The Solar Magnet
Page 5
that I am willing to work for him.What a man he is! If we could turn his genius into the right channels,he would be a blessing to the world."
* * * * *
He paused as the door swung open and the Russian girl appeared withtheir food. She placed the cart against the wall and suddenly turned andfaced them.
"Dr. Bird," she said in excellent English, "I am Feodrovna Androvitch."
"I'm glad to know you," said Dr. Bird with a bow.
"Do you recognize my name?"
"I'm very sorry, my dear, but it simply doesn't register."
"Do you remember Stefan Androvitch?"
A sudden light came into Dr. Bird's face.
"Yes," he exclaimed, "I do. He used to work for me in the Bureau sometime ago. I had to let him go under peculiar circumstances. Is herelated to you?"
"He was my twin brother. The peculiar circumstances you refer to werethat you caught him stealing platinum. Instead of turning him over tothe police, you asked him why he stole. He told you his wife was dyingfor lack of things that money would buy and he stole for her. Youallowed him to quit his position honorably and you gave him money forhis immediate needs. For that act of mercy, I am here to reward you."
"Bread cast upon the waters," murmured Carnes. The Russian girl turnedon him like a wildcat.
"Unless you wish to deprive yourself and your companions of my help, youwill not quote the Bible, that sop thrown by the church to their slaves,to me," she said venomously. "I am a woman of the proletariat!"
"Respect the lady's anti-religious prejudices, Carnesy, old dear," saidthe doctor with a smile. "How do you propose to aid us, MissAndrovitch?"
"I will give you exactly what you gave my brother, your freedom andmoney for your immediate needs."
"Thanks. But, er--haven't you considered what your position here willbe if you aid us to escape? Saranoff doesn't deal kindly with traitors,I fancy."
The girl spat on the floor.
"That swine!" she hissed, "I would like to kill him. I would have doneso long ago had not the hope of the people rested on his genius. Whenthe people finally triumph, I will feed his heart to my cat."
"Nice, gentle, loving disposition," murmured the doctor. "All right, mydear, we're ready for anything. What's the first move?"
* * * * *
The girl whisked the covers from the food cart and displayed threepistols and belts of ammunition.
"Put these on," she said, "and take this food with you. I will take youto a hiding place outside the walls where you may safely stay for a fewdays. I will bring you fresh supplies of food. As quickly as possible Iwill arrange for you to escape from Russia. When you have left Russiasafely, my debt is paid and you are again my enemies."
"But, listen here," said Dr. Bird persuasively, "why don't you come withus? You know the object of our coming here. We aim to destroy this plantand let the earth take its normal tilt. You hate Saranoff, although Idon't know why. If you'll help us to destroy him, we'll guarantee you awelcome in the United States and you can join your brother. I'll takehim back into my laboratory."
"My brother is dead," she said bitterly. "After he left you, he fellinto more evil times. His wife died and he swore revenge upon thesociety which had murdered her. An opportunity came to him to joinSaranoff, and he did so. Saranoff hated him and distrusted him, althoughhe was the soul of loyalty. As a reward for his genius and aid toSaranoff in constructing the black lamp, Saranoff abandoned him to you.It was your men who killed him when you blew into nothingness thehelicopter he was piloting in your state of Maryland, near Washington."
"All the more reason why you should revenge yourself upon Saranoff,"replied the doctor. "We will give you a chance to do so and aid you. Wealso give you an opportunity to be received in a free country withhonor."
An expression of rage distorted the girl's features.
"I am a woman of the proletariat!" she cried. "I hate Ivan Saranoff forwhat he has done but I am loyal to him. He alone will force thebourgeoisie to their knees and establish the rule of the people. I hateyour country and your government; yes, and I hate you. I aid you becauseI must pay my just debts. Come, the way is clear for your escape. Don'task how I cleared it."
"Come on," said Dr. Bird with a shrug of his shoulders. "There is noarguing with convictions. She must act according to her lights, even aswe must act according to ours. Grab your guns and let's go."
* * * * *
The three buckled on the weapons and belts of ammunition and followedthe girl from the cell. Once outside she touched her lips for silence. Adoor barred their way but she opened it with a key which she withdrewfrom her dress. Outside the door, a guard slumbered noisily. At a motionfrom the girl, Carnes rolled him over on his face to quiet his snoring.He moved and stirred, but did not wake.
A few feet from the door the girl paused and faced the wall. Shemanipulated a hidden lever and a panel swung open in the wall. She ledthe way silently into the dark. As the panel closed behind her, a beamof light from an electric torch stabbed the darkness. Down a slopingtunnel they followed her for half a mile. The tunnel turned at rightangles and led upward. At length they paused before another door. Thegirl opened it and they stepped out into the night. As they did so, adull booming struck their ears. The girl paused.
"The ship!" she cried. "Your ship! It is attacking Fort Novadwinskaja.The factory will be awake in a moment! Run for your lives!"
Even as she spoke a pair of twinkling lights appeared far down thetunnel through which they had come. She turned as if to return down thetunnel. Dr. Bird caught her about the waist and clapped his hand overher mouth.
"Quick, Carnes, your belt," he cried. "Tie her up. She meant to go downthat tunnel and give her life to delay them while we escaped. We'll saveher in spite of herself."
Carnes and McCready quickly bound the struggling girl with their belts.They laid her on the ground beside the door and watched the oncominglights.
"You two hold them back for the present," said the doctor. "I'm going totake Feodrovna away a bit and argue gently with her. If I can make hersee the light, we may accomplish our mission yet. If I can't, I'll comeback and help you."
* * * * *
He picked up the girl in his arms and disappeared into the darkness.Pistol in hand, the two men watched the oncoming lights. The men behindthe lights could not be seen, but from the sound of their footsteps itwas evident that there were quite a few of them.
"Had we better let them emerge from the door and then get them?"whispered Carnes.
"No. These heavy guns will drive a bullet through three men at shortrange. Level your gun down the tunnel and fire when I give the word.Remember, every one is apt to shoot high in the dark."
The lights approached slowly. When they were twenty-five yards away,Lieutenant McCready spoke. The quiet was shattered by the roar of twoLuger pistols. Again and again the guns barked. A volley of fire camefrom the tunnel, but Carnes and the lieutenant were standing well awayfrom the opening and they escaped unharmed. Their deadly fire pouredinto the shambles until they were rewarded by the sound of retreatingfeet.
"So ends round one," said Carnes with a laugh. "I think we win onpoints."
"They won't try a direct attack again," replied the lieutenant. "Lookout for a flank attack or from some new weapon. I don't like the waythose bombs failed to explode the other day."
Dr. Bird appeared from the darkness.
"McCready," he said in a voice vibrant with excitement, "we're in luck.We have come out less than a hundred yards from the point where ourplane came down. It is still there. If the _Denver_ has approachedwithin shooting range, we will have enough gas to make it. Try to getyour motor going."
"If it isn't completely washed out I'll have it going in a few minutes,Doctor," cried the pilot. "I'm going down the tunnel and get thoseflash-lights those birds dropped when they pulled out. Where's thegirl?"
"She'
s back by the plane," said the doctor with a chuckle. "She is aspit-fire, all right. I took her gag off and she tried to bite me. Icouldn't get a word of anything but abuse out of her. Go ahead and getthe lights and I'll show you the plane."
* * * * *
In a few minutes they stood before the ship. It was apparentlyuninjured, but the spark was dead. Carnes went back to the tunnel mouthto guard against surprise while Dr. Bird and McCready labored over themotor. Despite the best of both of them, no spark could be coaxed fromthe coil. As a last resort, Dr.