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naz n

i
AUGUST

TORIE
25
OF THE
Keller,

m
VELOCITY OF ESCAPE
By Joe W. Skidmore

IN THE FOOTSTEPS

WASP
Stanton A. Coblenti

Concluding
LIFE

EVERLASTING
M. D.

By David H.

Whiter Teeth

QUICKl
that's

even more important


Tooth

than the 25^ price


Whea
you
try listerine

Paste, you'll

discover

why

so

many people

prefer

it.

You'll discover, for one thing, the speedy

way this dentifrice cleanses.


polishing agent.

We use a modern
and
stains off
little

It gets film

the teeth with surprisingly

brushing.

Teeth become whiter


use. Soft

after only a

few days'

and gentle,

this polishing agent

cannot possibly harm the teeth in any way.

Then this

25^ dentifrice certainly does

give teeth a handsome lustre and polish. particularly Again and again, people

women remark upon


teeth glisten.

the way

it

makes

Also

Listerine Tooth Paste has an unusuupon the mouth and


what you'd
this respect it is just

ally refreshing effect

gums in

expect of a Listerine product. After you brush

your teeth with


sweeter breath.

it,

oughly "washed"
Begin your
this

assurance

your mouth feels trior* of a purer,


(top)

FORMER LEAGUE BALL PLAYER


He my

test

of Listerine Tooth Paste

soon. Results are what count! If you find tooth paste better than the one you are
it

business man of Albany, N. Y. Curtis s W. Scoville is now likes Listerine Tooth Paste because "it gets the stain* off leeth quickly."

using now, you'll welcome the saving

<

below)

"KING KONG" AND "SON OF KONG"


home." he
says. "It has always satisfied

brings you. Try either the 25i size or the

new 40^

size

containing

twice as
St.

much.

: reputation of Edward Linden, their chief c added t matographer. "I have used Listerine Tooth Paste in my travels

and

at

me

because

it

Lambert Pharmacal Company,

Louis,

Mo.

cleans quick."

REGULAR SIZE

NEW double

s,ze

* e

%L%^nMm Swifa of &* Q)wT)mn<fii\ RevedleA


frank, daring language. No Ein dag about tha bush, do veilei

udisb
_

WHAT EVERY MAN SHOULD KNOW (ci VMv h . Storvmieii E B ,,


,1

*/** to Ignorance wd fttf, Don't be Hnjoy the rapturous delight* of the pec
feet physical love:

ifc*

Hcbiw

Ji-iMi

NtedMi alS*Mm#t*

eiam*f

blaring through 576 |gi erf straightforward facts. love is the most magnificent talsey in the world ... know how to hold pur loved one... don t glean half-truth* from

TRUTH,

ftSSSti&m
J. IPfhct Mg-i
j"*!
1

TS.W-SE.5&.
ofid

w J * ^^.
,

<*
~

WHAT EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW Haiti Hm to Attract


llWtMp
"
F.mialnt Hy fl*M

Lost love . . . scandal .. drroree ... can Only I* prevented by the ignorant pay toe awful pinattut 01
.

k.owUd

wrong . practices. Read the fact*, clearly,


atartliogly

told

study these
1 . . .

illojtta*

aIhhler>nrct.Now'yoncaBluioipiiow to and igiwrajic*...frar...*adseifeIeriiaU

<
Ti.S.

~ A pope in dirknes no longer. and you * You want to know

{SI'

^tClMri

MORE THAN 100


.

VIViD PICTURES HOM65UAUTY...SK ACHORMAUTIIS

The 106 illustration, iesv. nothing to the taajtn.,,00 ._. k(uw bow to come phj^ical mbmating . . . knowto do on yonr wedding night to avoid the torturing result* of Ignorance. Ettrytbiwg pertaining to sex Is discussed In daring language. All the things yoti have wanted to know about your sex life,
information about which other boobs only Vaguely hint, is yours at last. > Some will be offended by the amazing
trations,

eV tfJ^^'?:L^i "esses: of
shin their C r S "y unbelievable to the normal mind yet yoa yo" should understand them.

*> too * !>* the ^dir, E world

know etwry/iirfrgabout sex. Sex i* no longer a tin ... a mystery ... it b-your greatest power for happiness -You owe it to yourself ...to the one you love, to tear aside the curtain of hypocrisy and learn the nmhtd rrtubJ

i m

ATTRACT THE OPPOSITE SIXI


Know bow
ft*

enjoy the thrilling experi.


.

Monty beck

at

once

If

you are net

satisfied

17* DARJNO fACIS

ence* that are your birthright . . how to attract the opposite sex .

know
.

bow

CO hold lore. There is no longer any need to par tfee mwfui prist for one moment of bliss. Read
the scientific pathological facts told 10 bravely by Dr. Rubin. The chapter* on venereal disease are alone worth die price of the book.

franknesi of this book and its vivid illusbut the world hai no longer any
raise

use for prudery and

modesty.

EpEEl KB** r

NEW BOOK
"WRY
tllTH CONTROl?"

lift

PUBLISHING CO.
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Dec!. 193,1 270 Sixth

t
,

ftease *end re*. "Sex Harmony *o<J Eucenle*" In plait 1 will pirtht poBtmui J3.?! (win patttm l ea -'= faViTiry, If 1 tin nee B the bat* and the entire p.urehSBriea will berttandet OF CHAEuE. JOUI

wrapp*.

"^

utmedutalr. A1m send m* r REE beak on "why Birth Commit"

N****-

.i

1.

..

AMnttOntert ffMi Fcteim CewHH** 11 * fTfl

fU

e tan*.

FIemb *rt"i' Newsstand Fbctiok Ukit when answering advertisements

Amazing Stories
Science Fiction
Vol. 9

AUGUST,
Papyrus

1934

No. 4

CONTENTS
Editorial

Old-Time Writing
Serials
Life Everlasting
(Serial in

and Vellum T. O'Conor Shane, PkJ>.

6
10

Two Parts Conclusion) Measuring a Meridian


(Serial in

David H.

Keller,

M.D.

Four Parts

Conclusion)

Jules Verne

42

Stories

The

in This Issue Velocity of Escape In the Footsteps of the Wasp

Complete

North God's Temple


Shot Into Space Photo Control

Joe W. Skid more Stanton A. Coblentx Henry J. Kostkos Isaac R. Natkanson Bernard Brown, B.Sc.

55
91 99
111 121

Science Questionnaire.

98

Short Article Otto von Guericke


Discussions

John W. Campbell,

Jr.

110 136

Our Cover
illustrates the spirit of Dr Keller's beautiful narration concluded have never published a story with a more in this issue. enlightened view of the real needs and longings of human nature.

We

Drawn by Morey
Published Monthly by

TECK PUBLICATIONS, INC


4600 Diversey Avenue, Chicago,
Lee
Ellraaker, Pres. nnd Treas.
111.

Executive and Editorial Offices: 222 West 39th Street,

New

York, N. Y.

Abner Gercnann, Sae'y

Copyright, 1934, by Teck Publications, Inc., in United States and Canada. Registered in U. S. Pat Office All rights reserved. Entered as 8cond-elas matter Sept. S, 1933, at the postoffice at Chicago, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879. 25c a copy, $2.50 a year. $J.OO ia 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.

""^~

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In

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UAL ABNORMALS.

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Fearlessly, openly, the real meaning of many misttnder.=tocd Necrophilia Phallic subjects is daringly revealed. Sadism

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THE MAGAZINE OF
SCIENCE FICTION
T.
Augmt, 1934
No. 4

O'CONOR SLOANE,
West

Editorial and General Offices: 222

PhD., Editor 39th Street. New York.

N. V.

Extravagant Fiction Today

Cold Fact Tomorrow

Old-Time Writing Papyrus and Vellum


By
T.

O'CONOR SLOANE,
first

Ph.D.

IT
may
and
ing.

is

fair to

say that the


for

maa
too,

each one resembling the cross-section of a wedge and each one of the same size
as its neighbor;

terial

used

writing
stone.

was
Clay

smooth surface of
to be subsequently

they

have been used, made into a paste

various

ways and

the

were grouped in grouping gave


as words or These are what

hardened by

fir-

them

individual

values

Tablets with some kind of

wax on

alphabetical characters.

them were employed for more or less temporary inscriptions and memoranda. Then came papyrus, vellum and paper.

are called cuneiform

hieroglyphics, the Latin word for a wedge being atneus.

The tendency
tions.

to

an

alphabet

can

be

The most
known
were
as

ancient inscriptions in char-

traced to Egyptian

and Asian

inscrip-

acters suggesting

writing are what are


as
far

ideographic
nation
is

as

the

The Egyptian remains became an


ject
last

ob-

Egyptian
little

concerned.
of

These
beings,

of study before the middle of the


century,

pictures

human

and
the

it

certainly seems that

animals and other objects and they gradually lost


ter

Champollion,
ence,

founder

of

the

sci-

much

of the pictorial characinto a sort of letters.

and developed

low.

In Asia Minor there originated another type of writing, which seems purely
arbitrary in
its

had a very obscure path to folHis first deciphering goes back to 1821, so we have a little more than a

century to look back upon.

characters, as

much
This
of

so

The Egyptian
that

hieroglyphs, being defit

as our present day letters.

class

initely pictorial in origin,

would seem
tried
to

was formed by combinations

marks

the archaeologist

who

de-

AMAZING STORIES
cipher them would have had an insoluble

problem, but in 1799 a stone


three-language
inscription

slab,

with a

hour from a single complicated machine. It would seem that the cylindrical seal
of

was

found

the Egyptians could

be modified so

near the town of Rosetta at the mouth


of the Nile, and one of the inscriptions

as to be used for rubber stamps.


rolling

The
ef-

motion would be particularly

was

in

Greek.

setta stone,
this ancient

famous Roa heavy piece of basalt, and


This
is the

monument gave
was
in

the clew to

some
the

of the ancient Eyptian words.

One

of the inscriptions

demotic character,
outlived

what is called which had lost


hieroglyphics.

would be on such a small element of the cylinder at a time that a very excellent impression could be looked for. Rubber stamp printing is relief printingthe old Egypfective as the pressure

tian

seals

probably

may

be

called

in-

or

the

pictorial

taglio printers.

Other such monuments have been found, which have helped in the difficult work.

One
reed
feet

of the most characteristic plants


is

of Egypt

the papyrus.

This

is

a large
of

subject,

number of students investigated the among others Thomas Young,

which grows to a height of ten

and whose

interior

consists

a
it

times, celebrated for his

one of the most famous physicists of old work on the undulatory theory of light and on the in-

very strong pith.

Centuries before

occurred to anybody to

make

paper, this

pith used to be divided by cutting into

terference of light waves.

The develophad

very thin
true,

slices,

which were placed

to-

ment of Young's work


omy.

in physics has

gether, the sides having been cut very

a profound influence on modern astron-

so as to give a very close joint


strips

Yet in

his archaeological
letters.

work he
use
of

and they were crossed by other

only discovered four

similarly cut, so that the finished product

seals,

The Egyptians made These were made


in

great

out of stone,

often

the

shape of beetles and the


flat

was two layers thick. How they were made to adhere is not perfectly clear whether there was some mucilaginous or
other

design or seal was engraved on the

adhesive

natural

sap

in

them.

base under the carving of the body of


the
insect.

These

were

hieroglyphs.

Rubbed over with coloring matter they


were used as our rubber stamps are
day.
It

which held them together, or whether some additional adhesive was used, is not known.

to-

The stems
the
base,
shell or bark.
is

as thick as a

man's arm

at

may

be taken as the

first
it

print-

are triangular with an

outer

ing unless the Chinese antedate


their block printing.

with

Within

is

the pith.
It

This

white and very strong.

can be cut

seal

The Egyptians had another type of which was engraved on the surface
a
small
in

into slices of various thicknesses as desired.

So
with

strong
it.

of

cylinder

one-half

inch

or

built

more

diameter and an inch or more in

in

her despair at the


the

length and this

was used by

rolling

it

slaughter of

is it that boats can be Moses' mother, Jochebcd, legally imposed male children of the

on the surface to be inscribed after the cylinder had been coated with a coloring Here the Egyptians really pigment.

Hebrews, put the infant Moses into what has been called an "arc of bulrushes," which was a little box made of
papyrus, and set the
little

seemed
say

to be

ahead of
is

us, as
first

it is

fair to at cyl-

creature adrift

that

this

the

attempt

on the Nile.
built craft,

We

read of larger papyruslittle

printing

from a

cylinder,

and to-day

but this

vessel carried

inder printing presses turn out newspapers at the rate of

a more
them.

impressive

load

than

any of

many thousands

per

AMAZING STORIES
them on account of what they thought was the pleasant odor which they produced, and of the entire roll one was
fortunately saved.

The area where it was cultivated was much larger than the region it now grows
in.

Its

"cuHvation"
the

may have
of

better

deserved

name

"conservation."

The manufacture of papyrus for literary work was carried on for many centuries. It is said that it is still made in Syracuse. The material is so strong and amenable
to

The

searching for papyri

is

now

be-

ing systematically conducted by scientific

shaping that
cases.

mummy

treatment

and

often used for it was From these, by careful straightening, papyri

The rather primitive insome of the regions, where excavations are being made, have awakorganizations.

habitants of

ened to the fact that papyri have a market value, and

we

are told of their "rob-

have been recovered. Papyrus has also been found in Herculaneum, as rolled-up
documents, charred
the city,
in the destruction of

bing the grave" in a sense, by carrying on private excavations of their own in competition with the

governmental and

which have been unrolled and


to-day,
is

university investigators.

preserved.

If anyone will go to a public libary

The world
mania for
are

developing

collecting.

Fabulous prices
objects

and see the condition to which the paper on which newspapers are printed reverts
after a

paid

for

different

virtuoso's fashion

of

the

few years, he

will

acquire

it

may
or

be an almost

great respect for papyrus.

unique
tion of

postage

stamp

first

edi-

Therefore,

when we read
it

of

Moses

a book of no particular literary


it

and

the

bulrushes,

is

papyrus we

value and

would be quite curious


list

if

should be thinking of, the plant cut up

one could make up a


of collectors.

of the "fads"
the

And now comes

sad

part of

all this.

Papyrus was very en-

during,

far

more so than our modern Egypt and elsewhere, there

news-press paper, and buried in ancient

ground

in

and made into a little boat carrying the infant who was to be the writer and exAnd ponent of the law for mankind. the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, were probably written on papyrus. The last sixty years have brought to
light a quantity of papyrus manuscripts, which have been buried for centuries, showing the great endurance of the paper of the ancient world as we may call

were quantities of papyrus manuscripts, which were well worth the attention of
the world.
it

It

is

hard to believe that


year 1870 or thereof

was not

until the

abouts
class

that

collectors

the

highest

and students of Egyptology and


literature

and the good quality of the ink with which the words were written. The anit

ancient
Latin,

including
the
fact

Greek and
that

cient
little

literature
literary

thus

far
If

recovered
the
lost

has

awoke

to

there

value.

books

were quantities of papyri still to be had in a good state of preservation although centuries old. They were perhaps buried
a building and after preservation for twenty centuries or more were rapidly disappearing, not by the
in the ruins of

of

Livys

history

could

the quest, the world


in earnest.

be found in would be awakened

In

connection
directly
cloth

with paper
tapa

made
be

al-

most
bark
tioned.

from
is

vegetable

matter,

or

should

menbark

forces of nature, but by the ignorance of

This
kinds

made from
trees,

the bark of

man. Thus we are told of one instance where a number of papyri were found by the ignorant Arabs in a compact roll, and they amused themselves by burning

several

of

the outer

being

removed

and

the

inner

bark

beaten out with mallets.


in

This

is

done

Africa and in the islands of the Pa-

AMAZING STORIES
cific

and very beautiful


It

results

are at-

felt

as a rival to papyrus.

One
The

great
color

tained.

might be called paper, but

effort

was never used for writing because the people who made it had no written language. Very interesting ornamental patterns were painted upon it, one of the many examples of the fondness of mankind for decoration. Parchment is made from the skin of very young animals, sheep, goats, and calves. The name vellum applies to the finest kind of parchment, for some of the latter is far from smooth and is somewhat dark in color. The manufacture of vellum starts with the skin of
fine quality

of the

was two

to

make

it

thin.

sides differed, one

from the

other, so the

custom obtained of putting


sides

hair side to hair side and the lighter colored,

inner

next

to

and

facing

each other.

Here a curious thing may be

noted.

Papyrus was a definite width before being made up in wide or narrow pieces. Parchment was completely sheeted and in
;

pieces from the beginning. But modern man when he makes paper first
single

reduces the material to the finest shreds,

almost to dust, wet or dry, and then


felts
it

and

thin.

dehairing, scraping

Washing, liming, and paring, repeated

together to an

enormous
into
rolls

area.
also,

Papyrus was made up

as often as necessary in each case, gives


the final product.

sometimes of many feet in length, but


never of size to compare with paper of the present time.
rolls

About the year 200


to

of

A. D. parchment began

make

itself

EXAMPLES OF CUNEIFORM WRITING


demotic
APPROX. PRON.

EGYPTIAN
FORM
HIERATIC
ORIGINAL

hieroglyphic
-+.

& MEAN?

FOAM

TRANSCRIPTION

Awf PHARAOH")
y&.

tftfJPM
4fA

Perro tnk

ttt,

tub

"father"

The gradual transformation


where the name of "Pharaoh" almost pictorial forms (on the
approximating
to

of hieroglyphics into simplified characters are shown above, of Egypt end the word "father" are inscribed in the original right), which were gradually changed to the demotic characters

handwriting. suggests "simplification" or "popular."

The word "demotic"

is

from the Greek and expresses or

The philologist, W. D. Whitney, gives this statement concerning demotic characters: "The demotic has lost all relics of a pictorial character, being composed of a limited, though large end unwieldy, number of arbitrary signs, chiefly phonetic."

If

Rf fel i-!E <i?

%~u -m< e=* xm


Babylonian

<'TF

H<1 HfK! Bell *H<


These cuneiform inscriptions in the cuneiform alphabets of three regions give the name of Darius the Great, the king of Persia. A number of bilingual and trilingual inscriptions have been discovered; the above is trilingual. The ones illustrated go beck to the era of "Darius great and good," as the poet Dryden terms him, to between 400 B. C. and S00 B. C. They ere from a very famous rock inscription at Behtstun in Persia. A limestone mountain rises to the height of 1700 feet, and on its face at a height of 300 feet from the ground is the famous The inscription tells of some of inscription in the three languages shown in the illustration. The little notch in the wide end of the wedge is supposed to the achievements of Darius. have originated with the use of the metal stylus, en soft clay, which was afterward fired.

10

Life Everlasting
By

DAVID

H. KELLER, M.D.

Conclusion
The second
Part of the story promises to hold the reader's interest to the
it

very end, and

would be
good

interesting to
is to

know how many


There
is

will have guessed

what the conclusion of the story


in the narration, a
top, for the author
bit of

be.

a very important moral

psychology, and

human

nature comes out on


this regard.

never

lets his

readers be disappointed in

He

is

a great believer in mankind.


Illustrated

by

MOREY
who was
cured
conto

What Has Gone


We

Before:

similar to mine, a patient

are told of an altruistic scientist who has discovered a serum which seems to be a cure
for "the thousand natural shocks that the flesh

sidered

be

completely

thirty

days after he received one dose of the


serum.

not only removes bodily infirmities, but jives a new cast to the mind as poor rooming well as new life to the body. house affords him admirable subjects for his experiments, and the owner of a tabloid paper, who lias a crippled son, is deeply interested in his work and has his son also treated. The result is amazing, a cripple is cured of his infirmities, the morale of others is changed. The tabloid expects to make a great hit when permitted to publish the story, but which for the present The inventor, dead secret. is to be kept a who is the hero of the story, after all these results, which include the curing of some fourteen hundred prisoners in Farview Prison in Ohio, meets the President of the United States now will read of the and his cabinet. results of the discussion at this important meeting, what was done, and the second and concluding instalment will tell us the rest. It bids fair to hold us in suspense to the very end.
is

heir to."

The serum

"You
ing
is

are all sick men. I am not askyou to give the diagnosis. This

cold-blooded

going to be a gift to you and not a experiment. You know


is

what

wrong and you

are benefited.
cer and I
to

give

going to
of
far
all

will know if you I am suffering from canam going to ask Mr. Biddle me the first injection. I am have him give it to me in front

of you.

There

will

not be, as
secrecy.
to have

We

as
I

After
a

we are concerned, any am treated I am going


given
to

dose

my

dear

friend,

the

Vice President. After that the line forms on the left. You can take it or leave
it.

G
cancer.

ENTLEMEN,
you a
secret
is

am

giving
unless

Think

it

over, All

talk
I

it

over,

come
is

wliich,

to a decision.

ask of you
It

something

done soon, will


secret.

gentleman's promise of secrecy.


not help the stock market to
I

will

no longer be a

Grant

know

that

died of cancer, Cleveland was


I

operated on for cancer, and


treated by radium
It

have been
for

have cancer and that the Vice President has angina pectoris and may die
at

for ever a year

any moment.

Mr.

Biddle,

will

you

has

been

discouraging
advisers
die in

proceed?
group.

Which arm?"

year.
told

A
me

week ago my medical


that at the

six months.

most At Farview

I I

will

saw a case

There was an air of resistance in the Whisperings of disapproval and negativism. Ignorance of medical mat-

LIFE EVERLASTING

11

On

the

little
till

granite,

at last, a

steamer chugged between high, precipitous cliffs of Laurentian thousand feet above them, to the left, they saw a Madonna holding in her arms the Christ Child.

12
ters

AMAZING STORIES
"Nothing!"
said

procedure.

made the average man fear the The thought of allowing an unknown drug to be introduced into the
Biddle

Biddle.

"If

the

serum
give
it

is

of any value, I

am

willing to

to the nation."

veins was a difficult one to face.

"Why

are you doing this?"

had given the serum to the President and Vice President and no one stepped

"I have a sick son."

forward to be the third patient. Sudlittle dog walked slowly up to the table leading a blind man. The dog
denly a

"Have you given him the serum ? Have you taken it yourself?"
"The
answer
to

both

questions

is

was

a seeing friend

the man, Goresome,

NO." "Why?"
"I do not care to discuss that.
It is

the sightless leader of Montana.

"Was

there a blind

man among

those

personal."

convicts?" he asked.

"There was," Biddle answered.

"What happened
President.

to

him?"
I

"I will answer that," interrupted the "I saw the man.
talked

"Are you sure you know what the serum will do?" "No." "What do you mean by that?"
"I
do.

mean
I

that I

am

not sure of
its

all it

will

with the eye specialist


case.

who

studied his

only

know

a part of
us.

power."
it

He

had perfect vision by the end


is

"Be honest with


the

You

say

makes
honest

of twenty days."

blind
it

see,

the

criminal

an

"That
"This

enough," replied Goresome.


guide of mine kept urging

man,
that.

cures cancer, heart disease, and

little

every disease
If
it

man

can have.
all

You

admit
else

me
I

to move.

For twelve years he has


not made one mistake.
I I

can do

that,

what

guided

me and

can

it

be asked to do?

What

other pow-

was born

blind.

would
die.

like

to see

ers do

you think

it

might have?"

the sunshine before


needle."

Give

me

the

"I do not know."

"Have you any


the
a

suspicions?"

"No man from more courage than


claimed

West has any


Yorker," exthat
State.

New
from
half

are.

Senator
only

"I
I

have been

man

since

"Yes but I will not say what they Anything else?" "No. You have said enough." "Just one word more, gentlemen,"
;

had my stroke. I want to be the man after Goresome." That started a general movement. At end only six men remained untreated. the
next
Silent,
critical,

said the President.


special
will

"If Congress, in the


the legislation
I

session,

passes

ask for, Mr. Biddle has promised

to address a joint session of the Senate

cool,

determined,

they

and the House and

at

that

time ex-

refused to be swayed by the group move-

plain the theory of the

serum and give

ment.

the formula to a selected group of scito

"Come back
of
thirty

Washington
gentlemen,"
let

at the

end

days,

concluded

the President, "and

us at that time

determine what

is

best for the Nation."

"/"\NE

^S

minute, Mr. President," shout-

ed

one

of

the

untreated

six.

"What does Mr. Biddle get out of this?" "You answer that. Mr. Biddle," whispered the President.

and physicians. He tells me that and cheaply made. He asthat he wishes to make a gift of it to the nation. But he feels that its general use must be safeguarded by wise and effective laws. I want to thank those of you who have helped me by personally giving Mr. Biddle a chance
entists
it

is

easily

sures

me

to demonstrate the merits of- his serum.


I

am

not in any

way blaming

the six

LIFE EVERLASTING
gentlemen
with

13

who

refused
drug.

to

experiment

ever}'
close.

college

an

unknown

Good

night

in America will have to There would hardly be enough

and good luck

to all of you."

money

to

pay the
I

janitors, let alone the

professors.

am

not going to do your


I

CHAPTER X
The
Six Conspirators

thinking for you, but

am

going to ask

each of you to imagine what effect the


general

use of the Biddle

Serum
life

will

THE
the
ing, if
it

six

who had

refused to take

have on the business of the


ance companies
!

insur-

timore hotel.

serum that night met in a BalIt would be interest-

Also the companies


the second thing

who
ask

are doing accident insurance

could be written into the record,

"And

here

is

that these six

politicians, that

were powerful but corrupt they were the recipients

you to think about. What two departments of every university are the best
attended,
after

of large sums from the racketeers of the

the plain A.B.


is

or B.S.

underworld, that they saw in the serum


of Biddle the destruction of
vice.
all forms of But such was not the case. six men were clean-cut, respechard-headed business men, who

groups?
cine.

The answer

law and medi-

Why do our young men study law and medicine? Because they expect
to

The
table,

make a
way

living.

Now, one more


thinks
it

ques-

tion.

Suppose the Biddle serum works


the

considered

political

office

simply as

the

inventor

will ?

necessary adjunct to their business.

They
some-

What

will

happen to the

practice

of

were the majority stockholders


States,

in

law and medicine?


"I do not like to admit
practice of
it,

of the largest corporations in the United

but the

were life insurance, accident insurance, drug maninterests

and their main


bonding,

law depends on the weaksouls

nesses of men's

and the practice

ufacturing,

higher education of the youth of


ica.

One

of

hospitals, and the Amerthem was the president of

of medicine depends on the weaknesses of their bodies.


to
all

of us.

That must be evident There are over one hun-

a large university.

too

The reason for much disbelief

the meeting

was not

dred and twenty-five million persons in the United States and every day millions of

in the experiments of

them break some law and have

Biddle but too great a belief.

They saw,

to have the help of lawyers, and every

perhaps more clearly than any other six

day millions of them break some law


of
health

men
of
sat

his

in America, what the general use They serum would result in. around a table with their coats off shirt

and have

to

appeal

to

the

medical profession.

I tell

you

that thirty
is

days after the Biddle Serum


all

given to

and their wanted to

sleeves rolled up.

They

of these people the income of these

think.

The
sion:

university

man

started the discus-

two professions will cease and the lawyers and doctors will be on the streets selling apples and holding out the tincups
for sweet charity.

*T will imagine that I represent the

No

one

will

want

to

higher education, not only of one university, but of the nation.

be a student of these professions.

Our
their

The income

law and medical schools


doors.

will close

on our endowments pays much of our


expenses. That
in
life

Who

will

want

to

study medi-

money

is

invested mainly

cine for ten years, at a cost of fifteen

insurance

companies

and

rail-

thousand

roads.

The

railroads have been hard hit.

If the life insurance

companies collapse,

dollars, when any disease can be cured by a single injection of a simple serum that can be made by the

14
barrel

AMAZING STORIES
by
millions

The

any manufacturing chemist! invested in our hospitals


one cent of income
will
;

course,

The Purple Flash

did not give

her right name, but I

am

sure the facts

will not yield

every

concerning her are absolutely true. Then,


consider the reports of the psychologists,

drug company in America


of business over night.

go out
will

There

be
It

and

sociologists

who

studied those four-

no more surgical instruments


looks bad to me."

sold.

teen hundred convicts in Farview Prison.

Take
remained
last
spell

the simple statement of the hard-

The

other

five

in

stolid,

boiled

Warden.
of these

stodgy silence.

At

Winston Manof quiet

he

gave to the

Take the strong words press: *I have known


for years.

ning almost cracked the


thinking.

many

men
tfiat

Since the

He

had been Secretary of the

giving of the serum they have changed so

Treasury under a former President.

He

for the better

would
I

trust

any of

was

said
in

to be

one of the ten richest

them

in

any way.

am
the

seriously con-

men

America.
is all

sidering
true.

approaching

Governor of
that these

"I guess that

At

least,

the

Ohio with the suggestion


be released

MR

conclusions are correct, once the premises are granted.

There

is

another thing
than the
tot-

that

is

disturbing

me more

tering of our universities.

from prison and given one more chance to rehabilitate themselves.' Does it not seem that in some way this serum enables men to think more clearly, to live more cleanly, to follow more accurately
the

"/"\UR

Government
i3

is

essentially

one
for

teaching

of

the

Golden

^S
since

that

ruled by the Classes

Rule?

Ever It is highly political. was founded the Common People have supported it in taxes and the At rulers have lived on those taxes.
the Masses.
it

"To-day you saw over a hundred


the

of

leading
step

politicians

in

the
that

United
serum.

States
I

up and
men.

take

know

those

times the farmer, the


poor, white-collar

little

laborer, the

Outside

of

You know them Welfare Watkins, who is

man

time to get along, but, so

have had a hard far, they have

an emotional, idealistic, asinine sort of a person, I would not trust one of that

not done much, because they have had

bunch with a

five-cent piece.

They would

no
If

great

and

outstanding

leadership.

take the pennies from a dead man's eyes

they had the right kind of leaders,

they would tear the present political machinery to pieces and out of the ruins they would build a government that was sympathetic with the under man, the forgotten man. who does little except work like a dog, live as best he can and

and rob a starving infant of his bottle They have had charge of the of milk.

Government Cow

for

years

and they

have milked that cow dry.

They know

every trick to deceive and rob the public.

And
as

in

their

way they
of

are as criminal

the

men

Farview ever dreamed

pay taxes.

of being, only they were too smart to be


in

For the time forget the cases of cancer and blindness and kidney disease that are said to have been cured by the Biddle Serum. Think what it has done to the souls of the people who have taken that serum

"Keep

that

mind.

caught.

"They took the serum. The President was smart. He wants to come up for
another
term.

He

thinks

that

if

he

gives the populace free health, they will

vote
to

for him.

He

never said a word

think

of

the

changes

it

has

made

in

those

men

about curing their souls,


to give

their personality.

Take

the case of the


City.

but he

was very anxious

taxi

dancer

in

New York

Of

healthy bodies, so they could repay

them him

LIFE EVERLASTING
with their gratitude.

15
was
does

Perhaps they

will.

the Bishop, "but he did say that he

He may

have

overlooked

what

the

not sure of just what power the serum


held.

damned drug would do to their souls. But I tell you this. If the serum works on those politicians in the same way it
worked on those criminals, they will come back to Congress representing the common people and having the interests of the forgotten man at heart and at the
next election both the Democratic and
the Republican party will be killed, and the country will cease to have a political
rule but will be governed solely in the
interests

Even suppose

that

death

His serum robs the world of and I cannot see how the Church would function were it not for sin. I
come.
sin

understand

his

subconscious

thought,

of the people.

And

that will

mean
tion

the death of every large corporain

America.

Laugh about

that if

you can." Again the sextette remained silent. At last a Bishop broke the silence. He was a combination of Priest and Politician, and once had swayed a national election by an appeal to religious prejudice.

one I have had to combat for is no sin, only and that all crimes are simply symptoms of an abnormal body or mind that if the disease could be discovered and cured, the symptoms would disappear and the patient would cease to be a criminal. I have had an army physician argue that a cocaine fiend was simply a sick man, just like a victim of
it is
;

and

years

the idea that there

disease,

typhoid fever.

Now,

if

all

wickedness

in the world can be done away with just by giving every person a dose of the Biddle Serum, what is going to be the

future of

my

church?

And

every other

church ?"

"Biddle knows more about this serum


than he
pered.
is

telling," the

clergyman whisfall

"TT
We
the

is

growing
men.
get

late,"

growled one of
is

"You have
is is

talked about the of


political

*- the

"What

the

answer?
talking

of universities and

parties,

cannot

anywhere
of

by

but

there

something
the

more
of

serious.

about the immortality of the soul and


philosophy
are

Suppose he
able
to

right in his claim of being

crime
to

and

religion.

cure

Suppose the sick


well
stay well? to die?
is

mankind ? become well and the


bodies
are

What

How
if

people going

do about it?" "We have to see Biddle and buy the secret of the serum from him !" dethe Bishop.
sell?"

we going

Are they going


religion in the

to die?

What
die?

manded

going to happen

they don't
is

"Suppose he won't

Every

world

based on
fear

"He

will if

we

find out his price."

the fear

and hope of

eternity, the

of Hell and the hope of Paradise.

But
is

"But he may be honest." "Then there is only one tiling to do,"


sighed
the

how

can there be a future

if

there

university

professor.

"We

no end to the present?

"Our
churches

religious
close,

life

will

smash,

our

the contributions to the

support of the clergy come to an end."

will talk to him kindly. We will show him where he is wrong. We will persuade him that the best thing is to form a company for the manufacture and dis-

"You

take

it

too seriously,

Bishop,"

tribution of the drug. that

We

will tell

him

laughed the university president. "Biddle

he

can be president of the comTell

never said he could give the people immortality.

pany.

He

does not think

so and

anything he asks.
utation,

no one
"I

else thinks so."

him anything. Pay him Money, power, repa trip to Europe to demonstrate

know he

did not say so," argued

the drug.

16

AMAZING STORIES
will

"We
take

do that

little

thing.
will

If he

for culture, education, stability, and the


best things of life. We have met and given serious consideration to your

refuses to listen to us,

we

have to

him out

for a ride!"

"Why
itician.

Professor!!" exclaimed the pol-

discovery.

We

believe in you,

and the
are not

value of your serum.

But we
is

"And," continued the president of a


noted
meet.
university,

convinced that the plan of the President


of the United States
best one, the wisest and

"Congress

can
see,

then

The

blind

Goresome may

our

To

our mind, there are sev-

beloved President
cancer.

may

be cured of his
but they will

eral objections.

As
rich

understand

it,

you

They

will

wait,

propose to

make

this

medicine available

wait in vain for the arrival of Biddle,


the philanthropic inventor of the cureall

to every one,

and poor, wise and


of color.

ignorant,
right ?"

irrespective

Am
may

serum.

There

will

be a

lot

of talk, and
call
it

then the people will

laugh and

"I

really

do not know.

It

be

one of the greatest bluffs of the age and


say that

that there will be


is

some

restrictions.

That

Barnum

died too soon, but left

up

to Congress."
it

worthy followers in Welfare Jones and our great President."

"Would
least

not be better to -have at

an educational limit?

You

are giv;

And

that

was

the final decision of the

ing unlimited health to the world


it

would
it

six conspirators.

be wise to give

it

to all?

Should

not be limited to those

who

can use and

CHAPTER XI
Fate Intervenes

appreciate such a blessing?"

"You

think that to those

who have
little

shall
shall

be given and those


in

who have

THE

six lost
It

no time

making
best to

lose their all?"

contact.

was thought

have the
the Bishop.
located Biddle

negotiations

opened

by

laboratory.
society
office

He went to Philadelphia, and called on him in his His name, his position in
the door to the scientist's
easily, in spite of the

"Not exactly." "Then what do you think ?" The man who receives "Just this. your serum will be endowed with wonderful
health.

He

will

have a great

made

advantage over his fellows.

Now,

to use

open rather

that advantage to the greatest good, he

fact that the man and every move he made was carefully guarded by Secret

should have a corresponding intelligence,

be of a good family, have a background of culture.


criminals

Service

Men.

The
to

President did

not

Your experiment with


all

the

want anything
of the serum.

happen to the maker


his

was

right

as

an

experi-

ment, but

we cannot approve

of

it

as

The Bishop thought he knew

man.

routine practice.

Do you

intend to re-

He

had an idea that honesty would be

store healthy bodies to the

underworld?

the best policy; at least sufficient honesty to convince his listener that he

the insane? the mentally defective? and

was

turn them loose on society to continue to be a burden, and an additional one because of their vigorous bodies?"

honest.

So,

without loss of a second,


represent five other
.

he opened the conversation

"Mr. Biddle.

men
ing

besides

mysel f

When
that

name
is

"T HOPED
*
"That
is

that

there

would be

those five you will recognize them as beleaders


in

change in their minds,"


impossible.

everything

tra-

Can a leopard

ditionally great in

America.

They stand

change his spots?"

LIFE EVERLASTING
"Perhaps
not.

17
felt
it

At

least,

even with
if

liis

President

He

was important. So
to the

spots he will be a happier leopard


is

he

did the President.

a healthy one."

The Bishop went back


erful
five.

pow-

"All right

Asia?
even
to

But how about Europe? Those nations owe us millions, Are you going I feel give them universal health?
billions of dollars.

"I know a man," said the politician, "who can do this little thing for us.

He

takes pride in his special


for

abilities.

Of

that

they are waiting for the time to


If

course his price


high.
tional

Biddle would be

come when they can crush us. make a public announcement


start

you
the

The

inventor has become a na-

of

personage.

But

this

man would

formula, every country in Europe will

do

it

for a million."
to

making
I

the

serum

at once."

"Put him
our

work," said the Bishop.

"It will be a fine thing for their sick."

"I hope he has better luck than I had."

"Oh!
country!
the

admit

that, but think of


it

That night a

sleek, little

man, nicely

Would

not be better to keep


sell

dressed and carefully manicured, called,

formula a secret and


If

them the

by invitation, to see a powerful politician.

you do not want to profit, let a corporation be formed with a large percentage of profits going to the Govdrug?
ernment.
at the

He

listened to the
is

man's story.

"A
last

million

a lot of cash," he at
this

commented, "and
it,

guy Biddle
It
all

is

That would lower taxes, and,


secret

worth

and maybe more.


I
is

can be
the

same time, keep the


possession.

as a

done, but
grief.

do not want to take


back of this?"
to

national

Would

you

do

Who

that?"

"Do you have


"I should,
sell
it

know?"
feel

"No."
"Will you
to us?"

want to

sure that

they have power enough to take care of

"No."

me.
is

The matter need


I

not

be

talked

"What

your price?"

about.

Just have a supper in a quiet

"I have none."

place and invite me.


the big guys,

know most of
have a
give
I

er?

"What do you want? Wealth? PowFame? Office? Name it. We


if

and

then, after I

chance to look them over,

will

are in a position to give you anything

you
"I

you ask for

you go in with us." "I do not want anything." "One more question. Why did you want to make a serum like this?"
"I have a son."

my answer and my price." am not sure they would come."


I

"Then
"Better
quiet

am

sure

won't do

it."

"Ill see them."

make

place,

it to-night, and get a and a back room. How

"Have you given him


"No.
uable.

the
I

serum?"
that

Now

Bishop,

feel

we

understand each other.


Will you excuse

My

time

is val-

me?"
have to

at 'Tony's Place' down on Avenue? He is a friend of mine and knows how to keep him mouth shut. Ten to-night, and the six of you had

about meeting
the

"Five

hundred
If

million?"
not, I will

better be there."

"Go.

you do
left.

Seven men
at

sat

around a small table


that
night.

have you removed."

'Tony's
ate
little

Place'
little

Six of

The Bishop

them
sleek

man

BIDDLE
entire

sat

down

and, in long hand,

rest.

wrote a confidential report of the


conversation

At last "You want me


a ride?"

and talked less. The ate and talked for the he wiped his mouth.
to take tm's

man

Bid-

and sent

it

to

the

dle for

18
"Something
politician.
like

AMAZING STORIES
that,"

whispered the

"How
**We

about two million?"


will

compliment.
said

In refusing to take the serum themselves they paid you a high They evidently wanted to
represented.
limit in blocking

pay

it

in

coin,"

the

go the
to

any plan leading


seen the

University President.

"No bank
publicity."

notes

and no checks and no "O. K. with me.


ucation,
million in coin

its general use. papers ?"

Have you

But, with your edthat

"I
days.

have not
I

seen a paper

for

four

you ought to know


is

two

have been busy working out

my

lot

of metal.
it

You

plans for the manufacture of the serum


in bulk."

had better arrange


one ol you meets
night with
don't

to give

to

me

in

negotiable government bonds.

Suppose
I

"Then, you do not know what happened to the six?"

me
I'll

here to-morrow

them?

be going now.

"Oh!
it? I

That?
that

Yes,

heard about
to

it."

want
I

to be seen leaving here with

"Did you have anything

do with

you.

have a reputation to preserve."


out of the room.
the the
six

know

is

a hard question for

He went
utes
later

Ten min'Tony's

you

to answer, but I

must know. Their

men

left

antagonism to

my

future plans must be

Place.'

On

sidewalk

they

were

known, and
a
raised
the
all

their being killed in front of

greeted by a blast of machine bullets.

New York

speakeasy

has
I

already
feel

They were dead before they knew what


had happened to them; dead before the
auto

kinds of gossip. can

that

Administration

weather

the
the

with

the

closed

curtains

was a

storm, but I should like to


facts.

know

block away.

Would you mind


not think
I

giving them to

CHAPTER
Biddle

XII

me?" "You do
"No.
gangster

killed

them?"

Has

a Caller
this

You do

not impress

me

as a

and the crime was that kind

TWO
He came

days after

Biddle had a

of a murder.

But you had every reaI

visitor.

None
of
the

other

than

the

son to fear them, and


intended some

feel

sure they

President

United

States.

harm

to you.

Probably

without notice and so secrerty


Philadelphia did not

not murder, but certainly kidnapping, or


blackmail.
letter
I

that his arrival in

As
but,

soon as

received your
for

receive the attention of the papers, until

made arrangements
evidently
it

your
not

he was ready to return to Washing-

protection,

was

ton.

He

asked for a private interview

necessary."

with the inventor.


"I received your letter," he said to the
scientist.

"No.

It

was

all

taken care of."


it

"Do you know how

was done?
last

"In a way

was not

surprised.

Who
hours. the

did it?"

Those
their

six

men have
to

been persistent in
every effort of
passed
that

"Yes,

but In

just
I

within

the

two
about

efforts

block

fact,

just said

good-bye to

mine

to
in

have

legislation

source

of

my

information

would
people.

any way be of

benefit to the

thirty
visitor

minutes before you arrived.

My
Sin-

They were

intelligent

and

felt

was none other than

Silent

that they had a sacred trust,

and that
Inter-

cox.

was
ests.

the preservation

of

Special

He

is

Perhaps you have heard of him? a rather powerful force in the

They

felt

that in

some way

the

various rackets of
to see me. "Life,

New

York.

He came
a

general use of your serum would be injurious to the various corporations they

Mr.

President,

is

rather

LIFE EVERLASTING
peculiar thing.

19

Millions of people, act-

ing and interacting and reacting on each


other.

Millions
that

way and
are

who way by
why

are

swayed

this
life,

cox used to go and visit him. He was Death was dying from tuberculosis. He was one just around the corner.
of the convicts
injection.

the tides of

who

received the
that.

first

with no clear perception of where they

Sincox knew about

He

going or

they

are

going or

was not sure of


it

my

why they

are doing what they are doing.


all

his business to
told

do something
first

name, but he made for me.


thought was to

"Something of

this

happened

in

He
buy

me
a

that his

regard to our six leaders.

When

they

me

diamond
of

ring.

That was co-

found they could not bribe me, they decided to


kill

incidence,

number two.
all

me.

suppose they had

"Now,
these
six

the killers in America,


to

the right idea, and I

am

not sure

tliat
little

men had

go to
a

this

man
was
lit-

careful in the
least they

we can blame them. way

They were a
they went at

and ask him to

kill

person by the
there

it;

at

name

of Biddle.

He knew
so,

secured the services of a

man

who was never known


the price of taking a

to double-cross a

more than one Biddle; tle stalling and learned


the

he did a

that the specific


kill,

customer and who never failed to earn

Biddle he was being hired to

was
sister

man
to

for a ride.

man who had reformed


his friend.

his

He was

so clever that the police so far


failed

and cured
ters,

He

arranged mat-

have absolutely

pin

single

met the

six

men, walked out of the

murder on him. Of all the killers in America they could not have selected one who was more to be trusted in a matter
like that.

speak-easy ahead of them, gave the signal to his helpers, and that

was all there was to it. There was no way at all to show that he was at all connected with

"But
Italy.

Silent Sincox did not

come from

the murder.

He

paid

all
it

the expenses
are

He came from
his

Shamokin, Pa.,

and the men who did


their

now on

name was Peter Casey. he loved dearly. Her name was Mary. He tried to make her behave, but he made a failure of it. She came to New York, changed her name to Valencia Moore and was one of my first cases. The serum made a rather remarkable change in her morals. The case was one of those detailed in the Purple Flash, but the name was changed. Of course, the brother knew of the change. He knew that in some way I was the one who was responsible for it.
and
right

way
it.

to Italy in a private seaplane.


felt

He

had a

sister

"But he
about

that

ought to know
to kill

If

some men wanted

me, there might be others.

He

wanted

me

to be on

my

guard.
the

So, he called on
story.

me, and told


never
kill

me

He

will

another man."

"How
fore

do you know?"

"I gave him a dose of serum just be-

he

left."

CHAPTER
The
President's
Senate

XIII

Rather a coincidence, was

Message
was
filled

it

not?"

"yOU
*

would think that was enough. was not the only odd feature of this story. Silent Sincox had a friend, boy he had known since childhood. a
But
it

THE
were
ters

Chamber
and
the
visitors'

with
tatives.

Senators

Representagalleries

The

jammed with
from
foreign
filled

aristocracy

of

America and Ambassadors and Minislands.


to

The

friend

committed

murder,

was
life

The

press-

caught redhanded and sentenced to

boxes were

overflowing.

The

imprisonment

in

Farview Prison.

Sin-

President personally

was going

to open

20

AMAZING STORIES
and read
been increasingly burdened with the
care of the abnormal.

the special session of Congress


his message.

The

care of

The Chamber rocked with applause


as he walked in,
inet

the

insane,

the

mentally

deficient,

followed by his Cab-

the epileptic, the criminal, the psych-

and Governors

from

over

three-

opathic personalities has become one

quarters of the States.


plause died

When

the ap-

of the main costs of our national


Hfe.

away

to silence he began, to

read:

"In addition, there has been an


the Senators

in-

"To

and Representatives

creasing

demand
cancer

that

the

states

of the Congress of the United States. "I have Asked you to Meet in Special

or the nations care for the tuberculous,

the

cases,

and other

Session

to

Consider a Matter of
to

forms of incurable
all this

disease.

Add

to

Vital

Importance
of

the

Interests

and
This

the hospitalization of our ex-

Welfare
Country.

Every

Citizen

of

service
is

men and
to

the entire country

loaded

the

saturation
its

point,

"At a time when the economic


foundations of our country are being
shaken,

simply with discharging


sibility

respondisabled

to

its

sick

and

when
spite

the deficit

is

growing
rap-

citizens.

and in
idly

of

all

our efforts to
is

balance the budget the nation


falling

in

bankruptcy and no

system of taxation appears possible,

"Crime also adds to the cost of government. Remove crime and you lessen the work of our judiciary to a minus point and also empty our
prisons.

new hope
discovery

is

given us by a scientific

that
it

may
make

be

of

such

value that

will revive

our entire
again

The

general

use

of

the

Biddle

economy
"I

and
as

us

serum promises
our nation.
it

prosperous and happy people,

all this and more to Mr. Biddle lias offered


if

you probably know, to the discovery of a serum by a This serum scientist named Biddle.
refer,

as a gift to the country


it

we

can

assure him that

will be wisely

and

properly used.

He

feels that its use

has been given to

five

persons in

should be available to everyone in


this

New York
Ohio, and,

City,

to in

over fourteen
over one hunofficials

country,

irrespective

of

race,

hundred convicts

Farview Prison,
of this

wealth or social position.


"I have, therefore, prepared a law
to be

lastly, to

dred of the leading


county,

known as

the

Serum
this

BiU.

including

your

President

am

asking you to pass

law with
fit.

and Vice President. "In every case the giving of the

such amendments as you see

If

serum has been

attended
;

with

changes so decisive so far reaching in the healing of disease and the


recovery medical
of

the

patient
feel

that

the

you can assure Mr. Biddle that the main features of the law as we have framed them will be preserved, he has promised to address you at once and give to the representatives
of the medical profession,

experts

that

a new

who have
the
full

force has been isolated which will


revolutionize the life of the
race.

met with us
formula
as to just
will

at

my

invitation

human

of his serum,

direc-

tions as to its use

and

his opinion

"For

several

decades

monwealths

of

our

comcountry have
the

what benefits the country derive from his gift."

LIFE EVERLASTING
His message delivered, the President sat down. Instead of apmight cause
ing.
die.

21

my

little

friend

much

suffer-

turned and

He

is

growing old and


little

will

soon
I

plause there
tion.

was a buzz of conversaPresident

For the

while he lives

am
Just

The Vice

rapped

for

going to pretend
to

am

still

blind.

order, and said:

"I

am

going to

call

on Senator Gore-

make a little dog happy. "Mr. Biddle, a man who was once
but

some of Montana." Down the crowded center aisle walked little dog, leading a man. The sight was For years the blind a familiar one.
Senator had been led by his
dog.
faithful
sat

blind

who can now


for
his

see

wishes to

thank you
he

sight

The world
same

now

sees appears to

be a very beau-

tiful one.

When
blind

I realize that the

gift I received can

Reaching the rostrum, the dog

of

every
I

person

become the heritage in the United


being,

down and looked up at his master and friend. The man turned, bent over and The patted the animal on the head.
dog wagged
his
tail.

States
der.

am

filled

with awe and won-

Sir,

you are but a human

but in your invention of this serum, you

have been inspired by a power that


Divine.

is

"Ty

lY

friends,"

began the Montana

"In your future you


praise for your work.

will receive

due
will

iVl

Senator.

"We
Bill,

have

all

re-

Your name

ceived printed copies of the legislation,


called the

go down
one of
take

in the history of the

Nation as

Serum
it

which the Presif

its

greatest benefactors.
I

But

ident asks us to consider and,


fit,

we

see

cannot wait for the future.


this

wish to
the

to

make

a law.

We
it.

have read the


have been in

opportunity

of

voicing

bill

and approve of
and

thought of a Nation that has not yet

conference with the leaders of both Republican

awakened to the

gift

you have given

Democratic

parties,
will

and be
with

them. In the name of every man,

woman
sick

they

assure

me

that
is

action

and

child,

every

one

who
If, at

is

or

taken as rapidly as

consistent

afflicted, I

thank you.

any future

the rules of our respective bodies.

Mr.

time, a grateful Nation can

do anything

Biddle need have no doubt as to our intentions in this matter.

Both the House


to

and Senate pledge themselves


port this legislation.

sup-

Mr. Biddle, all you have to do is to come to this chamber and ask it for help. Again a blind man who can see thanks you for the blessing of that
for you,
sight."

"Now,

wish to say something that


I

is

purely personal.

was born

blind.

For
this

He
the

turned to walk back to his

seat,

the last twelve years


led

my

little

dog has
of

little

dog leading him.

There may
the

me through

the

dangers
safely.

have been an uneasy


there

murmur when
The

world and has led

me

We

have

President finished his message, but

now

become inseparable
if

friends.

I think that

was wild applause.

legisla-

he discovered that he was no longer a

tures, the audience,

the press rose and

necessity in
grief.

my

life,

he would die of
I

gave to an individual the greatest personal


tribute

Some weeks ago

received an
I

that

the

Senate Chamber
his
little

injection

of the Biddle serum.

re-

had ever

seen.

Goresome and

covered
vision.

my
It

sight,

and now have perfect


a coincidence,

dog and
the

his simple speech

had touched
flight

may have been


I

human

heart

more than any


have done.

of
au-

but

feel that the

serum gave me somecould


sight
I

oratory- could ever

The

thing I

was sure
gaining

never have.

dience was cheering Biddle, the inventor of the

But

in

my

saw

that I

serum, but they were also

AMAZING STORIES
adding their tribute to the great leader
lease

of
it.

this

energy,

and had

finally

who

could, in his

moment

of happiness,
little

solved

Even

in the solution he

was

think of the happiness of his

dog.
re-

very

much

in the dark.

He

simply

knew
extra

Biddle stood up and bowed,

in

that the injection of a certain

serum or
an

sponse to the insistent clamor of

the

solution

of

chemicals

gave
cell

cheering throng. He went over to Goresome and took his hand. Just that, and not a word from either of them. Just

function to the individual


abled
well
it

and enwith

to

release
it

this

energy just as

when

was
it

in combination

a handshake.

millions of cells of the


it

human
isolated

body, as

could

when
all

was

and de-

CHAPTER XIV
Biddle Explains

tached from

others

Even there he was in doubt as to whether he was simply restoring a lost


power to the
power.
cell

AN hour later the scientist met twelve /A physicians in the President's * -** office at the White House. The
President

or giving

it

new
solulife.

He
tion

had experimented with


instances the effect

this

was

there, a stenographer,

and

on many forms of multicellular

one representative of the press.

In
It

all

was the same.

had been carefully American Medical Association. Each was a specialist, and one was, in addition to being a physician, a
physicians
selected by the

The

made

a sick plant or animal well. Five

years ago he had started to experiment

with sick

ous diseases.

mammals and had cured variHis work with the higher


At
last

noted chemist.
dle

After introductions Bid-

apes had been most interesting.

He

began his explanation of the serum. talked at length concerning the one
animal,

he had
sults

felt

justified

in

beginning his

work with
had seen
life.

the

human

animal.

The

re-

celled

showed
of to

how man was


such
the
cells.

had been
in

identical

with those he

simply a collection
called

He
that

the lower types of animal

their

attention

fact

under
isolated

favorable
cell

circumstances
live

the

It

was more and more


all

clear to him,

could

indefinitely,

he explained, that
selfish

conduct that was

whereas, in large masses, as in the body

and

anti-social

man, they rapidly died, could not reproduce, starved from lack of proper nourishment and .ultimately produced
of a

result of sickness.

He

was simply the hoped that future

work with
were

the serum would


scientific

make
fact.

this

thought a definite
true, then all

If

it

such a poisoning of the system that the


entire

sin

and

evil in the

mass

died.

world could be

wiped out,

and man,

He
ago,
in

explained that his thought, years

following the Golden Rule, would leap

had been to improve the circulation

such a

way
cell

that the individual cell

would

live longer.

Later he found that

upward toward the stars. In his work with am'rnals he felt that he had been able to prolong life. That
would have
to be considered. At preswas that the life would be increased. would be added to the span of human existence would have to be determined by years of observation. The

within the

was a mass of energy,


if

capable of providing life indefinitely


it

ent all that could be said

could be liberated.
;

He was

not sure

expectancy of

what this energy was it might be some form of radiant vibration, it might be energy obtained from the splitting qf the hydrogen atom. He had worked for some years on
the problem of the re-

How much

question of a second dose

would also
Person-

have to be experimented with.

LIFE EVERLASTING
ally,

23
at
all,

he

felt

that

the

maximum

result

"Anything
eat less

but the person will

would be obtained

from one dose of

and

less

food and drink more and

ten cubic centimeters.

He

hoped that there would be an imin

more water. He may use the hydrogen atom in the water. I am not sure."
"I think,"
said

provement
nation.

the

intelligence

of

the

the
I

President

of

the

He

was sure there would be


Certain of the convicts

A. M. A., "that

have never met a


a thing and

some advance.

man who knew more about


was
the
less

had shown a remarkable increase in their intellectual quotient. That result also

sure
time,

of that knowledge.
it

At
to

same

is

not

necessary

would have
But, even

to be studied.
if

nothing more resulted than

know how the drug works we are sure of the fact that
feel that
It
is

so long as
it

does.

the improvement of the physical health


of the nation,
it

Mr. Biddle has done


duty, as

his share.

would be worth

while.
in at

now our
most

members
work

of the

He

advised that the serum be

made

greatest,

self-sacrificing profession

least

a dozen laboratories and distributed

in the world, to begin the

that will

free to

every reputable physician.

He

ultimately

make us

all

hunt another job.

understood that the

Serum

Bill

would

You are
life

not sure, Mr. Biddle,

how much
Certainly

provide for pensioning the medical profession in return for their services. They would need some pension as, when the entire population was treated, there would be little or no work for either

will be

prolonged?"

"I

cannot

answer

that.

some years." "Do you think

there is a cliance that

after a person lives a long time, he

may

physician or surgeon, except in accident


cases.

gain the impression that he cannot die?"


"I do not know,"

of the

Even in severe accidents a dose serum would perhaps cure with-

"Have any

of the animals you have

out an operation.

experimented with died?"

ended by giving the compostion of serum and the manner of its preparation. It was not a true serum, but,
the
rather,

He

"None of them have


death.

died

a natural a

Of

course,

killed

number

of them for microscopic study."

a watery compond of
chemicals.

certain well
it

"Have you considered


greatly prolonged ?"

the

great

inis

known

He
laity.

had called
best

crease in population if the span of life

serum because that name was


preciated

apfin-

by

the

When
chemist

he
if

"Yes,

but I
it.

ished

he

asked

the

he
it.

worry about
healthy

do not think we need Wealth will greatly infind

understood and would be able to make

crease. Life will be easier, liappier.

"Understand?
chemist.

Make
it

it?"

asked

the
that

man
be

will

The new methods of


to in
alt

'Why,
It is

is

so

simple

socialization.

In
a

addition

this

anyone could follow the directions and

there
rate."

will

decrease

the

birth

make

it.

too

simple.

wonder

why no one thought

of

it

before?"
the

''What makes you think so?"


"I do not know.
I just feel so.

COLUMBUS
marked
tions to ask

and

egg,"

Per-

re-

the President.

"And now,

haps

man

will be wiser."

gentlemen, have any of you any ques-

"You, evidently, do not want


cuss this point.

to

dis-

Mr. Biddle?

He

is

very

Why
know

not ?"
little

anxious to leave the city."

"Because

so

about
us?

it."

"How

about the diet?" asked one of

"Have you anything


advise us?"

to tell

To

the doctors.

24

AMAZING STORIES
I

"V^ES.

would

first

concentrate on

Biddle smiled;
frightened smile.
"I
sary.

it

was a rather
will
tell

timid,

1
inite

the abnorrnals, those

who

are def-

charges
hospitals

on the

State.

Emptying
it

do not think that


I

be neces-

the

and then see to

that

think
it

we

should

them how
to give
it

every citizen of the United States receives


his

to

make

and advise them


I

dose.

You

will

have to be

to their entire population.

If the

serum

careful of the criminal class.

They
is

will

works the way


will

think

it

will

work, there

probably try to escape.


thing in which
fession should
to
I think,

There

one

never be any more wars, treaties or

the medical pro-

go on record.

In regard
feel

the

prisoners,

we should

that

every so-called bad

an

was a

sick

man and bad womman and sick woman.


from
that
liberty.

Once they have recovered


sickness,

treaties. After all war is simply nainsanity and a form of sickness. The serum ought to help. I believe it will. Of course, it is a big idea, Mr. President, and it is so big I am afraid of it, but I would advise you to talk

no

tional

they should be given

You know my
profession,
it.

argument.
penologists

The

legal

frankly with the various ambassadors and give them the formula without restrictions.

the
I

must accept

In

fact,

had

it

written into the

Serum

law,

but you must educate the

like to give

And, now, I must be going." "Won't you stay for supper? I should some of my friends a chance
meet you."

public to the point where they will be


willing to

to

follow cut that provision."


that,

"No.
a son.
I

My

work here
to

And, with
the room.

he prepared to leave

want

I have is over. go and see him."

He

went into the President's

private office for a last word.

CHAPTER XV
it

"I forgot to ask you, but perhaps

was not necessary.

How

The School

for

Unusual Children

is

your throat?"

The cancer?" "Cured! At


specialists
tell

least,

that

is

what

my

THE Mary
of
its

Gregory School for Un-

usual Children

was one of the


had
built

first

me."
is

kind in America. The superpast


libraries,

"Good!
Just then
taries

That

fine."

rich

in

the

one of the private secreinto the office.

endowed
had even
ily

museums,
built

financed

founda-

came

tions for the eradication of disease,

and
fam-

is

"The English Ambassador is here. He demanding an interview with the

monuments
the

to their

fame
But

in

form of
left

wide roads

across an entire state.

President and Mr. Biddle."

Mary Gregory,
by her
family

more
she
to

mil-

"You know what


asked the President.
"Certainly.
so he can send

he wants, Biddle?"

lions

than

or any

other

woman would know what

do

He
it

wants

the

formula
In

with, built a school to care for fifteen

over to his country.


for
it.

He
the

is

just the first to ask

hundred unusual children, and after it was built and completely furnished she

next twenty-four hours the world

will be

knocking at your door."


that.

employed the best personnel in the country to go there and work, and set aside an

"I

have been afraid of


it

How
if

endowment

sufficient to

provide a thou-

would Tell them they can have the secret, they promise to disarm and sign
be
to
effect

compromise?
a

sand dollars income for each child per year. Then, and only then, she gave
the entire school to the State of Maine.

treaty of everlasting peace?"

When

she was criticized for giving

it

to

LIFE EVERLASTING
Maine
rather

25
work
to

than to

New

York, she
that the

have a
I
little

little

simply smiled and said she


children of

felt

then

intend to go to Canada.

do here and I have


I

man who

Maine needed it. At the head of the schood she placed for years had worked with

country place up there that


is

believe

safe

from reporters."
are

"Up

here in Maine," interrupted Dr.

the abnormal child.

For twenty years

Bonchield,"

we

he

had studied them, cared for them,

backwaters of
the

life.

much in the Of course, we read,


very
I

laughed and cried with them, and had


tried to

newspapers;
been

Miss Gregory and


about
it,

make them happy.


who,
after
in

He was

have

talking
it

trying
Is
it

to

great man,
lieved

his

simplicity,

be-

decide what

all

means.

your

that

another twenty years


to understand

thought

that

the

serum

will

actually

of study he

would begin

how

to care for the unusual child.

change our civilization? Or is that just the dream of the newspapers?"


"I
just
tist's

Dr. Bonchield's motto for the entire


school was,
lieved that

"Happiness First."
if

He

be-

do not what it
I

believe that
will

anyone knows

do,"

was

the

scien-

the children were happy. of


life

serious reply.

"We
the

are too close

the

other

essentials

would be
of
intelli-

to

it.

feel that it will

take twenty-five
final

supplied
course,

them
there

easily,

provided,

years

at

least

before

results

was

money and

can be analyzed.
that
it

gence.

will

But there is no doubt improve the health of the narate, and, I hope, in-

Slowly
mentally

fifteen

admitted to this

hundred children were school. They were all


of
all

tion,

lower the tax

crease the happiness of the individual."

deficient,

grades,

from
in-

Mary Gregory

sighed,

the lowest idiot to the highest moron.

"We
have
course,

received
it

your
serious

letter

and

But each
tellectual

child,

irrespective

of his

given

thought.

we Of

quotient,

was

to be given an

we

are going to help you to give


It is

opportunity to advance to the limit of


his ability.

our children the serum.


for us to refuse; but

impossible
that

They were

to be given aca-

we

feel

we

demic

education,

occupational

therapy,

moral instruction,
emotional
outlet.

athletic diversion

and

know more about you do, and we


warn you not
to

these
feel

children

than

that

we

should
of

be

overconfident

When

Biddle

left

directly to this school.

Washington he went There he met,

the results.
at
it,

You

explain

how we

look

Doctor Bonchield."
Doctor, converthat

by appointment. Mary Gregory and Dr. Bonchield. Both of them knew him,
as

' '

he

made
was

occasional

visits

to

the

TT seems to us," said the 1 taking up the thread of the


"that

school.
old, but

Mary Gregory was growing


still

sation,

you
is

should
not
a

realize

alert mentally.

mental deficiency
a condition
basket.
It
;

disease,

but

"It appears," she said as she greeted Biddle,

not a unity, but a scraparises

"that you

have become a per-

from

many

causes.
feeble-

sonage of international renown."

Some

cases are hereditary, but

The
"It

scientist smiled.

mindedness can occur as a symptom of


a number of
cal

seems

that
I

the

last

thing

way; and that was wanted but certain


;

other diseases and surgi-

conditions.
is

In

many

instances

the

things had to be done and in

my
I

doing
was.

brain
is

so

damaged
be

that the intelligence

them people had

to find out

who

completely destroyed.

We

feel

that

Now

that

it

is all

over, I

want nothing
into

there

may

an improvement
of
the children,

in

the

more than

to

sink back

obscurity.

general

health

follow-

26
ing
the injection

AMAZING STORIES
of

your serum, but

"Certainly
interested."

You

should be very

much

there will not be any noticeable change


in
their

deficiency.

They

will

remain

"I am.

Fifteen million dollars worth.

feeble minded."

You

realize
if
it

what
is

this

will
I

do to the
shall

scientist.

"You may be right," admitted the "You certainly know a great


more about it than I do. Mental dewas something I could not exin

School
to find

successful?

have

deal
fect

some other use for it. Of some of the children will have

course,
to

be

cared for anyway; they have no families.

periment with
life.

the

lower forms

of

Some

of the convicts were rather

low, but there were not enough of them


to

But if these children are given normal minds by your serum, the Mary Gregory School for Unusual Children will be
simply a historical memory."
be a

sible.

make any definite conclusion posAll we can do is to give the serum


thirty days.
I

and wait

know

that the

"And I," added Dr. Bonchield, man without a job."

"will

maximum
time.
I

results will be reached in that


feel

sure your

own

physicians

will be able to

do the work.
secure

There has
help.

"I will take care of you," said Mary Gregory, "if you will let me do it. Are you going to give us the serum, Mr.

been so much notoriety that I hesitated


asking

Biddle ?"
"If you want

you to

additional

me

to.
it

thought

we

Of course, there was another reason." "You mean the boy ?" asked Mary
Gregory.
"Yes.

might as well give


staff, so

to

you and the


exact tech-

they can observe

my

nique."

You

see,

have been con-

"Do you want


little

to take

care of your

siderably worried about him.


tire

The

enI

boy yourself?"
I I

work was done with him

in mind.

"No.
for him.
patients

have

rather

definite
all

plans

have tried to keep him in the background


as

want yoa
serum.

to give

of your
thirty

much

as possible.

Now,
I

that I can

the

Then wait
if

be a
to

little selfish

and devote some time

days.
feel

If,

at the
it

end of that time, you


curative,

my

personal problems,

the
sip.

matter

a
is

How

subject the boy ?"

do not want of world gos-

that

is

you

are

pleased with the results, then give the regular dose to

my
to

boy.

"As well know how


iow
vitality,

as

can be expected.

You

up
I

to

Canada

rest

I am going and think. In for the boy.

those

Mongolian cases are?

sixty days I will be back

poor resistance to infection,

am

thinking of a trip to Europe with


If he is well, he will enjoy that.

always getting scratches and colds."

him.

"You have no
Mongolianisra ?"

idea

of the cause of

How

old

is

he now, Doctor?"

"Nearly twelve."
It

"No.
pens."

Nothing new.

just

hap-

"Just right to be a dandy companion

on a walking
Forest.

trip

through
started.

the

Black

Let's get

You know
days

Biddle

stood

up,

placed
it.

suitcase

my
then,

plan.
if

Just

wait

thirty

and

on the desk and opened

the other

little

"I brought the serum along with me.

are helped as
be,

much

as

boys and girls hope they will

Some

of

my own make
it.

sure of

If

I wanted to be you are ready, suppose


;

give

"Why

not give

him his serum." it now, Mr. Biddle?"


is

you call in the staff, explain matters to them and start with the injections."

asked the Doctor.

"Because he
sure.

my

son.

have to be
to restore

"May

watch?" asked Mary Gregory.

All this

work was done

LIFE EVERLASTING
him
it

27
I saw him as was too late."

to

normal mental health.

If I give

minutes he was gone.


soon as
I

him and there are no results, life I will not mean very much to me. promised his Mother before she died There that I would try to help him.
to

could, but

it

"Do you mean he


puzzled
scientist.

is

dead ?" asked the


sorry."

"Yes.

must be no
shall

failure.

must be

sure.

I am terribly "And you did not

give

him

the

be able to pass the sixty days very I have a lot to work over in nicely.

serum ?"

"No.

You

see he

was dead before


it

my
trust

mind.

know
give

you people .and


us

could get to him."


"I wish you

you to make a correct decision."

had given

to

him anysurely do

"Will

you
I
will

your

address?"

way."

asked the Doctor.

"But

didn't

know

You

"No. But I

am
be

giving that to

no

one.
thirty

not

mean

that the

drug brings the dead

back

in

exactly

back to life? Not that, Mr. Biddle?


Surely not that?"
"I

days after you give the boy his injection,


sixty days

from to-day, and, now, Miss


you
let

don't

know.

Perhaps

it

would

Gregory

will

me

give you the

have done no good."


"I

medicine T*

am

sorry."
is
all

SIXTY
office.

days

later the scientist

walked,

unannounced,
"Well, Doctor,
he,

into

Dr.

Bonehield's

how

are the children?"

asked

The specialist looked up. "Oh! It is you, Mr. Biddle. The The children? Why, they are all well.
In
fact, the children are

But I wish you had given it to him anyway, even if he was dead, even though it would not have helped him. Perkaps in some way he would have known about it known that I had not forgotten him; known that I wanted him to have his chance, like the
right.
;

"That

rest

of

the

children.
it

Perhaps

his

Mother can explain


the children?"

to him."

very well."

"Will you stay awhile with us?

See
be

"Did the serum work?" "Something did. Our boys and girls are normal, physically and mentally.

"No."
see,

replied

Mr. Biddle.
lot

"I'll

going, back to
I

my

place in Canada.

You
think

The lame the dumb


a
of

are walking, the blind seeing,


talking.

have a

of

things

to

The

idiots are learn-

about now."

ing to read and write.


healthier, happier,

You

never saw

more

intelligent, lot

CHAPTER XVI
Life Is Different

young people." Hurry and get the boy fine. ready. I want to go right back to Quebec and take the next boat for France." "Your boy? Oh! I forgot. You see, we did not know where you were; no way' to so, there was nothing to do
"That's
;

THE
in the

Biddle Serum

Bill,

passed by

Congress

in record time,

provided
child

that every

man,
dose
to

woman and
of
so,

United States should


one
possible

receive, free

of

charge,

the

serum.

let

you know." "Didn't the serum help him?"

Where
had
ar-

do

preference

should be given to the sick and aged

"He

never received
it

it.

We
t

and
It

the

little

children.

After
for.

that

ranged to give
according
to

on the

thirtieth

day,

everyone should be cared

your orders. The night before he went into coma, and in a few

was

anticipated

that

there

would

be resistance from the antivivisectionists

28

AMAZING STORIES
asylums opened
that
difficult

and certain religious organizations. This opposition was provided for in the bill. No one had to take the serum but no one
could
refuse and continue residence
It

and prisons was such a

the

future

that

startling

change

there was,

of necessity, a rather

in

period of readjustment.

Those
to

the United States.

was

believed that

who had
perfect
their

been insane for years recovered

the greatest benefit could not be derived

health

and sanity only


dead,
scattered

find
lost.

from the drug


disease,
social

if

a residue of the pop-

families

or

ulation remained capable of contracting

Men
ried to

discharged from prison after years

becoming

insane,

or remaining

of servitude

found

their

wives remar-

menaces.

and their children almost strangers

There was, therefore, an exodus of


conscientious objectors from the States.

them.

But these were minor


the

inci-

dents;

fortunately,

rejuvenates

re-

Most of
poor

these

were good
In

citizeus

but

entered a friendly, kindly world, where


the question was,

logicians.

addition,

large

number

of the underworld

made

every

YOUr

rather than,

HOW CAN HELP HOW MUCH CAN


J

effort to escape the effect of the purify-

YOU PAY FOR MY SERVICES?


day.

ing drug.
across the
tried

They
the

fared rather well, once

Mexican Border, but those


Canadian
route

who
badly.

fared

For the people of the United States were growing richer and happier every They were free from the need of
the
sick,

Once caught and

identified they

supporting

the

indigent,

the

were injected with the Biddle Serum and sent back to the States, better men, in For Canada, in spite of themselves.
close spiritual
States,

crippled, the abnormal, the epileptic, the

and the psychopath. There was neither drunkenness nor drug


insane, the criminal

sympathy with the United


avail

addiction.

The

Courts closed for lack

had not neglected to

her-

of work, the police force of every city

self of this

new

medical

gift.

was was was

decimated.

Clear-eyed,

steady-

handed, free from sickness, the laborer

THE done by
profession.

actual giving of the the

serum was
the medical

able

to

perform more work and

members of

willing to.

As

rapidiy as they were sup-

plied with the serum the one hundred and eighty thousand physicians and surin the country started their camOnce it was made universally paign. available, the demand for the drug in-

in the

There bad always been enough wealth United States. Now, with the
leaders

political

taking

every

opportu-

geons

nity to secure an equal distribution of

the

necessities

of

life

to

every

one,

poverty ceased to exist.


live.

It cost less to

creased daijy.

Long

lines

of rich and

poor stood
physician.
well, not
fairly

in front

of the

office

of every

Not only the


only

sick,

but also the but those

the miserable,

There was a gradual decrease in food consumption. Hunger became unknown. Work became joyous, amusements pleasurable and sleep a pleasant
pastime.

happy,

who wished
their
little

to stay happy.

Children

brought

aged

parents,

While

large

masses

of

industries

parents brought their


longer
the

children.

No
IT

ceased to exist, those out of work had no

who were thrown


difficult}'

question,

WOULD
FOR

in

finding

WORK?

HOW
LONG?
To
sands

was asked, but SOON? and

the questions,

other fields of activity.

HOW
thouhospitals,

The
dollar

working

day
easily

shortened.

The

was more

the tens and hundreds of

constantly

increased

earned and was in buying value.


to

of

hopeless

cases

in

Everyone had something

do,

every-

LIFE EVERLASTING
one received a living wage for doing
it

29

the infants and adolescents simply con-

and

had lots of time for recreation. Before the end of eighteen months the President was able to announce that
all

tinued to
their age.

make
in

the normal
died.

growth for

But no one
itself,

That
for

fact,

over ninety-nine percent of the populace

instant

alarm.

It

was not a cause was considered

had been
percent to
their

injected.

Then began a con-

that finally the effect of the

certed drive to force the remaining one


fall

serum would wear out and that death again would


appear
as
race.

serum.

into line and to receive The work now was con-

friendly

enemy

of

the

human
but

Perhaps old age could be


the

siderably slower, but, at the end of the

deferred by repeated doses of the serum,


eventually

second year,

it

was thought

that every-

human

organism

one

in the

United States had been pro-

tected against disease.

THE a Committee
Biddle
to

Serum

Bill

provided for

of Scientists

who were
on
the

would wear out and man would die, maybe of no special disease, but simply from a weariness of life. But the thing that was startling and a little difficult to explain was the fact
that

make

constant

observations

the

birth

rate

was

as

rapidly

efficacy of the to

new drug and from time


his

diminishing as was the death

rate.

For

time were to report to the President


the

a while after the giving of the serum


babies had been born, but as the months

of

United States and

Cabinet

concerning the changes resulting in the


social,

passed there were

fewer of

them and

economic, and hygienic


It

life

of the

people.

that the first report be

was provided in the bill made one year

from the thirty-third to the thirty-sixth month of the experiment there was not
a
single

birth

reported

in

the
still

entire
lots of

after the one.

serum had been given to everyThus, the first report was made
after

United States.
little

There were
growing

children,

up,

beautiful

three years following the giving of the


first
bill.

little

bronzed darlings, learning to walk


talk

serum

the

passage

of

the

and

and do things, but there were


did

no additional babies.

Biddle was supposed to be a


of that committee,

member

What
cessation

it

mean? Was

the cessation

but Biddle had dis-

of death to be compensated for by the of

appeared.
of

No one had the remotest idea Certain questions where he was. would have been asked him had it been
The
thinkers of the

new

life?

Had

Biddle

known The
terest

this?
third factor that was causing was the increasing efforts of
in-

possible to do so.

the

nation were beginning to wonder.


factors

Other

human
some

race

to

entertain

itself.

The
in

were forcing
life

their

way

into the

long hours of leisure had to be

filled

mental

of the nation, results of the

way.
refused

Healthy,
to

vigorous,
idlers

active

serum, that no one had foreseen clearly during the months when the nation had

men

become

simply

because they were not driven to effort

become free from disease. lems had to be faced.


In the
first

These probhad Except


people
re-

by the spur of necessity. The dominance of production by machine power was


beginning to
pall.

place, the death rate

Mankind began

to

dropped to a vanishing point.


in

use their hands.

cases

of

destructive
die.

accident
senile

had ceased to

The

had

SOCIAL

life

became

fuller

and physi-

juvenated to a healthy middle age, the

cally richer.

With

the increase of

young appeared

to

grow no

older

and

health and wealth and leisure there

came

30
greater opportunities
for

AMAZING STORIES
marriage.
It

CHAPTER XVII
Hiram Smith Takes
a Trip

was no longer necessary to wait till a man was thirty or more for him to marry. Fewer women worked and more
devoted themselves to the cultivation of
happiness.
child-care

THE
the

Purple Flash, more than any


profited by conditions.

other newspaper, had

life

free

of

illness

and

changing
first,

social

made
it

marriage

an

entirely

From
of
its

the

under the

insistent

urging
the

different factor in the life of the

human
all

secret owner,

Hiram Smith,

race than
years.

had been

in the

pre-serum
that

One
jobs

philosopher

said

one time- Wolf of Wall Street, it had been the leading proponent of the necessity of the world's rapidly adjusting
self to the
it-

had been amplified and elaborated and all of its sorrows and
of
its

new

order of
it

life.

burdens minimized to the point of disappearance.


race
It

As

tabloid,

had ceased to

exist.

seemed that the human


the
co-relation

was

experiencing

The pabulum on which the lications fed, which made


interest,

tabloid pub-

possible

the
the

and contacts of angels rather than the mere union of animals.


have gone far to prolong the individual marriage
All
these
facts

fleeting

and

infantile,

of

adenoid moron, was


past.

now

a thing of the

should

Gone were

the days of murder,

and cause divorce to


social

disappear

as

and disclosures of gross immorality. These conditions ceased to


scandal
exist with
lishers
all

process.

To
of

the astonishment of

other diseases.
first

Of

all

pubthe

the

students

human
in

behavior,

this

Smith was the


radical

to see

result did not

follow.

The

percentage

handwriting on the wall and the need


for

of

divorce increased
the

direct

propor-

tion to

decrease in the death rate

now
new

called

change. His daily was The Rosey Dawn, a name

and

the cessation of childbirth.

Every-

strikingly symbolic and suggestive of the


era.
It

body was burden -free, everybody was married, but nearly everyone divorced
his or her

had become a paper for


of

the intelligentsia, the editorials of which

mate and

tried again to

make
union.

appealed only to the best interests


the race.

a more
It

favorable

and

happier

really did not

make much
All

difference

to a

woman who
as

her husband was, so

long

she

had one.
all

men were
industrious,

Smith saw, with ever increasing inand a growing concern, the changes in the emotional life of the
terest

much

alike,

healthy,

country. increasing

vigorous and happily kind.

AH women

Most people simply felt the com fort and happiness and
for the profound
biological

were beautiful, intelligent and true to Everytheir husbands of the month. body acted in a gentlemanly and ladylike manner, but the opposite sexes just did not seem to be able to live together for any length of time. And the reason was not hard to find.

cared

little

chances back of those changes.

Smith
that pat-

was interested. He was not sure all was well with the new cultural
tern of
life.

wanted to talk things over with Biddle. But Biddle was gone. Smith
thought
about
it

He

The family had disappeared. Husband and wife remained


but children had disappeared
picture.

for

one
order.

day,

talked

as ever,

it

over with his wife for another day,


his
It

from the

and then issued


short

was a

command

of three syllables,

In married
ing force.

life

there

was no cement-

As

that order

find biddle!! had back of

it

over a

LIFE EVERLASTING
hundred million dollars there could be no doubt that Hiram Smith was in
earnest.

31
Biddle!" called Smith.
as-

HELLO,
me?"
"Cost

"Well! Well!!" replied the


tonished scientist.

"How
of

did you

find

Six
ing to

months

and

five

million

spent in the search and there

were was nothIt

me

lot
it

time

and a

lot

show

for

it

except

failure.

of money, but
well spent.

was Sally Fanning, who, with her womanly intuition, supplied the necessary clue. She reminded Smith that at one time Biddle had used the name of Harry Ackerman. Was it possible that he had reverted to the use of that name? So, Smith issued another order, FIND HARRY ACKERMAN !!

was time and money What are you doing here?


back
in the world, receiv-

Your
ing

place
the

is

well-earned

applause

of

the

nation."

"I

am
I

not so sure about

that.

But
bag-

won't you stay?

Have you your

gage ?

for so long that I


then, besides that, I

have not heard from the world am interested, and

And
and
St.

that order brought results.

want the news from


are

Hiram took
the
first

the night plane to Quebec,

my

friends.

How

they ?

Mrs.

boat

Chicoutimi.

He

out of there for had to go down the

Smith and the boy? and Harry Wild and Sally, and everybody?"

Lawrence River and up the SagueRiver.

nay
of

On

"You would

be surprised.

And you

the

little

steamer
cliffs

chugged between high, precipitous


I^aurentian
granite,
rill

at

last,

thousand feet above them, to the


they

left,

would not be asking that question if you were back in the world. No one ever says, 'How Are You Feeling?' beThe cause the answer is too obvious.
nation is gloriously healthy, and wealthy and perhaps, wise, though I am not so sure about that. The Missus is fine we
;

saw a Madonna, holding

in

her
of
feet

arms the Christ Child.


wood,
high,
it

Made

out

painted

white
little

and

eighty

seemed
to

larger than a child

are

still

living together,

from the

river below.

almost a man, the


the
let

finest

"Go on
left,"

the next landing on

saw.
ried,
I

Smith told the Captain, "and


is

me

Harry Wild and and they are still

and the boy is lad you ever Sally are mar-

living together.

off there."

guess

we

hold the record for lengthy


to

"I do not think there


ing there now,"

anyone

liv-

marriages.
I just

protested the Captain.

But I wanted had to see you."

see you.

"Better go on to Chicoutimi."

"No.

know what
the
path,

am

doing."

"I

am

glad you are here.

How
of

is

So, he got off at the next landing. the next hour the
rich

man

toiled

For up
at

The Purple Flash?"

"Has
paper
I

the

largest

circulation

any

mountain

arriving

finally

in the world, a real

the top.

house, with a
it,

There he found a little stone little stone fence around and smoke pouring out of the chim-

changed the name to


believe

money maker. The Rosey Dawn


a
real

and,

me,

it

is

mental
not

hygiene, cultural sheet.

You would
Wolf

ney.

know

it

if

you saw
are
still

it."

Smith knew that he had come to the end of the trail. He knocked at the door, and, hearing no reply, opened it.
scope,

"And you
Street?"

the

of Wall

"In memory
disappeared.
Stabilization

only.

Wall Street has

When
bill,

Congress passed the

At a table, looking through a microwas Biddle.

trading in stocks and


past.
It

bonds became a thing of the

32
was
to it;
just
it

AMAZING STORIES
like

trading

pennies,

nothing

they do

it it

for
all

two or three months and


over again."

was not even good

sport."

then try

"So
not

the financial world has changed?"

"Seeking happiness ?"

"Everything has changed.

You would Come

know

it

for the

same

place.

"No. Everybody is happy Just want a change."

all

the time.

on back with

me

on the next steamer.

"How
"There
there
is

is

the death rate?"

You

surely

must

be interested ?"
I realize

isn't

any.

Nobody
no

dies unless
acci-

"Yes, and, No.


be, but I

that I should

some kind of a
see, there is

terrible

am working on
I

You

see,

have a

lot

of

a new problem. little animal


I

dent

You

disease.

Tell

friends in the next room.

guess

was

me one thing, Biddle. we going to live?"


"I do not know."

How

long are

always happier with unsolved problems


than
is

with

solved

ones.

If
I

the
feel
it

world
that
I

"Do you

think

it

is

going to be Life

Everlasting?''

purged from disease,

should be satisfied to

leave

be

that

"I really do not know." "I hope not.

way.
I

tions if I

So, I just came away and left it. would have had too many interruphad remained."

You
thrill

see,

there

is

not

much excitement
some reason, the
it.

in life

nowadays.

For

has gone out of

"Of

course you had your

own

reasons

for isolating yourself?"

"Certainly!
tell

Most hermits

do.

But
they

me

about things.
little

What
or the

are

doing in

old the

New York?"
men
women?"

much precision and not enough poker. Everybody has enough to eat, enough to wear, enough to amuse himself with, enough money to pay his simple expenses. There is nothing to worry about. In fact, some of
It

has too

"You mean

my

"Everybody."

"TTTTELL,

they

are

all

healthy

and

friends say that the young people just growing up when they received the serum cannot understand what we older ones mean when we say

who were

happy.

Work

about three hours

that

a day, of

four days a week and the rest time

of

life.

we used to worry over the problems They cannot understand what


filled

the

kinds of

new ways.

amuse themselves in all That question of


interest you.

life

struggle, birth

with sickness and debt and and death means. Even


the

amusement would
old-fashioned

AH

the

with

the

adults

memory
natural,"

is

fast

cottage

industries

are

fading."

working.

being revived, like weaving and metalMost women are doing their

"I

guess

that

is

said

the

inventor.

Not own sewing and housekeeping. much cooking; you see, people do not eat the way they did, just drink lots of
water.

"Perhaps."

"What

are the

men doing

with their

spare time?"

"Everybody
as
to

is

married.

All are just

happy as they can be till they decide get a divorce and try somebody else.
a perfectly lovely arrangement,

"Oh! Various fads had their day. Jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, crosscountry walking, and all that sort
of thing.

It is all

Lately a good

many of

the

'and, so far, there seems to be no jeal-

men

are whittling?"

have talked to lots of the I ousy. divorcees and they simply say they just

"What?"
"Just making things out of a piece of wood with a penknife. Did you ever

want to

live

with

somebody

else

so,

LIFE EVERLASTING
see a

33

man do
just If

that?

Take a

nice soft

"Oh!
have.

Just about the

way
sexes

they always
are
rather

piece of white pine without any knots in


it

You
there

see,

the
;

and

ings?

make a lot of nice long shavyou want to, you can do it The men
things,
all

nice to each other

not like the old days


bickering.
I

when

was so much
is

mechanically, without thinking.

suppose

there

really

very

little

to

were making
little

kinds of

little

quarrel about, the

way

things are."

model rowboats, and napkin


thing.

rings,

and
of

"Unpack your
die,

things," suggested Bidwill take a walk.

wooden birds and that Keeps the women busy

sort

"and then we
will

We

at that."

will

go down as far as the Madonna.


be interested in that as a work
later they stood in the cold

"In what way?"

You
always have been
but
since

of art."

"V70U
*
sort

see,

women
clean

Two
chill

hours

of

creatures,

of the afternoon in the shadow of

they are
duties
lot

free from disease and family and various cares, they have a
It

the giant Mother.


scientist.

Smith looked
he suddenly

at the

of time on their hands.

seems
the
sur-

"By

the
is

way,"

asked

that

the

healthier

they

cleaner they

want
be.

their

become homes and


every

"How

your boy?"
is fine."

"I think that he

roundings

to

So,

woman

"Did he get better?

You know what

spends a few hours a day out on the


streets
tidy.
it

of
It

New

York, making the town


be
really
I

would

comical

if

I mean? You said you were working on the serum for his sake." "Yes. I remember I said that."

were not so
there
is

serious.

bet that for

"And
"Yes.
for
his

he
I

is

well

and happy?"
I

every whittler on the sidewalks of

New

think so.
time.

haven't seen him


see,

York
to

woman, and sometimes

some

You

he

is

with

two, waiting with a dust-pan and brush,

Mother."
over the
into the river, a

sweep up the shavings when the man Often they even hold a gets through.
little

Smith bent over, picked up a rock and


threw
it

cliff

bag so the shavings can drop


the bag instead
of

right

thousand feet below.


inventor.

He

looked at the

into

on the

street.

Makes the man nervous and he goes


somewhere
a
else,
is

"You
ing
in

are white, man!" he exclaimed.


!

but,

wherever he goes,
I

"That's odd

You must

have been stay-

woman

after

him, tidying up.

the house too

much.

But

all

the

hear there
Nineties

is

an exclusive club in the


for
whittlers,

rest of us are

brown, a golden brown, a


hazel

just

and

they

healthy

beauti f ul
it

brown.
effect

The
of
the
are

brag that never a


disturb

woman
as

will

enter to

Doctors said
serum.

was the

them or
so

their shavings."

You

are not that

way; you

"Well,

long

everybody

is

white."

happy

!"

Biddle smiled, as he replied,


!

What difference does it "Sure make! *Let the chips fall where they may,' I said in an editorial. What difference does it make, so long as they
are clean chips!
tainly

"You see, self. With


be happier

never took the serum my-

But the women are cerkeeping after us men. I don't recall


ever kept us cleaner."

the wife and the boy away from me, somehow, I thought I would if I went without it." "But someday you will get sick, as we

used to; and die!"

when they have

"That
cold.

is

why

never took

it.

It

is

"How

do the

men

feel

about it?"

We

should go back."

34

AMAZING STORIES
animals and birds in

my

life,

outside of

CHAPTER

XVIII

a zoo.

One

of the girls even had a de-

The Robot Babies

natured skunk.

MARY GREGORY
to do.

"And
had nothing
for
little,

dolls!

China,

and

rag,

and

bisque, black, white

and yellow, big and

pretty

and

ugly, fat dolls, dolls with

Her
unusual children.

School

Unusual

spider legs, dolls with hair and without


hair.

Children was closed. There were no more

Every woman
her

is collecting dolls.

"Spending
clothes,

time

making

dollie

In fact, there were few children of any kind and no babies.

and giving tea


all.

parties for them.

And

that is not

Some

of them preinstead

Her
idle

restless

mind,

her ability

as

a
all

tend that they are just


of big women.

little girls

philanthropist and her millions were

Found one of
to

my

friends
till

for lack of opportunity.

She

felt

playing on a toy piano.

Waits

her

there should be something for her to do,

husband goes

work and then

starts

someway
nation.

in

which she could benefit her

with one or two fingers playing,

Deliberately seeking an opporfor

tunity

welfare,

she

went to

New

'Pony!
I

Pony! Stepping
you bye and

high,
bye.'

York
cared

City.

There she
the

called

on Hiram
and had had
just

will ride

Smith.

Since her Father's death he had


for

"And
hour
way.
ever,
their

that

Gregory

estate,

from

woman can play by the Mozart and Beethoven. It


men
the

made a good job of it. come back from his trip


had come back doing a
difficult thinking.

He
to

does not seem to affect the

Canada, and
of hard and

One
took

of

my

old college chums,

same how-

lot

me down
They
a
cellar.

into the cellar of


in

home.

live

a house that
said that her

"I
said.

am

glad to see

you,

Mary,*'

he
in-

actually has

She

"I have a lot to

do with the
it

husband developed the habit of spending


a

vesting of

your money, but


look well!"
I

is

not

good deal of time down


to

there,

and at

often you spend the time to


see me.

come and
well,

last

she became so curious that she just

You
well.

had
are
all

"I
since

am

guess

we
I

doing.

go down and see what he was The man had been whittling dolls,

we took

the serum.

came

to

New
visit

out of wood, he put black shoe buttons


in for eyes,

York a week ago


some of

to see you,

found you
to

were out of town and decided

red ink, or

my

old friends

till

your return."
I

she thought.
silk

and made the mouth red with it might have been his blood, He had bought pieces of
tried

"How
pose ?"

downtown and had


in.

to

make
little

are they all?

Happy,

sup-

dresses for the dolls and had

made

beds for them to sleep

She said that

"Certainly!
I will say this.

Everybody

is

happy; but

in the old

days she just knows she would

developed

So many of them have the most peculiar way of


time.

have

cried, but, of course,

nobody

cries

spending

their

Of
fill

course,

that

now, because all are too happy. She never told him she knew what he was doing,
only after that,
she went

seems

to be the hardest thing to do,

now-

when he went
in the cellar
dolls.

to

work

adays, finding things to

in the leisure."

down
it

and played
said that in

"What

are they doing,

Mary?"
little

with his whittled

She

"Playing with toys, playhouses,


sets of china,

some way
closer to

and taking care of

pets.

made her feel that she was him. They were thinking of a
now, though they do not

never saw so

many

different

kinds of

divorce, but,

LIFE EVERLASTING
talk about the
feel that

35
to have

doUs

in

the cellar, they

"I

want you

some made!"
his

they had better live on together

Hiram Smith threw up


despair.

hands

in

for a few

more months."

"How? Where? When? What do you

"QO.

that is the

way they
way.
I

are spending

mean?"
"Silly!
I

their time?'*
is

mean robot
to

babies.

Start

"That

the
it

thought
I

and

your inventors
out of rubber.

work. Fabricate babies

thought about

and

finally

decided

what

to do. All this fuss over dolls


is

and

pets and childish pleasures


stitution.

just a sub-

They are not honest with themwhat they


really

Put machinery inside of them so they will cry and move their arms and legs. I just have the general idea, but any clever inventor will supply the details.

selves, for

want

is

some-

Make

babies that can

thing alive, real babies."


"It seems that they cannot have them,"

be washed and fed and dressed and put


to sleep.

Make

different sized babies, so

answered Smith.
"It
will

they can be exchanged

when

the time

seems that way, but, perhaps, they


if

have them some-time, and

they
to

comes for them to grow older. Put tonsils in them to be taken out, and adenoids
to

wait too long, they won't

know how

make them

snuffle

and

intestine* to

care for them. If this condition of childless society

give them colic. Start in and


million of

make twenty

keeps up, there will be milnever held a arms and would not

lions of
little

women who have


in their

baby know what

to
lot

do

if

they found one there.

them as fast as you can. Sell them to the women who can pay and give them away to the women who cannot pay and send the bill to my estate. Do you
see

You
care

see,
is

of the knowledge of infant

my

idea?

Get the fathers interested

transmitted by

word of mouth and


If

in it

Have
and

lectures for them.

Have

such

actual practice

from the older generation

talks as this,
is

'What

to

do when your wife


wish Biddle

of

women

to the younger.

we

wait

sick

the three-year-old daughter


I

fifty

years before a

new

lot

of babies are

complains of the earache.'

born, they will suffer from lack of actual

was

available.

to care for them.

knowledge on the part of their mothers Even the nurses won't

understand what
"Biddle
is

There is a man who would I mean."


in

up

Canada.

have just

know how. There won't be any nurses anyway and not many doctors.
"So,
I

been visiting him."

"You have? Did you


disappeared birth rate?"
"I did."

talk about the

have an

idea.

want you

to take

some of

my

millions

and

start a school

for Mothers.

Get the best physicians and


to

"What

did he say?"

Buy

nurses you can hire to prepare lectures. a broadcasting station that will reach

"Not much.

Something about having pay a price for everything in life. That

every part of the country. Give regular


lectures

nothing was ever given away.

ent ages,
I

on the care of the child at differfrom birth to the age of six.

I suppose he thought that the absence of death was paid for by the absence of birth, or some-

am

sure that every

woman

will

be glad

thing like that

to listen to the broadcasting of these talks,

about children.

and

will practice the various lessons

on

having a boy ? Told

He did not want to talk Do you know about his me the boy was do-

her baby."

ing well and was with his Mother."

"But
trouble

the

woman
1

will not
is

Mary Gregory
is.

That

have a baby, what the whole

"He

said that?"
like that.

"Something
stand it?"

Do you

under-

There aren't any babies."

36
"I do. That was just his they were both dead."

AMAZING STORIES
way
of saying
till

once again they were able to hold


children, real
little

little

children, pitiful,

lovable, needful, helpless babies, in their

HIRAM SMITH started the millions


Mary Gregory to work. He gave the new idea considerable space in The Rosey Dawn. The novelty spread
of
like wildfire.

arms.

Mary Gregory, known what it was


nized the need

she

who had never


clearly.

to be a mother, recog-

more and more


so.

Women

discarded their pets


their

She

told

Smith

and their fantastic dolls and put in


application for a robot baby.

"You have

to find out whether Biddle

Factories

can and will do something to help us,"


she demanded.

were opened, thousands of


work.

men

put to

"He knows more


it

about

That was an odd thing.

Every

the serum than any other living man.

He

invention making the robot babies possible,

ought to know what


it

can do and what

every minute of work done on them

cannot do.

If he will only tell us that

was masculine. Men almost fought for the right to work in those factories. Women were turned
in the factories

in twenty-five, fifty years from

now

the

away in disdain. This work, said the men of the nation, was a purely masculine one.

Meantime, the
being prepared.
perts

series of lectures

was

American women can have children, we It seems that we are going to live a long time and we can if there is hope during the waiting and babies at the other end of the long years. You have to see him and tell him
will be satisfied.
all

wait

Only the

greatest ex-

how we
in

feel.

See

if

he cannot help us
in

were employed.

Experiences were

some way. More women

America

exchanged, old books were read, elderly

now know how


the world.
if

to take intelligent care of

women were

consulted, and at last

two

babies than ever before in the history of

hundred lectures were written, covering every possible situation up to the age of six years. Then men and women were
carefully tested for their ability to broad-

What good

is

that

knowledge
is

there are no babies?

What good
let

living without babies!

See him.

If you

cannot convince him of the need


take a

me

end of a year everything was ready for the start of a six hour daily programme. By that time six million women had infant robots and
cast those lectures.

At

the

number of representative women up to Canada and state our case to him." "I'll go," agreed Smith. "But I am afraid that he will not see this the way
it."

more were being fabricated at the rate of a hundred thousand a week. And from the station the lectures went to the waiting women in America. The seven o'clock bedtime lecture was instantly popular.

you see

"He
claimed

will

have to see
Gregory.

it

our way," ex-

Mary

Women

once again learned


their

how
best,

to care

CHAPTER XIX The Women Decide

for babies.

But, cleverly built as they


at

were, they were,

simply

GREGORY MARYwomen
of

led

a company

into Canada.

well designed machines.

They

could be

At
Smith refused

the
to

last

moment Hiram

cared for, but they could not respond to


that care; they could be loved, but they

undertake the negotia-

tions with Biddle, the inventor.

He

felt,

could

not

love.

More than ever

the

somehow,
ness.

that

it

was none of
scientist

his busi-

women
lives

of America realized that their were empty and would remain empty

He was

not sure that he wanted

to

tell

where the

had his house

LIFE EVERLASTING
of refuge from the world.
talking
it

37

But, after

ful?

Will the individual reach maturity


indefinitely?"

over with his wife, he deter-

and remain there


"I

mined that he would throw the dice and


let

am

not sure.

My
it

opinion

is

that

Fate decide what was in store for the

the first dose of

serum
is

will last a very

future of the human race. So, he told Mary Gregory where Biddle lived and how to get there.

long time. All that

did

was

to liberate

power, which power

evidently capable

of splitting the hydrogen atom to

Biddle

was accustomed
surprised

to

have the unbut he

more power.
somewhat
"If
it

Consequently,

it

make may act

expected happen in his


genuinely

life,

was

like perpetual motion.

when twenty-one women suddenly came up to his stone home and knocked at the door. He did
his best to

acts the

way

think, no one will

ever have to take the second dose.


if

But

he should take a second dose, he prob-

be polite and tried to find

ably will receive the same effect as from


the
It
first

seats for all of his visitors.

for

them and served

it

He made tea with some little

dose.

Of course,

may

be wrong.

seems that when a person once has the


full

cakes, but they had to take turns drink-

serum, he will live for a long time, a

ing the tea, because no lonely hermit ever

had twenty-one tea cups unless he had a mania for collecting them, and not many
isolates
at

even bad twenty-one

little

cakes

He would by drowning, or by being cut in two by an accident, but, unless something terrible happened to him, he would live a
grown, healthy vigorous adult.
die

one time.

very long time." everyone had a


little

But

at

last

tea
sit

"Why
come
"I

have the

women

of America be-

and then the

women asked

Biddle to

childless?"

down and listen to me reason for their visit Mary Gregory acted as the spokes-

am

not sure. All I


I

know

is

that

all

the animals
sterile.

experimented on became
it is

man

for the delegation.

Perhaps

a provision of na-

ture to increase the

power of the serum.


it

"We represent the Federated Women's Quhs of North America," the rich woman explained. "These women stand for the best of womanhood in every walk of life. We feel that we know what the American woman thinks, how she feels, what she wants. Our requests to you come from fifty million mature women; any action we take will be satisfactory to Now, that you all of our sisterhood. know who we are, may we ask you some
questions?"

Perhaps there
that acts.

is

something in the serum

But
I

knew
it

to be true in
like

the animals
mice.
I

experimented with,

would not be true was one of the things to gamble on." "Do you believe that some time, twenty-five years from now, or fifty years, the conditions will change and
hoped that
race in the

human we had

that

children will once again be born into the

world ?"
"Probably not
I

haw

twelve mice

who

"You may ask them.


can answer them."

am

not sure I

have had the serum for nearly

five years.

That
that,"

is

a long rime for a mouse to Eve.


little

"We
Gregory.

understand

said

Miss

"We know
least,

that

some questions
that

They have never had any "What is your thought


the problem ?"

ones."

in

regard to

may
will

be hard, even impossible for you to

answer, but, at
tell

we know

you

the truth.

First.

How

long will
re-

"TT
-1

looks as though

it

was

a kind of ar-

the serum last?

Will

it

have to be

rangement, the only

way

things

cooW

newed? Will future doses be as power-

happen.

Suppose, with the help of the

38
serum, the average

AMAZING STORIES
man and woman
lives

to be a thousand years old.

Suppose that
birth

every three years each


to a child.
fully realizing

woman gave

any babies. Two months ago I gave her an injection of the antiserum. She produced a little family, raised them to independence, started to grow the cancer and
died.

Gloriously

healthy herself,
her,

what the serum did for

In that case the antiserum did

all

she would insist that her children receive


the

that could be expected of it."

serum as soon
all

after birth as possible.


it is,

In no time at

the world, large as

nation, as

"Could you give the antiserum to the you gave the serum?"
"Yes,
if it

would be overcrowded with humanity?

became the

right thing to

Now we
and
only

have a population that can be

do."

cared for. It will never

grow any
will
it

larger,

very

slowly

grow
to the
child-

"And it is your opinion that if a woman received the antiserum, she would
have children
"Yes.

smaller."

V
course,
it

"Do you realize what it means women of America to face those


less

Of

would be necesI

sary for her husband to have the anti-

years,

those

barren

centuries

of

serum
but
I

also.

Perhaps

not.

am
if

not sure,

existence ?"

think so."
us

"Perhaps.

As much so

as a lone

man

"Would you excuse


this tiling

we

talked

can realize a wemaa's feelings.

women have

everything else

But you health, hapa

over privately?"

piness, ease, the love of

your husbands,

CERTAINLY.
the
there.
It is

will

walk over

to

every possible comfort.


that
life
is

You have

life

incomparably easier than the old


It

Madonna, You can find me only a few city blocks from


later the

ever could be.

looks as though you

here."

should be happy."
"Is there anything you can do for us
that will enable us to have families?"

One hour
to

women walked
in

over
the

where Biddle was standing shadow of the Madonna.

"Perhaps. There again

am

not sure.
is

"We

have decided," announced

Mary

But the principle of opposites strong one in nature. We have


darkness,

a very light and

Gregory.

"The women of America ask

strength and

weakness,

men

you for the formula of the antiserum?" "For general distribution?"

and women, heat and


have laughter and
sour, pure living

cold.

We

used to

"No. But we
wife

feel that every

tears-,

happiness and

who

really

want

to

man and have a family


the decision.
childless

sorrow, health and sickness, sweet and

should be allowed to

make

and

sin.

And we
I

have

serums and antiserums.

After

discov-

Those who wish to remain do so."


asking for?"

can

ered the Biddle Serum, I started to dis-

"Are you sure you know what you are

cover the antidote, or antiserum.

did

not want to use


if

it,

but I wanted to see

"We
"It

are."

there

was such a thing."


find it?"

cannot

be,"

declared

Biddle.

"Did you

At least, this is what I did. I found a mouse with cancer, and gave her the serum. The cancer disappeared
"I think so.

"Never, in the history of the human race, have women been as free as they are

now. They can come and


the chains of a

go, free

from
Their

home and

family.

and the mouse

lived

on,

far

past
I

the

love life
is

usual length of life for a mouse.

be-

is liberated from anxiety. There no longer sickness to fear, the death

came

rather

fond of her, and

guess

of loved ones to dread.

You

are happy,

she liked

me

little.

But she never had

healthy and able to compete

m every way

LIFE EVERLASTING
on equal terms with the male.
Every-

39

"Here
it.

is

woman has striven for you now have. Do you mean


thing

in the past to say that

chemist can

what you are asking for. Any make it any physician give
;

Now, may They

ask you to leave

me

here?

you are going


ately sacrifice
al!

to give

it

up?

Deliber?"

want

to be alone
all left

once more."

you have gained


babies!"

except

Mary Gregory.

"We want
women.
"But
:

our

cried

the

"Why

do you stay here in the shadow ?"

she asked.
in

having them you lose your

"Because that
feel.

Woman
it

:nmortality.

Having them you no longer

She knows what

knows how I means to have

You will become sick, diseased, crippled. Some of you will die in childbirth. Some of your children will
are eternal.
die
;

a son die and not be able to save him

Like her Son died and mine,"

"Why

did you not take the serum

others will live to


cripples.

become
will

defectives,

Sidney Biddle?"
"Because
I

epileptics,

Some

of the ones

did not want to live for-

who
inals.

live

to

maturity
will

shame; they

you become insane, crimcause

ever," he replied.

You

will see children die in

your wish

'

CHAPTER XX
New
two more
first

arms.
they

In years to

come you

will

babiee. Sickness will

had died while they were sweet come, suffering, sorwtll leave
will

Old Lives for

BIDDLE
secret
rich

lived alone for

row. Your health will break, your hus-

years and then determined to go

bands

you for fresher women.

back to civilization. The

per-

You
ken

die

with one hand on your

son he called on was Hiram Smith, the

breaking heart and the other on the brocross.

That

is

what you are asking

man was

owner of The Rosty Dawn. The delighted to meet his friend


look a
little
still

for. Do you mean to tell me that you, knowing what the old biological urge for offspring meant to womankind, want to

again.

"You

older,
fit.

a few more
I

white hairs, but

very

guess that

change your glorious existence of to-day


for that?"

arctic air agrees with you, Biddle."

"I guess so; clean living and hard work


!"

"We

must have our babies

cried the

are fine medicines.


quite as

How
I

are

brown as when Anything happen?"

you? Not saw you last

"XTOU
-I

must remember what


invalidism, the

life

was.

"Slightly.
fall

Sickness,

breaking

in love.
all

That boy of ours decided to Mighty nice girl, and we

back that never

lost its ache, etc., etc.

were
first

in favor of their marriage.

The

Mary Gregory

stepped forward.

thing

we knew,

after the wedding,

"Give us the formula, Sidney Biddle. have decided. Nothing you can say will make us change our minds. You have not told us a thing we do not know.

they went and took a dose of your anti-

We
We

serum, so they could have a child.


just spoiled

That

We

know

that

we

speak for our sister-

least for

hood.
die.

Give us the formula, Sidney Bid-

mean

it all for the wife and me. had been making plans to live at a thousand years but that would that we would see our children and

Give us back our babies."

Tremblingj the scientist took out a notebook and wrote slowly on a blank page. At last he tore the page out and handed
it

our grandchildren grow old and die while we were still m the vigorous golden maturity of the Biddle

Serum. So, what did

we do

to the rich

woman.

but go and get some of the antiserum ourselves Now, when the grand!

40
children

AMAZING STORIES
come
to visit us, they will have

when

am

too busy to

amuse

her, just

the old fashioned kind of grandparents,


just nice, old, white-haired people,

watching them play around the floor."


"So, there
is

who

a baby?"

can try to

live their

youth again in their

"Finest girl you ever saw," said the

children's children."

newsboy.

"So, you sacrificed everything, not for


the love of a child, but for the love of a

Glad

it

known what

"Looks just like her Mother. was a girl, we should not have to do with a boy."
disappointed," explained

grandchild ?"

"We
You would think it was me with an atthink
Sally.

are telling her that, so she won't

"That's
sacrifice if

it.

we were

you had seen

"We
the

tack of rheumatism this last week."

knows

are saying it now, before she meaning of words, so we shall


it

Biddle laughed, a friendly, sympathetic


tearful laugh.

be sure to say

when she

learns to talk.

We
the way.

want her

to be sure

we

loved her."

"Just an old fool, you were, Smith, just

an old
old

fool.

By

Where

are

my

friends,

Harry

Wild ,and

Sally

Fanning ?"
old

"They are married. He is back at the news stand, and they have a little

They insisted that he come and see the baby, They made him say that he had never seen a finer baby and they fed him coffee and sandwiches, and made him promise he would come often to see them. When he left, Harry went down to the
;

apartment close to where they both lived


before you met them.

front door with him.

Makes me worry

about the boy, seeing Harry nowadays."

"Give

me

the address."

AS

they stood in the doorway, Biddle


little

looked at the

man

curiously.

"Sure; but I do not think I would go and see them. You remember how they were the time you saw them on the lawn in front of my home? Well, when you remember them, just think of them the

"You

are lame, Harry," he said.

"Have

you hurt yourself?" "No. But my old trouble came back, my bad leg is short again and my back is
slowly growing crooked."

way
are

they were then."

"Well, well

That

is

too bad.

But you

"I shall have to see them the

way

they
to

keep on smiling?"
"Sure.
J

now," replied Biddle.

"I have

have everything to live for


shouldn't I be happy."
fine,

find out something."

now. Fine wife, sweet baby, good busilittle

He
that

called at the

apartment

late

ness.

Why
is

night.

Harry Wild answered


Sally,

his

"That
ing."

Harry.

Keep on

smil-

knock on the door.


"It's

Ackerman!

it's

Ackerman,

our old friend, and more than welcome. Come right in, and sit down. Let me have

your

hat, Sir.

This

is

an honor to have

you come and see


"It
is,

us."

indeed," echoed Sally.

"And how
Biddle.

are

all

the mice?" asked

Mr. Biddle. Bye the way, do you know of a good remedy for asthma ? Sally has had some real bad spells since the baby came and I do wish someone knew what to do for her." "I am sorry. I'll send her some stramonium leaves. Burn them and inhale the smoke. That will help her. Asthma is a
"I will,
difficult

thing to cure.

Well, good night,


glad about the

"You should

see them," replied Sally.

Harry,
baby."

my

boy.

am

Dozens of them, into everything, but I will say this, that the Baby is fond of them. Keeps quiet for an hour at a time

Mr. Biddle, and thanks for looking us up. Send me your address.
night,

"Good

LIFE EVERLASTING
Next week the old Purple Flash is going come back on the stands and I want to send you some of the first copies. I bet that the Wolf of Wall Street will
to

41
his

He put down

bag and walked across

the crest of the mountain to the

Madonna.

Under the shadow a woman sat. As he came near she walked over to meet him.

make it a real tabloid. It ought to go big. The people are getting hungry for that
kind of a paper."
It

"Mary Gregory!" he
are you doing here?"
"I

sighed,

"What

wanted

to

come," she replied.


If

"You

was

all

too

much

for Biddle.

He
the

took the

first

train for

Quebec and

first

boat for his mountain home.

He

as he

walked slowly up the mountain path. It was a hard climb. He was not as young had been. He found the house
fire

you had a woman in the house with you, you might do. something worth while, invent something that would be of real help to mankind." "But I am an old man, Mary," he cried. "An old man, growing older.
need a woman.
"I

open and a

burning

in the fireplace.

have taken the antiserum," she

said.

Mo one

there.

''Now, I can grow old with you."

The End.

IN
one
is

THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE


"Through the Andes," by A. Hyatt eminent archaeologist, and the "The Moon Pirates," by Neil R.
years.

Two new serials begin in this issue. The


Verrill, the

other

is

Jones, a favorite author with our readers


for

many

A complete story, "The Master Minds of


Venus," by William K. Sonneman, will be
found most interesting.

There

will be

a number of other good

science fiction tales in this issue.

42

^Measuring a Meridian
By JULES
The story
of the

VERNE

Conclusion
of a meridian of the earth is concluded in this issue. Less of the science of the story appears here, as the earlier portions have given a most interesting detail of the meaning of these measurements.

measurement

So now we see more of the wild life in Africa and and breaks up.
Illustrated

finally the party separates

by

MOREY
vigil

CHAPTER XXI
Let There Be Light

ing their long

of some two months.

In the course of the day

Mokoum
first

per-

ceived an unusual agitation in the


ololo

Makthat

WE
;

camp.

He

thought at

are no

worse

off,"

they were about to raise the siege, but,


after

remarked the Colonel in the course of the day to his assembled companions,

that their attentions


tile,

some contemplation, he discovered were evidently hosand that they would probably asmountain
in the course of the

"than Arago, Biot

sault the
night.

and Rodriguez were when they were measuring the arc from Dunkirk to they were uniting the Spanish Ivica coast and the island by a triangle of which the sides were more than eighty Rodriguez was installed on miles long.
and kept up lighted lamps at night, while the French astronomers lived in tents a hundred miles away in the desert of Las

Toward six o'clock, when the night was coining on with its tropical celerity,
the engineer descended the mountian, and

proceeded to light the boiler


steamboat.
It

fire

of the

was

still

the Colonel's in-

an

isloated

peak,

tention not to effect an escape until the

moreover, he was firm in his determination to abide until the night


last
;

extremity

was advanced,
self

that he might give him-

Palmas.

For sixty nights Arago and


for the
last,

the

last

chance

of

observing the

Biot watched

signal,

and,
to

dis-

signal

from Mount Volquiria.

The

sail-

couraged

at

were

about

re-

ors were placed at the foot of the rampart,

nounce
first

their labor,

when, on the sixty-

with orders to defend the breaches


All arms were ready, and
mitrailleuse,

night, appeared a light,

which
a

it

was
star.

to the last.

impossible

to

confound
if

with

the

armed with

the

am-

Surely, gentlemen,

those French asfor

munition that they had


its

in store,

spread

tronomers
nights
in

could
the

watch

sixty-one

formidable

mouth across
hours
the

the

emand

interests

of

science,

we

brasure.

English and Russians must not give up


at the

For

several

Colonel

end of nine."
Colonel's companions most heartthe

The
ily

Strux, posted in the narrow donjon, kept a constant watch on the peak of Volquiria.

approved

sentiment

but

they

The horizon was

could have said that Arago and Biot did


not endure the tortures of hunger dur-

finest of the

dark, while the southern constellations were

resplendent in the zenith.

There was no

MEASURING A MERIDIAN

43

It

was probable

that the natives were about to make a last attack on the fortress before retirini finally to Maketo.

44

AMAZING STORIES
fell,

wind, and not a sound broke the imposing stillness of nature.

he was replaced by twenty more,


Colonel Everest
felt that he must Not only did the na-

The bushman,

and, after a somewhat prolonged opposition,

however, posted on a projection of rock,


heard

sounds
distinct.

which gradually became

be overpowered.
tives

more

He was

not

mistaken

swarm up

the south slope of the

the Makololos were at length

commencdid

mountain, but they

ing their assault on the mountain.

by the side slopes.


itate to

made an ascent They did not

also hes-

Until

ten

o'clock
fires

the

assailants

use the dead bodies of the fallen

were extinguished, and camp and plain were alike wrapped Suddenly Mokoum saw in obscurity.
not move; their

as stepping stones, and then even lilted

them up, and sheltered themselves behind


them, as they mounted.

The

scene re-

shadows moving up the mountain,

till

vealed by the flash of the firearms was


appalling,

the besiegers seemed but a few hundred


feet from the plateau on which stood the
fort.

to

make them

and the Europeans saw enough fully aware that they could

expect no quarter, and that they were

"Now, then, quick and ready!" cried Mokoum. The garrison immediately advanced to
the south side of the fort, and opened a

being assaulted by barbarians as savage


as tigers.

At

half-past ten the foremost natives

The running fire on the assailants. Makololos answered by a war cry, and,
in spite of the firing, continued to ad-

vance.

In the light caused by the flash

tance seemed impossible.

of the guns, the Europeans perceived such swarms of natives that any resisBut still they

had reached the plateau. The besieged, who were still uninjured (the natives not yet having employed their bows and assegais), were thoroughly conscious they were impotent to carry on a combat hand to hand. The Colonel in a calm,
clear

voice

that

the

tumult,

could be heard above gave the order to retire.

trusted that their well-directed balls were

doing considerable execution, and they


discerned that not a few of the natives

With a last discharge the little band withdrew behind the walls. Loud cries
greeted
their
retreat,

and

the

natives
in

were
tain.

rolling

down

the sides of the

mounar-

immediately made a nearer approach

Hitherto,

however,

nothing
cries

their attempt to scale the central breach.

rested

them.

With savage

they

continued to press on in compact order,


without even waiting to hurl
assegai.

and unlooked for reception awaited them. Suddenly at first,


strange

a single

Colonel Everest put himself at


little

and subsequently repeated at intervals of but a few minutes, there was a growling
reverberation as of rolling thunder.
sinister

the head of his

troop,

who seconded

The

him admirably, not excepting Palander, who probably was handling a gun for almost the
kneeling,
first

sound was the report of the ex-

time.

Sir John,

now on

one rock now on another, sometimes sometimes lying, did wonders, and his gun, heated with the rapidity of the repeated loading, began to burn his
hands.
bold,

Sir John mitrailleuse, which had been prepared to employ, and now worked with all his energy. Its twentyfive muzzles spread over a wide range,

ploding

and the

balls,

continually supplied by a
fell

self-feeding

arrangement,

like

hail

Mokoum,

as ever,

was

patient,

undaunted
could

in his confidence.

among the assailants. The natives, swept down at each discharge, responded at
first

But the valor and precision of the besieged


avail

with a howl and then with a harm-

nothing against the

less

torrent of numbers.

Where one

native

shower of arrows. "She plays well," said the bushman,

MEASURING A MERIDIAN
approaching Sir John.
played your tune,
let

45
rushed toward the
the
intrepid
col-

"When you have me play mine."

shout of donjon,
league.

rejoicing,

followed

by

to

But there was no need for Sir John be relieved; the mitrailleuse was soon

There, kneeling down, he put


the telescope, and perceived

his eye to

silent.

The Makololos were


and
had
bullets,

struck with
shelter

with the

utmost delight the signal, so

consternation,

sought

long delayed
pected.
It

and yet so patiently ex-

from the torrent of


tired

having refort, leav-

under the flanks of the

ing the plateau strewn with numbers of


their dead.

these

was truly a marvelous sight to see two astronomers work during the
conflict.

tumult of the

The

natives had

In this instant of respite the Colonel

by

their

numbers forced the enclosure,

and
there,

Strux

regained

the

donjon,
in

and

collecting themselves
if

compos-

ure as complete as
the

they were under


.

and Sir John and the bushman were The Europeans fought with their balls and hatchcontending for every step.
ets,

dome

of an observatory, they kept

while the Makololos responded with

a constant eye upon their telescope, and

their

scanned the peak of Volquiria.

When,

arrows and assegais. Meanwhile the Colonel and Strux


their observations,

in-

after a short period of rest, the yells of

tently continued

and
than

the

Makalolos

the combat

severed in
solved
that
to

made them aware that was renewed, they only pertheir determination, and rethey

Palander, equally composed, noted


their oft repeated readings.

down

More

once an arrow grazed their head, and

would alternately

re-

broke against the inner wall of the donjon.

main
ment.

guard their invaluable instru-

But

signal,

their eye was ever fixed on the and reading the indications of the

The combat, in truth, had been reThe range of the mitrailleuse newed.
was inadequate to reach all the natives, who, uttering their cries of mortal vengeance, rallied again, and swarmed up
every opening.

vernier,

they

incessantly

verified

each

other's calculations.

"Only once more,"


ing the
scale.

said

Strux,

slid-

telescope

along the
later,

graduated

An

instant

The

besieged, protected

have been too


culated

late for

and it would any observations,


fraction

by their firearms, defended the breaches foot by foot; they had only received a

but the direction of the light was calto


;

the

minutest

of

segais,

few scratches from the points of the asand were able to continue the fight for half an hour with unabated

second

and at that very instant an enorflying

mous

stone, hurled

register

by a native, sent the from Palander's hands,


circle.
fly

ardor.

and smashed the repeating


half-past
eleven,

Toward

while

the

They must now


the
result

in

order to save
at

Colonel was in the thick of the fray, in


the middle of an angry fusillade, Mat-

which they obtained

the

cost of such continuous labor.


tives

The

na-

thew Strux appeared at eye was wild and radiant


just pierced his hat
his head.

his
;

side.

His

an arrow had

had already penetrated the easemate, and might be at any moment appear in the donjon.
his colleagues caught

and quivered above

The
up

Colonel and

their guns,

and
all

"The

signal! the signal!" he cried.

Palander his precious register, and


escaped

The

colonel

was

incredulous,

but as-

through

one of

the

breaches.
slightly

certaining the correctness of the

welcome
rifle

Their several companions, some


treat,

announcement, discharged his


the
last

for

wounded, were ready to cover their

re-

time,

and

with

an

exuberant

but just as they were about to de-

46

AMAZING STORIES
CHAPTER XXII
Palaader's Last Escapade
failed

scend the north side of the mountain,

Strux remembered that they had


to kindle the signal.

In

fact,
it

for the

completion of the survey,


sary that

was necesthe two astronomers on Mount

Volquiria should in their turn observe


the

WHEN
vessel

daylight

reappeared

the

summit of Mount Scorzef, and were


anxiously
light.

shore of the lake.

was nearing the northern There was


consequently
the

doubtless

expecting

the

an-

no trace of
Colonel and

natives,
his

swering

companions,

who had

The

Colonel recognized the imperative


for yet

been ready armed, laid aside their guns


as the Queen and Csar drew up in a
little

necessity

one more

effort,

and

whilst his companions,

with almost sunatives,

bay

in the

rocky shore.

The bushsailors

perhuman energy, repulsed the


he re-entered the donjon.

man, Sir John and one of the


set out at

This donjon

once to reconnoiter the neigh-

was formed of an

intricate

frame work

borhood.

They could

perceive no sign

of dry wood, which would readily ignite

of Makololos, and fortunately they found

by the application of a flame.


onel set
it

The

Col-

game
ter

in

abundance, Troops of antelopes

alight with the discharge

from

grazed in the long grass and in the shelof

the muzzle of his gun, and, rushing out,


rejoined his companions.

the thickets,

and a number of
returned

In a few mobefore

aquatic birds

frequented the shores of


hunters

ments,

rolling

their

mitrailleuse

the

lake.

The

with

them, the Europeans under a shower of

ample provision, and the whole party


could enjoy the savory antelope meat, a

arrows and

various

missies,

were dereached

scending the mountain, and, driving back


the natives with a deadly
the steamboat.
fire,

supply of which
fail

was now unlikely to


the

them

again.

The

engineer, according

The camp was arranged under


great

to orders, had kept up the steam.

willows

near

the

lake,

on

the

The mooring was


set in

cast off, the screw

banks of a small

river.

The Colonel
to

motion, and the Queen and Csar

and

Strux had

arranged

meet

on

advanced rapidly over the dark and quiet


waters.

the north shore with the pioneer's


party,

little

They were

shortly far enough

out to see the summit of the mountain.

The donjon was


and
its

blazing like a beacon,


easily

and the rest afforded by the few days of expectation was gratefully enjoyed by all. Palander employed himself

light

would be

discerned

in rectifying

and adjusting the


observations,

re-

from

the peak of Volquiria.

resound-

sults

of

the

latest

while

ing cheer of triumph

from the English

Mokoum

and

Sir

John
fertile,

hunted

most

and Russians greeted the bonfire they had


left behind.

vigorously over the

well-watered

country, abounding in game, with which

Emery and Zorn would have no


for

cause

the

complaint; they had exhibited the

lighted,

Englishman would have been dehad it been in his power, to

twinkling of a star, and had been an-

swered by the glowing of a sun.

complete a purchase, on behalf of the British government. Three days after,

There was no question


flagration they

that the con-

had started had given the

on the 8th of March, some gun-shots announced the arrival of the remainder
of
the

best possible indication of the position of

party

for

whom

they

tarried.

Mount Scorzef. The triangle was closed. The work was completed at the last
moment.

Emery. Zorn. the two sailors, and the pioneer, were all in perfect health. Their
theodolite, the only instrument remaining

MEASURING A MERIDIAN
to the Commission,

47
some means
of

was

safe.

The young

we ought

still

to adopt

astronomers and their companions were


received

testing our previous operations.

Let us
find

with

joyous

congratulations.

continue our triangles until


place
suitable

we

In a few words they related that their

for

the

direct

measure-

journey had not been devoid of


culty.

diffi-

ment of

a base.

The agreement between


by the

For two days they had

lost their

the lengths of the base, obtainind


calculations

way

in the forests that skirted the

moun-

tainous district, and with only the vague


indication

ment, will alone

and by the direct measuretell what degree of acto

of

the

compass they would

curacy

we ought

attribute

to

our

never
if
it

have

reached

Mount

Volquiria,
in-

observations."

had not been for the shrewd


of
the
pioneer.

Strux's

proposition
It

telligence

The

ascent

adopted.

was unanimousl> was agreed to construct a

of the mountain was rough, and the delay

series of subsidiary triangles until a site

had caused the young astronomers

could be measured with the measuring


rods.

as

much

impatience as

it

had their

col-

leagues on
carefully,

Mount

Scorzef.

They had

fluents of the

The steamboat, descending the Zambesi, was to await


Everything being arranged

af-

the

by barometrical observations,

travelers
Falls.
little

below the celebrated Victoria


the,

calculated that the

summit of Volquiria
sea.

was 3,200

feet

above the level of the

troop, with the exception of

four

The
was
4th ;

light,
first

increased by a strong reflector,


lighted

sailors

on board the Queen and Csar,

on the night of the


observers
it

started the next day at sunrise.


stations

Some
east

thus

the

on

Mount
it

had been
angles

chosen

to

the

Scorzef had perceived


appeared.

as soon as

and the
to

measured,

and,

along
easily

Emery and Zorn had


fire

easily

this favorable country, they

hoped

discerned the intense

caused by the

accomplish their auxiliary series.

The
made

burning fortress, and with the theodolite

bushman had

adroitly caught a quagga,

had completed the measurement of the


triangle.

of which, willing or unwilling, he

a beast of burden to carry the theodolite,


did you determine the latitude the measuring-rods,

"And

and some other lug-

of the peak?" said the Colonel to Emery.

gage of the caravan.

ery;

"Yes, most accurately," replied Em"we found it to be 19 37' 35.337V*


"Well, gentlemen," said the Colonel,

The journey

proceeded rapidly.

The
points

undulating country afforded

many
it

of sight for the small accessory triangles.

"we may say


triangles,

that our task

is

ended.

We

The weather was


needful
to

fine,

and

was not

have measured, by means of sixty-three an arc of


our

have recourse to nocturnal

more than
results,

eight

observations.
ly

The

travelers could near-

degrees
rigidly

in

length; and

corrected

when we have we shall

always find shelter in the woods, and,


the

know

the exact value of the degree, and

consequently of the meter in this part

of the globe."

heat was not insufferable, some vapors arose from the pools and streams which tempered the sun's rays. Every want was supplied by the
besides,

since

cheer of satisfaction could not be

hunters, and there

was no longer any-

repressed amongst the others.

thing to be feared from the natives,

who
Lake

"And now," added


have only
to

the Colonel, the

"we
is it

descend

Zambesi in

seemed Ngami.

to be

more
Strux

to the south of

order to reach the Indian Ocean; not so, Mr. Strux?"


"It is,"

Matthew
seemed
to

and

the
all

Colonel
their per-

have forgotten

answered Strux, "but

think

sonal

rivalry,

and although there was

48
no
close

AMAZING STORIES
intimacy

between them, they

since Strux

and

Mokoum had
The
little

seen any-

were on the most perfect terms of courtesy.

thing of Palander.

troop were
trees hori-

Day
three

after

day,

during a period of
observations
steadily

traveling through thickets of low and shrubs, extending as far as the

weeks, the

zon.

It

was important
difficult

to keep together,

proceeded.

For
should

the

measurement of a
level

as

it

would be

to discover the

base the astronomers required a tract of land


miles,

track of any one lost in the wood.

But

that

be

for

several

seeing

and

fearing

nothing,

Palander,

and the very undulations of the


were desirable for the
sight establish-

who had
the

been posted, pencil in one hand,


in

soil that

register

the

ment of points of
the
northeast,

were unfavorable
to

flank of the troop,

other, on the was not long in

left

dis-

for that observation.

They proceeded

appearing.

sometimes

following the

When, toward
his

four o'clock, Strux and

right

bank of Cnobi, one of the principal


of
the

companions found that Palander was


anxious.
still
it

tributaries

Upper Zambesi,

in

no longer with them, they became extremely


tions

order to avoid Maketo, the chief

settle-

His

former
their

aberra-

ment of the Makololos.

They had now

were
and

fresh in

rememthe ab-

every reason to anticipate that their return would be happily accomplished, and
that

brance,

was

probably

stracted calculator alone by

whom

they

no further natural obstacles would


and they hoped that were
all

had been

forgotten.

The march was


shouted in vain.
dispersed

occur,
culties

their

diffi-

stopped, and

they

all

at an end.

The country
com-

The bushman and


beating
the the

the sailors

which they were traversing was


paratively
well

for a quarter of a mile in each direction,


bushes,

known, and they could

trampling

through

not be far from the villages of the


besi

Zam-

woods and long


but
still

grass, firing off their success.

which Livingstone had lately visited. Thus they thought with reason that all the most arduous part of their task was
over,

guns,

yet

without

They

became
an

more uneasy,
to
irritation

thew Strux,
extreme

Matwhose anxiety was joined


especially

when an

incident,

of

which the
of

against

his

unfirst

consequences might
almost

have been serious,


result

lucky colleague.

This was not the

compromised the

the

whole expedition.
Nicholas
rather

Palander was the hero, or was near being the victim, of the
thoughtless
his escape

time that Palander had served them thus, and if the Colonel had laid any blame on him, Strux would not have known

what
the

to say.

Under

the circumstances,

adventure.

only thing to be done was to enin

The
lator,

intrepid

but

calcu-

camp

the wood,

and begin a more


his

unwarned by
had
still

from the
of with-

careful search.

crocodiles,

the habit
his

The Colonel and


just

companions had

drawing himself
danger in
abstraction

from

companions.

arranaged to place their camp near


unlike

In an open country there was no great


this,

a glade of considerable extent,


cry, at

but in

woods Palander's

when a anything human, resounded


to the left. at
full

might lead to serious conStrux and the bushman gave


warnings,

some distance

Almost imspeed,

sequences.

mediately,

running

ap-

him

many

and
at

Palander,

peared Palander.
his hair disheveled,
in

though much astonished

what he considered an excess of prudence, promised to conform to their wishes. hours had passed 27th, some On the

His head was bare, and his clothes torn


to
rags.

some

companions
but the

His plied him with questions unhappy man, with haggard and
parts,

almost

MEASURING A MERIDIAN
distended eye, whose compressed nostrils
still

49
Europeans?" asked Sir
stifled

"Well, John.

then,

further hindered his short, jerking

respiration, could not bring out a word.

"No," answered Palander in a


voice,

wandered away?

What had happened? Why had And why did he


At
last,

he
ap-

"Who

then?" shouted Strux, shaking

pear so terrified?

to their real-

his clenched fists in Palander's face.

peated questions, he gasped out, in

"They were

most

unintelligible

accents,

something

men
It

nor white but monkeys," stammered out


neither natives Pallast.

about the registers.

ander at
;

The astronomers shuddered


isters,

the reg-

was a

fact that the

unhappy man
if

sult

on which was inscribed every reof their operations, and which the

had been robbed by a monkey, and


the

consequences

of

the

incident

had

calculator

had never allowed out of

his

been

less serious, the

whole party would

possession, even
isters

when

asleep, these reg-

have broken out into laughter.

Mokoum
Many

were missing.
lost

No

matter whether

explained that what had just happened

Palander had
gone, and

them, or whether they


;

was
times,

of
to

frequent
his

occurrence.

had been stolen from him


all

they were
in vain!
terri-

knowledge, had travelers

their labor

was

been
a

rifled

by these pig-headed chacmas,


of

While
fied,

his

companions, mutely

species

baboon very common


forests.

in

only looked at each other,

Matthew
his anger. in-

South African had been

The

calculator

Strux could no longer restrain

plundered

by these animals,

He

burst forth into

all

manner of

vective

against

the

miserable

creature,

though not without a struggle, as his ragged garments testified. Still, in the

threatening
the
that

him with

the displeasure of

Russian
if

government,

and

adding,

he did not suffer under the knout


life in

judgment of his companions, there was no excuse to be made; if he had remained in his proper place this irreparable loss would not have occurred.

he should linger out his

Siberia.

To

all

this

Palander answered but by


these condemnations,

"We

did

not take the trouble." be-

a movement of the head; he seemed to


acquiesce in
all

and

gan Colonel Everest, "to measure an arc of meridian in South Africa for a blunderer like you
"

even thought the judgment would be too


lenient.

He
to

did

not finish his sentence,


it

con-

"But perhaps he has been robbed,"


said the Colonel at last.

scious that

was

useless

to

continue

"What
himself
;

matters?" cried Strux, beside

abuse the unhappy man, whom Strux had not ceased to load with every variety

"what business had he so far


us,

away

from

after

our

continual

The Europeans were, without exception, quite overpowered by


of
vituperation.

warning?"
"True,"
replied
Sir

emotion;
John, he has

but

Mokoum, who was

less

"but
lost

we
the

sensitive to the importance of the loss,

ought to

know whether

retained his self-possession.

registers or been robbed of them.

Has

"Perhaps even yet," he


thing

said,

"some-

anyone robbed you, Palander?" continued he, turning to the poor man, who

may

be done to assist you in your

perplexity.

These chacmas are always

had sunk down with

fatigue.

careful of their stolen goods,


find the robber

and

if

we
and
of

Palander made a sign of affirmation.

we

shall find the register


is

"W ho ?"
r

continued

Sir

John.

"Na-

with him.

But time
lost."

precious,

tives? Makololos?"

none must be

Palander shook his head.

The bushman had opened a

ray

50
hope.

AMAZING STORIES
Palander revived at the sugges-

mas are the


fields

terror of the Boers,

whose
by

tion; he arranged his tattered clothes as


best he could,

of corn and maize, and occasionhabitations, are plundered

jacket

of

and having accepted the one sailor and the hat of


to the

ally

whose

them.

another, declared himself ready to lead


his

Not one of
espied the

the animals

had as yet
all

companions

scene of his ad-

hunters,

but

they

con-

venture.

tinued their sport, yelping and barking


all

They

started off toward the west,

as though they

were great, ill-favored


point

and passed the night and the ensuing

dogs.

The important
of
All
the

for

deter-

day without any favorable

result.

In

mination was,
loiner
there.

whether the actual purmissing

many

places,

by

traces

on the ground

documents
out

was

and the bark of the trees, the busbman and the pioneer recognized unmistakable
vestiges of the baboons, of

doubt was put aside when


pointed

the

pioneer
in

chacma

which Palparty was

wrapped
Sir

rag
that

of

Palander's coat.
creature
but

ander affirmed that he was sure he had


seen no less than ten.

John
secured

felt

this

must

The

be

at

any

price,

he

was

soon on their track, and advanced with


the utmost precaution, the bushinan af-

obliged to act with great circumspection,

aware, as he was, that a single false

firming that he could only count on success in his search by taking the

chacmas
be
ap-

movement would cause to decamp at once.


"Stay here," said
neer; "Sir John and

the whole herd

by surprise,
animals,

since

they were sagacious


could
only

Mokoum
I will

to the pio-

such

as

return to our

proached by some device of secrecy.

companions and
sight

set

about surrounding

Early the following morning one of


the Russian sailors,
in

the animals; but meanwhile do not lose

who was somewhat


if

of them."

front,

perceived,

not

the

actual

The
while

pioneer
Sir
to

remained
the

at

his

post,

thief,

yet

one

of

his

associates.

He
troop,

John and

prudently

returned

to

the

little

turned

Colonel Everest.

bushman reThe only

who came at once to a halt. The Europeans, who had resolved to obey Mokoum in everything, awaited his instructions. The bushman begged them to
remain in quietness where they were,
and,

means of securing the suspected culprit was to surround the whole troop. To
accomplish
this,

the Europeans
;

divided

into separate

of Strux,
ors,

taking Sir John and the pioneer,

turned toward the part of the

wood

al-

detachments one composed Emery, Zorn, and three sailjoin the pioneer, and to form a semicircle behind him; and the

was

to

ready

visited

by

the

sailor,

carefully

other, comprising the Colonel,

Mokoum,
left,

keeping under shelter of the trees and

Sir John, Palander, and the other three


sailors,

bushwood.
In a short time the bushman and his

made a detour
fall

to

the

in

order to

back upon the herd from


following
all

two

companions

caught

sight

of

one

the other side.


Implicitly

chacma, and almost immediately of nine or ten more, gamboling among the
bushes.

the

bushman's

advice, they

advanced with the ut-

Crouching behind a

tree,

they

most caution.

attentively

watched the animals.

Their

and
the
shot.

it

Their guns were ready was agreed that the chacma with
should be the aim for every
kept

short
their

tails

did not reach the ground, and


teeth,

rags

powerful muscles, sharp

and

pointed claws, rendered them formidable

Mokoum

watchful

eye

upon

even to the beasts of prey.

These chac-

Palander, and insisted upon his march-

MEASURING A MERIDIAN
ing dose to himself,
edness
should
betray
lest

51

bis

unguard-

The bushman, having keenly surveyed


the spot, asserted that the registers were

fresh folly.

some The worthy astronomer was him


into
it

almost beside himself in consternation at


his loss,

and evidently thought

a ques-

tion of life or death.

there concealed, and fearing lest the chacma should escape across the trees, he calmly aimed and fired. The animal, wounded in the leg, fell from branch
to branch.

After
halts

marching with the frequent which the policy of being unobfor half

served suggested, and continuing to di-

to clutch the registers, which

verge

an hour, the bushman


might now
fall

considered that they

back.

In one of its fore-claws it was seen it had taken from the fork of the tree. At the sight, Palander, with a leap
that

He and

his

companions,

each

about

like

of

a chamois,

darted

at

the

twenty paces apart, advanced like a troop of Pawnees on a war-trail, without


a word
or gesture,

chacma, and a tremendous struggle ensued.

The
in

cries of both

man and

beast

avoiding

even

the

mingled

harsh and discordant strain,

least rustling in the branches.

Suddenly

the

bushman stopped;
fingers

the rest instantly

and the hunters dared not take aim at the chacma for fear of wounding their
comrade.
should
Strux,
beside

followed his example, and standing with


their

himself

with

on the

triggers

of

their

rage, shouted
fire,

agam and again


in his

that they

guns, were ready to raise them to their


shoulder.
in

and

furious agitation

The band

of

chacmas

was

sight, they were already sensible of some danger, and seemed on the lookThe great animal which had stolen out. the registers had, to their fancy, an

he would probably have done so, if it had not been that he was accidentally
without a cartridge for his gun, which

had been already discharged.

The combat continued sometimes


;

Pal-

appearance of being especially agitated. It had been already recognized by Palander,

ander, sometimes the chacma,

was up-

permost.
lacerated
to

who muttered something


looked as
if
it

like

an

The astronomer, bis shoulders by the creature's claws, tried

imprecation between his teeth.

The chacma
ing signs to
males,

was makfe-

its

companions; some

with their young ones on their

strangle his adversary. At last the bushman, seizing a favorable moment, made a sudden dash, and killed the ape with one blow of his hatchet.

shoulders, had collected in a group, and

Nicholas Palander, bleeding, exhausted

the males went to and fro around them.

and

insensible,

was picked up by

his

The hunters

still

drew

on,

one and

all

colleagues; in his last effort he had recap-

keeping a steady eye direct toward the


ostensible thief.

All at once, by

an

in-

tured his registers, which he was found unconsciously grasping to his bosom.

voluntary

movement,

Palander's
Sir

gun

The

carcass of the

chacma was con-

went

off in its hands.

John broke

out into an exclamation of disgust, and Ten reports instantly afterward fired.
followed, three chacmas lay dead on the

veyed with glee to the camp. At the evening repast it furnished a delicious meal to the hunters. To all of them,
but especially to Palander, not only had the excitement of the chase quickened
their appetite for the palatable dish, but

ground, and the rest, with a prodigious bound, passed over the hunters' heads.

The
it

robber

babooij

alone

remained;

the

which

darted at the trunk of a sycamore, with amazing agility, it climbed

relish was heightened by the gratifying knowledge that vengeance was sat-

isfied

and the records saved.


nearly ended.

and

disappeared

among

the

branches.

The work was

52

AMAZING STORIES
CHAPTER
XXIII
sire to

embrace, and added that he should


the Cape.

indulge the expectation that Zorn would

The Task Accomplished

at

some future time

visit

PALANDER'S
serious;

the

wounds were not bushman dressed the


sustained

With these mutual agreements they made their plans for future astronomical
researches,
that the

ever

reiterating

their

hopes

contused timbs with herbs and the

worthy

astronomer,

by

his

war would be at an end. "Anyhow," observed Emery, "Russia


will

triumph, was soon able to travel.

Any

and England
in

be at peace

before

exuberance on his part, however, was


of short duration, and he quickly became

the Colonel and Strux;

again engrossed in his world of figures.

I have no trust any reconciliation of theirs." For themselves, they could only re-

He

only

now

retained
it

one of the reg-

peat their pledges of mutual good-will.

isters,

because

had

been

thought

Eleven days after the adventure with


the

prudent that Emery should take possession of the other.


stances,

chacmas,
the

the

little

troop,

not

far
at

Under the circumPalander made the surrender

from

Zambesi

Falls,

arrived

level plain

several miles in extent,

a and

with entire good humor.

perfectly adapted

for the establishment

The
the

operation of seeking a plain suit-

of a base.

On
a

the edge of the plain rose

able for a base


1st of

April, the

was now resumed. On march was some;

a native

village,

composed of a few huts

containing
itants,

small

number of inhabthe

what retarded by wide marshes

to these

who

received

Europeans

succeeded numerous pools, whose waters

kindly. Colonel Everest found the prox-

spread a pestilential odor; but, by forming larger triangles, Colonel Everest and
his

imity of the natives very opportune, since

companions

soon

escaped

the

un-

healthy region.

The whole
spirits.

party

were

in

excellent

would occupy a month, and being without wagons, or any material for an encampment, he would have had no resource but to pass
the time in the open air, with no other
shelter than that afforded

the measurement of the base

gratulated

Zarn and Emery often conthemselves on the apparent


his

by the

foliage.

concord that existed between their chiefs.

The astronomers took up


in the huts,

Zorn one day expressed


friend that

hope to his

their abode which were quickly appro-

when

they returned to

Eu-

priated
pants.

for the use of their

new
were

occu-

rope they would find that peace had been

Their
their

requirements

but

concluded between England and Russia,


so
that

small;

one thought was directed

they

might

remain

as

good

friends as they had been in Africa.

towards verifying their calculations by measuring the last side of their last
triangle.

Emery
tirely
is

replied that he acquiesced en-

in

the hope;

in

days when war


they

seldom
all

long

protracted

might

their work.

The astronomers at once proceeded to The trestles and measuring


arranged with
all

hope

would be terminated by
already
it

the date

rods were
that

the

care

of their return.

had been applied

to the earliest base.


;

Zorn had

understood
Cape,

from
and

Nothing was neglected


the

all

the conditions

Emery
return

that

was not
to

his intention to

of the atmosphere, and the readings of

immediately

the

thermometer,

were

taken

into

ac-

expressed his hope that he might intro-

count, and the Commission, without flag-

duce him to the observatory at Kiew. This proposal Emery expressed his de-

ging, brought. every energy to bear


their final operation.

upon

MEASURING A MERIDIAN
The work, which lasted for five weeks, was completed on the 15th of May. When the lengths obtained had been
estimated and reduced to the

undertaken in the northern hemisphere.

The

value

was

to be the 1/10,000,000 of

the quadrant of the terrestrial meridian.

mean

level

According to previous calculations the


quadrant, taking the depression of the
earth into account, comprised 10,000,856

of the sea
Fahrenheit,

at

the

temperature of 61

Palander

and

Emery

pre-

sented to their colleague the

following

meters.

Whether
labors

this

was
the

correct

the

numbers
Toises.

subsequent

would have to

*****
of
decide.
their
task,

Commission

New

bases actually measured

5075 25
.

The astronomers had now


ished
for

entirely fin-

The same
series

base deduced trigo-

and

it

only remained

nometrically

from

the entire

them

to

reach

the

north

of

the

5075.11

Zambesi, by following inversely the route

afterward taken by Dr. Livingstone


Difference between the calculation
his second

in

voyage from 1358

to

1864.

and the observation

,14

On

the 25th of

May,

after a some-

what laborious journey across a country

Thus there was only a


less leas

difference of
is

intersected with rivers, they reached the

than 1-6 of a

toise,
;

that

to say,

Victoria Falls. These fine cataracts fully


justified
nifies

than ten inches


last

yet the

first

base

their

native

name, which
Sheets

sig-

and the
apart.

were six hundred miles


meridian
of

"sounding

smoke."
rushed
Niagara.

of

water
the

mile

wide,

crowned

When

France

was

double
twice

rainbow,
that

with a from a height

measured from Dunkirk to Perpignan, the difference between the base at Melun and that at Perpignan was eleven inches.

of

Across

the

deep basalt chasm the enormous torrent

produced a roar
thunder.

like peal

after peal of

The agreement obtained by the AngloRussian Commission was still more remarkable, and thus made the work
accomplished in the deserts of Africa,

Below the
regained
its

cataract,

where the river


the

calmness,

steamboat.

amid dangers of every


fect

kind,

more

per-

which had arrived a fortnight previously by an inferior affluent of the Zambesi,


awaited the astronomers,
their places

than any previous geodetic operation.

who soon
left

took

result

The accuracy of this unprecedented was greeted by the astronomers


According
to

on board. There were two to be

behind.

with repeated cheers.


Palander's
reductions,

Mokoum and the pioneer bank. In Mokoum the


leaving,

stood on the

English

were
friend.

the value of a the world

degree in this part of


toises.

not only a devoted guide, but


they

was 57,037
Cape
a
the

This was

one
Sir

whom

might

call

within a toise, the same as was found by


Lacaille at the
in 1752
;

thus, with

the

interval

of

century,

the

French
of
the

John was especially sorry to part from him, and had offered to take Him to Europe, and there entertain him as
long
as

astronomer

and

members

he

Anglo-Russian Commission had arrived


at

Mokoum

pleased to remain. But had previous engagements; in

almost exactly the same result.


the

To
they

deduce

value

of

the

mfaer,

fact, he was to accompany Livingstone on the second voyage which the brave

erations

would have to wait the issue of the opwhich were to be afterward

traveler

was about

to undertake

up the

Zambesi, and

Mokoum was

not a

man

54
to depart

AMAZING STORIES
from
a
his word.

He

was pre-

sented

with

substantial
still

recompense,

and, what he prized

more, the kind

assurances of regard of the Europeans,


to him.

months they had together experienced many trials, and how they had been rewarded by accomplishing a work which would call forth the admiration of all
scientific

who acknowledged how much they owed As the steamer left the shore
middle of the
river,

Europe.

He

could not refrain

to take the current in the

they
the

from giving expression to his trust that would feel themselves bound in

Sir

John's

last

gesture

was

to

common

fellowship of a true

alli-

wave an adieu

to his associate.

ance.

The
lages,
tives,

descent of the great river, whose


vil-

Strux bowed

slightly,

but did not in-

banks were dotted with numerous

terrupt the Colonel,

who
of

proceeded to

was soon accomplished.


smoking
vessel as
it

The

na-

deplore the tidings

the continuation

regarding with superstitious admir-

of warfare.

When

he referred to the
of

ation the

moved by

expected

capitulation

Sebastopol,
possibility

mysterious mechanism, made no attempt


to obstruct its progress.

Strux indignantly rejected the


of such an event, which no

union of

On
his

the 15th of June the Colonel and


arrived
at

France

and

England,

he

maintained,

companions

Quilimane,

could ever effect.

one of the principal towns at the mouth


of the Zambesi.
to ask for

There was, however,

that
tion,

it

Their first thought was news of the war. They found had not yet come to a terminastill

on

all

sians

was admitted hands, a propriety in the Rusand English submitting to the


it

national status of hostility.


sities of their position

The

neces-

and that Sebastopol was

hold-

ing out against the allied armies.

This

was

a disappointment to the Europeans,

now
lence,

so united in one scientific object;


si-

but they received the intelligence in

were thus clearly and imder these conditions they embarked in company on board La Novara. In a few days they arrived at Suez.
defined,

and prepared to
merchant- vessel,

start.

An

Aus-

At

the

moment
are

of

separation

Emery

trian

La Novara, was
passage.

grasped Zorn's hand, and said

just setting out

for Suez; in that they

"We

always

friends,

Michael!"

resolved to take their

Three days

after, as they

were on the

"Always and everywhere, William !" ejaculated Zorn; and with this senti-

point of embarking, the Colonel assembled his colleagues, and in a calm voice

reminded them how in the

first

eighteen

ment of mutual devotion they parted. The Commission was dissolved. The great work was complete.

The toise is a French unit of length no longer in general use, being supplanted by the meter. Its length is 2J315 yards, or 63948 feet, or 1S49 meter.

The End

55

The
We
stories.

Velocity of Escape
By JOE W.

SKIDMORE

have found by long experience that our readers like interplanetary They give a scope for most exciting episodes, and some of our best authors have really, in a sense, made a reputation by this class of work, Mr, Skidmore not only gives us a very good story of the adventures of men on contending space ships, but by introducing plenty of the personal element makes it a truly exciting narration.

Illustrated

by

MOREY
His had
fine figure

CHAPTER

ing.

and handsome

fea-

tures

stirred the heart of

many

a fair

The Falcon Swoopi

maid.

It is not to record that Millstein

aspired to be a

Don

Juan.

Unlimited

AVERY
of
secret

much worried group


scientists

wealth and early scientific training from a father famed in research had vested
Millstein

famous

were

gathered together in one of


the United States government

with every advantage of un-

The

best scientific
hastily

underground chambers. minds in all the world

had been

tant conference.

summoned to this imporFrom various countries


Swift airplanes

and physical training. called him before and intrigues against the Many times he had thundered on flashing wing to distant
usual

education

The government had

to destroy plots

safety of civilization.

they had been gathered.

parts of the globe, there to solve, after


incredible

and space cars had been utilised to gather the great group of the world's keenest
intellects.

adventures,

some weird

plot

against organized society.

"I
voice

tell

you,

Gentlemen,"

Millstein's

Had

the meeting not been considering

a mighty problem that concerned the very existence of the world itself, it would have been highly important for one reason alone the presence of Donald Mill-

rang out clear and strong, "this looks like the work of the Falcon to me."

A
ion.

murmur

of excited comment ran


It

around the

table.

was quite evident

the group did not share Millstein's opin-

stein,

famous

scientist

and adventurer,

The

latter's

dark eyes flashed as he


like a crazy theory to

had been requested by none other than the President of the United States. Just now Millstein was speaking, and the
erudite and bearded gentlemen around the

hastened to confirm his theory,


"It

may sound

you. Gentlemen, but you remember that


the Falcon has several times before tried
to

council table listened hopefully


tively.

and

atten-

overthrow our government.

He

"

"Who
voice.

is

the

Falcon?" interrupted a

was not of the usual type of scientist. He was not aged and bearded neither was he bespectacled. Quite the contrary, he was young, virile and upstandMillstein

"Strange you don't know," said Millstein.

"I thought everyone


is

knew about
story.

the Falcon. His

a strange, tragic

56

AMAZING STORIES

Millstein fulled a group of levers while his eyes watched the reflectoscope. In an instant ten small space cars flashed away on their Ions journey toward
earth.

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


Verensky
scientist.
is

57

his

name a wealthy Russian


;

recall the horrible panics

when

the mone-

He

is tall,

incredibly strong, but

tary value of gold

went

to nothing, be-

of an aesthetic type

a dreamer.

Some
to this

cause the gold stored in vaults, banks and

ten years ago, in nineteen hundred and


eighty-one, to be correct, he

jewelry stores dissolved into a gray powder

came

when

it

came within the

influence of

country with a great plan for new laboraAt tories and scientific development.
that time he

the disintegrating vibrations.

chine that Verensky

Each mamade had an effecwas


I

was an

altruist,

but the mas-

tive radius of ten miles.

sive brain contained within his herculean

"You perhaps
destroying them.

recollect that I

in-

body became overworked. He had trouble with our own Internal Revenue Departmade a heavy income tax Hen against the Russian, Verensky. The tax
ment, that

strumental in locating these machines and

At

that

time

was

wounded
was
shot

in a duel

with the Falcon.

He He me

in his fast
fight at

monoplane.

We had quite
feet.

assessment developed into a battle that

a dog

twenty thousand

supreme courts. To make Verensky lost. Stubbornly he refused to pay the amount involved, and the Revenue Department filed a lien against his immense holdings.
lingered in our
the story short,

me

in the shoulder

and brought

down. About twice a year I receive a message signed 'The Falcon.' Here, let

me

read this one that came only a week

ago."

Finally a part of

the

Russian's

brain

Donald Millstein had spoken frankly


without any hint of boastfulness.

a maniac, obsessed with the idea of overthrowing all forms of government; wedded to the idea of desnapped.
stroying
peared.
all

He became

The

group knew
only
the

that Millstein
truth.

was speaking

simple

They waited
Millstein

organized society.
last ten

He

disap-

eagerly for him to continue.

For the

years no one

glanced around the assembly as he unfolded a paper and read.

has

known

of his whereabouts, but his

and machinations have been full well his handiwork in the poison fogs that spread over Europe some years ago. I had a part in overcoming that terror. You will remember that the United States air forces coevil influence
felt.

"To

my

enemy,

Donald

Millstein.
in

You know

Thrice you have thwarted


the earth.

me

my

at-

tempt to remove a cruel government from

The Falcon

is

swooping again.

Beware!"
"Millstein,

where do you think the Fal-

operated with
that

me

in finding his planes,

con keeps in hiding ?"


"I have a theory, Gentlemen, that the

were spreading the deadly

fogs.

Falcon

lives in a giant spaGe car far out

yERENSKY,
*

or the Falcon, as

he
to

smugly

calls himself, is a

menace
will

the world.

His distorted brain

never

beyond the stratascope. There his evil mind plans his schemes of revenge, and he must have a marvelous laboratory and
trained assistants"

stop working until he has destroyed the

world,

or has been

destroyed himself.
too, the great

"But

all

space ships have been searched.

You, Gentlemen, remember,


five,

Each one

panic of nineteen hundred and eighty-

when

the clever Falcon devised a


set

is numbered and well known," broke in the stubborn voice again. "Quite true," agreed Donald, "but re-

powerful machine that


structure of gold.

up

peculiar,

member
genius.

the

Falcon
too,

is

resourceful
in

powerful vibrations to destroy the atomic

Then,

perhaps he lives

He

built

many

of

some
with

vast cavern of the earth.

Lately I

these machines and placed them in the great financial centers of the world. You

have been conducting some experiments my radio apparatus to see if I can

58
locate his sending stations.
tist

AMAZING STORIES
Such a
scien-

"In the case of the atmosphere in this


secret room, far below the surfaces of

as the Falcon will, of course, have


stations.
re-

powerful sending and receiving


sources are simply amazing.

the earth in the secret tunnels of the

His uncanny wisdom and devilish


I

government, our temperature


thirty-two
chilly.

is

about

say this to

degrees

Fahrenheit.

Rather

you, Gentlemen;
the Falcon
is

have the feeling that

The

small particles of oxygen

we

listening to our conversa-

are

now

breathing are bouncing from one

tion this very

An
and

moment." amazed murmur circled


scientist

another with an average speed of about


the table,

two miles per second.


of

This, however,

is

all

stared incredulously towards the

only the average velocity.

Many atoms
times greater.
up, that speed

young

oxygen

strike,

bounce and rebound

"Now, Gentlemen,
calamity that
is

as to this terrible
us.

again with a speed


If

many
room

before

We

have

dis-

we would

heat this
It's

covered lately that the oxygen surrounding the entire earth


is

would
all

increase.

a curious fact that

becoming

diffused,

atoms do not possess the same speed


heated
to

or shall

we
and

say thinning out


is

In other

when

the

same
water

degree.

words, something
oxygen,

happening to our
life

Oxygen,
which, as

nitrogen
I

and

vapor,

human

cannot
In

exist

have stated before, are the


all

without this precious element.

many

chief three gases of our air,

behave

sections of the world malignant plagues

about the same.

On
will

the other hand, he-

of consumption and other lung diseases

lium gas atoms


velocity.

bounce from one


about twice their

are increasing in terrific epidemics.

Even

collision to another with

now

in this

room,

all

of us are breathing

heavily

and swiftly in order to absorb enough oxygen for our lungs.


three chief gases of our atmos-

In fact, some helium atoms have a speed of twenty-five miles per


second.
air with

cannon

ball

goes up in the
It leaves the

tremendous

force.

"'T*HE

earth at the rate of less than a mile per

and water vapor. The atoms of oxygen and nitrogen have plenty of elbow room in which to dart about. Although they freJ- phere

are

oxygen,

nitrogen

second, and then because of gravity, re-

turns to earth.

But

if

the cannon ball

were
it

to be shot into the air with

an

initial

velocity of about seven miles per second,

quently collide with each other, they de-

would never

return.
it

For countless

velop a very great speed.


heat
is

We

know

that

millions of years

might wander through


getting to the

due to the degree of nervousness

space like a meteoroid.

of these atoms, or groups of atoms.


air that

The

"Now, Gentlemen, I'm


point of

we

inhale into our lungs is full

my

theory.

If a

cannon

ball

of swiftly moving protons and electrons. Let us imagine air one hundred degrees

could be shot into the air with a velocity

of

more than seven

miles per second, and


is

below zero, Fahrenheit. In this condition the atomic motions would be very

never return to earth, what

true of a

much more sluggish than they are in the Stretch our air we are now breathing.
imaginations a bit further and imagine
the air so cold that electrons did not re-

cannon ball is also true of an atom. If after thousand and millions of collisions,

an atom

may
is

finds itself in the upper air, it be going at 90 great a speed that the
it.

gravity of earth cannot recall

Earth

volve at

all.

This temperature would be

approximately four hundred and sixtynine degrees below zero.

This complete

so large that no atom can bounce away unless it has a speed of more than seven miles a second. Our most valuable gases,

lack of heat is the absolute zero.

oxygen, nitrogen and water vapor, are

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


slow
speed.

59

an d

seldom
at
the

exceed

that

c ritical

is

"Even

temperature at which

water freezes, a hydrogen atom has an

from the earth?" what I mean," insisted Millstein. "Perhaps it's been going on for a year or more, and, as you know, we
flying

away

"That

is

exactly

average speed of more than seven miles


per second and, of course,

are just beginning to


effect of the thinning
air."

feel

the horrible

many hydro-

out process of the

gen atoms would have a far greater speed.

To

illustrate

more

clearly, let us consider

A
Up

tall

figure at the head of the table

the planet Mercury.

cannon

ball witfi

rose; the President of the United States.


to this time, that leader of a

two miles per second would leave that planet forever. This state of affairs is due to the smallness of Mercury. Its gravity force is so slight that a body would fall only four feet durthe velocity of only

nation had not spoken.

mighty His calm eyes

swept over the gathering. "Donald Millstein, I have listened and believe in your theory. Before, in emergencies, the

ing the

first

second.

The

blinding sun-

government has

called

and

light of Mercury would make an oxygen excitable Its nature atom nervous. would cause billions of its comrades to dart about, collide and bounce at a speed much in excess of two miles per second. Thus it was that Mercury lost its pre-

government

depended upon you. I ask you to take The full charge of this investigation. is behind you. I am remem-

moment your past services, and pledge you unlimited support. What can the government do to help you ?'*
bering at this
It was typical of Millstein that he igfine compliment and from the greatest man in the land. His whole mind was concentrated to the task of solving the mighty problem. Peo-

cious air countless millions of years ago.

Even
to

lost all the gases,

which from time


its

nored completely the

time have been emitted by

vol-

praise

cano s.

"On
of

the planet

Mars an atom of

air

would only have


bounce

to possess the velocity

ple

all

over the world, gasping for breath,


his

more than three miles per second to away and never return. On
is

were breathing
hopeful prayer.

name, their words a

Venus, 'The Velocity of Escape'

ap-

proximately seven miles." "I cannot understand," interrupted one


of the
scientists,

"Mr. President, I thank you, and I will call upon your Department of Chemistry and Science for their best man and if an
;

"what

this has

to

do

idea

have proves to have merit, I


call

shall

with the Falcon."

ask you for power to


fighters of

out the space

our Air Navy."

"TT means just this," continued MillA stein. "Verensky is a most dangerous criminal, an insane man obsessed with the idea of wiping out the earth. You

"It

is

granted," stated the President.

CHAPTER

II

must not underrate his powers. In some manner this insane genius has developed
a process, perhaps a machine, that emits exciting rays that increase the speed of
the atoms of oxygen, causing them to act
as the hypothetical cannon ball.

Atomic Solar Systems

DON MILLSTEIN
nearest flying
special plane.
field,

left the

meetfast

ing and was carried in a government automobile to

the

Already

my
a

laboratories are conducting tests."

where he had left his Millstein was most courthe

"You mean," broke


famous
scholar,

Doctor Benson, "that our oxygen


in

ageous, but the iron-nerved secret service

operator

who

tooled

powerful at-

60

AMAZING STORIES
cussed and arranged that the diminutive
solar system of an atom of oxygen was thrown on the screen. The projection machine was then slowed down so that it barely revolved. During the taking of the pictures, the camera had been operated at a fearful velocity. A most remarkable miniature solar system was projected on the screen. Worlds planets revolving

mored car through Washington traffic Don many a thrill. A few moments at the airport, and Millstera was thundering through the air at three hundred miles
gave

per hour.

Three hours
derful

later

he was in his wonwell

laboratory,

hidden Jack

among

bleak
trusted

Vermont

hills.

Cromwell,
flights

assistant,

who always accomand

panied Millstein on desperate


iously.

about each other in fixed orbits


In spite of the fact that the machine had slowed down their movements by

dangerous espionage, was waiting anx-

"Glad

to

see

you, Millstein.

We're

many thousand
the screen.

times, always the whirl-

getting a mysterious message on the radio


that's intended for you. It's

ing pairs of the electrons fairly raced on

been repeated
is

several times,

and who do you think

"There you

are,

Cromwell.

Look
itself.

at

sending it?"

that small solar system all

by

"The Falcon?"
"Yes, Chief, and here's what he says."

nucleus of oxygen. See


fairly whirl.

how

the electrons

Much

too fast for normal

"Never mind what he says, Jack. Go back to the radio and see f you can find if the message is coming from near-by Wait a minute. What or from space. does the message say?" Jack Cromwell flashed an amused grin as he read aloud from a slip of paper. "To Donald Millstein. Beware, my
i

oxygen.

Some kind

of ray or a magnetic
is

or electrical

influence

increasing the

normal speed of the oxygen atoms."

humor

"Well," mused Jack, who always saw in every situation, "perhaps the

Falcon has done something to set them on a spree." "Whatever it is, Jack, it's most serious.

enemy.
plans.

Do
From

not attempt to thwart


the Falcon."
it,"

my

The world

is

about to be deprived
will

of
Millstein.
is

its

oxygen and
is

soon become a

"That

settles

stated
it.

dead, hopeless sphere.

As yon perhaps
Its

"There's no doubt of

The Falcon

know, oxygen
weight
cleus of
is

the eighth element.


is

back of this terrible oxygen starvation.

atomic number

eight,

and

its

atomic

After you work with the radio, come


the laboratory.

to

sixteen.

Therefore each nu-

You and

I are

going to
his

do some microscopic work." For many hours Millstein and


trained assistants did not rest.

oxygen has eight free or orbital electrons and eight bound electrons. "There are only a few of the known
elements that are so exactly and evenly divided as to free electrons and bound
electrons.
it is

Involved

Tired, were conducted. weary eyes strained through powerful

experiments

Perhaps

this is the reason that

lenses.

From

time

to

time

Millstein,
inin-

possible for the Falcon to accelerate

whose eyes were fairly glued to his strument, would call out details and
structions to his assistants.

by some means the speed of the electrons


in this element.

"Come
stein, after

here,

Cromwell," from Mill-

at these films

a long, studied silence. "Look we've developed."

"|)Y the 13 give


To
take

you

way, Cromwell, did I ever this very important rule ?

A
tion

microscopic motion picture projec-

discover the make-up of any element, the full number of the atomic

machine was

fitted

up and so

fo-

weight.

That represents the number of

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


protons in the nucleus. For instance, gold has one hundred and ninety-seven of

61
Millstein's

"Yes,

it

is."

face

was
are

slightly pale.

"This message from the


states

them.
is

Now the

number of

free electrons

government

that

thousands

this case of gold, seventy-nine.

represented by the atomic number, in The nu-

cleus, therefore, consists of

one hundred

dying in the regions of high altitudes. Urges me to speed up investigation. The message is more of a prayer than a com-

and ninety-seven protons. Of the electrons within an atom of gold, seventynine would be free or orbital electrons, while one hundred and eighteen would be

mand.
perate.
is

tell

you, Jack, things are des-

I'm certain
all

back of
his

of

this.

now that the Falcon By the way, Jack,


in

when

message came

on the radio,

bound

electrons."
at Millstein's direc-

do you think the sending station was


close or far?"

Trained assistants
tion next placed

an atom of oxygen so that it could be bombarded with high voltage. This device, called an "Alpha Ray"
machine,
projected

must have been from a great distance, for the reception wavered, and was very faint until I amplified it, and it had
"It

charges

of

several

a great deal of static."

million volts of potential directly into the


little

For a moment Millstein remained


lent.

si-

solar system of the

oxygen nucleus.
sighed at the

Then

a light broke over his face.

Millstein,
result.

worn and
It's

tired,

"It's

no

use.

not electricity that


See.
in

is

"Do you know, Jack, I believe that if we could find the Falcon and net him, this problem might be solved. By Jove!
I'm sure he's sending those messages

speeding up the atoms.


solar system

That

little

was exploded
rise

a normal
that's

manner, and we know for certain that


it's

from space. Ill bet he has a space car of immense size and practically lives in it.
That's

not

of

temperature
Let* s try

why

the best brains in the world

affecting their speed.


netic influence."
It

a magbut
it

have been unable to find him."


"Great Cosmos!" shot out Cromwell,

took hours to make this

test,

"Do you mean


crook can

to say that

revealed nothing.

The

orbital electrons

lick the

one scientific whole world V*

of the oxygen atoms performed normally,

Millstein sprang erect with

an excited

except that they continued to rotate at


their

exclamation as Cromwell spoke,

"Do you
a

mad, unusual speed. suppose," from Cromwell


"that the
positive

in

COSMOS. Why
mos'?

studied tone,

and

do you say 'CosDon't you get it? Cosmic

negative charges of the electrons have

rays!" Millstein's voice rose to a high,


excited pitch as he went on.

been reversed by some means ?"


"I thought of that," replied Millstein.
"It's

"Cosmic

rays are considered by

some

scientists to

my

theory that

versed, the atoms

if charges were rewould not have acted

be the signals sent out through the ether, announcing the continuous creation of the
heavier metals out of the lighter.

as they did under the test of the voltage

Many

bombardment.

No

it's

not that."
interruption

years ago

it

was thought

that cosmic rays

Just then there

was an

originated from the fierce energy of the


sun, generated in that mighty globe of

from a trusted assistant. "Mr. Millstein, here is a very important message that just came from govern-

gas by the exploding atoms that provide its boundless energy. Later it was found,

ment headquarters." "Bad news, Chief?" asked Jack anxiously.

however, when machines called electroscopes were lowered into deep lakes, that
the cosmic rays
still

had

their effect.

This

62

AMAZING STORIES
structure of their electrons within each of
their atoms, that the cosmic rays,

machine was originally designed by the famous Dr. Robert A. Millikan. His apparatus was composed of delicate quartz
fibers so

due to

their

arranged that when the fibers


electricity,

atom building, are included in the oxygen cosmic rays. So you see, Cromwell,
it

were charged with one kind of they would repel and remain
as

may

be that the study of nitrogen us to solve the secret

apart, but

and carbon
mystery.

wfll help

soon as the cosmic rays influenced

them, penetrating the shell of the electroscope, the electrical charge of the fibers

"TXTE
*

was knocked
effect

off

in

proportion to the

must look into an atom of hydrogen. Hydrogen atoms are the

of

the

rays,

causing the quartz

fundamental bricks of the physical universe.

fibers to

come

close together.

Then, by

They are
all

the lightest of any


in

measuring the
fibers

rate of the collapse of the

and the simplest


simplest of
in

construction.
is

atom The

and the discharge of the electricity from them, the great Millikan was able
prove the strength of cosmic rays
.

elements

hydrogen gas,

which one electron revolves around a


Let us compare
to a solar sys-

to

at

nucleus of one proton.


this

any moment
effect
at

He made

the astounding

atom of hydrogen gas

discovery that these rays have the same


night as in the daytime, thus

tem, that consisted of just the

Sun and
the

Mercury.

proving that the rays do not originate

They would be approximately


rotations

same

from the mighty energy of the sun. "Millikan also found out in his experi-

as to their relative sizes, distances apart,

and

orbits.

ments that some rays were more penetrating than others, which proved that
cosmic rays had different characteristics.
Tests showed that could
lead.

"But

to

make

this short,

you know that

scientists

found only a few years ago that

the cosmic rays are "photons," such as


light

some

of

these

rays of

and X-rays, rather than electrons,


that the in

pass

through

seventeen

feet

and

cosmic rays are not genlocal

Owing

to the research of the


it

magspace.

erated plexes

the

nificent scientist,

was decided
still

that cos-

mic rays came from


Later, with Millikan
devices,
it

interstellar

Way but

the

astronomical

solar system

comand the Milky


regions, mil-

are born from atomic disturb-

laboring at his

ances in the

unknown space

was discovered that the cosmic


bands or groups of the specit

lions of light years

rays are divided very distinctly into several distinct


in

away." Cromwell had been gazing


adoration

at

MiDstem
dis-

during the

technical

trum.

Then

was proven

that each of

course.

the spectrum bands of the cosmic rays

He

suddenly spoke.
I

corresponds to the production of a particular kind of

"Chief,

believe you've got


is

it.

atom, as when the atoms

"The Falcon
rays."

fooling with die cosmic

of helium gas are being built in sky space


there
is

released

definite

band of cosmic
is

rays, called the

helium cosmic ray bands.


being
is

Again, when an oxygen atom

going to

made, another sort of cosmic ray


charged.

dis-

The generation

of silicon and

"Yes," muttered Millstein, his mind with a thousand details. "We're fly back to Washington at once. Then we're taking my space ship, 'Nemesis,' out into space. We're going to
filled

iron atoms causes the emission of very


different and distinct ray bands.

look for the Falcon.

"He's doing something to the cosmic


days,

"Now
to

nitrogen and carbon are so close


in

and that

is

causing

all

of

the

oxygen

their

atomic pattern, the

trouble that is over us."

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


CHAPTER
The Space
III

63
Millstein gave out

In the control

room
with

detailed instructions while the ship

was
care.

Trail

being

checked

painstaking

Millstein

was

in a studious

mood.
out

JACK

was an exceland while they were flying back to the government port for space ships, Millstein managed to get two
lent pilot,

CROMWELL

"You know
quite

after

all,

Jack," he said

dubiously,

"we're going
It's

on

rather a wild goose chase.

just a

hunch."

needed hours of

sleep.

Cromwell was
sturdy
little

a skilled

was well that pilot and that the


It
diffi-

"Somehow
the
right
fail."

I feel.

Chief, that we're

on

track.

Your hunches never


two government

plane was equipped with a

very powerful motor, for he found


culty
in

Word came

that the

maintaining any safe altitude


Finally, however, after
signals,

in the thin air.

making proper

they circled and

came to a perfect three-point landing. For miles great hangars stretched,


towering high in the
air.

scouts were ready to take off any second. Millstein, connected to the two government space ships by radio telephone, gave them detailed instructions as to their flight and course. Then he turned his

Great

steel

eyes to the control board of his space


car.

towers rose at different places.

These
derricks

His hands lovingly caressed the


instruments

towers were built for the launching of


space ships.

levers,

and gauges,
Millstein

as

a
the

These elongated

skilled artist at

a piano.
in

acted as guides to launch space ships into


the blue vault of the sky.

"Ready !" snapped With a

mouthpiece of the phone.


laboratory,

While

flying

from

their

careful glance at the gauget, he

Cromwell, at Millstein's direction, had


radioed ahead to government headquarters,

pulled a lever.

The top of
steel
;

the great

hangar opened up, and a


as a
its

guide

slid

requesting that

two of

the finest and

noiselessly, high into the air

a guide such

fastest

United States space fighters be

tremendous sky rocket would use for


impetus.

assigned to Millstein.

The government
two ships and
Millstein

initial

had wired back

its

instant approval, with

the information that the

another lever.
felt

crews would be ready when


arrived.

"Power!" snapped Millstein, pulling For a moment the two as though some relentless force was
Acceleration

squeezing their bodies to an unbearable


scientist

The
soon

and

his

assistant

were

degree.

was taking
beyond the
it

its toll.

in

the great

hangar that housed

"'Well, Jack, We're

strata-

Millstein's personal space ship, the


esis.'

'Nemdefastest

scope. as

Do you

realize that

did not take

Millstein

had

spent
ship,

years
the

much power
It

as

usual

to

leave the

veloping

the

space

atmosphere?
rapidly."

must be thinning very

man-made
and

thing

that

ever

rocketed

through space.
strange,

The

craft possessed

new
that
in

"What

are your plans?"


if

powerful

weapons,

"I have a theory that

the Falcon

is

were known only

to Millstein

and a few

some way

affecting the cosmic rays,

of his highly trusted assistants.


interplanetary expeditions, and

Many
was a
he

then he will be only a few thousand miles

times he had used this craft on dangerous


it

from

the surface of the earth; so 111

tell

mark of
ernment

distinction

and favor

that

could house his private ship at the govport.

you what I'm going to do. I'm going to start making circles around the earth at about one thousand miles from its surface.

Our

first

circle we'll

make

at a

64

AMAZING STORIES
"Do you know, Cromwell,"
a mysterious
love
there

velocity of five thousand miles per hour.

was
"I
the

Then well proceed outward


tional

to

an addi-

light in Millstein's eyes,


I

one thousand miles from the sur-

my

'Nemesis.'

believe she
built

is

face of the earth and circle the globe


again.

fastest thing that

was ever

by man.

Next time

we'll

run the speed up


Don't
circling

Some day
tile

I'm going to build a projecwill ever be able to fly


light, for

to ten thousand miles per hour.

that will fly at toe speed of light."

you

see,

Jack, that

if

we keep

"But no one
at the

the globe

and gradually work outward,


flight, I

speed of

you know

that
lived

increasing the velocity of our


figure

Einstein, that great scientist

who

that

in

twenty hours well have

many

years ago,

was

the

first

to discover

reached a point where the Falcon might


be located? him.

This way
the

we
in

cannot miss
the forward
tele-

an object were to travel at the speed of light, it would cease to exist."


that if

Provide the men


with
tell

"How

can anything cease to exist?"


"There's no limit to
is

lookouts

high-powered

argued Millstein.

scopes, and

them

to search the heavbest

the smallness of things, as there


limit to the largeness of things.
I

no

ens at

all

times.

Keep our
if

men

at
lo-

You and
our
size

the radio detectors to see

they can

know

we're

now

traveling at a velocity

cate

any

ship.

We'll investigate every


I

that in a slight degree reduces


that
feel

ship

we

meet.

have

full

government

authority, and the

government has asked


to have her space craft

we possessed on earth. We don't any discomfort, and I believe that


to travel at the speed of

the other planets to cooperate in our need.

when man comes


light,

Venus has agreed


investigated."

he will continue to diminish in size


ill

hut will suffer no a big job to search the


the difference
;

effect,

and not

realize

"Chief,

it's

his

surroundings would be deep

whole universe."

proportionately decreased in mass."

"That fiend

is

some

place in our

own

"You're
Chief.

talking

too

for

me,

planetary system," insisted Millstein resolutely,

"and I'm going

to find

him."

want

to

But say, there's one thing I do know. You've been working for
this

months on

ship,

secretly

installing

HOURS
earth,

passed, and the "Nemesis" was many thousand miles from the

some new weapons.


erful

Tell

me

about them.

This craft already had the most pow-

which now glowed like a moon. Both Jack and Millstein had obtained a
needed
rest,

armament
Here's a

in the

universe."
that,

"I'm glad you mentioned


well.
little

CromIt

leaving the control of the

device that's going

ship to efficient officers.

to spring a surprise

on the Falcon.

"Cromwell, are the two government


ships keeping in close contact with us?"

has sights like the turret guns of the


obsolete battleships.

old,

When

these levers

"Yes, Chief. They're directly in our


rear.

are moved, a tube

is

thrust from the nose

Number

seven-H-five

is

a hundred

of our ship and can be pointed at any

miles to our right, and


six is

Number seven-Hin the rear to

other space ship or object in space by

two hundred miles

merely

aligning

the

pointer

on

this

the left.

We

are at

all

times in constant

smoked

glass against the reflected object."

communication with them.


ful shape, but say they're

They

report

"Vyy
"Well,

ingenious,"
it

agreed

Cromwell,
powerful
engine
this

that their ships are operating in

wonderfull

"but what good does


it's

do i"
to

running at

connected

power of
with
less
us.

their atomic tubes to

keep up
un-

motors and transformers

in the

We can't increase our speed

rooms of our

ship.

When

you pull

we want

to leave the ships behind."

lever," Millstein indicated a small lever

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


like

65

a trigger of the obsolete Colt

45, "it

leuses within that space ship, the whole

releases a ray that literally bathes itself

structure

is

certain to fall apart."

over any space ship at which


pointed.

it

might be

"But
lead

there are lots of elements used in

This energy ray reverses the

a space ship, such as copper, aluminum,

direction of the flow of electrical energy

and

others,"

argued
in their

Cromwell.
those
steel,

through the protons and electrons


element
it

in

any
inele-

"These have no iron


elements

composition."
all

caresses.

It

will

disintegrate

"Yes," agreed Millstein, "but


are always

some of the denser metals almost


stantly, setting

fastened

to

up a "discontented"
the electrons

which has iron content.


steel shell of

Think

of

the

ment condition among

and

a space ship going to pieces."

protons, such as exists in radium, except


that the process of disintegration

"You're

right.

The expansion

ray

is

would
too,
it

be greatly speeded.

Naturally,

going to be tough for the enemy. Have you any other nice little things up your
sleeve?"

would have the


fect

lesser but devastating ef-

of

instantly

burning

out

all

the

"Just two more," answered Millstein.

enemy's
radios

electrical circuits

and motors
equipment. I

"This third device, which points


explained,
travel

its

pro-

in fact all electrical

jection tube similar to the others I have

am

anxious to try

this device out

on the

shoots

out vibrations
light.

which
this

Falcon, Cromwell.

There was no place

on a beam of

When
effect

on earth I could make a safe test without damaging too much surface."

beam, carrying the deadly rays, space ship, it has a powerful


the atomic structure of
all

strikes a

on
I
it.

"Well !" exclaimed Cromwell, wideeyed, "you have got a surprise for the Falcon I don't know what earth would
!

elements.

don't

know

just

how

discovered

have done the


talent.

last ten years

without your
practically

Stumbled on it quite by accident, but this ray, combined with the vibration, instantly stops the orbits of electrons
in

You've

developed

every new weapon they have."

any element.

This of course produces

close to absolute zero,

and unless the oc-

"XT EVER mind


*^
to
tell

the bouquets.
this

you about

want weapon
I

cupants of a space car had something to

overcome these
instantly."

rays, they

would be frozen
lately.

here," said Millstein, pointing to a device,


the controls of which were similar to the
first.

"You've been have

working
keeping

Why
things

"This operates

in

practically the
call
it

you

been

these

same manner, except


expansion ray.

that I
its

my

secret?"

When

fearful energy
it

"I wanted to have a chance to try

floods itself over

any element,

causes

them

first."

the orbits of the electrons

within that

"Well," grinned Cromwell,


the Falcon and test 'em out.

"let's find

element to suddenly enlarge the circles of


their orbits

What's the

many

million times. This, of


effect as

other pop-gun you were talking about?"

course, has the sion

same

an explobut

"This apparatus produces vibrations so


shrill

of

T.N.T. Unfortunately, so far

and intensely rapid they

will pene-

I've been unable to affect anything

trate

many

feet

of most elements and

the electrons within an iron nucleus, but

instantly paralyze the brain of

any human and by

of course almost every metal in a space


ship

or living creature.
project
it

have managed to
light,
I

has some iron in


if

its

composition.

on a beam of
all

So

we

can maneuver our projection

turning this other switch,


the vibrations

can produce

tubes to bathe this ray over a space ship,

around our space ship,

and explode

all

the billions of iron nuc-

but o course in using this latter method,

66
the vibrations

AMAZING STORIES
weaken very rapidly as
This device
is

enough. There's a sight you mustn't miss,

they widen into space.


last

the great
me
sight!

star cluster of Hercules.

Let

card to play.

Suppose, for instance,

point your glass.

What

a magnificent

we
to

could succeed in darting our ship close

an enemy, and flooded them with these vibrations. I calculate that this weapon
will be active up to a ten mile radius around our ship."

From earth these thousands and thousands of stars that make up the clustre of

Hercules appear as a single very

blurred star. Just think, Jack.

The

light,

by which we see these


ment,
left

stars at this

mo-

"I've

heard enough technical

stuff,"

the cluster before the Cro-

begged Cromwell. "You've got


going around in a whirl.

my How far

brain

Magnon
to

race entered
his

Europe and began

are

draw

wonderful pictures of bison

we now from earth?"


"We've made our tenth
revolution,"
stated Millstein, "and we're only a hun-

and horses

in the

famous caves of France.


now,
long journey towards

The
and

light that's leaving that cluster

starting

on

its

dred thousand miles from earth.


step
into

Let's

earth, will

meet our remote descendants

the

observation
clear.

room.

The

heavens are unusually


clouds
;

No
bit

cosmic

perhaps

we can do a

of adven-

I wonwhat kind of a wonderful race those light beams from Hercules will

in the year Thirty-eight thousand.


der, Jack,

turing with the telescopes."

find."

The two
ful glasses.

seated themselves in comfort-

"I suppose

it's

hopeless to try and get

able chairs, their eyes adjusted to power-

you to

talk about anything but scientific

things,"

sighed

Cromwell.

"I'd

rather

talk about the Falcon."

Cromwell knew

'"T^ HERE'S a sight X well. Look at that


the clouds of Magellan.
stars are a

even though Millstein was discoursing on


for you,

Croniscientific

matters of a technical nature

smaller group of

that his keen brain

was shrewdly was

analyz-

Those

billions of

ing and testing every theory relating to


the problem at hand. This
ditional
difficult

hundred thousand
earth.

light years

their tra-

away from
little

the
,

They appear as a away from Milky Way. Once I was on an expecloud that had blown

way

of working together on a

dition at the

South Pole, and on very


group was
visible to the
all

problem. Cromwell had learned by long experience to fall into Millstein's mood. It seemed to stimulate the scientist's

clear nights that

brain to give out information.

naked eye. If

the lights in that group

"Say, Chief, in the laboratory the other


day, you spoke about photons.

were concentrated in one point, they would be about as bright as the North
Star.

What

are

photons ?"
"Well, Cromwell,
I

Their faintness

is

due to the enorstars are

guess you've got

mous

distance, yet thousands of stars in


billions of

me

cornered at

last.

I've said

enough

to

that cloud of

two

hundred thousand times brighter than our


sun.
If the

you about cosmic rays for one time, but photons are closely associated with cosmic
rays, light
still

sun suddenly acquired such


all

and

color.

We

scientists are

brightness,

Hie on earth would be

groping at the bottom of a vast sea

instantly burnt to a crisp, or the earth

of yet undiscovered wonders.


plest

The

sim-

and

all

on

it

might be vaporized."
Cromwell,

way

to put

it

would be

to say that

"Very
"Oh,

interesting," snorted

photons, sometimes called "quanta," are

"but we're out here to find the Falcon."


I

a series of light waves, consisting of


countless billions and billions of tiny bullets

know

you're

anxious

for a

genuine scrap, but that will come soon

of energy.

Laboratory experiments

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


have proven that the difference between

67
Millstein!

GREAT
is

SCOTT,

What

and red color is in the number of microscopic waves of light, which enter
violet

that great,

white mass to the

right

It

looks like

your eyes in a second of time. If seven

a gob of sour milk

someone had poured in a bowl of thick


it

hundred and

fifty-six millions of millions

chocolate and then stirred

violently."

enter your eyes in a second, your nerves

Millstein did not reply for

some

time.

are affected in such a


the sensation violet.

way that you call These waves cannot


the

Finally he spoke with a chuckle in his


voice.

be seen in a microscope. For your edification,

my embryo
has

scientist,

number

of waves per inch in each color in the

"That group of stars, Jack, is the great Nebula of Andromeda. It's barely visible from the earth, and considering our

rainbow

been

counted.

Fifty-five

own

planetary system,

it's

thousand waves to the inch give us the


sensation of blue.
vibrations,

sibly prodigious in size. forty-five

incomprehenThat Nebula is
diam-

Forty-eight thousand
forty-four

thousand

light years in light years

green

thousand,

eter

and a million

from the

yellow

thirty-eight thousand, red.

When
we

earth.

Scientists believe that the nebulas

the waves become so long that less than

of the sky, such as the Nebula of Andro-

about

thirty-three

thousand

occur,

meda and
Venatici,

the great Whirlpool of Canis

would be unable
ple, alcohol

to see them.

For exam-

are vast

whirlpools or

mael-

flame does not send out waves

stroms of

stars, planets,

that can

make any

but a minute impresInvisible

of uncountable numbers.

moons and suns Perhaps some

sion on the nerves of the eyes.


light also

near celestial collision distorted them to


the spiral shapes
the stars are not
ter.
;

ultra-violet,

comes at the other extreme, the where the waves are so short

but unlike a whirlpool,

moving toward the cen-

and crowded together they don't give our eyes any sensation at all. You can compare this to the piercing shrieks of some
laboratory apparatus, or

Observations of

many

years indicate

that they are travelling out


ter, as
its

from the cen-

the entire group revolves around

some
shrill

insects that

nucleus.

Nebulas are one of the unat Millstein's elbow,

produce vibrations so

that

they

solved mysteries of the universe."

don't affect our eardrums at all. If the waves of color are so short it takes over sixty-six thousand of them to make an
inch, they are totally invisible to our eyes,

phone buzzed

and for a moment he listened his eyes took on a keen glitter.

intently;

"W ell,
r

Jack,

guess your wish has

and are

called ultra-violet.
it

"Thus

has

been

that

scientists,

searching the void with their telescopes,

Lookout Number seven, in the port bow, states he has sighted an immense object about five hundred miles

come

true.

have been able to tell from the various colors of the spectrum out in space just

straight

ahead on our course.


room.
is

Let's

go

back

to the control

Number seven

how

the cosmic rays are vibrating, and

says that the object ship because of


that
it's

apparently a space

what particular element is being bom in the cold spaces. Temperatures of the sun

its

cylindrical shape, but

nearly a mile in length.

That's

md
for

stars

are

thus

readily determined,

just the sort of a craft the Falcon

would

many

colors invisible to the naked

have."

eye can be detected and classified in the


laboratory."
It is doubtful

They repaired quickly to the complicated control room with its thousands of
reflectoscopes,

whether Cromwell had


stiffened.

gauges and

instruments,

been listening to this technical discourse.

and seated themselves


controls. This

at their respective

Suddenly

his

body

room was

the heart of the

68
swift
little

AMAZING STORIES
space fighter.
Millstein

was
effi-

spread over his countenance.


stared with wondering eyes; he
chief

Cromwell

always

in direct

communication with every


Cromwell, always
one of the reflectoscopes

knew

his

part of the ship.


cient, adjusted

was receiving some highly imporFinally an impetuous nature


itself

tant news.

so that the area of the newly discovered

could restrain

no longer.

space ship showed on the screen in front


of him.

He

started back in surprise as

the image of a mighty space vessel


reflected on the glass.
"I'll

was
must

" **

HAT

is {t
'

Chie

? -

What

you

getting?"

say

it's

a mile long, Chief.

It

stein. "Just a friendly little

"Oh, nothing much/' chuckled Millmessage from

be the Falcon.

Who

ever heard of a ship

the Falcon.

The
and
is

strange space ship


it.

is

so vast in proportions?"
Millstein did not hear, or at least he

the 'Avenger,' so the Falcon calls


sighted us

He
stay

warning

me

to

did not heed, for he

was phoning

to the

away."

radio room,

"What
ship.

does he say ?" burst out Crom-

"Send a message to the strange

well.

Give the customary salute. Ask their name and from what planet, and their
destination.

"Wait a minute," snapped

Millstein.

Make

it

plain that

we

are on

Then into "Turn on

the mouthpiece of the phone,


all

protective rays full power.

government duty and mean business."


All the while the 'Nemesis'

We may

be subject to attack at any


to

mo-

was

slip-

ment." Then turning

Cromwell, "The
:

ping through space with incredible speed.


Pressing a button, Millstein spoke into

Falcon says about as follows


I'D give

'I've lo-

cated you, Millstein, and your three ships.

another receiver. This time he was connected with the power rooms of the ship.

you just
I've

five

minutes to leave

this part of space, or

Here were

located

the

apparatus

that

existence.
out.'

I'll blast you out of some new weapons to try

broke up atoms of mercury, transforming the energy of whirling electrons into

"Yes, and we've got some new weapons


to try out also," broke in Cromwell,

enormous power. Converted electrons were discharged through the impellant tubes in the rear and nose of the fighter.

now

ready for
Just

fight.

then
its

the

'Nemesis'

shuddered

The converted

electrons roared out into

through
vibrated,

tough, steel frame.


faint

The

air

space through the tubes with vast energy, forcing the space ship in any desired direction.

and there was the


Just
as

odor of
!"

short-circuited electrical current.

At

least they

would have
But
in

"Treachery

I is

thought
trying
us.

roared had there been any atmosphere to

snapped Millstein.

"He
five

out

convey the vibrations of sound.


space
all is silence.

some

sort of a deadly ray

on

Didn't

even give us the

minutes, but our

"Slow down the ship to barely cruising Circle the stranger at five hundred Radio the two government scouts of our discovery. Tell them
speed.

protective screen rays are working fine."

miles distance.

the screen in front of them.


the

"Look !" shouted Cromwell, pointing "Look


government scout ship."

to at

to keep circling

till

further orders. Wait.

Like a tragedy unfolded on a motion


picture screen, a horrible catastrophe
disclosed to the two.

Here's something, Cromwell."

was
to

With
levers

agile fingers
his

Millstein arranged
that

The

leading gov-

and

phone connection so

ernment space
the

fighter that

was next

he was receiving direct a message coming from the ether. A taut but amused grin

'Nemesis'

had

suddenly

exploded

with fearful force.

Its millions of frag-

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


merits

69

through

were streaming space. There

in

all

directions

It

is

difficult

to describe a battle of

the

fragments

space ships. Such encounters are strangely unlike the dog-fights of airplanes, that
circle

would

drift for millions of years, to besatellites to

come

the planet earth.


to

each other, with vicious machine

"It's

a fight

the

death,"

snarled
will not

Millstein.

"This time the Falcon

guns spewing out lead and death. Space ships in combat circle and dart about each
other a thousand miles apart, testing the
other's protective screens with destructive

Think of all those poor devils in the government scout. Jack, radio the
escape.
,

other scout to retreat a thousand miles.

rays and rending vibrations.

They
like

Their protective screens are not as strong


as ours, and no doubt the Falcon has in-

circle

and plunge about each other

boxers, trying to exhaust the


the other's weapons.

power of

vented some new, deadly weapon."

"Xo
says

use, Chief,"

muttered Cromwell,
doesn't

Strange weapons, those. Rays that burn and explode atoms.


Vibrations that disintegrate metals. Rays light, carrying sudden heat, that melt
steels like butter.

after a busy

moment. "Our radio room


scout

the

other

answer.

of

Look!" Cromwell's
ernment ship
is

finger pointed to the

screen in front of them.


disabled.

"The other govIt's

Millstein realized he possessed the fastest ship

darting tor-

and could thus maneuver more

ward out of

control!"

"V^ES,"

muttered Millstein anxiously, * "by some devilish means, the Falcon has paralyzed or killed every human life on the fighter. Thank Heavens we have
better types of protective screens
craft."

In his wisdom and experience he also knew his immense enemy had more power. In other words, more ergs
quickly.

of energy to hurl at him per minute in


various forms. Millstein's position might

be compared to that of a very skilled

on

this

swordsman, armed with a


with a heavy
their
cutlass.

light

rapier,

pitted against a herculean athlete,

armed

"Yes, but our power rooms report that all dynamos and machines are being badly
affected.

Millstein and

Perhaps we'd better

fly off

element.

Cromwell were both in Neither spoke. Every


their

few thousand miles and reconnoiter." This was Cromwell's way of taunting Millstein to start the combat.
"Retreat!" grated Millstein.
"I'll

sense
task

was concentrated on
to

great

annihilate

the
cell

Falcon.

Every

nerve on edge, every


alert.

of their brains

say

we

won't.

Let's go.

Here's where

we

Messages were coming to them constantly from the various departments


of
the ship. Their eyes turned from gauges to instruments, and to the screens

fight to the finish-!"

CHAPTER IV
The
Battle of Space

were constantly and adroitly turned by Cromwell to reflect that portion of space occupied by the Falcon. "Give them a shot from one of our
that

BUT
retreat.

Millstein did flash

away a

thou-

rays," pleaded Cromwell.

sand miles from the other ship, where he knew the vibrations and

rays of the "Avenger's" weapons would be lessened in power; but it was not a

moment my

Merely a

strategic

move

to gain

"No, not yet. They're using lots of power now. Did you feel that? For a senses fairly reeled. I wonder what strange weapon the Falcon is trying out on us. Look! It even affects
See

time for planning, and to study the

enemy

the space compasses.


brate and oscillate,"

how
into

they vi-

with powerful telescopes.

Then

one of the

70

AMAZING STORIES
would not have realized, except for the tense and slightly excited mood of the two men, that a terrific battle of incredible

phones connected to the power room, "Bill, throw on every atom of power
got on all protective screens. We're being bombarded." Then to Cromwell's supreme disgust Millstein ordered the ship into a maneuver that flung it away from the scene of conflict a full five hundred miles; at such a speed the acceleration was very
painful.
-'Say,

you've

energies

place, except, of course,

and super-wits was taking from the distress

of sudden acceleration and deceleration,

caused by the diving and swooping of


the craft, the sharp
stein

commands

of Mill-

into the various

phones, and the

lightning-like play of the pair's agile fin-

what the
for breath,

"

gers like skilled operators at some vast

Cromwell's voice was cut off as he


gasped
for
Millstein

switchboard.

had

Countless billion ergs of energy were

stopped the ship so suddenly that deceleration

expended by the two space


structive energies,

almost

pushed

their

bodies

fighters; deconveyed on deadly

through the instrument


orders,

table.

Then quick
in space so
flat-

rays, to be partly absorbed, dissipated or

and the ship turned


out. Millstein,

turned
screens.

aside

by

protective

vibration

abruptly that their bodies seemed

The

ancient

Thor of mythologin such

tened

the

master

pilot,

ical tradition,

hurling his thunderbolts of

the fighter of spaces,

was

at his best, for

lightning,
conflict.

would have gloried

with

full speed,

and the

maximum

endur-

able rate

of acceleration, the 'Nemesis'

plunged toward the Falcon.

ing to
jack.

"Are we going to ram him?" "No!" shot out Millstein, "but I'm goshow you some action. Get ready, We're going to give him a taste of
ray

"/"" ET ready/' ^-* "When I say


with the ray."

ordered

Millstein.

the word, bathe

them

my new

Number

one."

flashing ten thousand miles hour toward the "Avenger." Not much time had elapsed since Millstein had

They were

an

"Yes," muttered Cromwell in delight,


fingering the controls of that deadly wea-

turned the ship for his daring attack, but


their brains

pon.

Already he had aligned the muzzle

credible speed,

and fingers worked with inand to the two highly


watching the gauges

of the tube that projected the deadly rays

trained men, the swift seconds were long.


Millstein, carefully

would reverse the direction of electricity in its energy flow in any metal
that

that

indicated the strength of the rays

that the ray encountered.

"Wait
his

one of sudden inspirations that come to such


shouted Millstein, with

!"

and vibrations of the enemy's weapons, shrewdly waited until there was slight
pause in the power registered on the
instruments.

geniuses in

moments

of stress and dan-

ger, "I believe. Jack, that he's tried that

"Now,
flash

Jack, give
fifty

it

to

them!

We'll

same weapon on us, built up a protective


ray

so he
screen.

must have Give him

by within

miles!"
the sighting

Cromwell carefully moved


apparatus,

Number

two, the disintegrator."

keeping

it

aligned with the

It was but the work of a second for Cromwell to align the tubes of the dis-

enemy
casual

ship.
it

Comparatively simple, that

pointing,

would have appeared


for the

to

integration ray by use of the screen

show-

observer,

image of the

ing so clearly the position of the "Avenger."

enemy
well,

ship appeared on the

An

observer seated in the control


that

screen of the reflectoscope before

smoked glass Cromto point

room of

marvelous

space

fighter

and he had apparently but

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


an
indicator, like tracing a line, to keep

71

his ray

guns aligned. Rut


detail

in spite of the
infinite

apparent simplicity, there was an


skill

and

a precise accuracy accom-

crackled with some The gauges registered crazily, and some showed no reading whatever. With a great mental struggle
fairly
fierce

about them

energy.

plished by Cromwell.

He was

the best

Millstein

roused

himself

and

hastily

ray-pointer of space.

His keen, brown

slapped Cromwell smartly on either side


of his face.

eyes held the light of some religious devotee, as his agile fingers
tor

moved
I

indica-

"Snap

into

it,

Cromwell.

We

didn't

and

levers.

hurt the Falcon much.

He

just

gave us

"Good
ing the
tering

work,

Cromwell.

believe

a sample of some new, horrible weapon.

you've hit them hard.

The gauges showweapons are


regis-

Do you know

believe he has tumbled on

power of
nothing.
I

their

my

idea of the vibration ray carried along

Maybe we've
know, though.
all

disabled

a stream of light.

I'm

still

tingling."

them.

don't

We're up
the uni-

against the shrewdest brain


verse.
It

"T'M Okay
-*-

may

be a trick."
intuitive sense oE

now, Chief, but I feel as though a million hornets had stung

Again that strange,

me."
Millstein noted with great relief that

warning came to Millstein, and in a sudden decision he turned the ship and shot

the

instruments

were now

registering

away with a
even the

frightful velocity that tested

normally, and again he turned the ship


to

skill

of Cromwell to keep the

ray tubes aligned on the other ship.

rocketed

swoop toward the Falcon. They had away from the enemy a full two
last

Then a most amazing, near-catastrophe


occurred
!

thousand miles in the


at an angle.

maneuver.
his attack

On

the screen before them

For a few minutes he drove

appeared the government space ship that

had dashed

off into space,


!

toward them

It

coming straight was only by an insanely

"Keep a sharp lookout

for the crazy

government ship," telephoned Millstein


to another part of the space ship.
full

quick maneuver that Millstein avoided the


berserk craft.
Scott !"

"Keep
screens.

power on
the

all

protective

"Great

muttered

Millstein,

Have

"did you see that, Cromwell?

The govRadio
sig-

tire ship

emergency crew inspect the enand report back. Give me report


let

ernment ship

is

running amuck.

on our energy -storage and


be

each

man
body
the

officers says they don't reply to

our

prepared

against

unusual
'Avenger'

nals.

The

ship is circling the heavens in

stresses."

weird, uncontrolled circles at full velocity.


I've

As

they

neared

the

an idea.
sort of

The Falcon has devised


a devilish ray or vibration the commander and men

'Nemesis' began to shudder, the air to


vibrate,

some

and for a few moments Millstein


here's

that lias

made

studied the gauges carefully.

of the ship insane. Perhaps he has gained control of their minds by some hypnosis or mental projection, and caused the government commander to think we're his

"Well,

something,

Cromwell,

that will delight your heart.

The energy
are depleting

rays of the "Avenger's" weapons are not


registering so strongly.

We

enemy.
in

You know

the Falcon

is

an adept

even their vast power plants.


it

Of

course

mental

Cromwell.
tried to
fight

control. Watch carefully, The government space ship ram us. We have two ships to

may

be a trick."

now.

We

have

"

"Careful !" shouted Cromwell. "There comes the government Scout again, approaching us from the rear, twenty-five
degrees to the starboard."

Millstein's voice trailed off as the air

72
Again
trained
it

AMAZING STORIES
took
all

of the shrewd and


of
Millstein
to

tenseness, "we've just one


play.
I'll

more card

to

flying

instinct

dive close to the Falcon at full


I

avoid the plunging government scout.


"There's

speed.
miles,

As
I'll

come

to within

one hundred
orbit

no question about

it.

The

start to

make a swooping

Falcon has obtained mental control of the government scout. Our disintegration ray is a failure. Apparently the Falcon has

around
well.

his ship."

"One hundred miles!" exclaimed Crom"That's too close, Chief.

We
in

"

a screen. Wait, here comes a message from Number ten power room. Great Scott, Cromwell! Engineer Kelly

some

sort of

"We

have only one shot

left

our

locker," interrupted Millstein.

My

three

reports three of his

men have suddenly

new weapons have failed, even the beam of rays, that slow up the electronic speed
within atoms to produce absolute zero.
I

gone crazy, and he has had to knock them out with a paralyzing ray pistol. Don't you
see, Jack, the

cursed fiend has dea ray of energy

had Counted on that weapon." "Going to give them Number four,


shrill

vised

some way to shoot

Chief? The
reason

sound vibrations?"
"That's the

that affects one's mentality.

In some mys-

"Yes," snarled Millstein.


I

terious
evil

way the Falcon can project his mind and dominate that of a weaker
Millstein

want

to

go that close to make


I don't this

the force as strong as possible.


think
the

one. Well, here goes."

Falcon

has

thought of

With that
self,

became a

fiend

him-

weapon."

madman

obsessed with the idea

The
cuted,

daring evolution was safely exealthough


the

of removing this menace to civilization.

sturdy

little

craft

The

fast space

ship dove and plunged

trembled and vibrated with the power of


destructive rays in which
it

and shot out deadly rays at its larger enemy. Many times it barely avoided the
plunging rushes of the government scout.
Millstein

was
it

literally

bathed by the 'Avenger' as


full speed.

circled at

spoke no

word. His fingers


All weapons and with incomlarger ship was
.

It

was

characteristic of Millstein

when

played over the instrument with incredible

speed

and ce rtai nty


play,
skill

he looked up, after shooting away to a safer distance, although his last weapon

were brought into


prehensible

had

failed, that there

was no discourageFalcon
has

the

ment on
"Well,

his lean face.

bathed and bombarded with every kind


of destructive ray, of vibration, heat and
energy.

Jack,
of
that.

the

had

even

thought

He

a protective

enormous power of the "Avenger" was growing


It

was

plain that the

screen against our sound vibrations, and


it

must be a good one."


Cromwell, brave as Theseus slaying

weaker. Finally, after hours


the whirling

of

risky,

daring evolutions and shrewd dodging of

the Minotaur, spoke without a tremor in


his voice.
let's ram them." For a moment Millstein sat

government scout
Cromwell.

ship, Mill-

stein glanced at

There was a
face,

"Chief,

strained expression

on

Millstein's

silent,

con-

the look of an athlete winning a mara-

sidering mightily.

thon race, but not finished, for in the


coal black eyes there

"No, Jack.
idea.

That won't
in
I

do.

I've

an

termination.
defeated.

Don

Millstein

was implacable dewas not

You know

my

past encounters

with the Falcon,

have discovered his

one weak point.


pride.

mean
is

his egotistical

He

is

vain and boastful of his

CROMWELL," his voice was almost


mechanical
in
its

physical valour.

He

a mighty

man

in

coldness

and

strength and thinks that he can outdo any

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


other

73
by
Millstein,

human with
are

primitive weapons.

cept that portion used

and

believe I can trap him."

allowed

to

escape

through the release

"What
Cromwell

in an

you going to do?" asked awed voice.


to a duel.

valve. In fact the space suit


similar to the

was strangely cumbersome armor used by

"I'm going to challenge him


Here, radio
I,

deep sea divers.


suit

The

metal part of the


light

this

message.

To

the Falcon.

was made of an extremely

but

Donald

Millstein, challenge

you to a

very tough metal.


similar to the

Its composition

was was Very

duel with swords.


If

My
I

ship is unharmed.

aluminum

alloys of

many

you do not accept,

am

going to ram

years past.
lined

The

inside of the suit


skin.

you.

will perish. suit

Thus both of us and all our men I dare you to don your space and meet me. Bring- no weapon but
I will

with

gold-beaters

strange that these scientists of a super

age would go to nature for such a material,

propulsion pistols and one sabre. bring


yours.
fight
it

but the gold beaters skin was found


excellent material
It is

my

ship to within five miles of


will

to be an
leakage.

to

control

We
"

each leave our ships and

the outer

membrane of the
with
small

out in space.

May

the best

man
Mill-

large intestine of the ox.

win.
stein.'

(Signed)

Your sworn enemy,

The

suit

was

provided

atomic energizers to produce heat, for in


the absolute zero of space the occupant

Cromwell choked a bit, but his voice rang strong and steady as he sent the message. In a few moments came the reply, short and tense. "Terms accepted. Get ready, my enemy. I am coming gladly. ( Signed) The
Falcon."

of a space suit would freeze in an instant


unless artificially
It
stein,

warmed.
of
his

was with
in

great difficulty that Mill-

spite

extraordinary

strength,

moved
suit.

about

when he had
made
place,

donned the
the

Just before screwing on

helmet,

Cromwell
in

another

CHAPTER V

earnest plea.

"Let

me go

your

Chief.
life in

Strange Duel
that

You're too important


this fool stunt.

to lose

your

"T KNEW
I
"*-

ruse would

work,"
is

the difference.
guise me, Let

The Falcon won't know The space suit will disout and cross swords
I

exulted Millstein.

"The Falcon
skill

me go

very proud of his

with the

with the devil. Anyway,


his neck."

think he will

swords.

In Russia he gained quite a


It
is

send a substitute. He's too smart to risk

reputation as a duelist.

said that

dozen

men

died

before

his

deadly

blades.

That challenge to

his pride is his

weak

point."
talking, he

While Millstein was


space
suit.

was

be-

ing assisted into the heavy and bulky

"No, Jack. This is my affair. I believe I can overcome the Falcon. Your duty is here at the ship, and don't you worry about the Falcon coming himself. My hunch about his sensitive pride is a good
one."

The heavy

suit,

made

of pres-

sure resisting material, encased his body


like

With
into a
ship.

that Millstein

clumped forward
sigh,

a huge diving

outfit.

The

material

round airlock

in the side of the

was of

sufficient tensile strength to pre-

With a
in

resigned

Cromwell
with

vent the vacuum of space from expanding


his body.

placed

Millstein's

awkward-looking
gloved
a heavy old-

Also

it

was

air tight that rhe

hand,

that

was

clumsily

precious oxygen stored in small cylinders


inside the space suit could not escape, ex-

strangely flexible metals,

fashioned

army

cutlass.

74

AMAZING STORIES
I've
till

"f HIEF,
^-** knife

sharpened
like

that

meat
Don't

stantly

was

several
It

it's

a razor.
his

'Nemesis.'

hundred feet from the was a strange sensation


the

get too close to the Falcon.


pierce his suit

Try and
out.

floating out in that vast void, while the

and

let

oxygen

"Nemesis"
"standing

and
still."
all

"Avenger"
reality

were
whole

Goodbye, Chief. Good luck!"

In

the
is

"Wait a minute," laughed


"you act
like

Millstein,

mass, in fact
in

the universe

moving

I'm going out to meet his

one direction at a vast rate of speed.


in space retains its
inertia,
it

satanic majesty.

but
be in

Jack,
full

the best

I'm coming back. But if I don't come back, do you can with the ship. You'll

But as each object

relative position unless given

appeared to Millstein that the two ships

pens to

command in case anything hapme. And don't forget this. If


overpower me, and
if

and himself were motionless.


raised his right

He

slowly

arm

that held the sabre.

the Falcon should

The

structure of the material that cov-

because of any treachery on the part of


the

ered and protected that strong

enemy

ship I should be captured, you


to do.

extremely heavy,
like a

know what we talked


Screw

You know
the

that trick

figure

arm was and Millstein moved on a slow motion picture

over,

emergency

ruse.

screen.

the helmet on."

For a moment or two he practised


wielding the sword, for he

Millstein pushed forward to the end of

knew

his life

the steel lock that was like an iron coffin.

depended upon his


with
that raising his

skill

and quickness

There he adjusted
instantly streamed

his

oxygen valves and


Perspiration
his body,

tested the heat generators.

from

and he

turned the apparatus


operating
efficiently.

off, realizing it

was

weapon. The movement of arm caused his body to turn over out of balance, so that his face was away from the enemy ship. That would
not do.

He

could not speak

Swinging the sword

violently in

now, for the helmet was tight over his head, but through its clear quartz lens he

the opposite direction, he

succeeded in
In

turning his grotesque looking body.


space an object will

winked insultingly
well.

at the anxious

Crom-

move

forever at the
is

With a nod of

his head, Millstein

rate of its initial inertia.

This

because

signalled for the inner lock-door to be


closed.

of the complete
resistance.

vacuum, no

air

and no

Cromwell turned the


slowly
leaving
closed

lever,

and a

serrated door of the toughest


feet
thick,

steel,

two
of

in

front

Cromwell,
wall.

perfectly

smooth
fiery

In space acceleration and its rate are affected only by the mass of the body to be accelerated. This effect is due to what is termed inertia. Etymologically

speaking, inertia can be termed the "laziall

Cromwell yearned with


an adoring love for
struggle to come.

the

ness of matter," for in


is

human

life laziness

ardor of his adventurous young heart and


his chief to be in the

sometimes the deadest kind of

resis-

tance.

main

as instructed,

His duty was to reand with grim deter-

MOW
*>

that

Millstein

was out of the


any movement two

mination depicted upon his countenance, he pushed another lever. This he knew

space ship, he had to be extremely

careful not to accelerate

opened the outer steel door of the lock, and Millstein was free to push out into
the vast void of endless space.
Millstein, wise to the

too quickly.
that

Tests on earth had shown


attain a speed of

humans could
of

hundred and
second

fifty miles

an hour in one
without
in
inj ury,

uncanny condi-

acceleration

tions of space, gave a slight push against

providing the person was


ical condition.

perfect phys-

the wall of the airlock and almost in-

The

principal danger that

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


confronted Millstein in his coming duel
encounter.

75
keenly aware of the

He was

with the Falcon was the risk of sudden


turning while travelling at high speed.

mental powers and resources of his clever


antagonist.

This would generate centrifugal force, an


effect similar to that of acceleration,

Glancing about in four dimensions and


searching the void carefully, he could see

and

which has a tendency to drive the blood


violently

no trace of the government scout


the sky.

ship,

from one
and

side to the other,

and

that had been plunging dizzily about in

risking the rupture of blood vessels.

the

learned
all

skilled

scientist

But was

"That's positive proof," muttered Mill"that the government scout-ship Commander's brain is under the control
stein,

aware of

these hazards.
off the condition

Once more he checked

of his oxygen valves and heat units and

of the Falcon."

found them to be operating perfectly. Then he looked carefully toward the


cigar -like shape of the mighty "Avenger."

Glancing again toward the rapidly approaching figure of his opponent, Millstein could see the other

After a few moments his eyes made out


a tiny figure floating between himself and
the

warily, circling as

if

to study his foe

was advancing and


a very clever
scientist.

plan a proper attack.

Then

enemy ship. "The Falcon!" With his left hand

thought came to the young

a few moments he closed


Millstein pulled one

his eyes

For and

concentrated his

mind on

the task before

of

the propulsion pistols

from

his

belt

him, summoning to his immediate control


all

and fired it in a direction exactly opposite from that portion of space occupied by
the Falcon. Instantly Millstein's body shot

his

mental faculties and physical en-

ergies.

He made

negative as far as

forward, and for a

moment

his

breath

concerned.
his

his mind a complete all other problems were For the moment he forgot

came

painfully.

Clumsily,

like

man

own

space ship, the 'Nemesis,' Cromleft be-

trying to pick up a thin dime with boxing


gloves, he adjusted the energy charge of

well hind.

and the brave men he had


In

moments of

great emergencies

the pistol by

means of

a large-handled
pistol.

Millstein always followed this rule, for

screw on the side of the

he knew his enemy, vast and far-reaching

"Charges are too strong," he muttered. The propulsion pistols were not weapons of offense or defense.

though his
incredible
It

intellect

was, would have an


detail

amount of
well
that

on

his

mind.

They were

was

Millstein

suddenly

simply the means of propulsion in space.

opened
fic

his eyes after his mental concen-

which discharged a very small burst of atomic energy rays, its recoil pushed Millstein in the desired direction. Inasmuch as he would move
firing the pistol,

By

tration, for scuttling

toward him at

terri-

velocity

came

the huge, crab-like figure

of the

Falcon.

Shrewdly and tensely


bull-like

Millstein

awaited the

charge.

forever at the rate of his


it

initial

inertia,

Then
tol,

at the last split second, propelled

by

was necessary

to stop

by

firing a

charge

a heavy charge from


the other.

his propulsion pis-

in the opposite direction.

he barely eluded the fearless rush of

Again he looked toward the "Avenger"

and noted
it

that the other

could be termed a

human figure, if human figure, was


This was to be
well
the des-

"That was close !" muttered Millstein. Like two grotesque crustaceans,
weighed down with the vast pressure of
a mighty but transparent water, the two fighters maneuvered. Their attacks and dodges were surprisingly quick, yet their

now

very

much

closer.

the supreme test of Millstein's flashing


career.

He

realized

full

perate odds against the success of this

76

AMAZING STORIES
sudden charge, he immediately twisted
protect his rear.
to

arms moved with painful slowness moved like Sisyphus toiling up the eternal
mountain.

To

his consternation the

Time

after time the Falcon

Falcon was directly behind him and forcing hts acceleration at a dangerous rate.
It

charged, but always Millstein dodged like


a very clever bull fighter,

who

slips aside

was then

that Millstein displayed the


skill

when

it

seems he

will be

impaled upon

peak of his fighting

and bravery.

the horns of a furious bull.

Shrewdly noting

his position, he fired

was employing a very clever plan of attack. He was saving his strength. The effort of moving heavily protected arms and legs took a tremenMillstein

several atomic blasts against the direction of his travel, holding the pistol to

one side that his body might be turned to

meet

his foe.

He was

infuriated.

dous

lot

of energy in the mysterious realm


Millstein wisely figured that

to be a battle to the death.

It was Humanity

of nothing.
the Falcon
pistol

was using up

his propulsion
It

would be well served if Millstein could die and wipe out the dangerous Falcon.

charges

very rapidly.

was

soundless battle. If either spoke or cursed,


the sounds only thundered in their
ears.

THEY were
his chance,

together

Millstein found
all,

own

and risking

he

re-

leased his hold on his propulsion pistol,


circling

Suddenly as the Falcon was

and with
too close

his strong left

hand grasped

for another charge, Millstein keeping his

the left shoulder of the other.

They were
and

propulsion pistol well concealed, fired a

now

to use their swords,

sudden

blast,

ward
con's

the Falcon.

and was hurtled directly toIt was a propitious


in air so that

as they slowly turned, clutched together.


the evil eyes of the Falcon glared through
his quartz lenses into Millstein's eyes.

moment

for Millstein's attack, as the Fal-

body was turned

he

Millstein suddenly felt a great pulling at his right shoulder

could not present his sword in defense.

and saw that the


his

For a moment it looked as though they would collide, and the Falcon be pierced through and through, for Millstein held his heavy blade directly in front of him.

Falcon had also released his propulsion


pistol

and grasped him with

clumsy

hand. Millstein knew he must act quickly,


for he could feel the fearful strength of
the other trying to twist his
his space suit.

He
it

did not try to wield or swing


his

it,

for

arm and
in

tear

might have turned

body, and he

Like a

man

a dream,
point.
his

might then be placed


bitter

in

a position where
It

he watched the sword arm of the Falcon


creep

he could not defend himself.

was a
the

upward and weapon

raise the

sword

moment

for Millstein,

who had
The

The

clever Russian

was maneuvering

waited

long and patiently through

shorter

that he might pierce Mill-

weird struggle for this moment.

stein's space suit.

Falcon could not raise his pistol in time


to fire
in

Millstein

suddenly

felt

as

though a

and dodge away, but he succeeded


that

deadly gas had entered his brain

that

meeting the attack, and with a move-

he did not care what happened.

Stub-

ment

strength,

must have taken incredible swung up his sword and parried

bornly he fought against this sluggishness, for he

knew

that the Russian

was

the thrust of Millstein's sword.

trying to use a hypnotic or mental influthe


ence.

Up
now

to this time the

movements of
like

After a moment's concentration,

combat had been comparatively slow, but


they seemed to

while he watched the point of the sword slowly

move about

two
in a

move upward, a

infuriated monsters of the deep

ocean.

physical strength

As

Millstein plunged by his

enemy

knew

that he

great mental and came to Millstein; he was the other's master.

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


Concentrating
all

77
for him.

his

muscular

effort

brother of sleep

was clutching

and energy

into

one mighty
hilt

effort,

he

struck violently with the

of his sword
It

at the wrist of the Falcon.

was a des-

perate

blow, and while the movement

mind slipped into unconsciousness, he saw a tiny space fighter shoot from the 'Avenger's" stern, and he realized with a last hopeless conJust as Millstein's
sciousness that, through treachery, he had

seemed to travel with infinite slowness, yet the heavy heel of the cutlass struck
the Russian's arm with stunning force long before the point of the deadly sword crept upward to Millstein's body. With

been defeated by the Falcon.

CHAPTER
The Falcon

VI

cutlass of the Falcon drift

a great exultation Millstein saw the heavy away from a

Gloats
struggled pain-

grasping hand, and soon the sharp weapon was many feet away from them.
Millstein

DON MILLSTEIN
sciousness. that had carried

fully back to the realm of con-

had conquered the Falcon, but


infinitely careful, for

The uncanny

instinct

he must be careful, he knew


treachery

him

safely through

many
fog.

full well the

vast resources and

incredible perils, functioned even before


his brain

of

the

distorted
still

mind.

As

had cleared away the deadly

quickly as possible and

holding his

mental concentration, Millstein raised the


point of his cutlass and inserted its sharp point under the shoulder plate of the
other's

Slowly memory returned to him. The weird battle of swords in space bow he

space

suit.

The Falcon
into

glared

had overpowered the Falcon; a realization of the trickery and treachery used to overcome him. He was lying on some
soft substance, probably a couch,

with
eyes.

malicious

hatred

Millstein's

and now

The Falcon was


cutting

defeated, for with


thrust,

knew he was a
while
his
still

captive

on board the
his eyes closed,

a
'

powerful,
could

Millstein's

"Avenger." Millstein kept


reeling

sword

be

slipped

through

the

brain

recovered

armor's joint and allow the oxygen in the


Falcon's space suit to escape.

normality.

He

decided he would pretend he was

unconscious, until his strength had fully

BUT were

the

evil

powers of the Falcon


Still

returned.

He

could plainly feel that the

not expended.

grinning

space suit had been removed body.

from

his

with a horrible hate, he raised his right hand sluggishly above his head. It was

He

wondered

if

he was bound, but

did not dare to

some sort of a
broke

signal

terrific tingling

He

move as a test. heard a voice close by; the

cruel,

out over Millstein's body. His mind became numbed. His muscles would
not function.

harsh voice of the Falcon!


"Millstein will recover in a few

mo-

ments.
hit

The

paralyzing rays must have


I

They were sending out a powerful, paralyzing ray from the "AvenTreachery!
ger" upon seeing that the Falcon had

him

severely.

could feel them in


screen
I

spite. of the protective

had."

Millstein yearned to spring to his feet

been defeated.
Millstein

and
a
desperate

strike the

Falcon

down

as he heard

made

mental

the

foul

treachery disclosed in

cool,

struggle against this terror. It seemed that

hard voice.

He

lay quiet, his agile brain

he was slipping into a dark abyss of obslipping with clutching fingers livion

schemingplanning every sense alert. The harsh voice of the Falcon again
grated loudly giving technical instructions to some member of his crew.

that

precipice.

would not hold Thanatos

at

an

icy,

slippery

the god of Death

78 "And

AMAZING STORIES
see that the lenses that convert
Millstein felt that although the Falcon

the cosmic rajs

are

adjusted that the


lati-

changed rays strike the earth from


revolves."

tude forty to sixty as the cursed planet

was cruel and remorseless, his own life was safe at least for the time being. He reasoned Cromwell would not attack with
;

the 'Nemesis' for fear of injurying him.


in

There was an insane chuckle


Falcon's voice as he continued.

the

Simulating a vast nonchalance, Millstein sat

back comfortably on the couch


fearlessly into

"That path
City, Chicago,

will play the

changed rays

and looked squarely and

over London, Germany, Russia, Salt Lake

the blazing eyes of his enemy.

He

could

and Boston. If only Millstein had not discovered what I am doing. Another six months, and the
world
will

New York

feel the hypnotic influence of those bright,


evil orbs,

but confident in the strength of he gazed unflinchingly.


the Falcon spoke in a

be mine
all life

a dead,

lifeless globe.
I

own powers After a moment


his

Then
dren,

after

has ceased,

will re-

sneering tone.

store the

oxygen
will

strata.

Then,

my

chil-

"The great
fore
I

Millstein is brave, but be-

we

take earth. I will be the


I will start a

am

finished

you

will

wish you

supreme
zation."

ruler.

new

civili-

could die."
Millstein planned to again attack the

Millstein controlled himself with great


difficulty,

weak

spot

in

the

Falcon's

armor

his

but succeeded,

when

the

im-

egotism.

portant information he was seeking

came

"Fine ship you have, Verensky," from


Millstein
appraisingly,

from the
nerves

lips

of the Falcon.
for an ordeal

Millstein's

as

he

glanced

tensed

when he

coolly about the well arranged

little

room.

heard the Falcon drawing closer. Finally

He

tried

a daring

thrust.

he could

feel

the Russian's hot breath on

"I suppose your ship has

some ap-

his cheek, as a rough finger pulled his

paratus that's changing the cosmic ray


vibrations before they reach earth."
It

eyelid

down

for examination.

shrewd,

calculating look crept into the Russian's

required

all

of Millstein's courage

face as he placed
stein's

two

fingers

upon Mill-

and fortitude
the

to

remain unflinching as
forward,

wrist.

Millstein

made a strong

Falcon

sprang

drawing

mental effort to control his heart action,


but he knew his pulse had accelerated and
that
his

from
sion.

his belt a deadly ray gun.

On

the

Russian's face was a demoniacal expres-

simulation of

unconsciousness

His eyes blazed hate and anger.

was

discovered.
!"

"Ah, so

exulted the Falcon.

"The
'poslittle

great Millstein, the world's hero, feigns

unconsciousness

like

cowardly
I

and for a moment he lost his composure and caution. "So !" he snarled, "you think you have discovered what I am doing? Well, you
will never profit

sum.

Come,

my

enemy.

want a

by

it.

You
!

can't stop

me.

talk with

you!"
that his subterfuge

I will not be stopped

have you in

my

power.

REALIZING
discovered,
sitting

was
a

more

terrible

have a fate in store for you than even your clever imagI

Millstein

rose

to

ination can picture.

am

going to rule

posture on the couch. Deliberately

the world!"

The

Falcon's voice rose to

and coolly he executed a great, gaping yawn, like a man awakened from a long and hearty sleep. He was dealing with
an insane

a berserk scream.

"

A FTER

have conquered the world.


conquer the other planets.
I

man and

decided

he would

/i
Come

will

humor him

in every possible way.

with me!

will

show you

the de-

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


vice that changes the cosmic rays. There's Millstein in an insulting tone.

79

"My

will-

no

risk in

showing you.

You
!"

will live,

power

is

stronger than yours."


rage, but

but I will rule your brain

The Russian trembled with


in a short

Millstein rose to his feet, scarcely able


to restrain his eagerness.

second gained control of his

He had

taunted

emotions, and Millstein's blood ran cold


at the deadly tone in his

the Falcon into a reckless anger,

and ap-

enemy's voice.

parently he was going to see the device.

"Yes, of course, Millstein. Your brain


is

His mind raced.


rays.
it

Perhaps he could de-

strong.

Ypur

will is mighty.

That's

stroy the device that changed the cosmic


First,

however, he must see

how

want them." Insane chuckles came from the corded throat of the giant
the reason I

was constructed.
"Verensky,

Cleverly he fanned

Russian. "Don't you see,


altruist

my
in

fine, heroic

the flame of the Russian's anger.


I think

you are

bluffing.

the world

you who pose as the savior of you who bask the warm
Don't you want your brain because it
see,
is

My

reference to the cosmic rays

was but
is

light of the public favor.

a ruse.

As

far as

my

personal safety
like.

fool?

concerned, do what you

would not

fine brain.

In your present condition you

expect you to play fair after our space


battle with swords.

could resist

my

hypnotic influence

for

By

the way, Veren-

some
own.
ence.

time,

but I have methods of

my

sky, I have heard you're very clever with

These men standing back of you

the blades.

Why

not give

me

the satis-

with drawn weapons are under

my

influ-

faction of crossing swords with

you right
face,

See the

dull,

meaningless stare in
I I

now

in this

room?"
his

their eyes, their hopeless expressions.

With a crafty look on


dissipated,

the

own

their souls!

do

their thinking.

Russian's sudden rage in a great measure

am

their brains.

They are mine!"

and

his

usual

cunning

re-

With
"I

that the Russian beat his breast

turned.
if

with mighty blows.


are indeed clever,

You

my

enemy. Oh,
I

am

the Falcon

!'

no!

I will not fight a duel

with you.

have other plans.

You

are going to be

|\yff

ILLSTEIN
tently
at

turned and looked intall,

one of

my

lieutenants."
Millstein.

****
"I

three

strong

men

"What!" exclaimed
with you
in
all

work

who

stood directly at his back with

drawn

the

the universe?

most dangerous criminal It's a war to the

ray guns. They were like mechanical men, yet depicted upon their countenances

death, Verensky,
in

your power,
Millstein

and while you have would advise you to


cleverly

me
kill

was a tense watchfulness. Millstein knew the slightest movement on his part to
attack the Falcon

me."

would mean
his

his instant

was

trying to lead

death.

He

turned again to the Russian,


continuing

out from the Falcon some idea as to his


fate.

who was
Millstein
tion

wild oration.

was gaining valuable informa-

"But

am

not going to

kill

you,"
"I

laughed the Falcon in derision.


take from your brain
just as I

am

in the

and continued to taunt the Russian hope he might see the apparatus

going to obtain control of your mind and


all its

affecting the cosmic rays.

information,

"Well,

why

don't you go ahead and

would squeeze a sponge."

try to hypnotize

me?" goaded

Millstein.

Millstein could see the anger rising in

The Falcon
for

studied Millstein intently


closer,

the crazed criminal.

some moments, then he came


like a

"You

can't get control of

my mind

by

wringing his hands


gold pieces.

miser counting

hypnosis or any other method," stated

bu
"Not
will
yet,

AMAZING STORIES
my
enemy, not
yet.

There

is

looked a room of circular shape, some


five

a way to weaken your resistance.

You

hundred

feet in diameter.

In this

go without food for many days. When the body weakens, eventually the will-power weakens. Then, too, you shall
have a very
Venus.
after a
special treatment.
I

room were hundreds of


chines

intricate

ma-

dynamos, condensers and various


vast,

kinds of complex electrical devices.

You

shall

Falcon stared into that


filled

The circular room

have heshi, the drug that

discovered on

with whirling machinery with the

nice big dose twice a day,


will not

and

look of a religious devotee worshipping

week you
to claim

have will-power
soul.
It wiil

an

idol.

His

thin, cruel lips

drooled an

enough
It

your

own

insane prayer of hate and vengeance, as

be mine."

though the Devil were praying. With


vicious eyes bulging

his

spoke well for Millstein's courage

from

their sockets,

that he

showed not the

slightest

fear at

he glared at Millstein.

the mention of heshi.


fiendish

He knew

of that

"There
chines

it

is,

my

enemy.
at

For years up
atoms

tance, stupefying the brain

drug that weakened men's resisand causing


will.

have worked. Look

my
!"

marvelous ma-

them
mult

to

be subservient to a stronger

whirlingbreaking changing vibrations


Millstein did not reply.

The Falcon had no


in

suspicion of the tu-

His keen mind

Millstein's breast as the

young

strove to analyze the devilish machines in


the mighty room.

scientist laughed.

He

noted one incredia giant flywheel

"I should not think the great Falcon

bly large

dynamo with

would have
enemies.
I

to resort to a
is

drug to best his

revolving at terrific speed.

This dynamo

Where

your boasted power?


Millstein tried a

was connected
formers.

to a long series of

ma-

am

amused."

Then

chines (hat appeared to be huge trans-

bolder play.

"I do not believe you have


to affect the cos-

The
filled

air in the center of the

any machine or device mic rays."


"All right
shall see,
!"

room was
large

with blue and violet rays.


to

These color rays seemed


snarled the Russian.

form

like

"You

and then you

will be confined

cloud that weaved and contorted about the room, twisting and whirling in
a mighty whirlpool of energy.
It

and

start

your education as a drug adinstruction


to

would

dict."

The Falcon gave


three guards in

the

expand and assume grotesque shapes, usually rounded like some protoplasm. Millstein

some strange language, and the mechanical men instantly formed behind Millstein. The group progressed through a long corridor and passed many
rooms
filled

knew he could not analyze the apparatus without a close and lengthy examination, and he
felt

sure that the Fal-

con would give him no technical infor-

with whirling machinery and

active operators.

He regretted that he had not concealed some high-powered explosive


mation.
to hurl

Millstein

was impressed with

the

magbuilt.

among

the machines.

nitude of the ship.

He

yearned to ask

the Falcon where the ship had been


It

""^TICE
-*

must have taken years

to

construct
in

little workshop," he commented, "but those machines can't

such a craft

Trained though he was

affect the

cosmic rays.

It's

ridiculous

!"

the operation and mechanical features of

For a moment the Russian swelled with


red rage, then his caution gained the upper hand.
"I

space ships, yet there were

many

devices

and machines unfamiliar to Millstein.


Finally, turning through a side corri-

must be

careful.
tell

You

are clever,
it's

dor, they

came

to a

balcony that over-

but I will not

you how

done.

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


I won't!
I

81
hastened
his

won't!"
tell

His voice rose to a


this

desperate,

and he

steps

scream.

"I'll
is

you

much.
five

This

closer to the rapidly striding Verensky.


It seemed,

apparatus

built in

the center of
is

my

however, that the Falcon could


his head,

space ship.
feet across.

This room
It

hundred
great

see through the back of

for

changes the cosmic rays

without turning and grunting out a horrible chuckle,

as they flash toward earth.

The

he gave quick orders to


directly behind Millstein.
closer,

lenses at the top of the ship focus


to the center,

them

the

bodyguard

ball of color rays gives

where the interesting little them my secret


the changed rays are re-

The guard moved up

and two rap-

idly stepped in front of Millstein so that

treatment.
fracted
lenses
in

Then

and

transmitted

through

the

he was practically surrounded. As they walked along Millstein looked intently


into each

the bottom of the ship.

The
I

room.

He was
young

fixing in his

converted rays go on to earth, where they

mind

the plan of the ship.

do queer

tricks

with oxygen electrons.

The

resourceful

scientist

had

have been unable to change the cosmic


rays to affect other elements as they

often been in desperate situations, but

do

oxygen. But I

you are
fine
it,

am working on that, and going to help me. You have a

none so hopeless as the present. In each room or compartment he could see robot men working on intricate machinery. The
'Avenger'

mind.

When

I've gained control of

was

without

question

have a

you are going to be my assistant. You lot of knowledge I can use. Come
Millstein.
cell

mighty space
possible

fighter

equipped with every

means of offense and defense.

now,

You

are

going to be

An

officer

who appeared

to be of

locked in a

and the only food you


drug."

higher mental type than the others came

will get is the pleasant

out from one of the side corridors and

"There

is

just

one thing you have over"I

spoke respectfully to the Falcon.


officer's

On

the
set

looked," shot out Millstein defiantly.


left

face was the

same vacant,

instruction with

my

space ship to

expression, but his features were


finely chiselled,

attack in
to

two hours

if

anything happened

and

it

more was plain he posthan the others.

me."
"Is that so ?" sneered the Russian, "and

sessed

more

initiative

Still the resigned,

hopeless expression in

you prate about treachery."

He

laughed

the dull eyes


to the Falcon.

showed the mind belonged

long and loudly. "In two hours, you said,

my

enemy.

You
!

don't

know how long


been on board
!"

"Great Cosmos!" muttered Millstein,


"the Falcon has
all his officers

you were under the


ing ray. Listen

effects of the paralyz-

and crew
takes no

You have

under mental domination.

He

the 'Avenger' for twelve hours


Millstein

chance of treachery or disobedience."

made no

reply,

but in his

Then he dared a few more


that he

rapid steps

dark, brave eyes crept a

more determined

expression.

might hear what the officer was conveying to the Falcon. Whatever the message was Millstein never knew, for
the conversation was in a strange tongue

CHAPTER

VII

but whatever

it

was the Falcon was great-

Mental Duel

ly pleased, for he turned to chuckle gloat-

ingly at his prisoner.

THE
the

Falcon led the


until

way back
Millstein

along

"Here's some news for you,

my enemy.
some

the corridor

knew

My

radio officer reports that for

they must be close to the stern of Millstein was mighty 'Avenger.'

hours there has been no message coming from your ship. Just for your informa-

82
tion
I'll

AMAZING STORIES
say

we have
I

been turning a new,


It is

used before

an

incredibly

simple,

yet

deadly ray on your ship.

one of

my

strangely effective strategy.

new weapons, and

know

that your ship

The

Falcon's cruel heart

was gladdened

has no protective screens for this ray."

to note Millstein's look of dejection be-

The crazed Russian


an infuriated

beat his breast like

cause of the startling information about


the paralyzing ray.
acting.
stein

gorilla.

"No one
it.

but the
It took

most clever
it

bit of

Falcon would have thought of

To

the Falcon

seemed Millappear nongreatly

me two

years to perfect

it.

have pro-

was making an

effort to

duced a high sound-vibration that travels


along a beam of light and instantly paralyzes every
its

chalant

not

to

show he was

perturbed.

conscious and disabled for

human within the radius of Your men will be unmany hours. The weaker ones will die. Some brains
active range.

"Ah ha I"
to interfere

croaked the Falcon.


I

"That

gets under your skin.

warned you not


you are

with

my plans. Now
Your
fine

my
is

prisoner with a horrible fate in the

disintegrate

from the

terrific

vibrations.
I

future for you.


disabled; your

space fighter
I

I killed a hundred
it.

men

before
life
I,

perfected
to

men

paralyzed.

have

a man's the plans of the Falcon?


is

But what

compared

destroyed one of the government scout


ships.
I

who

will rule

have gained control of the comin the other.


I

the world

and

all

the planets."

mander's brains

Now
I
in

do

you know what

am

going to do?

am
the

/COURAGEOUS ^* though he was,


now

and

quick-witted

going

to

order the
"

commander
to

Millstein nearly be-

government space ship


into the 'Nemesis.'

dash

his craft

trayed his sudden exultation. There was

a desperate hope;. a fighting chance!


the Falcon

A sudden partial
Falcon.

sanity returned to the

He knew

had discovered the

sound vibration
self perfected.

a wild hope.

same he had himHis heart bounded with He knew Cromwell was


ray, the

"No! No!" he screamed,


ing crazily.
is

his lips
do.

work-

"That would not


is it

That

foolish

playing the trick

the
in

not, Millstein?

I can use "

daring ruse they

both those ships in


earth.
I

my

warfare against
to

had used before


situations

seemingly hopeless

shall take

them back

"Of

course," Millstein reasoned, "the

Millstein had been listening intently eagerly for he had gained important in-

Falcon, having discovered the sound vibration ray, has no doubt built up a protective screen

formation from the rambling Russian,

He had

admitted the government space

for the

same ray

if

used
"

against his 'Avenger.'

That's the reason

ship was under his mental control and had nearly told Millstein where his vast

my weapon

did not affect the 'Avenger.'

workshop was

located.

Millstein

now

most disturbing thought came

into

knew

his mind.

Perhaps Cromwell had forgot-

ten to turn on the defensive screens to


neutralize rays

and

vibrations.

Perhaps

the Falcon's mighty factories were on some dead or unknown planet far beyond the solar planetary system some uncanny place in the endless realms of si-

his gallant lieutenant

had been lured into


Millstein instantly

lent space,

where the

fantastical plans of

a sense of false security during the battle of swords in space.

a distorted mind were developed.

Again

a surge of confidence swept over Millstein like

put the thought aside as unworthy; Cromwell had never failed

an engulfing wave, to give him

him

in

any

detail.

a mighty confidence in his

He

suddenly

lieutenant

felt confident that his young was trying the ruse they had

By some uncanny

instinct

own powers. he knew he


that

was the mental master of the Falcon,

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


his

83
re-

wits

were

keener,

his

will

more

factor to
sources.
tations

powerful.

He tried another
Its

rare strategy.
to operate the

"But no one knows how


'Nemesis' but myself.

mankind with your skill and Why, you could change the of the earth at will and make
fit

rocli-

controls are
to
is

mates to

man's need.

You

could put

known only
lieutenant,

to myself

and

my
now

brave
para-

life into the

dead planets; cool off those


;

Cromwell, who

too hot for habitation

warm

those that

lyzed."

With

that Millstein

managed

to look

very sad and hopeless as he continued.

"You

will

never use the 'Nemesis,'


built within its

Verensky, for
to operate

compart-

ments are explosives, and any attempt


it

are too cold. There is no limit to the good you could accomplish. Why, you could be next to the Master Mind. There are none so powerful as you. If you will give up your mad idea of universal destruction, I, Donald Millstein, will work
at

by one not knowing the con-

your

side.

Together
I

we

will

do
in

all

cealed secret devices


eternity."

would

blast

it

into

these things.

ask this of you

the

name of humanity." For a moment during


you
well.
lie!"

the impassioned

"T THINK
*-

snarled the Fal-

appeal of Millstein, a strange, uncanny


light sian.

con.

glowed

in the face of the

mad Rus-

Think as you like," taunted Millstein, "but you will never use Why don't you go over the 'Nemesis.' and try to operate the ship ?"

"Oh, very

Calm reason seemed

to be strug-

gling to shine in the glittering eyes, and


for a brief second Millstein fancied that

he had gained a point.

This

last bolt struck

a responsive cord

with the wild scream of a


like

But suddenly madman, the

in the Russian's twisted mentality.

"That
stein.

is

just

You and
There

I,

of

my

trained men, will board the


I will

esis.'

what we will do, Milland of course a group 'Nemdrug you and keep
your weakened mind

Russian beat on his breast till it sounded Incoherent words puled a drum.

from

his twitching lips.

"Now you will die a my enemy! How dare


Falcon, the sworn
to be

thousand deaths,

you ask me, the


the world,
!

you prisoner
gives

until

enemy of
!

me

the secret of the controls."

Millstein could have shouted for joy.


1 f he could only had worked get aboard the 'Nemesis.' "You "I'll never do it !" he screamed. It's horrible to can't make me do it.

an altruist. Altruism Bah Say no more, or I will turn a ray gun on

The

trick

you."

The Russian was trembling


waiting
officer.

in a

fit

of

uncontrolled anger, as he turned to ihe

think of your using

my

'Nemesis' against

the world!"

"/"*
^-*

ET

ready a squad of

fifty

of

my

Then
istry

Millstein used his cleverest soph-

best engineers.

We
I will

are going to

played a seemingly poltroonly part


mind
in the universe.

board the 'Nemesis.'


Millstein the
will

wring from

to gain his point.

secrets

of his ship.
I

We

ing

"Verensky," he began, in a voice pleadand almost servile, "you are the

keep him captive, and

will torture

him with
until I

my

bare hands and drug him

greatest
sess the
tific

You

pos-

am
as

his master."

most marvelous fund of scienI beg of you to give up learning.


conquering the world.
could be great with your mighty
intellect.

Millstein put his head in his hands

and

bowed
ized

though
that

broken.

this wild idea of

scarcely control his emotions.

He could He real-

You

joyously

he had tricked the

power and

You

could be

a-

bene-

madman.

84
They were going
esis
!'

AMAZING STORIES
to

board the 'Nem-

glowed
energy.

with

some

strong

and

static

At

the

moment

Millstein did not

consider this of unusual importance, and

CHAPTER
On Board
the

VIII

he put the thought out of his mind. The steel door of the space projectile was
closed.

"Nemesis"
by
of

commands

THE

Falcon,

accompanied

Millstein

Verensky uttered sharp, gutteral in that weird tongue, and knew they were floating in
felt

greatly increased
cers,

number
ship.

offi-

space.

Soon he

the slight grating


ship.
its

moved with

Millstein to the
Millstein

contact against his

own

He knew

extreme stern of the great


appeared a broken

they had entered one of

carrier tubes.

man

as

he

walked

His heart
his

thrilled,

and the strong muscles

along, but his shrewd, trained

mind was
the

of his body tensed for action.

He

bent

noting every detail and analyzing every


opportunity.

head and concentrated on the coming


rudely

all his

mental

He

observed

keenly

capacities

test.

movements of every man, keeping a careful observation of the Falcon's movements.

He was

pushed

through the

open door of the


the launching

little

space carrier into

They

finally

entered a large tube at

own

ship.

and boarding tube of his The Falcon craftily took a

the end of the ship, a tube about thirty


feet in diameter.

place at the rear of the group.

In this long tube re-

"Open
tones.

the inside door, Millstein," orin

posed a small space ship.

As

Millstein

dered the Falcon,

hard,, dangerous

was being pushed


appeared.
Millstein,

into this tiny projectile,

he noted the Falcon had suddenly dis-

Millstein stepped forward.

None

but

This was a cause of worry to


for he wished with a mighty

he in the group knew how to operate the strong steel doors that would admit them
directly into the 'Nemesis.'

hope that the Falcon would accompany


the group on the trip to his

The

cleverly

own

ship.

constructed

doors of

incredibly

tough

Minutes passed, and the crew were each


at their particular post ready to launch

steel slid silently back.

Millstein in the

lead of the entire group stepped directly


into
esis'.

the

little

carrier

ship.

Millstein noted

one of the power rooms of the 'Nem-

that each

man was
;

heavily

armed with

He

glanced about and a cleverly


lips.

ray guns and equipped with some sort of


protective
ric that

faked moan escaped his tense

armor a strange, metallic fabglowed with the light of dancing


Millstein reasoned the suits

Slumped over

at the seats of their oper-

ating chairs and lying in grotesque heaps

colors.

were
all

on the

floor

were

his fine, trained assis-

resistive screens against ray


sorts.

guns of

tants. Then Millstein acted the part of a madman, and he turned like an infuriated

To

his great relief the

tall

figure of the
little

tiger to glare at the Falcon.

Falcon suddenly entered the

craft

"My
You
worlds

good men
!"

and took a place

at

the

Millstein, standing only a

main controls. few feet from


inhis

crazy

fiend!

You have killed them You murderer of


his

the Falcon, studied his


finite

enemy with

care.

The Russian returned


the

The Falcon laughed throatily, and words gurgled with joy.


"No, they are not
all

searching scrutiny with a baleful glance.

dead,

my

enemy.
live.

For some reason


also

madman appeared
that

Some

of the strongest will no doubt

to be a bit thinner in spite of the fact he

clever

weapon,

my new
Perhaps
I'll

paralyzing
try
it

wore the strange metal garment

sound vibration.

out

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


on you
will."
in a

85
"Good "Our
old
trick

mild

way
it

to help

weaken your

his

assistant's

shoulder.

Jack," he muttered happily.


that

Knowing

pleased the

mad

Fal-

worked

beautifully."

con, Millstein continued to sob loudly, as

"It sure did, Chief.

When they
we

turned

he bent over the men lying sprawled upon

the paralyzing ray on us,

fortunately
I

Suddenly he stopped at one limp figure, with sprawled arms hanging


the floor.

had our protective screens working.


did what you told

me

just before

you

left.

down over a radio table. "And you have killed Jack Cromwell,

We

adjusted the ship to be neutral and

dead, and the Falcon thought


paralyzed."

we were
fighter's

my

best assistant!"

Millstein

frothed,

leaping wildly towards the Falcon.


Several of the guards clutched Millstein

"Just

an

old

western
shot

gun
out

trick," grinned Millstein happily.

and seemingly subdued him.

Like

"Great

Scott!"

Cromwell.

an actor enjoying a dramatic moment on


the stage, the Falcon strode about.

"Look

at the

Falcon!"

Millstein,

however, before looking

at

SHACKLE
ister

Millstein,"

"Fasten him securely.


secrets of the ship."

I will

he ordered. admin-

his defeated enemy glanced carefully about the room to note that each of the enemy was safely subdued. Then he di-

drugs and torture him to learn the


Millstein in

rected his attention toward the Falcon.

The mad Russian had dropped


knees, his face uplifted.

to his

"Wait a minute!" shouted


the voice of Stentor.

There was a

He

had decided to
spring

strained, hopeless expression

play his trump


the trick!

cardhe would
intently,

countenance.

on the cruel His eyes were closed, and

he appeared to be in a trance.

The Falcon looked up


suddenly sensed danger

a queer

expression spreading over his face as he

"Keep
I

"What's he doing, Chief?" ray guns trained


is

on him,"

trap.

snapped Millstein.
think he

"He's a tricky rogue.

With a

panther-like spring Millstein

trying to project his mind,

suddenly leaped from the grasping hands


of his captors and uttered a loud shout.

perhaps trying to give mental orders to


the crew on board his 'Avenger.'

Well,

stein's

"For Earth!" most amazing thing occurred. Millmen, who had seemingly been unor dead,

Cromwell,
over.

guess the Falcon's days are

conscious

suddenly leaped to

Subdue him with paralyzing rays. Give him drugs to keep him asleep until we reach earth.
Iron him securely.

their feet as if actuated

by one spring!

Of

course

we

will destroy the 'Avenger'

Each brave and trained assistant held in hand a deadly ray gun. Like a swiftly moving and intricate mechanism, each man jumped to an invader and covered him with the ray pistols they had held
his

first.

That should not be so hard now,


eyes of the Russian opened.

with the master mind missing."

The crazed

He

began

to creep

on

his

hands and knees


held a ray

towards Millstein,
of the advancing

who

gun

under their bodies as they lay about the


room.

ready against trickery.

But

in the eyes

The

invaders,

who

possessed no

madman

there was a

wills of their

Mill stein's

own, were no match for men, even had the numbers


'

dog-like look, the look of a beaten ani-

mal.

There was a frantic prayer on the


sagging face.

been equal.
directly
in

now
en
his

Jack Cromwell had leaped to a position


front of

defeated

The Falcon was brokat the

beloved chief.

Frothing and puling

mouth

the

Millstein threw an affectionate

arm over

massive figure advanced, came close to

86
the

AMAZING STORIES
young
scientist,

and with trembling

CHAPTER IX
Heroism and Tragedy

limbs struggled erect.

"Wait, Millstein

Wait

Don't drag
!"

me.

Don't take

me

to earth

Then even Millstein was astounded, and for a moment greatly disconcerted as
the

MILLSTEIN,
but

greatly

worried,

crazed
his

Russian

suddenly

snatched

from
tache.

face a

false beard

and musMillstein

With incredulous eyes

more determined than ever was at the control board of the 'Nemesis.' The fast space fighter had been rocketed away
to destroy the Falcon,

watched the cruel features of his enemy


relax into softer lines.

one thousand miles from the "Avenger."

For some time Millstein listened


pleaded the

to tech-

"Don't you
beaten figure.

see, Millstein?"

"The Falcon is uncanny in his wisdom. It was the Falcon you talked to on the 'Avenger.' But I am not
the Falcon
!

nical information coming from various compartments of the space car. The fearless

young

scientist

was

in his element at

the control instruments.

am

The Falcon had


Millstein for the

only his wretched


doubles.

escaped

tool.

outwitted

One

of his

many

He

moment.

drugs us

with a strange drug.


in his

He

holds our lives


the antidote

"Well, Chief," said the ever present

and
just

efficient

hand.

Only he knows
I

Cromwell, "a message has

for the horrible


at this

moment

or I will die.

Don't you see?

drug he gives us. Even must have the antidote That is the

come
all

in

that

the crew

from our port forward hold from the 'Avenger' have


tall,

died.

Even

that

husky bird who was

way

he keeps us in submission.

He

the Falcon's double has croaked.

takes

He was

right about the poison in his body."

our brains, poisons us, and keeps us alive

"That's the Falcon's way," answered

with the antidote."


Millstein stood speechless

amazed, as

the

man who had


perfect.

acted the part of the

"He knew the men wouldn't live to talk much if they were captured. A clever fiend to trick me as he did. But
Millstein.

Falcon went on.

The

deception had been

after all I

was lucky

to get

back to the

more than

'Nemesis.'
sent

"The Falcon has

me

to

my

death.
this

He knew
visit to

in

his

uncanny wisdom

"Shall

"What we

next, Chief?" asked Cromwell.

attack the 'Avenger'?'

He

cannot be defeated.

your ship meant a possible trap. I must have the


not the Falcon!"
alert

"In due time," from Millstein in sharp


tones.

"I

want

to plan a I

sure attack

antidote

that will not fail.

am

certain the Fal-

"I

am

can has a

defensive

screen

for

every

Becoming
jerk.

with a mighty mental

Millstein turned to

Cromwell and
all

weapon we have. The 'Avenger' is a most amazing ship. That crazed Russian is
the smartest scientist in the universe."

gave the order. "Quick! Turn


tective screens

full

energy on

pro-

for five

and rocket away hundred miles.


this

full

speed

"EXCEPT
-C-'

yourself," hastened

Cromship

well.

"We may
at

be attacked by the 'Avenger'

"If

the

remaining

government

any moment from

on."
is

could help us,


gether

Then more
death
It
!"

grimly,

"The Falcon

we wear down

could attack and tothe

power storage of

aboard his ship, and

it's

a battle to the

the 'Avenger'. Jack, we've got to destroy the Falcon and his super-craft in order to

was

at last to he decided.

save the world.

The commander of

the

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE


government ship
the Falcon's evil
helpless.
is

87

under the control of mind; so that ally is


only

wondering men
riers in the
esis.'

to the small space car-

bow and

stern of the 'Nef-

There's

one thing

left

to do."

It

spoke well for the crew's careful


it

worried look crept into Cromwell's

training that

was only a few moments


sadly to Millstein.

face as he divined the portent in Millstein's voice.

when Cromwell turned


one."

"They're in the carriers, Chief. Every


?"

"You
going
to

don't mean, Chief, that you're

"Yes,

Jack,"
to

interrupted

Millstein.
at full

"Everyone but you, Cromwell." "Let me stay, Chief. I want to dash to


glory with you.
Please, Chief.
I
It

"I'm going

ram the 'Nemesis'

will

be a big kick.

speed into the 'Avenger!'"

"

"I'm ready, Chief," stated the brave

Millstein

reached

out

and

grasped

Cromwell,
Shall
I

gulping
the

bit.

"Let's

go.

Cromwell's hand in a bone-cracking grip.

tell

crew?

We

are

all

ready

to die if

we

can wipe out the Falcon!"

GOODBYE,
earth.

Cromwell.

Get

out

"Good old chap," praised Millstein. "I knew you would do it, but you see, Jack,
you and the crew are not going"

now, old chap.


"Goodbye, Chief.
with a

Take They need you."


I

the crew to

"

"Not going, Chief?!" "No, Jack. You and


earth.

the

crew are to
all
I'll

Cromwell's voice broke into a sob, and last despairing, pleading look, he

take to the space carriers and return to

leaped away.

As soon
right."

as you are

clear a

ihousand miles,
job

I will

well

After a moment Millstein spoke into a


phone.

do the
break

up

There was a

slight

"All

set,

Jack?

Okay!

I'm releasing

in Millstein's

voice as a mighty emotion

you

all

from

the launching tubes."

flooded him.

Millstein pulled a
his eyes

group of levers while


In an

way. Jack. We can't destroy the 'Avenger' with our equipment,


"It's the only

watched the reflectoscope.

instant ten small space cars flashed

away

and
earth.

there's

weapons.

no time to develop new The oxygen is rapidly leaving I've made up my mind. Get the
let's

on

their long

journey toward earth. They


in

were grouped
geese.

formation

like

homing
Millstein

crew together, and

get

it

over."

With
a
well.

quick
to

adjustments

Cromwell

started

to

protest,

but

tuned a radio
In
a

make

contact with

Cromthe

glance at the determined expression on


hts beloved chief's

trice

he had

attuned

face told

him words

wave.

were

futile.

"High

tail

for

home, Cromwell.

You

With swimming eyes, the courageous young Cromwell managed a sickly, liptrembling grin.

may
that

take

effects.

my laboratories and personal Now goodbye! and quit sending


stuff.
I'll

mushy

be too busy."

"Righto, Chief, and crash him hard


I would say about two hundred feet toward the bow from center. That's where you say the lenses are located, that are

Millstein grimly fingered the controls


as he tooled his space-fighter further

away
dis-

from
tance

the

'Avenger.'

He

wanted

five
!

thousand miles

to gather full

changing the cosmic rays." Speaking hurriedly to smother his


ing,
all

velocity
feel-

He was
in

a machine

now

nerveless, unfeeling

mechanism, with just

Cromwell phoned urgent orders to

one idea

mind.

He was

parts of the ship

orders

utterly de-

that scurried

void of fear.

88

AMAZING STORIES
locked

Carefully his eyes studied instruments

them out of the control room.


are trying to crash the door.

and the reflectoscopes. He noted with a start that the government space ship was
flashing along with his craft.
it

They
lost,

I'm

Millstein.

I'm going to ram the


!"

Very

close

'Avenger' I

came
the

too

close.

The
it

risky proximity
set

The

voice

in

the

phone ceased, and


turned with

of

government ship

Millstein

Millstein

watched the other craft with

thinking.

He

watched

carefully.

Per-

anxious eyes.
startling speed

Suddenly

it

haps the Falcon had divined his purpose

and was gone

and was sending the craft


purpose.
Millstein

to defeat his

"I guess his crazed crew broke the door

did

not

fear

the

heavier and clumsier ship.

His

better

equipped
other,
[

ship could easily evade the and the protective rays and screens

down." mused Millstein sorrowfully, as he bent every energy and faculty to the task at hand his last flight. Turning the "Nemesis" in a wide,

of

the

Nemesis'

were vastly stronger

swinging

circle, Millstein

adjusted the re-

than those of the other ship.

fiectoscope

to

show
full

the

huge

reflected

Then
that

the sudden, uncanny intuition had so often saved Millstein came

image of the far distant 'Avenger.'


gradually fed

He

power

to the atomic

again to him.

He

steered the 'Nemesis'

propulsion tubes.

The 'Nemesis' became

dangerously closer to the other


Millstein

a long, hurtling meteor streaking through


ship
the heavens.

knew

the government

was now

in the effective area of his

protective ray screens.


tuition told

him

the

own The strange inmove might develop

Faster and faster sped the 'Nemesis'


straight

toward the 'Avenger.' that grew and


larger
It

larger

before

Millstein's

something important.
It did!

gleaming eyes.

would soon be over

A
instantly the radio

mighty crashand disintegration


Millstein

Almost
Millstein's

phone near

believer

moved
On

his grey,

ear

began to operate.
the

The
space

tense lips in prayer.

commander of
fighter

government

Suddenly he tensed
screen

the reflecting

was speaking! In a few terse words Millstein exofficer.

showed another flashing shape "The government ship!" gasped Mill-

plained the situation to the gallant


Millstein

stein, realizing
officer

now

that the courageous

commander had suddenly gone under some mental influence at the start of the battle. The officer did not know what had happened,
learned
the

was far

in front of

him and indeed

attempting to crash the "Avenger."


Millstein savagely turned on the last
bit of

his

energy to increase his speed

and he was deeply grieved to hear of the loss of the' other government fighter and
the result of the attack
Millstein did not intention to
tell

His eyes were glued to the screen.

He

on the 'Avenger.'
the officer of his

saw unfolded a most horrible tragedy. With a vast explosion the two ships ahead of him suddenly became a revolving mass of hurtling, mangled parts!
told

ram

his ship into the

enemy.

Un-

miles

of

the

void
steel

were

instantly

"AT Y
I'-l
board."

crew are
the

all

dead or mad.

filled

with broken

and fabric

to

am

only

normal

soul

on

drift forever in endless space!

The government

officer's

voice

The
the
gallant
officer

sinister

Falcon and

his hell-ship,

was a
stein ?

prayer.

My

now

trying to

''What shall I do, Millcrew are madmen. They are They are observed kill me.
mental influence. I have

'Avenger,'

was destroyed!

Many

men had perished, and a brave had carved deeply his name in the
But Earth was saved!

by some

terrible

halls of fame.

THE VELOCITY OF ESCAPE

89
Cromwell,
I

MLLLSTEIN
perils for hini
tal

impressed by the horror.


concentration.

was badly shaken and But new now required his full menHis terrimc speed had

" QTRANGE,

that

you
thinkStar,

should mention Sirius.


star.

was

ing of that

Sirius, the
it."

Dog

as the ancients called


;

carried his ship directly


ing,

hurtling

fragments

among the whirlmany of the

fragments larger than the "Nemesis."


collision

A
a

would mean

disaster.

Cromwell grinned he knew Millstein would give out information and thus stimulate his thoughts. Sure enough. Millstein began in a far-away voice.

Playing his disintegration and atom exploding rays like


fire hoses, Millstein in

"The ancients
tured Sirius, the

built temples,

and

pic-

Dog

Star, rising

from
the

few hours cleared the void of the large and dangerous fragments. With a fervent prayer for the heroes of the govern-

the eastern horizon.


star

They thought
happiness

affected

their

weather."
cally

Millstein
in

and the went on academi-

ment fighters, he flashed away from the harrowing scene. Already he had radio connection with the frantically happy Cromwell, who

and

an absent-minded tone.
Bessel, discovered in
fifty

"The astronomer,
was moving among
path.
for
its

Eighteen hundred and

that

Sirius

would soon be

the stars in a
is

wobbly

at his chief's side.

"Cut out that raving, Cromwell. I'm Slow up and get ready to come all right.
on board.
I'm tired."
Millstein's voice

This vast star


size.

extremely heavy

It's

"

Millstein suddenly stopped speaking as


to hold all the

seemed

a strange

light

broke over his

face.

suffering of the ages.

He had

seen a

"Jack, I've a hunch.


tories are

The
!

Falcon's fac-

man

die grandly

on that

star

In a few weeks
Sirius

"It won't be long now, Chief.

We'll

we

will take a trip to

and look

soon be home, and what a home-coming


for

around."

you!"

Cromwell, at the controls

with

Millstein,

was happy.
is

Cromwell was not heeding. His ears were fastened to phones connected to a
powerful receiving radio.
face.

"The whole world


you.

waiting to fete
last

look of in-

By

the way, the

radio

from
the

credulous wonder had spread over his

earth states the oxygen


ing normal.

is

already becom-

His eyes were bulging with amazeby the great cosmos!


I'll

What

a relief to

know

ment.
"Listen, Chief,

Falcon

is

dead."
reply.

For some time Millstein did not

He had

been thinking

Here's a message from space.


peat
it."

re-

intently studying

some mighty problem. He spoke slowly. "Jack, I wonder about the Falcon.

"To my enemy, Donald


thought

Millstein.

You

me

dead.

sensed a trap and

Why did
him.
It

he not attack us after


It's

got back

escaped in a space carrier while you were


being taken to your ship.

to our ship?

uncanny.
a bit."

Not

like

You
It is

fool.

Do
The

worries

me

not think

am

finished.

Sensing his chief was in an analytical

Falcon
death
!"

will

swoop

again.

Beware! war

to the

mood, Cromwell resorted

to their old cus-

Signed,

The

Falcon.

tom

to help Millstein think.

"Say, Chief, look there!


heavens.

High

in the

Cromwell choked and sputtered. "Chief, what do you think of that?

The mighty

star Sirius."

The Falcon

is alive

!"

The End

90

AMAZING STORIES

every side of them, in orderly receptacles, long rows of coffin-shaped boxes were resting on shelves so many that it made one dizzy merely to look at them.

On

91

In the Footsteps of
the
By
Mr. Coblentz

JVasp
A.

STANTON

COBLENTZ

is one of the best liked authors with whose works we have been favored. In the present story he appears in the role of a short story teller and very ingeniously brings everything to a happy conclusion where a wkole nation is rescued from tyranny and almost extinction. We are sure that our readers will enjoy it.

Illustrated

by

MOREY
lentless use that

HAD
versity

it not been for the example of the hunting wasp, the whole extraordinary episode would never have oc-

was

to be

made

of his

discovery, the unparalleled abuses

and the

vast upheavals that were to follow, prob-

ably he would promptly have hurled the

curred.

As

professor

of

entomology at a South American Uniand specialist in the ways of

formula into the ocean. In any land other than South America
of the twenty-first century, however, the

Andres Mandano, had given prolonged study to those wasps which, as everyone knows, are able to paralyze their victims and leave them in a state of suspended animation, so that they may eventually form succulent livthe hymenoptera, Dr.

formula might not have been perverted to


sinister uses.

But

it

will be recalled that

a series of revolutions had but recently

convulsed Dr. Mandano's

home country
that

of Peravia; that a military dictatorship

had

been

established

and

there

ing morsels for ing larvae.

still

undeveloped, revivleap of the imagina-

existed just that degree of popular sub-

By what

tion the professor bridged the gap


insect to

from

human and thought

of applying
is a quesanswered

which made the so-called Mandana Man- Preserver a logical development. It will be recalled how public
ordination
liberties

waspish methods to mankind,


tion that will perhaps never be

had been curtailed following the

rise

but at

all

events

we know

that, after years

of research, he had solved the secret of the insect poison, and was able to brew
it it

of the revolutionary government of Rodrigo Querzal; how free speech had been eradicated, how labor unions had

been

destroyed,

how Communists and


religious

in considerable quantities in a practical

and to apply

non-conforming
been persecuted,

groups

had

way

to

mankind.

how

military

demands

In the beginning, it appears, Dr. Mandano's motives were wholly laudable; for it had been his hope to develop a new anaesthetic

make

it

which would supplant ether and possible to perform operations

without inconvenience or danger to the patient. Could he have foreseen the re-

and organizations had been strengthened, and how, finally, a compulsory sterilization decree had been adopted to cut off the progeny of undesirable elements of the population in a word, elements opposed to Querzal. What was more natural, accordingly,

92
than that the

AMAZING STORIES
Mandano Man-Preserver be
check upon the
precisely
store

as

one

would

preserve
or

and
dill

utilized as the culminating


liberties of the

so

many hams,

herrings

masses?

pickles.

Why

not build huge warehouses,


all

he argued, where

excess

human

beings
refer-

BUT
perhaps
ture.
plies
It

before going on to describe the

could be kept and

filed

away for

actual
I

use of

the

new

invention,
its

ence ?

Why not take all beggars and


until

vaga-

should say a word as to


literally

na-

bonds, and put them into a state of sus-

was

the means

of preserving men,

what the name imand

pended animation
better

the
seize

dawn
all

of a

day?

Why

not

unem-

of preserving them over indefinite lengths


of time.
their

ployed workers and their families, and,


instead of allowing

Not a mere method of keeping mummified corpses! a method of

them

to

become a burcom-

keeping the

men

themselves in a state

den on the community, them and leave them in


required,

quietly paralyze

registered

between sleep and death.


less

An

injection of

partments, until their services should be

than one cubic centimeter of

Dr.

when

they might be immediately


not, in the

Mandano's paralyzing fluid, based on the formula learned from the wasps, would
cause a

awakened?

And why

same

manner, build up a vast and

irresistible

man

to collapse into a state of


:

army?

Why

not train as

many

soldiers

seeming

lif elessness

he would cease to

as possible, and then, instead of continuing to feed and quarter them, put them
into a state of inexpensive paralysis until

breathe, there
action, his face

would be no sign of heart would take on a waxy pal-

which would show no sign of change during the course of days, weeks or even
lor

the

advent of war should make

them

necessary? In this manner Peravia might


build up a matchless military machine at

years

and

yet, at

jection of the proper antidote,

any time, upon the inhe might


little

minimum

of cost.

be revived, feeling a

drowsy,

like

It is needless to

add that these argu-

one awakened from deep slumber, but


otherwise unaffected.

ments, though appealing to the principles


of the Querzal government and though
acted upon without delay, were carefully

The

secret of suspended animation, in

a word, had been mastered But having, been mastered, it was not employed, as it might have been, for humanitarian and
stead, as the
is

kept from public knowledge. Indeed,

it is

now
ers,

believed that several political offend-

who

in

2034 were summarily sen-

surgical
this

purposes.

In-

world in
it

good year 2054


tool

tenced to the noose, had been guilty of nothing beyond some inadvertent suggestions

well aware,

became the nefarious

hinting at the government's

new
the

of a political and social class.


It is not certain

project.

Browbeaten and

docile

as

whether Dr. Mandano

himself was involved in the misuse of his


invention; or whether, beneath the iron

Peravian people had long been, there was no reason to suppose that they would
countenance
this

un-heard-of,
;

latest

compulsion of the Querzal dictatorship, he bent reluctantly to the will of the gov-

atrocity of their leaders

hence none but


officials,

a few high government

a few medieal

ernment and delivered over the paralyzing fluid into hands less scrupulous than his own. In any case, the result is in no
doubt at all. Some evil genius, in an unlucky hour, conceived of the idea of preserving and storing the nation's excess

military chieftains, a group of

advisers, a handful of great industrial-

and Dr. Mandano himself, had any suspicion of what was in contemplation.
ists

man-power: of preserving and storing

it

E VEN

when

the plan had actually been

put into operation, the law of abso-

IN
lute

THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE WASP

93

secrecy prevailed, and the govern-

ment proceeded by means of ruses and


subterfuges designed to throw dust into
the eyes of the people.

and then their suspicions were aroused, would find that a word, indiscreetly uttered, would send them to a Concentration

The

only public

Camp

if

not to the executioner.


spite of

pronouncement was

directly misleading:

Meanwhile, in
restraints

the ferocious

that, in the interest of the public health,

of

the

Censorship

Bureau,

a State medical examination of

all

citizens

strange rumors were making their

way
the

was

to

be undertaken, beginning on a In the systemmatic manall

through carefully guarded underground


channels.

particular date.

Tales were told that

made

ner characteristic of the Peruvians,


individuals
at

hair of the listeners literally

stand on
oaths

and families were


assigned

to

appear
duly

end;

tales

that brought muttered


to

various

times

before

constituted Boards,

who were

to compile

the most thoroughgoing "health census"

many an indignant lip, and that caused many eyes to stare in amazement or incredulity. One heard reports
and curses
of
like

ever

known

to history.

Little did the


realize that

un-

intricately

winding

galleries

which,

suspecting

common man
to

he

was being made


the trap

walk into a trap


it

innumerable bodies
that
that these

modern catacombs, were laden with and one was told

In a majority of cases,

is true,

were the bodies not of dead


living.

was not allowed

to spring; merely

men, but of

One heard

wild stories

for the sake of appearance, millions of

of torture-rooms, where physicians, having stripped their unwary patients


for

men were
ical

put through a superfluous phys-

examination.

But
in

in

hundreds of
in

physical examination, would slyly inject

thousands of instances
millions

the

and eventually
his

a hypodermic which caused the victims to


reel

citizen,

ignorance,

over

like

men

stricken suddenly dead.


that,

walked to a fate he would not knowingly


have accepted without a struggle.

And

one was assured

by means of
system,
the

a carefully arranged card

Hence it would occasionally happen some man more often than not an unemployed artizan or laborer would
that

multitudes of slumbering individuals were


all

placed and catalogued, each with his

appropriate

designation

for

example,

disappear after being

summoned

for ex-

"1964

XW

2/17/34,

automobile

me-

amination, and would not be heard of


again.

chanic, unemployed, 25 yrs. old at time of

Or some stout and brawny youth, who had been undergoing military training in a private or public corps, would
if

suspended

activities"

or,

"4456

VT

3/11/35, trained infantryman, proficient in rifle practice, 22 yrs. old at time of S.


A."; or, again,

vanish as
a

swallowed up by the earth

or

whole family

always

"TYU

1154,

1155 and
at

of

the poorer

1156, 12/18/36, man, wife and son, dan-

its

and often previously dependent upon charity would fail to return from appointed examination, and neighbors
classes,

gerous radicals, 43, 37 and 13


S.

time of

A."

would inquire
abouts.

in vain as to its where-

THERE

Officials,

when
;

questioned, would

was still another report which, more ghastly than the others,

merely shake their heads with a "knowthe police would nothing" expression prove either unwilling or unable to be of help the public press, being dominated
;

was heard now and then in secluded quarters safe from the ears of government
eavesdroppers.
incinerating

This concerned a secret

chamber,

by the Querzal

party,

would never so
if

scores of unfortunates

much

as mention any of the missing; and


file

cremation.

For

the rank and

of the populace,

now

server, if these tales

where each day were brought for Mandano's Man- Prewere to be believed,

94
did not always accomplish

AMAZING STORIES
its

purpose.

one great overwhelming sweep, was to


subdue both neighboring nations. At the same time, multitudes of slumbering laborers were to be brought back to activity,
so that wartime industry might be properly

Now

and then some

patient, either be-

cause of a

weak heart or nervous shock

or an excessive dose of the drug, would

go beyond the stage of mere suspended animation, and the remains, consequently, would have to be disposed of as quietly
But such cases, it was said, were exceptional, and caused the officials little worry; in fact, they were scarcely
as possible.
in excess of

manned and the


;

nation was accord-

ingly to have a strength beyond anything

dreamed of by her enemies or indicated by her census reports.

Such was the project; and there


son to believe that
it

is

rea-

one per cent of the total! But although ominous whispered


;

might have sucfor an

re-

ceeded

had

it

not been

unex-

ports continued to be circulated

although
to

pected factor.

mysterious

disappearances continued

multiply and although such cases were

in the

That unexpected factor was to be found person of Captain Juan Cardenzos,

mostly confined to the humbler or nonpossessing classes, the great majority of


the citizens remained placidly unaffected.

perhaps the most persevering foe that the

Querzal regime had ever encountered.

The record
curious one,

So severe was the censorship that many,


perhaps, never heard the rumors at
all

of Cardenzos had been a Decorated for heroism dur-

ing the Equadorian


years
before,

War

nearly thirty

others, hearing them, refused to believe,


or, believing, tacitly

he

had become violently had

approved, since the

anti-militant after the Armistice, he

new

had sharply diminished the burden of unemployment and of public


policy charity;

publicly destroyed his badges


tions,

and decoraand had worked ardently in the


Following
the
rise

while the majority reduced

to

cause of international understanding and

the meekness of a jelly by the fury of


political repression

disarmament.

of

consequences

of

an

and well knowing the unchecked tongue,

chose not to inquire too closely into the


reports.

Querzal to power, he was condemned to a Concentration Camp, from which he escaped after harrowing adventures,
refuge in the United States, where he remained for several years. But
seeking
feeling that his native country needed him,

And

so the years from 2034 to 2043

slipped by

and nothing had been done

to

restrain the use of the

Man- Preserver.
a

he smuggled himself back over the border, and, living the existence of

But

in the latter year there occurred

a hunted

series of events

which not even the wisest


* *

creature, carried

could have foreseen.


*

the daily risk of his


spies

on secret propaganda at life. By means of and underground emissaries for he

IT
its

was

in July of this year that, ac-

had sympathizers even


cles

in the highest cir-

cording to plans since disclosed, the

he gradually

made

himself the head

Querzal

War

Department contemplated
of
It was in July that Man-Preserving was
it

of a vast organized ring, the so-called

Great Offensive.
usefulness

League of Free Men, which, working


through
subterranean
channels,

the

was
they

to receive its culminating test;

was

in

vowed

to

overthrow the reigning tyranny.


assorted

July that Peravia, picking an excuse for war simultaneously with the neighboring
lands of Argenzela and Bolador, was to
revive millions of soldiers

strangely

group

were disgruntled clerics, Communists, thwarted laborers, disinherited intellectuals,

now

waiting in

women

disenfranchised, and adven-

a state of suspended animation, and, by

turers ready to clutch at

any straw! Yet,

IN

THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE WASP


numbers
not
will

95
it is

though they were so motley a crowd; though they seemed to have undertaken
a hopeless task, and met with discourage-

never be known; but

conservatively estimated that they were

more than

five

hundred

in all

when,

ment

after discouragement

though many

on the evening of that memorable day,


they quietly gathered before the gates of
a

members were seized by the police and summarily executed, they were held
of their
together by the force of their convictions

huge building on the outskirts of the

Capital

building

which,

covering

and became a greater power than the


authorities

many

acres

with

its

huge squat form,


sentries

were able to

realize.

But

it

bore the simple designation, "Government

was Captain Cardenzos that was their guiding spirit, and he it was that set off the spark which precipitated the explosion.

Warehouse." Ordinarily, armed

were parading before the entrance, but on this occasion they were conspicuously
lacking; indeed, the gate itself, by what

might have seemed a

bit of official care-

EVER since
indeed,
it

its

formation, the League

lessness,

swung

invitingly ajar, and

when

of Free Men had been investigating rumors concerning the Man-Preserver;

Cardenzos and

was probably through members of the League that most of the rumors started. But at first its efforts had borne little fruit other than in the martyrdom of League members by the executioner's noose. It was not until 2043 that any decisive action became possible; for
several

his band strode in there was no one to restrain them. But mumbled passwords were quickly

interchanged with a waiting party within;

and

the

newcomers,
the

as

they
cast

surged
casual

through

passageway,

glances at a dozen sentries strewn about

them

in

state

of

insensibility,

and
the

pressed

hastily

on

to

accomplish

was not until that year that Cardenzos was in possession of the now-celebrated "Devil's Secrets." How the knowledge came to him whether through spies of
it

night's mission.

GUIDED
ously

by maps and blueprints, they made their way through tortuwinding,


electrically

the League, or through betrayal of the

lighted

pas-

government by

its
;

own

servants

has
he

sageways through labyrinthine corridors


that

never been disclosed


ing kind, and

but, in

any

case,

not

only

filled

the

building

but

did gain information of the most reveal-

stretched underground in a long succession of basements;

was moved to passionate word of the impending war with Argenzela and Bolador. And, at the same time, his secret agents acindignation by

and into apartments


concoctions

suffused

with

vile-smelling

reminding one of a mortuary chamber.

On

every side of them, in orderly receplong rows of coffin-shaped boxes

quired other information which


possible for

made

it

tacles,

him to plan

way

to block

were resting on shelves


so

scores of them,

the war, and incidentally to accomplish the avowed purpose of the League by

hundreds, thousands, ten of thousands

many

that

it

made one

dizzy merely

crushing the Querzalists forever.

to look at them.

And

beneath the cello-

The

never-to-be-forgotten thirtieth of

phane covering of each box one could


distinguish a wax-like

July, 2043, was the date set for launching the League Revolution. One gasps even in recollection to think by what means and against what seemingly insuperable odds Cardenzos and his fol-

human
to

face, silent

and

still

as

if

in slumber.

Working
plan,

according
filled

prearranged

and yet

with the fury of des-

peration, the rebels set about completing


their victory.

lowers

began

the

revolt.

Their exact

Several of their

number

96
were posted

AMAZING STORIES
at various entrances as sen-

tinels; for the

danger was not

at all re-

life! Then we will all join march upon the oppressors !"

forces

and

mote that

their intrusion

would be
to

dis-

covered, that they would be surrounded,

imprisoned,

and

sentenced

death.

Given a few hours leeway, however, and


they would liberate the country.
believed;
several

So

they

some such words the League mem"ber would appeal to each reviving man. Sometimes the individual would be immediately convinced, and would enthusiastically join his saviors sometimes he could be persuaded only with diffi;

TN

and,

firm

in

this

conviction,

hundred of the insurrectionists


little

drew, each drew from his pocket,


vials filled

culty; but in every case the sight of the


long, dimly lighted, sepulchral corridors,

and set to work over the corpse-like forms lying bewith a black
fluid,

with the innumerable


neatly packed

coffin-like

boxes

neath the cellophane.

on

shelves in the alcoves,

Strange beyond
sults.

all

words were the

re-

was enough

to

fill

the restored person


his betrayers

A single drop

of the liquid, forced

with indignation against

and

into the veins of the sleeper,

would proInstantly

with a desire to join the League.


viously, a

duce an almost magical


the patient's frame

effect.

would be shaken with a convulsive shudder, his Hps would draw apart in a yawn, his eyes would slowly open, and he would look up with a drowsy, bewildered expression, from which he would revive gradually into full consciousness. "Where am I?" would be his first astonished exclamation and then, after an effort, his mind would go back
;

In the course of one brief night, obfew hundred unassisted work-:

ers

would not have been able

to revive a

great

many thousands

of sleepers.

Yet,

downexpanded from a small nucleus until all things were swept before them. Each awakened slumberer wa3
like the proverbial snowball rolling
hill,

their efforts

provided with a vial of the black

fluid,

by

to the

moment

of his

official

examination,

means of which he restored dozens of his fellows to life; and each of these, in turn,
resurrected
others,
:

the sudden stab of pain as the physician,

who

resurrected

taking him unawares, had injected the

many more

so that, before morning, the

hyperdermic
ness.

and the ensuing blackrepeat, in

"Where am I?" he would


growing wonder and dread.
. Where you? happened to me?"
.
.

halls and corridors of the whole vast building and its underground annexes were black with great surging masses of

"Who
.

are

men.

am

I?

What

has

And

all

these great masses, newly con-

verted to the cause of Captain Cardenzos,

"You are with friends," the League member would rapidly explain. "For
years you have been sleeping, betrayed

were loudly uttering the war-cry of the League: "Down with the oppressors!

Down

with the oppressors


!

Onward

for

by your

rulers.

Now

we, the servants of


to save you.

the people, have

come

We

man Onward, onward, !" onward for the freedom of man


the freedom of

have learned the secret of your enslave-

ment; have discovered how to make the drug that overcame you, and the antidote
that has revived you.

See!

it

is

here in

THERE never been


about
July, 2043.
zos,

are several things that have


satisfactorily explained

these

little vials
!

Now

join us!

We

will

the

epoch-making
is

first

of

have enough of the medicine to restore a million men. You must help us bring your fellows back to

show you how

We

One

that Captain Carden-

an avowed

pacifist,

should have re-

sorted to the use of

arms

though

it

is

IN
difficult

THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE WASP


he could have preried in

97
the
national

to see

how

multitudes while

across

vailed unless willing to oppose force with

frontiers;

other

multitudes were

force at the crucial juncture.


in

Another

is

taken prisoners, or were brought

down

what manner he succeeded in recruiting


efficient

by the guns or swords of the onsweeping


Revolutionaries.

an

army with such

unparalleled

speed and securing arms and ammunition.

In-so-far as he could, however, Captain

But the second question


answered than the

is

easily

first: for it

more was

Cardenzos curbed

all

violence and

bloodshed,
traint rare

thereby showing a self-res-

not really Cardenzos that recruited the

among

victorious rebels.
all

But

was his enemies that recruited it It must be remembered that more than half the men had been trained as soldiers and intended by the Government for use in the war against Argenzela and Bolador; it must be remembered, also, that abundant weapons and uniforms
it

army;

he gave orders that


lously guarded
inflicted

captives be scrupu-

and the sentence that he upon them was not only unique
one of the rar-

in history but represents

est strokes of ironic justice of

which

we

have any record.

No

sooner had he been

established at the

head of the League

were at hand in great underground

ar-

government, no sooner had he announced


the restoration of the Peravian Republic

mories, conveniently placed near the manstorage chambers, so as to avoid unneces-

and been elected President by an over-

sary delay in case of

hostilities.

And
men,

when

it is

recalled that the revived

whelming majority, than he proposed and carried out the punishment of "Scientific
Incarceration" upon
feated party,
dustrialists
all

by virtue of their very numbers, could easily batter down the doors of the armories

leaders of the dein-

upon the generals and

no

and take possession, one should have difficulty in understanding how CapCardenzos, on the fateful
first

who had urged

the use of the

Man-Preserver, and upon the physicians

tain

of

who had

lent their aid in paralyzing mil-

July,

was able

to place himself at the

lions of unwilling victims.

head of so great an army.

His military experience, acquired durirg the

Ti UT
less

what, precisely, was "Scientific

War

a generation before,
well.

was now

*-* Incarceration"?

Nothing more nor

to serve

him

And

yet his triumph

than Man-Preserving: the paralyzing

was hardly a matter of military skill. Wherever he went, he was hailed, urged on and supported by crowds of people,
long groaning beneath the Querzal despotism, and long powerless to defend
themselves.

of the culprit and his preservation in a


state of

suspended animation. In accordfifty

ance with the Presidential decree,

thousand

men and women were

con-

And wherever

he went, the

demned to this novel penalty; and all of them, undergoing a sentence of indefinite
duration,

enemy

fled like rats

holes by terriers.

hounded out of their Only in a few fortresses

were stored

in

those

undervic-

and army strongholds did they dare to defend themselves, and even there they
could
fury;
regular
reliance.

ground labyrinths where their former tims had been secreted.

And

there to this day they remain. All


it is

not for

long they

withstand

the

popular

of them,

said,

have been systematicin

were deserted by the


placed
in

ally checked,

numbered, and registered

army on which they had


ill

a card catalogue, so that one can easily


in

tell

After one or two battles

which the masses, though

organized,

prevailed by virtue of their irresistible en-

what particular box and alcove to find Senor de Mattas, one-time baron of the armament makers; or General Fernandez
de Leon,

thusiasm, the surviving Querzalists scur-

who planned

the never-to-be-

98

AMAZING STORIES
to

consummated campaign; or Chancellor Manuel Carranza, long regarded as the


"iron

any human being.

And

it is

believed

that they

may

be

left

undisturbed for an-

man"

of the Querzalist regime

or

other hundred years, or perhaps even for

Dr. Andres Mandano, who, on general


principles,

a thousand, since the Cardenzos regime


ruling successfully, and no one has any further desire to experiment with Man-Preserver or to revive any peris still

was sentenced

to

taste

the

effects of his

own

invention.

For eleven years already these notables


and many others have been quietly slumbering where they will never do damage

the

sons

who know

too

much

of

its

dread

secrets.

The

End.

What Do You Know?


READERS
is

of

Amazing

more

a text-book.
possible for

actual knowledge to be gained through reading Moreover, most of the stories are written in anyone to grasp important facts.

Stories have frequently commented upon the fact that there its pages than from irany a popular vein, making it

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 general knowledge of science.
1.

What

does the practise of law and of medicine depend on?

(See page

13.)

2.

How

would the absence of crime and of sickness affect professional life and business related to it? (See pages 13-14.)
give a theory about the connection of conduct and sickness?

3.

Can you

(See page 22.)

4. 5. 6.

How
How

is

war defined by

the author of "Life Everlasting"?

{See page 24.)

Is mental deficiency a disease?

(See page 25.)

long were the sides of the southern triangle uniting Spain with the Balearic Island in the work of Arago, Eiot and Rodriguez in measuring the arc from Dunkirk to Ivica? (See page 42.)

7.

long did the French observers watch for the light on a peak one hundred miles away? (See page 42.)

How How

8.

fast

tation? the
9-

would a vertical moving body have to go to escape from the same for Mercury? (See page 58.)
its

earth's gravi-

Can you

give a theory to prove that the planet Mercury has lost


59.)

atmosphere?

(See page
10.

are the electrons disposed in the oxygen atom? (See page 60.) 11. What are the rates of vibration of different light rays? (See page 67.)
12. 13.

How

What

is

goldbeater's skin?

(See page 73.)

14.

How does the wasp provide living food for its young to be kept intact for long periods? (See page 91.) What is the operation of the poison injected by the wasp into its victims? (See
page 91.)

15. 16. 17.


18.

What is the function of the magnetograph ? (See page 101.) What are the characteristics of the magnetic north pole? (See page 109.) Where is it nuw located? (See page 109.) What suggestion is made for increasing braking power on automobiles?
page 125.)

(See

19. 20.

What human

How

factor affects rapidity of action? (See page 130.) do the huinau eyes realize and estimate distance? (See page 131.)

99

North god's Temple


By

HENRY

J.

KOSTKOS

This is distinctively a story of the cosmic order; not only that, but the composition of a planet this side of Jupiter is brought in, making us think of the asteroids or planetoids as they are properly called. Those who like tales of true adventure and of amazing happenings on this earth of ours, will specially enjoy this tale. Magnetism plays an important role in its plot. We have sciences devoted to the small and to microscopic organisms, while sometimes the very earth itself is taken as the basis of a narration, and here
it is

mother earth

that gives us the story.

Illustrated

by

MOREY
followed
it

OUT
mopolitan

of

call,

came the strong and clear and


the north

and
It

to

its

arctic

source.

was on a

quiet

Sunday afternoon

compelling. Straight into the

of

a lovely
the

June

day

one
was

of

those

mind of Professor Darius Norton it penetrated as he bent low over a specially designed magnetograph in his laboratory
at

rare days

when

the

restless

body and
in

mind of

professor

tune
off

with the peaceful world.

He

dozed

the Cos-

For many days he had been tantalized by the undecipherable impulses that came from the instrument to agitate his brain
of

Museum

New

York.

momentarily on his laboratory stool, then awoke with a jar to find himself
sprawled on the
floor.

Not only was


turmoil
as

he upset
librium

physically, but his mental equi-

became

seething

cells

with

weird

bits

of

intelligence.

the message surged into his inner consciousness,


cally

Then, as if his nervous system had become attuned to the flashes or waves emanating from the device, his senses
suddenly grasped the message, and, having once learned
rest.
its

rising and
it

fading spasmodithese

as

conveyed

enigmatic

thoughts

"We
planet

are the historians of the People

import, he could not


its

of the Magnetic

God
hurled

from a
. .

far

It

gripped him in

power with

we were
.
.

penetrated

an impulse as primordial and compelling


as the urge to
live.

the crust of the earth

entrance in

Tana Fiord
the ocean
.

into

an ocean under
is

Could he believe his senses? Yes! mind of Darius Norton there was no doubt of the authenticity of that message. It came straight from the far north, from the base of the magnetic And it would not give him pole.
In the
peace, not until he obeyed
its

our race
of

dying

fast

...
God
It

in

the

Temple
the

the

Magnetic

"
wasn't

message alone,

which
into

came as a
pitched

translation of a strange, highsyllables

foreign group of

command

understandable

thought

waves,

but

100

AMAZING STORIES

Just as his fumbling hands finally focused his binoculars, a geyser of water shot up into the air for what must have been a height of a hundred feet, completely enveloping the boat.

NORTH GOD'S TEMPLE


compelling urge, a hypnotic power that
too lightly on those
jecting
all

101
same
toes

by sub-

gripped him and drew him to the mysterious and


little

of their shortcomings to ruth-

understood regions of

less yet just criticism.

the north magnetic pole.

ton

sire; his serenity

Darius Norwas a man transformed with dehad been caught in a


it

Now

he

had to gain

their

support

and co-operation, for

in these

depressed

times expeditions could not be authorized,

cyclone that tore

to shreds.

Into the

even by the director of the world's largest

chemistry of Professor Norton had been

museum, without reasons more subthan the desire to follow ethereal

poured a reagent
trol of

that took complete con-

stantial

him.

From

that day
life

but one meaning of


plore this mystery

on there was for him ex-

thought

and do so

He

waves coming from nowhere. would have to resort to a subterover

at once.

fuge.

Professor Norton's eyes swept


operated the magnetograph again and again, but the instrument was mute except for its orthodox function of recording the strength and direction of the magnetic force. But he had enough
to go by.

HE

the faces of his staff

and he placed his

long index finger on a


regions
location

map

of the Arctic

and

boomed: "This

was

the

of the north magnetic pole during the Archaeozoic Era two thou-

A
first

sixth sense told

he must

reach

him that Tana Fiord, on the

sand million years ago, when the great


planet that

moved between

the orbits of

northern coast of far-off Norway.


expedition?

An
with-

Mars and

Jupiter disintegrated into what


call

That was

it.

And

we now
their

the asteroids."
in

out further delay Professor Norton set

His colleagues waited

silence

for

about to do something

that,

under ordi-

director to continue.

nary circumstances, his integrity would


never have permitted htm to consider.

"As you know, my


of
disintegration,

observations and

calculations prove that during the period

He summoned
ence

his staff to the confer-

countless

millions

of

room.

First

and
in

Raymond

Cullen, his assistant

haps the only

man

ever fully confided.

was and perhe had The gigantic frame


foremost

particles

whom

were violently hurled into space, and their path was such that many of them were carried within the orbit of
the earth.

of Darius Norton, his flaming red beard,


his

They struck our planet at some heretofore unknown spot, but now,

eyes that flashed

out to the world,

since

my

calculations and

magnetograph

the fanatic impulses of pure genius that

observations have definitely fixed the location of the shifting magnetic pole during that period as the northernmost part of Norway on the shores of the Arctic

motivated the man, plus a tongue ever

ready to cast forth acid irony, made


exceedingly
difficult to find

it

any one pos-

sessing sufficient courage and tolerance


to penetrate to the man's inner self.

Sea,

it

is

there

that

expect to

find

As

director of the Cosmopolitan

Mu-

fragments of that once great planet." "But what has the magnetic pole to

seum he had a staff of archeologists, paleontologists and other scientists, who


had been acclaimed the world over for
achievements
in

do

with

these

meteorites?"

Raymond

Cullen puzzled.

their

respective

fields.

PROFESSOR NORTON
*
bristling red beard
tioner.

pointed his

Yet
that

it

was always the professor's theory


best

toward his quesas

the

way

to

further

develop

"The

meteorites,

you

call

good men was to constantly keep them on their toes, and, in fact, to tread none

them, are composed of highly magnetic metals that were once a part of this

102
disintegrated planet." His

AMAZING STORIES
booming voice
that the lure of

many

fascinating discoveries.

was
as

tinged

with

sarcasm

never

Professor Norton held up his hand

failed to exasperate his listeners.

"And
other

you know, Cullen, magnets have the


property
of
attracting

peculiar

magnetic substances, as a simple experiment will convince you." Cullen reddened, but he did not appear offended
to themselves.
;

***** THE
for silence.

"We

are scheduled to leave

in ten days, gentlemen," he

boomed.

rusty old tramp steamer "Sea-

horse" rounded North Cape after

twenty-two pitching and groaning


days across the Atlantic and up into the Arctic Sea. Professor Darius Norton,

the others chuckled softly

So long

as

Norton hadn't
sallies

directed his

shaft of

sarcasm at them,
at

who had
witty

irritated

himself

into

they

could

enjoy

bis
else.

the

black gloom,

from which not even


of

his

expense of some one


other
at

But the next


fixedly
in

own

flashes

irony

served

to

moment when

they glanced wryly at one anthe director stared

elevate him,

now became more

tractable

as the end of the voyage loomed into

each of them in turn,


into

and,

the

tone of voice he would have


inquiring

used in

He had taken Ray Cullen and four other associates from the museum,
sight.

the

cause of

some un-

and,

in

addition,

Dr.

Zuggler

of

the

pleasant

phenomenon

that perplexed him,

University
the

growled: "I wonder, gentlemen, why it is that I was destined to be endowed


with the most stupid staff ever assembled under
the

roof

of

any museum?

of Copenhagen had joined expedition at Stavanger, Norway. There was also a group of technicians and artisans, as well as laborers, who were to attend to the mechanical deof the heavy excavation work that Norton anticipated. In spite of the director's dour manner and his ever-ready sarcasm, he had
tails

But you

will
I

undoubtedly be glad to
will

know
rely

that

not

be compelled to
rearch the

upon your brains to produce any

epoch-making ideas All we will site of our excavations. need there is some brawn. Here, here!
Don't look at

when we

endeared himself to

all on board, from laborer to distinguished scientist. There

me

with those bovine explain:

was something lovable about


idiosyncrasies,
his superb intelligence.

you guys I'll make it pressions. will have to spit on your hands and
dig!"

the man's backed as they were by

They

all

noticed

how

fanatic he

was

in his eagerness to

For a moment there was no sound except the sharp intaking of breaths by Then the eight men around the table.
a

reach the site of

the excavation, and long before the "Seahorse" steamed into

babble of excited voices broke

out

mouth of Tana Fiord his geologist's tools and instruments were packed in a
the

How
many
they

soon .were they to leave?


of

How
Would
locked

bag

and on deck,

ready

to

be

taken

them were
finished
in
its

to

go?
winter

ashore.

be

before
icy

"Cullen"
the

his voice

rumbled loudly

in

the northland

hold ?

They

silence

of the lonely sea, the


bleak

and

re-

were young again,

alive

with the en-

echoed
"there's
it,

from

shore

line

thusiasm of youth for adventure in far There was not an individual lands.

who had

not

roamed back and

forth

something here that's big I feel can't keep my mind thinking rationally; it wanders to all sorts of im-

over the world

many

times in the per-

formance of
tion

his

work, yet each expedi-

was a

fresh adventure, holding out

and crazy notions. "I feel" he pitched his voice low until it was no louder than a hoarse whisper "that
possible

NORTH
there
is

GOD'S TEMPLE
rail

103 The
pro-

something pulling

me

shores and that I will discover

to these "

not an instant too soon.

fessor had strained his body far beyond

the

limits

of

safety,

and even as he

BEFORE

Norton

could

finish,

he

lurched toward the water, the two


clutched
board.
his

men
in-

was hurled

off his feet, along with

legs

and hauled him

every one else on deck, by the sudden


stopping of the vessel, which halted
its

The

fact that he did not strug-

gle, or even take notice of his rescuers,

headway

as effectively as if a giant

hand

indicated that suicide had never entered


his mind.
tion,

There was no had clutched its keel. impact, as would have been the case
if

a subterranean reef

had been struck,

that

It was some dreadful fascinasome unknown and terrible force had almost drawn him into the

or even the soft drag offered by groundInstead, the a bank of mud. was sucked down until her rails were awash, then released to bob up like a cork, while the propellers churned Slowly the unseen the water futilely.

seething

white

waters.

Toward what,

ing on
vessel

Cullen

wondered.

They hurried him to his cabin, withmake head or tail of his mutterings. Even after he had
out being able to

been given a

stiff

jolt

of

Scotch, he

force

swung

the vessel around until her

remained inarticulate and groped


berth.

with

bow
she

pointed in the direction from which

unseeing eyes at the bed-clothes in his

she had come, and, as mysteriously as

had
all

stopped,

she

churned
that

ahead

"Go

call the

doctor to look him over"


aside

again.
It

Cullen
happened so
fast

drew Gregg
better

"and
to

then
that

no cry

we had

take turns

see

of alarm had been raised by those on

he stays put until

we

get ashore."

board.
to the

Now

the

men on
of

deck rushed

stern to gaze shudderingly at a

seething

maelstrom
in the

from which the

vessel

boiling water had emerged.

WHEN on
camp,

the expedition

disembarked

the

rocky coast

Professor

and set up Norton became quite

"What
that

name of

the devil could

normal

in his actions.

He

directed the

have been?" Cullen asked Archehis

work of
his

erecting the tents and preparing

ologist Gregg, alongside of him.

the equipment for excavating.

Only by

Gregg shook

head in bewilderment,

recurring

fits

of

moodiness' did he

then pointed excitedly toward a figure


leaning out over the stern.

give evidence of something weighing on


his

mind.

And on

frequent

occasions

"Good God, Cullen, is that Professor Norton?" he whispered, not daring to


believe his eyes.

he stole
his

away from

the camp, carrying

magnetograph,

and

made

for

the

headland, from which he stared fixedly


out over the fiord toward the spot where

was indeed the professor. But the man had been transformed into a strange creature; his huge frame had dwarfed into the malformed body of a hunchIt

had been held fast by that mysterious force. It was during these pethe ship
riods that

Ray
to

Cullen so worried about

back,

his
like

defiantly

flowing

red

beard

the red-bearded giant that

he invariably

hung

tattered

curtain

from a

stalked

him
of

the
sight,

bluff,

managing
staying

to

trembling chin, while the deeply tanned


color of his face had blanched inro the

keep

out

yet

close

enough to be able

to

reach the profes-

whiteness of
Cullen

the

snow on

the

distant

sor's side almost instantly if needed.

mountain peaks.
and

Whether
taff-

by

design

or

coincidence,

Gregg reached the

about a week after the party had landed

104
on the
ers
to

AMAZING STORIES
bleak

northern

shore,

Norton

boat was directly over the spot where


the "Seahorse"

dispatched Cullen with a group of labor-

had been held

helpless,

work at a some distance inland. As Gregg was also assigned to the group, there was no one to whom
start

the

exca\ation

verified his suspicion.

point

he designated

JUST
water

as

his

fumbling hands
into

finally

focused his binoculars, a geyser of


shot

Cullen could confide his fears for the


professor's safety.

up

the

air

for

what
boat.

So

it

was with mis-

must have been a height of a hundred


feet,

giving that he got under

way with

his

completely

enveloping

the

men and equipment.


ridge of the
hill,

No

sooner had the

When

the geyser subsided in a seething


its

party disappeared from sight beyond the

whirlpool, the boat and

red-bearded

than Norton hastened

occupant had vanished from sight!


ran like

for the shore,

where the metal rowboat


to

belonging to the expedition, was beached.

"Good Lord!" Cullen exclaimed, then mad toward the camp for help
far

He
over
water.

hunched his giant frame


the

the

in launching the

task and hauled the heavy craft

down
the the

was lying
entire

heavy motor boat that up on the beach. The


of
the

rock-strewn

beach

into

population

camp rushed

With sinewy arms he sped


his

down and hauled


fiord.
its

the vessel out into the

boat over the waves straight for the spot

For two hours the boat chugged


forth across the stretch
last

upon which he had focused


ing eyes for
ness
to

gleam-

way back and

many
this

days.

In his eagerlocation

of water

where Cullen
object

reach

mysterious

but without any results.


drifting

saw Norton, Not a single


find

he timed

his strokes in a loud

booming

could

they

which

voice that penetrated the silence of the

bleak north.

"One, two, one, two, one,


he chanted as his oars flew
the
hill

had belonged to the ill-fated professor. It was a sorrowful group of individuals


that dragged slowly back into

two

..."

camp
of

to

over the water.

mourn
Cullen stopped
leader.
*

the
*

mysterious
*

loss

their

Back beyond
to listen.

"Hear
"It's gist cried

that,

Gregg?"

Professor Norton," the archeolo-

WHEN
the

Professor Norton reached


the fiord, his

mouth of

mind

with conviction.
glanced
at

suddenly became rational.

The

Cullen
cantly.

the

man
there
off
;

signifi-

mysterious force, this obsession, that had

"I'm going

back

some-

numbed
formed

his his

sound reasoning and trans-

thing's up."

And

he was

on a run

mind
to

into a thing of

blind

without waiting for Gregg's reply.


joined him.

Gregg

impulse, the inexplicable

power

that

had

drawn him
nating spot,

this

horrible,

yet

fasci-

Panting for breath, Ray reached the


headland and scanned the choppy waters
of the
fiord.

now

left

him.

At once he

realized the danger of his position, but

Almost a mile out he

spot-

ted a tiny object bobbing up and

down

as

it

rose on the crest of a wave, then

was too late to do anything. With a hiss like the bursting of a hundred water mains, a geyser of spray
it

disappeared into the trough of the sea.

There was no doubt in his mind that it was the rowboat with Norton in' it, as there was no other human being in that vicinity, who could have been out upon the water. And the fact that the

and water shot up all around him, as an irresistible whirpool caught his boat in its vortex and twirled it around with
the speed of a swift

moving

centrifuge.

The cry
Norton's

of anguish that escaped from


lips

was drowned

in

the cres-

NORTH GOD'S TEMPLE


cendo of swirling waters that sucked his
vessel

105

down

into its funnel.

graph he fished out of the locker, along with a box of crackers, with which he

The
pit of

scientist's

mind went blank as

had

secretly

stocked the

row boat

for

he saw himself sinking into a bottomless


green water.

just such

an adventure.
stronger

When
still

he came to
in the metal

his senses,

Norton was
but

row
In

boat,

he could see absolutely


not for the swish of

"T TM, the magnetic force is * * than I had estimated.


that
slide-rule

Proves always

nothing either ahead, behind or above.


fact,

jugglery

doesn't

were

it

pull the right

number of
himself,
cracker,

rabbits out of

water against the sides of the boat, he

the hat."

would have sworn

that

he had landed in

He amused
crunching
search-light

while

leisurely

a coal bin in a dark

cellar at midnight.

He
the

groped his way cautiously toward


did an amazing thing.
a locker under the

around

by flashing and studying

the the

bow and then

changing character of the subterranean

From

forward seat

he pulled out a dish shaped object with wires dangling from it, then felt around
in

There was no fear that the light would be extinguished for lack of power, as he had provided an ingenious
passage.

the

dark

until

his

fingers
it,

touched
shot

generator that operated

when

the swift-

a switch.

As he snapped
reflector

beam

moving
tunnel.

field

coils

in

the

boat cut the


force in the walls

from the
white

he held and flooded

intensive magnetic lines of

the course of his boat with a brilliant


light.

Green,

slime-covered
jutting

Stretching into the distance

dripping
that

with

moisture,

rocks

as far as the powerful rays could pen-

reached out their sharp points to

was a broad body of inky water, black and foreboding. As he swung the searchlight, the beams played upon rocky walls and a high vaulted ceiling. Professor Norton was in a subterranean sea, moving along at a tremendous rate of speed, the walls flashing past him like the sides of a tunnel through which an express train was
etrate

tear at him, the echoes of the lapping

waters, black slimy shapes that rose to


the

surface,

then
all

disappeared

into

the

inky water

these

would

have

un-

nerved a
sively
istic

man made

of less stout stuff

than the red-bearded giant


studied every

who impasThe tem-

passing character-

on

his strange journey.

perature of the water was delightfully

speeding!

warm
"It's

to

his

touch.

He
board.

threw some chips of wood overIn an instant they dropped be-

"Probably volcanic origin," he mused.

bound to become steaming hot belong."


this

hind

and

were

lost

to
it,

sight.

There

fore

was no doubt about


force,

his

vessel

was

But in
ily,

he was mistaken.

The

being attracted by a powerful magnetic


as there
drift
in

temperature of the water dropped steadthe air in the passage became chilly,
finally frost

was absolutely no curthe


direction

rent

he

was

and

traveling.

ledges.

appeared on the rocky Professor Norton donned the

Professor Norton chuckled softly to


himself: "If I had told Cullen and the
rest of the

parka he had previously removed and

gang

that I expected
in

all

this

was thankful for Soon slabs of


first

its

comforting warmth.
ice

floating

appeared,

would have had me jacket before I could have


they
story."

strait-

as

white patches in the distance,


with some alarm ahead of

finished

my

then the floes became denser until Norton peered

Then he consulted a

portable magneto-

him

to see a solidly frozen sheet stretch-

106

AMAZING STORIES
ice

ing blue-white into the remote distance.

and

sailing

beyond

into

open water.

was only a matter of seconds before he would be hurled at express speed against this sheet of ice which would surely crumple the thin metal He had hull as if it were an egg shell. to act quickly no time to lose now.
It
;

The frozen sheet had terminated, and his course now lay through water once again. But a new element entered to disturb his equilibrium. The hours of friction over the ice had worn the keel of the boat down until it traveled along
on the unprotected plates of the bottom,

Just
solid

as
ice,

the

little

vessel

reached

the

he threw his weight into the and the bow of the craft shot high into the air. The bottom struck with a sickening thud that threw Norstern,

wearing the metal so thin that the water squirted into the boat in a heavy spray.

Norton seized a scoop and began


bail

to

furiously, not

daring to stop even

ton's head
it

forward until he thought that had parted company with his spine;
at

long enough to take his bearings.


long he had slept, or

How
had

how

far he

then,

slackened speed, the boat con-

traveled during that time he had no

way

tinued over the rough ice pack to the

of determining.
It
rise

smooth frozen surface, over which it fairly zoomed like a swift flying bird. The powerful force had converted the metal craft into an ice-boat that slid along on its keel strips. Norton took
a deep breath of
in the
relief,

was nip and tuck now between the


of the water in the bottom of the

boat

and

the

speed

with

which
after

he

could work the scoop.

Hour

hour
fight.

he kept bailing, but

it

was a losing
first

then huddled

Slowly

the

water

rose,

to

his

bottom with the searchlight pressed

ankles, next half

close to his

body for warmth.


his

the light went out.

way up his leg then The generator, which


a waterproof
True,

he had

failed to inclose in

HE
in

consulted

black

note

book.

housing, had been short-circuited.


there

Yes, at the estimated rate of sevmiles

enty-five

direction he

an hour would reach

in

westerly

was his pocket flashlight, but he must conserve the precious batteries for
future emergencies, for only

his destination

about

fifty

hours, after passing be-

when he would

be able to

God knew find his way

neath the Arctic Ocean, glacier-covered


Greenland, Baffin Bay, Baffin Land and
the

out of this dismal subterranean chamber.

Gulf of Boothia.

But

fifty

hours
desto

XI7TTH
**

spent in this weird, lonely place, speeding like


tination,

head bent low and his mind on the immediate task of bailing,

mad toward an unknown


even
Cullen
his

was not any too pleasant


for
If he

contemplate,

such a staunch-

hearted scientist as Norton.


only
taken
into
his

had

confidence

Norton did not see the dark solid mass that loomed up ahead. Steadily the boat bore down upon this obstruction. collision was inevitable. As the bow of the vessel crashed into an unyielding

he was sure that have joined him


hesitation.

good friend would without an instant's

substance, the professor jerked his head

around and
late.

tried to

jump. But

it

was too
twisted

But now it was too late. The song of the runners over the ice made him drowsy he dozed off, and
;

With

irresistible force the boat tele-

scoped
steel

itself

into

buckled and

finally

fell

into a

deep
!'*

sleep.

Norton's body fetched up hard against a hard substance and everyplates.

"Crunch,

splash

thing went black.

His slumber was brought to an abrupt end by the boat breaking through the

man.

Slowly consciousness returned to the Living fires were searing his

NORTH GOD'S TEMPLE


frame; warmfi red blood oozed from a

107

When

dozen cuts and scratches; one arm hung immobile and useless, with a broken collar-bone
flesh.

his back glued to the wall.

he attempted to walk he found He tugged

protruding

through

the

torn

and pulled frantically, but to no avail. Then he grinned sheepishly and reached around for an object in his hip pocket.

Looking around with dazed eyes, Norton found himself on a narrow plateau
above the reach of the water.

The heavy automatic pistol he pulled out immediately flew from his grasp, crashed
solidly against the wall,
It

What

re-

mained of the boat had probably sunk from sight when he was hurled clear
of the wreckage.

was the

steel of the pistol

held him.
free.

He was now
although

and stuck there which had released and


a

Cautiously he stretched out one

leg,

"Magnetite;
times

thousand

then the other.


intact.

They, at

least,

were

more powerful," he exclaimed, exclosely,


''yet
it

After a half dozen exhausting

amining the substance


different

is

attempts, he

on his
wall.

was able to raise his body shaky legs, and hold himself erect
cold,

from any mineral


Yes,
I

found on

our earth.
structure
planet."

am

positive that this

by leaning heavily against a

hard

was hurled

from

some
it

far

Now

he

became curious.

The

And

he whispered in an awed
right,

scientist

within him had

taken control

voice

"The message was


his

must

over the obstacle of physical pain and

be the Temple of the Magnetic God!"

mental

fatigue.

He

ran his hand

up

Working
the

way

cautiously

and down the side of the massive object.

base

of

the

structure,

around which he

It

With

his

was glass-smooth to the touch. good arm he managed to reach


Luckily
it

found to be octagonal and approximately


fifty feet across,

he came

to the entrance

the flashlight in his pocket.

he was seeking.

circular

doorway,
inside
pistol

had escaped destruction.

He

swept the beam upward. There,


obelisk-like tower of gleam-

gloomy and uninviting led to the of the temple. He had left his

towering some two hundred feet above

adhering to the outer wall, yet without

him was an
ing

ebony!

hundred windows cut


top,
ball

any thought of and flashed his

fear, light

he boldly entered
around.

The

next

its smooth surface, while at the crowning the summit, was a huge

moment he

regretted his lack of caution.

studded

with

crystal
in

windows

that

AS

he turned his head he drew back


with a jump, to stare
right
into

flashed back his light


spectral
colors.

a cascade of

*V

the vacant eye sockets of a monstrous


skull!

Norton's eyes gleamed with a fanatic


fire.

And

strewn

about

within

the

Here was

his goal, the proof that

his researches

and experiments had not

been misdirected!

The
the

base of the obelisk flared out to


stood,

platform on which he

then disappeared
inky water.
the

from

sight

and under the

chamber were hundreds of other skulls and bones of the creatures who had worshipped and died here. The air was dank with the odor of death and decay, the walls were festooned with rotted

How much
he

of

it

surface Norton had no


but

was below means of


least

from the ebb and flow of the water that had flooded
draperies, the floor slimy

the place periodically.

knowing,
stably

judged that at

He

nerved himself to examine the

re-

seventy-five

feet

support

the

would be needed to mass of the huge

mains more
der
at

closely. The bones were green with mould and crumbled to pow-

tower.

his touch.

It

was evident

at a

108
glance that the creatures
the temple for worship

AMAZING STORIES
who had used
word
as ap-

were not human

After considerable scratching around he found the combination, and


ascent.

beings in any sense of the


plied

as he pushed a button the trap-door sank

upon the earth.


skull

down
measuring

slightly then slid aside,

revealing

The

was

massive,

a car that resembled a huge iron pot.

more than a
high

foot across

and shaped not


it

Boldly he stepped into


chance,
pulled
side.

it,

and taking a
projected
released

unlike that of a huge bird, yet

had a
the

lever

that

and deep cranium,

denoting

from
the

its

At once
into the air
like
it

the

possession of an enormous degree of intelligence.

vehicle shot

up

and entered
of
a
to

The thorax was


bones of the
small;
in

short,

and

opening

the

plunger
it

the

thigh

four legs unthe

solenoid.

Up

went, until

came
into

believably

but

two

arms,
in-

rest at the first level.

terminating

delicate

phalanges

Eagerly Norton stepped out


laboratory that was
filled

dicated that the creature had twelve ex-

with strange
instruments.

tremely sensitive fingers that could only

looking

machinery
shop,

and

have been possessed by a race


complicated machines.

skilled in

With
a
toy

the eagerness

of a small boy in
scientist

performing precision work or operating

the

red-bearded

minutely examined ever}* item and with


at

Glancing up
feet,

from the bones


Norton's
eyes

his

fond hands caressed the fine mechanisms.

Professor

riveted

themselves upon a circular opening in


the

middle

of

the

vaulted

roof.

The

Some of them he understood, but there was much more that puzzled him. The problem of descending in the
elevator

opening appeared small to him below,


but
it

was solved when

after trying the

was undoubtedly

large

enough

various controls in the car, he discovered


the one that served to neutralize the magnetic
force,

to admit the priests of the temple to the

chambers
worked.
detect

the bore of a shot gun,

where they had lived and The shaft was as smooth as and he could no means of reaching it to gain
ladders," he

permitting the car to drop

by gravity.

On
trical

an upper level he found the elecgenerating


plant
in
all

an operative
the

access to the upper part of the temple.

condition.

Fortunately

metals

used by these creatures were non-cor-

"They might have used


mused,
"but
creatures
intelligence

rosive,

which accounted for the perfect


of
the

possessing

the

preservation

equipment.

of these

surely

employed a more

efficient

system

must have some

He

threw a switch, and at once the room, and in fact the entire tower, lit up
with a soft sea-green light that illuminated
eyes.

type of elevator, perhaps."

This thought gave him an idea.


took out his pocket knife and held
the palm of his hand.
it

He
in

perfectly

without

dazzling
light

the
to

Now
his

he had
search

sufficient

"Whizz
into

It

was

continue

for

the

thing that

whisked

aloft

straight

the

shaft.

"That's the answer,


vator!

a magnetic ele-

Now,
kicked

to find the car."

He
bones

away

some rubbish and


a
circular

had lured him into making this perilous journey the Records of the Magnetic God which he instinctively felt must be hidden somewhere in this very tower.

and

discovered

trap
first

door directly below the shaft.


he imagined that
it

At

TT
*-

led to the

basement

of the structure, but he


it

now

realized that

in a sealed

had some bearing upon the mode of

the temple.

was three days before his search was rewarded by finding the records chamber at the summit of The records consisted of a

NORTH GOD'S TEMPLE


strip of metal tape,

109

a motion picture

film.

wound on a reel, The tape

like

once

ran

orbits of

moved majestically between the Mars and Jupiter, harboring a


ad-

through a complicated looking apparatus

race of intelligent and scientifically

composed of
end.

coils of

wire and tubes, to

reappear on a take-up reel at the other

vanced people who chose for their god that father of all power, Magnetism.

And

near by was

the fast disinte-

Then came
its

the catastrophe

the fierce
. . .

grating remains of the last of the


netic people.

Mag-

terrifying temblors of their planet

Judging by the condition body it must have been alive not many months ago.
of
its

cleavage

into

million

fragments,
. . .

which were hurled far into space


the

landing
earth

of
in

the

temple

upon

the

"This
thought
operated

device

must be the one

that

planet

what was now


into

called

translates the magnetic impressions into

Tana

Fiord.

Deep

the bowels of

waves,
recently

and by

was
this

apparently
creature
I

the earth, into a subterranean sea, the


majestic temple bored
its its

to

way, carrying
its

send out the very waves that


to intercept with in the

was able

load of creatures.
the
its

During

swift

museum
. .

my magnetograph back Now to get it working


was no easy
task.

passage,

highly

magnetized temple

again

."

magnetism into the body of iron ore through which it passed, and it
induced

This, however,

Day
body

was

this

force that held the "Seahorse"

after day he drove his pain-racked


to

in its grip

and pulled Professor Norton's

the almost helpless problem of dis-

boat into the passage.

For on

the earth

covering the riddle of this complicated

there was no magnetic force prior to the

was not until three weeks that the tape gave up its secret. But in his weakened condition His Norton felt but scant triumph. wounds pained excruciatingly and the
piece

of

apparatus.

It

coming of the Temple of the Magnetic God this was the beginning, the origin
;

of the mysterious terrestrial magnetism.

Gradually the creatures adapted themselves

to the

strange

underground exto survive.

broken collar-bone was an added source


of worry, although he had managed to

istence

and managed

They
location

soon discovered that their huge magnetic


temple appeared to change
periodically.
its

bind his arm securely to avoid moving


it.

This
of

was
the

explained

by

the

tendency

magnetic
it

drag,

At
a

first

he had faced starvation with


calmness,

created by the tower, to hold


ary, while the earth whirled

station-

stoical

but

the

pangs

of

around and

hunger had driven him to swallow some


pills

away from

it

on
it

its

axis.
it

The drag
apparently
the

that appeared palatable,

whereupon

served to retard

so that
circle

he discovered that they contained all the nourishment he would need for many
days.

made
north
years.*

complete
of
the

around
every

axis

globe

480

Now
scientist

into the brain of the red-bearded

the machine flashed

the

story

"Exactly the same period as the secular change of declination of the magnetic pole!"

of the great race


in the

who had worshipped Temple of the Magnetic God. And


struggles,
disasters
all

Norton exclaimed.

"I won-

der

"

these thought-waves impressed upon his

mind the
ultimate

the

triumphs,
will

the

that

always

be

the lot of

creatures of the universe.

The

records told of a far planet that

* It has been lonjf known that the magnetic north pole does not coincide, with the true north pole, or the end of the earth's axis. This affects the course of ships at sea. and is called declination or variation. Not only does this variation differ in various parts of the earth, but it in constantly shifting in a westerly direction at the rate ot one complete cycle in 4S5 ye*rs. At present the north magnetic pole is on Boothia Penimula in Canada, approximately 70 nc-rth latitude and 96 west longitude.
p

110

AMAZING STORIES
maelstrom to disappear with a horrifying scream
. . .

L_T IS musings were interrupted by an awesome swirling sound. He looked down from the window at the

**

top of the temple to see the black water

surging

upwards
in

at

an alarming chambers the


creatures,

rate.

CULLEN the
Peninsula.

stood on the bridge of

"Seahorse" when she slowly


a cove on Boothia Tucked away in Professor

Down

the
the

lower

re-

steamed into

mains of

magnetic

the

machinery and the debris were already


swishing about.

Norton's duffle bag he found a hastily


scrawled note.
"It
is

Now

the water reached

It

read

the generators; the lights

went
the

out.

grew dim and Norton climbed up high in


with
eyes
his

futile to try to find

me

as by

the time

dome

of the temple, clinging to a


ledge

many
chance.

miles

you read from

this

will

be dead or
is

here.
at

There

one

projecting

good

arm.

Leave here

once and proceed

With
black,

blood-shot

he watched the
through the
the translator

to Boothia Peninsula, to site of present

inky

fluid

rush in

magnetic north pole and wait.

Norton."

elevator shaft,

wash away

Now

Cullen was taking readings of

machines and the precious Records of


the Magnetic

the force from the near-by magnetic pole

God and
him

reach relentlessly
in
its

with a unifUar magnetometer, when the


needle of the instrument began to swing
wildly.

upward

to gather

clutches.

Suddenly Norton held


listened.

his breath
it!

and

In bis excitement he yanked the

Clearly he could hear

Or
far

whistle cord to call his colleagues.

The

was
off

it

a delusion?

Coming from

screech of the whistle reverberated over


the silent wastes

was the screech of

the "Seahorse's"

and re-echoed from the


It

whistle

distant ice caps.

reached into the far

The Temple
struggled

corners of the north country, and deep


of

the

Magnetic God

into the

bowels of the earth where the


discovered the secret of

swayed dangerously as Darius Norton


desperately
to

man who had

maintain

his

the magnetic pole, sank with his secret,


into the waters that buried

precarious hold.
for

Then the water reached him and sucked him into the seething

him forever

within the North God's Temple.

The End

OTTO VON GUERICKE-PHLOGISTON


We publish a most Mr. John A. Campbell,
in
in

interesting
Jr.

letter

from

Some months ago

we spoke of an "error'' in mewas perpetrated by von Guericke having one team of horses pull against another in demonstrating the Magdeburg hemispheres. Eight horses would have done as well as sixteen, if he had tied his hemispheres to a
an
editorial

chanics which

"And here is an interesting point on the old 'phlogiston' theory that I read recently. Remember that 'phlogiston' didn't really flourish after the weight experiments, so the futile attempts made to carry it over aren't true criteria
of
its

worth.

"But
right.

for

'phlogiston'

substitute

the phrase

'potential energy'

and the old boys were dead

tree.

interested me, as usual, but / disagree with your point on von Guericke's hemispheres. I always felt the old boy was a darned good showman as well as a scientist. Hitching sixteen horses, against each other, is
editorial

"Your

carbon dioxide.

Carbon

potential

They would say Carbon phlogiston While we now agree that;


energy

carbon dioxide.
was

other words, 'phlogiston'

In potential energy

at least twice as spectacular as eight horses and

a tree. If I hai been in his place, I would do the same. There is more energy in a pint of gasoline than in a stick of dynamite but most people don"t believe it.

"As a hobby, mainly, I'm working on a fuel battery. I have one made up in a water glass that wilt give as high as 8 watts per cell, and
three cells run a flashlight bulb. It polarizes nevertheless it is a fuel battery."

thoughbut

John W.

Campbeu.,

Jk.

Ill

Shot Into Space


By ISAAC R.

NATHANSON

This is a very interesting story of what might happen in the future to a highspeed rocket plane. A runaway horse is really a pretty serious thing in many cases, but he covers his mile at a mere fraction of the rate of a rocket plane, and this story tells us the adventures of some brave men who were rocketed
off into space.

Illustrated

by

MOREY
some huge bird ready
legend,

FIELD was a ROOSEVELT buzzing excitement. scene


of

Meteor, her shining wings proudly poised


like

for flight

on

A vast
<

multitude had gathered

her glistening sides emblazoned the con-

..to witness the daring pioneers

take off in their

new

rocketto

plane on the widely heralded flight

"Europe

in three hours."
all sides

From

they came

on

foot

and

"America to Europe in Near the entrance stood the two men who were about to make history: Joshua Malcolm, inventor and pilot of the Meteor, and his aid and cofident

Three Hours."

by motor, by

train,
;

by airplane and every

pilot,

crowding the highways and byways and every approach to the famous landing-field, eager and curious
other conveyance
to be on

thing was in readiness.


the

Edward King. The great moment had arrived everyWith a wave of


;

hand

to the expectant multitude, the

hand for the epochal event. An army of guards were heroically battling from overkept at a

brave aviators stepped inside and closed


the hermetically sealed
double-shelled body.

entrance to the
faint

to keep the turbulent masses

The

hum

of

running the entire


idle

field.

Itching fingers,

the

air-conditioning

machinery

inside

hands were with


to

difficulty

could be heard; the two aviators at the


controls were visible through the quartzite ports.

proper distance from the precious plane.

Three hours

Europe!
under

Combina-

strange silence

fell

on the

tion rocket-plane

full control, that

was

to cleave

through the rarified atmos-

phere twenty to fifty miles above the


earth's surface at
It

immense multitude. At the signal, the propellers began to spin. The Meteor moved forward, gathered

unheard of speed
tried before.

momentum, took
and,

off lightly

as a
sailed

had never been

Could

feather;

engines

roaring,

they do it?

Would

they burst to pieces?

away.

Would
the

they land alive?

On

every hand

thousand feet up and rising

steadily,

doubts and wonder were freely expressed;


tense

her stern rocket tubes suddenly flared.

excitement

attaining

high

Up, up and away the Meteor


fiery rockets;

shot, leav-

pitch, as the

moment

for the great take-

ing behind a long blazing trail from her

off

drew near. At one end of the


of
all

and soon disappeared into


up,

field,

carefully

the azure deeps of the sky.

cleared

obstructions,

rested

the

Fifty miles

the

powerful liquid

112

AMAZING STOKIES

Slowly he backed away and stood in the corner of the cabin, cowed into furious submission by the levelled automatic in the hands oj his companion.

SHOT INTO SPACE


propellant, hissing

113
as

from

the rocket tubes

in

which the other lay struck him


in

with explosive
vessel
at

force,

was driving

the

ludicrous

the

extreme; face turned


floor,

toward

its

goal in distant France

sideways on the

knees grotesquely

a speed of upwards of twelve hundred

drawn up under him;


the

his position against

miles per hour.

Soon they were far out them

corner of the wall preventing


rolling

him

over the billowing Atlantic; the steady


thrust of their rocket tubes speeding

from

over.
floor.

pool

of

blood

trickled

on the

on and

and faster than any human being had ever gone before. They had been on the way half an
on, higher

Collecting himself, Josh tried to walk

toward his fallen comrade;


queerly
light,

felt

himself
fell

swayed

dizzily

and

hour, Josh Malcolm and

Ed

King, as they

featherlike to the floor.

Everything was

sat at the controls, thrilling at their suc-

swimming
and
rest,

cess so

far.

Inside their vessel everyperfectly

and turning, Yet, oddly enough, he had a sensation of utter calm


as if they

was means for


thing

comfortable;

the

had landed some-

controlling the air pressure

where.

and temperature necessary to withstand the conditions which obtain at such extreme heights were operating perfectly.

He

closed his eyes for a few

moments;
a

then, feeling better, raised himself to


sitting position

Suddenly a frightful explosion shook

and looked around. He was strangely puzzled by what greeted


his eyes.

some giant hand had all at once picked them up, they felt themselves hurled forward like a shot. The two men were thrown headlong,
the machine.
if

As

Outside, the sky was a dead

black, brilliantly studded with stars that

blazed as he had never seen them blaie


before. the

And

yet

stunned into blank unconsciousness.

more

and

this puzzled

him
on

brilliant

sunshine was stream-

ing in through the quartz-glass ports

FOR
Had

a long time
all

they

were

totally

the startboard side.

Otherwise, outside

oblivious to

that

was

transpiring.

of the soft purring of the air-conditioning

an observer been present, he would


killed

machinery,

everything was

quiet

as

have thought both had been


the sudden shock.

by
to

tomb.
Still

puzzled, and wondering whether


still

Josh Malcolm was the


his senses.

first

to

come

he was
spirit,

in the flesh or only in the

Dazedly he stirred and looked

he made his

way

unsteadily, with

about him out of blood-shot eyes.


fearful

a feeling of utter weightlessness, to


his

where

bump showed on

his

forehead.

companion

lay.

Ed was

breathing.

Blood was oozing from an ugly gash in


the
scalp,

From

a frightful gash on his head and

head aching abominably, an


hard to collect his thoughts,

from battered mouth, blood was flowing.


Quickly as he could Josh stanched the
flow.

excruciating pain in his right shoulder.

He

found

it

The unconscious man slowly

re-

and strove
groan.

to rise, but fell back with a

vived, his eyes rolling wildly with pain

and

fright.

Gradually his senses came back ; he re-

Presently

with clearing minds,

they
still

membered.
self

He

sat up, supporting

him-

took stock of themselves.

Both were
they

unsteadily

and

looked

around.

weak and dizzy from the shock and


of
blood;
but

loss

Heaven, what had happened! Everything inside the Meteor seemed as before. His
eyes roved to where
all

otherwise

suffered

from no broken bones nor serious injury.

Ed King was

lying

Upon

looking out of the ports, they

in a heap,

still

unconscious

or dead.

beheld an

amazing

sight.

Aft of the

To

Malcolm's dazed senses, the position

Meteor, looming indescribably large, was

114
a
brilliant globe,

AMAZING STORIES
many
times larger than

the full

moon;
its

the wanly shining lunar

"What do you mean?" "I mean that we are in His hands


God
help us."
stared at Josh in an uncomprehending manner, a look of terror gradually

dwarfed and paled into and brilliancy of the larger globe. In unbelieving amazeside
insignificance by the size

orb by

Ed

ment they stood and gazed on

the

won-

bulging his eyes wide open.

derful spectacle; the truth beginning to

"We
miles

are

now about
earth,"

thirty

thousand

dawn on

their surprised senses.

from the

explained Josh
still

"it looks as if

"Heavens!" exclaimed Josh Malcolm; we have shot away from


1"

to his terrified

companion, "and

re-

ceding with the rate due to an

initial

the earth altogether

velocity of 6.95 miles per second.

As

near as I can figure out, the sudden ex-

A STRANGE
earth.

unlooked for thing had

plosion of an enormous
liquid propellant,

amount
as

of the

happened indeed. Something had gone wrong, causing an enormous amount


of the liquid propellant to explode
all in

coming just

we were

already moving through the vacuous atmosphere at twelve hundred miles an hour
clip,

one charge instead of firing steadily and


under control, hurling the speeding
teor far out into space

shot

up far out

into space.

Lucky
untrifle

Methe

we

weren't killed outright

perhaps
"A

away from

lucky,"

he added gloomily.
second, and

The terrific tore away a large including some of


fortunately

force of the explosion

larger explosion, or at the rate of 6.98

portion of the stern,


the rocket tubes, but
intact

miles per
left

we

should have

the gravitational pull of the earth

leaving

the

air-tight

forever

although we are just as bad


The Meteor
is

off

cabin and other

vital parts.

either way.

now a

satellite

Experienced
that he was,
it

scientist

and

navigator

did not take Josh Malcolm

very long to calculate within fairly close


limits,

their true position in space,

and

a time." some way we may guide her back to the earth?" came croak ingly from Ed, who seemed to shrink
of the earth
at least for

"But

isn't

there

whither they were going

and they were

within himself.

not heading for the earth

Josh shook his head mournfully. "None


that I can see.

"Well?" questioningly from Ed King, who stood near, as the other pushed
back the sheets of paper on which he

This vessel was not deIf I start the

signed for that purpose.

rocket tubes again we'll only shoot along

had just completed a long


ematical
calculations.

series of

math-

"How

do

we

stand

r"

and leave the earth present I can see no way line of movement."
faster,

altogether.
to

At

change our

Josh looked up, stared steadily at his

The
away.

expression of wild terror in Ed's

companion, a serious expression


speaking his thoughts.

in

his

countenance heightened, and he turned

dark brown eyes, seemingly hesitant about


"Well, what have you figured out?"

"God, but I'm thirsty," he ex-

claimed presently; "I must have a drink."

Ed

"Wait, Ed; go slow," Josh cried, jumping up excitedly ; the effort bouncing
clear to the ceiling,

spoke up impatiently "are


;

we on

the

to Heaven, or

way

him
fell

?"

from which he

it. I'm you where we are going; but we're not bound for our world. In fact,

"Ed, I'm afraid we're in for


tell

slow-motion-like, back to the floor, be-

loth to

wildered and surprised at his inability to


control
his
is

motions.

we're not going anywhere in particular

supply

just going."

serve, or

very limited. "

"You know our We've got to con-

SHOT INTO SPACE


"T DONT
-I

115
size,

give a
it

damn

the

sooner

shrinking in

hung

in the dark depths


it

over with

the better.

Besides I'm

of space; so tantalizingly near


It
*

seemed.

terribly thirsty

and

I've got to

have a

loomed big and beautiful, the ever


its

drink."

He

looked belligerently at his

changing outlines on
ing, disappearing;

surface appearsharp,

companion.
'Well, you
I realize

now becoming

know what

mean, Ed.
ration

here and there hazy and melting.


smaller ball of the

The
and

you're thirsty after your loss of

moon seemed

pale

blood; and so

am

I.

But we must

insignificant beside the kaleidoscopic as-

our supply sensibly. Otherwise


this,

" with

pect of the brilliantly colorful primary.

Josh with some difficulty got between Ed and the all too mournfully
small
container.

Carefully he drew a

small quantity of the precious fluid and

But the two doomed pioneers now had no eye nor thought for the magnificent spectacle thus vouchsafed to no other living men. Hunger and thirst were tearing at their
vitals.

handed
himself.

it

to

drew an

equally small portion

Ed, who drank eagerly. Josh and drank


ruefully examined their

Stark fear and linger-

ing death within: pitiless, cold space without.

Then they
extended

all

Of

the two, Josh Malcolm

too meager larder.


trip,

Not counting on an
In
fact,

ing out better, as

men
do.

of stronger

was holdmind

they had taken along a

and nerve usually

He took

the dread-

limited quantity of food.

Ed

had

ful predicament with remarkable stoicism.

thought

it

foolish to take along anything

The

other,

however, was becoming in-

but a few sandwiches at the most.


Josh,

But

creasingly restless; stark terror stamping

who was

of an extremely provident
it

him with

its

indelible

mark.
ra-

nature,

had decided

prudent, in the

Carefully and

meticulously Josh

possibility of

a forced landing, to take


of their dreadful

tioned out their dreadfully fast dwindling

along a small supply of food and water.

supply of food and water; the while his

careful analysis

companion watched
jealous eyes.

his every

move with
re-

situation disclosed that, with

extreme hus-

Morsel by morsel, drop by

banding, they had food for a few days,

drop;

the

tiniest

crumb

carefully

water for only about a week, and, providing nothing went wrong with the airconditioning machinery, enough air and
reserve oxygen to last twelve days at the

trieved, their tongues licking the smallest

drop.

"I can't stand this confounded thirst

any longer," Ed

exclaimed often and

very outside

again, an insane look in his eyes.

More than once Josh

forcibly

had to

FARTHER
men
an
of space.

and farther from the

restrain the thirst-maddened

man from
still

planet circled the

two unfortunate
little

draining the pitifully limited supply

in their craft, their

world

on hand.
blows.
literally

At times they came near


slept fitfully

to

infinitesimal speck in the immensities

Josh

with one eye

open, the precious remainder of


side.

For days it had now been going on; the same cramped life, the same dreadful

food and water at his

More than
awaken-

once he barely prevented the other from


helping himself while he
slept,

doom

clutching at their hearts.


it

To

the

despairing aviators

seemed that they

ing just in time to frustrate Ed's selfish


attempt.

were besieged

the

mighty power of the

The

infinite outside grimly waiting for their

to strike the

end.

on the face
ball of the earth, gradually

last time he was forced maddened man a sharp blow to cause him to desist; and

The huge

fight

was narrowly

averted.

116

AMAZING STORIES
might as well eat and drink what Ed said, "and end it all the
I can't

"We
is

false hopes,

Ed," he spoke sadly; "but


I is

left/*

guess I rejoiced too soon.

find that

sooner.

stand

it."

though our centrifugal force

not equal

To

these

demands Josh was adamant.

to the gravitational pull of the earth, and

His was the type of character that holds


out unflincliingly to the end, never giving up.

though as a consequence we are


ginning to
fall

now

be-

back to
It

it

fear too

He

continued a close watch on

slowly to save us.

will take about a

his companion.

week before we approach

the upper at-

Interminably the long minutes and the

mosphere, close enough for our wings to


take hold and maneuver a landing.
that time
alive."
It

hours dragged by: each minute a day;


each hour a year.

By
be

Would

the end never

...
true.

I don't think

we

shall

come?

was

At

first

imperceptibly,

THREE
had

days since their

last

crumb

then at an accelerating

rate, the

Meteor
to

been

consumed.

They were

was drawing
earth.

closer
initial

and

closer

the
its

famished and weak from hunger.


small rations of water
still

A
. .

few
Allast

The

momentum

of

remained to
.

radial

them, and when that was gone

tion

ready they were drawing on their

reserve of compressed air and oxygen.

The air inside was none too pure. Every plan of forcing their living tomb earthward was futile; in fact there was no way for them to do so. They had no
equipment even for going outside no such contingency had been counted on by
the inventor. far off.

component was exhausted. Gravitawas now forcing it earthward; at first slowly, then faster and faster; until it would approach the planet with the same velocity of 6.95 miles per second with which it departed.
Josh took careful stock of their remain-

ing few drinks of water and small supply

of

air.

"Only enough

air for five


last
.

days

at the most, Ed.

The end now

could not be

food

but

We may We

without
.
.

the water and air

Not
is

enough for two.


still

are doomed!"

Josh
tions,

kept up his daily observa-

"You meanour
just

present
that

supply

doggedly making calculations.

He

enough

for

for

one could

found that the radial velocity of the Meteor was gradually diminishing to zero by this time having receded to about
;

survive ?"

Josh nodded. "I think so."

"But no chance for the two of us?"

300,000 miles from the earth fortunately in a direction

The

other shook his head negatively.

away from the

orbit of

the

moon.
day, as days were counted by

Then one
his

chronometer, his face lightened up.

Silently he turned to one of the ports and stood staring long and hopelessly at the pitiless emptiness without He heard a movement behind him, and

Eagerly he went over his equations.

wheeled around.

"Ed, he shouted joyfully, "we are drawing closer to the earth." Ed stirred himself from his torpor;
advanced eagerly toward Josh. "Are you sure, are you sure?" His hands opened

"T'VE

just got to have a drink of that

water."
yet,

"Not time
"But
I tell

Ed;
I

in three hours."

you

must have a drink."


shall each take

and closed spasmodically.

"In three hours we


senses,"

two

And

then, after a further look at his

swallows. For God's sake, Ed, keep your

calculations, Josh's face fell in hopeless

dejection.

"I'm

sorry

to

have

raised

"Well then,

let's

toss

up

it's

either

you

SHOT INTO SPACE


or
for
least
I.

117
each other's arms; their

There is not enough air and water two; that would give one of us at

that, locked in

mightiest blows landing feather-like, their

a chance to come through." And he looked craftily at Josh, greed and

quickest

motions

ridiculously

slow.

It

was

like

some

silly

dream, without conIn their ineffectual


to

mad cunning
himself
out

playing on

his

features.

trol or effectiveness.

"Let's draw; and whoever loses can put

struggles

Ed happened

bounce clear to

with

your

automatic.

I'd

the other end of the cabin,


trieved the automatic.

and Josh

re-

rather die than go on any longer

where

there

is no hope." Josh shook his head.

Ed
"I'll

rose slowly to his feet, eyes bloodfeatures distorted with meanness.

not commit

shot,

murder or

suicide.

It's

share and share

Slowly he backed away and stood in the


corner of the cabin, cowed into furious

alike to the last

drop and the last breath." "You're a fool and a coward," hissed Josh refrained from answering, and

submission by the levelled automatic in


the hands of his companion,
facing

Ed.
turned to look out of the

who was

him with

set

jaw and

glinting eye.

window

port.

Suddenly

Ed threw

himself upon him


the only

"Stand still and don't move, Ed; or, by Heaven, so long as you are determined
that one of us shall pass out

and snatched

at his automatic,

you

will

firearm in their possession, which Josh had been guarding carefully. They grappled and, both being etherially light and

be the one.
a

treacherous

You're a dastardly coward, hyena. For shame: I


sullenly,

thought you were a man!"

unsteady of foot,
struggle

fell to

the

floor.

In the
to

Ed cowered

somewhat brought
;

the automatic
it

which ensued, Josh wrenched from the other's hand, and


a feather to the floor out of

fell like

the reach of either.

his senses. "Oh, all right have it your way. Soon we'll see each other in hell anyway." "Yes, I will have my way. The least

Weak
with
about

though both were, they battled


energy, each
striving

we

can do in our terrible circumstance


us understand each other:

is

frenzied

to

to die like men, not like wolves.

And
At

pick up the fallen weapon.

They were
weight

now

let

evenly

matched

for

strength. Josh drove a hard right at

and Ed,

the least sign of treachery


again,
kill."
I'll

on your part

not hesitate, but shall shoot to

who dodged
ineffective

the blow which

was absurdly
weight,
slip to

due

to their lack of

causing the former, however, to

TT^ROM
contest,
siege.

then on

it

one knee. Tn a

flash the other leaped for

almost

became a strange curious form of

the automatic, but was tripped headlong


as Josh entwined his arms football fash-

The two men


it

kept a wary eye on

each other, speaking but

ion around the frenzied man's legs.

near only when


water.

little, coming was time for Josh to

Over and over


mastery.

the

two men

rolled,

pass out the scanty swallow or two of

bouncing, cursing and yelling, striving for

Ed would

gulp his portion; then

The none too fresh air made them gasp for breath. Their struggle was
a tragi-comedy- farce, ludicrous in the extreme; for at their distance from the
earth

greedily look
his

on as Josh slowly sipped


by drop past

own

portion, allowing the precious

liquid to trickle slowly drop

his swollen lips into his parched system.

they

their weight being only about

were practically weightless, 1/5800 as


surface.

much

as at

its

bounced and floated about

They jumped and this way and

The lack of sufficient food and water was telling heavily. Their mouths and throats were leathery and burning dry. To speak even was an effort. Faces were

118

AMAZING STORIES
he done to deserve such a horrible fate!
All his hopes and ambitions,
freall

gaunt and drawn; bodies thin and weak

from hunger and At times, and


within

thirst.

the

won-

with increasing
felt that

derful things he had planned to do, to


enjoy.
legs;
felt

quency, Josh himself

something

He

looked

down

at his feet, his

him must snap. Often he caught himself slipping into momentary lapses
of consciousness, only to arouse himself

he studied

his fingers, his

hands;

of his chest, his face

what precious

things they were.

And now, he would

with a jerk.

soon be forced to give up his body, so


trust the slowly gathfull

For he could not


ering insanity of

of life and vibrant desire.

the

man

before him.

In their desperate plight the true character of the other


selfishness,

was showing

itself

his

EDmumbling
Josh, too,
sit

sat sullenly

on the opposite
to
to

side,

and cursing
for

himself.

his

greed and ruthlessness.


lurks in a

was too weak


hope

One never knows what


until

man

and

hope

do more than what! What


Perhaps
he not

put to the

test.

miracle could happen!


to sur-

That Ed King was determined


vive
if

Perhaps he was a

fool.

possible at his expense Josh

now

he ought to save himself, the only


desperate thing to do.

last
al-

knew only
or in

too well.

Except when asleep

Had

a stupor, the half insane man watched Josh's every move, never taking
his eyes off him, although pretending to

ways heard
is

it

said that self-preservation

the

first

law of nature? Assuredly the

other would not hesitate a

moment
!

if

the
?

appear disinterested. Full well Josh


that even
if

knew
to

automatic were in his liand

Why

not

he did agree by
the other

lot as
last

Did not the

other,

by

his

very act of
he, himself

who
their

should remain alive with the

of

treachery, forfeit his life?

water and

air,

would not

win the

right to live ?

Was

it

wrong un-

abide by the draw.

As

things stood their situation


If only they

was ab-

solutely hopeless.

had pro-

der the circumstance? what would the world have to say about it? what would anybody else do if he were in his place?

vided themselves with a slightly larger


supply of water and oxygen, just a few

Or was he a
lose his life!

fool to save his soul

and

more days supply foolish if there would have been strong hope for both of them. But now, a horrible death for the two was inescapable, days ere their craft crashed to the earth with no one alive
to control
its

Confusedly his tortured mind spun round and round the treadmill of his
thoughts; his soul bitter as
full
gall, his

heart

of rebellion at his terrible fate.

No! He

could not do

it.

downward plunge
other.
.
.

unless one or the


it.

unless

The

instinct

of self-sacrifice and mutual aid, developed

through the ages, and which had made

Horrible thought!

He

could not bear


that stuff.

man

great, setting

him above the

beasts.

His

fibre

was not made of


his

was very strong

in him, stronger than the

Countless

of

forebears,

long

since

gone and forgotten, had died for their


comrades and for each other, for their
country, for a cause.

and the wolf. He would not purchase his life at the expense of another's He would die like a man
instincts of the tiger
!

Into his innermost

nature heroism had been burned on a battlefield.

many

He

could not turn coward

T T E was very weak and * * dared not allow himself


erative

tired.

He
In

the recupsleep.

now.

powers of undisturbed

And
young.

yet, life

was sweet.

He

He

hated to die thus.

was so What had

much worse off than his companion who perforce slept more than
that

he was

SHOT INTO SPACE


he.

119
down and
fell

Josh had to snatch

his sleep in fitful

ishment, Josh lay

into a

dozes, automatic always in hand, weak-

long needed sleep.

ened senses on edge.

deal.

During his dozes he dreamed a great Always he was drinking great


or
feasting luxuriously.

ALONE
tionless
his lifeless

in his silent tomb.


figure,

mo-

the

upper part of

drafts of cold water, breathing deeply of


fresh air,

He

dreamed he was at home. Through the open windows, looking out on their beautiful

garden,

delightful

breezes

blew,

body and his face covered, was moving with the Meteor, Poor Ed. From the sunward side, the fierce rays of the sun illumined every nook and cranny of the interior; oddly enough it
outside,

wafting to his nostrils the sweet smell of green and growing things. In front of
him, piled high, was a table full of food,
the huge pile on his

seemed, for the brilliantly star-studded


blackness of space showed
ports.

against the

own

plate seemingly

Inside,

the air

was

close

and

fetid,

growing bigger
his wife urging

as he

gorged and gorged,


to eat, saying there
at his side

although, thanks to the radiant energy

him

of the sun, comfortably warm.

He

was
air

was
tall

plenty more.

And

was a

on

his

last

reserve of

compressed

goblet of sparkling water which he

and oxygen.

emptied continuously, yet somehow never

Two

days since his swollen dry


last

lips

seemed to have enough.

had drained the very ultimate,


of water.
his

drop

knew
self,

Something made him open his eyes, he not what. He had forgotten him-

had fallen asleep. Over him, looming huge and gigantic to his startled senses, stood King, hand upraised, clutching a large wrench, ready to strike.

Not a bit of food had passed mouth for over a week. Yet this he mind so much. But that dreadful Sometimes he was tempted to open the outer exit and let the innishing
did not
thirst
!

cold end
ousness.

it

all

in merciful

instantane-

and received a blow on the shoulder. Before his enemy


Instinctively he ducked,

could deliver another blow, he grappled

days yet ere the Meteor would reach the outermost molecules of the
earth's
his

Two

with him, striving to pull his automatic;

atmosphere.

He

must husband
felt

but the other was too quick for him, and


prevented him from
firing.

fast-ebbing strength;
if

he could
last that

Arms wound
;

hold out
long.

only the air would


that

around each other, they began to enact the same tragi -farcical dance Ed struggling to free his right

He knew

when

his vessel be-

arm which

held the

gan rushing through the outer confines of the vacuous atmosphere, he must have
sufficient

wrench, the other striving to employ his


firearm.

strength

to

start

the motors,

zied

Josh fought desperately with the frenhalf-mad King, who kicked and

must guide the craft safely to solid land must not allow too swift a rush through

the heavier layers of air to prevent burn-

In their clawed and gouged and bit. struggles the automatic was discharged; a stream of bullets pierced the madman's
body.

ing up like a meteor. His great velocity must be retarded slowly, gradually, while
still

scores of miles up.

He

husbanded

every

quite
ness.

Josh tore himself loose. His enemy lay He never regained consciousstill.

strength, lying perfectly

still

ounce of his most of the


air.

time to conserve the vitiated

Now

for his

Exhausted from the desperate struggle life, and weak from lack of nour-

and then he continued his observations. The Meteor was now approaching the earth on a fast in-running spiral. The

120
huge body of the planet now
than a quarter of the sky.

AMAZING STORIES
filled

more

and wings gradually reduced his


lower.

velocity,

Soon, soon,

he allowed the vessel to settle lower and

the crucial process of landing


his

would tax

knowledge and
still

skill.

Slowly he settled; still going at five thousand miles an hour three thousand

WHILE
preme
effort

miles above the surface,

two
now
near.

thousand
cloudless

steadily

decreasing.

he had started the engines


for
his

a
;

su-

Lower and

lower, slower and slower; the


vistas

lone

and wasted
the

beneath

drawing

strength.

But they were now going


ready in plenty of

Thank God
;

propellers spinning.

He made

time.

The very sound and feel of the bing motors was like sweet music

throbto his

was over land too weak and dizzy anywhere so it was a safe place to land. Green fields, trees,
to

He

care where;

roofs of houses, the landscape melting

ears, a sweet caress to his tortured nerves.

Not a drop of water for nearly four days. He was gasping for the air, which was now almost unbreathable. Any unlooked
fatal.

and swimming before his eyes. His knees sagged. Ah, a large open field. He must land land. . .
.

for

delay

in

landing

would be

As if in a dream he Meteor bump along the ground and come to rest blessed land
heavy thud.
felt

the

Summoning

all

his remaining reserve


will,

He

felt

himself going.

With

his last

of strength through sheer power of

remaining strength he reeled drunkenly


to the exit.

Underneath, the surface of the earth loomed welcomingly, immense and wide, bathed
he stood tense at the controls.
in brilliant sunshine.

With

his last shred of will

he
. .

unsealed the locks

shouts, voices
.

funny; things were getting dark


floor rising

the

He

could

make

out

toward him.

even with his glass. Everything was completely obscured by a vast

no

details

storm-area; the outerside of the cloud

banks reflecting the dazzling rays of the


sun.

STRANGE face was bending over him; two faces no, several. Who were these people? What was he doing

in that

bed?

He
with

was moving through the


frightful

silence

speed.

Any moment
of
the

he

heard murmuring voices. Funny he could not understand a word; such odd
words.
around.

He

would begin
sure

to feel the retarding pres-

He

turned his head and looked

of

the

outposts

planet's
. .
.

White room; white clothes


was he!
his hand, feeling

atmosphere.
careful
.
.

He

must be careful

where

in the devil

descend lower slowly, when

Someone was holding


his wrist.

resistance
shall

against the body and

wings

pleasant- faced man, with a

have reduced his


controlled
. .
.

terrific velocity to

closely cropped beard,

was

leaning over

within safe limits; then proceed under


his

him, talking with such senseless-sounding

own

ing place

life

power to a safe landand happiness. .


. .

words

in a strange language.

He

closed his eyes; inhaled deeply of

At

last

he began to feel the cushioning

the blessed air; luxuriated in the sweet-

effect of the resisting atmosphere.

Mov-

smelling

sheets.

He
at

opened
his

his

eyes

ing as he
velocity,
sufficient

was

at the residual

enormous

again: the smiling face of a white-clad


girl;

the

wings of the Meteor met resistance, even in the all but


to

a glass tube

lipscooling

water ... he sucked greedily.

empty
descent.

space,

control

his

rate

of

As

the friction against the body

He was in Holland, after thirteen days and twenty-one hours in space.

The End.

121

Thoto Control
By

BERNARD BROWN,

B.Sc.

This contribution from an English author, picturing the London of future


days, and telling of Robots, has an application at the present time when automobile accidents are so frequent. We are always very glad to receive
stories

from abroad.
is

It is so interesting to

see

how

the science fiction

world

treated by those

whom we

conceive, justly or unjustly, to be the

more conservative English.


Illustrated

by

MOREY
the
streets

SLOWLY
which
the

the

bent

old

man
of

when

of

the

cities

of

the

trudged along the broad avenue


still

world ran with blood.

the Strand

bore

the

name

At length he reached Remembrance


Square
survey

that inadequate

and
of

some,
the

still

connected

it

with

traffic-glutted

thoroughfare

Nelson and Trafalgar


thousand
there

and
have
silent,

paused to

nineteenth and twentieth centuries. But the rows of shops had long since vanished and in their place one found boulevard refreshment gardens and rest

assembled

throng.

Many
but

must

been,

they seemed strangely

and not a
though in

few bowed
sorrow.

their

heads

as

rooms.

Where Charing Cross


its

station

used to rear
entrance
to

ugly head was with

now

the

No

longer surly lions guarded the


victor.
'

em-

a park,
all

streams and

blem of the
middle
of

Instead, a circular

shady walks and


that

the green pleasures

pool rippled, cool and inviting.


the

In the
islet,

Nature could

offer.

pool

was a

tiny

Down
trees

the middle of
softly in the

the avenue

tall

and
tall

in the middle of the islet a single

waved

summer

breeze,

and here and there a bird chirped. For London was changed. Gone were the narrow roadways, gone the noisome
food palaces where hundreds clamored
for their
but,

pillar of green, rising to a great overshadowing the buildings. For towering skyscrapers had long since passed away and the sun of heaven

height,

again illumined the earth.


Close
people,

portion of preserved edibles;


all,

by

stood
yet

group
hushed.

of

most of
of

gone was the deafenof

excited

young Someone
and

ing roar

traffic,

harshly applied

whispered

"A

minute

to the hour,"

brakes and the occasional morbid crowd,

Williams turned his head.

They were

betokening that

some unfortunate had

been unsure of foot.

young; they did not remember. A tremor shook his frame and he would have
stumbled but for the help of a stranger

the end of his yearly pilgrimage.

But the old man, whom we will Call Williams, saw none of these things. Each painful step brought him nearer For each of the sixty years he had made
the

who
all

looked
is
all

at

him

curiously.

"It

right,"

he mumbled; "quite

right,

thank you," and the young


Williams heard again the

man

smiled and rejoined his friends. But

journey

ever

since

the

first

year

in that instant

122

AMAZING STORIES

Violent braking, violent acceleration, sudden swerve, spin round a corner, stopping, starting, all were carried out with utter precision. And there were no accidents.

PHOTO CONTROL
mad
laugh
of

123

Stewart and saw those


hurl a hundred million

slender

fingers

robot for every job, and at a price which every household could efford. No
longer would the rich alone be able to

to perdition.

Suddenly a curious
the multitude.

silence

fell

upon

enjoy the
ing

It lasted
filled

but a moment
with a clarion

ized brains.

then the air became


burst as of bugles.

They beat into the brain and woke wonder and fear and slowly died away while the slender pillar
of green in the center of the
to a
islet

In short,

infallible service of mechanHuge factories were pourthem out in thousands a day. Bob Williams rejoiced in

the day of the cheap robot.

"Nonsense,
art;

my

boy," remarked Stew-

pulsed

merely a passing craze."

Wood
yet
it

red.

Silence

to the old

And
*

man, death itself. brought back memories more


life.

vivid than

While still at college Bob Williams had met Vera Stewart and, like most
others,
her.

But Bob was too young to bow to knowledge, and argued. "The robot or mechanical man is an absurdity," pronounced Stewart. "If you have a dish-washing machine operated by a handle, do you buy a robot
superior
to

turn

the

handle?

Of

course
for

not,
elec-

immediately
It

fell

in

love
that

with

seemed,

however,

Bob

you change your washer trically motored article.

an

was to be the lucky one. Soon she took him home and there he met her father, Jason Stewart, even then famous as an electric light engiIt so happened that Bob was speneer. cializing in light and electricity, and
he found

"The same thing


to operate

applies everywhere.

In the machine shops, do they use robots

hand screw machines?

No;

they junk the screw machines and install

automatics.

"A

robot

as

people

know
it

it

is

much

of interest in Stewart's

redundant device.
obsolete machine,

Certainly

makes an

conversation.

requiring manual adthat


fault

a matter of fact they became fast friends over a protracted argument.

As

justment,

free
is

from
its

disadvantage.

But that
cannot

just

Just about that time there


in

robot

manufacturing, and

was a boom Bob was

last.
it

When
new

anything

and why it becomes


by another

out of date not given a


invention.
to patch

should be scrapped and


lease of life

enthusiastic

over what he was certain

production.

promised to be the greatest era of mass There had always seemed

Redesign, lad, and don't try


that a
set

up!"

to be definite periods

when production
held the
field.

But Williams argued


ical

mechan-

along one particular

line

servant could

be

The

first

was that of the early auto-

things, while an automatic

mobile; then of radio, though he could never really understand how people could

formed
ization

only

one

function.

to do many machine perStewart

countered by pointing out that special-

enjoy the voices of


not see.

artists

they could

was the

greatest

Others came afterwards

the

dency.

And

so

they

modern tenwent on for a

aeroplane, the televisor, the rocket car.

long time, while Vera fretted with the


televisor

But between each boom was a lull, when huge factories lay silent awaiting a
fresh advance of civilization.

and doubtless promised herself


Still,

a fitting revenge.

at the

end they
ended
in

became

fast

friends,

which

Now
sky-sign
bots.

from every poster and every


flared

Bob

gratefully accepting Stewart's offer

advertisements

for

ro-

of a position in his research workshops

Secretaries, kitchen maids, porters

when he had graduated.

124

AMAZING STORIES
may
increase to almost any figure, the
factors

The work was interesting and he showed such promise that within a year he became Stewart's chief assistant. Besides carrying out

limiting

for

safe

driving

are

braking
starting

distance

and

brain

reaction,

routine research for

from
they

the

instant

of

danger.

several large corporations,

Stewart was

Cars to-day can travel three times as


fast

always working on his

a steady income

on photoelectric
especial forte.

relays,

own and derived from several patents which were his

as

could in

1930,

but

their

braking distance has remained the same.

The

best
is

vehicle

you can do with a wheeled to lock your wheels. As a

Bob found life increasingly good. During the day he was absorbed in his work, and in the evenings enjoyed the company and friendship of Vera. Naturally their acquaintance had developed, and one evening, after a jaunt to Brittany
in

matter of fact

maximum
relative

braking effort,
coefficient

which means the


friction

of

between

the

wheels
actual

and

the

road,

peaks

just before

locking

takes place."

Bob nodded.

Stewart's

rocket

plane,

they

"A
tion,"

case of dynamic and static

fric-

made
father,

the age-old vows.

he

suggested.
I can't think

Vera, besides keeping house for her


a widower, spent

"Exactly.
thorities

why

the au-

much

of her

time in welfare work.


like sordid

Slums and such-

have taken no hand in the matter, which has been growing worse

tion

having
fields

appendages of early civilizalong since disappeared,

and worse for the past decade. Speeds have grown out of all proportion to
braking power and
In the
old
individual
reaction.

leisured feminine society

had to turn to
Lately
the

fresh

of

endeavor.

days

the

average

person

craze had been the providing of ambu-

driving at forty miles an hour was able


to avoid accidents

and cars along the lesser roads. Every day scores of accidents occurred/ and often the injured remained beneath the wreckage for hours, since the regular ambulance authorities were far too busy with the troubles of the highways to be able to tend the
lance depots

of his

by quick application brakes or a swerve at the wheel.


is

Now
so

speed

quicker than thought, and a

safety becomes

matter

of

prob-

ability.

Of

course the roads are better

and automatic police signs help a lot. But accidents do not happen at cross
roads.
It's

wants of sportsmen who chose to roar

only on the

flats

that auto-

around country corners an hour.

at eighty

miles

mobiles show their astounding increase


in

maximum
the

velocity.

In
is

fact

'catch-

Her
in

father

did

not approve of

this

ing at the
all

word/

that

the cause of

side of her activities, but, as usual, gave

casualties.

What

used

to

be
into
is

At dinner one evening he was expounding to Bob his ideas on the subject.
to her deands.

a variable speed has


straight
line

degenerated

velocity

because

there

no time to deviate.

"If

fools

treat

the

roads

as

racing

"Vera

is

late

this

evening."

Bob

tracks they deserve to break their necks.

essayed to change the subject into more


pleasant channels.

For years engine performance and chasSpeed sis design has been improving.
has crept up until a hundred miles an hour along the mamways is considered quite normal. But the fools seem to
forget
that,

"Yes"
"she

Stewart
me

seemed to ponder
infernal
club

tells

her

has

although

maximum

speed

her Lady Guardian of the Northern Byways." "Ah, well," laughed Bob, "I expect appointed

PHOTO CONTROL
she won't be long, for we've arranged
to slip over to the

125

application to synthetic rubber preparations.

Yarmouth

coast

to

Literally

watch the sunset."


evening, and

eter tests
plotted.

hundreds of dynamomwere carried out and curves

phone
of

But Vera did not come home that it was late before the visaShe and two told the tragic tale.
her
friends

But, strive as they would, the

best adhesion they could obtain gave results only seven or eight per cent

very

had been tending the injured at a corner ambulance one of when a huge car the transportable type

above the normal.

One
work,

day, after

many hours

protracted
flung

Jason
his

Stewart

suddenly

driven

apparently

by
at

madman had
its

down
"It's

slide-rule.
bitterly.

skidded at the curve and flung


ton

two-

no use," he cried
impossible."

"The

weight
girls

full

the

little

caravan.

thing

is

Two

had been killed immediately


the fateful

"Impossible?"

Bob

stared;

it

was so
friction

Vera was one of them.

unlike Stewart to use such a word.

Bob heard

news from one


is

"The maximum
unity,

coefficient of

of the servants, for Jason Stewart had locked himself in his room. "It was
terrible,
sir,"

the

white-faced

butler

and in practice it cannot, of I had thought by course, be attained. suitable preparation of materials and
surfaces
to

stammered.

"I

thought Master would

cause

extra
it

adherence
is

have gone mad. about the room.

He

swore and stamped Spoke about revenge.


I

through suction.
sible."

But, no;

impos-

And
call

then cried like a baby.

daren't

"Is that the problem, sir?" asked Bob,

him,

sir."

looking him straight in the eye.


in those

Bob Williams
his pleasant

few words saw


of

chorage and for a


of suicide.

world spin into utter space. His mind seemed broken from its anmoment he thought

Jason Stewart turned and stared out the window and then spoke in a
voice.

metallic

"I intend to
first

make
that

traffic

safe.

The

But even the deepest sorrow passes quickly in youth. He flung

factor

is

of

more

efficient

braking.
the

To
of

obtain
I

himself to work, wrestled with his probtill he was too tired even to think, and then often fell asleep at the lab-

road surface

lems

efficient

friction

greater grip on must raise the cobetween the tires

and the road metalling.


able conditions

Under favor-

oratory bench.

we have managed
I

must have been three weeks after the terrible accident before he saw Jason Stewart again. He seemed to have grown ten years older. His face was white and drawn with suffering, but his eyes shone curiously bright. Not a word did he say to Bob, only patted him on the shoulder.
It

so by a few per cent.


for
to

my

purpose.

to do That is useless must enable vehicles


their

stop in

one-tenth

present dis-

tance.

Not only did Stewart appear to have changed physically his whole outlook had been refocused. He spoke little,

Metal on metal has a coefficient of .3. Leather on metal is about Ordinary tires on road surface give .4. .6. We have raised it to .7. Use" less^ His voice trailed off almost
about
in

despair.

but
of

Boh soon discovered that the nature experiments was undergoing change. Stewart had grown greatly
their
friction,

interested in

and

especially

its

Bob Williams stared at him. Not that the idea was new, hut because he had never before heard Stewart speak He had in so unscientific a manner. touched only one factor of the problem

126

AMAZING STORIES
gripped the
rails

and despaired because he had been foredoomed to failure by a physical law. Stewart was not good to argue with in these days, so it was with decided nervousness that
"Surely,
of the

magnetically and could

stop in a very short distance.

Couldn't

something after that style be brought


out?"

Bob gave
there

his

opinion.
it

"Rubber being
is

practically

nonmagnetic
even
if

sir,

are

other aspects

out of the

question,

we

problem?"

built the roads of iron."

Stewart smiled

"Yes"

tonelessly.

sourly.

"The adhesion between two


depends upon the
coefficient

surfaces

Bob thought
"If
it

for a

moment
to

then.

of friction
force

were possible
an
its

add to the
without
in-

between them, and on the

with

weight
creasing

of

automobile
tliat

which they are pressed together."

inertia,

would

solve

Again Stewart intoned


"It
is

metallically:

the problem?" he queried.

approximately independent of

the contacting surface area

and decreases
its

"Yes."

And

Stewart turned

slowly

away.
All that night

with an increase of speed,


ing

culminat-

maximum

being the friction of re-

Bob wrestled with

the

pose,
I

which theory I have elaborated.


already aware of such things,

question
It

am
Bob

my

to add weight without inertia. seemed a paradox, but at the back

boy."
flushed but
still

of his mind he was sure there must be

pursued his ob-

a solution apart from the question of a


gravity
attractor.

jective.

Even

that

itself

"So

far

the actual coefficient.

we have worked only on What about the

was bound
all

to

be done some day, but

other variable, the pressure of the two

fruitless.

experiments up to that time had been He racked his brains weight

surfaces one against the other?"

without inertia
of

almost

as

bad as mass

"If

you

increase

the

weight
Stewart,

without weight.
Eventually he rose from his bed, and,
slipping on a dressing gown, strode out
to the veranda.

moving

vehicle,"

stated

"you

increase the

braking

effect,

but at the

same time the inertia of the whole moving body increases to a like degree and one factor nullifies the other. Were
this

fierce

wind howled
to

around the building and caused him


shiver.

Strangely enough, the sky was

not

the

case,

heavy

automobiles
dis-

clear

and he stared mechanically at a


Helicopter
to

would have a much smaller braking


tance than lighter ones.
is is

Transatlantic

majestically

As

it

is,

there

sweeping

along

the

west.

Wind

practically

due to decrease

no difference except what in wheel bounce, a

had no terrors for that monster of the skies, which held steadfast in the teeth
of the fiercest hurricane.

mere three or four per cent." "But to increase the pressure without
adding to the weight," persisted Bob.

Man

had conearth.

quered the

air,

but was defeated by prob-

lems of

his

natural

medium, the

faint smile crossed the features of

A
the

fresh gust of

wind caught him, and


railings.
Still
its
its

Stewart.

he was forced against the


require

"You would
tractor, I

gravity

at-

Helicopter

held

way,

with

am

afraid," he replied,

"and
with-

score of giant vertical screws roaring in


defiance.

so far this has resisted attack.


tional

Gravita-

Of
it

course,

it

was the screws


their

force cannot be generated

which held
once

steady

gyroscopic

out mass."

action steadied the craft after the style

"But the

old-time

electric

rail

cars

employed

in

ocean-going

ships.

PHOTO CONTROL
Suddenly Bob gripped The gyroscope
the railings hard.
speed.
I

127,
forgot that.

About
it

100,000
using

revs per
feverishly
;

minute, but that's easy


bearings.

Back
until he

in his

room he worked

mercury
Stewart
"We'll

Besides,

would
car."

was

called for breakfast

then,

take hardly any

power from the


to

ignoring the meal,


art's laboratory.

made
it,

haste to Stew-

nodded.
get

work on
is

a
first

design
step." *

"I believe I've got


the engineer.

sir,"

he greeted

immediately. * *

This
*

the
*

"What?"
"Weight
wrong."
Stewart raised his brows.
without
inertia

After several weeks' work, in which

was

all

elementary tests
ticability

had
idea,

shown the practheir


first

of

the

full-

sized

model was completed and ready


trial.

"We

do not even want to increase the

for

An
In

ordinary

type

of
for

road
the
idea
at

actual weight of a body.

What we do

automobile
purpose.

had been adapted


the
first

want is something, some pivot to use as a fulcrum for a lever to force down

place

the

had been to place a gyroscope both


of wheels would be affected.

The weight of the car does not matter if we can get a rigid Wait a minute, sir," he pleaded; pivot. "I'm not mad. The gyroscope will do
the

wheels.

the front and at the back, so that both


sets

Ex-

periments had shown, however, that with


a relatively small gyroscope slung in the

it!"

middle

of

the
to

chasis,

levers

could

be
to

Stewart wheeled round.

arranged

transmit
alike.

the

pressure

"The gyroscope?"
ered
"I
in

thought,
!"

His brows puckthen smoothed out.


sir;

back and front

The brakes themselves were of the


ordinary hydraulic type, operated by a
single

wonder "Don't you

see,

once
it

you

set

small

foot

brake,
earlier

much

after

a heavy wheel spinning,


sists

strongly re-

the

style

of

the

automobile.

a change in

its

plane of rotation.
fast

Take a gyroscope big enough and


enough.

Both Stewart and Williams were fully aware that this arrangement would have
to

Couple one

side

of

its

cradle
as

to the axle of a car

and

then,

you

be
it

apply brakes, increase the length of the coupling

be modified before the design could put to commercial application, but would serve for the time being.

arm by any
refuses
so

sort

of

toggle.
its

From

the main

oil

pressure cylinder,

The gyroscope
plane,

to

change
are

and

the

wheels

forced

other pipe

whence brake shoes took their feed, anpassed to an extra plunger


operating
in

down by the toggle lever and you get much friction as the tires will stand I"
Stewart's eyes were blazing.

as

another

cylinder.

One

end of the latter was pivoted to the


cradle carrying the gyroscope, while the

"If dimensions worked out, that certainly

plunger

itself

would do
car,
sir,"

it,

lad."
it out for an waving a sheaf of "An 18-inch wheel

gles to the

was linked through togfront and rear axles, which


this

"Yes. but I've worked

had been modified for


depressing the brake

purpose.

On

average
papers

lever

besides the

excitedly.

brakes

acting

in

the

ordinary manner,

with a plane centroid at 8 inches radius

terrific

pressure was exerted


it

on the

and weighing about 40 pounds would


be
sufficiently

gyroscope, tending to throw

angularly

rigid

to

squash
car
inch.

flat

the to

from

its

plane of

revolution.

Due

to

tires

of

any

ordinary

inflated

the persistence with

which the gyroscope


a

30 pounds per square

Oh, the

retained

its

plane,

high

degree

of

128

AMAZING STORIES
diately

pressure was exerted through the tog-

by the

shrill

scream of harshly

upon the four wheels, which therefore were driven down hard on the road. The completed machine was wheeled out of the workshops, and Stewart and
gles

applied brakes.

A
of

terrific

force seemed to take hold

Williams stood eyeing

it

speculatively.
satis-

Bob and flung him forcibly against the dash. At the same time something ripped away at the back, flinging their
car broadside on.

Dynamic
about
its

friction

tests

had been

factory, but both

were curiously dubious

Bob
rear
like

struggled

back to his

seat

and

road performance.
'phone over

found Stewart nursing


of
so
their

his wrists.

The

"D'you think I'd better

car

had been crumpled

for a test driver?" suggested Bob.

much matchboard by a huge


the
devil's

Stewart shook his head vigorously. "Certainly not; the machine is all right, and I see no reason why we should not

roadster behind.

"What
glared

happened?"
the

Bob
driver,

furiously
at

at

other

make
place

the tests ourselves. these

Come

along."
driver's

who

sat

the

wheel,

dazed

ex-

With
As

pression on his face,

words he took the


clambered
clutch

Stewart gripped
"It

and

Bob

his

after
into

him.
op-

arm

excitedly.

the magnetic

came

eration and the car shot

forward with

works 1" he ejaculated. For the moment Bob was completely

the customary violent acceleration,


felt

Bob

nonplussed.

a sinking doubt about the advisaof

bility

Stewart

doing

the

driving.
level-

"What?" he demanded. "The brakes. Don't you


happened.
the

see

what's

Normally
headed
devil

Jason

Stewart
but

was
the

and calm,

now

very
of
the

him,

seemed to have seized and throwing caution

hold
to

I put 'em on immediately, same as the rest of the drivers when they heard the crash ahead. We

stopped too quickly for the fellow behind,


Still,

winds, he swung round a turning and headed for the Great North Main Way
leading to the Metropolis.
It

who
that
is

has done us a
doesn't
idea's

bit

of damage.

matter.
all

The

great

thing

the

right."

was about 9

o'clock in the

morning

But the driver behind had a different opinion on the subject, and it was some
considerable time before the usual
malities

and the real traffic crush of the day Nevertheless had not yet commenced. they rarely had more than 40 or 50 feet Hundreds of cars clear before them.
and shapes roared their way towards London.
of
all

for-

they

were concluded and once again maneuvered themselves into the


traffic,

stream of

which between times

sizes

had grown to much greater dimensions. After the first misadventure Stewart

"Speed's

rather

high this

morning,"

was more
very a space.

careful, but even so

found

it

remarked Bob, glancing at the meter, which hovered between 80 and 90 miles
an hour.
Stewart
pressing

difficult

not to pull up in too short

Passing through London in

this

man-

made no answer,
the
throttle

but,

de-

ner, they

drew away

to the South.

further,

passed

between two cars with a bare inch or They had so to spare at the sides.
proceeded in this dizzy manner for some minutes when suddenly a metallic crash

"We'll take to some of the country ways," remarked Stewart, "so that we can carry out a few trials without further mishap."

Considering the fact that the weather

smote their

ears,

followed almost imme-

was

delightful, the

country roads were

PHOTO CONTROL
comparatively free of
traffic.

129
is

They drove

The human element

far too great to

along for some miles and were shooting

cm down
sign."

strength to the very


all

minimum

down
jerked

hill

at a

good pace when Stewart


I'm going to brake."
all

which after

is

the object of true de-

out

quickly

"Hold

tight;

Bob

clung on for

he was worth,
felt

which was not much.

Again he
if

that

Bob nodded. "We shall have to make many changes before we try out Have you any that old bus again.
a good
'definite ideas?"

unpleasant sensation, as

someone had

butted him in the stomach, and he and

"Yes.

We
we

shall be able to lay

down
I

Stewart extricated themselves from the


front

a few principles and get Smithson to

of

the

car.

work on an
afraid
chassis.

entirely

new model.

am

"Not bad," murmured Stewart, clambering out. From his pocket he drew a large roll of tape and between them
they measured

shall

have to re-design the

We
is

can probably make use of

the existing motors, although their accel-

Stewart
they
there

up the braking distance. had depressed the lever as


so
that

eration

far too low for our purposes."


his eyebrows,

passed a particular gate,

"Too low?" Bob raised "Why, only the other day

should

be

no

doubt

about

the

stopping distance. "Just over

I thought you were complaining that acceleration was far away in advance of the rest of de-

\7y 2

feet,"

he announced.

sign."

"What was
of
1

the speed?" asked Bob.

"Yes,
"but

it

was" rejoined Stewart

curtly,

"Exactly 94 and on a down gradient


in
7,

let's

but

we must check

this

tion which our

go over the points in quesmishap this morning has


mat-

again."

brought to our notice.

After entering up the particulars they

Back
ter

in the office they talked the


at

backed up the

hill

and made a similar

over

length and eventually

Bob

giddy descent, this time being less fortunate in the result.

drafted out a series of proposals which

Bob

sustained a

were to be passed to the Chief Designer

severe cut on one arm, where he

was

who was
on
a

to

commence work immediately


Briefly,

thrown against the windshield, and one of the rear tires burst. Stewart, however, was delighted, though he spoke
little

more elaborate model.


first place,

they were as follows:

(1) In the
the tires

examination of

as

they slowly retraced their

way

and wheel rims showed straight


tire

through London and back to the workshops.

away

that each time the gyroscope

been applied the complete


as

As soon
down

they

reached home, me-

flattened
to

so

that

the

rim

itself

had had been bit on


Since

chanics were set on the job of stripping


the wheels and brake mechanism,

the

metalled

roads.

This was the

reason
it

why a

burst had occurred.

so as to determine how much wear had taken place, and whether anything had been severely strained.
"It's

was

practically out of the question to

inflate tires to a

higher pressure on the

score of comfort a

new method was

to

no

use
lad,"

relying
said

too

much on
catch-

be tried.

By

the side of each

driving

theory,

my

Stewart,

wheel was put another wheel some three


inches smaller in diameter, die tire

ing Bob's curious eye.

"We

have done
in

lot

in the last

few yuars
the

bringing
of

of a solid ring of hard rubber.

made Under
clear

design

down
certain

to

standard

pure

normal conditions
nary driving.

this

was
as

just

mathematics, but you can never be absolutely

of the roads and played no part in ordi-

of the

factor of

safety.

So soon

the

brakes

130

AMAZING STORIES
other side of the problem but gave no
indication of the direction which his en-

were applied and the gyroscope toggles


drove the car
these
solid

down
this

to the face of the road

wheels served

for

braking

deavors were taking.

means they hoped to eliminate bursts and at the same time


purposes.
enable even greater braking pressure to be used
if

By

Bob
that
it

felt

rather irritated at this

atti-

tude, for he could not help

remembering

was
little

his

own

particular idea which

necessary.
also

had brought the gyrobrake into being.


that

Stewart

postulated

they

What

spare time he had at his dis-

would have
resistant

to develop a material

more

posal he spent wondering

how Stewart
trouble
of

to abrasion

than the

common

proposed

to

rule

out

the

type of synthetic rubber, but this would


not

brain reaction.
eral

In fact he went to sevof


the

be difficult since their experiments previously

demonstrations
robot

newly dewhich

had

extended

rather

fully

veloped
ever,

chauffeurs,

how-

into this field.

(2)

It

was found
fused.

that the brake shoes

the Transport authorities.


at

had not yet gained the sanction of What he saw


demonstrations
did

themselves besides being badly worn had


in

the

not impress
the

places

Beryllium, long since

him

very

much,

for,

although

used as a material of construction in car


design,

mechanical

men seemed
it

capable enough

would have
capable

to

be

replaced

by

of controlling a vehicle under simple cir-

something

of

standing

up to

cumstances,

seemed

very
to

doubtful

higher temperatures. Again, some meth-

whether they would be able


well under the terrible traffic

or of cooling of the brake drums would

show up jam of the


in

have

to

be adopted.

Stewart proposed

Metropolis.

to incorporate a small refrigerator such

One day Stewart appeared


ings under his
his side.

the

as then used on racing cars.

The

greatest problem of

all

was the
of

workshop with a whole sheaf of drawarm and called Bob to


"I

elimination

of

the

human element
its

braking together with


lag. It

inevitable time

think

the

problem

is

pretty

well

was

all

very well to design and


brakes, but
little

cleared,

my

lad," he said in a curiously

develop super-efficient
they would be of very

even

tense voice.

use in pre-

venting accidents
trol

it

put under the conor Harry,


car.

Bob was full of questions, but Stewart was unduly reticent.


"We'll
let

of any

Tom, Dick

who
spent

Smithson

get

busy

with
in

had enough money to buy a

these drawings
the

and incorporate them

In the weeks that followed,

Bob

most

of

his

time

in

the

workshops,

new model, and see how it works." With this Bob had to be content. Days new machine grew. came the day when it was comresembled the ordinary road
possibly
sturdier
its

supervising the construction of the

new

passed quickly and days into weeks and


slowly the

its strengthened brakes and Experiments on the had been entirely satisand they had decided on a material composed of the usual elastic bonding agent and floculated asbestos which gave astonishing results on dynamometer

machine with
chassis

members.

At
car,

last

synthetic rubber

pleted.

It

factory

except

construction

seemed a

trifle

and the wheels


the front

were, of course, novel.

To

two

curiously shaped headlamps were placed


at the
lateral

tests.

extremities on

a compli-

Stewart had retired


times.

to his private lab-

cated swivelling arrangement.

Bob noted

oratory whence he issued only at meal

further that these apparent lamps were twisted slightly inwards and instead of

He was

hard at work on the

PHOTO CONTROL
pointing

131

towards the ground

were

di-

driver to see the source of danger, trans-

rected straight out.

mit this to his brain and from the brain


to the various nerves to his toe

He was
of
the car

examining the foreign parts

and muscles down

when Stewart came


little

along.

on the pedal.

Good braking
the

"You're due for a


I

explanation,

alone would only

make

whole ques-

think."

tion of driving control


tell

more dangerous,
His

"Well, to

gun
tell

to

you the truth, I had bewonder when you were going to


patted
lad, but I

much

after the style that acceleration has


in

worked havoc

the past years."

me."
his

eyes shone brightly.


shoulder.

Stewart
sorry,

"I'm

away from
course,

the subject.

"But I'm getting You know, of

my

have been very busy

how we
suppose

are able to judge dis-

and very worried, but that's past now. Let's have a look at the *bus." "What's the idea of these head
lamps?" asked Bob. "They're not headlamps, of course,"
rejoined the other.
carefully

tance ?"
"I

because

we

have

two

eyes," suggested Bob.

"Exactly.
so

Our

eyes are set apart and


point gives

"Actually they are

when we look at an object they inwards and the subtended angles


that
the

prepared

and

focussed

teleis

us immediate indication of the distance


object
is

lenses at the back of each of

which
I'd

away.

Not

exactly,

situated one of the


electric
cells.

new ribidium photobetter

of course, but at least to a degree.

On

But perhaps

my

arrangement,

duplicate these con-

start at the beginning."

ditions

Bob nodded.
"Well, art
it

lamps.

by what you refer to as headThese are always trained ahead

it's

like this,"

proceeded Stew-

of the car and inwards to an extent de-

"From the first it was clear that was out of the question to leave the
new

Actually their pending on the speed. mountings are coupled indirectly to the

direction of a car fitted with these

road wheels so that the faster the wheels


rotate the lesser is the angle subtended

brakes to the varying abilities and reactions of a


tion

human

driver.

The quesbe more

between
further

the

two
is

sets

of

lenses.

In

was then

to replace personal control


or, to

other words the faster the car goes the

by something mechanical

away

the point of intersection

correct, electrical, since this is

somewhat

of the two beams.


this

This distance

is

on

outside the sphere of mechanics.

little

particular

model four feet greater


braking distance at

consideration
that each car

of

the

question

showed
in

than the

minimum

when
a

driven at a particular

the particular speed.

speed

required
it

zone

of

safety

Immediately

we

are afforded a

means

front of

extending just over the width

of noting whether the distance between

of

the

car

and to a distance

slightly

greater than the stopping distance at the

speed

at

which the car was driven

at that

particular

moment.
see with

By some means

or

and the rear of the I had is safe. thought in the first place to build an apparatus after this style giving an audible
the front of our car
vehicle
in

front

of us

other this speed zone had to be maintained.

or

visible

indication,

but,

after

all,

it

You

your gyroscope we

can pull up a car driven at 90 miles


an hour
in, say,

15 feet.

Good enough,
is

would have been practically useless, for the brain-lag would come into the question again when the brakes had to be
applied immediately.

but the time taken in braking and bringing the car to a standstill
less

very

much

"As
tric

the thing stands are

now

photo-elec-

than the actual time taken for the

cells

placed

behind the lenses

132
and as soon as any body
the zone of
safety
the
affected and, operating

AMAZING STORIES
falls

within are

the speed of the car at the time.


is

This

photo-cells
relay,

adjusted so that road grip under worst


is

on a

apply

conditions

sufficient to

counteract the

the brakes to the full."

inevitable centrifugal action of the "It

mass

Bob thought
"but does
it

for a

moment.

seems
last,

of the car.

Later on,

we

can probably
is

a very good stunt," he admitted at


speed of any object?
say
is

arrange that wheel pressure

increased

take into consideration the

while taking turns, so as to permit faster

What

mean

to
to-

supposing
trained

you are driving


I

and safer cornering." "Again "Stewart continued, "but no,

wards a building,
your
brakes

can see then that

a demonstration will be better than


this
talk.

all

photo-cells snap on the and prevent you crashing, but


its

However,
that all

can

tell

you
road

straight

away

factors

of

supposing instead of
it

being a building
in the opposite

conditions have been taken into consideration.

was another car coming

You

can visualize the action of


quite
easily.

direction at a speed about the

same as

the

safety

zone

Besides
it

yours.

You might pull up in time, but what about the other fellow?" "Oh! of course," he laughed uncomfortably,

being connected with the brakes,


acts on the accelerator, so

also

agine the

traffic

of the

you can immain roads and

"I

forgot

that

all

the

cars
Still,"

the city itself.

Speeds raised even highare

would be fitted in this manner. he went on, "I'm not sure that
yet."

er

than

they

to-day

all

cars

see

it

mechanically controlled by their photozones.

As
car

soon as any object or any


or a
pedestrian
gets

"Steady,

steady,

you're

quite

right,"

other

within

Stewart assured him, "but I'd thought of


this

the zone so soon do the brakes

already.

When

said

that

the

As soon

as the object

is

come on. removed the car

ject

any obwas As a only stating the action roughly. matter of fact, although they do operate in that manner, they are also sensitive to infra-red beams, which you have probaphoto-cells operated as soon as

accelerates to
ject does not to the left

was brought within

their field, I

its maximum. If the obmove the zone swerves first

and then

to the

right

seek-

ing out
driver

its

own
his

path.

At corners
and
the

the

flips

switch

zone

swings round accordingly seeking a safe


path.

bly guessed are used through the lenses."

As
is

it

"I see,"
right.
I

Bob nodded.
it it

suppose

"That seems works though?"

all

pressure

rounds a comer the gyroapplied automatically depend-

ing on the speed.

This particular piece


probably profit by ex-

"Of course

works, or will work!"


tart.
I

of apparatus will be fairly easy to devise

Stewart was rather


or two points that

"There are one


I

and we

shall

have not mentioned.


sup-

perimenting on the mercury pendulum."


"Can't you see them ?" Stewart's voice
rose,

For instance rounding corners.


no steering wheel?"

pose you have noticed that the car has

"hundreds of cars, thousands of

cars, mechanically controlled driven

down

"No?"
"This has been replaced by a simple When the right and left key switch. driver wishes to take a turn to the
right he throws over the switch just be-

the

main roads and through the

cities, all

the cities of the world, driven at break-

neck speed 90, 100, 200 miles an hour.


All mechanically controlled.

No

danger,

no accidents, mechanical perfection everywhere.


inated.

fore coming to the turn.


their angular speed being

Immediately
dependent on

The human

factor entirely elim-

the photo-visor lamps swing to the right,

crushed.

No cries of the broken and No ambulances. Absolute

PHOTO CONTROL
safety with

133
tear of traffic for

maximum

speed.

The

traffic

problem smashed at last


only
.

My
before

God,

if

an

was impossible in that humble brain to


to

respond

quickly
anni-

we had done

this

before

enough
hilation.

avoid

almost

instant

."

his voice trailed off.

Abruptly he turned away and Bob was


left staring after

The
since

three
their

years
test

which

him.

first

had passed had gone quickly.

Bob
Bob
House.
paratus.

felt older,

indeed looked older, but

the time had gone in a flash.

Williams

stood

alone

in

the

Stewart, too, had aged.

Now

at his
fires

temporary tele-visor studio at Transport


Curiously he inspected the ap-

day of triumph
of
life

it

seemed that the


spent.

were
thin,

almost

He
eye

had

Much

of

it

was known
it

to him,

grown
clining

emaciated, but, with a destrength,


his

but this branch of science had progressed


at such a pace that
ist

physical

had

needed a

special-

grown
ever,
lapses.

brighter, his brain


albeit

more

alert than

eye to comprehend the functioning of


detail.

there

had
he

been

strange

each
great

He moved
and
its

towards

the the

He had grown
Sometimes

fond of his

own

windows

stared

down

company.
no
one.

Strand with
It

turmoil of

traffic.

himself in his

room

for days

would shut and see

was a great day for


the
greatest

the world. Perfor

Something was wrong with

haps
years.
all

day

a hundred
traffic

Jason Stewart.
it,

Bob

felt

it,

was sure of

At 12

o'clock that

morning

but he could do nothing, for a curious

over the world was to be "synchrocalled


it.

sort of barrier

had grown between them.


friendly,
still

nized" as the news bulletins

They were
friends
there.

still

the

best

of

Synchronize dbrought
Bob
stared again at the

into

time

ever,

but

the

barrier

was

brought into step with the times.


traffic.

tur-

Bob was
mind.

afraid
still

that the

loss

of his he

moil truly, but an ordered turmoil, not


the bustling blundering of

daughter was

preying on Stewart's
in his throat as

but the steady, infallible

chanised science.

sand vehicles
at

human hands rush of meEach of those thoubelow him were travelling


Violent

lump rose
girl

thought of the
his wife.

who might have been

"This day

shall be consecrated to her

high speed, but none crashed, none


in

memory.
her name.

were

danger of crashing.
violent
acceleration,

The world shall ring with They shall remember. Ah,


,**
. .

braking,

sudden
stopping,
utter

they will remember.

swerve, spin round a comer,


starting
all

Curious words these, but stranger

still

were carried out with

coming from the

lips of

Jason Stewart.

precision.

And

there

were no accidents.
nearly

An

official

entered the

room an

en-

London had been


a year, as had

like that for

quired whether Mr. Stewart had arrived.

New

York, Paris, Berlin


cities

and the other great

of the world,

but on that day the safety zone and the

"No," Bob shook his head. "He said would probably be late. He has much work on his hands as you are
he
probably aware."

gyrobrakes were to be
for

made compulsory
face

every vehicle on the

of

the

"Yes

sir,

but he

will

be here half-

earth.

Heavy
of

penalties,

brought to the
manslaughter,

an-hour before the time.

You

see,"

he

equivalent

attempted

went on,

"it

is

not

very often that a


is

were to be applied to any one found


driving

world tele-broadcast

carried out, apart


it

manually-controlled

machines.
It

from
little

the

main studios and

requires a

Not

that

anyone would have dared.

adjustment

beforehand,

although

134

AMAZING STORIES
combined with
been too much,
his brooding

we have made tests for the past week or Most of them have been satisfactory, but they have had some trouble
so.

sorrow had
minute.

Two
The

minutes

to

go.

One

over in China due to the recedence of


the Heavyside
ter."

silence indicator

snapped into a red

layer

around that quar-

glow, the televisor was working.

Jason

Stewart

scrambled
at

up

to

the

Bob nodded.

He

was not

greatly inlayer.

instrument and stared


eye.

the all-seeing

terested in China or the

Heavyside

Ten
his

million people

were watching
indicator

Like Jason Stewart, he too was thinking of Vera.

him, were listening to the wheezy gasp

from

lips.

The

second

The
sir,"

official

came

closer.

"I suppose,
will

clicked

and Stewart cleared his throat.


this
traffic is
it

he said, "Mr. Stewart

be using

"Peoples of the world, to-day, at


very minute,
synchronized.

his apparatus to-day?"

"Apparatus?

What

apparatus?"
sir.

know what
it

means.

You You know what


will not elabo-

"Oh,
next

thought you knew,

In the

can do.

Therefore

room Mr. Stewart has been exidea.

rate.

perimenting for a month or so on some

Instead I wish to tell you a story." His voice shook a little. "Three years
ago,
I

new

He

mentioned once that he


it

had a daughter,
killed, killed

would probably be using


don't

to-day."

have daughters.

Bob shook his head. "I'm afraid I I know anything about that. haven't seen Mr. Stewart much lately."

She was
at

driver, while she

the

quarter of an hour later

Stewart

traffic

man-driven

as many of you She was all I had. by some sportsman was tending the injured wayside. She was killed by
traffic.

entered.

He

shook

hands

with

Bob

"Since then I have worked,


lad

and the

nervously and avoided his gaze. Without a word he


it,

who might have been my

son.

We

made

to a side door, unlocked

have worked together, day


to

and night,

and disappeared within.

The whine
disap-

of generators broke through the silence

make traffic safe. At this instant a million new cars are on the road, controlled

of the room,

rose in pitch and

not with the clumsy murderous


infallible

peared as
frequency.
utes

it

passed the limit of audible

hand of man, but by the


of
science

power
are

Ten
and

minutes,
the

twenty minindicator

of

mathematics.
safe.

They

passed
five

crystal
to

safe,
.
.

your daughters are

My

God

showed

minutes

the

hour.

."

Stewart paused for breath.

door opened and Stewart reappeared, his


face flushed

Williams, standing just aside, thought he would have fallen.

and of staring
five

eye.
I shall I

"Five minutes. In
speak to the world.
shall
tell

minutes
five

"Take
whisper.

it

easy, sir," he suggested in a

In

minutes

them the story of Vera. All the world will know." His lips twitched. Ah! and "All the world will know. His voice rose to they'll never forget."
a scream.

Stewart

glanced

at

him
the

and

made

some adjustment on was he doing?

table.

What
a

Bob Williams
small,

stared.

switch,
in

simple, black switch


bell

bakelite.

"Steady,

sir,

steady!"

Bob

did

not

Probably only a
Mechanically,
the switch

or some signal. eye


followed
trailing

like the look of things.

thing

about the old

There was someman which made


al-

Williams'

down and saw a long

him think that proud reason was


ready tottering on
fort
its

throne.

The

ef-

wire passing along the side of the room. It was simple enough, it must be some
sort of indicator.

and endeavor of the past three years

PHOTO CONTROL
Stewart went on
of the world, but
:

135
seized
first

"Pardon me, peoples

Again Williams

him round the


caught him in

am an
I

old

man. ToSuddenI

arms, but Stewart's

day
ly

feel it

more than
"If

ever."

the throat and he crashed to the floor


striking
his

he laughed.

had a daughter

head.

Before

uncon-

might

feel better,

peoples of the world,


traffic
I

sciousness claimed him, he saw Stewart


deliberately depress the
little

but you and your

took her away

switch and

from me.
in return
!

Look what
daughters.

have given you

almost simultaneously a roar burst from


the Strand below.

Safety for yourselves, safety

for your

D'you think I'm


fool?"

Driven
controlled

at a dizzy

speed

all

the photo

fool,

yes,

an old

He

grew

cars

were suddenly deprived


In the fraction

rigid.

"The

safety of your traffic de-

of their guiding power.

pends on
length
of

my
You

photo-zones.

The wave
in

of a second, where

all

had been order,

the infra-red beams


will

66.3
it.

was confusion, chaos, death.


of London,

The
cities

streets

microns-

not

understand

New

York, the

of

all

You

only care for maddening speed, for


for

the world were in that


into

moment converted
the

traffic, traffic.

mad

traffic,

for

murderous
Listen,

shambles.

Literally

pave-

In your hearts you don't care


it is

ments ran with blood.


In
that

whether
in ten

safe or not.
I

Safe!

moment Jason Stewart had

seconds
all

shall blot

out the safety

revenge.

zones

over the world.

You
to act.

can hear
In ten
zones.

*****
the

me, but you have no time


seconds
I

Once again sounded


the

bugles

and

cut

off

those

safety

crimson
faded

pillar

in

Remembrance
a
peaceful

You
live

shall

remember

my

daughter.

The

Square
green.

gradually to

traffic
!"

of the world has ten seconds to

The

multitude stirred uneasily,

lingered a few minutes longer

and then
to

Suddenly truth burst upon Bob Williams and he flung himself at the old

stragged
their

away homes or

in

awkward groups

occupations.

Only the
this, his last

man, but the strength of a maniac Stewart

old

man

remained behind on

thrust

him

away.

They

closed.

pilgrimage.

The End

S$^l

136

AMAZINC STORIES

August, 1934

USSIONS
Th* ndltore In* it* *o/rtpndne* on all In thl* department c ihslt dittim v*ry nanth tnplei f Interctt to In a special perianal antwtr I* lubleett directly or Indirectly related to th* itorltt appearing Id tnii maifljln*. required, a iwiniaal Ire at 25* to cover time and floitap* li required.

mim.

mm

Sense vs. Optimism A Letter of Excellent Criticism Editor, Amazing Stories: Tlianks for "squashing" Mr. Rawson, whose letter appeared in the May issue of Amazing His remarks about Poe, Wells, etc. Stories.

Common

thoioughly enjoyed "The Lost City," but was a shameful trick of the author's to break off just when "Things Began to Happen." TalkI
it

indignant, and it did me good to see your opinion was the same as mine. Although the so eloquent Mr. Rawson may have already read what he terms "a waste of valuable space," myself and all the newer readers have not. As A. S. is becoming more popular every month, it is probable that the majority of the present If readers have not read "those old stories." many letters like the one I have mentioned come in, with hs talk of nightmares and phony excuses, you certainly have a lot to put up with. more, theu once sympathize with you sh"all I It really is too start criticizing your magazine. bad that you cannot express your thoughts about space-flying without being so severely criticized. My common sense agrees with you about such stories as "Triplanetary," but my optimism is up in arms. The cover on the May issue is, however, much better than any yet, so much better thai The presI scarcely recognized the magazine. ent size is convenient and makes the magazine might sugI easier to hold while reading. After all, gest smooth edges to the pages. what does the format matter, anyway? Having defended the reprints, I should praise "The Diamond Lens" was fine and so them.

made me

ing of breaking off, the piece pulled out of the middle of "Dr. Grimshaw's Sanitarium" prevented an excellent story from becoming wellnigh perfect. In spite of the preponderance of those old spoilers 'ultra, super, sub, wave and ray,' the Jameson stories have me cheering for them. Even if they have their faults, they are So unusual and interesting in plot that they simply refuse to be ruined. "The Lost Language" was a wonderful story. Mr. Wolheim's letter on the subject was also interesting. "The Regenerative Wonder" and "The Death Protozoan" were two very good stories. I think that the time travelling idea is getting somewhat outworn, unless it is used simply as the instrument for telling a more interesting narration. This was done in "The Mentanicals" and in "Time's Mausoleum" to a certain extent. "The Theft of the Washington Monument" and "The Time Jumpers" were just undiluted time- travelling and as a result were not nearly as good as the first two. There was one humorous time-travelling

story

that
I

believe

was

called

"The
and

Island."

That

found

very

interesting

amusing. Why not get the author to write a sequel to it? "The Supermen" might have been fairly good when the author first got the idea, but he completely ruined it for me by writing it in diary form. Two other stories that were
outstandingly
ers."

was the
the

story (I forgot what the title was) of clockmaker that thought he could create

much better. I liked seeing the "Gold life Bug" in our magazine, although I had read it before; it was like meeting an old friend. Continue the reprints, they rest one's mind after
the stress
inertia-less

might
I

well written and interesting were "Cat's Eye" and "Peril Among the DrivReaders interested in the latter story find the hook "Insect Behaviour" by
excellent

Cheeseman

reading.
offer.

have just one more suggestion to

(I

and strain of ultra-space, sub-ether,


matter, green emanation, red heat-

know that you must be tired of suggestions, but how are you to know what we readers want and don't want unless we tell you?) Amazing
be made more interesting to can only get it occasionally if only one serial were given each month and the rest of the fiction space were devoted to short stories. In this way there would be more variety in each copy of A. S. Well, I have gassed long enough, so 111 close with a request for letters to me from any readers of that wonderful magazine Amazing Stories.

rays,

phants.
but

blue disintegration rays and pink eleAt one time I liked interplanetary stories,
there
is

Stories

could

people

who

now

ray, wave,

new

of life, that they all leave the

So little story and so much kinds of ether and vile forms same impression:
of

confusion.
fine,

"Terror Out

Space" started out

but in the end it deteriorated until it followed the same old formula as all the others. By this time, the indignant reader will have gathered that I did not particularly like "Tri* planetary" or "When the Universe Shrank." In spite of my aversion to waves and rays, I
liked

Donald . Bunyan.

Box

1072.

Nelson B. C,
Canada.

only

"The Ultra-Gamma Wave," because it had one wave and the reader did not get

mixed up.

(We sometimes feel as if the short letters require the longest acknowledgements. Such a

August, 1934
letter

AMAZING STORIES
medicine, as there
is

137
a
lot

the present one indicates throughout and a refreshing optimism. The two reprints which you mention, the latter one by Jules Verne, deserve all the praise you give them. could not pretend to say how many times your Editor has read the "Gold
as

of enjoyment in

its

careful

thought

study. Editor.)

The
Editor,
the

Jules Verne

We

Cover

Notes

Monumeot on the May on "The Metal Doom"


that
I

Bug."

It

was

as fresh as ever

when we were

pre-

Just a line to

Amazing Stories: let you know

received

paring it for the magazine. In first class work there is an indefinable something, that makes it possible for one to read it over and over

February and March issue of Stories on the 25th of April. Also


congratulate you on the

Amazing
I

wish to

new

publication of the

magazines of the day has from its inception been quite deWe do not voted to reprints of old favorites. ask authors to write sequels because our presagain.

One

of the highest class

May

issue.

The

frontispiece portraying Jules


is

Verne's immortality

certainly a masterpiece.

ent stock of stories awaiting publication sufficiently depleted. Editor.)

is

not

Reprints of Verne and Poe Objected To Good Tribute to "The Lost City"

seem quite different from what they used to be a few years ago, but, however, one must be content and take life as it comes. I shall not comment on any of the stories, as, if one has a mind and uses it, in a manner, one can learn and know how to like all stories that are published in your Amazing Stories Maga-

The

stories

Editor,

This

Word for Morey Amazing Stories: letter is my small contribution

zine.
to the

reprint controversy. Old stories are okay as a rule; I say "as a rule" because of my antagonisim for those Verne and Poe classics which every so often appear between your covers. Cannot the Editor see that neither Verne nor Poe are wanted ; they are good but out-of-date What we reprint advocates wants are rare old tales, such as "The Blind Spot" and not stories

like to read and re-read your magazine I over and over again, then one seems to live with the story, actually to be part of it, to become engrossed in it is my ideal. "The Metal

of two years ago was a story that all nations should have read, as it may sound like fiction, but one day it will be an actual happening.

Doom"

Yes

"The

the after effect


life is

Metal Doom" is possible and would make people realize that

really worth living and to take everything

which are known and studied by children at school. Practically every book shelf contains Poe's works; and Verne, while not so popular, is still encountered at every turn. So, I beg of you, please cease such useless reprinting and devote the valuable space thus wasted to worth-

comes whether good or bad, and to be content with little as "what shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" Some day I'll write an article for
as
it

the Discussions, but not at present

John Dudley Dixon,

while masterpieces. But to more congenial subjects!

Radium Hot Springs, B. C.

The June
issue.

Canada.
(Jules Verne was born in Nantes. There monument, shown on the cover of our May
sue, is erected.

Amazing,

all

considered,

was a good

his
is-

Milton R. Peril furnished many thrills and gave us much science in "The Lost City". That's

what
it

like

about science

fiction

He

eventually
for
its

made

his

home

in

it

gives dry,

abstract science a "different" twist which

makes

easy to understand; it's remarkably like taking sugar-coated medicine. What do your readers expect Morey to be a Rembrant? He's doing his best. Well ... To Amazinc Stories; Long may she "wave"! Earl Perry,

wonderful Gothic cathedral, and there is his tomb with his monument. You speak of re-reading our magazine. We hear from many correspondents that they read the same story over and over again, so you are really in line with many others. You promise us an article for the Discussions. This letter is really a very nice little article in itself. Editor.)
celebrated

Amiens,

Box
(There
at
is

265,

a point

in

Rockdale, Texas publishing Poe's stories

Sorry to Lose
Editor,
1

the

present

time.

The one hundred and


of
his

You We Do Not Recollect the "Crack"* You Refer To Amazing Stories:

twenty-fifth

anniversary
celebrated
timely.

birthday

has

been
that

recently

stories very

makes his They are so very good


and
this

the

haven't time nor inclination to enter into merits of your reprinting policy but it seemed unfair to me that you used your

they

will

stand

several

readings.

You

speak of every book shelf containing the works of Jules Verne. One of our correspondents
says that he cannot get them, that he thinks Jules Verne's works are out of print. Your comparison is a little hard on natural science. If we only get deep enough into it, our knowledge and understanding of it will be the best sugar-coating, but don't call natural science

columnar comeback to criticise the literary judgment of one of your critics, who like myself, has a library card and can use it, and who was merely audacious enough to say that he was buying the A. S. for new stories. One more crack like tliat from you and I'm off A. S. for life.
Russell E. Farrell,

Box

650,

Bremerton, Wash.

138

AMAZING STORIES

August, 1934

(This letter needs no answer. The author is perfectly well able to take care of himself. We are sure that he will reconsider his threat of not looking at Amazing Stories again for the remainder of his life. Editor.)
Delightful and Well-Put Letter from ao Eleven-Year-Old Girl Amazing Stories: Congratulations on the May issue The from cover to cover were wonderful Maybe I shouldn't speak out that way, being only eleven years old, and a girl at that, but I couldn't restrain a prolonged shout of joy, beginning with the blue and cream cover (which was swell) and lasting to the very advertisements. The story "Dr. Grimshaw's Sanitarium"

Editor,
stories

I although your new covers are improving. also like the old print and type. I saw in another magazine a discussion on the color of space. One person maintained that it was black, but another said that it was dark purple. Can you tell us which is correct? Lately there have been articles in various magazines and papers about the new telescope which is being constructed for the California Institute of Technology. The mirror will be 200 inches in diameter. How large would a body need to be, if it was absolutely black or nearly so, to be seen on the moon with this

new

telescope?

was the cream of the crop, but the cream was not confined to one story. "The Lost City" was all I could wish for. Hope it keeps up as
good.

If anyone would like to correspond with me by mail on science and science-fiction, I will be glad to discuss anything which I can by letter. Mr. Editor, I have a terrible statement to make. Since I started reading Amazing

Stories in 1930,
general

think that science-fiction in

Wave" in short a perfect issue (as far as I'm concerned). To more scientific-minded people, who are always looking for flaws, it may not
have been. I have a word to be so profuse
for the "kickers" which seem in the Discussions columns. kickers never try to better the issue you
;

"The

White

Dwarf,"

"Ultra-Gamma

You
yell

about
I

this

and

that,

but do

we

hear any

helpful

No

You

you ever stop good pair of


useful

comments? I mean really helpful ones? Do that want the edges cut even. to think that you have a perfectly
scissors

is getting worse. Not Amazing Stories in particular; I think that Amazing Stories is still the best magazine published. But some others are getting worse each month. If it weren't for the few veteran authors who contribute stories, it would be a low grade science-fiction magazine. But I hope that they will cease having new and amateur authors that don't compare with the veterans. Of course, if a new author's stories are good, then I approve of printing them. Let us hope that this slump in the value of s. f. stories will soon be over

(ditto the depression).

which might be put to

Well,
bats, I

now
will

that

purpose? I'm afraid I use too much authority but they give me a pain in that part of the body which connects the head with

say

Amazing Stories
good work.

have stopped slinging brickthat good old (8 years) tops them all. Keep up the

the rest!

Harold Garrett,
1320 East 7th Street, Sedalia, Missouri.

Here's hoping I can see my name in print the next time Dad buys a swell, all around magazine. (He never misses an issue.)

(We

cannot predict what will be the smallest

Eleaoor Jones,

object that the great telescope with

362334 W.,
Seattle, Washington. (This letter gives us special pleasure as it the composition of a girl eleven years old, which is a charming period in the life of that The interesting being whom we term woman. work of the Editor of such a magazine as ours extremely interesting, but we could let it is attack the editorial nerves if we took the "kickers" you speak of, too seriously. A little appreciation is most welcome, especially when it comes from such as you are, we mean in age and sex. It is quite a triumph to have both old and young in the one family appreciate Amazing Stories. Editor.)
is

its 200-inch mirror will 9how. Science-fiction should not run down, because science proper is always developing something new, while topics of the authors of purely fictional stories would seem to have been exhausted years ago. Space is black. thank you for your concluding sentence. Editor.)

We

Notes on the Old and

Amazing
Editor,

Stories

New

Plea for

Format of Well-Known

Authors

Remarks on Serial Stories Jules Verne's Stories Our Best Authors Considered Amazing Stories It's rather hard for me to make up my mind whether I like the new format of the magazine or not It was rather a blow to me when I first saw the reduced size. I always liked the receding title; and, too, the larger magazine seemed to possess more wordage. However,
Interesting

Editor,

Amazing
I

Stories:
again.
I

when
don't

think of the fact that so far the covers

Well, here

am

mean

to use
I

up so much space in your Discussions, but have some criticisms and questions to offer.
First, I

much

prefer the old type of covers,

have been 100% perfect, in contrast to many of the older magazine covers, and the magazine itself much better bound, I think the new format is almost as good. Particularly I like the idea

August, 1934
of

AMAZING STORIES
A

139

story more than one serial in a magazine. written up to book length always seems to me
to be better written

than the short story, possibly because there is always the chance that a iong story will be made into a book, while the short story lives only a short while; consequently the author spends more time and art on
the longer one.
serials,

remarked in Discussions. What you've got to do is to print unpublished stories that will rival Poe's(what's more, sometimes you've done it

perhaps
as
thing'.)

Now

1 see that

you have three

of all of Verne's

and with me that registers o. k. I I had either read or knew the titles fanlastics, but "Measuring a It's good. is one I never heard of. if you couldn't reprint "Hector Servadac, or The Chase of the Golden Meteor."
thought

"No More Tomorrows," "Omega the Man," "The Mentanicals," and even "Dr. Grimshaw's Sanitarium" which I liked very well I shouldn't have mentioned this last it doesn't quite leave the land of harumscarum for the land of 'that indefinable somewitness

Meridian"
I

wonder

One
lu's

of the readers stated that


best

it

was probably
to

work
it

in that line.

Contrary

many

opinions,

is

practically
I

impossible to secure

any of Verne's work,


print.

beiieve they are out of

For many years I had pronounced the name Jules Verne the way it was spelt, but then I discovered Jules was pronounced 'Jool'. Perhaps many of your readers have been fooled similarly.

In spite of all my criticisms, I'm with you to the end. With the advent of three serials and a good story like "Terror Out of Space," my enthusiasm is running almost on the top line of our enthusiasm chart, only at infrequent, but sudden, intervals sagging all the way to the zero line, only to pop right up again. Get more from E. E. Smith right away! Get Keller busy! Make Stephen Hale, author of "The Laughing Death" and "Worlds Adrift" a staff writer! Keep three serials! Get more Charles

Tanner am waiting impatiently for his serial. With Forest Ackerman keep Discussions up-

And

while on the subject of pronunciation, have been pronouncing 'Martian' the way it
spelt,

I
is

to-date

but on reflection discovered that it probably is pronounced 'Marshian'. I right in both these counts? Whether right or wrong, I

Paul Cahendon. 322 W. 4th St.,

Am

(We

really thank

Cincinnati, Ohio you for liking the covers.

have a hard time breaking my habit of mis-pronouncing in both cases. Your best author, and I am in accordance with most of your reader*, is Dr. Edward Elmer Smith. "Triplanetary" was fine, but somehow did not hit the level set by "Spacehounds". It is strange about Dr. Smith. No, no, don't
will

We

can assure you that a great deal of thought is expended on them and the artist has evenmotive to make them good with a view to his
progress in art in the future. Serials are a bone of contention. Some like them and some do not, but we really think that you put the
thing

about

righr

in

taking

the

ground

thai

print his picture,

rather terrible

with only three It is doubly he is the only real literateur. strange you do not print more of his stories, as I have a fancy that Amazing Stories editorial chair also favors Keller above the others. Is it true stories of his have been translated into

may be disappointed. It is the way you treat Dr. Keller, stories in a year. Of the bunch,
I

the long story

of literature than

is apt to be a more solid piece the short one. The second pronunciations which you give are correct.

We

will not attempt to describe

countenance so we will
imagination.

anybody's cast of leave Dr. Smith to your

foreign languages? Many years ago, Dr. Breuer, author of another story that >!i<nld have had more applause than it got, namely "Paradise and Iron," wrote a letter to Discussions mentioning a scraphook of outstanding stories culled from Amazing Stories. Wouldn't it be a good idea to let him name them for our perusal? He also puts In the literary touch to some of his stories. fact, I used to class Keller and Breuer together. Think it over. Breuer is a good judge of In Sometimes you disappoint me. stories. past years you have continually remarked on supplied too over with the fact that you were many good stories to even consider reprints.
in addition to giving us a host of many very poor stories, you had to follow it up with I can get them, reprints of Edgar Allan Pee. "iihom exception, at the public library. Besides, reprinting stories with a literary taste

As you may imagine, he is quite an impressive looking personality. We have many real literateurs. We are giving now one of Dr. Keller's best stories which puts him high in that class. We are rather amused a: your wanting three serials, when a number of
our correspondents object to any.
Editor.)

A
Editor,
I

Amazing

Letter About Reprints Stories:


let

am

writing to
last

you know

my

ideas

upon

the

subject of

reprints.

During the
giving

us

reprints,

few months you have been mainly of Poe's works.

Now,

as you remember, one of your chief ar-

guments against reprints was that they were obtainable in public libraries. This is incorrect at least so far as the section in which I
is concerned. I have never found any science fiction except one or two stories by Verne. Bui of all the science fiction that you could reprint, Poe's are the only ones which are pre practically every library. And also, I do not consider Poe's tales, although they are very

Then

live

to them will not bring our magazine anywhere near the Atlantic Monthly, as you half jokingly

fine,

as science fiction,

140
You
This
are
it,

AMAZING STORIES
now running a
right,
is all

August, 1934

reading

but

serial by Jules Verne. and I believe. I will enjoy think that in publishing it

where the writer says he cannot get any of


Jule3 Verne's books.
that

We

will repeat in closing,

we hope

to hear

from you again.

Editor.)

you are more or less evading the issue. I do not think the reprints you are giving us are the ones that are wanted by those who desired this class of stories. In my opinion they wanted stories like "Treasures of Tantalus,"

Riding the Editor (He Wishes

More Would

Do
Editor,

It,

If

They Do

as

Well as This

Correspondent Does)

Amazing

Stories:

"The Skylark
could
list

of Space," "Station X," etc.

many more

but these are representa-

Jules Verne's monument looks good on the cover, thanks to Morey's masterful touch.
tents

tive of the type I think

your readers want.

Roy

F. Phillips,

700 Jefferson St., Martins Ferry, Ohio.


(If

the way you are making up the ConPage now. "Terror Out of Space" ends good and the
I like

new

serial

starts
J.

Wednesdays

you ever read Poe's story called "Three in a Week" you would find it a
fiction story

F. Pratt and
tributions
in

this

model of a science

with a definitely humorous touch in Poe's inimitable manner. The story entitled "Measuring a Meridian" is one which will stand very careful reading. However, we will have to let the subject of reprints go for the present. have some very good stories awaiting publication, which are not reprints. Editor.)

putting

two

serials

out good. Winstead, M.D., Lewis Burtt have good conissue too. Why are you in now? I think one is

enough.
to have gotten the Editor into no of trouble over his answer to a quesmine regarding the possibility of a trip moon. But the Editor should be quite to all kinds of brickbatz and slams by this time. Anyway, I'm glad we all don't feel the way he does about it. It's too bad we can't live long enough to find he's been wrong.
I
little bit

seem

tion of
to the

We

immune

The

Jules Verne Monument Cover Reprints Not Favored A Letter from a Lady

Anyway,
number.

Stories: I have been a constant reader of Stories for years, in fact since its inception, I have never written in before. I am writing now mainly for two reasons. First, let me congratulate you on your May cover it is absolutely the best looking cover I've ever seen on any Sf. magazine, and should be the answer to every Science Fiction reader's prayers. Why not print some with no printing on to be framed? I'll buy one. Second, I want to register my protest against reprints, and such reprints as Poe and Verne. Any one at all interested in S.i has probably read them. I know I read them years ago, and if I felt like reading them again, all I would have to do is walk a couple of blocks to
Editor,

Amazing

him

Although

Maybe he will forgive after this compliment.

the Editor has a nice editorial in this me for riding

Amazing

Olon F. Wiggins,
2418 Stout Street, Denver, Colorado.
people think that two serials are corsome even like three. The Editor, as you suggest, is somewhat immune to attack, but not perfectly so, and when attacked it is a great
rect,

(Many

pleasure to be able to confute the attacker as he has done this very day out of Webster's

trips to the

Unabridged. also fail to see anything personal or offensive in conflicting views about moon. Editor.)

We

Letter of

the nearest public library. If you must have reprints, why not some that aren't so well

Editor,

Amazing Would like to

Excellent Criticism Careful Reader Stories


:

from a

known?
make. much.
I

Otherwise I have no complaints to enjoy the magazine as a whole very

sions" if ye

would be so kind.

enter this letter in "DiscusI will admit I

Thanking you for many hours of pleasant


recreation,

Mrs. Elizabeth Hicks, 580-l5th Avenue, San Francisco, Calif.


(This correspondent says, "I have never written in before." As she is a lady, that alone a good reason from our standpoint that she should write again. want letters from her charming and highly interesting sex. As far as we have ascertained, Verne's story, "Measuring a Meridian," which would tempt any Editor
is

have a knock, or two, to thrust down thine honorable throat. It seems passing strange to me that an Editor should be so persistently against the thought of interplanetary travel, especially in the light of past and present discovery. I wonder if it could be professional jealousy of some sort.
I have noticed, that in a great many cases, learned men have denounced strenuously the strange and new as false and impossible. Why is this trait so pronounced in mankind? Let us hear from the editor and see what he has to say. David H. Keller should have a chance at this, as a psychologist, to express his opinion on the subject of "Doubt."

We

of a science fiction magazine on account of its information about the measurement, has been read by very few of our readers. We have had one letter, which you will probably see,

The story "The Terror Out of Space," in one way, could be considered excellent; but in another, very dull. It is good as far as charac-

August, 1934

AMAZING STORIES
weak
Flint

141

ter portrayal is concerned, but the story is

when
new.

it

comes

to giving the readers

something

"The Lost City" is fair ; but the author must have a sadistic mind, at one point anyway, when he remarks on the humor of Cheops. Maybe there were a couple of Cheops and I'm thinking of another. If it was the one that built the great pyramid in Egypt, then his humor was very touching ... on a lot of people, if yon understand what I mean. I'll let it pass without any further remarks. Hope Peril doesn't
feel hurt.

& Hall, "Out of the Moon," by Flint, "Ship of Ishtar" and "Seven Footprints to Satan," by Merritt, and "On the Brink of 2000," by Garret Smith. These are now practically unobtainable, and I'm sure we readers
would
like

them.

What

stories

have you
it

se-

lected for the next quarterly?

Is

Below, I've

listed the best story

a reprint? you've pub-

lished each year (1926 to 1934)

Cut down on the number of serials to two at the most in one issue. If there are a lot of them en hand, why not print them in a Quarterly.

You

in

a year in

this

The Monthly

could get rid of eight short novels manner; two in each Quarterly. could handle about seven others
Fifteen in all to hear from anyone

1926 Second Deluge 1927 Moon Pool 1928 Skylark of Space 1929 Into the Green Prism 1930 Skylark Three 1931 Stone from the Green Star 1932 Swordsman of Sarvon 1933 Into the Hydrosphere

Triplanetary (so far) Quarterly


1934

during a year.

Would

like

who

is

inclined to write;

and

if

anyone

is

interested

in finding out interesting things about authors,

a line and I'll see what I can do. by this time, the Editor feels I have let him down, I will say I have a complete file of all Amazing Stories since the first, and am looking forward to the tenth birthday of this patriarch of Science Fiction with no little drop
If,

me

1928 Sunken World 1929After 12,000 Years 1930 Paradise & Iron 1931 Islands of Space 1932 Voice Across the Years 1933 Man from To-morrow Where are: Williamson, Hamilton, Meek, The Harris, Starlz, Cloukey and Schachner. last named is, in my opinion, one of the best

science fiction authors.

anticipation,

How
Kenneth E. Pritchard, 82 Second Street,
at the

about a forecast of next month's stories,

Pittsfield, Mass. not be afraid of knocking an Editor, that poor individual spends his life You speak of in an atmosphere of knocks.

(You need

end of the stories, or on the last page? Would some reader please oblige on how to bind issues ? I would appreciate this, as I have now about 85 A. S., making up about all you have published, which I would like to bind.
I notice a letter from John Russell Fearn in Discussions; have you any stories by him on

something seeming "passing strange" to you. Man's efforts to rise from the surface of the earth become very messy when he reaches ten miles of elevation and the moon is, in round numbers, twenty-four hundred times as far away as this. Such figures as this should take out any element of personality which curiously enough some correspondents put into their judgment of our views on space. Editor.)

hand?

On
a

the whole, I believe your mag. has reached


high, surpassing the very high standard

new

you

set in 1932.

There

is

one

fault,

however,

the uneven edges.


easily.
I

With

these, the

hope you remedy

this as I think

mag. tears most

readers want them cut even. I realize that this is rather a lengthy letter, but I hope you will print it, as I enjoy seeing

Editor,
I just

Valuable Letter from a Young Reader Amazing Stories: The minute my copy of the May A- S. came, had to sit down and write you a letter.
is

my name

in print.

William H. Kennedy,

Jr.,

The cover

superb;

I'll

bet

it

will

double

your circulation.

The

editorial

is

excellent,

and

of special interest to me now, as I am reading Eddington's "Expanding Universe." The stories I'll have to give up classifying them. They're

all

so good that

I can't decide, especially J.

"The

White Dwarf," by

Lewis Burtt

31 Wellesley Park, Dorchester, Mass. of stories is most interesting for give a us back so many years. forecast of the next month's stories when we can find room for it. have two stories by certainly appreciate your Fearn on hand. flattering judgement of the success of our efforts. Editor.)

(Your

list

us, taking

We

We

We

In your blurb for "The Lost City" you say Mr. Peril is a new author. If I remember rightly, he wrote "Dynasty of Blue-Black Rays" Are you going to run three serials in 1930. regularly ? I notice one is a reprint. Keep this
up.

More About Reprints How Editor, Amazing Stokies:


received requesting reprints.
reprints I don't

to

Select
letter

Them
you've I say

This must be the umpteenth

Now, when

could publish are "Explorers Into Infinity," "Fire People," and "Man on the Meteor," by Ray Cummings, "Blind Spot," by

Some you

the moth-eaten archaic stories by Poe, Verne and Wells that you've been dishing up to us lately (one can almost

mean

142

AMAZING STORIES

August, 1934

smell the odor of mothballs about them) but the interesting, really entertaining stories taken from early issues of 'Argosy,' 'Science and Invention'

does good work he will be displeased within himself, yet he runs the chance of not pleasing
his

readers.

So you
fires

see the

Editor

is

really

and our own magazine. Certainly it would be just as easy and convenient to use
these as the ones
the

between two
lish

in

presses one as right

wanting to do what imand also in wishing to pub-

you are now using. Some of I think would make good reprints are "The Blind Spot," "The Nth Man," "The Moon of Doom," "The Mad Planet," "The Red Dust," "The Runaway Skyscraper," "The Green Splotches'* and "The Ark of the Covenant." To my mind the above represent some of the finest science fiction ever printed and beat Poe's and Verne's stuff all hollow. I
old
favorites
don't suppose you'd ever think of doing it, but if you wanted a way to increase circulation
figures,

his readers will like. You are a too hasty in your criticism of such distinguished authors as the ones you name. H. G.

what

little

Wells is a very live writer to-day. Edgar Allan Poe is world-famous. It is curious that while you object to the reprint, "A Decent Into the Malestrom", you say it has been reprinted about fifteen times already. Does not
this indicate that at least fifteen

agreed with us?

It

is

Editors have a long time since we

why

not reprint A. Merritt's greatest

story,
rially

in

"The Metal Emperor," which ran seScience and Invention You know,
!

published a story by Wells. In 1927 and 1928 a number of them and we consider that they were well received. None has been published in recent years. Within a few weeks

we gave

I'm fairly spoiling for a chance to read that


story.

George

Bernard

Shaw has pronounced Poe

Now
of A. S.
is

for a few

comments on recent
serial by

issues

The new

Doctor E. E. Smith

opinion it's better than average, but in I guess pretty far below his usual standard.

my

the greatest American author. are glad to publish your request about back issues. You might address our Circulation Manager who may be able to supply your needs. Editor.)

We

pace he set in the Skylark stories and Spacehounds was a bit too hot to keep up. Siill I got a tremendous kick out of the battle between earth's superspaceship and the Nevian vessel as described in the third installment of
the

Editor,

This

Letter of Complaint But Others Like What You Object To Amazing Stories: is for the Discussions Columns. Anylets

way
is

"Triplanetary". They say Hamilton is without a peer as a writer of space battles, but take my word for it, he can't hold a candle to

Smith in this department. "Peril Among the Drivers" was an excellent adventure novelette by Bob Olsen. I thoroughly enjoyed every line of it. I suppose it was a sort of sequel to "The Ant with a Human Soul". Victor Endersby's story, "A Job of Blending" was pretty good but was much, much too short as was "The Man Who Stopped the Earth". The new serial by H. Haverstock Hill, who is really J, M. Walsh, an English novelist, is just fair. Rather mediocre, run-of-the-mill stock. I'd call it. "A Descent into the Maelstrom", by Edgar Allen Poe was terrible. It was only about the fifteenth time I'd come across it in different books and magazines. In closing let me say that I am in the market for back issues of Amazing Stories from

formalities of letter openings. This is a letter of protest so there no use beating around the bush. First of all I wish to protest loudly about the printing of

get

away from

Edgar Allen Poe's stories in our mag. There is nothing worth while in the way of science m them. You are always commenting upon the your readers that you are over-stocked with stories. Do you mean Poe's stories? If you insist on his stories why not publish another magazine containing his complete works. Oh well, maybe by the time this letter is printed (if it is) you will have gotten over your mania
fact to

for Poe stories. I would like to see in the Discussions Columns the opinion of some of the other readers of your magazine on this subject.
I heartily agree with another reader when he says that since you have joined the why not raise the price a little and then maybe we could have smooth edges. By the way the other reader I refer to lives in this same town.

NRA

Anyone having 1930 back to the beginning. such to sell at a fair price please get in touch with me.
Robert Tufts, 61 Rathbun Ave., White Plains, N. Y. numbers in some cases.

I shall

have to meet him. There seems to be a great amount of con-

troversy on this subject of reprints. I think you told some of your readers that you were thinking favorably of giving us some of your former
I notice I have not seen any yet. around this town that a good many of the people have very little interest in science. Whenever I try to tell my friends anything scientific they class me as an idiot or something. However there is one fellow that will listen to me without laughing. I try to interest some

(It is well to specify

stories.

about the contents of Amazing Stories that we do not know what to do to please everybody, and this is a task The proverb says, "Please for a Napoleon. yourself and you will please one person." The trouble with an Editor is that he has to please a multitude of people, yet has to please himself in a sense. This is because unless he
receive so
letters

We

many

of the rest of them but they just don't like By the way what has happened it I guess.

August, 1934
to

AMAZING STORIES
I

143

John W. Campbell, Jr. He is a fine writer, Maybe I am but I don't see him anymore. wrong but it seems to me that the magazine See if you is declining in the last two issues.
can't

as

come up a
does

bit.

it take the letters so long to get Columns. Because there are Why not have one issue devoted or perhaps one half an issue would be enough. G. Hunter, 604 Preston Road, Morgantown, W. Va.

Why

have a number of much wanted issues such a complete set of Edward E. Smith's stories, "Spacehounds.of I. P. C." and "Skylark Three," not to mention plenty of others, as I have been reading your "mag." for three and a half years, both the Monthly and Quarterly. Unfortunately
circumstances necessitate my disposing of quite Some of your a sizeable pile of magazines. stories have been of such high merit that I have read a number of them as many as four
or five times.
the
Infinite"

in the Discussion

so
to

many?

letters

Some

of these are "Invaders

from

and the other Arcot

Wade and

(This letter is a good example of what we may almost call scolding. You speak of us taking a long while sometimes to get in letters. Many of them however, are published in very good time. You suggest that we should What we are working raise the price a little.
for is to increase the circulation so that
feel

Morey yarns. "When the Dark Star Passed," "The Stone from the Green Star," "A Modern
Prometheus," "Television Hill" and so on ad infinitum. I just went upstairs to look up the name of a story and I came across "Invaders from the Infinite" and "Skylark Three." Well so long while I bury ray nose in the doings of Hoping to see this Arcot, Wade and Morey. letter in your magazine, I am Robert Wilde, 3821 N. Darien Street,
Philadelphia, Pa.

we

will

authorized to introduce various improvements. You are mistaken if you have any idea that the magazine is declining for it definitely are certain also that our readers is not. would not like having an issue of the magazine devoted to letters or even half an issue devoted

We

thereto. Editor.)

Back Numbers To Be Disposed Of for Foreign Postage Stamps


Editor,

Amazing Stories

(Your list of good stories is quite interesting and is enlightening for us in letting us know what authors do the work which pleases our readers. There are quite a number of letters in which correspondents tell of having issues for sale and some of these will certainty meet with customers and we hope the same will come
to

From time to time there have been letters from foreign readers asking where they could I obtain back copies of Amazing Stories. have quite a number of back issues extending as far back as 1926 and 1927. I would be willing to exchange these for postage stamps of Although foreign their respective countries. readers are in a better position than readers in the U. S. A., I will answer all letters, regardless of their origin.

you. Editor.)
Canadian Correspondent Asks About the

"Ways
Editor,

of

the
:

Moon"

Amazing Stories

Edwin Rothouse,
4713 N. 9th Street. Philadelphia, Pa.

stories have always appealed to me and you may imagine my surprise and pleasure I saw Amazing Stories reappear in December on Canadian newsstands. I have not missed a copy since. The two serials were both great stories and well written, but "The Lost

Your

so

when

City" promises to excel both of these.

The

short stories are very interesting and cover a great deal of ground.

Copies of Amazing Stories for Sale, with Covers Editor, Amazing Stories: I wish to offer for sale, the following issues With covers January, of Amazing Stories. February, March, May, October and NovemPrice January and April, 1934. ber, 1933. Without coversJuly and twenty-five cents. December, 1932. April, June, July and AugustSeptember, 1933. Price fifteen cents.

In "The Man Who Stopped the Earth" by Henry Kostkos, the moon streaked off from the earth at a tangent when the earth was stopped. If the earth was stopped would it still not retain its influence on the moon and stil! cause it
to circle
tail in

around it? However, it is only a dea good story. Wishing you all the success John O'Connell, Glanford Avenue,
Victoria, B.

Watson Fulks, Route 2, Conway, Arkansas.


so

C,
Canada

Canada.

(Our magazine now


you
will
it.

is

published

in

Amazing
Editor,

Three and Half Years for SaleNotes on Stories


Stories
of

the

Last

chasing

Amazing Stories: Noticing in your Discussions column

have no trouble hereafter in purwill leave your question about the story by Mr. Kostkos to be answered by him. Canada is not very far away from this

We

letters

requesting choice back issues of "our" magazine, I

am

sending
it

this letter in the


in

hopes that

you

will publish

the Discussions Columns.

part of the world, but it is another country and we are glad to get a little touch of the cosmic effect, meaning readers all over the world in our magazine. Editor.)

144

AMAZING STORIES
The
Fall

1934

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