indefinitely, that

we must make

Nor

many

cases did

our way to those places.' " "We must or perish.'

what
the
I

lay behind those walls.

men know They ate

"It

seems scarcely
of
the

credible,

know,

but

we

leisurethe cultured

and thistles of open places, the barks and leaves of trees, and for the most part died in abject
coarse grass
misery.

were ignorant of just where our was raised and manufactured. Human labor had been reduced in our cities to a minimum, had been sequesclass,

Many

sought to trap animals

little

food

and

birds,

but met with

success;
pitiless,

in the face of Nature,

raw and

men and women succumbed and

were able

but few

tered,

shut

away

for

fear of rebellion.

to adapt themselves to a

rough

74
environment and
"I a
live

AMAZING STORIES
almost as savages.
country with
printed, bound, stacked.

Useless things

know

I fled into the

Some day
attention

the Mentanicals will turn their

to

million

others,

and after weeks of

them
cease
;

some

day

those

wandering, of semi-starvation, of seeing

presses

will

to

function.

Man's
then

human

beings

fall

upon human beings

knell has

rung
?

see that.

Why

It and feast, I fled back to the city. was deserted of man. The Mentanical

do
I

write

Why

do

write to be published in

want what 1 some magazine ?

I

sanitary
pliances,
it

corps,

directing

automatic
streets.

ap-

hardly know. In

all

this vast city

we

had cleared the

Weird

was, weird and fraught with terror,

only

to hear the whisperings of the

icals,

Mentanglid-

at other centers of sustenance,

few hundred men and women are the human beings. But in other cities, men and
exist.
I

to

watch the inhuman things

women
be true,

Though

believe this to
it.

ing to and fro, intent on business other

cannot verify

Man

in his

than that of mankind. If they had looked

like

animals

If

madness destroyed most of the means of communication, and as for the rest,
the airships, the public sending stations,

"In an almost dying condition

to this spot

came

where
it

now

live.

Others
It is a manufac-

from the

first

they were in the posses-

had discovered
ture

before me.
to the

sion of the Mentanicals.

Perhaps

it

is

huge factory given over

of
synthetic

for those isolated units of humanity that

I write.
is
still

foods.

Though
have

the de-

Mentanical

superintendents

The magazine, the printed word a means of communication not

by
the

serted their posts, the automatic devices

quite

understood

Mentanicals.

go on with the
ing, oiling,

tireless

work

of repair-

Perhaps

..."
is

manufacturing, and we carry

out what tasks are needful to keep them

functioning.

THAT
but
all

the story that

read in the

"The years have passed

man now:
buildings

I am an old have watched the strange

;

third magazine. Not all that the unhappy Mayne Jackson wrote pages were missing and parts of pages illegible

of

the

Mentanicals

rise

up

that I could decipher.

I

In

tell-

around us and observed

ger social
life
I
;

their even stran-

ing the story

in reality
it

give

it

a continuity which

take shape and form; in write and print

for the
this.

lacked.

my

last

years

the fate of
tioned once

One wonders as to Morrow and Marna, menI

"Print, yes
esses

automatic proc-

and then heard of no more,

gave
little

for printing and binding and the

still

but at the time

making of synthetic paper

though the
civilization

persist,

them

thought to

that begot

them

terrible certainty that the story

was only overwhelmed with the was no

some time in the were not auto-

has passed away.

Magazines and books

work

of fiction, but an actual chronicle

pour from the press. In his latter days man had asked nothing but amusement and leisure all except a negligible few. Art was turned over to the machine. What had been in its inception a device for the coining of myriad plots for pop-

of what had happened

past, that the cylinders

matic robots doing the bidding of

human
which

masters, but an alien form of machine

life

and

intelligence
off

machine
all

life

had thrown
for

the yoke of

man and
was
left

ular

writers,

evolved

into

machine-

destroyed him.
intelligent

Useless to look further

author capable of turning out story after Strange, story without repeating itself.
strange,
to see

man:
the

that

of

him was

beast-men among the

those

magazines issued

machines
Filled with a species of horror at the

by the million copies, to see the books

THE MENTANICALS
thought, with sick loathing of the whis-

pering

Mentanicals,

straightened
I

and drew
self,

my

revolver.

up was not myI

tell

you,

but

animated with a

what I saw, came to an abrupt pause, for on a low dais occupying the middle of the room was the figure of a man Only this head was with lolling head.
free

berserk

fury.
that

"Damn
that
!"

you!"
I

cried,

"take
trigger.

and

massive

head

with

towering

pulled

the

The

roar

of

the

discharge

brow and wide-spaced eyes. The eyes were dark and filled with sorrow, the
the man the stared perhaps etched with stared astonishment for the man
face
face of a
in

crashed

through the huge room, but none of the Mentanicals fell; their metal exteriors were impregnable to such
things as
bullets.

seventies
I

suffering.

in

Trembling from the

to

hung as
can
I

if

crucified

on what

at first

reaction of rage, the feeling of futility,

I

took for a dully gleaming cross.

describe it?
I

How

lifted

my
at

hand

hurl

the

useless

did not see every-

weapon

the immobile cylinders,

and

thing in that first glance, of course, nor

in the second, though I
if
tell it

in the very act of doing so into rigidity

was

stiffened

here as

by the sound of a voice

Inexpressibly weird and
voice,
in

had.

But

his

outstretched

arms

human

voice!

were secured to the cross-piece of his

support with metal bands, his legs held
in the glass

mournful was that

expectedly as
in
it

heard so un-

was

that place,

and

same fashion.
or
crystal

the

moment

following the explosion

of the pistol.

the neck
voice, as if talking to

down

was the enveloping him from that it was some mo-

So

clear

"Oh," cried the

itself,

"to be "chained in this spot, never

it,

ments before I suspected its presence. I saw the gleaming, transparent tubes
through which ran a bluish
pulsating
ing, liquid,

to

leave

never

to
is

know what
there?" then
it

that
cried.

the

noise

means!
is

Who

mechanism

at his breast,

pumpat his

"Who
man

there?"

And

in

tones

pumping, the radiating box

thrilling

with unutterable sadness, "Mad!" that I am to expect an answer

!

feet
I

which gave forth a distinct aura saw, and could not restrain myself

But there was an answer

in reply. I
I

shouted

can hardly recall

shouted.

now what Hearing that human voice

whispering of those
like

clamation

from giving voice to an audible ex!" "Good God

:

The dark
lips

eyes

focused
are

above the

infernal

moved.

"Who
is

on me, the you?" breathed

Mentanicals

was

being

reprieved

the man.

from a horror too great to be borne. And as I shouted incoherently, I sprang

in the direction the voice

"My name
"and you?"

Bronson,"

replied

seemed to come
wall had ap-

from, the cylinders making no effort to

"God

help

me,"

he

said.

"I

am

oppose
peared

my

doing

so.

The

Bane Borgson."

unbroken from a distance, but a nearer view showed an opening which gave entrance to a room that, while small in comparison to the
smooth
arid

Bane Borgson
eyed.

stared at him, wideI

Where had

heard that name

before?
it.

My

mind groped.

Now

had

In the articles recently read.

"You

huge one
large.
It
I

it

adjoined,
lighted,

was nevertheless
as were
all

mean

..."
said.

was
could
the

the

"Yes," he

"I

am

that

unhappy

rooms which
I

had seen, by a soft

light

of

man, the inventor of the

multiple-cell,

never trace the source.

the creator of the Mentanicals."

entered

room, calling out,

filled

with excitement, and then at the sight of

His head lolled wearily. fifteen hundred years ago."

"That was

76
"Fifteen hundred years!"
incredulity in

AMAZING STORIES
There was
icals

have

come

and
the

gone

since

the

my

voice.

Debacle, and

now

Mentanicals be-

lieve that they

were not made by man,

"XT'ES," he

said, "I
I

am

that old.

And

but have evolved from simpler meclianical

*
as

for centuries
I

have been chained

you see me.

die.

heart began to miss.

to

There
to

was eighty when my But I did not wish were many things I
of

That

lieve this,

lingers

forms over a long period of time. is, their scholars and scientists bethough the old superstition still They have among thousands.

wished
life.

accomplish before yielding up

salvaged the evidence for this

new

the-

The world
indifferent,

man was growing

we
scientists

bored,

handful of us

but

ory out of the earth and the scrap-heap*

of

man and have arranged them

"'The museums!'
I

in

lived for the gaining of

intellect of

chronological order.

knowledge.
considered

This

mine was
fellows

exclaimed.

essential

by

my

He
I told

looked at

me

interrogatively,

and
with

so they experimented with

me, and fash-

him of

the vast

rooms

rilled

ioned for

my
it

use a mechanical heart

mechanical debris.

you
filled

see

pulsing at

my breastand
I

my

veins with radiant energy in-

T have never seen them/ he said 'but know that they exist, from the talk of

stead of blood. Radium," he said, "that

the Mentanicals."

you see and body was enclosed in its crystal 'When you are tired/ they said, casingBut the Debacle 'and wish to die ...
is

the basis of the miracle

He

smiled sadly at
said, 'I

my

amazement.

my

'Yes/ he

have learned to unall

derstand and speak the language of the

'

Mentanicals:

through

the

long

came, the accursed Mentanicals turned

against
serted.

dreary years there was nothing else for

me, and

was

left

alone,

de-

me

to

do.

And through

all

the weary

Before that
Fool that
"I

my
I

friends offered

years they have talked to me, asked

advice,

my
still

me
I

death.

was," cried Bane

gift.

treated

me

with

respect,
I

have

Borgson,
told

refused their
'this
is

'No/

housed
a

me

here; for to some

am

them,

but a temporary

god-like

beast-man,

half

machine
I

upheaval.

Man

will conquer,

must con-

look at this mechanical heart, the me-

quer;
left

await your return.'

So they
I waited,

chanism

at

my

feet

to
he

the scientists

me, to hunt for food, and

am
of

the missing link between that lower

life, man, and that higher form which culminates in themselves,

waited, but they never

came

back.'

Un-

form of
life

checked tears flowed down the withered

cheeks.

'Never/ he
in

said,

'never.

And

the machine.
tanicals

Yes.'

said,

'the

Men-

chained

my

place I

could sense but

man, the

dimly the tragedy that was overtaking rise to power of the ensouled
machines.

through

and
this,

At
was

first

they

worshiped

believe that they have evolved man to their present high state, have confirmed them somewhat in for in a sense is it not true?'

me me
'a

as

a god.
that I

In

know

their creator

divine

honors.

some fashion they and paid A god/ he said,

the destroyers

T TE
1A
of of
I

paused, with closed eyes

looked
scarcely

at

him,

and as pondered his

;

god, I

who had made

words,

believing

the

evidence

But the centuries passed A Menand the superstition waned. tanical lasts a hundred years and then
of

my

kind!

breaks
built.

down.

Other

Mentanicals

are

aware the Mentanicals behind me. They had stood there, a silent group, while the man on the dias spoke now their whis;

my

senses, I suddenly became,

Fifteen generations of

Mentan-

pering

began,

softly,

insistently.

The

THE MENTANICALS
head of
the

77

man who
lifted,

called

himself
eyes
you,*

'Not in the way they think, perhaps, but

still

Bane
said

Borgson
'They

the

dark

evolved.
!'

Besides you failed to see

articulated bodies of

opened.

are
;

speaking of

their

museums with
beasts.

Bane Borgson 'they are asking from whence you come. You have never

men and
cals'

There

is

much you
science,
;

failed to see

He

paused. 'The Mentaniof

is if

told

me

that.'

system of thought,
rational

*I have America/

come,'

replied,

'from

coherent and

to

them
well,

and

there be contradictions,
interfere with

does

that

'America!' he exclaimed. 'America has

past.

them making

scientific dis-

There

is

no America!"

coveries
.'

transcending

those

of

man?

'Not now,'

I said 'hut in

my

time.'.

'Your time?' 'I come from 1934/

of a time machine.'
'Ah,' he breathed, I

said,

by means

am
So

beginning to
that
is

know,
it is.'

to understand.

what

They have long been discussing the phenomenon of time and the feasibility of traveling in it. I know that because I have listened to them. Yet for some reason they have been unable to make a time machine. But you know radio
yes, radio

they

have been utilizing disfield

followed the direction of his eyes,

coveries in that

to

send messages

gaped; for there, not twelve yards to one side of me, stood the time machine! How I had failed to see it on
I stared, I
first

back in time.
that?

Your coming here has

entering the

room

it

is

impossible

to say.

Perhaps the sight of the

man on
it

the dais had riveted

my

attention to the

exclusion of
the thing I

But there had given up hopes

all

else.

was,

of ever

finding again.

With an exclamation
its side,
it

of

you understand By means of their time-radio they have- willed your coming, made possible your time machine. Don't ask me how, I don't know, not clearly, but they have done it and you are here! But fortunately it was a Creature similar to themselves they
not been accidental

not

do

entirely accidental.

joy I reached

touched

it

with

expected

to

them you are merely an

of the machine.

was the time machine and seemingly undamaged. I believe I

my

hand,

Yes,

Omo, a beast-man
stand
(that is

So

they are puzzled, they don't quite under-

laughed hysterically.
cape was open.
I

The road

to

es-

why
he

they have been ex-

With a

lightened heart

perimenting with you), but

will.

soon

they
'can't

turned

my

attention to

spiring in the room. talking

to

the

Mentanicals and
his
lips

what was tranBane Borgson was it was

forming their
hear

Listen,'

said

hoarsely,
to

you

realize

what a menace

men

of

the past, of your day, these Mentanicals

uncanny to see
incredible

language,

to

them an-

swering back.

At

length he turned to

Oh, your weapons, your machine guns and gas, your powerful explosives! I tell you they would be as
could be?

me.

'Listen,'

he said tensely, 'they have

nothing against the deadly rays and indescribable

forces

never learned to enunciate or understand human speech, but in many ways the
Mentanicals are more formidable, more

these

Mentanicals

could bring against them.

Can you gas

breathe,

something

that

doesn't

shoot

advanced than
I

man
this.

in his I

prime/

what

is

practically impervious to bullets,

was once more self. 'And yet they believe that they evolved from that junk-heap in their museums
laughed
at

my

assured,

devil-may-care

blow up, that can explode your powder magazines, your high explosives,
that can
at

!'

a distance of miles? The Mentanicals would enter your age, not to conquer

'And haven't

they?' he asked quietly.

man

they

know

little

of him,

regard

78

AMAZING STORIES
rushing Mentanicals, the shattered glass,

him as an inferior creature, an evolutionary

hand-over

of

pre-machine

life

Bane Borgson sinking

death,
his

into the apathy of

lolling;
it

but
to
.
. .

to
to.

expand, take over your

. . .

cities,

great

head

then

What do
of

know
it.

of their
!'

pulled the lever, pulled

back to Zero!

idea
tion,

of profit,

self-gain

and ambiListen
Ill

but doubtless they have

great head

The
tjiey

surged

forward, the

dark eyes fixed mine compellingly

'You

must leap

into

can prevent,
at

your time machine before return to your own

once
!'

day and age,

Captain Bronson stood up. He looked 'You know the rest. us bleakly. The time machine has been moved. In coming back a portion of it must have
at
'

'And leave you behind?'

materialized

inside

of

solid

'How
is

can you take

me

with you? That

I

stone

wall

and
I

caused
to
at

an

impossible.
I

Besides

am weary

of

But what

want

know

have caused too much woe and misery to want to live. The Mentanicals
life,

been bothering
right to shoot

me

times

the explosion. what has did do

old
I

Bane Borgson?
to

might

refuse

me

the

will not refuse.

boon of death but you That gun in your hand

;

have escaped without "that."

"He wanted
at length.

die,"

said the

Doctor

there

are

bullets
'

in

it

yet

one

of

them here

Olson
don't see

'No! no!' 'For God's sake, be merciful!*

'I

Smith inclined his head. "I what else you could have done."
left

"To have
a
life in

him

there." I said, "to

all

will

return for you.'

!

death, after

those years, no,

'You must never return

Do you

hear

mc ? Not
cape.

a second time would you es-

now
the

Perhaps it is too late to escape Up up with your gun Aim at

! !

would have been too horrible!" Bronson drew a deep breath. "That was my own thought but I am glad you
no, that
;

agree.

."
.

crystal.

Its

breaking

brings

me

He poured

himself

a drink.

peace and

will

distract

attention

while

"If I hadn't seen

you disappear with

you

leap

into

your

machine.

Now!

my own
"I

eyes," said the Doctor.

blame you," said Bronson; "the whole thing sounds like a pipedon't

THERE
saw
and once
threw up
a roar
glass,
;

was nothing
in

else
;

to

do; I
the

dream."

that

flash

already

Mentanicals

were

gliding

towards

me
I

in their invisible grip.

...

"A pipe-dream," I murmured. "But there is another angle to it," said Bronson grimly. "What Bane Borgson
said about the time-radio influencing the

my
in

hand
the

the

gun spoke with

instant

heard a tinkling crash as of

building of the time machine and compelling

and

same
thing,

vaulted

my

coming.

Oh, he may have

said that

into the seat of the time machine.

It

been raving, poor

a

devil, or mistaken, but

was a

close

tell

you,
for

remember what the Professor

pering in his brain
against that."
?

mighty close thing.

with a rush.
senger-seat protected

They came

me

night at the dinner, about something whis-

The high

sides of the pas-

We'll have to guard

sadly:

me

for a

moment
felt the

from
In

their deadly clutch, but I

The Doctor
tain."

said

"Nothing'!!

time machine sway

that
split

under
I

it,

tilt

over.

whisper to the Professor anymore, Cap-

second
lever

before

my
it

hand
the

closed

on

the

saw

all,

"What do you mean?"

THE MENTANICALS
"I forgot that we'd kept it from you." "Kept what?" "The news of the accident. On that night you took your trip into the future,
the

79
brain-cells

mechanical

for

machines.
1

"What do you

expect to do,"

demand,

"change the future?"

"Perhaps," he answers.

"One never
the country,

time
is

machine
dead?"

struck

Professor

Stringer on the head."

knows until he tries." So he goes up and down

the world, buying

"He

affected.

the

"Unfortunately, no. But his brain is The Professor will never be same again." Thus the strange and incredible story

up inventions, chemical processes. It has become a mission with him, a mania. But the hands of
the

future are not changed by individ-

uals but

by

social forces,

and the genius

ends.

There
is

is

only this to add: Olson

of

man seems
As

determined to lead him

time alone will
tell.

Smith

devoting his vast fortune and

into a

more mechanized world,

for the rest,

influence to fighting the manufacture of

The End

What Do You Know?

READERS
of Amazing Stories have frequently commented upon the fact that there is more actual knowledge to be gained through reading its pages than from many a text-book. Moreover, most of the stories are written in a popular vein, making it possible for anyone to grasp important facts.

The questions which we give below are all answered on the pages as listed at the end of the questions. Please see if you can answer the questions without looking for the answer, and see how well you check up on your genera! knowledge of science.
1.

2.

3.
4.

What What What

is

the mathematical expression to describe a cone? (See page 6.) (See page 6.) is the mathematical description of a point? geometrical units can be generated starting with the point? (See page 6.)
7.)

Can you imagine a four dimensional object? (See page

5.
6.

7.
8. 9.

10. 11.

12. 13.

(See page 7.) is a surface of rotation or revolution? of the same designation? (See page 7.) are the three conic sections? (See page 7.) are there not four such sections? (See page 7.) often spoken of as an oval. Is this expression correct? (See page 7.) does a false ellipse differ from a true one? (See page 8.) What is the simple law of the variation of speed of the planets in traversing their orbits? (See page 8.) What is a great circle of a sphere? (See page 8.) What connection can be traced between the central cross-section of a sphere and
is a solid

What What What

Why
An

ellipse is

How

area of its surface? iJSee page 9) (See page 9.) 14. What are the interesting features of the parabola? 15. What is the name of the unit which would act in propelling a ship? (See page 56.) 16. What is the unit of power? (See page 56.) 17. What mechanical unit would be present in a moving ship? (See page 57). 18. Can you give a theory of the effect and work of language upon human progress? (See page 71.) (See page 116.) 19. What is the scientific name of the well known tulip tree? (See 20. Name a chemical salt that has been employed to arrest the decay of wood.

page
21.
22. Z3.

What
126.)

120.) is to be said of the effect

letter

upon the mind of an unsolvable coincidence?

(See

page 122.)

Which

occurs most frequently in English words and sentences?

letters in

(See page (See

Give the order of occurrence of the most frequent ten page 126.)

English words.

24.

How

does this apply to deciphering the secret writing in Edgar Allan Poe's story?
128.)

(See page

80

"Terror
By H.

Out of Space
HAVERSTOGK HILL
Part III

This

is

the third installment of a story which

we are sure has

its

excited our
it

reader's interest in a high degree.

As

it

approaches

climax

will b*
it

found more and more interesting and will give those who are reading
plenty to think about while
they are awaiting
its

concluding Portion.

Illustrated

by

MOREY

WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE:

SPAIN and CAPTAIN wives see a strange
Billy Harper, South Sea traders and plantation owners, and their Later on in the evening a strange red ray emerge* flash in the sky. from the jungle, cutting a path through the trees, destroying the flagstaff and narrowly missing the bungalow itself. The two men, with their manager, Retalliek, arrange to take watches all night, as they begin to suspect the strange ray may he connected with the supposed meteorite they saw earlier. Spain and Harper leave Retalliek to take first watch. The two men awake in broad daylight to find Retalliek has disappeared. Arming themselves, their wives and some of their native retainers, they follow the path cut by the ray through the jungle. They come suddenly on a spaee-ship and are overpowered by strange beings. They are taken on board, where they find Retalliek. The space-ship immediately sets out for the planet Mars. The Martians turn out to be kindly folk, and the little party grow accustomed to their lot. They team the Martian language and are shown many strange scientific wonders. Our American friends are talking with Bo-Kar. a Martian, when a gong is heard from the depths of the ship. Another space-ship has materialized and shown hostile intentions.

The Martian space-ship is attacked. The Earth people are taken to the observation room to watch the battle. They group about an apparatus which is a development of televiIt is a battle of sinister rays and for a while things look as if the Martians are going However, the Martian ray strips a portion of the outer shell to lose their first space battle. of the attacking sphere and cracks the interior lining, totally disabling it. An exploring par. set out in space suits from the Martian ship to investigate the disabled sphere. As the party move around in the dismantled space-ship they find the most diabolical creatures all dead. The records cannot be deciphered, so the sphere is towed to Mars. About six weeks after the great welcome is extended to the earth people and battle the Martian space-ship sights Mars. the returning Martians. After the celebrations are over and things are again normal, the MarIt is found that the tians set about investigating the enemy sphere, which waa brought along. sphere came from Ados, a planet roughly 370,000 miles from earth's moon and approximately 620,000 miles from earth, and it looks as if the Adosians mean to give earth and Mars had been on Mars almost a year when they are summoned to The earth people trouble. appear before the Council of Three. They are informed that Rocan (Martian) astronomers have kept Ados under constant observation ever since their arrival and that for the last month or so certain indications of activity have appeared on that satellite's surface. The Council is of the opinion that earth should be informed of what the Martians have learned (The satellite Ados, by the way, is unknown to earth astronomers, as it is on the of Ados. Mara will help earth fight Ados, if necessarTt if earth will grant other side of the moon.) them mineral concessions on its moon. After a decision has been reached, it is decided the earth people ahould be sent home to acquaint earth with the facts as they really are. There were none to tell the earth people that their troubles were only now beginning.
sion.

81

Even

end a host

as I looked the haze opened, as a man in a hurry flings wide a door, of silver spheres, like flies rising from Ados, shot swiftly upward

toward

us.

82

AMAZING STORIES
CHAPTER XIX
The
Fleet Takes Off
space
of
the
ships,
else that a

good deal of

its

interior

had

been hollowed into vast empty caverns.

The Martian astronomers supported the latter view. They may have had specexact
troscopic observations to
their opinion, but if so

THIRTY
replicas
built

back them in
noth-

one that had

we heard

brought us to Mars, had been

during the year, and the

ing of them.

The more
ities

thought over the possibilthe

all

was Only even now drawing to a close. fourteen of them were to accompany us,
process of equipping them

ahead,

less

liked
to

them.

Anxious and
to

as
I

was

get back

earth again,
it

frankly

dreaded the
the existence

though; the balance were being held in

readiness for

moment when

came

for us to translate

some operation whose scope

to us.

promises into action.

Of

had not been revealed

week the ships fifteen, i f we include vessel, which had now been christened the ROCA were ready to take off the materials we had asked for had been prepared and stored on board, and the machines and equipment needed
the end of the promised

By

fourteen

of the Martians our people would have ample ocular proof, but whether they would credit this story of a sub-satellite

Bo-Kar's

remained to be seen.
to prove
tiling,

No

doubt promi-

nent mathematicians would set to

that

work

could be no such days gone by it had been mathematically proved that the Atjust

there

as

in

to take the suggested pictures en route

lantic cable could

not be

laid,

that

men

had been provided, together with operThe whole planet ators to work them. had been put to work to speed up our
departure.

traveling by trains at the speed of twenty

miles an hour

would be

killed

by the

rush of

air,

or that flight in machines

heavier than air

Ados had passed its full by the time we were ready, but its surface was being
watched
persisted
until

was impossible. Even granting that I was not taken

fool,

for a

a knave or a

lunatic,

that

the last possible

that

moment,
of
the

our joint story was believed with

implications,

all its

and we learnt
long
earth and

the green haze had the

and

our

suggestions

ac-

after

bulks

cepted at their actual face value,,

who

moon had hidden

It

the planetoid

was
the

to

say

from

sight.

was

quite possible that

moon?

who owned and controlled The sensible solution seemed

which seemed to extend some distance out into the void, like
the haze itself,

to be that

it should be taken over and administered by some such body as a

a shell or perhaps an atmosphere covering Ados, would be remarked from earth.

League of Nations commission, providing one could be got to function in the

face

Whether they would draw the

right de-

of

international

prejudice

and

ductions from the phenomenon, of course

jealousy.

we

could not say;

to

for

my

part

was
if

Privily I thought that the

Moon was

fancy that it would be attributed to some unprecedented activity on the further side of the moon. The
inclined

very

much

the

of a no-man's land, and that Martians cared to establish an

outpost there
in fact, in
it,

we

could not gainsay them

planetoid itself must be possessed of a

very low density, otherwise

should have

its

influence

lack of
as

the present development, or of inter-planetary travel as far

made

itself

felt

ages before,

earth was

concerned,

we

could not

but on the whole I imagined that it was composed of light, spongy material, or

even interfere.

But

rightly or

wrongly

they had taken up the stand that earth

TERROR OUT OF SPACE

possessed extra-territorial rights over
satellite,
its

83
diamonds on
velvet.
. .
,

stars

glowed

like

and

it

was not

my

place to dis-

abuse them.

THAT
into
it,

last

week, despite the enorof

was altogether different this time. There was no longer any disWe had plumbed the trust between us. depth of the Martians' characters, and
position

Our

mous amount
dragged

work we crammed

they had

done much the same to

us.

remarkably.

Noma

We
were

possessed a better understanding of

and

Retallick

were married according

rites,

each other, and as the days went by

initiated

we
im-

to the

Martian

a simple yet picthat

still

one by

one into the

mysit

turesque
in
its

ceremony
for the

lingers

teries of space-flying plied.

and

all

that

my memory.
best,

Mars gave them

of

romance had seized on the popular imagination, and the actual

celebrations

were
It

televisophoned

all

around the planet.

tumultuous world
sated,

would,

I suppose,

have been a great event even in our

;

own

on one grown old and

it

was Bo-Kar who suggested it to us in the first place, though I know the original idea came from Noma. Retallick, as a matter of course, was shown all there was to be shown as Bo-Kar's son-in-law it might be necessary for him
It
;

where

life

had become an orderly

procession of days,
national importance.

was something of

one day to step into his commander's shoes, and I should imagine that it was
out of regard for him and the stock from whence he sprung that Noma dewe should not be left in

There came the day of our departure, and with it, we all admitted, a sadness.

termined

We
Once

had grown to
their

like

the

Martians.

ignorance. Also, there was probably the

feeling in Bo-Kar's mind, that the way might be made smoother for him in the
if some of the ships could be manned and captained by Earth-men. At least it would show that the Mar-

confidence
of
their

was gained and

the armor

reserve penetrated,

they proved good fellows underneath

quiet,
felt,

long run,

grave people, no doubt, but, one

sincere.

tive, yet

when

They were not demonstrait came to parting we were

gifts.
I

showered with
liked parting

particularly dis-

from Thrang; our friendhim had grown as the days went by, and to him we owed most of
ship with

tians had no desire to drive an unpalatable bargain by means of a weapon which they alone possessed. So we were given our turns at the

controls.

Not only

that,

it

was ensured

the understanding
planet

we

possessed of his

that not only should

we

be able to take

and

its

ways.

Yet we

left

each

command

ourselves but that

we were
that

in

other with the expressed hope that

some

a position to instruct novices.

day we might meet again.

The complicated machinery

at
first

The

fifteen ships lifted one after an-

appalled us,

bit

by

bit

had became
under-

other into the thin Martian air great golden-bronze shapes glowing in the yellow sunlight up and up until the red planet dwindled away in space beneath

familiar to us.
lay each act,

logical principle

seized the rest

and once the principle was came easy. It was the

It in-

navigating that I found hardest.

us.

The

bright spot of light that

left

was

volved intricate calculations that must be

accurate to a decimal, for space-flying
is

our earth lay over to the

of us, as

we headed
would be
passed,

off

to

the point where she

not like sea-traveling.

sets a course for

In the latter one

six

weeks hence.

a fixed object, but in

is

Out, out into the cold of space

into

we

the void not only

ing,

the ship itself

is its

mov-

the black void where the

but the planet that

destination

84
is

AMAZING STORIES
The
rates of

also traveling in space.

course of instruction, but for once they

speed of planet and space-ship must be

calculated,

opposed

us,

said

they

were only too

and a course plotted that

al-

eager to learn, and pointed to

Noma

as

lows the ship to intersect the orbit of the

planet at the earliest possible moment.

an example of what

women
it

could do.

They would not have

that the

said,

they added,

Other
they

factors,

such as delays and stop-

pages, have to be taken into account as

occur,

stantly revised to

and the calculations conmeet the new circum-

were any way behind those of Mars when it came to a question of ability and intelligence.
folk of earth

women

So,

much

against our

own

wishes,

we

let

stances as they arise. But perhaps the accompanying sketch will make the position clearer than any mere words of mine

them have
the ship

their way. In our interest in the workings of we did not forget Ados. That

problematical planetoid

was kept under

constant observation, though, since our

instruments had neither the power nor

huge affairs at the Observatory at Han, we were little wiser than before. But with the perfected telethe precision of the

visophonic apparatus on board

we were

able to keep in touch with our base

on Mars, and we received the observatory

reports as they
first

For the was little to see, but as the Moon and Ados again swung around from behind the earth, there came a quickening of interest.
to hand.

came

week or

so there

[A and C are the positions of Mars and earth respectively at the time we took off from Mars. B and D show the positions the two planets should be in,
relative

Our

first

notification

was

to
still

the ef-

fect that the

green haze was

It

shroud-

ing the planetoid.

to

each

other,

at

the

time of

had become so thick Ados was hidden from view, and the magnetic re-

now

that the surface of

our arrival at earth.

seen, the
to

the direction of the orbits.

The arrows show As will be

cording
that

instruments

at

Han

indicated

most direct route from Mars

is

earth

the route

D.

Of

it was probably vibratory in origin. But presently we were able to pick up the luminary ourselves, and the total ab-

course I have not drawn the sketch to

scale.]

sence of air in the void helped our instruments to make up in visibility what

they

lacked

in

actual

power of mag-

and the other by the Martians, and long before we were in sight of our destination we had sufficient grasp of the workings of the ship to take over control ourselves and teach those under us if necessary. Had it been left to Spain and myself, we would have omitted Marian and Arabella from this
the

addition IN control of

to

this

we were
employed

taught

nification.

rays

methods

of

defense

Our own conclusion was that the haze must be purely vibratory. Our heatrecording
struction
earth,

instruments,
to

similar

in

con-

the thermocouple used

is

which

so

delicately

on ad j usted

that

it

can measure the heat of a candle

a mile away, showed us that it could not be the result of volcanic activity or
anything that involved an actual rise in

TERROR OUT OF SPACE

temperature.

85
were

Accordingly
original
in

we had
that
its

to

less

the

fact,

that such influences

it

abandon

our

theory

the

coming

over, did good, in that

kept us

green haze was similar

the green heat-ray, with
sian sphere

nature to

constantly on the alert.

I think
it

had

tried to annihilate us

which the Adoon

dle of the fifth sent

Puzzling and all our voyage to Mars. as it was. we could only await develop-

for Spain

was somewhere in the midweek out that Bo-Kar and me. The message
him
in the little

ran that he wanted us at once, and that

ments and trust to luck to bring some

solution as our course took us past Ados.

we would
the place;

find

used off the control-quarters.

room he I knew
several
it

Presently,

as

our conditions for ob-

we had been

there

servation grew better, those on

Mars besun

times already, and I remembered

fitted

was

came worse.

The
its

red planet was swingorbit, so that the

it

up

as a sort of chart-room, plus

It

ing around on

living quarters.

was here
worked,

that as

now

rose

between

and

earth.

At

mander he

lived,

slept

comand ate

regular

intervals

our

picture

machines

through the greater part of the voyage.

besides

recorded the movements of our planet

and
this,

its

two
I

satellites.

was

insistent

on

That there were others in the room himself, I saw as soon as I

in response to his invita-

for

felt

that,

only by presenting

opened the door

tion to

a complete and incontrovertible pictorial

record,

come

in.

Noma

and Retallick

could

we hope

to convince the

half-expected, but the sight of the third

powers that be of the truth of our story. The Martians and their space-ships they would have to accept, or else deny the
evidence of their

person, one of the televisophonic operators,

I

made me wonder what was

afoot.

could not think of anything that could

in-

own

senses, but the tale

have gone wrong, and that would

volve the presence of the operator.

of a second satellite would

take

some
felt

swallowing.

am

not blaming anyone in

I

Bo-Kar,

however,

did

not

leave

us

advance, of course:

would have

long in doubt.

much
tion,

the

and

same myself in a similar situait was the knowledge of my

gave

own

deficiencies that

me

an acute

"Something queer has happened," he "and I have called you here thinking that you may be able to help. Messaid,

realization of those of others.

sages

that

we cannot understand have

through
for

been

coming
since

some time.

MORE ney had

untoward
ginning
to

than two-thirds of our jour-

They are not

but

been covered without any

in any language we know, our knowledge is limited to

incident,

and we were just behope that we would get

first

Rocan
thought

and
. . .

the

tongue

you

speak

However,

this will explain

through unscathed, when the

turbing event occurred.

dis-

better than I."

Our

course had
us in beit

He
chine,

turned toward the table and for

been altered slightly to take

the first time I noticed that a small

ma-

tween the
probably

Moon and
this

Ados, and

was

that

precipitated

matters.

We

had been subject to magnetic influences, obviously radiating from Ados,

for some considerable time, but, as

not unlike a gramophone, was standing on it. Beside it were half-adozen black wax discs.

"We

take records of
the

all

messages that

we
effi-

come over

televisophone,"

Bo-Kar

were able
ciently,

to counteract

them quite

we were

not alarmed, particularly

as there was nothing to indicate that they

explained, as he fitted one of the discs to the machine. "That, of course, is a necessary precaution in case we want to
refer to them later.

were of a harmful nature.

Neverthe-

These messages

86
speak about have
shall start the first
all

AMAZING STORIES
been recorded.
I

"that they're trying to send us a message

one now." The machine began with an abrupt whirr of sound, that changed instantly to a note that seemed vaguely familiar.

of sorts?"
"Listen," said Bo-Kar. the for

"I shall put

other

records

through,

and judge

note

not

unmusical,
it.

yet

not

like

music as we know
back to the
last

My

thoughts flew

we spent on earth had heard coming Yet there was someThe other had a smoothness, a rhythm, if you will this was harsher, more intense. There seemed to be an urgency in it, and somehow I could not help feeling that it was charged
night

and the queer

stuff I

over the radio

set.

yourselves from what you hear/' There were half a dozen of them in all, and Bo-Kar put them through in the order in which they had been received. Each one began on a tenser note than the last, and the final one of the
six

thing different in

this.

rose to a menacing crescendo of sound that made the walls of the room

with menace, that it threatened. The record ended. Bo-Kar stopped

the machine.

vibrate. I could never have imagined much terror could be conveyed by any voice in all the Universe. The one we heard was charged with some

that so

unearthly

power

that

flicked

the

raw

"Well?" he

said.

ends of our nerves and seared our brains with sounds that hurt as materially as
a hot iron.
It

ended on a single note

"TT

is

said,

no earth language that I know," waiting, wondering if he

it

that

lifted

seemed
peas.

to seize

horror to the heights, that and shake us until our

like dried

had any idea what

was.
at
is

very souls rattled in our bodies

each
as I

For

the

moment we looked
"That
he
said

other eye to eye, then:

imagined

it

would

be,"

calmly.

that left
stole

The end came with a harsh abruptness me quivering and unmanned. I

a furtive glance at Spain,

"None

the less I thought this might not

He

was
and

be altogether unfamiliar to you.

Am

wiping the beads of sweat from a damp

forehead.
Retallick looked shocked

wrong?" "No," told you

that
ship."
I

told

him.

"I

should have
call I

grave, and even

Norna trembled.

The

before.

That's the

heard

the night before

met you, and mistook for a call from your

first

we

operator had gritted his teeth at the start and put his hands over his ears. Only

Bo-Kar
iron

alone

nerve

seemed unaffected. His was capable apparently of

"From

the

Roca,"
that,

he

said.

"Yes,

standing anything.

you spoke about met the sphere."

just

before

we

The odd
the

part of the whole thing

was
the

deadly

menace of the
it

voice,

"It's certainly curious," I

commented.

threat of worse things

conveyed.

One

"Of
self."

course

it

looks as
if

another

sphere,

from not from Ados itif

they're

does not need to

realize that.

know

a language to

The warning growl of an

Bo-Kar smiled from Ados," he

oddly.
said.

"There

"They come no is

unfamiliar wild beast, cornered by the hunter, makes its meaning plainer than
print.

Our directional instrudoubt of that. ments can hardly be as much out as despite this magnetic influence that,
they're radiating."

There followed a
half -ashamed,

we

little pause while, essayed to pull our-

selves together.

Bo-Kar swept

his eyes

around the

little circle,

as though to

sum

"Do you

think," said Spain abruptly,

up the

effect the

demonstration had had

TERROR OUT OF SPACE

on
us.

87

We

all

remained in dead
think of
it

silence.

there, that they

are,

"What do you
asked at length.

now?" he
enough,"

seem afraid, and, if they why, don't you see that it means

they believe that, as things are,

plain

we can
in

"Oh,
it's

the

meaning's

donkey-lick them?"

"It's a warning and meant for us. They must be watching us, must see how we're heading and reckon we're coming too close. I should

Retallick burst out.

Bo-Kar drew

his

brows together

puzzled frown, and turned to Retallick.

"What does the man mean?" he asked. "Some of his words seem strange to
me."
Retallick

think they're trying to

rible things that will

tell

us of the
if

ter-

happen

we come
that,

chuckled,

and

grinned

at

closer."

Spain.

"I'm not surprised at that," he "Spain always gets slangy when

Bo-Kar did not comment on

turning that over in his mind.

but

said.

stared vacantly ahead, as though he were

he gets excited.
this":

But what he means

it

is

Noma

And

with that he put

into

plucked

at his sleeve.

THINK

that,

too,"

she

said

with

words Bo-Kar would understand. "I agree," was Bo-Kar 's comment the end. "But even if it were not

at
so,

I
in

a shiver.

my

deductions.

ace, those threats

"But I would go further Behind all that menwhatever they were

we should go on. It is our duty to learn as much as we can of our potential enemies, for the fate of two worlds

may

was, I thought, a faint note of fear, a that we might see perhaps too much, that by coming nearer we might interfere with whatever evil they are

dread

hang on our knowledge. I only wish, though," he went on, "that our scientists
green ray.
erating

planning."
It

had been able to solve the secret of that But the machinery for genit had been irreparably injured

had not struck

I

me

before in quite
she put the
it.

by the cold of space after we captured

the sphere, and its composition must remain unknown. We, however, have load bigger and better generators installed, and what our rays did once I should say they can do again, if the need arises. Which I hope it won't," he added.

that fashion, but

now

that

idea forward

felt

the truth of

"I think

Noma's

right," I said.

Bo-Kar
Spain.

slanted his eyes around

said.

upon

"And you?" he

my
is

"I'm rather of the same opinion now," partner answered, "but that perhaps
merely because the others have put the

He

turned to the operator.

"You may

go, Norvin," he

idea into

my

head.
is

The only
if
it

thing I can
in

colleagues, however,

say, though,

that

were

your
do-

of

every
it

shoes, I wouldn't let

stop

me from

whether
or not."

said. "You and your must take records sound that comes through, seems an intelligent message

ing whatever

wanted

to do."

"I don't intend to

incisively.

let it," said

Bo-Kar

At

The man saluted and turned that moment there came a

to

go.

sharp

He

"I hadn't finished," said Spain coolly. was quite calm now and had got him-

knock on the door. Bo-Kar strode across the room and flung it open.

self

under control again.

seen
for

"I was going

One

of the officers stood there, and,

to point out, though I dare say you've

already

it

yourself,

that

we

though he spoke to Bo-Kar, we in the room could hear every word he said.

wouldn't be threatened like that unless they meant to keep us away by every
possible means.

"We

announced.

have just sighted a sphere," he "It is going from the Moon,

Now

agree with

Noma

apparently from the earthward side."

AMAZING STORIES
"Towards us?" Bo-Kar asked quickly. "No. Away. I think it is attempting
flight,

probably realized that in a straightout

for

it

accelerated at once as soon

as

we

sighted each other."

it,

"Follow

then,"
that
it

Bo-Kar snapped.
does not lead us

would almost certainly be the end by superior numwhat initial damage they might inflict on one or two ships.
fight

they

swamped
bers,

in

no

matter

"But take heed

into a trap."

The

rest

of

the

fleet

had been ap-

prised of the situation and were given

later,

A
were

moment

and the great gongs

the

their orders

by televisophone, and presout behind us in a fan-

clanging,

rousing

space-ship

ently they

swung

from end

to end.

shaped
at each

formation

with

the

outer

ship
circle

end heading out in a wide

CHAPTER XX
Pursuit
quickly

at constantly

increasing speed with the

evident intention of cutting the sphere

SO
tubes;

had

Bo-Kar's

hurried

from her home base. Unless the Adosian machine could develop a speed that would leave us cold, it looked as
off

orders been carried out, that by

the time

though we might succeed after

all.

we had taken

the

few

steps necessary to bring us to the ob-

The sphere looked slightly larger now than she had a few minutes prewere gaining on her, but whether she had reached the full limits
viously.

servation room, the reaction gasses were

We

already

roaring
the

Roca
the

course,

and

from our warty rear had changed her round of the silver

of her acceleration, of course,

not say.

we

could

Bo-Kar was

inclined to think

sphere, dead ahead of us, seemed to be

that she daren't

stretch

herself to the

showing a

slight increase in size.

There was no doubt that the sphere had become aware of our presence, and

utmost; she might not be able to retard in time to save herself from crashing in

was inclined to regard us as hostile. Even as we accelerated she veered off on a course that would take her back to

a mass of incandescence on the surface of the planetoid. It was the realization

of
that peril, too, that kept us from peak in our turn. Our ships on the end of the formation, which was

rising to

Ados
Apart

with

the

least

possible

delay.

from that there was a certain amount of good strategy in the change
of direction.

now

beginning to resemble a crescent,

risk.

With
Roca,

her lesser bulk she

easily, in

were running no such approaching Ados at a

the

They were
weapon
strik-

slant, and, unless

could

manoeuvre

more

but
the

the
fric-

Adosians

possessed

some

cigar-shaped

even

with which
there

we were
in

as yet unfamiliar,

tionless void, took time to

swing around.
to

was

little

likelihood of
that

them

For our own sakes we had

nily,

go candirec-

ing

trouble

direction.

Their

for

an

abrupt

change

of

tion, at the eling,

speed at which

we were

trav-

speed would carry them past the planetoid and out of its sphere of attraction,

might well have meant the deaths

all.

and

their instruments

would warn them

of us

in time, should there be

It did

occur to

me

as rather

odd that
at-

any danger of encountering an atmospheric envelope in

the

sphere

should

have
then
ships

made no
I

which the

friction

might heat them up.

to

tempt to show
the

fight,

recollected
us.

other

fourteen

following

BUT

just as

we were beginning
in

Some

of them must be near enough for

to see, in

plume ourselves

the

hope that
off,

the Adosians

which case they

the sphere would be neatly headed

TERROR OUT OF SPACE

an unexpected thing occurred.
the
disc

89

She sud-

denly changed direction, slanting across

of
the
planetoid,
straight for the ship on that

and headed horn of our

was meanwhile overhauling the it came up it swung its beam out on the silver hull. And from that side of the sphere
crescent

sphere from the rear, and as

crescent

line.

At

invisible infra-red ray

from. her.

We

same time that must have leaped did not grasp what
the

in

turn

there

sprang

another

green
vision-

pencil.

Bo-Kar swung round

plate,

to

the

was happening,

until the thin

green pen-

and

in

one swift glance summed

cil began to climb up and reach out towards the Martian ship. As 1 hurriedly reached for the emergency glasses on the rack on the wall

up the

situation.

WE'LL
"I

try our

don't

own ray," he said. know whether we can

it'*

near
suit.

us,

saw

the

others
the

following

make

the range, but

growing

less all

The Martians on

pursuing

the time."

ship,

situation
did, or

however, must have sized up the half-a-second sooner than we

perhaps her commander had already taken the precaution of donning

gave out his orders into the inconnecting the various departments, and a moment later the vistruments
sion-plate

He

showed our own ray reaching

At any rate ray-filtering goggles. green pencil ray had covered no more than half the distance when the
the the

out from our nose-port.

On

three sides

deep glowing crimson beam flashed out

now the Adosian sphere was being heated by the combined rays of the three ships, and the two green pencils it had
shot out seemed to be growing weaker.

from the Martian

osians'

ship,

and

hit the

Adthe

ray

squarely.

Then began
forces.

Of
as

a sudden they both

snapped
switch
off

out,

struggle between

two Titanic
ship must
its

abruptly as
light,

man

will

an

The Martian
on the
cil

have turned

electric

full

power of
it

generators, for,

dropped.

and the sphere itself For the moment I fancied the

I

inch by inch,

seemed, the green penitself.

combined influence of the three rays had

put
it

swayed back on
it

Then
again,

of a
re-

out of action, then

reaped

the

sudden
lost.

leaped

forward

gaining more than half the ground

The
in

conflicting

it had Martian ray deep-

ened

tone,

glowed
it.

until

it

hurt the

eyes to look at

The sphere had simply dropped of her own accord. The full force of the rays from the Martian ships on the opposing horns of the crescent, no longer playing on the sphere, struck
horrible truth.

Bo-Kar

beside

me,

staring

into

the

each other.

The next
but
in

instant they

were

vision plate, uttered an exclamation.

turned
ship

off,

that

small

fraction

"What's that?"
"He's
answered,
using

said.

of time the
first

damage had been done. The

engage the
Adosian,
her

too

much power," he
referring
to

to

evidently

the

generators

Martian

ship.

He swung

"He's too close to Ados." round to the televisophone,

her

initial

already badly depleted by expenditure of energy, reeled

and his voice, calling up the fighting ship, snapped out in staccato sentences. "Conserve your power," he ordered. "Don't deplete your generators. You're
too near

under the impact of the ray from her staggered, turned sister, over, and
caught by the attractive force of Ados

began

to fall,

surface

of

the

end over end, towards the planetoid. She struck

across
ttie

Ados
to

for that.

You'll need

all

the green haze surrounding

side

your

keep you away." The ship on the other horn of the

lift

on,

broke

Ados broadmiddle and

out
into

vomited

men and machinery

90
space.

AMAZING STORIES
The green haze seemed
to

sag

called
est,

attention.
it.

Noma,

as

the

near-

under the force of the collision, then rebounded like a balloon suddenly swelling up and sent the broken fragments of the Martian ship hurtling out into the
void.

answered
in

She allowed the voice

of the speaker at the other end to

come

forward

fuLl

volume,

so

we heard

The
ered
of
its

other ship staggered, but recovin

itself

time,

and as the

full

lift

gravity

screens

was turned
filled

on,

what was being said. It was one of the picture recorders, very pleased with himself to judge from his tone. He and his brother recorder had managed to get complete pictures of
practically every phase of the battle
their

rose wearily towards us.

The
"At
haae
is

observation

room was

with

machines were

staccato exclamations of horror.

least

the green haze

and still working when had parted, revealing for

we know what

that green
in

the instant that precious glimpse of the

pitted surface of Ados.

now," Bo-Kar said

a voice

They

felt

quite

we

scarcely recognized as his, "but we've

certain that

it

paid too big a price for the discovery."

Bo-Kar

started

would come out well. from his reverie. "Tell

"A

vibratory

screen,"

said

Noma,

him," he said to

Noma,

"to develop the

I

"that exerts a repelling influence on any-

negatives straight away.

wish to see

thing that comes near

it."

them as soon as
of his head.
the

possible."

"In
of

Bo-Kar gave a quick jerk effect they've armored

Ados," he
said.

surface

"But, look, quick,

Noma was turning back to the communicator to convey the message, when Bo-Kar spoke again. "The machines
must not be
left

at the sphere."

however," he ran on,

The
silver,

sphere

itself,

a gleaming ball of
it

seemingly no worse for what

had undergone, was dropping town towards the planetoid. As it came close we expected to see it rebound like our lost ship, from the green haze, thrown
upwards,
but
instead
rift

"not even for an instant. They must be ready and someone in charge of them constantly."
kept

HE
I

looked across at the three Earth-

men.

"A

little

more convincing

the

haze
in

parted,
it.

evidence for your people," he said, but

I fancied there

and a great perhaps two

surface,

appeared

For
the

was a

faint under-current

seconds

we
of

caught

of sarcasm in his voice.

glimpse of a dark, pitted and rugged

not
unlike that
the

nodded.

I did not say

what was

in

Moon,
see

my
it

mind, that the more the better since

though here
erections

and there
a coal-black

one could
material

might

of

with

intention of
this

a dull shimmer of their own, that looked Then the sphere like huge buildings.

be needed yet. I had no damping Bo-Kar's hopes at juncture any more than I could help.
all

"It should be an interesting record,"

dropped down gently through the opening and

the green haze closed instantly

was
I

all I said,

and

to hide
I

my

face, lest

he might see there what

other ship

was thinking,

behind
the

it.

bent over the vision plate again.

The

For a time we could

wavering
as

only

stare

at

was

green

surface

of
but,

the
if

could
trouble

see
it

planetoid

men

hypnotized,

us, and I no outward signs of the had been through. Then I

lifting

towards

we were frozen into inaction, others had been nothing of the sort. The communicator connected with one of the forward observation compartments suddenly

looked
ceding;

down
it

at the green surface of the

planetoid.

We

did not seem to be reas

looked

though we were
distance
constant.

merely

keeping

our

TERROR OUT OF SPACE

yet t h&A on idea that
ing,

91

and the

little

we should be risworld growing smaller

sharply,

and smaller. "Bo-Kar,"

.

Then:
I

Bo-Kar pushed the control aside, not and pressed one after another of the huge bank of keys set in the contoo gently,
trol table in

said

"am

front of him, and one after

dreaming or are we falling?"

another as the departments sprang to at-

"W>
quickly,

can't

be

falling,"

he

answered
to

tention he rattled out his orders.

and turned for confirmation

room,
them.
I

the dial recorders, duplicates of those in the

control
at

""TjHJLL

lift

of gravity screens, please,"

looked

over his
us

he

said.
fire at

"All
once."

sections

of

rocket
a glance

shoulder

They
one

showed

tubes to

He

gave

rising to the full lift of our power.

in the vision plate before

"We
"He

stared

at

another.
said.

"You

him and performed an almost instantaneous calculain

must have been mistaken," he

wasn't,

tion

his
little,

head.
I

We
He

had

swung
to

We

are falling."
at

round a
voice.

could see by glancing

We
It

both

swung round

the

over

his

shoulder,

and seemed

be

was

Noma who

had spoken.

She and

falling at the nose.

had seen that

he commanded.
until

Retallick were bending over the visionplate.

side.

too as his next

command showed.
fire,"

Bo-Kar and

hurried to their

"Forward tubes
"Maintain

explosions

counter-

Slowly yet quite definitely the planetoid

manded."

was growing.
it
it

We

were nearer

its I
in,

Then
all

to us without looking up,

"Come

surface;

looked larger than

when

of you, and shut that door," he

had seen

a few minutes before.

So

said.

"You, Harper, check

my

eyes had not tricked

me

in the first

vision-plate.

me Noma, you and

transmit

over the
Retallick

place.

stand by general communicators.

said

Spain,

Bo-Kar

under

his

breath

some-

stand

ready

to

televisophone

thing that in anyone else I would have

orders to the rest of the fleet"

taken to be an oath, and flinging open

the door
trol

Then with a
gun
fire

rattle like that

of machine

communicating with the con-

room raced through.

He

left

the

The
all

rest of the fleet

door wide open, making no attempt to

bar us out,
this

possible

came one order after another. was told to put in lift, and head direct for the
its

and since we were

all

by

moon,

using

attraction

against

the

time competent navigators and from

that point alone interested in the

march

that was pulling us back to Ados. Glancing at the vision-plate, I saw that

power

of

events,

we moved forward

so that

we seemed

to

be gaining a

little,

that

we

could see and hear what

was hapbegin-

pening.

The
self.

control-captain

was

just

Ados was certainly a trifle smaller now. I swung the angle round until I got the Moon. The better part of four hundred
thousand miles away,
it

ning to puzzle the matter out for himIn the last few seconds he had

loomed gigantic
planetoid.

above
again

us.

swept the vision plate angle

receding
it

become
relieved

aware
I

that

something
the

was

on

the
it

No

wrong, and

think he was a very greatly

to
find

doubt of

now,

was growing per-

man

taken out of his hands.

work being Whatever the

ceptibly smaller, yet not so quickly as I

could have wished.

The green haze had

reason, despite the fact that our gravity

taken on an odd, shimmering quality that

I

screens were out,

slowly yet inexorably

face of Ados.

we were being pulled down to the sur-

fancied might be due to distance.

Even
as a

as
in

looked the

ha2e opened,

man

a hurry flings wide a door,

92

AMAZING STORIES
There came an instant's flurry, in which I was not quite sure which way Roca was heading, and when I looked again it seemed that we were staring down on the two flights of spheres, with the moon and Ados receding beneath us. Then in a flash came
the

and a host of silver spheres, like flies rising from filth. Ados shot swiftly upward, toward* us. As they rose from the
opening they spread, so that

my

eyes

were dazzled by the sunlight reflected from their gleaming surfaces, more
spheres than
I

could possibly count.

I cried, scarcely aware was saying the one thought my mind was to give the "Every alarm before it was too late. sphere on Ados is streaking out after

"Look

out,"

understanding.

of what

We
sional

were moving
space,

in

three

dimenfor

uppermost

in

and were

free,

save

the accident of a heavenly body being

directly in our path, to

move

in

any

di-

us/'
I

rection

we
us.

pleased.

Backwards or

forall

was not so

far

wrong.

To our worhundreds
in-

wards, upwards or downwards was

ried eyes there

seemed
us
at

literally

one to
all

To any one

used to mov-

of the gleaming spheres hurling themselves

ing in a two dimensional world, where

towards

well-nigh

motion other than the circumscribed

of

credible speed.

ascent
tried
their

an

airplane

or

the

descent

Twice we had

strength,

into a

mine must be confined

it

to the

one

once beaten them and once

failed,

and

plane,

took

now

it

looked as though they intended

should be no

we

in

the

some time to realize that Roca were subjected to no

that the third time there

such limitations.

We

had merely risen

Therefore as

escape for any of us.

I

from the plane occupied by the spheres

to

exclaimed aloud as Bo-Kar swung

vision-plate

one far above them.

the

about

so

it

focussed

far as

we were

concerned there was no

Rounding its huge coming from the apparently bulk, earthward side, were more spheres. We were caught between two fires
against the moon.
1

such thing as being caught between two fires unless they possessed such a superior

speed that
us.

they

could

overhaul

and surround

CHAPTER XXI
Homeward Bound

I began to would have been the very worst of bad luck, not

As

this

dawned on me
again.
It

breathe

freely

only

for

ourselves

but

for

our home

FOR
my
the

a split second the sight stag-

if, after having come so far and gone through so much, we should

planets,

gered me, and an odd feeling, as though a hand were closing about

be annihilated at the very

goal was in sight.

moment our

throat,

came over me.

annihilation

Visions of
the

Our

last

manoeuvre had temporarily

utter

of

expedi-

checked the spheres, but

ready pointed out

tion danced before

I

my

eyes.

they

as

have

al-

were

easier to

turned to Bo-Kar to see

it.

how he
At the

was taking

To my

surprise he did

not look in the least perturbed.

first sight of the second party of spheres he had merely pressed half-a-dozen keys of the bank before him, one after another, and had then turned back to stare at

their shape responded more quickly than the Roca and the moment, what we had done became apparent, they altered their

handle and because of

course and came streaming after us on a

long slant.

The

situation

had

all

the nice begin-

the vision- plate.

nings of a stern chase, but I think

we

all

TERROK OUT OF SPACE

decided more or less simultaneously in

93

and the pursuing spheres.

watching?

Was
slightly

earth

must not be It so long that it would end on earth. would never do to draw them after us,
our
that
it

own minds

Bo-Kar turned
spoke to

his

head

and

me

over his shoulder.

"What

and

have

our

world
all

plunged

without

can your astronomers see on the moon?"

preparation into

the horrors of inter-

he asked.
the

planetary warfare.
to

We
if

must have time

to

prepare,

and

necessary

build

ships after the

Martian model, and to

meaning.

The question took me aback, and for moment I did not quite grasp his He saw the blankness in my
and guessing
in

carry the light back to

I

Ados

itself.

face before I could speak,

found

my mind
of

actually trifling with

the

reason of

it

framed the query

the

possibility

sending

warning

another way.

ahead of us
not
the

to earth, but since this

was
at-

"How
have
to

large

would an object there

time to distract

Bo-Kar's

be before they could see it?"

tention I said nothing.

The

spheres were

he asked.

coming up after us at a steep angle; those we had first seen rounding the

My

ideas

on that were hazy, but

of

had

a vague

recollection

something that
basis.

moon had
matter
of

joined in the
it

seemed as though
seconds

and it must be merely a

flight,

might supply him with a working

"I

have heard
anything
visible

it

said,"
size

told

him,

until

the

infra-red

"that

the
to

of

church

beams with those streaks of green in Our them began to stab out at us. fourteen ships were lifting in a long
line,

would be

some of the big

a church was,

observatories."

He

did not

know what

a formation so devised that only

so I had to explain that, and give

the end of the rear ship presented any

sort

him some idea of the average dimensions of

such a building.

of a

mark

to

the

spheres.

Each
front.

He

looked a

trifle dis-

ship actually covered the one in

appointed at the information.

"It's night

now

in the

Northern

Hemsome
the

became aware that the angle of flight had changed again. As in a dream I heard Noma's voice over the general communicators passing on her father's orders, heard
as I watched
I

BUT

isphere,"

he said, "and probably

of

your

astronomers

should
I

have

moon under
ing,"

observation.
see us

have hopes

that they might

and take warnI

the quick clack-clack of his fingers over

the

"And
with

they probably will,"

inclined
in the

cried.

how

very

bank of control keys, and then somethe surface of the moon seemed near and very large and round.
the

Bo-Kar seemed that. "We're

"earth's
is

to

disagree

shadow," he
planetary

said,

shadow.

Your

Ados and
visible
in

spheres

were no longer

home
I

hiding the sunlight from us."

the

vision-plate.

Bo-Kar

stared into the vision-plate.

true.

What
Still I

altered
full

way we would we could

a sphere.
sent

angle so as to sweep the its round of the moon, but look which see no sign of

he said seemed only too

wondered.
back of

There was an idea

mind,
it.

in

the

my

if

only
in

could sei2e

But
blood

did see something that

and

hold

Then

a
I

flash

it

the

veins, a great

pounding through my round misty bulk looming

.

crystallized.

"You're
then again
to

right,

up

in the sky

.earth!
in

you're

Bo-Kar," wrong.

said,

"but

We
mad

had rounded the moon

put
its

our

close

the earth's

flight,

surface between us

in darkness,

but. just stop

We're so shadow that we're and think of

94
this for the

AMAZING STORIES
moment.
If

any observatory

terruption
fuel

has

its

telescope trained on the moon's

and partly to conserve our and use the earth's attraction to

into
it

surface to-night we'll be seen, if not as

ourselves,
at

draw us forward, we swung

planet's orbital path.

the

any rate as dark objects

it.

Actually

looked
on,

passing swiftly across

ble, if

We'll be visi-

as

though
I

we would meet head

only by reason of what

we
so,"

ob-

though

knew

the gravity screens would

scure in our passage."

be called into operation in time to preis

Bo-Kar nodded.
agreed.
"I'd as a possibility.

"That

he
that
is

vent any such catastrophe.

already

thought
I

of

A
ly

day or so
at

later

we

entered the at-

But what
that

doubt

mosphere
a

an angle, and so swift was

feet
I

whether we
the observer

will be
realize

recognizable.

Will
to

our descent that we were hovering barethousand

or so

we

are really
likely
is

above

the

space-ships?

Is

he not more
is

ground before

quite

realized

where

imagine that what he

seeing

due
for-

either to a defect of his vision or of the

telescope, or even perhaps to

some

we were. The place was unfamiliar to me, but it was evident we were somewhere either in the United States or
Canada.

eign substance in the atmosphere through

which,

We
I

you remember, he is looking? must appear very small, even in the

could think of nothing to counter

largest telescope."

A word or two with Bo-Kar told me what had happened. Recollecting what we had told him, that the centres of the
world's civilization
lay that
in
all

Europe and
other things

that,

and

in the

end agreed that he was

North America, and

being equal

probably right.

OUR us
those

upward course was

between the

still

taking

we would prefer to land amongst people of our own nationality he had naturally chosen the largest continent
available. result

Moon

and earth,

though both were now sinking away beneath us, and soon

proud of the

He seemed quite and we had not the

all

we were able to see two bodies and Ados itself occuThe pying the plane we had left. planetoid still glowed greenly; the haze seemed to be pulsing, but the itself spheres were nowhere to be seen. That, At this imhowever, proved nothing.
mense distance they would appear
credibly small anyway, and,
if,

heart to disabuse him.

However, even though we were not

American,
I

could not see that

it

mat-

tered much.

The

peril

warn

the world against

we had come to was that of the

whole planet, not of any one nation. To a Martian, from a land where all barriers

in-

of

divergent

nationalities

and

following

languages had long been removed, any

other attitude would have seemed incomprehensible.

our example with the earth, they had got into the moon's shadow they would
be invisible against the black background
of space.

My own
realizing

feeling,

however, was

that,

we had
to

the heels of them, the

spheres

had given up the pursuit and

their

returned

base.

Bo-Kar was
in this, never-

inclined to agree with

me

fourteen ships, in a compact now, were drifting slowly Our main side windows were and we could see practically all around us. Rettalick came in with Noma just then, stared about him at the land scape and gave an exclamation.

The

formation

along.

open,

theless he insisted that a strict

watch be
this

"Do you know where we

asked, and he nodded.

are?"

kept from

now

on.
in-

Partly

as

a consequence of

"I've been here before," he said.

"By

TERROR OUT OF SPACE

the look of things

95

we

can't be far

from

Empire State building would be more

spectacular, of course, but the former's

New He
Kar
a

York."
turned and said something to BoI

better for our purpose."

that

did not catch.

Bo-Kar passed
over
the

curt

order

or

two

comheaded
In

municator, and slowly

then, as

we began
level,

to rise,

'Can you do it without danger, I mean ?" He nodded. "Of course. The gravity

we found an upper
had
not

screens

will

do
bit

what's

necessary,

almost due east at a

lively clip.

Anyway
about
first
it.

we've a

of time to think

RetalHck

been

wrong.

New

York's got to be told

about an hour
floating gently

we

sighted the city, and in

another twenty minutes or so

we were

above

it.

who we are and what we want." "How?" By way of answer he seated himself
drew
in

at the table,

a sheet of paper

and

THEwas

Martians gasped at the

sight.

fountain pen from his pocket and wrote

for the

It the first view any of them had ever had of a civilized city on earth, and the towering buildings and the teem-

some time
finished

silence.

product

for

He me

held
to

up

read.

ing multitudes must have stunned

momentarily.

We

were

close

them enough

The message ran "We, the undersigned, are Earthmen who have been on a voyage to Mars in
a Martian space-ship.

now
stare

for people to see us.

Traffic in the

We

have learnt

streets

began to tangle, and people to

at us. I learnt

of a danger threatening the world, and

up

afterwards that
the
biggest

have come to
space-ships,

tell

earth of

its peril.

The

we
stiff

were

responsible

for

Martians have come with us in their

traffic snarl

and the greatest number of

all

which you see floating above

necks in

history.

you, but they have

come

in

peace, with

Retallick
tions

the sight of

was making some preparawhich made me ask

the express intention of aiding us again3t

a peril

we

cannot face ourselves.

Two

what he was going to do.

me.

He

winked

at

of us, the writer and his Martian wife,

will descend on the top of the Woolworth building thirty minutes after this

"I'm handling
said.

this

end,

Harper," he

'T worked on one of the papers

note has been dropped, and wish to meet

those

here once, and there

lows about
got a story
;

may be some felwho still know me. We've we want it to go round the
ex-brothers of the Press

who

can

arrange

to

come and

inspect our ships and be given convinc-

ing evidence of the truth of our story."

world as quickly as possible, and I'm

trusting to
to

"Now, what about

as
I

it?" said Retallick,

my

finished

and handed the message

do what they can."

I noticed

back to him.

he did not mention the name

of the paper that had once claimed his

services,

"TT
still

will
it

do,"
in

said.

would have
myself,
it

though, perhaps this was just

J- put

another

fashion

as well, for in the next breath he

to

began

there was nothing

to quarrel.

much
at

in

over

add certain libelous

details that

may

which

or

may

not be true.
to land?" I

He
handed
no
landing

scrawled
it

hi s

name

the

foot,
it

"But how are you going

queried.

to

me

to sign, then passed to the others,

"There's

ground

round for signature

had come
in in
it

who

about here large enough."

the interval.

"We Norma
top
of

That done
cylinder
a sort of

and

Iwill

land on the
said.

he enclosed

in a thin metal

Wool worth's," he

"The

Bo-Kar handed him, attached

96
parachute to
us.
it,

AMAZING STORIES
and turned once more to
over
gravitational pull of
it

Mars

that you'll find

an effort to move in comfort otherwise."

It

"We'll

sail

Times Square and

drop

it

there," he remarked.

One
opened,
as

of

we

drifted on.

the ports had already been and we went and stood by it When we had reached

was an aspect of the case that had to me before, but one whose force I recognized the moment it was put to me.
not

occurred

the position he wanted and dropped as

CHAPTER XXII
"A World Convinced
.
.

low

as

we
It

dared, he released the parslid

*
a

achute.
falling
citizen.

slowly
feet

down
of
affair

to

earth,

across

the

an innocent
doubtfully

BEFORE
utes

the stipulated thirty minquite

He

eyed the

had

elapsed

little

for a

moment, stared up
at the thing
it

at us
feet.

and then
the
Retallick

group had
building,
set

collected on the top of

back

over his

where
down.

our

ambassadors
trained our

"Pick
called.

up,

you

fool,"

were to be
view-finders

We

I doubt whether his voice reached the man, but he bent down and picked up

on them, but there was nothing about any of those assembled to

indicate

who

they were.

Retallick cheer-

the cylinder nevertheless.

The top
portion

part

of

it

was

open

with

of

the
it,

fully admitted that they- might be either a reception committee come to give him

paper sticking out.

glanced through
it,

The man
then read
to
it

seized

and

Noma
off

the freedom of

New

York,

out aloud look

or a squad of keepers gathered to hale

with

crowd beginning

over

them
ward.
It

to

the

nearest

psychopathic

his shoulder.

Someone began
from hand
to
it

shouting,

increased in size, the paper

the crowd was passed

strike

was an observation that did not me as humorous; the latter part

shot
too
close

hand.

No

sooner had a
his

of

it

to the
all

unpleasant
along- for

man

read

than he jerked
at the

head

possibilities I
it

had envisaged
palatable.

up and stared
Retallick
port.

bulk of the Roca

to be at

all

I could not rid

as though he could not believe his eyes.

my mind
story of

of the feeling that our

own
was

came back from the open

that,"

Ados and

its

inhabitants

"That's

he

said.

"I've
thirty

quite the maddest tale this world of ours

started the

good work, and inside

had ever heard, and

less

expected nothing

minutes we'll see

how New York

had
better slip off

has

than polite disbelief.

Not
that.

that

reacted to our message.

In the mean-

would blame anyone for

ago
I

year

time
fix

Noma

and

and

wouldn't have believed

on our gravity shoes." He meant those wire-meshed things whose acquaintance we had made the
day our adventures began and without which the Martians found it impossible to walk- with comfort on our heavier
planet.

Some

it myself. of our doubts, however, were

set at rest

ing hands with several

group,

them.
age

when we saw Retallick shakmembers of the and then presenting Noma to She was not as tall as the avernevertheless
in

Martian,

the

blue

tunic she

wore after the fashion of her

if

Retallick looked at
:

me

thoughtfully a

country, she would have been a conspic-

moment, then "You'd better wear them, and too, when you first land," he said,
by that he included all us Earth-people. "You've been so long used to the lighter

uous figure even

she hadn't been half

a head

taller

than the others there.

Retallick

Presently

looked
the

back

toto

wards

us

and

signalled

Roca

TERROR OUT OF SPACE

descend and lower the ladder.
we. did so he sent

97
know

When
and
I

trol as

our Martian friends don't

Noma
follow,

up

first

the course.

Will you and Bo-Kar carry

"All right," I said.

expected

him

to

but he

stood

on here?"
I

to one side

and motioned several of the group to precede him. I counted half a

dozen in
all.

nodded.

"But

what
Dr.

am

to

do?"

Noma made

them known
officials,

to us as they

Two

of

came on board. them were city

pleasant

Duncan looked up at me with a smile. "Mr. Retallick has al-

whose exact positions I have long since forgotten; one was a newspaperman representing a news-syndicate,
the
fourth,

ready given us a rough idea of your mission here," he said easily. "May
I

say at the start that

it

is

a welcome one

and that seems

likely to solve

some mys-

who was
Mackin,
I

introduced to

me

as Captain

terious occurrences that

have been per-

took to be a military
but
it

some

sort,

was the other

initial

man of two who

turbing us here of late?"

made

the deepest

impression on

me. Dr. Duncan and Professor Foster I was told they were they both seemed and scientists of some sort or other
;

"do you know and how much don't you?" "Putting it in a nutshell we know that you people have been to Mars and back, and that in the interval you've dismuch,"
I said,

"How

Foster, I could see at a glance,

was an
must
along

covered

that

behind

that

green

haze

Englishman.

Certainly

New York
men

that seems to be arising in space

invisible side of the

on the
of

have hustled to get six such

so quickly, but, actually, as I
ently to learn,
it

moon
the

is

a malignant

was preswas no mere accident

together.

entity

that

threatens
less

existence

our planet, no

than that of Mars.

several times with-

that brought

them

When

I tell

you that

They

stood in the

doorway, looking
after the intro-

in the last year

interestedly about

them

calamities that
to

we have been visited by we could only attribute

agency, you will

ductions until Retallick

came on board.

an

extra-terrestrial

Then, "This way, gentlemen, please," he

said,

and

led

them

into the observation

understand that we won't find your story very difficult to believe."

room.

It looked

more

like

the begin-

nings of a conference than the visit of

I had anticipated, particularly handed them all seats. The communicating door was still open and glancing back over my shoulder I saw

THAT
me.
be
tions

inspection

was a good enough start for At least we were not going to

as
liars

as Retallick

classed

or

lunatics.

Dr.
visita-

Duncan's mention of calamitous

excited
it

my

curiosity,
tell

but

de-

that

the

ladder

was being hauled on

later

cided
didn't

was

better to

him what he
very well

board.

moment

the

side-port

know

rather than waste time askthat could

closed with a clang and the

Roca
in

be-

ing

him questions
later.

gan to

rise at once.

be dealt with

None
least

of

the

visitors
that,

seemed

the

put out by

though they must

have been aware what was going on. I was beginning to feel a trifle mystified
myself, however,
the air

I had been more or less prepared for some such eventuality, and feeling that I would have to make my tale as com-

pact as possible I had already pruned

it

when

Retallick cleared

over in

my own
I

mind, so that when the

able to present the

by calling across the room to

to
I'll

need arouse
as
little loss

was

me. he

salient facts as they affected earth, with

"We're off said, "and

Washington, Harper,"
have to take over con-

of time as possible.
at

was
ac-

rather

surprised

the

reception

98
corded

AMAZING STORIES
my
story.
It

seemed they were

the possibility

the

position

quite prepared to accept

to earth

Ados occupied in relation and the moon. As they were

I

of an inter-planetary invasion; they were

screened I watched the faces of the six

anxiously, and gradually

even prepared to admit the likelihood of

saw a dawn-

a hitherto unsuspected form of

the
face
;

life

on

ing conviction steal over one countenance

after another.
It

of

the

Moon

turned

away

from us but, when I mentioned our second satellite for the first time, I saw expressions of incredulity cross more than
one of the faces opposite me.
for

within visual distance of

able to

was when we came Ados and were

in
its

show the green haze

I

en-

tirety that

caught a simultaneous gasp

You

see,

of

more than

thirty years the possibility

fect

amazement from the group. The effor them was no doubt heightened
in

of an intelligent and highly civilized race on Mars had been discussed in public and in private, and the world was more
or less used to envisaging such a thing.

by the fact that these Martian pictures

were taken and shown

colors.

their

natural

Not a thing was omitted.

fleeing sphere disappear

They

saw the
tle

through

But

it

as far

had never before been suggested, as my knowledge went, that hid-

the opening in the haze after that batin

which onq of the Martian ships

;

den behind our

moon was
it

a planetoid of

had become a casualty

then came the

any

sort.

could see

work convincing my
no
help
it.

audience, but

would take some I had

if I

moment when

the

haze

opened

again

to allow the fleet of spheres to

stream

intention of wasting

words

could

out in pursuit of us, and after that picture

The complete

pictorial

record

followed a wide-angle shot show-

we had prepared
lights

against

just

such a

ing

how

nearly

we were

caught between

contingency was in readiness; the high

two

fires.

had been picked

could be

out,

and the

films

themselves

screened

in

EVERY
of

detail of that

headlong
with

flight

moment. It was only

ours

was recorded there; our

shot

a step or

two from where

swinging around the moon,

vivid details of

we were
vited

to the projecting room, so I inalong, merely stating that I

after shot of our cameras showing the

its

them

surface;
latter's

Ados vansilver

could show them something that would

ishing

behind the

bulk;
space

go
of

further

towards

proving

the

truth

the

earth
of

gleaming
us.

roundly

in

my

tale than

Norna,
guessed

any mere words. bless her heart, must have from the beginning what the
operators

ahead

Professor Foster turned to

me

as the

whirr of the projecting machine ceased

abruptly.

trend of things would be. of

the

Martian

She had one and a pro-

"That's

convincing

enough

for

me,

machine in readiness, and it was only a matter of selecting the records that would give the most convincjecting

Mr. Harper,"
do you say,

he

announced.

"What
an as-

Duncan?"

The

other hesitated.

He was
to
it

ing
time.

pictures

in

the

shortest

possible

tronomer,

not

unknown

fame,

and

Those
as

of life on Mars, interestI

left

that such a

man

should find

hard to

ing

they were,

for

more

recast the ideas of thirty years, on the

opportune moment, concentrating simply

strength

of

a few pictures, was quite

"that

on such as had to do with Ados.

I

understandable.
"I think," he said slowly,

we

took

space,

had the operator begin with those early in our journey across ones that showed conclusively

Mr.

Harper has shown us enough

to enable

us to verify the rest by calculation and

TERROR OUT OF SPACE

experiment.

99

Now we know
we

what
it

to

look for, no doubt

the greatest ease."
I

shall find

with

In addition, he had provided himself with a number of photos that helped to

illustrate the matter.

glanced at him sharply.

was not

Foster,
ologist
in

who was something

addition
to
his

of a bi-

quite sure that there wasn't an under-

other

qual-

current of sarcasm in his words.

ifications,

made

some

remark

about

"If you're not inclined to be squeamish,"

I

said

stiffly,

"I can

show you an

inhabitant of our second satellite,

to its people as

known

Ados."
actually captured

what an interesting subject for dissection the Adosian would make, and I fancy he expressed a hope that at some future date the chance might be his.

"What
one!"
surprise.

Have you

The Martian

doctor looked blankly at

Captain

Mackin asked in some Hitherto he had seemed more

interested in the battle of the rays than

in the

new satellite. "Not a live one,"

this

him for a second or so. Then "You would wish to cut him up to see what is inside him ?" he said with a smile. "But that is crude. If you
wish,

I told

him.

"The
the
to

you

may

see

now

without
it.

the

Martians took
sphere

specimen from
he

cutting up."
I

we fought with on our way

had forgotten
it

that stethoscope thing

Mars.

Of

course

with him

were

and

the

others

until I

saw the Martian produce

over
Foster's
face,

He
and

dead before we could

adjusted

placed

get to them."

the eye-pieces in the right position,

Dr.

me.
he
I

Duncan turned and stared at "By your reckoning that must be

has

"You would interior now?"

said,

like to

see your

own

almost a year ago," he said.

it

erbeen
It
if
I

"I take preserved ?"

nodded.

was no time to go into

Foster laughed uneasily. I fancy he thought some sort of a trick was being played on him. However, he allowed
his chest to

details,

even

knew them

all.

The
the

be bared, and the Martian

Martian doctor

in

charge could

tell

placed the other end of the instrument

so that
it

two

scientists
I

all

they wished to know.

would

function.
silence.

There was

Accordingly

led the

way

to the place

a moment's strained
I

where the dead Adosian had been kept pending such an eventuality. Most of our officers could speak Engthey had picked up lish of a sort, from us, and those of them who were most
likely

"Good God," Foster

can
see

cried

"Duncan,
as
if

inside

myself

just

were made of glass!"

NONSENSE!"
"You
lishman.
off the

said

the

other.

to

make

contact

with peo-

ple occupying similar positions on earth,

"Doubting

had devoted themselves assiduously during the voyage to increasing their vocabulary under Retallick's tutelage.

can't do that." Thomas," said the Eng"See for yourself." He took

it

apparatus and handed

to his

colleague.
it

The Martian

doctor

spoke

in

quaint, clipped style, but, which

was the main thing, he was able to make himself understood without difficulty, and
so

Duncan allowed it to be adjusted, though he did make some remark about

making
a fool

of

himself at his

age.

demonstrate to the
peculiar

little

party
the

the

various Adosian's anatomy, a task that would

features

of

dead

moment later came the change. He removed the eye-pieces and looked up at us with a half-ashamed expression on his face.
"I apologize," he said contritely, "but

have been altogether beyond

my

capacity.

100
the thing
It still
is.

AMAZING STORIES
was too incredible for words. How do you do it?"
doctor's black eyes twin"is

ready given
suggest that
tion

me

a hint that you in your

tell

turn have something to

us,

and

I'd

The Martian
kled.

"That," he said deliberately, one

we adjourn to the observaroom again the room where we

secret, but

we
to

shall

tation

in

giving

have no hesiyou earth peoples

left the others,

you know."
said
in

"Of
"you're

course,"
quite

should you prove worthy."

the

Mackin, nodding; dark as to our

Yes,
it

"But think of the revolution in diag"It would nosis," Foster murmured.

abolish
all

locus standi in this affair.

would

be just as well for you to

know with

the need of exploratory op-

whom

you're dealing, and what exactly

erations. Harper, have these Martians any more surprises like this? This beats the X-ray."

"The

planet's

full

of
I'd

them,"

powers are. You're not the commander, I take it?" "Bo-Kar, the I shook my head. Martian to whom you were introduced,
our particular

said

extravagantly.

"But

suggest

you
first

commands
ours,

the

fleet,

but hislnterests are

have a look at our Adosian friend

well begun."
I

or we'll be at Washington before we've

to trust us. to

and he has gone out of his way But I think it is only due him that whatever you have to say
in

should be said
in

his

presence."

left

them
to
pilot
It

charge of
far

the

Marfitted

tian

doctor,
I

who was

better

than

amination.
I

them through the exwas not the kind of thing

myself
in,

"Certainly," Mackin agreed. "It's a However, Foster and Duncan know a good deal more about the business than I do, and so

queer story, though.

could

interest

so

stood

I'd better leave the telling to them."

to one side until they had finished.

Back
all

in

the

observation

room with
united

"Harper," said Duncan, coming back

of our party, save Retallick,

you have told us so far has been borne out by what we have seen. From the build of this man and from what we have learned of his into me, "everything ternal

again,

we heard As
it

for the

first

time the

story of the strange events of the past

year.

was

told

to us each part

dovetailed into the other, and helped to

organs, we feel convinced that he has come from a planet where the
pull

make a coherent whole

the key.
it

of gravity and the

density of the
like

to which we held But to the peoples of earth must have seemed no more than a isolated

atmosphere

are

nothing

as

great

number of
dents
nection
at
last

yet

alarming
that

But in the name of fortune they have managed to preserve him in this state Dead a year, is more than I can say. you say, and yet to all intents and puras those of either earth or Mars.

showing no
in

inci-

actual thread of con-

how

between them
that

culminated
threat to

mysterious

their existence, a threat that

had brought

poses he might merely be

like to

asleep.

I'd

know

the

method they employ

to

them within a measurable distance of realizing the imminence of the terror that menaced them from out of space.

get this result."

"That's another of their secrets that

they'll
I

probably

tell

you about

later on,"

said.

"Once you've gained

I

their con-

fidence,

don't think you'll

find

them
their

at

all

backward

about

sharing

Roca, quite twelve months before, had not passed unnoticed. A SydneyFrisco liner had seen the strange light in the sky one or two island schooners
;

TO

begin with that descent of

the

knowledge.

But, gentlemen, you've al-

had remarked on

it

on reaching

port,

TERROR OUT OF SPACE

and over on Florida Island some of the officials had noted the sight and wondered what it was. It seems, however, that among all those who saw it there

101

and went out and flashed again through the steam cloud. When it finally cleared away there vas no sign either of the
battleships
in

themselves

or

of

the

thing

was
the
ical

no

scientific

meagre

one with any pretensions to knowledge, and, when at last details reached the astronom-

the

sky.

completely vanished.

They had absolutely and The observers' acnext few minutes

out
the
all

counts, however, were not to be relied on

implicitly, for in the

world, they could only conclude that

the manifestation had been due to

some

their energies

and
get

attention

was occupied
danger

extra large meteorite, and from the fact

that

in

trying

to

of

no

damage of any

sort

it seemed obvious that have fallen into the sea somewhere.

ported

was remust it

zone.
Solent,

huge

tidal

wave swept the

all

rushing

over
It

the

low-lying
greater

land

adjacent.

wrecked the

The next
ish
fleet

act in the

drama was a more

part of the shipping in the neighborhood

spectacular one.

section of the Brit-

anchor off Portsmouth one clear night, when a body resembling a ball of dull light, as one observer de-

was

at

damage to the docks at Southampton, and all but engulfed the

did incalculable
Isle of

Wight.
that,

Next day the Astronomer Royal announced

disaster
at a time antedating the
so,

scribed
in

it,

suddenly

made

its

appearance

the sky at

a height

that

was varierrone-

by an hour or

Greenwich
stellar

ously estimated, quite probably ously in

all

Observatory had noted a peculiar

rection of the earth.

from six hunAlmost cerdred to a thousand feet. There was tainly it was much higher. evidently some doubt as to what the object was and a searchlight from one
instances, as

missile rushing through space in the di-

The observers had

path, but present-

attempted to follow
ly lost sight of

its

doubt that

it

of the vessels was

swung

into the sky,

made

it

invisible.

it. The chances were no had attained a speed that This report was con-

and a few seconds later the beams from the whole fleet were focused on the glowing ball. Admitting that it was an Adosian sphere, what happened next was
perfectly comprehensible.

firmed in the course of a day or so by an

American
pratically

message
identical

from
in

Mt.

Wilson,

detail

with

the

The Adosians,

used to the destructive power of rays, no the harmless concluded that doubt
searchlights

Greenwich one. Again the conclusion was that the millions of pounds worth of damage done and the two thousand lives lost were due to the impact of a meteorite.
Scientific

were something new

in the

accounts

sought

parallel

lethal line and, that being their conviction,

in the

Siberian meteorite of

1908,

and

preferred to take no chances.

presently tacked on to that the garbled

Observers on shore, from whose hazy account was subsethe descriptions

quently compounded, agreed that a spurt
of green light seemed to
object in the sky the
lights

reports of our

own
say

visitation.

Needless

to

the

heavens
after
this,

scanned

pretty

closely

were and

come from the moment the searchand for the next

of
the

soon the inevitable discovery was made

of the green haze apparently emanating

picked

it

up,

few seconds nothing could be seen in

detail.

great

portion

sea

seemed incontinently to turn to steam

a
succession,

from the far side of the Moon. An attempt was made to link this up with had gone before, not a very successful attempt it must be admitted, and
speculation as to the possibilities of life

number of explosions occurred and brilliant lights

in quick

flashed

on the remote face of our

satellite

began

102
to

AMAZING STORIES
space
in

occupy a disproportionate

The
outer

bullets
shell.

pattered harmlessly off the

the daily press.

Nevertheless

the

sphere's

The
with

scientific press,

cautiousness

on the other hand, that would have

cir-

people must

have considered discretion

the better part of valor, for the spaceship immediately rose at a terrific speed
that set the hull

been commendable under any other

cumstances,
discounted

any

such

idea.

glowing with the

fric-

The
tion

various authorities, almost without

that had
just

tion of the atmosphere.

The

surviving

exception, attempted to trace a connec-

planes followed

it

as high as they dared,

between the green

light

flashed

from

the

strange
the

object

and according to their story it shot away into space and dwindled rapidly in size.
In this particular instance a private observer

prior to the disaster in

vicinity

of

the the

Solent and the green haze behind

had quite by
in

accident

got

the

moon.

The
lines

latter

radiated

certain
effects

sphere
utes
it

focus

during the

few min-

magnetic

of

force

whose

were recorded by sensitive instruments on earth, though their precise implication

happened to be within range. Due to the cloud bank that had obscured
the
sky,

very

little

observation
this

was far At any rate,

somewhere
teorites

from being understood.

the

had been done that evening, and

particular

theory

that

presently

man was
so

fortunate

in

that

gained general acceptance was that from

in space a succession of

he did not
a

start to search the

sky until

of

unknown composition

mewas

moment or

after

the clouds

had

drifted away.

bombarding the invisible half of the moon, and that those which had hit the earth had in some fashion overshot their mark. A number of writers of scientific
fiction

the

This observer had been attracted by stories of the lumious green haze

back of the moon; he was a

member of

made

the suggestion that intellilife

one or two interplanetary organizations, and had decided views on the possibility

gent,

extra-terrestrial

might be
ideas

at

of

inter-stellar

communication.
these

the bottom of the trouble, but in practically

Probably

because

of

views

his
it

every

case

their

were
insular

theory of a space-ship, even though

story,

scouted.

Man
and
it

has
is

become an
life

agreed in essentials with the war-birds'

animal,

part of his armor of

was frowned on

in high circles.

egotism to believe that no

sort at all corresponding
in

of any

intelligence

SOME
rocked to

sort of confirmation

to his

own

could possibly exist anywhere

earth.
later

next evening
its

came the when New York was

outside

the

foundations by what was

Two
ican

months

fleet

of

Amer-

military

planes

cruising

high up over
startled

New York

by night were suddenly

apparently a series of submarine quakes, preceded by further manifestations of

the green light.

In the morning
the

it

was

by the emergence from a cloud an object they described as a

discovered

that

Statue

of

Liberty

layer of

had

literally

vanished into thin

silvery ball.

The moment

they were ob-

discovery might have been

air. The made sooner

into their midst

beam it must be remembered that the dull red carrier ray would be invisible to them shot out and each plane it touched
served a green pencil
burst immediately into flame.

had
that

it

not been for the curtain of steam

obscured the harbor in

much
in

the the

same fashion as had happened

disaster off

Portsmouth, England.

The

planes

On

the heels of this there

came
that

drift-

were armed, and from one a machine gun was trained on the sphere and fired.

ing in via
tressed

London a

report

butthis

up the suggestion that

all

TERROR OUT OF SPACE

was
directly traceable to a visitant
It

103

from

at rest.

In the ordinary course of events

another world.
the officials

appears that one of

the jungle should have flowed over the

to

from Florida Island in the Solomon group had occasion to go over our plantation -perhaps it was one

spot and hidden

it

from view, but with

jungle
to
dis-

surprising reluctance the

played

marked

disinclination
sort.

do

of those surprise visits that the administrative staff

anything of the
eral

pay from time to time

That and sevother things he noticed seemed to

and found to his surprise that there was no sign of the owners about anywhere. The place had been allowed to fall into ruin, and the natives were beginning to run wild. They seemed more
frightened
ported.

the Resident Magistrate to possess such

an extraordinary though entirely incomprehensible significance at the time, that

he decided

London.
the

than

anything

else,

he

re-

news
of

it was worth reporting to His decision was quickened by that had come in on the last

At
play,

first

he

was

inclined

to

mail

the

mysterious
another

events

in

the
re-

imagine that we had been the victims

of
foul

Northern Hemisphere.
port

In

fine,

his

but a close examination

added

yet

corroborative

of

the bungalow
to

and

its

surroundings anything that

idea.

detail to the theory that

was beginning

failed

bring to

light

to take shape in the minds of the leading

scientists of
It

would substantiate such an

last elicited a story that

close

Europe and America.

cross-questioning of the native boys at

presently became so plain that there

terror out of space that had

seemed to have
the
incredible

was some
the

considerable
in
it.

elements

of

to be combatted, that conferences

In effect what they said was that

a great ship had

come down from out

of the sky and taken us away.

By what

between two sufferers, England and America, were arranged with a view to finding some means of dealing with the menace.
variety of reasons that need not
into here,

manner of means
trate,

this
I

for

such

managed
but the
to
in
fix

to get dates

Resident Magispresume he was, and other vital in-

For a
be

gone

but

that

will

be

familiar to every student of popularized

science, the lead

formation from the boys did not appear,

fact

remains that he was able

of

icans; Great Britain

it

was taken by the Amerfell into step, and

that

the

time

our
the

disappearance
it

was reported

supplies were be-

such a
the

way

that he connected

up

ing voted by both nations to enable ex-

with

meteorite

Florida

Island

people had fancied they saw.

periments with the Goddard rocket ships to be speeded up to the point where they

meteorite, as every schoolboy knows,

would

become

practicable

space-craft.

when

it is large enough to escape being reduced to incandescent powder by the friction of the atmosphere, makes a

Offers of assistance had been

German men
rest

of science

made by who had been

lines,

experimenting on the same

of
the

but the
stand

crater for itself

when

it

strikes the earth

its

nations preferred to

of greater or less depth, according to

size

aloof, pretending to see in the situation

and the force of

its

impact.

An

examination of the scene of our takingoff failed to reveal signs of

between the two great English-speaking nations to dominate the

a conspiracy

such a crater.

world.

Instead the rocks thereabouts seemed to

have been melted to liquid and then later to have hardened to a lava-like consistency over the whole of the area
that

AN
* *

international

conference

was,

at

the

moment of our
Foster
in

arrival,

sitting

the

space-ship

had occupied when

in Washington. morning landed

New

had but that York, where

104
he had been met by

AMAZING STORIES
Duncan and Mackin,
to

each possess

the latter in his capacity of aviation expert,

may yet become mon knowledge of all."

Bo-Kar
"Well
said,

the

com-

and out arrival had seemed

them

gravely

inclined
called

his

head.

like the

Hand

of Providence.

Earthman,

Dr. Dun-

I could not understand, however,

why

can," he answered.
to give each other to

"We
the

have too much

of

we had been allowed

close to the
hostility

to approach so ground without any sign of being shown us, and I put it

we two peoplesver
manner
the

quarrel

over

giving."

up to Duncan. "Well, what could we do anyway

retorted, with

But
?" he

thought of the
mineral
wealth,

moon and
and
I

its

reputed
defed.
.

won-

a smile. "But, seriously, you know that the leading ship of the fleet had approached us with a white flag showing?" "No, I didn't," I said. "Retallick's
didn't

CHAPTER
".
.
.

XXIII

doing,

suppose."

While

Rome Burns"

"Probably." he agreed.
as

"At any

rate,

you showed a disposition

to parley,

we

NEVER

want to go through the

could do no less than give you the opportunity.

ordeal of that day at Washington

We

tering the rays,

slightest hostile

had no means of counand as we felt that the move would bring them
better

I
of

a'ain.

The
called
to

international

conference,

devise ways and means

in full

down on

us,

we knew

than to

combatting the menace, was

try anything of the sort.

Another and
and your
real-

session

when we
to

arrived,

and
it.

perhaps the most cogent reason was that

the ships were over

immediately hailed before

we were am not
cross-

New York

going

describe

in

detail

the

message dropped before we quite

ized
sage,

examination
the

we were
incredulity
I

put
that

through

or
at

what had happened.

the
fact
it

that

it

But the meswas in English

to

blank

we met

every turn.

should have thought that

and that
people

bore the signatures of the

our exhibits were sufficient to convince

whom we now knew

a

have disus
friends,

even

the

most

skeptical,

but

there

appeared
speedily

year

back,

convinced

enough that we

had

not enemies to deal with."

The fact was that we were and conditions beyond the experience of the average
was wrong.
dealing with adventures

He
little

stopped

and looked around our

and the grave yet

man; we
every

told

of things that

ran con-

group, at the white, strained faces

earth-people

trary to the accepted doctrine, and, like

of

us

strong and calm features of the Martians,

then addressed himself to Bo-Kar.

think,"

"I

he said slowly, "that we

for so they
tell me many ways

other exponent of the strange and new, our purpose was misconstrued and our motives suspected. Yet in the end we triumphed, though not as completely as

of earth are fortunate in having as our

allies

we had
I,

hoped.
as the spokesmen of

you

of Roca,

Retallick and

you

call

the planet Mars.

In

our party, were put through a pretty

severe grilling.
lost at

you ments of physical science you are admittedly our superiors, but no doubt we in our turn can teach you many things. It is my hope that the knowledge we

are ahead of us; in certain depart-

More
at

than once

almost

my

temper

the questions hurled

a hair.

me, but Retallick never turned

Duncan and Foster came to our aid when the chance offered, told what they

TERROR OUT OF SPACE

had seen and the conclusions they had drawn, and urged that the conference itself should adjourn to permit of our
picture records being screened.
lick

105
was not very Bo-Kar said people had come here
it

had

suggested,

pleasant hearing.
that he

In

fine,

and

his

Oddly enough
debate about this
delegates

there
;

was

the

hottest

that

think some of the

unwilling
to

were extremely
;

more or less out of goodness of heart was Retal lick's translation, which to I suspect was not strictly accurate They help earth out of a difficulty.

be convinced

and in the end it was only Bo-Kar's growing impatience that swayed In the the gathering in our favor.
it

the

Martians
disbelief

had
;

been met by doubt

and

they

were

prepared

to

face and overcome incredulity, but they

midst of
first

the Martian,
in

whom

for the
I

could not understand the type of

mind
in

time a

our

acquaintance

saw

which,

knowing there were proofs

could
it

with

disgusted
to his feet
I

jumped
but
it

frown on his face, and said something

existence,

waste

time

debating

to Retallick.

did not catch the words,

or

was

plain

from the tone

that
to

were worth viewing them Such procrastination at such Boa time was almost unbelievable.
whether
not.

Bo-Kar's patience had been

breaking point.

frayed

Kar,

speaking

for

himself,

wished to

say that, rather than face out the wrangling and the petty differences between

him by the arm, and whispered something. It seemed he was

Retallick caught

trying to persuade his

father-in-law to

be seated again, but Bo-Kar bad no such Instead, seizing the opporintention.
tunity of a

seemed the order of the day, he would withdraw his people and his ships, sail away into the void and
nations
that

leave earth to

fend
he

for

itself.

momentary

lull

in

the dis-

Retallick finished,

and turned to Bothought

say.

cussion, he turned towards the presidential

Kar
might

as

though
to

the

other

chair and,

commanding
poured
out

attention

by
of

still

have more to
sit

Bo-Kar

virtue of his dignified bearing

and suflood

waved him
"Mr.
halting

down, and faced the

perior

height,

conference himself.
Retallick," he said, speaking in

Rocan.
All eyes turned towards him. "What's

English,

"has

told
I

you

much

he saying?" said someone.

Retallick sprang

what is in him to say

I

my
it

mind.

have allowed

for me, for I cannot as

up beside him.

"I'd
sit-

yet speak your language very well,

and

better interpret," he said, taking the

do not want, through

meaning made.
is
it

my

ignorance

"I'll warn uation in his own hands. you," he ran on with a wry smile, "that it isn't pleasant hearing, but I think I

of your phrasing, to have

mistakes of

my

our battle
fight

But I add this, that yours, and if we are to

for

can speak for the rest of our party and

say that Bo-Kar
of us
all."
is

for you, without help

voicing the opinions

you can look

civilization

no

help

from you, from our

now

or later.

We, of Roca,
should hesi-

Mr. Retallick," said the think that from I President quietly. the start he was on our side, and by

"Go on

then,

do not understand
tate

why you

with the foe at your door.

Your

scientists
is

can

tell

this

political

time was thoroughly tired of the and international wrangling that

itself

true,

once they
is

you that what we say have examined our

data.

That

enough.

Why

then should
is

had insinuated

into the discussion.

some of you think

that in this there

What Bo-Kar had to say was very much to the point, though. As Retal-

a plot of the larger nations to swallow up some of your smaller powers? You

106

AMAZING STORIES
now
The
but

no longer belong to this nation or that; you are the earth people who should unite to face a menace from beyond.

everything
screening
start

we
itself

could

screen

was

shown from end

to end.

took several hours,

the

Why waste time spoken and I go."

He
room.
turned
as

about

it?

have

from

to

finish

audience

though
quick

to

leave

the

With

President

left his seat,

movement the crossed the room

and caught Bo-Kar by the hand.

and when it came to the from more than one came gasps of amazement, and, I imagine, fear. It was then that Mackin, who was sitting next to me, -turned and
sat enthralled, battle in the void,

whispered.

'"""pHERE

is

no need

to

leave,"

he

"Harper,"

he

said,

"I

think
of

see

said.

"I shall see you through."

now why
tacked the

these Adosians
British
fleet

yours at-

In that he showed he was a judge of

and destroyed
I

men, whether they came from earth or Mars, but after all he was only lialf a
second ahead of
ish delegates
it.

the Statue of Liberty."

"Why?"
to trace

asked.
logical

So far

had

failed

He had

no sooner

any

connection between

finished speaking than one of the Brit-

the two incidents.

jumped
declared.
is

to his feet.
is

"Mr
men,"
while
petty

Bo-Kar
er

right,

gentlefiddling

"TT'S

quite simple,"

he

said.

"Their

he

"We're

chief

weapon

is

the ray,

and nat-

Rome

burning.

What do
face
I

our
of

urally they regard

anything of similar
because

jealousies

matter in the

nature as a possible weapon of offense.

this larger
if

menace?
it

Indeed

They
of
its

attacked the British

searchlights,

fleet

say that,
the lantern on the no doubt seemed to
sess
lethal

in the end

can weld us into one

it

and the beam from

Statue
their

people with one heart and one aim,

lias

of

Liberty
to pos-

not been without

its

uses."
possibilities

minds

also.

So they
and
it

"I think," said the President smiling,

"that
I

got in
It
I

first."

we

are

all

agreed

on

that,

and

seemed quite a
Also,

feasible solution,

would suggest we should ask our Marfriend

that

said so.

it

appeared to
to cut

me

tian

such

of

his

picture

might be good policy

thing
in

out every-

records as can be
in at

shown

here, be brought

the

nature

of

swinging
likelihood
It

once for our conviction."

definitely turned
that,
it,
;

beam
there
of

as long as there

was a

The tide had

an attack by the Adosians.

that a lot

would

was no doubt about

sensing something of

and Bo-Kar,

mean

of light-houses would

stared frankly

have to go out of business, but no doubt

shipping could be warned of what was being done.

bewildered at the change of expression

on the faces of those in front of him.

He

could
to

not

understand people
facts,

who
be

Mackin

nodded

at

my

suggestion.
to

refused

face

yet

could
that

Much
put
see
it

the same idea had

come

him,

swayed so

easily this

way and

by

he admitted.

At any
carried

mere words.
Well, to make a long story short, the
picture

up

to the

rate, he would proper authorities and

it

that

they

through.

records

were brought
the
benefit

in,

and
us

The
all.

exhibition

came

to a close,
fell

given a complete screening.

the

Before, on
of

for a time a death-like silence

and on

Roca,

for

Duncan,

Again

it

Foster

and

their

colleagues

we
lights,

had
but

ish delegates, the

was one of the Britsame who had spoken

merely picked out the high

before,

who

forced the issue.

TERROR OUT OF SPACE

"I
think,"

107
fifteen

he

said,

enough to

convince

us.

"we have seen The reason

As

for

space-ships,

of

the

Martian
planet

vessels

were

now on

earth

why

this planetoid,
I
I,

discovered before

Ados, has not been leave to one more

but

competent

than

from

what

have been told

it

should

has already

manifested

imagine that presence its

possibly

to

our

astronomers,

though

they have drawn wrong deductions from those manifestations. I am given to un-

from their home and should be here soon, and more would be commissioned as they were built. They could be built readily enough here on earth from the plans If the work was he would supply. pushed on and every effort concentrated on it, there was no reason why a fleet
others were setting out

however, that its density is very low and possibly, therefore, such influences of an attractive nature as it
derstand,

should not be ready to take off inside

the Martian ships could be

exerts on our planet have been hitherto

negligible.

But

it

was not of that

I

ber of the earth party,

wished to speak.
granted that

am

taking

it

for

we are now of one mind, for I cannot imagine how anyone could have seen what we have seen and heard what we have heard, and remain unconThat being so, I would ask vinced.
that our

Meanwhile some of manned and Every memwho had been to Mars,, had undergone a course of instruction that made them capable of
of

three

months.

commanded by earth-men.

taking complete charge of a space-ship.

Earth crews could be put through training in a week that would fit them for
their duties.

Martian friends advance some formal suggestion as to a plan of cam-

paign."

Bo-Kar had followed

the Englishman's

"Understand," he went on, "that we of Roca, for so we call our planet which you know as Mars, are giving you of our secrets and our discoveries. We merely
ask that they be made
peoples

speech with close attention, and, what

common
not

to

the

he did not understand himself, Retallick had made plain, and now at the end he
spoke again, once more apologizing for
his

of

this

world,

that

they

should be held by one or two nations

alone.

And

in return there is

one thing

inadequate

knowledge

of

the

lan-

we

seek.

..."
if

guage.

What

he had to say was just

He

paused and looked around before

to
feel

as simple and direct as before.

he went on, as

in

advance

saw no gain, he said, in sitting down and waiting for the Adosians to They had already take the initiative.
given ample evidence of hostile intenTherefore, he suggested, that tions.

He

the temper of the gathering towards the proposition he meant to submit. It was

had dreaded all along, but I need not have worried. Retallick and he must have talked the matter over
this
I

moment

we
try.

carry the war into the enemy's counOne, of course, could not say
of the spheres were in exand the vibratory screen about

in all
tions,

its

possible aspects

and implica-

for

how many
istence,

Ados,

too, presented a difficulty,

though

"W
shot at

HO

owns the Moon?" Bo-Kar

asked abruptly.

the latter

was

a problem that the com-

bined wits of the Martians and earth His scientists could no doubt overcome.

imagine that

For a space there was silence. I it was a question which, them in that fashion, took more

own men would

experimenting
in

be

happy

to

begin

than one of the delegates aback.

collaboration

with

"Why,"
slowly,

earth scientists practically at once.

said one of the Englishmen "nobody does, unless there hap-

108

AMAZING STORIES
too,
is

pen to be any inhabitants there, in which

case their right
surely incontestable."

be

as though this meeting's going unanimous on the matter."

to

"I guess," said one of the American

delegates drily, "that
first

"I

imagine,"

said

the

President

su-

whoever lands there

it

avely, "that

will certainly claim

It's

for his

own

people.
that

not so near or so valuable

will dispute that."

anyone
I

what we are going to gain from intercourse with our Martian allies will far outweigh the value of any concessions they desire on the moon. After
all, it

isn't

our
lay

exclusive

property

"So
ing:

thought," said Bo-Kar, catchthe

so

far,

no nation

on
claim
a

earth
to
it,

has

ever
so

at

sense

rather

than

at

the

attempted to

and
of ours

words themselves. "Well, know you Earth-men that we of Roca have interests in your moon. We have already effected a landing there, and have discovered minerals of which there is a shortage on Mars, and which we would work for our own benefit. So now this is my bargain, that in return for what
actual

we
give.

shouldn't

make

virtue
isn't

being
to

magnanimous over what

If the

doctrine

of

priority
I

of

occupation counts for anything,

the

think
it

Martians have a better right to

than

we

have.
if

At
find

the

worst we can

say that

they care to

work any
set,

de-

posits they

may

on the moon within

they
us.

we

are ready to do to help you,

we be
depos-

the limits they themselves have

allowed undisputed right to

work now

need anticipate no interference from

That,
I

and hereafter
its

all

such

mineral

think,

will

meet with everyvote was taken,

any, would

as

of the

we may discover on that side moon remote from earth. Should

wish
into

one's approval."

Seemingly,
did. later

when a
if

it

you
will

earth-men

to

deposits

on

this

face of the
conflict

work similar Moon, we

with each

The when

trouble,

come

the full extent of the moon's

not

come

mineral wealth had been ascertained be-

other."

yond
fair

all possibility

of doubt. Meanwhile

"Sounds
the

enough,"
"It's

said

one

of
of

we had reached
resentatives of

the stage

when

the repthat that

Americans.

pretty
I

much
a

a no-man's-land anyway,

should say,

counted
earth

had

most of the powers become convinced

and

if

you people can

find

way

of

getting over the lack of atmosphere

the difficulties of temperature,
I,

and
me,

for one,
to

would

say,

go to

it.

It

looks

was facing a very real and presing danger, that must be dealt with before it assumed proportions with which we could not cope.

End

of Part III

109

The gold-Bug
By

EDGAR ALLAN POE

[1843]
this fellow is

What ho what ho
1

dancing

mad

He

hath been bitten by the Tarantula. All in the Wrong.

MANY
tunes
his disasters,

years

ago,

con-

often

attains
feet,

the

height

of

fifteen

or

tracted an intimacy with a

twenty
with
its

and forms an almost imburthening

of

Mr. William Legrand. He was of an ancient Huguenot family, and had once
been wealthy; but a series of misforTo had reduced him to want.
avoid the mortification consequent upon

penetrable

coppice,

the

air

fragrance.
recessor
this

In the inmost
pice,

cop-

not far from the eastern or more

remote end of the island, Legrand had

built himself a small hut,

which he oc-

he

left

New

Orleans, the

cupied

when

first,

city of his forefathers,

residence

at

Sullivan's

and took up his near Island,

made
the

his acquaintance.

by mere accident, This soon ripened

into friendship

for there

was much
and

in

Charleston, South Carolina.

recluse
I

to

excite

interest

es-

This island
It

is

consists
is

of

little

a very singular one. else than the sea

Its

teem.

found him well educated, with

unusual powers of mind, but infected

sand, and

about three miles long.

with misanthropy, and subject to perverse

breadth

at

a mile.
ing
its

It is

no point exceeds a quarter of separated from the maina

moods of

alternate enthusiasm

melancholy.
books,
chief

He

had with

land by a scarcely perceptible creek, ooz-

but rarely employed

way through
slime,

wilderness
resort

of

amusements
or

were
myrtles,

gunning
the
in

and him many them. His and

beach
of
his

reeds

and

favorite

of

fishing,

sauntering along
the

the marsh-hen.

The

vegetation, as might

and through
shells

quest

be supposed,
ish.

is scant,

No

trees of

or at least dwarfany magnitude arc to

or

entomological

specimens;

collection of the latter

might have been

In these

Near the western extremity, be seen. where Fort Moultrie stands, and where
are some miserable frame buildings, tenanted, during

envied by a

Swammerdamm.
negro,
called

excursions he was usually accompanied

by

an

old

Jupiter,

summer, by the fugitives from Charleston dust and fever, may

who had been manumitted

reserves of the
family,

before

the

but

who

could

be found, indeed, the bristly palmetto; but the whole island, with the exception
of this western point, and a line of hard,

be induced, neither by threats nor by promises, to abandon what he considered his right of
footsteps
It is not

white beach on the seacoast,

myrtle, so
turists

is

covered

of

his

attendance upon the young "Massa Will."

with a dense undergrowth of the sweet

improbable that the relatives of

intellect,

much

prized by the horticul-

Legrand, conceiving him to be somewhat

unsettled in

of

England.

The shrub here

had contrived to

110
instill

AMAZING STORIES
this

obstinacy into

Jupiter, with

very

night

of
I

all

others?

As

was
,

a view to the supervision and guardianship of the wanderer.

coming home

met Lieutenant

The

winters in the latitude of Sulli-

van's Island are seldom very severe, and

in the fall of the year
it is

a rare event
is

from the fort, and, very foolishly, I lent him the bug So it will be impossible for Stay you to see it until morning. here to-night, and I will send Jup down
;

even indeed when a

necessary.
ber,

fire

considered

for

it

at sunrise.

It

is

the loveliest thing

About the middle of Octo18, there occurred, however, a

chilliness.

in creation!"

"What ?
brilliant

day of remarkable
fore sunset
I

Just be-

"Nonsense!
large

scrambled

the evergreens to the hut of

my way through my friend,

for
several

sunrise ?" no! the bug. gold colorabout the hickory -nutwith two
of

It is of

size of a

jet-black

whom
weeks

had not

visited

spots

near one extremity

the

back,

my

residence being, at that time,

and another, somewhat longer, at the

other.

in Charleston,

from the

island,

a distance of nine miles where the facilities of

The
ain't

antenna: are

"

"Dey
I

no

tin in him,

Mass

Will,
inter-

passage and re-passage were far behind

those of the present day.

keep a

tellin*

on you," here
is

Upon

reach-

rupted Jupiter; "de bug

solid,

a goole bug,
all,

ing the hut I rapped, as was

my

custom,

ebery

bit

of him, inside and

feel half so

and getting no reply, sought for the key where I knew it was secreted, unlocked A fine fire was the door and went in. was a It blazing upon the hearth. novelty, and by no means an ungrateful overcoat, took an I threw off an one. crackling armchair by the logs, and
awaited patiently the arrival of

sep him wing a bug in

neber
life."
it
is,

hebby

my

"Well, suppose
grand,

Jup," replied Leearnestly,

it

somewhat
to

more

me, than the case demanded, any reason for your letting the birds burn? The color" here he turned
"is that
to

seemed

my

hosts.

me

"is really almost

enough to warnever saw a

than
the
lustre

Soon after dark they

gave
iter,

arrived,

and
Jup-

rant Jupiter's idea.

You
this

me a most

cordial welcome.

more
scales

brilliant

metallic

grinning from ear to ear, bustled

emit
till

but

of

you

cannot

about to prepare some marsh-hens for

supper.

judge
I

to-morrow.

In the mean time

Legrand was
else shall
I

in

one of his

fits

how
bivalve,

term them?

of

en-

thusiasm.

He

had found an unknown

se-

can give you some idea of the shape." Saying this, he seated himself at a small table, on which were a pen and ink, but

forming a new genus, and, more

he had hunted down and

no paper.

He

looked

for

some

in

than

this,

drawer, but found none.

cured, with Jupiter's assistance, a scarabtzus

"Never mind,"
will

said he at length, "this

which he believed to be
in

totally

new, but
to

respect to which

he wished
asked, rub-

from his waistcoat pocket a scrap of what I took

be very dirty foolscap, and made upon it a rough drawing with the pen. While he did this, I retained my seat by the fire, for I was still chilly. When the design was complete, he handed it to
to

answer;" and he drew

have

my

opinion on the morrow. not to-night?"

I

"And why
bing

hands over the blaze and wishing the whole tribe of scarabai at the
devil.

my

"Ah,
since I

if

had only known you were

it's

me

here!" said Legrand, "but

so long
I

saw you; and how could

you would pay me a

fooe-

without rising. As I received it, a loud growl was heard, succeeded by a scratching at the door. Jupiter opened
it,

see that

visit this

and a large Newfoundland, belong-

THE GOLD-BUG
ing to Legrand, rushed
in,

111
to

leaped upon

seemed

be
the

getting
subject;

unaccountably
"I
I

my

shoulders,

and loaded

me

with ca-

warm upon

am

sure

resses; for

tention
his

I had shown him much atWhen during previous visits. I

you must see the antenna.

sect,

made them

as distinct as they are in the original in-

gambols were over,

and,
to

looked at the

and

presume that
I

is sufficient."

paper,

speak the truth, found

"Well,

well,"

said,

"perhaps

you

myself not a little puzzled at what friend had depicted.

my

"Well!"
it

said,

after

contemplating

still I don't see them;" and I handed him the paper without additional remark, not wishing to ruffle his temper

have

for

some minutes,

"this is a strange
:

must confess new to me saw any thing like it before it was a skull, or a death's-head which it more nearly resembles than any thing else that has come under my
searabaitSj I

never

unless

beetle, there

was much surprised at the turn had taken; his ill humor puzzled as for the drawing of the were positively no antenna! visible, and whole did bear a very close resemblance to the ordinary cut of a
but
affairs

me

and,

observation."

death's-head.

"Ohyes
that eyes,

"A

death's-head!"
well,
it

echoed

Legrand

He

received the paper very peevishly,

has something of
spots

appearance upon paper, no doubt.

black

The two upper

bottom
like a

look
at

like

eh? and the longer one

the

mouth
is

and then the shape

I
;

of the whole

oval."

"Perhaps so," said

I

"but, Legrand,
I

fear
I

you are

no. artist.

must wait
I

until

see the beetle itself, if

am

to

and was about to crumple it, apparently to throw it in the fire, when a casual glance at the design seemed suddenly to rivet his attention. In an instant his face grew violently red in another as excessively pale. For some minutes he continued to scrutinize the drawing minutely where he sat. At length he arose, took a candle from the table, and

form any idea

ance."

of

its

personal appear-

proceeded to seat himself upon a seachest in the farthest corner of the room.

"Well, I don't know," said he, a

nettled, "I
at

little
it

Here again he made an anxious examination of the paper; turning

tions.
it

draw

tolerably

should do
not
quite

in all direc-

least

have
my

had good masters, and

that
I

He

said nothing,

however, and

flatter

myself

am

his conduct
I

greatly astonished

me;

yet

blockhead."

"But,

dear
I,

fellow,
"this
is a

you are jokvery passable

that
it

ing then," said

skull

indeed,

prudent not to exacerbate the growing moodiness of his temper by any comment. Presently he took from
it

thought

may
skull,

say

is

his

coat

pocket

wallet,

placed

the

very

excellent

according

to

the

paper carefully in
in a writing-desk,

vulgar notions about such specimens of

physiology

it, and deposited both which he locked. He

and
it.

your

scarab&us

must
get

now grew more composed

in

his

de-

be the queerest scarabcetis in the world

if it

resembles

Why, we may
will

up
the

a very thrilling bit of superstition upon

this

hint.

presume you

call

bug scarabceus caput hominis, or something of that kind

ilar titles

there are many

sim-

in the Natural Histories.

But

where are the antenna- you spoke of?" "The antenna? I" said Legrand, who

meanour; but his original air of enthusiasm had quite disappeared. Yet he seemed not so much sulky as abstracted. As the evening wore away he became more and more absorbed in reverie, from which no sallies of mine could arouse him. It had been my intention to pass the night at the hut, as I had frequently done before, but, seeing my host in this

112
mood,
I

AMAZING STORIES
deemed
it

proper to take leave.

"Eh ?
whole

what ah
?

yes

u pon
of

the

He

did not press

me

to remain, but, as

think

you had

better not be too

I departed,

he shook

my

hand with even

this

severe with the poor fellowdon't flog

more than his usual cordiality. It was about a month after

during the interval
I

him, Jupiter he can't very well stand

it

(and

but can you form no idea

occasioned
this
illness,

what has
this

had seen nothing of

received

Dr

rather

Legrand)

when

visit,

at

change of conduct?

Has any
I

thing un-

I Charleston, from his man, Jupiter. had never seen the good old negro look so dispirited, and I feared that some serious disaster had befallen my friend. "Well, Jup," said I, "what is the mathow is your master?" ter now? "Why. to speak de troof, massa, him not so berry well as mought be." "Not well! I am truly sorry to hear

pleasant happened since

saw you?"
noffin

"No, massa, dey

pleasant since den

feared
dare."

'twas

'twas bin fore

aint

on-

de

berry

day

den I'm you was

"How? what do you mean?" "Why massa, I mean de bug

now."

dart

"The what?"

it.

What
"Dar!

does he complain of?"

"De bug
of

dat's

notin

but

him neber it him berry sick for

I'm berry sartain dat

cause

plain
all

Will bin

bit

Massa somewhere bout de head by

have you, Jupiter,

dat."

dat goole-bug."

"Very

sick, Jupiter!
Is

why

didn't
to

say so at once?

he confined

you bed?"

"And what
"Claws
I

for such a supposition?"

enuff,

"No, dat he ain't !he ain't find nowhar dat's just whar de shoe pinch my mind is got to be berry hebby bout poor Massa Will."

massa, and mouff too.

nebber did see sich a d

bug

he
cum

kick and he bite ebery ting what near him.

but had
quick'
I

"Jupiter,

should like to understand

what it is you are talking about. say your master is sick. Hasn't he

You
told

Massa Will cotch him fuss, let him go gin mighty tell youden was de time he
for to

you what

ails

him?"

paper found. he matter wid him paper and but den what make him go about look- dat was de way." here way, wid he head down and ing "And you white as a gose? up, and he was de time And den he keep a syphon
git

"Why, massa, 'tain worf while for to mad bout de matter Massa Will
all ain't

must ha got de bite. I didn't like de look ob de bug mouff, myself, no how, so I wouldn't take hold ob him wid my finger, but I cotch him with a piece ob
dat I
I

say noffin at

rap him up in de

stuff piece

ob

it

in

he mouff

dis

soldiers

as

think, then, that

all

ter

really bitten

by the

beetle,

your masand

"Keeps a what, Jupiter?" "Keeps a syphon wid de figgurs on de

slate

that the bite

made him

sick?"
it

"I don't link noffin about

de queerest

nose

it,

figgus I ebber did see.

tell

What made him dream

much, bug?
if

bout de goole so

Ise giggin to be skeered, I

you.

Haz

'taint

cause he bit by de goole-

for to keep mighty tight eye pon him noovers. Todder day he gib me slip fore

Ise

heerd bout

hem

goole-bugs

fore dis."

de sun up and was gone de whole ob de blessed day. I had a big stick ready
cut for to gib him d

"But how do you know he dreams

about gold?"

when he

did

come

but

good beating

"How
about
it

know? why

cause

Ise sich a fool

in he sleep

he
I

talk
1

dat's

how

nose.*

dat I hadn't de heart after allhe look

so berry poorly.**

"Well, Jup, perhaps you are right; but to what fortunate circumstance arti I

THE GOLD-BUG
to attribute the

113
to

honor of a

visit

from

in

which we were

embark.
all

you to-day?"

"What
Jup?"
I

is

the

meaning of

this,

"What de

matter, massa?" "Did you bring any message

inquired.
syfe, massa,

from

"Him
"Very
here ?"

and spade."

Mr. Legrand?" "No, massa,

true; but

what are they doing

and de spade what my buying for him
debbil's

bring his here pissle;"

and here Jupiter which ran thus:

handed

me

note

"Him

de

syfe
sis

Massa Will
in de town,

pon and de

own
all

lot

of

you for 50 long a time?

;

have I not seen hope you have not been so foolish as to take offence at any little brusqucrie of mine but no, that is improbable. Since I saw you I have had great cause for

My

Dear

-;

Why
I

money

had

to gib for in the

em."
that is

"But what,
mysterious,
to
is

name of

your 'Massa Will' going

do with scythes and spades?"

"Dat's more dan / know, and debbil

anxiety. scarcely

have something to
to
tell
it,

tell

you,

yet
I

know how
it

or whether

should
I

tell

at

all.

take

me

if

don't believe

'tis

more dan

have not been quite well for some days past, and poor old Jup annoys me, almost beyond endurance, by his well-meant attentions. Would you believe it ?he had prepared a huge stick, the other day, with which to chastise

he know, too.
bug."

But

it's

all

cum ob de

Finding that no satisfaction was to be obtained of Jupiter, whose whole intellect

I

me
I

for giving

him the

slip,

and spending the

seemed

to be

absorbed by "de bug,"

day, solus,

among

the hills on the

main

land.

now

stepped into the boat and

a fair

made

verily believe that

my

ill

looks alone saved

sail.

With

and strong breeze we

cove to the north-

roe a flogging.

have made no addition to

my

soon ran into the

cabinet since

little

we met.
If

you can,

in

any way, make

Jupiter.

it

convenient,

ward of Fort Moultrie, and a walk of some two miles brought us to the hut.
It

come over with

see
I

you

to-night,

Do come. I wish to upon business of importance.

is

was about three in the afternoon when we arrived. Legrand had been awaiting
us in eager expectation.

assure you that

it

of the highest importance.

He

grasped

my

Ever yours,

William Legrand,

hand

with

nervous

empressement

which alarmed

me and

strengthened the

this

There was something in the tone of note which gave me great unIts

suspicions

already

entertained.

His
un-

countenance was pale even to ghastliness,

easiness.
rially

whole. style differed matethat

and

his

deep-set eyes glared with

from

of

Legrand.

could he be dreaming of?

crochet

What What new

brain?

natural lustre.

After some inquiries rehealth,

I

specting

his

asked

him,

not

possessed
"business
of

his

excitable

knowing what
yet

better to say, if he

had

What
act?

the

highest impor-

obtained the scarabceus from Lieu-

tance" could he possibly have to transJupiter's

I

tenant

G
yes,"

account
lest

of

him boded
at

"Oh,
lently,

he

replied,

coloring vio-

no good.

dreaded

the continued
length,
friend.

pressure of misfortune had,

fairly unsettled the reason of

my

got it from him the next Nothing should tempt me to part with that scarab&us. Do you know
"I

morning.

Without a moment's
fore, I prepared to

hesitation,

there-

that Jupiter

is

quite right about it?"

I

Upon
scythe

reaching the wharf,

accompany the negro. I noticed a

"In what way?"

foreboding at heart.

asked, with a sad

and three spades, all apparently new, lying in the bottom of the boat

"In supposing
gold."

it

to be a

bug of

real

He

said this with an air of pro-

114
found seriousness, and
ibly shocked.
I

AMAZING STORIES
felt

inexpress-

fever.

Allow

me

this
first

once to prescribe
place,

for you.
is

"This bug
"to
reinstate
Is
it

to

make my

fortune,"

In the next

In the "

go

to bed.

he continued, with a triumphant smile,

me

in

my

family possesI
fit

"You are mistaken," he interposed, "I am as well as I can expect to be under

the excitement
really

sions.

any wonder, then, that

prize it?
to

Since Fortune has thought

it

wish me

well,

which I you

suffer.

If

you

will relieve this

bestow
it

upon me,
I
it

have only to
Jupiter,

excitement."

use

properly and
is

shall arrive at the

"And how
"Very

is this to

be done?"

gold of which
bring

the index.

easily.

Jupiter

and myself are

hills,

me

that scarabceus!"

going upon an expedition into the

I'd

"What! de
not go
git

bug,

massa?
dat

rudder

fer

trubble

bugyou mus

tion,

upon the main land, and, in this expediwe shall need the aid of some per-

him for your own self." Hereupon Legrand arose, with a grave and stately air, and brought me the beetle from a glass case in which it was enclosed. It was a beautiful scarabaus, and, at that
time,

son in

whom we
fail,

can confide.
trust.

You

are

the only one

we can
in

Whether we
be
equally

succeed or

the excitement which you

now
"I

perceive

me

will

allayed."

unknown

to naturalists

of

course

am
I

anxious to oblige you in any

replied; "but do

a great prize in a

scientific point of view.

way,"
nection
hills ?"

you mean
into

to

There were two round black spots near one extremity of the back, and a long The scales were one near the other. exceedingly hard and glossy, with all the
burnished gold. The of weight of the insect was very remark-

say that this infernal beetle has any con-

with your

expedition

the

"It has."

appearance
able,

"Then, Legrand,
to

I can become a party no such absurd proceeding.

and,

taking

all

things

into

con-

"I

am

sorry
it

very sorryfor we
by ourselves."
stay
!

shall

sideration, I could hardly

blame Jupiter
it;

have to try

for his opinion respecting

to

but what

"Try
surely

it

by yourselves! The
!

man
long

is

make
tell.

of

Legrand's agreement with

I

mad

but
to
all

how
We

do

that opinion,

could not, for the

life

of

me,
"I

you propose "Probably

by sunrise."

be absent?"
night.
shall
all

start

sent

for

you,"

said
I

he,

in

immediately, and be back, at

events,

grandiloquent
pleted

tone,

when
I

had combeetle, "I

my

examination of the
you,
that

sent

for

might have your

"
inter-

counsel and assistance in furthering the

views of Fate and of the bug

.

"My

dear

Legrand," I
use some

cried,

rupting him, "you are certainly unwell,

and had
tions.

better

little

precau-

go to bed, and I will remain with you a few days, until you get over this. You are feverish and

You

shall

you promise me, upon your this freak of yours is over, and the bug business (good God!) settled to your satisfaction, you will then return home and follow my advice impHcity, as that of your physician?" "Yes; I promise; and now let us be off, for we have no time to lose." With a heavy heart I accompanied
will

"And

honor, that

when

my

friend.

"Feel
I
felt

my
it,

pulse," said he.

and to say the

ill

truth,

found

not the slightest indication of fever.

"But you may be

and yet have no

Legrand, Jupiter, the dog, and o'clock Jupiter had with him the scythe and spades the whole of which he insisted upon carrying more through fear,
myself.

We

started

about

four

THE GOLD-BUG
it

115
lie

seemed to me, of trusting

either of the

appeared to
in

loosely

implements within reach of his master,

many

cases were prevented

upon the soil, and from preinto

from any excess of industry or complaisance. His demeanor was dogged in the extreme, and "dat d d bug" were the sole words which escaped his For my own lips during the journey. part, I had charge of a couple of dark lanterns, while Legrand contented himself with the scarabceus, which he carried attached to the end of a bit of whipcord; twirling it to and fro, with the
than

cipitating

themselves

the

valleys

below,

merely

trees against

by the support of the which they reclined. Deep

directions,

ravines,
air

in
still

various
sterner

gave an
to

of

solemnity

the

scene.

The

natural platform to which

we had
dis-

clambered was thickly overgrown with

brambles, through which

we soon
for

covered that
sible

it

would have been imposour

air of a conjuror, as

he went.

observed this
friend's

last,

plain evidence of

When I my
could
it

to

force

way but

the

scythe; and Jupiter, by direction of his master, proceeded to clear for us a path
to the foot of an enormously
tree,
tall tulip-

aberration

of

mind,
I

scarcely refrain
best, least

from

tears.

thought
fancy,
I

however, to humor his

for the
present,

at

or

until

could

ten oaks,

adopt
time

some
I

more

energetic

measures

passed them
I

with a chance of success.

endeavored, but
in
all

In the
in

mean
to

vain,

which stood, with some eight or upon the level, and far surall. and all other trees which had then seen, in the beauty of its foliage and form, in the wide spread of
branches, and in the general majesty
its

sound him
the

regard to the object of

its

expedition.

inducing

me

to

Having succeeded in accompany him, he

of

appearance.

When we

reached

seemed unwilling to hold conversation upon any topic of minor importance, and to all my questions vouchsafed no other
reply than

"we

shall see!"

"We

crossed the creek at the head of

the island by means of a skiff, and, ascending the high grounds on the shore of the main land, proceeded in a north-

this tree, Legrand turned to Jupiter, and asked him if he thought he could climb it. The old man seemed a little staggered by the question, and for some moments made no reply. At length he approached the huge trunk, walked slowly around it, and examined it with

minute attention.

When

he had com-

pleted his scrutiny, he merely said,

westerly

direction,

through a
wild

tract

of

"Yes, massa, Jup climb any tree he

ebber see in he
life."

country

excessively

and

desolate,

to be seen.

where no trace of a human footstep was Legrand led the way with
decision;

"Then up with you

sible,

for

it

will

as soon as possoon be too dark to

pausing only
there,

for

an

instant,

see

what we are about."

far

what appeared to be certain landmarks of his own contrivance upon a former occasion. In this manner we journeyed for about two hours, and the sun was just
here

and

to

consult

"How

mus go

up,

massa?"

in-

quired Jupiter.

"Get up the main trunk first, and then will tell you which way to go and

here

stop!

take

this

beetle

with

setting
finitely
It

when we entered a region

in-

"De
dismay

bug,

Massa

Will

de

you.

goole-

more dreary than any yet seen. was a species of table land, near the summit of an almost inaccessible hill, densely wooded from base to pinnacle, and interspersed with huge crags that

bug!" cried the negro, drawing back in "what for mus tote de bug way up de tree? d n if I do!"

negro

"If you are afraid, Jup, a great big like you, to take hold of a harm-

116
less little
it

AMAZING STORIES
dead
beetle,

why you can

but, if

carry

up by this string take it up with you

head with

in

you do not some way, I shall

"How much "How high

grand.

i udder

is

got to go?"

up are you?" asked Le-

be under the necessity of breaking your

this shovel."

"Ebber so fur," replied the negro; "can see de sky frum de top ob de tree."

"What de matter now, massa?" said Jup evidently shamed into compliance; "always want for to raise fuss wid old nigger. Was only funnin any how. Me feered de bug! what I keer for de
the

bug?" Here he took cautiously hold of extreme end of the string, and,
circumstances

"Never mind the sky, but attend to what I say. Look down the trunk and count the limbs below you on this side. How many limbs have you passed?" "One, two, tree, four, fibe big limb, massa, pon dis side."

"Then go one limb

higher."

maintaining the insect as far from his

person as

would permit,
or Lirioden-

In a few minutes the voice was heard

again, announcing that the seventh limb

prepared to ascend the

tree.

In youth, the
of

tulip-tree,

dron Tulipiferum, the most magnificent

was attained. "Now, Jup,"

cried Legrand, evidently

American
height

foresters, has a trunk pe-

culiarly

smooth,

and often
lateral

rises

to

much excited, "I want you to work your way out upon that limb as far as you
can.

great
but,

without

branches;
short

me

you see any thing strange, know."

If
this

let

in its riper age, the

bark becomes

gnarled and uneven,

limbs
stem.
in

while

many
on

By

time what

little

make Thus

have entertained of

their

appearance

the

my

doubt I might poor friend's inI

the difficulty of ascension,

lay

the present case,

blance than in

reality.

more in semEmbracing the

as

sanity, was put finally at rest. no alternative but to conclude him

had

strick-

huge

cylinder,

as

closely

possible,

en with lunacy, and I became seriously anxious about getting him home. While

with his arms and knees, seizing with his

hands some projections, and resting his

was pondering upon what was best to be done, Jupiter's voice was again heard.
I

naked toes upon others, Jupiter, after one or two narrow escapes from falling,
at

"Mos
limb

feerd

berry
all

far

for

to

ventur

pon

dis

'tis

dead

limb

putty

length wriggled himself into the

fork,

first

much
iter?"
voice,

de way."

great

and seemed to consider the

"Did you say

cried

The now

whole business as virtually accomplished. risk of the achievement was, in fact,

over, although the climber

was a dead limb, JupLegrand in a quavering

it

sixty or seventy feet

"Which

way

was some from the ground. mus go now, Massa

done

"Yes, massa, him dead as de door-nail up for sartain done departed dis here life."

Will?" he asked.

"Keep up the largest branch the one on this side," said Legrand. The negro obeyed him promptly, and apparently
with but
little

"What in the name of heaven shall I do?" asked Legrand, seemingly in the
greatest distress.

"Do!"
and go
fine
sides,

said

I,

glad of an opportunity

trouble; ascending high-

to interpose a word,
to

"why come home

a
late,

er and higher, until no glimpse of his squat figure could be obtained through

bed.
It's

Come now!that's
getting

fellow.

and, be-

the

dense

foliage

which enveloped

it.

you remember your promise."

cried
he,

Presently his voice was

of halloo.

heard in a sort

"Jupiter,"

without

heeding

me

in the least,

"do you hear me?"

THE GOLD-BUG
"Yes, Massa Will, hear you ebber so
plain."

117
a
great

word

dare's

big

nail

in

de

"Try the wood

knife,
ten."

well, then, with

your

and see

if

you think

it

very rot-

what fastens ob it on to de tree." "Well now, Jupiter, do exactly as I tell you-do you hear?"
skull,

"Yes, massa."
rotten, massa, sure miff," replied

Him
berry

"Pay

attention,

then!

find

the

left

the negro in a few moments, "but not so

eye of the skull."

Mought mought be. venture out leetle way pon de limb by

rotten
as

"Hum!
aint

hoo!

dat's

good!

why

dar

myself, dat's true."

"By

yourself!
I

what

do you mean?"

"Why

mean de

bug.

Tis berry

do you know your right hand from your left?" "Yes, I nose dat nose all 'bout dat
!

no eye lef at all." "Curse your stupidity

Spose I drop him down hebby bug. fuss, and den de limb won't break wid just de weight ob one nigger." "You infernal scoundrel 1" cried Legrand, apparently

'tis

my

lef

hand what
sure!
left

chops de wood

wid."

"To
as

be

and your

eye

you are left-handed; is on the same side

much
telling

relieved,

"what
as
beetle

do you mean by
that?
fall
!

me nonsense
let

your left hand. Now, I suppose, you can find the left eye of the skull, or the
place where the you found it?"
left eye

As
I'll

sure

as

you

that

has been.

Have

break your neck.

Look

here,

Jupiter! do

you hear me?"

Here was a long pause. At length the

negro asked,
"Is

"Yes, massa, needn't hollo at poor nigder dat style."

de
side

lef

"Well!

now

listen!

eye

on de skull pon de

if

you
beetle,

will

same

as de lef

venture out on the limb as far as you

think safe, and not
let

too?cause
ob a hand at
lef

hand of de skull, he skull aint got not a bit

all

go the

I'll

make you a
as soon as

present of a silver dollar

get

eye

now
it?"

here

nebber

mind!

got de

the lef eve!

what mus
it,

you

down."

do wit

"I'm gwine, Massa Will deed replied the negro very promptly

"mos
I
is,"

"Let the beetle drop through

far

as

the

string
let

will

reach

but

as

be

out to the eend now." "Out to Ihe end!" here fairly screamed

careful and not

string."

go your hold of the

Legrand, "do you say you are out to the end of that limb?" "Soon to be de eend, massa o-o-o-o-

"All

dat

done,

look
beetle,

easy ting for to put de

Massa Will; mighty bug fru de hole

no portion of

out for him dar below!"

this

o-oh! Lor-gol-amarcy

what

is dis

here

During

colloquy

pon de tree?" "Well!" cried Legrand, lighted, "what is it?" "Why 'taint noffin but a

Jupiter's person could be seen; but the

highly

de-

skull

some-

which he had suffered to descend, was now visible at the end of the string, and glistened, like a globe of burnished
gold, in the last rays of the setting sun, the eminence

body bin lef him head up de tree, and de crows done gobble ebery bit ob de

meat

off."
skull,

"A
is it
it

you say!

fastened to the

very how limb?what holds

well

srarabfPus

some of which still faintly illuminated upon which we stood. The hung quite clear of any
if

branches, and,

allowed to
feet.

on?" "Sure

have fallen
miff,

at

our

fall, would Legrand imme-

massa

mus

look.

Why
pon

dis

diately took the scythe,

it

berry

curious

sarcumstance,

my

and cleared with a circular space, three or four yards

118
in

AMAZING STORIES
just

diameter,

beneath
string

the
this,

insect,

such
in

suggestions

especially

if

chiming

and,

having accomplished
to
let

ordered

with

favorite

preconceived

Jupiter

go the

and come
nicety, into

and then
low's

I called to

idea* mind the poor felthe

beetle's

down from

the tree.

speech

about

being
the

Driving a peg, with great

beetle

"the index of his fortune."

Upon

the ground, at the precise spot

fell,

where the
Fasten-

whole,
but,

was sadly vexed and puzzled,

I

my

friend

now produced

at length,

from

his pocket a tape-measure.

virtue of necessity
will,

concluded to
to

make a

dig with a good

ing one end of this at that point of the trunk of the tree which was nearest the
peg, peg,

visionary,

and thus the sooner to convince the by ocular demonstration, of

of
the

he unrolled

it

till

it

reached
it,

the
in

the

fallacy

opinions

he

enter-

and thence farther unrolled

tained.

the direction already established by the

The
fell

lanterns having been

lit,

we

all

two points of the tree and the peg, for a distance of fifty feet Jupiter clearing

to

work with a
cause; and,

zeal

worthy a more
the

rational

as

glare

fell

away

the brambles with the scythe.

the spot thus attained a

driven,
circle,

At second peg was

a centre, a rude

upon

our

persons

and

implements,

could not help thinking a group

how

picturesque

and about

this, as

about four feet in diameter, de-

Taking now a spade himself, and giving one to Jupiter and one to me, Legrand begged us to set about digging
scribed.

we composed, and how strange and superstitious our labors must have appeared to any interloper who, by chance, might have stumbled upon our
whereabouts.

as quickly as possible.

had no especial relish for such amusement at any time, and, at that particular moment, would

To

speak the truth,

We dug steadily for two hours. Little was said; and our chief embarrassment
lay
in

the

yelpings

of

the

dog,

who
ob-

took exceeding interest in our proceedings.

most willingly have declined night was coming on, and I

but I saw no
fearful of

it;

for the

He,

at

length,

became so

felt

much

fatigued with the exercise already taken;

mode

of escape, and was

we grew fearful of his giving the alarm to some stragglers in the vicinity; or, rather, this was the apstreperous that

disturbing

my

poor friend's

prehension

of

Legrand

for

myself,

equaminity by a refusal.

Could

have
at-

should have rejoiced at any interruption

depended, indeed, upon Jupiter's aid, I

would have
tempting
to

had no
get
the

hesitation
lunatic

in

wanderer
iter,

which might have enabled me to get the home. The noise was, at

home by
assured of

length, very effectively silenced by Jup-

force; but I

was

too

well

the old negro's disposition, to

hope that

he would assist me, under any circumstances, in a personal contest with his
master.
ter
I made no doubt that the lathad been infected with some of the

brute's

who, getting out of the hole with dogged air of deliberation, tied the mouth up with one of his sus-

penders,

and
the

then

returned,

with

grave chuckle, to his task.

money

innumerable Southern superstitions about buried, and that his phantasy had

received confirmation by the finding of

the scarabaus, or, perhaps, by Jupiter's

mentioned had expired, we had reached a depth of five feet, and yet no signs of any treasure became manifest. A general pause entime
sued, and

When

obstinacy

in

maintaining

it

to

be

"a
to

was

at

I began to hope that the farce an end. Legrand, however, al-

bug of

real gold."

mind disposed
be led away

though

evidently
his

much

disconcerted,
re-

lunacy would

readily

by

wiped

brow thoughtfully and

THE GOLD-BUG
commenced.
tire

119
said he,
!

We
of

had excavated the enfeet

"Jupiter/'
its

when we reached
skull nailed

circle

four

diameter,

now we
went
Still

slightly enlarged the limit,

and and

foot,

"come here

was the

to

the limb with the face outwards, or

to the

farther depth of two feet.

with the face to the limb?"

nothing appeared.

The
pitied,

gold-seekat

"De

face

was

out, massa,

so dat de

er,

whom

sincerely

length
bit-

clambered from the

terest

pit,

with

the

crows could get any trouble."

at de eyes good, witdout

disappointment

every feature,

upon and proceeded, slowly and

imprinted

"Well, then, was

it

this

eye or that

through which you

let

the beetle fall?"

reluctantly, to put

on his

coat,

which he
re-

here
as

Legrand touched each of Jupidis eye,

had thrown
labor.

off at the beginning of his

ter's eyes.

In the

mean time
at

mark,
master,

Jupiter,

made no a signal from

I

"Twas
you

massa

de
it

lef eye

jis

his

told

me," and here

was

his right

began to gather

This

done,

unmuzzled,
silence

up his tools. and the dog having been we turned in profound

eye that the negro indicated.

"That

will

do

we must try again."

whose madness
removed the

Here
I

my

friend, about

towards home.

We

now

saw, or fancied that I saw, cer-

had taken, perhaps, a dozen steps

tain indications of method,

when, with a loud oath, Legrand strode up to Jupiter, and seized

in this direction,

peg which marked the spot where the

beetle to the
fell,

to a spot about three inches

him by the
opened his
extent,
let

The astonished negro eyes and mouth to the fullest

collar.
fall

westward of its former position. Taking, now, the tape-measure from the
nearest point of the trunk to the peg,
as before,

the spades, and

fell

upon

his knees.

and continuing the extension

to the

in

"You

scoundrel," said Legrand, hiss-

straight line

distance of

fifty

ing out the syllables

clenched teeth
lain
this
!

"you
I
tell

from between
you
left
!

his

feet,

a spot

infernal black vil-

speak,

answer
eye?"

several yards,

me

was indicated, removed, by from the point at which we

had been digging.

instant,

without
is

prevarication!

which

which
my
lef

your

Around
aint dis
stance,

the

new

position

circle,

"Oh,
here

golly,

Massa Will!

my

eye for sartain?" roared the

of

somewhat larger than in the former inwas now described, and we again set to work with the spades. I was
dreadfully weary,
but,

terrified Jupiter, placing his

right

organ

vision,

hand upon his and holding it

if

scarcely

under-

standing what had occasioned the change

in

there with a desperate pertinacity, as

in

my

thoughts,

felt

no longer

any-

immediate dread of his master's atat

great aversion from the labor imposed.

tempt

a gouge.

"I thought so!

knew

it!

hurrah!"
negro

vociferated
go,

Legrand, letting the

to

and executing a

series of curvets

and

caracols, his valet,

much

the

astonishment of
his knees,

who, arising from

had become most unaccountedly internay, even excited. Perhaps there was something, amid all the extravagant demeanor of Legrand some air of forethought, or of deliberation, which impressed me. I dug eagerly, and now and
I

ested

looked, mutely,
self,

from his master to myand then from myself to his massaid the

then caught myself actually looking, with

something that very much resembled expectation,

ter.

for the

fancied treasure,

the

"Come! we must go back,"

latter,

vision of

which had demented

of

my
most

unfor-

"the game's not up yet;" and he

tunate

companion.
vagaries

At a period when
thought
fully

again led the

way

to the tulip-tree.

such

120
possessed me, and

AMAZING STORIES
the coffer very slightly in
its

when we had been at work perhaps an hour and a half, we

were again interrupted by the violent His uneasiness, in
first

bed.

We

at

once saw the impossibility of removing

so great a weight.

Luckily, the sole fastconsisted of two sliding

howlings of the dog.

the
instance,

enings of the
bolts.

lid

had been, evidently,

bitter

but the result of playfulness or caprice, but he

tone.
to

These we drew back trembling and panting with anxiety. In an instant,

treasure

now assumed a Upon Jupiter's

and serious
resis-

of

incalculable
us.

value

lay

again attempting

gleaming before
lanterns
fell

As

the rays of the

there flashed

muzzle him, he made furious

within the

pit,

tance, and, leaping into the hole, tore

up
In

upwards, from a confused heap of gold

the

mould

frantically with his claws.

and of jewels, a glow and a glare that

absolutely dazzled our eyes.
I

a few seconds he had uncovered a mass of

human

bones,

forming

two

complete

shall

not

pretend

to

describe

the

skeletons, intermingled with several but-

feelings with

which

I gazed.

Amazement
Legrand

tons of metal, and what appeared to be

the dust of decayed woollen.

was, of course, predominant.

One

or two

strokes of a spade upturned the blade of

appeared exhausted with excitement, and spoke very few words. Jupiter's countenance wore, for some minutes, as deadly
a pallor as
things,
it is

a large Spanish knife, and, as

we dug

farther, three or four loose pieces of gold

possible, in the nature of

and

silver coin

came
be

to light.

for

At
could

sight of

these the joy of Jupiter

restrained,

sume.
stricken.

He

any negro's visage to asseemed stupefied thunder-

scarcely

but

the

Presently
pit,

he

fell

upon

his

countenance of his master wore an air of

knees in the

and, burying his naked

extreme disappointment. He urged us, however, to continue our exertions, and

the words were hardly uttered

arms up
a bath.

to the elbows in gold, let

if

them

there remain, as

enjoying the luxury of

when

At

length, with a deep sigh, he

if

stumbled

and

fell

forward,

having

exclaimed, as

in a soliloquy,
!

caught the toe of

earth.

my

boot in a large ring

"And
what
I

dis all

of iron that lay half buried in the loose

putty goole-bug

cum ob de goole-bug de de poor little goole-bug, boosed in dat sabage kind ob

!

and never did I pass ten minutes of more intense excitement. During this interval we had fairly unearthed an oblong chest of wood, which, from its perfect preservation, and wonderful hardness, had plainly been
in earnest,

We

now worked

Aint you shamed ob yourself, nigger? answer me dat!"

style!

It

became necessary,

at

last,

that

should arouse both master and valet to

the expediency of
It

removing the treasure.

perhaps that of
cury. This box
long,

some mineralizing process the Bichloride of Merwas three and a half feet broad, and two and a half feet deep. It was firmly secured by bands of wrought iron, riveted, and
subjected
to

to

was growing late, and it behooved us make exertion, that we might get
It

every thing housed before daylight.

three

feet

forming a kind of trellis-work over the

whole.

On

each side of the chest, near

the top, were three rings of iron

all

by means

six in

of which a firm hold could

be obtained by six persons. Our utmost united endeavors served only to disturb

was difficult to say what should be done and much time was spent in deliberation so confused were the ideas of all. We, finally, lightened the box by removing two thirds of its contents, when we were enabled, with some trouble, to raise it from the hole. The articles taken out were deposited among the brambles, and the dog left to guard them, with strict orders from Jupiter neither, upon any

THE GOLD-BUG
pretence, to stir

121

from the

spot,

nor to
then

The

value of the jewels

open his mouth

hurriedly

until

our return.

We

difficulty in estimating.

we found more There were dialarge

all,

made

for

home with

the chest

monds^

some

of

them exceedingly
;

reaching the hut in safety, but after excessive

ing.
toil,

and finea hundred and ten in

not one of them small

and

at one o'clock in the

Worn

out as
to

we

were,

it

mornwas not in

eighteen rubies of
three hundred and
beautiful

remarkable brilliancy
ten

human nature
rested until

do more just then. We two, and had supper start;

emeralds,

all

very

twenty-one sapphires, with an opal.

stones had
tings

and These
;

ing for the

hills

immediately afterwards,

armed with three stout sacks, which, by good luck, were upon the premises. A
little

settings themselves,

all been broken from their setand thrown loose in the chest. The which we picked out

before four

we

arrived at the

pit,

divided the

remainder of the booty as

from among the other gold, appeared have been beaten up with hammers, as
to prevent identification.

to
if

equally as might be,

among

us, and, leav-

Besides

all this,

ing the holes unfilled, again set out for the

hut, at

there

was a
;

vast quantity of solid gold

which,

for the second time,

we

ornaments
finger

nearly

two hundred massive

;

deposited our golden burthens, just as

the
first

streaks of

the

dawn gleamed
broken an

of these,
large

over the tree-tops in the

east.

and ear rings rich chains thirty if I remember eighty-three very and heavy crucifixes five gold cen;

We
the

were

now

thoroughly

sers of great value

a prodigious golden

down; but

in the intense excitement of

time denied us repose.

After

unquiet slumber of some three or four

hours' duration,
concert,
treasure.

punch-bowl, ornamented with richly chased vine-leaves and Bacchanalian figures with two sword-handles exquis;

to

we arose, as if by premake examination of our

itely

articles

embossed, and many other smaller which I cannot recollect. The

weight of these valuables exceeded three

The chest had been full to the brim, and we spent the whole day, and. the
greater part of the next night, in a scru-

hundred and fifty pounds avoirdupois; and in this estimate I have not included
one hundred and ninety-seven superb gold watches; three of the number being worth five hundred dollars,
if

There had been tiny of its contents. nothing like order or arrangement. Every
thing had been heaped in promiscuously.

one.

Many
fered,

of them were very old, and as time-

Having assorted
than
there

all

with care,

we found
In coin

keepers valueless; the works having suf-

ourselves possessed of even vaster wealth

more or

less,

we had
fifty

at first supposed.

but

all

were richly

from corrosion jewelled and in cases

estimated the enand, upon

was rather more than four hundred

thousand dollars

of great worth.
tire

We

and

estimating
AH

the

contents of the chest, that night, at

;

value of the pieces, as accurately at we could, by the tables of the period. There

a million and a half of dollars

the

was not a

particle of silver.

was gold

subsequent disposal of the trinkets and jewels (a few being retained for our

of antique date and of great variety

own

use )

it

was found

that

we had

French. Spanish, and German money, with a few English guineas, and some counters, of which we had never seen

greatly undervalued the treasure.

When,
our

at

length,

we had concluded

examination,

and the intense ex-

specimens before.
large

and heavy

coins,

There were several so worn that

citement of the time had, in some meas-

we could make nothing of their inscripThere was no American money. tions.

Legrand, who saw that I was dying with impatience for a solution of this most extraordinary riddle, entered
ure, subsided,

122

AMAZING STORIES
known
skull
it.

into a full detail of all the circumstances

connected with

to me, there should have been a upon the other side of the parch-

"You remember/' said he, "the night when I handed you the rough sketch I had made of the scarabceus, You recollect
became quite vexed at you for insisting that my drawing resembled a death's-head. When you first made this assertion I thought you were jesting; but afterwards I called to mind the peculiar spots on the back of the insect, and admitted to myself that your remark had
also,

ment, immediately beneath

the scarabceus,

my

figure of
skull,

and

that

this

not

only in outline, but in size, should so

closely resemble

that I

my
this

drawing.

say the
abso-

singularity
lutely
is

of

coincidence
for

stupefied

me

time.

This

the usual effect of such coincidences.

The mind
nexion

and,
species

struggles to establish a con-

a sequence of cause

and

effect

being unable to do so, suffers a

of

some

little

foundation in

fact.

Still,

the

temporary

paralysis.

But,

sneer at
for
I

my
am

graphic powers irritated

me

considered a good artist

when I recovered from this dawned upon me gradually

which
itively,

stupor, there a conviction

when you handed me the scrap of parchment, I was about to crumple it up and throw it angrily into
and, therefore,
the fire."

startled

me
I

even far more than

the coincidence.
to

began

distinctly, pos-

remember

that

there

had
I

been no drawing on the parchment when

of paper, you mean," said
I

"The scrap
I.

made my

sketch of the scarabceus.

had much of the appearance and at first I supposed it to be such, but when I came to draw upon it, I discovered it, at once, to be a piece of very thin parchment. It was

"No;

it

became perfectly certain of this; for I recollected turning up first one side and
then the other, in search of the cleanest spot.

of

paper,

course
it.

Had the skull been there, of could not have failed to notice
I

Here was indeed a mystery which

it

quite
I

dirty,

you remember.

Well,
it

as

felt

impossible to explain; but, even

early

was

in the

very act of crumpling

up,

at

that

moment, there seemed

chambers of

to

upon the sketch at which you had been looking, and you may

my

glance

fell

glimmer, faithfully, within the most re-

mote and
lect,

secret

my

intel-

imagine

my

astonishment

when

per-

ceived, in fact, the figure of a death's-

that

truth

glow-worm-like conception of which last night's adventure

head just where, it seemed to me, I had made the drawing of the beetle.

brought to so magnificent a demonstraI arose at once, and putting the parchment securely away, dismissed all tion.

For a moment,
to

was too much amazed

I

think

with accuracy.

knew
in

that
detail

farther reflection until

my

design
this

was very

different

"When you
ter

I should be alone. had gone, and when Jupi-

from
I

although

there

was

a certain

similarity in general

outline.

Presently

was fast asleep, I betook myself to a more methodical investigation of the

affair.

other

took a candle, and seating myself at the end of the room, proceeded to
the

In the

first

place

considered

parchment more closely. it over, I saw my own sketch upon the reverse, just as I had made it. My first idea, now, was mere
scrutinize

Upon

turning

manner in which the parchment had come into my possession. The spot where we discovered the scarabceus was on the coast of the main land, about a
the

surprise
ilarity

at the

really

remarkable simthe

mile eastward of the island, and but a short distance above high water mark.

of

outline

at

singular

co-

Upon my
a sharp

taking hold of
bite,

incidence involved in the fact, that un-

it, it gave which caused me to

me
let

THE GOLD-BUG
it

123
I

drop.

Jupiter,

with

his

accustomed
the
insect,

connexion.

caution,

before

seizing

of a great chain.

had put together two links There was a boat lynot

it.

which had flown towards him, looked about him for a leaf, or something of
that nature,

ing on a sea-coast, and not far from the

boat

was

parchment

paper
will,

of
I
is

by which to take hold of

this

it.

with a skull depicted on

course, ask 'where
is

You

was at and mine

It

moment
fell

that

his

eyes,

the connexion?'

also,

upon the scrap of

then supposed to be
half buried in the up.

reply that the skull, or death's head,

the

parchment, which
paper.
It

well-known emblem of the

flag

pirate.

was lying

The
in all

of the death's-head

is

hoisted

sand, a corner
spot

sticking

Near

the

engagements.

where we found it, I observed the remnants of the hull of what appeared
to have been a ship's

"I have said that the scrap was parch-

ment,
durable
of

and

not

paper.

Parchment

is

long boat.

The

almost
moment
;

imperishable.

Matters

wreck seemed
boat

to have been there for a

little

are rarely consigned to

for the

very great while; for the resemblance to

timbers

parchment

since,

mere ordinary
it is

could

scarcely

be traced.

purposes of drawing or writing,

suggested

not

"Well, Jupiter picked up the parch-

nearly so well adapted as paper.

reflection

This

ment, wrapped the beetle in

it

it,

and gave

Soon afterwards we turned to go home, and on the way met Lieutenant I showed him the insect, and he G begged me to let him take it to the fort.
to me.
.

some relevancy
did not
the
fail to

some

meaning
I

in the death's-head.

observe, also, the

form of
of
its

parchment.

Although

one

corners had been, by some accident, destroyed,

it

On my
into

consenting, he thrust

it

forthwith
the

could be seen that the original

It

his

waistcoat

pocket,

without

form was oblong.

slip,

was
a

just

such a
of

parchment in which it had been wrapped, and which I had continued to hold in my hand during his inspection. Perhaps he dreaded my changing my mind, and thought
prize
siastic
it

indeed, as might have been chosen

for

memorandum
to

for

record

something

be

long remembered and

carefully preserved."

best to

at

once
is

on

make sure of the you know how enthuall

"But,"
the

interposed,

"you

say

that

he

subjects

connected

with
time,

Natural

History.

At the

same
it,

skull was not upon the parchment when you made the drawing of the beetle. How then do you trace

without being conscious of

the

any

connexion

must have deposited

parchment in

the skull

between

the

boat

and
been

since this latter, according to

my own

pocket.
that

your own admission,

must

have

"You remember

when

went

to

designed

the table, for the purpose of

sketch of the beetle,

making a found no paper

I

whom)

(God only knows how or by at some period subsequent to

your sketching the scarabaus?"

where

it

was usually

kept.

looked in
I

"Ah, hereupon turns the whole mystery

;

the drawer, and

found none there.

although the secret, at this point,

little difficulty

searched

my

pockets, hoping to find an

had comparatively
ing.

in solv-

old letter-

and
in

then
I

my hand
detail
it

fell

upon
pre-

My

steps

were

sure,
I
I

and could
reasoned,

the
cise

parchment.

thus

the
into

afford

but a single result.

mode

which
the

came

my
im-

for example,

thus:

When

drew the

possession;

for

circumstances

scarab&Hs, there was no skull apparent

pressed

me

with peculiar force.

will think

on the parchment.
fanciful

but

"No
I

doubt you

me

had already established a kind of

I had comgave it to you, and observed you narrowly until you re-

When
I

pleted

the

drawing,

124
turned
sign
it.

AMAZING STORIES
You, therefore, did not deskull,
it.

with care.
of,

Its

outer

edges

the

edges

the

and no

one
it

present to do

Then

else was was not done

the drawing nearest the edge of the

vellum
others.

were
It

by
it

human
was done.

agency.

And

nevertheless

the

caloric
I

far more distinct than the was clear that the action of had been imperfect or unfire,

"At
ber,

this stage of

my

reflections I en-

equal.

immediately kindled a
every portion
of

and
the

deavored to remember, and did rememwith entire distinctness,

every incident which occurred about the period
in

subjected

the

parch-

ment
faint

to

a glowing

heat.

At
but,

first,

only effect was the strengthening of the

lines in

question.

The weather was

the hearth.

chilly

the skull;

on persediagon-

(oh rare and happy accident!), and a

fire

vering in the experiment, there became

visible, at the

was blazing on

was

corner of the

slip,

heated
table.

with exercise and sat near the You, however, had drawn a chair
Just as I placed

ally

opposite to the spot in which the

death's-head

was
first

delineated,

the

figure

close to the chimney.

of what I at

supposed to be a goat.

the

parchment

in

your

hand,

and

as

closer scrutiny, however, satisfied

it

me

you were in the act of inspecting it, Wolf, the Newfoundland, entered and leaped upon your shoulders. With your left hand you caressed him and kept

that

was intended for a

ha
!"

kid."

"Ha
half of

said

I,

"to be sure I have no

right to laugh at

you

million and a

money

is

him
lessly

off,

while your right, holding the

parchment,

was permitted
fire.

to

fall

list-

between your knees, and in close

proximity to the

thought the blaze had caught

At one moment I it, and was

I

you are not about to estabin your chain you will especial connexion between your pirates and a goat pirates, you know, have nothing to do with
lish

mirth

but

too serious a matter for

a third link
find

not

any

about to caution you, but, before

speak,

could

goats;

they

appertain

to

the

farming

you had withdrawn

in
its all

it,

and were

interest."

re-engaged
I

examination.
these

When
I

considered

particulars,

"But I have just said was not that of a goat."

"Well, a kid then

that the figure

doubted not for a moment that heat had

been the agent in bringing to
the parchment,
the
skull
light,
I

pretty

much

the

on

same thing."
"Pretty

which

saw
have

much,

but

not

altogether,"

designed on
chemical

it.

You

are well aware that

exist,

said Legrand.

"You may have heard

I at

preparations

and

one Captain Kidd.

the

of once looked on

existed time out of mind, by

means of

which
shall

it

is

possible to

write on either

figure of the animal as a kind of punning or hieroglyphical signature.

I

paper or vellum, so that the characters

say signature; because

its

position
idea.

on

become

visible only
fire.

when
Zaffre,

subjected
digested

the

vellum

suggested

this

The

to the action of
in

death's head at the corner diagonally op-

aqua regia, and diluted with four times its weight of water, is sometimes

employed

a green tint results.

The

reg-

ulus of cobalt, dissolved in spirit of nitre,

gives a red.

same manner, the air of a stamp, or seal. But I was sorely put out by the absence of all else of the body to my imagined instrument
posite, had, in the

These colors disappear

shorter
intervals

at

of the text for

"I presume
ter

my

context."

longer

or

after

the

material written cools, but again become

you expected to find a letbetween the stamp and the signa-

apparent upon the re-application of heat.

ture."

"I

now

scrutinized the

death's

head

"Something of that kind.

The

fact

is,

THE GOLD-BUG
I
felt

125
attempts
to

irresistibly

impressed with a presay

cause

unguided

regain

it,

sentiment of some vast good fortune impending.

I

had given

first birth,

can
all, it

scarcely

why.

currency, to

and then universal the reports which are now

Perhaps, after

than an actual belief

but

that Jupiter's silly words, about the

was rather a desire do you know bug

had a remarkable

so common. Have you ever heard of any important treasure being unearthed

along the coast?"

being
effect

of

solid

gold,

"Never."
immense,
granted,

on
of

my

fancy?

And
and

then

the

series

accidents

coincidences

"But that Kidd's accumulations were I took it for is well known.

therefore,
;

these

were so very extraordinary. Do you observe how mere an accident it was that these events should have occurred on the sole day of
all

that

the

earth

still

held them prised

when

and you will scarcely be surI tell you that I felt a hope,

the year in
be,
suffi-

nearly amounting to certainty, that the

which

it

has

been,

or

may

parchment so strangely found, involved

a lost record of the place of
deposit."

ciently cool for fire,

fire,

and that without the

or without the intervention of the

at the precise I

"But how did you proceed?"

"I held the vellum again to the
after
fire,

dog

moment

in

which he

appeared,

should .never have become

increasing the
I

heat;
it

but

nothing

aware of the death's-head, and so never

the possessor of the treasure?"

appeared.

now

thought

possible that

the coating of dirt might have something

to

"But proceed I am all impatience." "Well you have heard, of course, the
;

do with the

failure,

so

carefully

many
vague

stories

current

rinsed the parchment by pouring

warm
this,
I

the

thousand

water over
placed
it

it,

and, having done

tin

rumors afloat about money buried, somewhere on the Atlantic coast, by Kidd and his associates. These rumors must have had some foundation in And that the rumors have existed fact. so long and so continuously could have resulted, it appears to me, only from the
circumstance of the buried treasure
still

in

pan,

with the skull

downwards, and put the pan upon a furnace of lighted charcoal. In a few minutes, the pan having become thoroughly heated, I removed the slip, and, to my inexpressible joy, found it spotted, in several places, with what appeared to
be
I to

figures

arranged

in

remaining

entombed.

Had Kidd
the

con-

placed

it

in the pan,

lines. Again and suffered it

cealed his plunder for a time, and after-

remain another minute.

the whole was
just

On

taking

it it

wards

reclaimed

it,

rumors would
observe that

off,

as you see

scarcely have reached us in their present

now."

unvarying form.
the
stories

You
are

will

Here Legrand, having re-heated the

parchment,
tion.

told

all

about

money-

submitted
following

it

to

my

inspec-

seekers, not about money-finders.

Had
seemed

The

characters
tint,

were

the pirate recovered his money, there the

affair

rudely traced, in a red

between the

would have dropped.

that

It

death's-head and the goat:

to

me

some

accident

say

the loss

of a
ity

memorandum

indicating its local-

had deprived him of the means of it, and that this accident had become known to his followers, who otherwise might never have heard that
recovering
treasure had been concealed at
all,

53*^305)) 6*; 4826)4$.)4|)

806*;

48f81[60})85; ]8*:i*8t83(88)5*t; 46(; 8S*96*?;8) *$ (;485);5*f2: *$(,4956*2

and
be-

4069285); )6f8)4&; 1( $9; 48081; 8:8*1; 48t85; 4)485f5288 06*81 ($9;48; (88; 4(J?34;48)4J;161;
81[8*;

(5* 4)

who,

busying

themselves

in

vain

:188;i?:

126
"But," said
"I
I,

AMAZING STORIES
returning him the
in
slip,

the

signature.
is

The pun on
in

the

word
lanthis

am

as

much

the

dark as ever.

'Kidd'

appreciable

no other

ing
I

Were all the jewels of Golconda awaitme on my solution of this enigma,

that I should be unable

guage than the English. But for consideration I should have begun

my

am quite sure to cam them."

"And
tion
is

attempts with the Spanish and French,

as the tongues in which a secret of this

yet,"

said

Legrand, "the soludifficult

kind

would most naturally have been

was,
I

by no means so
led

as

you
first

written by a pirate of the Spanish main.

might be
characters,

to imagine

from the
might

As

it

assumed the cryptograph

there are no divisions

hasty inspection of the characters. The^e

as

to be English.

any

one

readily

"You observe
sions,

form a cipher that is to say, they convey a meaning; but then, from what is known of Kidd, I could not suppose him capable of constructing
guess,

between the words.

the

Had

there been divi-

task

would have been comIn such case

I

paratively easy.

should

have commenced

with

collation

and

any of the more abstruse cryptographs. I made up my mind, at once, that this was of a simple species such, however, as would appear, to the crude intellect

analysis of the shorter words, and, had

a word of a single
is

letter
/,

occurred, as
I

most

likely

(a or

for example),

of the sailor, absolutely insoluble with-

assured.

should have considered the solution as But, there being no division,

first

out the key."

my
really solved it?"

step

was

to ascertain the pre-

"And you
"Readily;

dominant
frequent.

letters,

as

well
all,

as
I

the

least

Counting

constructed

have solved others of an

a table, thus:

abstruseness ten thousand times greater.

Circumstances,

and

certain

bias

of

Of

the character

8 there are
;

34.

mind, have led me to take interest in riddles, and it may well be doubted whether human ingenuity can construct an enigma of the kind which human insuch
genuity
resolve.

"

26.

t)
5

may

not,

by proper application,
legible

In fact, having once established

6
t
1

connected
scarcely
difficulty

and
a
of

characters,
to

gave

thought

the

mere

developing their import.

present

9 2
all
:

"In

the

cases of secret

indeed writingthe
case

in

3
?
11

first

ques-

tion regards the language of the cipher;

for

the

principles
as

of

solution,

so

far,

]"Now,
in

especially,

the

more simple ciphers

English,

are concerned, depend on, and are varied

by,

the

letter

which

the genius of

the particular idiom.

is

no alternative but by probabilities) of every tongue known to him who

In general, there

most frequently occurs is e. Afterwards, the succession runs thus: a o i d

experiment

(directed

hnrsiuycfglmwbkpqxs.
E, however, predominates so remarkably that an individual sentence of any length
is

be attained. before us,

attempts the solution, until the true one But, with the cipher now
all

rarely seen,

in

which

it

is

not

the

difficulty

is

removed by

prevailing character.

THE GOLD-BUG
"Here,
beginning,
then, the

127
leaving a space
for

we

have,

in

the

very

represent,

the

un-

groundwork for someThe thing more than a mere guess.

general use which
table
is

known
t eeth.

may be made
but, in
this

of the

obvious

particular

"Here we are
discard the
l

enabled,

at

once,

to

cipher,

we
its

shall aid.
is
it

only very partially re-

th' as

forming no portion
the first
entire
the

quire

character

8,

As we
the

our
will

predominant

of the
t;

word commencing with

by
for

commence by
of
the

since,

experiment of
a
letter

assuming
alphabet.

as

natural
let

alphabet

adapted

to

the

To
if

verify the supposition,

the
e
is

vacancy
part.

we

perceived that no

word can
can be a

us observe
couples

8 be

seen often

in

be formed of

which

this

th

for
in
'been,'

doubled

with such

great

We

are thus narrowed into

frequency
for

English
as

in

words,
'speed,'

example,

'meet,'

'fleet,'

'seen,'

'agree,' etc.

In the presand,

ent instance

we

see

it

doubled no less
the
crypto-

going
as

through
before,

the

alphabet,

if

than

five
is

times,
brief.

although

necessary,

we

arrive

at

the

graph

word

'tree/ as the sole possible reading.

"Let us assume 8, then, as e. of all words in the language,

Now,
'the'
is

We
in

thus gain another

(,

letter,

r,

repre-

sented by

with

the

words

'the tree'

most usual
there

let

us see, therefore, whether

repetitions

juxtaposition.

are

not
in

of

any three
col-

"Looking beyond these words, for a

short
distance,
;48,

characters,

the

location, the last

same order of of them being 8,

of such
will
'the.'

we

again

see
it

the

compre-

If

bination

and employ
to

by

way of

we
so

discover repetitions

letters,

termination
cedes.

what

immediately

arranged,

they

most probably

We

have thus this arrangement

represent the

word

On

inspection,

we

find
;

no

less

than seven such arrange-

the tree

;4(?34 the,

We ments the characters being ;48. may, therefore, assume that the semicolon represents t, that 4 represents h,
and
that 8 represents e

or, substituting the natural letters,

where

known,

it

reads thus:

the

last

being

the tree thr$ ?3h the.

now

well confirmed.

Thus a

great step

has been taken.

"Now,
characters,
substitute

if,

in

place leave

of

the

unknown
spaces,

"But, having established a single word,

we
dots,

blank

or

we

are enabled to establish a vastly impoint

;

we

read thus

portant

that

is

to

say,

several

commencements
other words.
to the
last

and

terminations

of

the tree thr

the,

Let us refer, for example,

instance but
;48

one,

in

which
far

when

the
at

word
once.

'through'

makes
o,

itself

the

combination
the

occurs
cipher.

not
We

evident

But
?

this

discovery

from
is

end of the

know

gives us three

new
%,

letters,

u and g,

that the

semicolon immediately ensuing

a

represented by

and

3.

the
the

commencement of
six

word, and,
this

"Looking now, narrowly, through the

cipher for combinations of
acters,

of

characters

succeeding

known

char-

'the,'

we

are cognizant of no less than

we

find,

not very far

from the

five.

Let us set these characters down,

beginning, this arrangement,

thus,

by the

letters

we know them

to

83(88, or egree,

128
which, plainly,
is

AMAZING STORIES
the conclusion of the
gives
f.

sented,

and

it

will

be unnecessary to

word

'degree/

and

us

another

proceed with the details of the solution/

I

letter, d,

represented by
letters

have said enough to convince you that

this

"Four
gree;

beyond the

word

'de-

ciphers of
uble,

nature are readily

sol-

we

perceive the combination

and

to give

you some

insight into

the rationale of their development.

But

;46( ;88*.

be assured that the specimen before us

appertains to the very simplest species
characters,
dots,

"Translating

the

known

of

cryptograph.

It full

now

only

remains
of
the

and representing the unknown by

to give

you the

translation

wc

read thus:

characters
riddled.
th.rtee,

upon Here it

the
is:

parchment, as un-

"A good
an arrangement immediately suggestive of the word 'thirteen,' and again furnishing us with two new characters, * and n, represented by 6 and *. "Referring, now, to the beginning of
the
tion,

glass in
seat

the

bishop's hostel

in

the

devil's

twenty-one

degrees

and thirteen minutes northeast and by north main branch seventh limb east side
shoot from the left eye of the death'shead a bee line from tlie tree through
the shot fifty feet out."

cryptograph,

we

find

the combina-

53m.
"Translating, as before,

"But," said
in as

we

obtain

it

possible to extort a

I, "this enigma seems still bad a condition as ever. How is meaning from all

this

jargon about

'devil's seats." 'death's-

.good,

heads,'

and

'bishop's hotels'?"

"I

confess,"
still

replied

Legrand,

"that

which assures us that the first letter is A, and that the first two words are

the matter

wears a serious aspect, when regarded with a casual glance. My

first

'A good."
that

endeavour was to divide the sen-

"To avoid confusion, it is now we arrange our key, as far as

It will

time
dis-

tence into the natural division intended

by the cryptographist."

covered, in a tabular form.

stand

"You mean,

to punctuate

it

?"

thus:

"Something of that kind." "But how was it possible

represents

to

effect

this?" "I reflected that

it

with the writer to

run his

had been a point words to-

gether without division, so as to increase

the difficulty of solution.

Now, a

not

man, in pursuing such an object, would be nearly certain to

over-acute

overdo the matter.

in his subject

When,

in the course

of his composition, he arrived at a break

which would naturally

to

re-

quire a pause, or a point, he would be

"We
of
the

have, therefore, no less than ten

exceedingly apt
at this

run his characters,

usually
close

most

important

letters

repre-

place,

more than

THE GOLD-BUG
together.
If

129

you

will

observe the MS.,

sisted
cliffs

in the present

instance,

you
I

will

easily

of an irregular assemblage of and rocks one of the latter being

detect five such cases of unusual crowding.

quite remarkable for its height as well

Acting on

this

hint,

made

the

as for
ance.
felt

its I

insulated and artificial appearits

division thus:

clambered to

much

at a loss as to

apex, and then what should be

"A good
in

glass in the Bishop's hostel

the Devil's seat

and thirteen north main branch

side

shoot

twenty-one minutes northeast

seventh
left

next done.

degrees

"While
eyes
fell

and by
east

was busied in reflection, upon a narrow ledge in

I

my
the

limb
of
the

eastern face of the rock, perhaps a yard

death's-head

from

the

eye

the
tree

below

the

summit on which
projected

stood.

bee-line

from

This
inches,

ledge

about

eighteen

through the shot

fifty feet

out."

and was not more than a foot

cliff just above a rude resemblance to one

wide, while a niche in the

'Even

this

division," said

I,

"leaves

it,

gave

it

me

still

in

the

dark."

of the hollow-backed chairs used by our

ancestors.

"It left

me

also in the dark," replied

Legrand, "for a few days; during which

I

made

diligent

inquiry,

in

the

neigh-

made no doubt that here was the 'Devil's seat' alluded to in the MS., and now I seemed to grasp the
I
full secret

bourhood of Sullivan's Island, for any building which went by the name of
the

of the riddle.
glass,' I

"The 'good
reference
for the
to

knew, could have

but

'Bishop's Hotel'; for, of course,

nothing

telescope;

dropped the obsolete word 'hostel/ Gaining no information on the subject, I

was on the point of extending my sphere of search, and proceeding in a more systematic manner, when, one morning,
it

'glass' is rarely employed any other sense by seamen. Now here, I at once saw, was a telescope to be used, and a definite point of view,

word

in

admitting no variation,

from which
to

to

entered into
this

my

head, quite suddenly,

use
that

it.

Nor

did

hesitate

believe

that

'Bishop's Hostel'

might have
time
out

the

phrases,

'twenty-one

degrees

some reference

to an old family, of the

name

of

Bessop,

which,

of

and thirteen minutes,' and 'northeast and by north,' were intended as directions
for the levelling of the glass.
excited

mind, had held possession of an ancient manor-house, about four miles to the

Greatly

northward of the

island.

accordingly

by these discoveries, I hurried home, procured a telescope, and returned

to the rock.

went

over

to

the

plantation,

and

re-

instituted

my

inquiries

among

the older

"I

let

myself
it

down

to the ledge,

and

negroes of the place.

the most aged of the

At length one of

found that
seat
tion.
cei ved

was impossible
fact
I

to retain a

women

said

that

on

it

unless in one particular posi-

she

had heard of such a place as Bes-

This
idea.

sop's Castle, and thought that she could

confirmed by preconproceeded to use the

the

guide
castle,

me

to

it,

but that

it

was not a

glass.

Of

course,

'twenty-one de-

"I

offered to

nor a tavern, but a high rock. pay her well for her
and,

grees and thirteen minutes' could allude

to nothing but elevation

above the visible

direction

trouble,

consented to

some demur, accompany me to the

after

she
spot.

horizon,

since

the

horizontal

was

clearly

indicated

by

the

words,
latter

We found it without much difficulty. when, dismissing her, I proceeded to The 'castle' conexamine the place.

'northeast

and by

north.'

This

direction I at once established

by means

of a pocket-compass; then, pointing the

130
glass as

AMAZING STORIES
nearly at an angle of twentyI could do up was arrested

"In
Hotel'

this
I

expedition

to

the

'Bishop's

one degrees of elevation as

it

had been attended by Jupiter,

the
abstraction

by guess,

moved

it

cautiously

who

had, no doubt, observed fcr some

past,

or down, until

my

attention

weeks

of

my

de-

by

a circular

rift

or

opening in the
overtopped
In the cen-

foliage of a large tree that

its

meanour, and took especial care not to But, on the next day, leave me alone.
getting

fellows in the distance.

up very
the

early,

contrived

to

tre of this rift I perceived a white spot,

give

him
I

slip,

and went into the

After much
I

but could not, at

it

first,

distinguish

what
teleit

hills in
toil

search of the tree.

was.

Adjusting the focus of the

found

it.

When

came home

scope, I again looked,

and now made

at night

my

valet

proposed to give

me

out to be a

human
the

skull.

a flogging.

With

the rest of the adven-

"On
as to

this discovery I

consider

was so sanguine enigma solved for

;

ture

believe

you are as well acquainted

I,

as myself."

the phrase

'main branch, seventh limb,

"I suppose," said

spot,
in

"you missed the

at

east side"/ could refer only to the position of the skull

the

first

attempt

digging,

on the

tree,

while 'shoot
death's-head'

through Jupiter's stupidity

in letting the

from the
in

left

eye of

the

bug

fall

through the
left

right

instead
skull.

of

admitted, also, of but one interpretation,

through the
"Precisely.

eye of the

regard to a search for buried treasure.

This mistake made a difthat is to say, in the positree

;

I perceived that the design

was

to drop

ference of about two inches and a half

in the 'shot'

a bullet from the left eye of the skull,

and that a
a straight

bee-line,
line,

or, in other

words,

tion of the

peg nearest the

and had

drawn from the neartrunk through 'the shot'

the treasure been beneath the 'shot,* the

est point of the

error would have been of

little

moment

(or the spot where the bullet fell), and thence extended to a
feet,

but 'the shot,' together with the nearest

point of the tree, were merely two points
for the establishment of a line of direc-

distance

of fifty

would

indicate
this

a definite point
it

and beneath
concealed."

point I thought

at

tion;

of

course

the

error,

however

least possible that a deposit of value lay

trivial in the

beginning, increased as
line,

we

proceeded with the

I said, "is

"All

this,"

exceedingly
still

we had gone
off the
scent.

fifty

feet,

and by the time threw us quite

clear, and,

although ingenious,

simthe

But for

my

deep-seated

ple

and

explicit.

When you
carefully
tree,

left

Bishop's Hotel, what then?"

"Why,
bearings

having
of the

taken

the

turned
I

home'the

wards.

The
;

instant

that

left

convictions that treasure was here somewhere actually buried, we might have had all our labour in vain." "I presume the fancy of the skull, of letting fall a bullet through the skull's

Devil's seat,' however, the circular rift

eye

was

suggested

to

Kidd

by

the

vanished
it

nor could

I get

a glimpse of

piratical flag.

No
this
still

doubt he

felt a

kind

afterwards, turn as I would.

What

of poetical consistency in recovering his

seems to

me

the chief ingenuity in this

is

money through
"Perhaps so;
ing
that

ominous insignum."
I

whole business,
experiment
fact)

the fact (for repeated

cannot help think-

has

convinced

me

it

is

common- sense

had

quite

as

that the circular opening in ques-

much

to do with the matter as poetical

tion is visible

from no other

attainable

consistency.
'Devil's seat/
object,
if

To be
it

point of view than that afforded by the

visible from the was necessary that the

narrow ledge on the face of the rock.

small,

should be white

and

THE GOLD-BUG
there
for
is

131

nothing like your

human

skull

only one point which puzzles me.

What

and even increasing its whiteness under exposure to all vicissiretaining

are

we

to

make

of the skeletons found

in the hole?"

tudes of weather."

"That
able
to

"But your grandiloquence, and your

conduct
in

is a question I am no more answer than yourself. There

swinging
I

the

beetle

how
from

seems, however, only one plausible of accounting for them

way
it

excessively odd!

was sure you were

and

yet

is

mad.
fall

And why

did you insist on letting

dreadful to believe in such atrocity as

the bug, instead of a bullet,

my
that

suggestion would imply.

It is clear

the skull?"

Kidd

if

Kidd indeed
I

secreted this
it

"Why,
annoyed
touching

to be

frank,

felt

somewhat
suspicions
to

treasure,
that he

which

doubt not

is

clear

by

your
sanity,

evident

must have had

assistance in the

my

and so resolved

labour.

But, the worst of this labour

punish you quietly, in

a
little

my own

way, by

concluded, he
pedient
to

may have

thought

it

ex-

bit

of sober mystification.

For
tree.

this reason I this

swung
let
it

the beetle, and for

fall

his secret.

reason I

from the
its

with
his

mattock

remove all participants in Perhaps a couple of blows were sufficient, while were busy
in

An

observation of yours about

latter

great

coadjutors
it

the

pit

weight suggested the

idea."

perhaps
is

required a dozen

who

shall

"Yes,

perceive; and

now

there

tell?"

The End

(^Anniversary of the 'Birth of Edgar nAllan *Poe

The one-hundred and
twenty-fifth an-

niversary of the birth of

Edgar Allan
in

Poe has been celebrated by a dinner

Philadelphia,

attended by thirteen hun-

dred

people.

George

Bernard

Shaw

cabled that "at last America has recog-

nized the greatest American writer." Poe

was
His

entitled

by President Roosevelt "the

and who lived but a decade. Poe was treated unkindly by his early biographers for reasons unknown. On the face of it, could a more severe critic be looked for than the mother of his girl wife? She lived with him and her daughter in poverty, but she was his affectionatte and devoted friend of many years. And it was Maria Clemm, Virtive

greatest literary genius of the country."

life

ginia's mother,

who

declared that "he was

affectionate
;

wife was
marriage,

was a tragedy of poverty. His Virginia Clemm, a girl but

old
at

impulsive,
noble."

generous,

He

lived only forty years

19th, 1809,

and he

thirteen years

the time

of the

was born January

October
7th, 1849.

and died

who was

even then consump-

132

AMAZING STORIES

"Why Read
Amazing
if

Stories?"

By

EUGENE

REYNOLDS

wasl On the newsdealer's rack! A mighty Thar* giant, who put out on enormous hand reaching for three tiny people! "Why read it?" asked someone nearby. "For recreation, relaxation, and knowledge!" was my ready response; however, lack of time prevented my adding other reasons or emphasizing those namedl
Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt and others used to read books dealing with crime and its detection in order fc "clean out their minds" and prepare their brains for new tasks facing them daily. The more unlike the subject of the books was to their usual thinking, the "cleaner" the mind became! AMAZING STORIES, even more unlike the ordinary person's experience, is of mere value along this iine than is the mystery or detective story!

being
of

Of course,

Reading these stories makes one familiar with efforts made along different lines in the scientific world. they go beyond accomplishment into the realm pseudo-science, yet through the story alone, the

average person is able to familiarize himself with science. It requires exaggeration to secure his attention! Moreover this is about the only way he will give enough thought to the subject to grasp what science If attempting.

And

fore anything

the story enables him to remember facts. Beis learned, the interest must be aroused!
just

Nor can you be certain

a

how much contained

in

is within the realm of the impossible! television, and other inventions and discoveries. may have, so far, only scratched the surface of the undiscovered,and supposedly unknowable!

given

story

Witness the radio,

We

At least we know there are individuals who are searching and studying continually along these lines. And they are bound to discover some new thlngsl We yet may accept as true: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy!"

And many
either

ancient*.

so-called new discoveries were evidently known or "suspected to be in the air" by the And one of their theories was that beyond the
lies

cold of the polar regions,

land

of

summer

with

beautiful flowers, and an ideal climate. How do we know they were absolutely wrong in their Idea? Who can

say?

April,

1934

AMAZING STORIES

133

USSIONS
this dep>r!ntnt thtll dlteou (Verjr month loptti #! Intcrttt t raden. Th idltsrt In tt noriti ppPM/lnp in !hi* Haguln*. tubjttti directly *r Indlmtty rslattd rtqulrtn, a luminal ti* al I5 1* cover time ted poitapt li rtqulrtd.

mm

Invltt MrrttppndMM *a all ipeclil perwnal auwer li

Letter

Who
Editor,

Seem*

from a Young Australian Reader to Like Amazing Stories

story to half the

carries
I
it.

length to which he usually

Amazing Stories:

like

Dr. Keller's work well enough, but in

after

Of letter for the Discussions Columns. course it may not be printed, but I do enjoy writing to my favorite magazine, and I suppose the Editor likes to hear from his readers

his

striving

simplicity

of

narrative,

it

that

seems to me that he borders on the affectation it would appear he is so anxious to avoid. I noticed something queer in the September
1932 issue.

overseas.
I have quite an immense pile of Amazing Stories magazines now, and I store them away with such miserly care that people think I'm a little mad. It is a silly habit, this saving of countless magazines, but I just can't bring myself to part with my copies. It's strange how the passing of years broadSome time ago I wrote you ens the mind. two letters. I have just looked them up, and I find that they are senseless conglomerations

Questionnaire asks how many feet of lead cosmic rays will penetrate; in the story "The Lady of Light," the answer is given as eight feet. And yet on page 519 of the same issue, another author tells us that the rays will pass through seventeen feet of lead. Why this contradiction? It would seem to suggest that the scientific facts in your rales are not as scrupulously verified as you would have us believe. Please clear up the point for me.
belated word on the remarkable innovathat saw the light of day on the cover of the January 1933 number : This is distinctly superior to any cover that I have seen prior to it. Certainly it came as a shock an extraordinary shock to find it on your so reserved and aloof a magazine, and a one-color cover at first savored of meanness to me; but after a study
tion

The

Science

of voluble and denunciatory criticism; amazing constructions of warped personal opinions. Now, with the passing of only twenty-four months, I have learned the meaning of understanding and tolerance; and from the superior

eminence of Aged Seventeen I can look back with supercilious horror and disgust at my for-

mer harsh, juvenile criticisms. The thing of most importance

that

have to

of

say about your magazine is that it is steadily and unceasingly improving. I mean this sincerely.

it to some of the hideous pictures that have leered at me it

I decided that

vastly prefer

For a study

of

Amazing

Stories re-

veals the following:

The coven
extravagant;

are now amazing without being the binding has become more

staple, more solid in all ways; the stories are being selected with taste and care; the advertising space has been cut down in accordance with a growing circulation (at least, I

from your front page in the past. This cover and the altered arrangement of the letters "Amazing Stories," reveal that you are not afraid to get away from your former dispassionate attitude toward all forms of innovation. Morey still can't draw a human face with any degree of fidelity. And in spite of what may be
said against
it

Impressionism, I definitely prefer

to bad sketching.
(Incidentally,

assume
Best

that the circulation

I

is

growing.

Is it?)

For 1932
For
its

chose as best, these stories

more
lished

of Muller?
in

serial.-

of Sarvon." sustained action, originality and con-

''The

Swordsman

why did you refuse to give us Actual count of letters pubyour columns reveals that he was
After
did not
all,

favored by the majority.

his

work
far as

cise style.

was merely Modern:

it

go

as

Best novelette.
ful

"The

Cities of Ardathia."

Impressionism.)

an attempt and a not unsuccessI would like to see more from Mr. Flagg. "The Man Who Lived Best short story. Twice." This was Scientific and there were
Because one
it

But enough of Impressionism, Cubism and

all other kinds of unorthodox art. We'll leave discussion of them to their vehement neophytes.

is

at

better class sciencefiction.

To

end

this

letter

would

like to tell

your

readers that I'm very anxious to read the single

big possibilities in

it.

1933 started well and I know it will continue The April issue was especially good. thus. Now that A. Hyatt Verrill has come back, I suggest, with all humility, that his work would be far more interesting if he condensed each

Amazing Stories Annual that was published, and also the story "The Moon Pool"; and I would like to hear from anyone who has these magazines to sell or exchange. A. CONNELL,
Military Road.

Mosman,

Sydney, Australia.

134

AMAZING STORIES
at their true value.

April, 1934
There seems
to be a peculiar

(We always get pleasant letters from the Antipodes although we do not always have to go ten or twelve thousand miles to get a pleasant
appreciation of our efforts. In giving the best stories, or what the writer considers such, interest is added by the little criticism following each one of them. "A reason for the faith that
is in him." do not know what Mr. Verrill will think when he reads your criticism of his methods. are going to give some of his work in a number of our issues in the near future, starting with the June issue. As far as the penetration of lead by cosmic rays is concerned, it varies greatly according to the locality and many statements of the penetrating power have been given by Compton, Millikan and others. This will clear up your points of criticism. As far as innovation is concerned, Amazing Stories has done lots of it on the cover page. The cover you refer to is not a one color printing. If you do not hear from anybody who has the issues you want for sale, address our Circulation Department in this

talent involved in the production of such stories

as

embody romance and natural science. Too much science will tend to make them read like a text book. Too little science takes them

We

We

You will like "Triplanetary" As our magazine has only recently been published in Canada, we are greatly interested in getting letters from Canadian correspondents. Editor.)
out of our range. as it goes along.

A
Editor,

Short

and

Warm

Appreciation of

Our Magazine

building.

Editor. J

Amazing Stories: "Triplanetary" starts out with a bang Hope it ends that way. I had the ill luck to miss Dr. Smith's "Skylark" series. From all the letters I've read, I guess they were plenty good. Are you going to give us a story by A. Smith sometime soon? Morey did a swell job on the cover for "Triplanetary." Hope you received my subscription for a year of this wonderful magazine. My only regret is that Well before it isn't published twice a month. letter gets this too lengthy, I will close.
I

A
Editor,

Tribute to Dr. E. E. Smith from *

Olon

F.

Wiggins,

Canadian Admirer Stories copy of scientifiction I picked up three years ago, and I was so thrilled with that story of Keptunians trying to bust up the sun that I couldn't sleep that night. Since then

Amazing

My

(You

will find that "Triplanetary" will

2603 Curtis Street, Denver, Colorado. keep

first

am

here.

tion, mostly,

Reading over A.

my
S.,
I

back copies of
find so

scientific-

many

stories that

are very, very good.

impressions
beautifully
pealing.

One of my outstanding is the Jameson Satellite. It is written and the idea is very apWilliamson's stories are unique for

on "banging" right up to the last word of the story. We have on hand a story by the author you refer to, though we are not sure what issue it will appear in. The Editorial Staff would be greatly pleased if the magazine could be published twice a month and we have ample material to carry out such a plan,
but it is in the dim future, even Editor.)
if
it

is there.

detail. They require such have depth and sustained interest. However, one does not particularly remember his characters and stories; one remembers that one has immensely enjoyed reading them. The real classics of scientifiction, and I do not exclude Wells, Verne, Burroughs, etc., are those marvelous series by Dr. E. E. Smith. They have technical detail, and one may appreciate the possibility that Smith can build this up as much as Williamson, but he does not write quite that way. They require deep thought, they command intense, sustained interest they are powerfully written, full of brilliant ideas. They have that appeal of character and story that impels one to reread them often and ever. And the first installment of "Triplanetary" is in the authentic Seaton tra-

their
real

tremendous technical

A
I

Editor,

Tribute to the Author, Frank K. Kelly Amazing Stories:

study and as

have just finished reading your December issue and have been converted into an A. S.
fan. Your thanks, if any, may be given to Frank K. Kelly's "Into the Meteorite Orbit." I have followed Mr. Kelly's career closely

and

I believe he has promise of a great future. Mr. Kelly is the only author of Science Fiction to be read by my parents. We all sincerely hope to read more Kelly

Incidentally

stories in

your magazine soon.

When

is

the

next?

R. J. OLE,
Indianapolis, Indiana.

dition.

A. Lazaresco, Ph. D.
22 Glenholme Avenue, Toronto, Canada.

(The
believe,

stories of the Jameson Statellite, we have been very generally appreciated

(Mr. Kelly's story evidenced considerable thought on the part of the author. It involves one odd thing in its name that properly speaking there is no meteorite orbit, or perhaps properly speaking there is, but a name is not supplied by the powers that be. shooting star is a meteor; if one of them strikes the earth it becomes a meteorite, but what is it before it becomes luminous and before it falls to terra There is a question for the lexicogfinna? rapher. have another story on hand by Mr. Kelly which we will print soon. Editor.)

We

April,

1934
Smaller
Size

AMAZING STORIES
Illustrationsof

135

A
-

Young Reader Want* Mor*

He
Editor,

Likes

the

Page

I have been a strong advocate of it ever since, and have defended it from the slights of my

Stories of Prehistoric

Animals Asked For

Amazing
is

This

the

first

Stories: time I have ever written to

to

the Amazing Stories and am very much interOnce I was talking ested in your magazine. my uncle about this magazine. He asked me why I read such bunk, and told me to read

think it is a cheap "thriller" magazine, because they know it in name only. That was exactly how I felt before I started to read A. S. and I would still be ignorant of the delight which comes from reading such stories as yours, were it not for another friend. Therefore, why not do yourself and many prospective
friends

who

something true. I told him that A. S. stories gave you pleasant dreams and exciting ones I also and also create a good imagination. told him I hope most of the stories came true some day. In less than a week I found him I have a club reading one and enjoying it. to which just another boy and I belong. I often try to get others to join and start talking to them about infra-red rays, space ships, planets
or prehistoric animals. They just look at me and blink their eyes and look dumb. The only boy I can talk freely to is my pal. I haven't many complaints to make about your magazine,
but some of them are : 1. I wish you would have more pictures through your stories. 2. I wish Paul would illustrate for your magazine again.
3. I

historic
I

wish you would write more stories on preanimals and life of the cave people. hope you keep the magazine at the same
it
is

size

now

for

it

is

mags "The Stone from the Green Star." 2. "The 3. "The Drums of Tapajos." "Tanks Under the Sea." 5. "The Universe 7. "The 6. "Across the Void." Wreckers." others. I am and many Formula," Incredible
stories I
1.

have liked best

in the

handy. Some of the were old

Prince of Space."

readers a great favor by changing the name from Amazing Stories to Amazing Science Fiction Stories. I know I am asking a great deal, but it is not to benefit myself that I ask I am it for I already know the merits of A. S. thinking of those who are pining for just such stories as are found in our magazine, but who do not connect the name A. S. with science fiction. For your own good, won't you do as I ask? The name, A. S. still remains, so that old readers will know it, and the new addition, science fiction, will gain for you readers by the hundreds. To come back to less important subjects but which do much to lift a magazine far above the mediocre or even the average, I want to know why you haven't been consistent in the criticism of books. One issue has it and the next issue has not. Is it because the supply of scientific books has run out? Well, then, there's always the movies to fall back upon. They have recently been favoring us with films sprinkled with imaginative science, such as the
"Invisible

4.

Man."

not very hard to please, but I like cave stories Couldn't you publish some of Edgar better.

Rich Burroughs stories and illustrate them all through the stories? Why don't you put up a vote and see who would like them?

Charles Pierce,
827 Bell Avenue, Los Angeles, Calif. number of ways of the

I must tell you that I find Discussions so very interesting that it is the first thing I turn to when reading the magazine. It is almost like a story, showing us, who can read between the lines, the psychology of the people who write therein. The Editor's personal answer at the end of each letter is one feature which has endeared A. S. to me. for it tends to bind editor and reader in a closer and more intimate relationship. I
it

(We

have published

in.

the past a

stories about prehistoric days, the

have just read the January 1934 issue and seems that you have started the new year
I

cave-man, the saber toothed tiger, the pterodactyl, and other monsters of the past, and we shall hope to get more of this type, but of course we depend upon our writers. We are overstocked with stories and we feel strongly that
the authors of the same are
entitled to
first

right.

especially

feel

this

way

since

am

consideration in date of publication.

Editor.)

interested in the mind and its psyNo matter how absorbing planetary stories may be, they do get boring when there are too many. Thus, it is not asking too much to give us psychology readers "a break" and print more stories like the "Pellucid Horror," "Master of Dreams," and the "Lost Language."

intensely

chology.

Letter from a Member of the Fair Sex Who Likes Amazing Stories
:

Editor,

"fair-sex" I expect, nay demand, that my letter be published. Otherwise, I certainly will have to renew my subscription which expires soon, in order to
see whether
later
I
it

Amazing Stories As a member of the so-called

might be published in a much

issue.

because

have been enjoying myself only since July I discovered A, S. it was then that

I have made many requests and I have still another to make; this, I promise will be the Seeing that your editorial is becoming last. bigger and better with each issue, I would like to suggest a fitting topic for this feature. It I feel that is "the microscope and its use." there are many readers who, like myself, have for a hobby the field of microscopy. I am just an amateur and certainly would appreciate it if you couid set forth in your editorial how to use the various types of microscopes and where

136
to find specimens,
I

AMAZING STORIES
am
sure that
it

April, 1934

will require

not

more than one

ing study.
I

editorial to cover this fascinat-

I guess this queer old

natural
time.

throw fewer bricks and more flowers? But world would not seem if there weren't any people fighting and
all

that the latest issue

from be about
not.

how

have never read your Quarterly, but I see You might hear is out. its effects, and again, you might So don't depend upon it, but do tell me you've liked my ravings. Miss Rea Ash.,
1001

scrapping and arguing about something

the

Thank

you,

r.

Editor.

And now

before you carefully deposit this letter in the waste basket, I wish you to know that I'm sending you and our mag. the best wishes and
luck tor the coming year. ing?

Were you
M.
C.

listen-

East 167th Street,

letters

New York

(We

always get nice

City, N. Y. from members

Miss

E,

Poppe,

Box

727.

of your sex. You do not indulge in throwing brickbatz at the unfortunate staff of this magThe name you suggest is too long and azine. the two-word name is known all over the world

and

it would seem wrong to change it, and introducing two words in the middle of the old name would be a great change and there would hardly be room for it to be adequately displayed

W. Brownsville, Pa. enjoy letters from members of the "fair sex" provided they restrict themselves to fairness and are not unfair, but this correspondent is so good-hearted that she advocates the throwing of flowers rather than bricks. You ask us if we were listening to your concluding good

(We

wishes, and

we want

to state that

we

certainly

"Discussions" are certainly a the cover. very interesting part of the magazine and we wish to make them a very important element. The personal desire of the Editor would almost go so far as to wish to give them double the amount of space they now have. There is so

upon

were.

Editor.)

A Warm
Artist
Editor,

Appreciation of

Morey

Love

Our Authors and

in Science

Motive

Fiction Stories

Amazing Stories:

much

variety

in

the different letters that

the

Discussions are always novel and always of interest. As regards microscopy, that is best studied from manuals. It is a special branch of

I have been an appreciative reader of Amazing Stories for several years, but as yet have not expressed any criticisms regarding the

authors, artists or materials contained

work and has

the quality of entrancing those

it.

who

practice

Editor.)
of

Lady Writes Us a Charming Letter

Warm
Editor,

Appreciation
:

Amazing Stories

After taking a look at the present Amazing Stories, I am at last convinced that the Depression is over, for gone is the thin hungry

looking magazine replaced by a nice fat one, even though it is much shorter in height. Anyway please excuse my remarks as I'm only tell you how much I like A. S. I shall never forget that fateEuI???? day over six years ago when I got my hands on my first copy which has been the cause of my downfall, for ever since I could never resist getting every copy that came out. Even though I am not a regular subscriber, I very seldom missed any. As to the stories, well I'm not throwing any bricks because almost all of the stories you have published so far, have been in my estimation Although the excellent, each in its own way. kinds which I prefer above all are the ones dealing with time space traveling, the past or future and about the different planets of the
trying to

bombardment. Rather I would your tolerance and correct my errors, literally or otherwise, because, being a foreigner and having attended English schools only a few years I have small doubt of my ability to master the English language. Not wishing to individualize any one subject
in particular I will make my topics as general as possible and hope you will excuse my aimless wanderings. First of all I wish to offer my appreciation and congratulations on your Canadian Branch of Amazing Stories. This enables many ardent followers of your maga-

in the magazine. As a matter of fact this is my first attempt to communicate with you and it is scarcely fitting that I should begin with a beg

zine over here to avail ourselves of this opportunity to continue reading Amazing Stories

ciation

which, otherwise would be denied us. I said otherwise, because, on account of the high Canadian tariff wall, coupled with the depreof the Canadian dollar, we were un-

able to purchase direct that you, yourselves,

from the U.S.A.. that is from publisher to reader. I can safely state have been quite aware of

universe.

And now, Mr. Editor, I'd like a word or two I wish many of with some of our readers. you who throw bricks so lavishly at some poor author would stop to think that even though he
human and a
please everybody after all he is only flower or two and some words of encouragement would do far more good for better or worse than a ton of bricks so why
can't

two years or more when found Canadian sales dropping off. It stands to reason that the average reader cannot afford to pay thirty-five cents or more for one copy of any magazine during such times
this fact for the past

you

of depression, therefore, the dealers were not foolish enough to stock them. But with your present system of a branch over here Canadian readers of Ama2Ing Stories will no longer

have any

difficulties

in obtaining their

regular

April, 1934
copies,

AMAZING STORIES
called science
stories.

137
Noticeably absent in a is the element of

and I have no doubt but that your sales have already increased perceptibly and profitably.

majority romance.

of

the

stories

Of

course,

essentially speaking, ro-

Reading through your "Discussions" columns cannot help noticing the praises and criticisms Of course artists and stories. is every person's right to have his or her opinions. But, personally I think it is a gross injustice to attack the authors and artists. Some people evidently have a very poor
I

mance

is

not usually associated with scienee,

on the authors,
it

but we must not forget that these stories are also fiction and a romantic vein always heightens the interest of the reader. After all we are still human and as such we are always susceptible to the pathos of that age-old figure, Cupid. Another noticeable fact that might bear mentioning is the length of the stories, most of them being too short. This type of story is usually

individual

They sense of imagination and practicability. little comprehension of the vast account of imagination and concentration necessary for an author to pen his ideas, situations and charhave
acters to paper, especially if the narration happens to be science fiction, which calls for altogether different and novel constructions. science fiction author is a scientist, inventor,

crammed full of scientific explanations with very The reader does not little action and space. get a chance to absorb all the details before the Certainly he feels as if he story is finished. were precipitated into a cyclone, turned end over end, bounced a couple of times, then
dumped on
ing, like

engineer, historian, etc., if not in fact then So we can see what surely in knowledge. obstacles such an author would encounter and.

I'd

much

the ground and left uncomprehendman just coming out of a nightmare. rather have one or two novel-length
I'd better

he did not make an error, theoretically or factually, once in a while. It is the same with artists, and I for one, indignantly resent Miss (I presume) Margaret Young's statement "I do not like Morey"s illustrations." It was rather a blunt and candid statement, and to the point. But first, be it understood that I am not criticising the Ohio lady's view-point; far be it from me to argue with any member of the fair sex any man should know better. But it is true that 1 do resent her statement in regard to Mr. Morey. I have no idea what other works of art Mr, Morey is engaged in, but it is a certainty that his illustrations in the magazine are more than worthy of praise and deserve a great deal of The work of a scientific artist is even credit. more difficult than that of the author. The author is fore-armed with the knowledge of what he is going to create, therefore his work simpler, whereas, on the other is that much hand, the artist is not, and has to create mentally from what he reads in the story, which often as not. is insufficient in details. He has to transfer that mental image to reality on paper'

would not be human

if

stories than a flock of shorts.

However,

terminate this letter be-

fore I utter too much, for no author or artist

can please everybody.

if

But I'd be much obliged you could give me some dope on some future
:

date of release, name of producing company, type of film, feature player*, etc. If this is too much bother just let it slide, and thanks just the same.
scienti -films, viz

William Wong,
King
Street.

Cobourg, Ont., Canada.

(This
letter

from a Canadian correspondent

our efforts
Stories.

indicates a very full appreciation of

incident to the publishing of

Amazing

Our

You

appreciated can assure you and our other readers that he is giving his best thought to his illustrations. will find that we have sometimes put a little love motive into some of our pages. It
artist
is

Morey's work

and we

appears,

for

instance

in

"The Terror Out

of

to

fit

the author's conception of

it

as

much

as possible. He does not paint to suit himself or the readers as much as he wants to faithfully If his portray the author's original thought.
creations are monstrosities and impossibilities should not criticise him, because he is painting only what is required of him by the story.

Space." But some of our readers object to anything of this sort. Your letter, in which you embodied well-thought-out criticism, will be enjoyed, we are certain, by our readers. The fact that a reader writes so elaborate a review of an issue of Amazing Stories certainly speaks well for its contents. Editoh.)

we

If we continue to criticise the artists they might be withdrawn, and if the illustrations are cut out, the magazine would not be half as interesting.

Regarding the stories themselves I can safely say that seventy-five percent of them are exceptionally
tific

good

in plot, construction

and scien-

A Reply <o a Critic from a Valued Author Editor, Amazing Stories: Thank you for the opportunity to reply to Mr. Latham's interesting criticisms of "When the Universe Shrank." Mr. Latham can sure heave a wicked brick-bat, and he's a pretty good shot with them, too. However, I think I can dodge them all right this time and show him that I wasn't so far
wrong
after
all.

data.

Where most
details;

of

them

fall

down
leave

is

in

scientific

a good

many

the

science factor absolutely them make the reader

flat and not a few of wonder why they are

In the first place I can assure Mr. Latham that I made no mistake in the distinction between mass and weight (I have been a teacher

138

AMAZING STORIES
The changes
number
ization

April, 1934
took place slowly over a great

of Physics for many years and have spent many weary hours trying to convince pupils of this very distinction), in fact I very carefully considered that point before daring to use the

pushing incident.
I think that further consideration will show Mr. Latham that the event is possible, though very improbable as I am quite prepared to admit. Remember that the circumstances were

of years. Therefore an advanced civilwould be able to meet them and adapt their lives to them so that, despite inconvenience and suffering, life would still be endurable.

To

include

explanation

of

these

difficul-

ties would increase the length of the story beyond reasonable limits without adding a thing

to the

interest.
kill

To

pretty desperate. even on earth an average

would

interest

put it the other way, through tediousness.

it

Now

man can move

very considerable mass with ease provided Take friction and gravity resistance are small. for instance the ease with which a man can

Then one assumes that the reader of sciencefiction has his own imagination and, as Mr. Latham himself has obviously done, they like
imagination on such problems. The "drag on the intellect" through the shrinkage not affecting organic bodies does not
to use that

heavy automobile rolling by pushing it along a smooth road on the level. Now in this
start a

case the resistance is well over 90 percent friction, which means that only a very small portion of the resistance is due to mass inertia.

Out
no
that

in free space there

would be absolutely

friction

would be detectable, so that every energy would go into the required spot.

and absolutely no gravitational drag bit of

seem to me to be any greater than that due to trying to visualize the actual shrinkage itself, was actually prophesized by one of our greatest physicists. It is, of course, obvious that something like that must have ocyet that shrinkage

Then
free

curred. Otherwise no one would have been in any way conscious of the shrinkage. In fact

again, out in space a man's muscles are

from earth's drag and I am convinced from careful thought that out there, if we ever get
our mental and physical powers tremendously increased through this very freedom from earth-drag. Now add another factor. It is well known that under conditions of desperation a man can exert many times his normal power for a short time. Here was a man in a position of the utmost deperation, a man with a world to save, a man with the girl of his heart in the most hideous danger. Figure that part out for yourself, Mr. Latham, and see how much effort he could put forth. I may add that before using this incident, which I expected to be questioned, I covered a good many sheets of foolscap with mathethere,
shall
find

we

may be in progress right now we can tell. Perhaps, after reading these explanations Mr. will conclude that my science is neither "execrable" nor so "unpardonable" as he appears to think. The strength of his expressuch phenomena
for all

Latham
so

sions rather tempts me to retort by asking him to remember the proverb about the dangers of "a little knowledge." I admit I haven't any too much myself, but at least I did take a degree in Physics from England's finest university, so the term "execrable" rather tickles my
fancy.

This explanation don't want to hog

If

is

all
still

already too long, and I the Discussions Column,

unsatisfied
I

Mr. Latham

is

am

always

matics until

was

finally

convinced that

it

teas

just possible, though I may have slipped up in the length of the rod. The rod, of course,

might be of much greater length than sixteen feet, for it would be easy to handle out in space through its weightlessness (not its masslessness) and would no doubt be made of some metal alloy far more highly resistant than any yet produced on earth. The other point about the shrinkage of vehicles, etc., is also well taken, but Mr. Latham has, I'm afraid not read very carefully here. The reduction to 1/35 in size was in volume, not in length, which is very different and also it must be quite obvious that the earth's diameter shrank as the earth itself shrank, otherwise there would have been no shrinkage of
land areas.
I

glad to argue the matter further if he cares to write to me direct and heave his brickbats straight at me, instead of bouncing them off the poor editor. With all good wishes to the editorial staff

and

to the critics.
J.

Lewis Burtt, Jesmond, B. C,

Canada.

(One of our best known authors publishes a reply to a critic of the story "When the Universe Shrank." The letter is so long that we do not feel that comment is needed. It is so
easy to criticize unfavorably that too many people yield to the temptation, but Mr. Burtt is well able to take care of himself. Editor.)

Back Numbers of Amazing Stories

Editor,

for Sals

Ama2ing

Stories:

am

fully prepared to

admit that

this shrink-

would cause almost incredible inconveand before writing the story I made a of these difficulties which numbered nearly a hundred items. In the end, however, I decided that it was not necessary to drag in the
age
list

nience,

I am an eager reader of Amazing Stortes magazine and I think that it is the best science fiction magazine on the market. I am a self-styled author and I hope to send you a manuscript some time in the future. I wish to become a regular contributor to your

explanation of them for these reasons:

pages.

April,

1934

AMAZING STORIES
numbers of
their favorite
Sci.

139
Fie magazine.
Jr.

J. M. Walsh, Jack Williamson and Nei! R. Jones are my three favorite authors, although I have many others listed. Listen, you readers! Due to financial circumstances, I am forced to sell what back issues of A. S. I have, in order to subscribe for future issues. These are the ones I have: Volume S Nos 3, 5. Vol. 6 Nos. 9, 10. 11, 12. Vol. 7 Nos. 1, 2, 3, 12. Vol. 8 Nos. 2, 3, 6, 7. Also Winter 1932 Amazing Stokes Quarterly. These magazines are all minus
I will sell covers, but one, otherwise intact. magazines for $2.25, postpaid to any address in the U. S. No orders outside of all fifteen

Claude A. Dames,

5042 Northland Avenue,

(We

like to publish letters

have back-numbers for sale, and applies to your and the preceding

St. Louis, Mo. from readers who this remark

letter.

Ed.)

Particularly Good Letter of Criticisms Pro and Con on the Mendeliao Investigations

of Plant Hybridization

U.
-

S. accepted.
less

five magazines will be sent in These five will cost 75c C.O.D. any additional magazines will cost 15c extra. Postage will be paid on 10 or more. The Quarterly alone will be sent for 25c C.O.D. If you wish to buy five or more of the above magazines,

No

than

Editor, Amazing Stories^ As I have been reading your magazine and others dealing with similar subjects for a number of years. I helieve I shall be pardoned for taking up a little of your time.
I
like

one order.

science

fiction

stories

very much.
as

acquired the seeds of this

year-old

affliction

a tenago)
old

boy
spent

(some

thirty-five

years

when
books.

many a happy hour with my

send the required

I will

amount
S.

friend, Jules Verne, or rather,

I

welcome correspondence with any A.

roll by,

may be hard to please, may have grown more

with one of his or as the years

critical

reader.

but, I

Harold Garrett,
1320 E. 7th Street,
Sedalia,

cannot think of a single science

that

fiction

story

Mo.

would have since given me as much pleasworks of that great writer. Ah, them were the happy days of expectant youth,
ure as the
facing the mysteries of

Btck Numbers
Editor,

for

Sale

and avidly reading stories that gave the imagination free rein.
life

Amazing

Stories

Congratulations on the eighth anniversary of your, or rather "Our Magazine" As an interested reader I have followed its slow upward evolution to its present high place in an inUnfortunately, creasingly competitive field.
!

my make-up

presume that this early experience left in a preference for stories that make

me think and use my imagination in following the writer and attempting to go even beyond. Therefore, I must confess I did not like "Children of the Great Magma" in your AugustSeptember issue. 1 haven't found anything in that story which would in an interesting way
tie

during the past year and a half I have been forced to forego the entertainment offered by your publication and I eee no prospects of altering this state of affairs. Therefore I am taking this step in disposing of the back numbers which I have carefully accumulated during the years. I would appreciate it as a personal favor if you would print this letter in your "Discussions" column beneath the caption, "Back Numbers for Sale." The following are the issues I wish to dispose of Amazing Storits Monthly-Vol. 1, No. 1 (April, 1926") to Vol. 7, No. 7 (October, 1932) with the sole exception of Vol. 1, No. 4 (July,
1926").

up present

scientific

knowledge with some

logical future development. However, the story is well written and interesting as a story per se, but, to my mind, not what I should class as a seience fiction story. In another magazine, I should read it and enjoy it much more. In a science fiction magazine, it seems just a little out of place.

Now that I have started in finding fault, I might as well keep it up until I get it all off my chest. I am always disappointed when a science fiction author makes a statement which
a
little

ordinary care in refreshing his

memory

Amazing Stories Quarterly Vol. 1, No. 1 (Winter, 1928) to Vol. 5, No. 2 (Spring-Summer, 1932).

Amasing Stories Annual The issues for the first

monthly (April,
five cents each,

1927.

cents apiece. are fifty cents zines

I

The

three years of the '26 to March, '29) are thirtythe following issues twenty-five quarterlies and the annual
each.
1

In selling these maga-

come,

first

intend to adhere to the principle "First served" so as to be impartial to the

many
this

readers whose letters have appeared in column indicating a desire to secure back-

by reference to a text book would prove to be wrong. I refer to the story "The Essence of Life" in the same issue. Our friend, the author from across the pond, says that when Mendel crossed tall peas with dwarf peas, some of the offspring were tall, others dwarf and still others intermediate, I believe that he is mistaken and that he could have avoided this mistake had he checked up on this. In his experiments Gregor Johann Mendel found that tallness was the dominant character in the pea plants, in other words, that when you cross a tall pea plant with a short one, the offspring will be tall, and that short or dwarf plants will be produced only

140

AMAZING STORIES

April,

1934

by crossing short plants with short plants. In the same paragraph he says that this offspring bred "true." Such a text book as I refer to will also confirm that the offspring cannot be a "true" or "pure" type it is a hybrid, for although the recessive character (in this case shortness) is hidden or masked and dominated completely by the dominant character, i.e., the tallness, the plant protoplasm contains one
;

authors will bear this in mind and cuss the weather and not myself; besides, I believe they
are
all

good sports and

realize that

my

criti-

character from each of the two parent Under certain conditions of crossing the recessive character will again crop up. Howunit
plants.

cisms are well-meant. I also presume all of our author friends have found out a long time ago that a good part of the reward of a science fiction writer comes in the form of "bouquets," or shall we say "brickbats," from a bunch of ignoramuses who are simply jealous because they cannot write such good stories themselves,

which includes Yours for just a

ence
fiction,

little

more

science in sci-

ever,

that would take up too much space and can be looked up in a test book.

The
Silicon

story

like best
It

in this issue

is

"The

F. F. Rimsa, 15 South 77th Street,

Belleville,
Illinois.

gives me something to think about. It is not one of the exciting kind of stories with dramatic situations and climaxes,

Empire."

a well written science fiction story. In quite a few other science fiction stories, it falls down in one particular. In speaking of life developing from inorganic silicon compounds, the author says that the conditions under which the few silicon compounds are formed that we know of, are different from the conditions under which the corresponding carbon compounds form. Right there a paragraph contrasting the two sets of conditions and enumerating them would furnish a little food for thought to those of us who like to find a point to tie up the known with the speculative.
but
is

(We shall hope to get an answer to this interesting letter from the author of the "Essence of Life." Otherwise your contribution to Discussion .% tells its

common with

own

story so well

it needs no answer from the Editor. As regards your wish for more science in science

that

fiction,
It
is

that

is

precisely the hard thing to get.

surprising

how
shall

little

of
to

it

comes

to

us

and
in

how many

rejections are due to

stories.

We

hope

its lack hear from you

often.

Editor.)

However,

like this

story best.

short stories, i.e., "Across the Ages" and "The Pellucid Horror" arc both well written and easy to read. I do not know which one of the two I should put first with respect to masterly construction, descriptive language and all-around writing technique. From a standpoint of science fiction I prefer "The Pellucid

Two

Vigorous Defense of the "Time Travel Topic" for Stories by William Kober AUo aa Error in Proofreading Noted Editor, Amazing Stories Mr. Nixon's letter, in the August Discussions, objecting to a supposed flaw in the plot of my story, "The Man Who Lived Twice" shows that, from some cause or other (perhaps

fault

in

my

story missed

style), the main point of the him completely. Mr. Nixon speaks
in

of an "error"

the story, as

if

the writing

of

it

had been a hasty slapping down of an

it

Horror," as there seems to be no scientific statement of any kind, nor a deduction drawn or speculation based on a known scientific fact "Across the Ages." All the latter story does in that respect is to set one thinking about the vagaries of the human mind under the stress of some strong emotion, coupled with lowered physical and mental resistance due to extremely hot weather. In "The Pellucid Horror" why did the reporter and the scientist see the doctor's clothes, whereas the persons attacked by the

ill-considered plot; a plot so sketchy or absurd

even its author could not remember from one page to another!
that

The

truth

is

quite the contrary.

The

plot of

this story was carefully developed as a perfectly defensible method of time-travel. In the Discussions one often sees such phrases as "Cut out time-travel stories, everyone knows they're impossible." Now, "in the bright lexicon" of sci-

ence

fiction,
I

and
front

Undoubtedly must have gone out on his trips why should he put them on at home knowing that this would give him away to anyone that might happen to see the
physician had not seen
the

them?

the word "impossible" is anathema, thought it would be a good idea to conthese cocksure correspondents with a

doctor sans clothes, but

maniac

story of time-travel, which, though far-fetched (as they all must be), could resist at all points

spectacle of the animated clothes?

have to quit, for, in this part of the has been hot as blazes for over a month, and the fact that I, who am neither a writer, nor a scientist, have undertaken to
I

shall

the most diligent attempts to prove a flaw or a contradiction of any known scientific law. I started with the undeniable, experimentally established fact that time moves at different
rates in different places. (This difference of rates is caused by difference in a quantity known technically as "gravitational potential." Einstein

country,

it

criticise the writings of science fiction writers,

makes me wonder whether

I,

myself,

am

not

acting under the influence of some approaching brainstorm due to the heat. I hope the several

and others have given a complete mathematical treatment of the relation between time rate and "gravitational potential.") Suppose we have a machine which can regu-

April, 1934
late

AMAZING STORIES

141

"gravitational potential." Then we can regulate the rate of time in the range of action of this machine. By slowing it up to half-

man in it may live to be 200 years. Here we have time travel of a sort. But imagination immediately carries us from halfnormal time rate to tenth normal, to one-hundredth normal, and finally suggests, "Why not bring time to a halt altogether?" What would happen in a region where time did not exist? Here we have a plot in the best form for science-fiction. By carrying known laws in certain quite valid directions, we arrive at a point where science cannot instruct us. Here
normal, a
fiction,

the Nixonian communication is really PITHball, meaning a spherical mass of a very light plant-substance called pith. And while we are talking of typographical errors, I take this

of

opportunity to tell the A- S. proofreader that I will never forgive him for one he allowed to get into print in the story. In my typed manuscript I had a dramatic passage about a "wall change of two impassable radiation."

letters

transformed

it

into a satirically critical

"wall of impossible

radiation"!

And

after

uncontradictable by science, steps

in.

This region of no time (called timeless-space is an abnormal condition, brought about by the concentration of enormous energies. may therefore suppose it to be unstable, in the same sense that a boiler operating under enormous pressures is liable to explosion. suppose further that, when the explosion or breakdown does occur, the "timeless space" appears at two different times in the outside world. The "timeless space" is by definition, indepenin the story),

We

We

dent of time in the outside world, you

that this view
is

see,

so

had spent two pages explaining just how the radiation was generated William Kober, 652 Southern Blvd., New York, N. V. (It is always interesting to get a letter from an author replying to critics of one of his stories. This very full letter shows that Mr. Kober knows very well how to take care of himself. We are very contrite for the change of "impassable" into "impossible." There is a certain merit in it though, because it would give suspicions that the printer was "impossible" and the alleged proofreader was "impassable" at least that comes pretty near the

perfectly natural.

mark.

We
is

Now
the

put a hero into the machine, and

when

what

done

are not responsible, of course, for in the printing office, but in addi-

one

in

breakdown occurs, you have two of him, the present, say, and one in the future. To
story

make a

we need only one more

thing. If

tion to what is done there, every story receives two proofreadings here in the Editorial Office, yet something is bound to escape us. Editor.)

only the "present form" of the hero could remember what happened to his "future form" Why, he could write up ail his adventures in the future, up to the moment of death

Throe Opinions About the Quarterly "Look Here Upon This Picture and on This" Hamlet
Exhibit
Editor,
I

But very obviously, you can't remember what hasn't happened yet, so it is necessary to add another link to the plot that, in some mysterious way, the "future form" can be considered to precede the "present form" of our hero.

the dirty deal you gave us poor,

silent subscribers

Amazing Stories Quarterly wish to protest strongly, and loudly, against and heretofore, and purchasers of your pub:

lication.
I bought the Winter number the other day, without bothering to carefully examine it, and low and behold, when I get home and start to read it, I find that the main feature story was one which I had read ages ago in your monthly. However, I checked it off, and decided to let the matter slide, as there was considerable reading matter remaining, and I decided that I would receive my money's worth from it. Butwhat do I find that the next most important story is but a group of stories, also from your monthly leaving but one short story,

In loose but clear language, we suppose that time can turn back upon itself.
If I have tried the reader's patience with this long explanation, it has been for good reasons. First, to show that we authors have gone a long way since we wrote "Bang! bang! bang went his trusty rifle, and three more redskins bit the dust," and went on from there; and second, because it is the only answer to the Nixonian objection, which is too vague to be answered in any but the most general terms. It is my impression that Mr. Nixon thinks that the priority of the "future form" of the hero, explained in the last paragraph, is a careless error upon my part. Strangely enough, he does not voice the obvious but answerable objection, that an event in the future, cannot, in some subtle sense, also be in the past. Instead, he seems to think that this priority of the "future form" will (in some way known only to himself), interfere with the operation of the "gravimachine, a notion that is tational potential
1 '

for the 50 cents expended.

As a
new

favor, in the future, please either

mark

the Quarterly^'Reprint
stories.

Number"
Roger
C.

or else use

Higgins,

Chillicothe, Missouri.

Editor,
I

Amazing

Exhibit B Stories:

plainly preposterous.

Amazing
was

Incidentally, that silly-sounding "pill-ball" in

have just received the January issue of Stories and the first thing I noticed that you had published the first installment

U2
of

AMAZING STORIES
serial,

April, 1934
anxiously awaiting for the

Smith the latest Three cheers for Doc!

"Triplanetary."
write.

Now
vember
but
is

am

No-

Long may he

issue

which ought to be here by now,

Smith, Nathanson, Miller all having stories printed in the January number, you have certainly started off the new year with a bang. Also I thought Morey's cover illustration was better than usual. All banner issue. all, was in this a I like the new size that Amazing Stories has been whittled down to. There's no denying the fact that it's much handier and convenient. Yet there's just as much reading material as formerly because you have increased the number of pages. It may be just my imagination but it seems to me that, since the magazine has become smaller, the stories have improved to

With

Keller, Vincent,

and

not.

Rafael Villegas, P. O. Box 1419,

San
Jose, Costa Rica, C.

A.

(These three letters illustrate the trials of an Editor, but there is one comfort in this case. We know that we cannot please everybody, but here at least we have two correspondents in our favor out of three, and that perhaps is not such We let the letters a bad average after all. speak for themselves. Editor.)

a great extent. Can you explain this fact? In response to the wishes of your readers, I see that you have removed the offensive subtitles that used to play hob with the interest and suspense of a story. A very wise move, Mr. Editor, and one you won't regret. Now, may I say just a few words about the Quarterly? "The Second Deluge," by Garrett P. Serviss, was a masterpiece of science fiction A finer story in the fullest sense of the word. has never appeared in the pages of Amazing Stories. The current Quarterly ought to satisfy the demads of those who are always clamoring for a reprint quarterly. "The Menace," by Keller, and Jules Verne's story are both reprints as is "The Second Deluge."

However, publish as many reprints

like;

as

you

I'm for "em.

Robert Tufts, 61 Rathbun Ave., White Plains, N. Y.

Another Exhibit
Editor,
I

The British Interplanetary Society Editor, Amazing Stories: I would be obliged if you would publish this letter in your "Discussions" columns for the information of your British readers who may be interested. I wish to inform you of the formation of the British Interplanetary Society at the address given below. The Society is run on similar lines to the American, French and German societies. Its objects, to quote from the Constitution, are "the stimulation of public interest in the possibilities of interplanetary travel and the dissemination of knowledge concerning the problems which at present hinder the achievement of interplanetary travel. This involves the establishment of a Central Headquarters of the Society, which will include a fully equipped laboratory for the use of members engaged in
active research."

B
"The Second

Amazing Stories

The society is arranging for the establishment of branches throughout Great Britain. Each branch will concentrate on some particular phase of space travel, as allocated by the Central Office. By this means, co-operation will be assured and wasteful repetition obviated. Three classes of membership are open to inFellowship, Membership, and Asso-

reading Deluge" published in your last Quarterly issue of your superb magazine, and I can't refrain myself from instantly writing to you, before I read the whole magazine. This story, to my liking, is the best I ever read of fiction in either English or Spanish languages, and certainly I would like to get acquainted with more of Professor Garrett P. Serviss' productions, such as "A Columbus of Space," and others. If any more, would you be kind enough to tell how I can procure them ? I first came in contact with your magazine when I bought the October number from a book store in this town. And after I read it I placed an order in the same store, so as to be sure of getting every number published, which will be saved for me. A couple of days ago I bought the Quarterly for Winter, 1933, and I am sure pleased. "The Second Deluge" is worth the money paid for it fifty times over, and the entertainment I had from its reading is unequaled, although I had to stay up late
at nights, unwilling to discontinue.

have just finished

dividuals^

ciate

Membership.

Associate

Membership

is

for those under twenty-one years of age.

All

members
on

will

receive free copies of the

Journal of the Society which will contain news

and

articles

the different aspects of inter-

planetary travel.

Ordinary meetings of the fortnightly on Fridays from

Society are held

81 Dale Street, Liverpool, England.

November 17th at The office

is on the second floor, Room 15, and the meeting starts at 6 :30 f. M. lasting until 9 p. m. Those interested can obtain any further particulars by writing to the Secretary at the above

address.

Wishing you
Stories.

all

future success with

Amazing

Leslie

J.

Johnson,

The
34,

Honorary Secretary, British Interplanetary Society,

Oarside Drive, Wallasey, Cheshire, England.

143

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MISSING PAGE

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