by S. P. Meek
Acover, hinged on one side, swung over and closed the box tightly withthe boat inside. Men closed clamps which held it in position. As theysprang to shore, the box sunk silently out of sight below the surfaceof the water.
"It is now beneath a foot of mud, Doctor," laughed the Russian, "andthere is nothing to lead a searching party to suspect its existence.Now I will take you to my base."
He led the way for a hundred yards over the ground. Before them loomedan old abandoned fisherman's shack. They entered to find merely abarren room. The Russian stepped to the far side and manipulated ahidden lever. Half of the floor slid to one side, disclosing a flightof steps leading down into Stygian darkness.
Flashlight in hand, Saranoff descended, Dr. Bird following closely onhis heels. They went down twenty-one steps before the stairs came toan end. Above them, the floor could be heard closing. There was asharp click and the cavern was flooded with light.
* * * * *
Dr. Bird looked around him with keen interest. Before him stood astatic generator of gigantic proportions and of a totally unfamiliardesign. Attached to it was an elliptic reflector of silvery metal,from which rose a short, stubby projector tube.
"I suppose, Dr. Saranoff--" began Dr. Bird.
"_Ivan_ Saranoff, if you please, Doctor," interrupted the Russian. "Ihave renounced the trumpery distinctions of your bourgeoiscivilization as far as I am concerned."
"I suppose, Ivan Saranoff," said Dr. Bird obligingly, "that this isthe apparatus with which you send out a stream of negative particles."
"It is, Doctor. I had no idea that the nature of it would ever bediscovered; at least not until I had changed the United States to asecond Sahara desert. I reckoned without you. In point of fact, at thetime that I built this device and started it in operation, I had notclashed with you. Now, I know that my plan is a failure. You have leftdata on which other men can work, have you not?"
"Surely."
"I would not have believed you had you said otherwise," replied theRussian with a sigh. "Yet this device has done much good. Now it shallbe destroyed. It has not been a failure, for its destruction willaccomplish both yours and that of your friend, Carnes."
"You haven't caught Carnes yet."
"That is easy. The same bait which caught you has caught him even moreeasily. I have a real sense of humor, Doctor, and before I went out ofmy way to bring you here, my plans were carefully laid. Mr. Carnes isnow on his way here from Washington, lured by my voice. He is rushing,he thinks, to your rescue."
"What--"
Dr. Bird was suddenly silent.
* * * * *
"I am glad you comprehend my plan so readily, Doctor. Yes, indeed, Mr.Carnes knows that I have captured you. He knows the exact location ofthis cavern and, more important, he knows the location of the powerline which feeds my device when it is in operation. He also knows thatthere is stored in this cavern, fifty pounds of radite, yourultra-explosive. He knows that you are chained close to the explosiveand that it is rigged with a detonator, connected with the power line.In only one thing is he in error.
"He thinks, that if he can sever the power line before he attempts topenetrate the cavern, that the charge will be rendered harmless, andthat you will be safe. In point of fact, the charge is set with aninterrupter detonator which will explode as soon at the power line issevered. It pleases my sense of humor that it will be the hand of yourfaithful friend, Carnes, that will send you in fragments to eternity."
Beads of sweat shone on Dr. Bird's head as the Russian finished hisspeech, but his expression of amused interest did not change. Neitherdid his voice, when he spoke, betray any nervousness.
"And I presume that Carnes is also to be blown into bits by theexplosion?" he asked.
"No, indeed, Doctor, that would frustrate one of the most humorousangles of the whole affair. He will cut the line at the base of alarge rock, some two hundred yards from here, far enough away that hewill not be seriously injured by the force of the explosion. Thus hewill witness the explosion and realize what he has done. In order tobe sure that he knows, as soon as he cuts the wire, my men willcapture him. I, personally, will tell him of it. I wish to see hisface when he realizes what he has unwittingly done."
"Then, I presume, you'll kill him?"
"I doubt it. I rather think I'll let him live. He should be useful tome."
"Carnes will never work for you!"
"With Feodrovna in my power, I rather think that Mr. Carnes will be anefficient and loyal servant. If not, he shall have the pleasure ofwatching me wreak my vengeance on her before he, himself, takes hislast long trip."
* * * * *
"Saranoff," said Dr. Bird in a level voice, his piercing eyes boringstraight into the Russian's, "I will remember this. Later, when yougrovel at my feet and beg for mercy, it will be my friend, OperativeCarnes, who will read your doom to you and choose the manner of it. Ican promise you that your death will not be an easy one."
The Russian laughed, albeit the laugh had more of uneasiness thanhumor in it.
"When you have me in your power, Doctor, you may do as you like," hesaid, "but I do not fear dead men. In another two hours, you will beamong the dead."
He turned to the three Russians who stood behind him.
"Seize him!" he cried.
The Russians leaped forward, but Dr. Bird was not caught napping. Thefirst one went down like a felled tree before the doctor's fist. Theother two came in cautiously. Dr. Bird sprang forward, feinting. As heleaped back, his foot struck a rod which Ivan Saranoff had thrustbehind him. He staggered and fell. Before he could recover hisbalance, the two burly Russians were on him.
Even then, they had no easy task. Dr. Bird weighed over two hundredand there was not an ounce of fat or surplus flesh on him. First one,and then the other, of the Russians was thrown off him, but theyreturned to the attack, unsubdued by the crashing blows which thedoctor landed on their faces and heads.
Gradually their ardor began to evaporate. With a sudden effort, Dr.Bird strove to regain his feet. A crash as of all the thunders of theuniverse sounded in his ears, and flashes of vivid light playedbefore his eyes. He felt himself falling down ... down....
* * * * *
He recovered consciousness to find his feet shackled and fastened torings set in the concrete of the cavern wall. His head throbbedhorribly. He raised his hands and found a huge bump on his head, fromwhich thickened blood trickled sluggishly down his cheek. The cavernwas flooded with light. On the wall before him, a clock told off theseconds with a metallic tick. He bent down and examined his shackles.
"I'm afraid you can't unfasten them, Doctor," said a sardonic voice.
He looked up to see Saranoff.
"I'm sorry I had to hit you so hard," went on the Russian. "Your halfhour of unconsciousness has lessened by that much the time which isyours to indulge in an agony of apprehension. Look."
Dr. Bird's gaze followed the Russian's finger. On the floor, twentyfeet from where he was shackled, stood a yellow can with the mark ofthe Bureau of Standards on its side. He recognized it at once as aradite container, a can of the terrible ultra-explosive which hehimself had perfected. He shuddered at the thought of the havoc whichits detonation would cause.
"Yes, Doctor, that is a can of radite," said the Russian. "Allow mealso to call your attention to the interrupter fuse which is attachedto it. When Mr. Carnes cuts the wire outside, you know well enoughwhat will happen. Now, let me invite your attention to the clock onthe wall before you. Mr. Carnes arrived at the Bush River station ofthe P. B. and W. at 2:15 A.M. He had a little trouble getting a boat,but he is now on his way here. It is 2:25. I think he will arrivebetween 3:30 and 4:00. Perhaps five minutes later, he will find thewire.
"You have a little over an hour in which to contemplate your totalextinction, an extinction which will remove from my path the one greatobstacle to my domination of the world. I hope you w
ill enjoy yourremaining moments. In order to help you to enjoy them, and to realizethe futility of human endeavor, I have placed the key of your shackleson the floor here in plain sight, but, alas, out of your reach. Iwould like to stay and watch your struggle, to see the self-control onwhich you pride yourself vanish, and to watch you whimper and pray forthe mercy you would not find; but I am deprived of that pleasure. Imust take personal charge of my men to be sure that there is no slip.Good-by, Doctor, we will never meet again, I fear."
* * * * *
"We will meet again, Saranoff," said Dr. Bird in even tones of coldferocity which made even Saranoff shiver. "We will meet again, andwhen you whimper and beg for mercy, remember this moment!"
The Russian started forward with