by Various
The Black Lamp
_By Captain S. P. Meek_
_"Look out!" He leaped to one side as he spoke._]
[Sidenote: Dr. Bird and his friend Carnes unravel another criminal webof scientific mystery.]
"The clue, Carnes," said Dr. Bird slowly, "lies in those windows."
Operative Carnes of the United States Secret Service shook his headbefore he glanced at the windows of the famous scientist's privatelaboratory on the top floor of the Bureau of Standards.
"I usually defer to your knowledge, Doctor," he said, "but this time Ithink you are off on the wrong foot. If the thieves came in throughthe windows, what was their object in cutting that hole through theroof? The marks are very plain and they indicate that the hole was cutin some manner from the inside."
Dr. Bird smiled enigmatically.
"That is too evident for discussion," he replied. "I grant you thatthe thieves entered from the roof through that hole. After they hadsecured their booty they left by the same route. I presume that youhave noticed the marks on the roof where an aircraft of some sort,probably a helicopter, landed and took off. A question of much greatermoment is that of what they did before they landed and cut the hole."
"I don't follow your reasoning, Doctor."
"Carnes, that hole was cut through the roof with a heavy saw. Incutting it, the workers dislodged quite a little plaster which fell tothe floor and must have made a great deal of noise. Why wasn't thatnoise heard?"
"It was heard. The watchman heard it, but knew that Lieutenant Breslauwas working here and he thought that he made the noise."
"Surely, but why didn't Breslau hear it?"
"How do we know that he didn't? He was taken to Walter Reed Hospitalthis morning with his mind an absolute blank and with his tongueparalyzed. He must have seen the thieves and they treated him in someway to ensure his silence. When he is able to talk, if he ever is,he'll probably give us a good description of them."
* * * * *
Dr. Bird shook his head.
"Too thin, Carney, old dear," he said. "Breslau is a very intelligentyoung man. He was perfectly normal when I left him shortly aftermidnight last night. He was working alone in here on a device of theutmost military importance. On the desk is a push button which setsringing a dozen gongs in the building. Surely a man of that type wouldhave had sense enough when he heard and saw intruders cutting a holethrough the roof to sound an alarm which would have brought everywatchman on the grounds to his assistance. He must have been knockedout before the hole was started, probably before the helicopter'slanding."
"How? Gas of some sort?"
"The windows were all closed and locked and I have already ascertainedthat the gas and water lines have not been tampered with. Gas won'tpenetrate through a solid roof in sufficient concentration to knockout a man like that. It was something more subtle than gas."
"What was it?"
"I don't know yet. The clue to what it was lies, as I told you, inthose windows."
Carnes moved over and surveyed the windows closely.
"I see nothing unusual about them except that they need washing ratherbadly."
"They were washed last Friday, but they do look rather dirty, don'tthey? Suppose you take a rag and some scouring soap and clean up apane."
The detective took the proffered articles and started his task. He weta pane of glass, rubbed up a thick lather of scouring soap and appliedit and rubbed vigorously. With clear water he washed the glass andthen gave an exclamation of astonishment and examined it more closely.
"That isn't dirt, Doctor," he cried. "The glass seems to be fogged."
Dr. Bird chuckled.
"So it seems," he admitted. "Now look at the rest of the glass aroundthe laboratory."
Carnes looked around and then walked to a table littered withapparatus and examined a dozen pieces carefully.
"It's all fogged in exactly the same way, Doctor," he said. "The onlypiece of clear glass in the room is that piece of plate glass on yourdesk."
* * * * *
Dr. Bird picked up a hammer and struck the plate on his desk a sharpblow. Carnes ducked instinctively, but the hammer rebounded harmlesslyfrom the plate.
"That isn't glass, Carnes," said the doctor. "That plate is made ofvitrilene, a new product which I have developed. It looks like glass,but it has entirely different properties. It is of enormous strengthand is quite insensitive to shock. It has one most peculiar property.While ultra-violet and longer rays will penetrate it quite readily, itis a perfect screen for X-rays and other rays of shorter wave length.It appears to be the only piece of transparent substance in mylaboratory which has not been fogged, as you call it."
"Do short waves fog glass, Doctor?"
"Not so far as I know at present, but you must remember that verylittle work has been done with the short wave-lengths. In the vastrange of waves whose lengths lie between zero and that of the X-ray,only a few points have been investigated and definitely plotted. Theremay be in that range a wave-length which will fog glass."
"Then your theory is that some sort of a ray machine was put inoperation before the helicopter landed?"
"It is too early to attempt any theorizing, Carnes. Let us confineourselves to the known facts. Lieutenant Breslau was normal atmidnight and was working in this room. Some time between then andseven this morning he underwent certain mental and physical changeswhich prevent him from telling us what he observed. During the sameperiod, a hole was cut in the roof and things of great importancestolen. At the same time, all the glass in the laboratory becamesemi-opaque. The problem is to determine what connection there isbetween the three events. I will handle the scientific end here, butthere is some outside work to be done, and that will be your share."
* * * * *
"Give your orders, Doctor," said the detective briefly.
"To understand what I am driving at, I will have to tell you what hasbeen stolen. Naturally this is highly confidential. Some rumors haveleaked out as to my experiments with 'radite,' as I have named thenew radium-containing disintegrating explosive on which I have beenworking, but no one short of the Secretary of War and the Chief ofOrdnance and certain of their selected subordinates knows that myexperiments have been successful and that the United States is in aposition to manufacture radite in almost unlimited quantities from thepitchblende ore deposits of Wyoming and Nevada. The effects of raditewill be catastrophic on the unfortunate victim on whom it is firstused. The only thing left to do was to develop a gun from which raditeshells could be fired with safety and precision.
"Ordinary propellant powders are too variable for this purpose, but Ifound that radite B, one form of my new explosive, can be used forpropelling the shells from a gun. The ordinary gun will last only twoor three rounds, due to the erosive action of the radite charge on thebarrel, and ordinary ordnance is heavier and more cumbersome than isnecessary. When this was found to be the case, the Chief of Ordnancedetailed Lieutenant Breslau, the army's greatest expert on gun design,to work with me in an attempt to develop a suitable weapon. Breslau isa wizard at that sort of work and he has made a miniature workingmodel of a gun with a vitrilene-lined barrel which is capable of beingfired with a miniature shell. The gun will stand up under the repeatedfiring of radite charges and is very light and compact and gives anaccuracy of fire control heretofore deemed impossible. From this heplanned to construct a larger weapon which would fire a shellcontaining an explosive charge of two and one-half ounces of radite ata rate of fire of two hundred shots per minute. The destructive effectof each shell will be greater than that of the ordinary high-explosiveshell fired from a sixteen-inch mortar, and all of the shells can belanded inside a two-hundred foot circle at a range of fifteen miles.The weight of the completed gun will be less than half a ton,exclusive of the firing platform. It is Breslau's working model whichhas been stolen."
* * * * *
<
br /> Carnes whistled softly between his teeth.
"The matter will have to be handled pretty delicately to avoidinternational complications," he said. "It's hard to tell just whereto look. There are a great many nations who would give any amount fora model of such a weapon."
"The matter must be handled delicately and also in absolute secrecy,Carnes. We are not yet ready to announce to the world the fact that wehave such a weapon in our armory. It is the plan of the President tohave a half dozen of these weapons manufactured and give ademonstration of their terrible effectiveness to representatives ofthe powers of the world. Think what an argument the existence of sucha weapon will be for the furtherance of his plans for disarmament anduniversal peace! Public sentiment will force disarmament on the world,for even the worst jingoist could no longer defend armaments in theface of America's offer to scrap these super-engines of destructionand to destroy the plans from which they were made. If the model hasfallen into the hands of any civilized power the damage is notirreparable, for public opinion would force its surrender and return.It is among the uncivilized powers that our search must first bemade."
"That makes the problem of where to start more complicated."
"On the contrary, it simplifies it immensely. At the head of theuncivilized powers stands one which has the brains, the scientificknowledge and the manufacturing facilities to make terrible use ofsuch a weapon. In addition, the aim of that power is to overthrow allworld governments and set up in their stead its own tyrannicaldisorder. Need I name it?"
"You refer to Russia."
"Not to Russia, the great slumbering giant who will some day take herplace in the sun in fellowship with the other nations, but toBolsheviki, that empire within an empire, that horrible power which isholding sleeping Russia in chains of steel and blood. It is there thatour search must first be made."
* * * * *
"Of course, they have no official representative in America."
"No, but the Young Labor Party is as much their accreditedrepresentative as the British Ambassador is of imperial Britain. Yourfirst task will be to trail down and locate every leader of that groupand to investigate his present activities."
"I can tell you where most of them are without investigation. Denberg,Semensky and Karuska are in Atlanta; Fedorovitch and Caspar are inLeavenworth; Saranoff is dead--"
"Presumably."
"Why, Doctor, I saw with my own eyes the destruction of the submarinein which he was riding!"
"Did you see his dead body?"
"No."
"Neither did I, and I will never be sure until I do. Once before wewere certain of his death, and he bobbed up with a new fiendishdevice. We cannot eliminate Saranoff."
"I will include him in my plans."
"Do so. Besides a hypothetical Saranoff, there are a half dozen ormore of the old leaders of the gang who are alive and at liberty, sofar as we know. They fled the country after the Coast Guard broke uptheir alien smuggling scheme, but some of them may have returned.There are also thirty or forty underlings who should be located andchecked up on, and, in addition, we must not lose sight of the factthat new heads of the organization may have been smuggled into theUnited States. It is no simple task that I am setting you, Carnes, butI know that you and Bolton will see it through if anyone can."
"Thanks, Doctor, we'll do our best. If I am not speaking out of turn,what are you planning to do in the mean time?"
* * * * *
"I am going to start Taylor off on an ultra-short wave generator andtry a few experiments along that line. Breslau is at Walter Reed andthey are doing all they can for him, but until I can get some definiteinformation as to the underlying cause of his condition, they are moreor less shooting in the dark."
"How are they treating him?"
"By electric stimulations and vibratory treatments and by keeping himin a darkened room. By the way, Carnes, if I am correct in my line ofthought, it would be well to have an extra guard put over Karuska. Hewas the only real expert in ordnance that the Young Labor party had,and if they have Breslau's model they'll need him to supervise theconstruction of a gun."
"I'll attend to that at once, Doctor. Is there anything else?"
"Not that I know of. I am going out to Takoma Park this afternoon andhave another look at Breslau, but it is too soon to hope for anychange in his condition. Aside from the time I will be out there, youcan find me either here or at my home, in case anything develops."
"I'll get on the job at once, Doctor."
"Thanks, old dear. Remember that speed must be the keynote of yourwork."
* * * * *
The telephone bell at the head of Dr. Bird's bed woke into noisyactivity. The doctor roused himself and took down the instrumentsleepily. A glance at the clock showed him that it was four in themorning and he muttered a malediction on the one who had called him.
"Hello," he said into the receiver. "Dr. Bird speaking."
"Doctor," came a crisp voice over the wire, "wake up! This is Carnestalking. Something has broken loose!"
All trace of sleep vanished from Dr. Bird's face and his eyes glowedmomentarily with a peculiar glitter which Carnes would at once haverecognized as indicative of the keenest interest.
"What has happened, Carnes?" he demanded.
"I telephoned Atlanta this morning and arranged to have an extra guardput over Karuska as you suggested. The matter was simplified by thefact that he and nine others were confined in the prison infirmary.The warden agreed to do as I told him, and, in addition to the regularguards, a special man was placed in the ward near Karuska's bed. At 2A. M. the lights in the ward went out."
"Accidentally, or were they put out?"
"They haven't found out yet. At any rate they are all right now, butKaruska and all of the other inmates and all the guards of thatparticular ward have gone crazy."
"The dickens you say!"
"Not only that, they are also partially paralyzed. The description Igot over the telephone corresponds exactly with the condition ofLieutenant Breslau as you described it to me. Here is the mostinteresting part of the whole affair. The special guard over Karuskawas only lightly affected and has already recovered and is in aposition to tell you exactly what happened. I got a garbled account ofthe affair from the warden, something about a goldfish bowl orsomething like that, the warden wouldn't take it seriously enough togive me details. I didn't press for them much for I knew that youwould rather get them at first hand."
"I certainly would. I'll be ready to leave for Atlanta in less thanten minutes."
"I expected that, Doctor, and a car is already on its way to pick youup. I'll meet you at Langley Field where a plane is already beingtuned up and will be ready to take off by the time we get there."
"Good work, Carnes. I'll see you at the field."
* * * * *
A car was waiting for Carnes and Dr. Bird when the Langley Field planeslid down to a landing at Atlanta. At the penitentiary, Dr. Bird wentdirect to the infirmary where Karuska had been confined. As heentered, he shot a keen glance around and gave an exclamation ofsatisfaction.
"Look at the windows, Carnes," he cried.
Carnes went over to the nearest window and moistened his finger tipand applied it experimentally to the glass. The moisture produced noeffect, for the glass of the windows was permanently clouded as wasthat of the doctor's laboratory.
"Whatever happened in my laboratory the night before last was repeatedhere last night with a similar object," said the doctor. "The objectthere was to steal a gun model; here it was to steal a man who couldconstruct a full-sized gun from the model. I understand that one ofthe guards escaped the fate which overtook the rest of the persons inthe infirmary?"
"Not altogether, Doctor," replied the warden. "I think that his mindis somewhat affected, for he tells a wild yarn and insists on tryingto wear a goldfish bowl on his head. I have him und
er observation inthe psychopathic ward."
Dr. Bird shot a scornful glance at the warden.
"'There are none so blind as those who will not see'," he murmured.
"By all means, I wish to see him," he went on aloud. "Will you havehim brought here at once, please?"
* * * * *
The warden nodded and spoke to one of the attendants. In a few momentsa tall, fair-haired young giant stood before the doctor. Dr. Birdpushed back his unruly shock of black hair with his fingers, thoselong slim mobile fingers which alone betrayed the artist in hismake-up, and shot a piercing glance from his black eyes into the blueones, which returned the gaze unabashed.
"What is your name?" he asked.
"Bailley, sir."
"You were on guard here last night?"
"Yes, sir. I was detailed as a special guard over No. 9764."
"Tell me in your own words just what happened. Don't be afraid tospeak out; I'm not going to disbelieve you; and above all, tell meeverything, no matter how unimportant it may seem to you. I'll judgethe importance of things for myself. I'm Dr. Bird of the Bureau ofStandards."
The guard's face lighted up at the doctor's words.
"I've heard of you, Doctor," he said in a relieved tone, "and I'll beglad to tell you everything. At ten o'clock last night, I relievedCarragher as special guard over No. 9764. Carragher reported that theprisoner was somewhat restless and hadn't been asleep as yet. I satdown about fifteen feet from his bed and prepared to keep an eye onhim until I was relieved at six o'clock this morning.
"Nothing happened until about two o'clock. No. 9764 was restless asCarragher had said, but toward midnight he quieted down and apparentlywent to sleep. I was sleepy myself, and I got up and took a turnaround the room every five minutes to be sure that I kept awake.That's how I am so sure of the time, sir."
* * * * *
Dr. Bird nodded.
"At five minutes to two, just as I got up, I heard a noise outsidelike a big electric fan. It sounded like it came from directlyoverhead and I went to the window and looked out. I couldn't seeanything, although I could hear it pretty plainly, and then I heard anoise like something had fallen on the roof. Almost at the same timethere came a sort of high-pitched whine, a good deal like the noise anelectric motor makes when it is running at high speed.
"I thought of giving an alarm, but I didn't want to stir things upunless I was sure that there was some necessity for it, so I startedfor the door to ask one of the outside guards if he had heardanything. As I turned toward No. 9764 I saw that he had been sittingup in bed while my back was turned. As soon as he saw that I noticedhim, he lay back real quick and pulled the covers over his head. Hemoved pretty quick, but not so quick that I couldn't see that he hadsomething that glittered like glass before his face. I started overtoward his bed to see what he was doing and then it was that thelights started to get dim!"
"Go on!" said the doctor as Bailley paused. His eyes were glitteringbrightly now.
"Well, sir, Doctor, I don't hardly know how to describe what happenednext. The lights were getting dim, but not as they ordinarily do whenthe current starts to go off. The filaments were shining as bright asthey ever did, but the light didn't seem to be able to penetrate theair. The whole room seemed to be filled with a blackness that stoppedthe light. No, sir, it wasn't like fog; it was more like somethingmore powerful than the lights was in the room and was killing them.
* * * * *
"It wasn't only the lights which were affected, it was me as well.This blackness, whatever it was, was getting into me as well as intothe room, and I couldn't seem to make myself think like I wanted to. Itried to yell to give an alarm, and I found that I could hardlywhisper. I went toward the bed and then I saw No. 9764 sit up again.He had a goldfish bowl pulled down over his head and it was evidentthat it was keeping the blackness away, for I could see him plainlyand his eyes were as bright as ever.
"The nearer I got to him, the funnier I felt, and I began to be afraidthat I would go out. No. 9764 got up out of bed, and I could see himgrinning at me through the bowl. He reached up and adjusted that bowl,and all of a sudden I realized that whatever was knocking me out wasnot affecting him because he had that thing on. I jumped for him withthe idea of taking the bowl off and putting it on my own head. He sawwhat I was up to and he fought like a cornered rat, but the blacknesshadn't affected my muscles. I'm a pretty big man, sir, and No. 9764 isa little runt, and it didn't take me long to get the bowl off his headand pulled on over mine. As soon as I did that, I seemed to be able tothink clearer. I was sitting on No. 9764 and was ready to tap him witha persuader if he started anything, but I didn't have to. In a fewminutes he stopped struggling and lay perfectly quiet.
"The lights kept getting dimmer and dimmer until they went outaltogether and the room became pitch dark. It wasn't exactly as if thelights had gone out, sir; I seemed to know that they were still thereand were burning as bright as ever, but they couldn't penetrate theblackness in the room, if you understand what I mean."
* * * * *
"I think I do," said Dr. Bird slowly. "It was a good deal as if youhad seen a glass filled with a pale red liquid and someone had dumpedblack ink into the fluid and hid the red color. You would know thatthe red was still there, but you wouldn't be able to see it throughthe black."
"That's exactly what it was like, Doctor; you have described it betterthan I can. At any rate, after it got real dark I heard a low whistlefrom the roof. No. 9764 made a struggle to get up for a moment andthen lay quiet again. The whistle sounded again and then I heard someone call 'Caruso.' Everything was quiet for a while and then the samevoice called again and said some stuff in a foreign language that Icouldn't understand. I kept perfectly quiet to see what would happen.
"For about ten minutes the room remained perfectly dark, as I havesaid, and all the while I could hear that whining noise. All of asudden it began to sound in a lower note and then I could see thelights again, very dimly and like the black ink you spoke of wasfading out. The note got lower until it stopped altogether, and thelights came on brighter until they were normal again. Then I heard ascraping noise on the roof and the noise I had heard at first like abig electric fan. I looked at the clock. It was two-twenty.
"For a few minutes I wasn't able to collect my wits. When I got up offof No. 9764 at last he stared at me as though he didn't know a thing,and I heaved him back into his bed and ran to the door to summon anoutside guard. I could still talk in a husky whisper, but not loud,and I wasn't surprised when no one heard me. My orders were not to letNo. 9764 out of my sight, but this was an emergency, so I left theward and found a guard. It was Madigan and he was standing on his beatstaring at nothing. When I touched him he looked at me and there wasthe same vacant look in his eyes that I had seen in the prisoner's. Italked to him in a whisper, but he didn't seem to understand, so Ileft him and went to a telephone and called for help. Mr. Lawson, thewarden, got here with guards in a couple of minutes and I tried totell him what had happened, but I couldn't talk loud, and I was afraidto take the fish bowl off my head."
* * * * *
"What happened next?"
"Mr. Lawson took me to his office, and on the way we passed under anarc light. As soon as I got under it I begin to feel better, and myvoice came stronger. I saw that it was doing me some good and Istopped under it for an hour before my voice got back to normal. Itseemed to clear the fog from my brain, too, and I was able, about fouro'clock, to tell everything that had happened. Mr. Lawson seemed tothink that my brain was affected as well as the others' and he sent meto the hospital. That's all, Doctor."
"Do you feel perfectly normal now?"
"Yes, sir."
"There is no need for confining this man longer, Mr. Lawson. He is aswell as he ever was. Carnes, get the Walter Reed Hospital on thetelephone and tell them that I said to treat Lieutenan
t Breslau withlight rays, rich in ultra-violet. Tell them to give him an overdose ofthem and not to put goggles on him. Keep him in the sun all day andunder sun-ray arcs at night until further orders. Mr. Lawson, give thesame treatment to the men who were disabled last night. If you haven'tenough sun-ray arcs in your hospital, put them under an ordinary arclight in the yard. Bailley, have you still got that goldfish bowl?"
"It is in my office, Doctor," said the warden.
"Good enough! Send for it at once. By the way, you have two morecommunists here, Denberg and Semensky, haven't you?"
"I think so, although I will have to consult the records before I canbe positive."
"I am sure that you have. Look the matter up and let me know."
* * * * *
The warden hurried away to carry out the doctor's orders, and anorderly appeared in a few moments with a hollow globe made of somecrystalline transparent substance. Despite its presence in theinfirmary the evening before, there was no trace of clouding apparent.Dr. Bird took it and examined it critically. He rapped it with hisknuckles and then stepped to the door and hurled it violently down onthe concrete floor of the yard. The globe rebounded without injury andhe caught it.
"Vitrilene, or a good imitation of it," he remarked to Carnes. "Afteryou get through talking to the hospital, get Taylor on the wire. Thereis plenty of loose vitrilene in the Bureau, and I want him to senddown about fifty square feet of it by a special plane at once."
As Carnes left the room, the warden reappeared.
"The men are all lying in the sun now, Doctor," he said. "I find thatwe have the two men you mentioned confined here. They are both in TierA, Building 6."
"Is that an isolated building?"
"No, it is one wing of the old main building."
"On which floor?"
"The second floor. It is a six-story building."
"Have they been moved there recently?"
"They have been there for nearly a year."
* * * * *
"In that case there will be little chance of another attack of thissort to-night. At the same time, I would advise you to station extraguards there to-night and every night until I notify you otherwise.Caution them to watch the lights carefully and to give an alarm atonce if they appear to get dim. In such a case, send men to the roofwith rifles with orders to shoot to kill anyone they find there. I amgoing back to Washington and I am going to take Karuska, your No. 9764with me. You had better have one of the guards in the corridor, whereDenberg and Semensky are, wear this goldfish bowl, as you call it. Alot of plate glass--at least it will look like that--will come fromWashington by plane. Cut it into sheets a foot square and usesurgeon's plaster to make some temporary glass helmets for your men. Iwant all your guards to wear them until I either settle this matter orelse send you some better helmets. Do you understand?"
"I understand all right, but I'm afraid that I can't do it. Thewearing of such appliances would interfere with the efficiency of mymen as guards."
"Brain and tongue paralysis would interfere rather more seriously, itseems to me. In any event, I have sufficient authority to enforce myrequest. If you are at all doubtful, call up the Attorney General andask him."
The warden hesitated.
"If you don't mind, I think I will call Washington, Doctor," he said."I will have to get authority to turn No. 9764 over to you in anyevent."
"Call all you wish, Mr. Lawson. Mr. Carnes is talking to Washingtonnow and we'll have a clear line through for you in a few minutes.Meanwhile, get a set of shackles on Karuska and get him ready totravel by plane. He appears to be suffering from mental paralysis, butI don't know how his case will develop. He may go violently insane atany moment and I don't care to be aloft in a plane with an unboundmaniac."
* * * * *
Major Martin looked up from the prone figure of Karuska.
"His condition duplicates that of Lieutenant Breslau, Dr. Bird," hesaid. "We received your telephoned message this afternoon and we keptBreslau in a flood of sunlight until dusk, and then put him undersun-ray lamps. I don't know how you got on to that treatment, but itis having a very beneficial effect. He can already make inarticulatesounds, and his eyes are not quite as vacant at they were. If he keepson improving as he has, he should be able to talk intelligently in afew days. If you wish to question this man, why not give him the sametreatment?"
"I haven't time, Major. I must make him talk to-night if it is humanlypossible. I called you in because you are the most eminent authorityon the brain in the government service. Is there any way ofartificially stimulating this man's brain so that we can force thesecrets of his subconscious mind from him?"
The major sat for a moment in profound thought.
"There _is_ a way, Doctor," he said at length, "but it is a methodwhich I would not dare to use. By applying high frequency electricalstimulations to the medulla oblongata, at the same time bathing thecerebellum with ultra-violet, it might be done, but the chances arethat either death or insanity would result. I would not do it."
"Major Martin, this man is a reckless and dangerous internationalcriminal. If his gang carries out the plan which I fear they haveformed, the lives of thousands, yes, of millions, may pay for yourhesitation. I will assume full responsibility for the test if you willmake it, and I have the authority of the President of the UnitedStates behind me."
"In that case, Doctor, I have no choice. The President is theCommander-in-chief of the army, and if those are his orders theexperiment will be carried out. As a matter of form, I will ask thatyour orders be reduced to writing."
"I will write them gladly, Major. Please proceed with the experimentwithout delay."
* * * * *
Major Martin bowed and spoke to a waiting orderly. The prostratefigure of Karuska was wheeled down a corridor into the electricallaboratory, and with the aid of the laboratory technician the surgeonmade his preparations. The Moss lamp was arranged to throw a flood ofultra-violet over the Russian's cranium while the leads from a deeptherapy X-ray tube was connected, one to the front of Karuska's throatand the other to the base of his brain. At a signal from the major, anurse began to administer ether.
"I guarantee nothing, Dr. Bird," said the major. "The paralysis of thevocal cords may be physical, in which case the victim will still beunable to speak, regardless of the brain stimulation. If, however, theevident paralysis is due to some obscure influence on the brain, itmay work."
"In any, event I will hold you blameless and thank you for your help,"replied the doctor. "Please start the stimulation."
Major Martin closed a switch, and the hum of a high tension alternatorfilled the laboratory. The Russian quivered for a moment and then laystill. Major Martin nodded and Dr. Bird stepped to the side of theoperating table.
"Ivan Karuska," he said slowly and distinctly, "do you hear me?"
The Russian's lips quivered and an unintelligible murmur came fromthem.
"Ivan Karuska," repeated Dr. Bird, "do you hear me?"
* * * * *
There was a momentary struggle on the part of the Russian and then asurprisingly clear voice came from his lips.
"I do."
"Who is the present head of the Young Labor party?"
Again there was a pause before the name "Saranoff" came from the lipsof the insensible figure. Carnes gave a sharp exclamation but agesture from the doctor silenced him.
"Is Saranoff alive?"
"Yes."
"Is he in the United States?"
"No, he is in London."
"Is he coming to the United States?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"I don't know. Soon. As soon as we are ready for him."
"Where is he living in London?"
"I don't know."
"How did you get word that you were to be rescued from Atlanta?"
"A message wa
s smuggled in to me by O'Grady, a guard in our pay."
"What was that vitrilene helmet for?"
"To protect me from the effects of the black lamp."
"What is the black lamp?"
"I don't know exactly. Saranoff invented it. It gives a black lightand it kills all other light except sunlight, and it paralyses thebrain."
"Did you know that the model of the Breslau gun had been stolen?"
"Yes."
"What were you going to do after you were rescued from jail?"
"I was going to make a full-sized gun. We have a disappearing gunplatform built in the swamps at the juncture of the Potomac andPiscataway Creek. The gun was to be mounted there and we would shellWashington and institute a reign of terror. It would be a signal foruprisings all over the country."
"Is there a black lamp at that gun platform?"
"Yes. The black lamp will kill both the flash and the report."
"Where did you get the formula for radite?"
"We got it from one of Dr. Bird's assistants. His name--"
* * * * *
As he spoke the last few sentences, Karuska's voice had steadily risenalmost to a shriek. As he endeavored to give the name of the doctor'streacherous helper his voice changed to an unintelligible screech andthen died away into silence. Major Martin stepped forward and bentover the prone figure. Hurriedly he tore away the electricalconnections and placed a stethoscope over the Russian's heart. Helistened for a moment and then straightened up, his face pale.
"I hope that the information you obtained is worth a life, Dr. Bird,"he said, his voice trembling slightly, "because it has cost one."
"It may easily save thousands of lives. I thank you, Major, and I willsee that no blame attaches to you for your actions. I only wish thathe had lived long enough to tell me the name of my assistant who hassold me to Saranoff. However, we'll get that information in otherways. Carnes, telephone Lawson at Atlanta to slam O'Grady into a cellpending investigation while I get Camp Meade on the wire and order upa couple of tanks. We are going to attack that gun emplacement atdaybreak."
The telephone bell in the laboratory jangled sharply. Major Martinanswered it and turned to Carnes.
"You're wanted on the telephone, Mr. Carnes."
The detective stepped forward and took the transmitter.
"Carnes speaking," he said. "Yes. Oh, hello, Bolton. Yes, we haveKaruska here, or rather his body. Yes, Dr. Bird is here right now.You've what? Great Scott, wait a minute."
"Dr. Bird," he cried eagerly turning from the telephone, "Bolton haslocated the Washington headquarters of the Young Labor party."
Dr. Bird sprang to the instrument.
"Bird speaking, Bolton," he cried. "You've located their headquarters?Who's running it? Stanesky, eh? You're on the right track; he used tobe Saranoff's right hand man. Where is the place located? I don't seemto recollect the spot. You have it well surrounded? Where are youspeaking from? All right, we'll join you as quickly as we can. Keepyour patrols out and don't let anyone get away."
He hung up the receiver and turned to Carnes.
"Did you have the car wait?" he asked. "Good enough; we'll jump forthe Bureau and pick up all the vitrilene laying around loose and thenjoin Bolton. He thinks that he has the whole outfit bottled up."
* * * * *
Bolton was waiting as the car rolled up and Dr. Bird leaped out.
"Where are they?" demanded the doctor eagerly.
"In an abandoned factory building about three hundred yards fromhere," replied the Chief of the Secret Service. "I traced them throughNew York. We have been watching the place ever since yesterday noon,and I know that Stanesky is in there with half a dozen others. No onehas tried to leave since we set our watch. One funny thing hashappened. About an hour ago a peculiar red glow suffused the wholebuilding. It has died down a good deal since, but we can still see itthrough the windows. Could you tell us what it means?"
"No. I couldn't, Bolton, but we'll find out. How many men have you?"
"I have sixteen stationed around."
"That's more than we'll need. I have only vitrilene shields andhelmets enough to equip six men. Pick out your three best men to gowith us and we'll make a try at entering."
Bolton strode off into the darkness and returned in a few moments withthree men at his heels. Dr. Bird spoke briefly to the operatives, allof them men who had been his companions on other adventures. Heexplained the need for the vitrilene helmets and shields, and withoutcomment the six donned their armor and followed Bolton as he strodetoward the building. As they approached, a dull red glow could beplainly seen through the windows, and Dr. Bird paused and studied thephenomenon for a moment.
"I don't know what that means, Bolton," he said softly, "but I don'tlike the looks of it. Stanesky is up to some devilment or other. Iwouldn't be a bit surprised to find out that he knows all about yourpickets and is ready for a raid."
"We'd better rush the place, then," muttered Bolton.
* * * * *
Dr. Bird nodded agreement and with a sharp command to his men Boltonbroke into a run. Not a shot was fired as they approached, and thefront door gave readily to Bolton's touch. At it opened there came agrating sound from the roof followed by the whir of a propeller. Dr.Bird ran out of the building and glanced up.
"A helicopter!" he cried. "They were expecting us and have escaped!"
He drew his pistol and fired ineffectually at the great bird-like shipwhich was rising almost noiselessly into the air. He cursed and turnedagain to the building.
Bolton still stood in the room which they had first entered. Hisflashlight showed it to be empty, but from under a door on theopposite side a line of dull red light glowed evilly. With his pistolready in his hand, Bolton approached the door on hands and knees.When he reached it he threw his shoulder against it and dropped flatto the floor as the door swung open. No shot greeted him, and hestared for a moment and then rose to his feet.
"Nothing in here but some glass statues," he announced.
Dr. Bird followed him into the room. As he looked at what Bolton hadcalled glass statues he gasped and shielded his eyes.
"God in Heaven!" he ejaculated. "Those were living men!"
* * * * *
Before them were three men or what had been three men. All stood instrained attitudes with a look of horror frozen on their faces. Thething that made the spectators shudder was that their bodies had, bysome diabolical method, been rendered semi-transparent. The dull redlight which suffused the room emanated from the three bodies. Dr. Birdexamined them closely, being careful not to touch them.
"The identity of my treacherous assistant is known," he said grimly ashe pointed at the middle figure. "It was Gerond. What is this?"
He took an envelope from the hand of the middle figure and opened it.A sheet of paper fell out and he picked it up and read it.
"My dear Mr. Bolton," ran the note. "Your methods of tracing andpicketing my headquarters are so crude as to be almost laughable. Thisbase has served its purpose and we were ready to abandon it in anyevent, but I couldn't resist the temptation to let you almost nab us.The three men whom you will find here are agents who failed in theirduty. If you are interested in learning the method of their execution,you might take to heart the words of your colleague, Dr. Bird: 'Theclue lies in those windows.'"
Carnes glanced at the windows and gave a cry of surprise. The glasswas opaque, as had been the glass in the doctor's laboratory and theglass in the infirmary at Atlanta. The fogging however, was much morepronounced, and the opaque glass gave faintly the same red effulgencewhich came from the three bodies.
"What does it mean, Doctor?" he asked.
"I don't know, Carnes," said Dr. Bird slowly. "I foresee that I amgoing to have to do a great deal of work on short wave-lengths soon.It is doubtless the effect of some modification of the black lampwhich has done it. Look out!
"
* * * * *
He leaped to one side as he spoke, drawing Bolton and Carnes with him.A panel in the side of the wall opposite the doorway had slid silentlyopen and through the opening poured out a beam of fiery red. Full onthe three bodies it fell, and then spread out to fill the room. Dr.Bird had drawn the two nearest men out of the direct beam, but one ofthe secret service men stood full in its path. In the excitement ofentering he had dropped his vitrilene shield and the livid ray fellfull on his defenceless body. As they watched an expression of horrorspread over his face and he strove to move to one side, but he washeld helpless. Slowly he stiffened; and, as the ray bored through him,his body became semi-transparent and the same dull red glow whichemanated from the three bodies they had found began to shine forthfrom him. Bolton strove to break from the doctor's grasp and rush tothe rescue but Dr. Bird held him with a grip of iron.
"Too late," he said grimly. "Chalk up another murder to the arch fiendwho has committed the others. I don't know the nature of that ray andvitrilene may not be an adequate defence against its full force. Wehad better get out of here and attack the place from the rear."
Carefully edging their way around the sides of the room, the five menmade their way out through the door. Dr. Bird slammed the door shutbehind him and led the way out of the building and around to therear. A door loomed before them and he cautiously tried it. It gave tohis touch and he entered. As he set his foot on the threshold aterrific explosion came from the interior of the building.
"Run!" he shouted as he led the way in retreat. "If that is a raditeexplosion it will act for several seconds!"
From a safe distance they watched. One corner of the building had beentorn off by the force of the explosion, and as they watched the restof the building gradually collapsed and sank into a pile of ruins.
"They had planned on a visit from us all right," said Dr. Boltongrimly. "They had a surprise for us any way we jumped. If we went inthe front door, that devil's ray was to finish us, and if we went inthe back door the whole place was arranged to blow up as we entered. Ionly hope that Stanesky thinks that he has got us all and doesn'texpect an attack on his next base in the morning. If he doesn't, Ithink we may give him a rather unpleasant surprise. Of course, thatlamp is smashed into atoms and buried under the debris, but I don'tknow what other devil's contraptions that ruin holds. Bolton, haveyour men picket it and allow no one near until I get back. I've got toget to a telephone and get a couple of tanks from Meade and a plane ortwo from Langley Field."
* * * * *
Two tanks made their way slowly across country. The front of each tankwas protected by a heavy sheet of vitrilene, while from the turrets ofthe tanks projected the wicked looking muzzles of thirty-sevenmillimeter guns. Overhead two airplanes from Langley Field soared,scouting the country. Dr. Bird and Carnes rode in the leading tank.
"It ought to be somewhere near here, unless Karuska lied," said Carnesas he swept the country with a pair of binoculars.
"He didn't lie," returned Dr. Bird. "It was his subconscious mindthat spoke and it never lies. He spoke of the gun emplacement as beingin a swamp and I have a strong idea that it is submersible. Of course,it is bound to be well camouflaged, both from land and from airobservation."
The planes circled around again and again, quartering the air like apair of well-trained bird dogs will quarter a hunting field. Firsthigh and then low they swooped back and forth, the tanks lumberingslowly along in the same direction. Presently the occupants of theleading tank saw one of the planes bank sharply and swing around. Itdropped to an altitude of only a few hundred feet and turned and wentback over the ground it had just crossed.
"I believe that fellow sees something!" exclaimed Carnes.
As he spoke, three green Very lights came from the cockpit of theplane. The tank driver gave a grunt of satisfaction and turned thenose of his vehicle in that direction. The second tank followed.
Hardly had they turned in the new direction before the ground began toget soft under their tracks and the heavy vehicles began to sink. Thedriver of the Doctor's tank forced it ahead, but the tank sank deeperin the mire until water flowed in around the feet of the occupants.
"I reckon we'll have to get out and walk pretty soon, Doctor," saidthe driver.
* * * * *
Dr. Bird grunted in acquiescence. The tank made its way forward a fewyards before the engine sputtered and died. The second tank stoppedwhen the first one did, fifty yards behind it. Donning vitrilenehelmets and taking vitrilene shields in their hands, the crews of bothtanks climbed out into the waist-deep water and gathered around theDoctor for orders.
"Form a skirmish line at ten-pace intervals and cross the swamp," hedirected. "We may meet with no opposition, but if there is, the morescattered we are, the safer we will be. You all have hand grenades aswell as your rifles?"
A murmur of assent answered him and the line formed and started acrossthe swamp. They had gone perhaps a hundred yards when three red lightscame from one of the planes circling overhead.
"Down!" cried the doctor, dropping to his knees in the muck.
Four hundred yards ahead of them a concrete platform emerged from themarsh and rose slowly into the air. It was roofed with a dome of whatlooked like plate glass, but which the doctor shrewdly suspected wasvitrilene. When the base of the platform was two-feet above the levelof the water the dome slid silently aside disclosing two men bendingover a tiny gun. Dr. Bird leveled his binoculars.
"That's the Breslau gun model that was stolen as sure as I'm a foothigh!" he cried. "They must have made some miniature shells and beplanning to fire it."
Slowly a pall of intense blackness rose from the marsh and envelopedthe platform and hid it from view. A whining noise came from overhead,and then a crash like a thunderbolt. The blast of the explosion threwthe attackers face down in the swamp, and when they arose and lookedback there was merely a gaping hole where the leading tank had been.The second tank suddenly seemed to rise in the air and fly intomillions of tiny fragments, and a second thunderous blast sent themagain to their knees.
"Radite!" bellowed Dr. Bird to Carnes. "Imagine the effect if that hadbeen a full charge fired from a completed Breslau gun! Watch theplanes, now. I think they are going to drop a few eggs on them."
* * * * *
The black mist cleared as if by magic and the platform was in plainview. The big glass dome rolled back into place as the two planesswept over at an elevation of two thousand feet. From each one asmall black cigar-shaped object was released and fell in a longparabola toward the earth. The glass dome which had been closing overthe gun platform rolled quickly back and a long beam of intenseblackness pierced the heavens. First one and then the other of thefalling bombs disappeared from view into it, and then the black columnfaded from view. The two bombs fell with increasing speed but the domeclosed over the platform before they struck. The two hit the dome atalmost the same instant and instead of the blinding crash theyexpected, the watchers saw the bombs rebound from the dome and fallharmlessly into the water.
"Stymied!" muttered the doctor. "I wonder what other properties thatconfounded lamp has."
He resumed his advance, Carnes and the soldiers keeping abreast ofhim. When they were within two hundred yards of the platform it roseagain and the transparent dome rolled back. A beam of black shot forthover the swamp, searching them out and hiding them from view. Firstone and then another felt the effects of the black beam; but thevitrilene which the Doctor had provided stood them in good stead, and,aside from a slight shortening of their breath, none of the attackersfelt any the worse.
"Come on, men!" cried the Doctor as his athletic figure plowed forwardthrough the breast-deep water. "That is their worst weapon and it isharmless against us!"
Cheering, they fought their way toward the platform. It sunk for amoment and then rose again. As the dome swung back a sharp crackle
ofmachine-gun fire sounded and the water before them was whipped intofoam by the plunging bullets. One of the soldiers gave a sharp cry andslumped forward into the water.
"Fire at will!" shouted the lieutenant in command.
* * * * *
A crackle of rifle fire answered the tattoo of the machine-gun, andthe sharp ping of bullets striking on the dome could be plainly heard.An occasional shot kicked up a spurt of white dust from the concrete,but the machine-gun kept up a steady rattle of fire and the soldierskept their heads almost at the level of the water. There came the roarof an airplane motor, and one of the planes swept over the platform, ahundred yards in the air, with two machine-guns spraying streams ofbullets onto the platform. Two men abandoned their machine-gun andcrouched under the partially folded-back dome as the second planeswept over, and Dr. Bird took advantage of the lull to advance hisparty a few yards nearer. Again the defenders of the platform rushedto their gun, but the first plane had turned and swooped down withboth guns going, and again they were forced to take shelter while theDoctor and his force made another advance.
The second plane had turned and followed the first, but the defendershad had enough. The transparent dome closed over them and the platformsank into the marsh. With a shout, Dr. Bird led the way forward again.
The attackers were within a hundred yards of the platform when itagain rose above the surface of the water. The guns had disappeared,but in their place stood an airship. It was a small affair with stubbywings above which were two helicopter blades revolving at high speed.No sound of a motor could be heard.
The transparent dome rolled back and like a bullet the little craftshot into the air, followed by a futile volley from the soldiers.Hardly had it appeared than the two airplanes bore down on it withmachine-guns going. The helicopter paid no attention to them for amoment, and then came a puff of smoke from its side. The leading planeswerved sharply and the helicopter fired again. The leading planemaneuvered about, trying to get a machine-gun to bear, while thesecond plane climbed swiftly to get above the helicopter and pour adeadly stream of fire down into it. It gained position and swoopeddown to the attack, but another puff of smoke came from the side ofthe helicopter and there was a thunderous report and a blinding flashin the sky. As the smoke cleared away, no trace of the ill-fated planecould be seen. The helicopter hung motionless in the air as thoughdaring the remaining plane to attack.
* * * * *
The plane accepted the challenge and bore down at full speed on thestranger. Again came a puff of smoke, but the plane swerved and ananswering shot came from its side. It was above the helicopter, andthe shell which missed its mark plunged to the ground. When it struckthere came a roar and a flash and the whole earth seemed to shake. Thehelicopter shot upward into the air and forward, both its elevatingfans and its propellers whirling blurs of light. The airplane followedat its sharpest climbing angle, but was helpless to compete with itsswifter climbing rival.
"He's got away!" groaned Carnes.
"Not yet, old dear!" cried the Doctor hopping with excitement. "Heisn't safe yet. I never told you, but one Breslau gun had been madeand it is on that plane. It has deadly accuracy and is good forfifteen miles. That's Lieutenant Dreen at the controls and Mason atthe gun."
As he spoke the plane swung around and made a half loop. For a fewyards it flew upside down and then whirled swiftly. As it turned therecame a sharp report and a puff of smoke from its rear cockpit. Highabove, the helicopter had ceased climbing and hovered motionless. Asthe plane fired, the helicopter shot forward like an arrow from a bow,and thereby spelled its doom. Not for nothing did Captain Mason bearthe title of the best aerial gunner in the Air Corps. He had foreseenwhat the action of his opponent would be and had allowed for just sucha move. Far up in the sky came a blinding flash and a cloud of smoke.When the smoke cleared the sky was empty, except for a littlescattered debris falling slowly to the ground.
* * * * *
"And that's that!" exclaimed Dr. Bird as he finished his examinationof the underground laboratory with which the gun platform connected."The lamp has gone to glory with Breslau's gun model and two of thebest brains of the Young Labor party. I am sure that Stanesky was oneof those two men. I wish the whole gang had been on board."
"Don't you think that this is the end of it, Doctor?" asked Carnes.
"No, Carnes, I don't. We know that the real brains of this outfit isSaranoff, and Saranoff is still alive. He probably won't try to usehis black lamp again, because I will have a defence against it in ashort time, now that I have seen it in action, but he'll try somethingelse. The whole object of life to a loyal citizen of Bolshevikia is toreduce the whole world to the barbarous level in which they holdRussia, and they will spare no pains or effort to accomplish it. Thegreatest obstacle to their success at present is the President of theUnited States. He is loved and respected by the whole world, and if heis spared he will forge the world into a great machine for thepreservation of peace and universal good will. That would be fatal toBolshevikia's plans, and they will spare no effort to remove him. Bythe grace of God, we have saved him from harm so far, but until weremove Saranoff permanently from the scene, I will never feel safe forhim."
"What do you suppose they'll try next, Doctor?"
"That, Carnes, time alone will tell."