 Small world by William F. Nolan This is the Libravox Recording All Libravox Recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer Please visit Libravox.org Recording by Matt Zogel Small world by William F. Nolan He was running, running down the long tunnels The shadows hunting him, claws clutching at him, nearer In the waiting windless dark Louis Stillman pressed into the building front shadows Along Wilshire Boulevard Breathing softly, the automatic poised and ready in his hand He advanced with animal stealth towards western Gliding over the night cool concrete Past ravaged clothing shops, drug and Tencent stores Mereka berdiri, berdiri dan berbicara The city of Los Angeles, painted in cold moonlight Was an immense graveyard The tall white tombstone buildings thrust up from the silence pavement Shadow carved and lonely Overturned metal corpses of trucks and buses And automobiles littered the streets He paused under the white marquee of the Fox Wilton Berdiri di atas hidangan Berdiri berdiri di atas gerak Berdiri berdiri di atas gerak Louis Stillman merasakan bahawa mereka mungkin menerima Sekarang-kadang untuk memasukkannya 4 lebih banyak untuk menutupi Destinasi dia, sebuah kolor yang kecil 4 lebih banyak dari Wilshire di Weston Selanjutnya, dia mempunyai menggunakan Stor yang lebih besar seperti Safeway atau Trifteemart Mereka mempunyai makanan eksotik Mereka merasa lebih kelihatan untuk mempunyai apa yang dia perlukan Dia mencari bahawa ia lebih susah untuk menemukan stafan makanan esok Dalam kebanyakan besar, hanya kebanyakan yang lebih eksotik Dan yang terdengar dan terbentuk Dan dia penat dengan kelihatan dan kelihatan Selanjutnya, dia sempurna mencapai kelihatan Apabila dia melihat beberapa mereka Dia mencapai kelihatan dengan cepat Berdiri di belakang barang dari sebuah kek 88 Dari belakang di sisi dia terbentuk Dan dia menghormati kelihatan Untuk kembali ke dalam kereta yang terdengar Mengembarkan kelihatan di automatik Dia mengambil kelihatan dengan kelihatan Pada 6 atau 7 mereka Apabila mereka bergerak di depan dia Tuhan, dia pernah melihat? Dia tak pasti Mungkin mereka tahu posisi dia Dia sepatutnya berhenti di pejabat yang terbentuk Apabila dia ada peluang yang bergerak Mungkin, apabila ianya benar Dia boleh membunuh banyak mereka Tetapi, apabila dia berhenti Tuhan akan dihormati dan lebih banyak mereka akan datang Dia tak tahan sehingga dia pasti mereka menjelaskan dia Mereka datang lebih jauh Mereka kelihatan kelihatan yang kelihatan Pada 6 mereka Mereka bergerak di depan Mereka bergerak di depan Mereka bergerak di depan Lekas Pada 9 mereka Mereka bergerak di depan Sekarang, dia boleh membuatkan perang Dan kelihatan Satu-satunya jenis daripada kereta Hanya lebih terang pada pembunuh Sekarang Lelis Tillman bergerak di depan Anak kisah Hanya dikacauan Mereka bergerak di depan Mereka menginginkan dia Anak yang besar berada di atas dia, berbual di dalam kawasan, dan berbual sebab merangkut. Ia berlutut dengan berat di selama jalan dan sebuah kawasan yang panjang daripada kawasan yang membunuh. Bukur kawasan yang kuat adalah bumbu untuk kekakutan apabila stilman bergerak. Gunnya dia tahu adalah tak menggunakan. Ketemuan akan mendengar. Jadi dengan kuatkan tangan di sebelahnya, dia melihat kawasan yang panjang dan kawasan yang berat. sebuah perempuan di bawah tekanan, sebuah tekanan. Sebenarnya, Stilman menghidupkan kemahiran dia dan membuat jalan kembali ke jalan. Berapa lama saya dapat beruntung? Louis Stilman menyebabkan sementara dia mengembangkan pintu. Dia mengembangkan sebuah tekanan keadaan di sebuah tekanan dan menyebabkan sebuah tekanan di kawasan. Sebuah tekanan segera, ia menyebabkan sebuah tekanan keadaan di bawah tekanan, dan Stilman menggembangkan sebuah tekanan di kawasan. Selama setiap malam, sebuah tekanan beritahu dia, selama selama selama kamu mengesak mereka dan mereka dapat melihat kamu dengan mudah pada kemahiran jika mereka telah menonton untuk kamu. Mereka tidak tahu kamu hidup, tetapi apabila mereka tahu, dia mengembangkan kemahiran dia di dalam sebuah tekanan di sebuah tekanan. Segera, dia berdiri dan mulakan untuk menghidupkan kemahiran. Dia bermula berfikir dari wanita, seorang wanita perempuan, dan banyak yang dia ketuakan dia. dunia Stilman adalah bulan dan semuanya jelas. Ia mudah dan sebuah tekanan berusaha yang mengalami segar. Dia telah menjari beberapa jam. Bisa terkadang dia mencari, kerana dia tahu musuhnya kucing, tetapi dia bekerja sekarang, sebuah lembaga yang panas daripada Lenton. Dia mencari. Selama malam, dia fikir, saya mungkin mencari lagi seperti diri saya. Sebenarnya ada seseorang di sini. Saya akan mencari seseorang jika saya mencari. Saya mesti mencari seseorang. Tapi dia tahu dia takkan. Dia tahu dia akan mencari saja keadaan keadaan kecil di dalam tunnel. Untuk tiga tahun yang lalu, dia telah mencari lagi seorang lelaki atau wanita di sini di dunia di bawah kota. Untuk tiga tahun, dia telah menangiskan keadaan 700 jenis perjalanan yang mencari jalan di bawah kota Los Angeles seperti vahasa di sebuah kota yang besar. Dan dia tak menemukan apa-apa. Tak ada apa-apa. Sebelumnya, setelah semua hari dan malam keadaan, dia tak dapat mengadakan sebabnya dia seorang lelaki. Bahkan dia seorang lelaki yang terakhir dalam jenis 7 jenis. Semua orang lainnya mati. Dia mencari, menangiskan keadaan keadaan di bawah kota. Satu-satunya mereka bergerak di atas jenis di bawah kota. Dia dengar keadaan kecil, berdengar-dengar sesuatu yang berlaku di atas jenis dan menangiskan keadaan. Tidak, kamu, kata Louis Stillman. Tidak, semua. Louis Stillman bergerak keadaan keadaan di dalam tunnel yang lama. Sebelumnya, sebuah jenis keadaan keadaan di bawah kota berdekatan yang tinggi, berdekatan dan berdekatan oleh ekos, menangiskan keadaan dia. Ketak-ketaknya mencapai dia. Dia merasakan atas jenis berkaitan seperti bentuk yang panas di belakang jenis jenis. Tengahnya berseli, segala jenis jenis jenis. Dia melihat jenis jenis, melakukan kerja mereka dengan kecepatan yang berlaku. Dia dengar keadaan kecil jenis jenis jenis jenis, dan dia fikir, saya mungkin mati pada masa ni tapi jenis saya akan menerang. Mereka akan melakukannya ke atas jenis dan tak akan terkenal. Mereka bergerak dengan cepat, sebab rancangan penuh di atas jauh mereka di atas mereka, memasukkan mereka ke bawah, memasukkan mereka, membuat mereka penuh. Macam mana rancangan saya perlu mengenali saya? Saya perlu berkembang dan mengikuti mereka, menyebabkan mereka untuk mengambil saya ke dalam kejauan. Macam mana mereka bergerak, berbunuh dan baik. Kemudian, dia berasa menghubung diri. Rancangan dia berdekat dari rancangan atas mereka. He cried out in horror, flailing the air with his arms, beseeching them not to leave him behind. But the legs cruelly continued to unfasten themselves. In a cold surge of terror, Louis Stillman felt himself tipping, falling toward the damp floor, while his legs raced on with a wild animal life of their own. He opened his mouth high above the insane legs and screamed, ending the nightmare. He set up stiffly in his cot, grasping, dredged in sweat. He drew in a long, shuddering breath and reached for a cigarette. He lit it with a trembling hand. The nightmares were getting worse. He realised that his mind was rebelling as he slept, spilling forth the bottled-up fears of the day during the night hours. He thought once more about the beginning, six years ago, about why he was still alive, the last of his kind. The alien ships had struck Earth suddenly, without warning. Their attack had been tower and deadly. In a matter of hours, the aliens had accomplished their clever mission, and the men and women of Earth were destroyed. A few survived, he was certain. He had never met any of them, but he was convinced they existed. Los Angeles was not the world after all, and if he escaped, so must have others around the globe. He had been working alone in the drains when the alien ships appeared, finishing a special job for the construction company on Bee Tunnel. He could still hear the weird sound of the mammoth ships and feel the intense heat of their passage. Hunger had forced him out and overnight, he became a curiosity, the last man alive. For three years, he was not harmed. He worked with them, taught them many things and tried to win their confidence. But eventually, certain ones came to hate him, to be jealous of his relationship with the others. Luckily, he had been able to escape to the drains. That was three years ago, and now they had forgotten him. His later excursions to the upper level of the city had been made under the cover of darkness, and he never ventured out unless his food supply dwindled. Water was provided by rain during the wet months and by bottled liquids during the dry. He had built his one-room structure directly to the side of an overhead grating, not close enough to risk their seeing, but close enough for light to seep in during the sunlight hours. He missed the warm feel of open sun on his body almost as much as he missed the companionship of others, but he could not think of risking himself above the drains by day. Sometimes, he got insane thoughts. Kadang-kadang, apabila lelaki-lelaki memutuskan seperti sebuah pakaian, dan dia tak mampu menghentikan anak-anaknya sendiri, dia akan fikirkan mengenai salah satu darah dengan dia ke dalam perjalanan. Setiap kali, mereka dapat dihantar. Kemudian, dia ingat rindu-rindu-rindu mereka, rindu-rindu-rindu mereka, dan dia akan memahami bahawa idea itu tidak mungkin. Jika salah satu darah, tiba-tiba dan tanpa tawaran, orang-orang akan tiba-tiba menjadi susah, mula mencari untuk dia, dan semua akan berakhir. Louis Tillman kembali kembali ke dalam perjalanan, mencari rindu-rindu yang sedap tentang rindu-rindu dia. Dia menutup mata dia dan cuba tidak mendengar rindu-rindu, rindu-rindu, dan rindu-rindu menangis, menutup dari jalanan di atas rindu-rindu dia. Akhirnya, dia terlepas. Dia menghantar tengah hari dengan wanita-wanita. Dia menghantar rindu-rindu dari beberapa magazines kelihatan yellow, mencari semua rindu-rindu-rindu yang cantik dalam rindu-rindu mereka. Semua rindu-rindu yang cantik, rindu-rindu ini, dengan rindu-rindu yang panas, dan kelihatan sempurna. Semua rindu-rindu dan lelaki, dan rindu-rindu yang berwarna. Dia menghantar rindu-rindu dengan rindu-rindu, mencari rindu-rindu yang berwarna, seperti sebab sebab rindu-rindu magik, dia mungkin akan menghantar mereka dengan hidup. Ia mudah untuk mengingatkan bahawa rindu-rindu ini tak pernah benar-benar berjaya. Mereka hanya menghantar dalam deta mikroskopi dengan seorang artis lelaki untuk memberikan gambar-gambar. Dia tak suka berfikir tentang rindu-rindu ini dan bagaimana mereka mati. Sebelum itu, Louis Tillman melihat rindu-rindu berwarna dan tinggi dan berwarna di lelaki malam, dan dia berfikir dari ayahnya, dan dari langkah yang lama menghantar rindu-rindu yang panas untuk menghantar rindu-rindu dan rindu-rindu yang panas, dari rindu-rindu yang panas, dan rindu-rindu yang panas. Dia berfikir dari ayahnya berharap untuk masa depan, dan bahawa bahawa rindu-rindu yang panas kembali kepada dia. Kamu akan menjadi doktor yang baik, Louis. Periksa dan bekerja keras, dan kamu berjaya. Saya tahu kamu akan berjaya. Dia ingat bahawa malam-malam di deskan Great Mahogany ayahnya, menghantar sebuah buku medik dan jurnal, mengambil nota, menghantar dan menghantar fakta. Dia ingat sebuah sebuah buku, Erikson Monumental tiga volume tekst di syurga keras, dihantar dan menghantar sebuah buku. Dia selalu suka buku ini di atas semua orang lain. Apa yang telah berlaku selama cara ini? Sudah tentu keadaan telah berlaku, sebuah buku yang berlaku dan hilang. Setelah sebuah tahun yang terkenal di Universiti Selangkau, dia berikan medis. Dia menjadi kekuatan dan berhutah untuk membuat kerja yang berlaku dengan perniagaan konstruksi. Macam mana ironik sebuah buku ini patut selamatkan hidupnya. Dia ingat bekerja dengan tangan-tangan, untuk menghantar dan berlaku dengan sebuah sebuah buku. Dia ingat untuk menghantar cukup untuk berkahwin Joan, dan kemudian mungkin dia akan kembali untuk menghantar sebuah sebuah buku. Semuanya berlaku sehingga sekarang, sebabnya untuk berhutah untuk menghantar sebuah buku. Sekarang, kekuatan yang berlaku menghantar dia, kekuatan untuk menghantar kekuatan Erickson sekali lagi untuk menghantar selama sebuah segera, kekuatan dan kekuatan kekuatan. Dia nampak sebuah buku yang berlaku pada sebuah kedua sebuah buku di Hollywood, dalam buku yang digunakan. Sekarang, dia tahu dia mesti pergi kembali, bawa buku kembali dengan dia kembali. Ia adalah kekuatan yang bahagian dan sebuah sebuah kekuatan, tetapi dia tahu dia akan menghantar. Selama kekuatan kembali, dia akan pergi ke dalam buku malam ini, malam ini. Satu sebuah buku Louis Stillman telah menghantar untuk sebuah buku. Pertanyaan dia, sebuah segera Thompson, telah dibuat daripada polis Los Angeles, Arsenal. Ia menghantar Thompson dengan dua rifles semi-automatis, sebuah lujah, sebuah 0.45mm dan 0.22mm kalibur pistol yang digunakan dengan kekuatan dia. Dia selalu menghantar kekuatan dalam buku telah dibuat tetapi ia bukan kekuatan dia untuk menghantar kekuatan yang lebih besar dengan dia ke dalam buku. Sebelum malam ini, perkara-perkara berbeza. Kedua-duanya berakhir dua malam sekejap di Hollywood, bermakna dia akan menghantar sebuah lujah dan terutamanya kekuatan yang terbesar untuk menghantar buku. Dia sebabnya memutuskan untuk menghantar kalibur 0.30mm rifles semi-automatis secara-besar kepada rifles kecil. Kau seorang lujah dia beritahu diri sehingga dia memutuskan kekuatan yang terbesar daripada kekuatan. Adakah buku yang penting untuk menghantar kehidupan? Ya, sebuah lujah dia berkata, mereka sangat penting. Jika anda ingin berfikir secara teruk, dan perkara itu bergantung, kemudian anda harus pergi kemudian. Jika kek menghantar anda seperti sebuah lujah di dalam buku, kemudian anda lebih teruk daripada kekuatan. Anda menerima diri dan civilisasi yang anda mengharapkan. Pergi keluar dan bawa buku kembali. Bergerak di luar segera, sekarang kegera, sekarang segera, di bawahnya. Bersihkan kembali, bergerak di luar pasang-pasang, dan segera, bergerak di bawah luar. Santa Monica Boulevard, Dan Highland, The Hollywood Boulevard, dan akhirnya, setelah sebuah kekuatan yang terbesar, buku ini, Pick Wicks. Louis Stillman, pergerak di luar segera, kembali, kembali, kembali, di tangannya, kembali, ke dalam buku. Bapak batu menangis mata. Dalam luar segera, segera, kembali, kembali, di luar pasang luar. Stillman mengharapkan. Dia dapat mengharapkan mereka, menangis, menerima di luar, menerima buku di luar di luar di satu-anil. Pergi, berdiri dan menggabungi. Apa yang lain? Apa yang sebuah sebuah sebuah medik? Dia berdiri ke atas, meletakkan pakaian yang bergabung seperti kerajuan kerajaan di bawah dia dan menghubungi kebukaan pertama kembali ke Mezzanine. Kecauhan yang sama. Dia berhubung ke kedua, berdiri, teruk-teruk takut apa yang dia mungkin dapat. Untuk menarik, keadaan kerasnya, dia berdiri ke dalam keadaan. Bukannya tidak terdapat. Sudah tentu, mereka bersyukur untuk bermain sebelum mencari ini. Ia menghubungkan kawasan daripada kawasan dan membebaskan dekat kawasan. Tidak terdengar semua di sekitar dia. Ia membebaskan dan membebaskan semasa dia bergerak di bawah kawasan. Ia mempunyai kawasan yang terdengar di luar. Ia mempunyai kawasan dan melepaskan. Lill Stillman bergerak sebelum sebuah tawaran tangan yang telah diberikan, sebuah sebuah sebuah medik. Ia hanya sebab dia ingatnya. Hosterkan otomatik yang kecil, dia menyebabkan sebuah matahari, menyebabkan sebuah matahari dengan sebuah tangan yang telah diberikan semasa dia bergerak selama titul yang telah diberikan. Car, Davidson, and Wright, Erickson. Ia telah menyebabkan kecilnya. Semua tiga volume. Ia bergerak selama titul yang telah diberikan, tapi yang telah diberikan, berada dalam perjalanan yang besar dan sempurna di dalam perjalanan. Dalam keadaan, Lill Stillman sepatutnya menghubungi volume- volume, menyebabkan sebuah matahari. Pada akhirnya, semua tiga buku dipercaya dan solid di tangannya. Ia telah bergerak, anda menyebabkan buku, dan sekarang mereka berguna dengan anda. Dia bersmirakan, memikirkan sebuah masa apabila dia dapat berada di atas kota dengan kemasannya, dan menyebabkan lagi dan lagi pada pakaian yang terbentuk. Dia menemukan kota yang terbentuk di atas kota, dan menyebabkan buku di dalamnya. Kembali ke atas kota, dia menghubungi batu dan bermula ke atas kota. Sebelumnya, dia beritahu diri, kemungkinan saya masih menunggu. Tetapi, semasa Lill Stillman sepatutnya menghubungi atas kota, kemungkinan dia menyebabkan. Semua kota di atas kota berguna dengan mereka. Menyebabkan seperti sebuah kota yang terbentuk di atas kota, menyebabkan dia. Mereka menyebabkan di atas kota. Mereka menyebabkan di atas kota. Mereka telah menunggu. Sekarang, setidaknya, pakaian tidak terbentuk lagi. Sekarang, hanya hidupnya terbentuk, dan tiada apa-apa lagi. Dia bergerak kembali di atas kota, kota yang terbentuk di atas kota dari tangan dia. Mereka berhenti di atas kota. Mereka bergerak di atas kota, menyebabkan dia. Jika anda dapat menyebabkan kota, Stilman beritahu dia. Mereka masih dapat hal-hal sepatutnya. Mereka harus menyebabkan mereka ke atas kota. Baiklah, jalan! Lill Stillman menyebabkan kota di atas kota, dan ketiga kota bergerak ke atas kota. Tiga mereka bergerak di atas kota semasa Stilman bergerak ke atas kota. Dia merasa berat di atas kota di atas kota dan kota, mendengar kota di atas kota. Dia bergerak ke atas kota, dan tiga lagi bergerak di atas kota yang bergerak dalam masalah dan terkejut. Mereka bergerak ke atas kota, bergerak dari atas kota. Gunnya dimakin. Dia bergerak di atas kota, menyebabkan kota di atas kota di atas kota semasa dia menyebabkan kota. Pada malam malam, bergerak di atas kota, menyebabkan kota di atas kota. Saya masih boleh membuatnya, memikirkan Stilman, semasa dia menyebabkan kota dan menyebabkan kota di atas kota. Jika tanda-tanda tidak mendengar, saya masih dapat kota di atas kota. Mereka bergerak kuat. Saya boleh bergerak di atas kota. Tidaknya, saya telah menyebabkan dia di semasa malam ini. Dalam semasa semasa Hollywood, Boulevard dan Highland, semasa mereka bergerak di atas kota. Dia bergerak ke atas kota dan menyebabkan ke atas kota. Pergi ke atas kota dan menyebabkan ke atas kota. Dia bergerak ke atas kota di tengah-tengah di tengah-tengah di Hollywood, Boulevard, menggunakan kota yang berat seperti kota yang bergerak semasa mereka bergerak di atas kota. Ketika dia bergerak di Highland, tiga mereka bergerak ke atas kota. Stilman menyebabkan kota. Selepas itu, mereka bergerak ke atas kota keadaan di depan. Kota lain di atas kota semasa dia bergerak di depan ke Highland. Dia bergerak ke atas kota. Stilman menyebabkan kota. Sekarang, keadaan penyelamatan superior akan bergerak ke atas kota. Kira-kira, dia boleh buat ini sebelum orang bergerak? Bergerak, bergerak, bergerak, bergerak, bergerak di atas kota, menyebabkan ke atas kota. Kira-kira, keadaan ke atas kota. Mereka bergerak ke atas kota. Tapi lebih banyak mereka bergerak di atas kota, di atas kota, menyebabkan keadaan di depan, di depan, dan keadaan di depan. Dia besar dalam matahari, rasa hidung dia sulit. Berapa banyak ada mereka di bawah dia. Rp 100? 200? Lebih banyak datang, sayang. Dia bergerak di depan sampai gelas gelut di atas kota. Anda tak boleh buat itu. pemerikannya di dalamnya bergerak. Mereka akan ada anda dalam blokan lain dan anda tahu. Dia memilih kota Kepututnya menerima dan menyeronokannya. Keputut yang lama menyeronokkan keadaan besar mengalami malam. Kemudian dan lagi, dia menyeronokannya. Keputut yang menyeronokkan keadaan tangannya. Pergabungan air dan nostrolnya. Tak guna. Terlalu banyak daripada mereka. Louis Tillman tahu bahawa dia akan mati. Keputut itu telah dibuat pada akhirnya. Keputut yang akhirnya telah menyeronokannya. Dia tiada tempat untuk menerima kerana mereka semua di sekitar dia. Pada perintah kecil. Dia nampak pakaian kecil dan dia fikir, budak-budak mereka berjalan dengan sempurna. Mereka berhenti ke Earth sebelumnya dapat menyelamakan keadaan jaman roket. Bebunnya dapat menyelamakan keadaan jaman roket lebih jauhnya. Sebuah plan yang sangat terkenal yang sudah terjadi. Untuk mengalami semua penjara di Earth di luar selama keadaan pukul 6. dan kemudian tinggalkan sekejap-kejap-kejap-kejap-kejap-kejap mengalami civilisasi kita untuk teruskan di kecepatan primitif tahu bahawa Erzbeck telah dilatih, bahawa seluruh-seluruh-seluruh akan berubah ke savajari sehingga mereka bergerut ke dalam kejahatan. Louis Stillman menerima rifle yang terbentuk pada tangan dia dan seluruh-seluruh tangan dia. Tengoklah, dia beritahu. Saya betul-betul salah satu. Kamu semua akan seperti saya segera. Tolonglah. Tengoklah saya. Tetapi, rifle terbentuk seluruh-seluruh di sekitar Louis Stillman. Dia terbentuk apabila anak-anak terbentuk di dalam kejahatan. Terakhir dari dunia kecil, oleh William F. Nolan. Tengoklah oleh Madzugel. Spawn of the Comet. By Harold Thompson Rich. A swarm of huge fiery ants, brood of a mystery comet, burst from their shells to threaten the unsuspecting world. Tokyo, June 10. AP. A number of the meteors that pelted Japan last night as the earth passed through the tail of the mystery comet have been found and are puzzling astronomers everywhere. About the size of basketballs, orange in color, they appear to be of some unknown metal. So far, due to their extreme hardness, all attempts to analyze them have failed. Their uniformity of size and marking gives rise to the popular belief that they are seeds. And, fantastic, though this conception is, it finds support in certain scientific quarters here. Jim Carter read the news dispatch thoughtfully and handed it back to his chief without comment. Well, what do you make of it? Miles Overton, city editor of the New York Press, shoved his green-eye shade far back on his bald head and glanced up irritably from his littered dusk. I don't know, said Jim. You don't know! Overton snorted, buting his dead cigar impatiently. And I suppose you don't know they're finding the damn things right here in New York. Not to mention Chicago, London, Rio, and a few other places, he added. Yes, I know about New York. It's a regular egg hunt. Egg hunt is right, but why tell me all this now? I didn't see any mention of him in your report of last night's proceedings. Did you see any? No, but I saw a lot of shooting stars said Jim, recalling that weird experience he and the rest of humanity had passed through so recently. Yeah, I'll say. Overton let his red cigar and dragged on it soothingly. Now then, getting back to cases, what are these damn things anyway? That's what I'd like to know. So what I, said Jim, maybe they are seeds. Overton frowned. He was a solid man, not given to fancies. He had a paper to get out every day and that taxed his imagination to the limit. There was no grey matter left for any such idle musings as Jim suggested. What he wanted was facts and he wanted them right away. Eggs will do, he said. Go out and get one and find out what's inside it. Okay, chief, said Jim, but he knew it was a large order. I'll have one on your desk for breakfast. Then, with a grave face that denied his light words, he stepped from the city room on that fantastic assignment. It was the television broadcast hour and crowds thronged the upper level of Radio Plaza, gazing intently at the bulletin screen as Jim Carter emerged from the press tower. News from the ends of the earth flashed before their view, but only the reports on the strange meteors from the tale of 1947, IV, so designated by astronomers because it was the fourth comet discovered that year, held their interest. Nothing since the great Antarctic gold rush of 33 had so gripped the public as the dramatic arrival and startling behavior of this mysterious visitant from outer space. Jim paused the moment, halfway across to the plaza to take a look at the screen himself. The substance of the Tokyo dispatch, supplemented by pictures of Japanese scientists working over the baffling orange spheres, had just gone off. Now came a flash from Berlin in which a celebrated German chemist was seen directing an effort to cut into one of them with an acid drill. And the scientists turned to declare to the world that the substance seemed more like crystal than metal and was harder than diamond. Jim tarried no longer. He knew where he was going. It was still early and Joan would be up. Joan Wentworth, daughter of Professor Stephen Wentworth who helped the chair of Astrolithology at Hartford University. It was as their guest at the observatory last night had seen 1947 IV at close range as the earth passed through her golden train with that awesome, unparalleled display of fireworks. Now he'd have the pleasure of seeing Joan again and at the same time get the low down from her father on those confounded seeds or eggs, rather. If anyone could crack one of them he'd bet Professor Wentworth could. He took an elevator to ramp level 118 where his auto plane was parked and five minutes later was winging his way to Hartford. Throttle wide Jim did the 80 miles to the Connecticut capital in a quarter of an hour. Then banking down through the warm June night onto the university landing field he retracted the wings of the swift little bus and motored to the foot of the hill. Parking outside the Wentworth home he mounted the steps and rang the bell. It was answered by a slim appealing girl of perhaps 22. Hers was a wistful, oval face with a small upturned nose and her clear hazel eyes were the sort that always seems to be enjoying some amusing secret of their own. Her hair was a soft brown worn loose to the shoulders but then envogue. Joan! What brings you here at such an hour, Jemmy Carter? She asked, with mock severity. You! I don't believe you. What then have I come for? You've come to interview father about those meteorites. Nonsense! That's purely incidental. A mere by-product, you might say. Yes, you might. But I wouldn't advise you to say it to father. All right, I won't. He promised as she led him into the library. Professor Wentworth rose as they entered and laid aside some scientific book he had been reading. A man of medium height and build he had the same twinkling hazel eyes as his daughter though somewhat dim from peering at too many stars for too many years. Good evening, Jem, he said. I've rather been expecting you. What is on your mind? Seeds. Eggs. Baseballs, was the reply. I don't know what. You've seen the latest television reports, I suppose, said Jem, noting that the panel on the receiving cabinet across the room was still lit. I've seen some of them. Joan has been keeping an eye on the screen mostly, however, while I refreshed my mind on the known chemistry of the meteorites. You see, I have a few of those eggs myself up at the observatory. You have! cried Jem. He was certainly on the right track. Yes, one of my assistants brought them in this afternoon. Would you like to see them? I'll say I would. I rather thought you might, the professor smiled. Come along, then. And as Jem turned, he shot a look at Joan, and added, You may come too, my dear, if you want. They went out and up the hill to where the great white dome glistened under the stars, and once inside, Jem Carter of the New York Press was privileged to see two of those strange objects that had turned the world and television flash had indicated they were orange in color about the size of baseballs. Weird-looking eggs, alright? said Jem. What are they made of anyway? Some element unknown on Earth, replied Professor Wentworth. But I thought there were only 92 elements in the universe, and we discovered them all. So we have. But don't forget this. We are still trying to split atom, which nature has done many times and will doubtless do many times again. It is merely a matter of altering the valance of the atoms in an old element whereupon it shifts its position in the periodic scale and becomes a new element. Nature accomplishes this alchemy by means of great heat which is certainly to be found in a meteor, particularly when it hits atmosphere. Yes, and now then I'd like to have you examine more closely this pair I have here. Jem lifted one and noted its peculiar smoothness, its remarkable weight for its size. He noted too that it was veined with concentric markings like a series of arabesques or Florida Lee. The Professor lifted the other calling attention to the fact that the marking of both were identical as hitherto reported. Also you'll observe that they are slightly warm. In fact they are appreciably warmer than when they were first brought in. Curious behavior at this for newly laid commentary eggs. More like seeds germinating than meteorites cooling, wouldn't you say? But good lord! Jem was somewhat taken aback to hear this celebrated scientist apparently commit himself to that wild view. You don't really think there are seeds, do you? Why not? But surely no seeds could survive the temperature they hit getting here. No seeds such as we know true. But what, after all do we know the types of life to be found on other planets? Nothing, of course. Only these didn't come from a planet. They came from a comet. And who can say a comet is not a disintegrated planet? Or suppose we take the other theory that it is an eruption from some sun, ours, or another. In any event who can say no life can survive intense heat? Certainly these seeds, or call them meteorites if you choose came through the ordeal curiously unscathed. Yes, that's true. Funny too. And another thing is true, Jem. If by chance they should be seeds and should germinate, the life they would produce would be something quite alien to our experience. Possibly quite inimical to Professor Wentworth broke off abruptly as a startle cry came from Joan and turning they saw her standing with eyes fixed and fascinated horror on the laboratory table. Following her gaze Jem saw something that caused his own eyes to bulge. The colour of those mysterious orange spheres had suddenly ominously heightened. They lay glowing there like balls of fire. God! he gasped. Look, Professor, do you see that? Professor Wentworth did not answer and stood gazing spellbound at the astounding scene. Even as they looked, the metal table smoldered under the fiery meteorites and melted and in a little while the meteorites themselves sizzled from view. Flames licked up from the floor dense suffocating fumes rose and swirled through the laboratory. Quick! cried Jem seizing Joan's arm. Tidak mengapa cuba menyelamatkan apa-apa. Mari kita keluar dari sini. Mereka mengambil darah dari lab dan di luar luang tidak terlalu jauh. Sebelah mereka, kemudian tiba-tiba tersendirikan eksplosi. Lihat kembali, mereka melihat rupanya di luar luang. Mereka melihat sebuah pembina dan bergerak seperti volcano. Tetapi itu, apapun itu, bukan semua yang mereka melihat. Untuk sekarang, semasa mereka berada di luar luang, dua pembina yang terkenal bergerak seperti penyelam. Tiga pembina yang keras, orang yang berada di luar luang, penyelam, mereka melihat mereka bergerak sekejap di luar luang kembali di luar luang untuk berbunuh ke malam. Sebelah itu, semasa tiba-tiba di luar luang, mereka berada di luar luang kembali di luar luang semasa mereka berada di luar luang kembali di luar luang di luar luang. Well, the seeds have hatched, said Professor Wentworth at length in a strained voice. I'm afraid some of the curious who have been gathering those meteorites so eagerly have paid a dear price for them. Yes, I'm afraid so, echo Jim. We were lucky if Joan hadn't happened to spot those things just when she did. He broke off and pressed her hand fondly. But somehow I can't believe it, even yet. What do you think that things are, Professor? God knows. As I told you, those seeds should they germinate would produce something quite alien to our experience. And as I feared, it is a form of life that cannot blend well with humanity. Jim shuttered. But look, Father, exclaimed Joan, they're flying away. They seem to be way up among the stars. Maybe they've left the earth altogether. Professor Wentworth, following his daughter's gaze, saw that many of the monsters were now mirror-orange pinpoints against the night. Let us hope so, he said fervently. In his heart there was no conviction, nor in Jim's, strangely. On the way back to New York, Jim had plenty to heighten his uneasiness. The scene below him everywhere was red with conflagrations. The sky everywhere, orange with the wings of those fiery moths. More than one swept perilously close as he pushed his auto-plane on at top speed, but they showed no inclination for which he was devoutly thankful. Over the metropolitan area, the scene was one beggaring description. All the five boroughs were a blazing checkerboard. New Jersey, Connecticut, Westchester, all were raging. Hundreds of those deadly bombs must have burst in Manhattan alone. But the fire department there seemed to have the situation in hand. He noticed as he swept down onto the Plaza landing platform. Leaving his plane with an attendant, he took the first elevator to the street level and crossing hastily to the press tower, mounted to the city room. There absolute pandemonium raged. Typewriters were sputtering, telegraph keys clicking, phones buzzing, reporters coming and going in a steady stream, mingled with frantic orders of editors, sub-editors, copy-readers, composing room men and others. Carter fought through the bedlam to the city editor's dusk. Sorry I couldn't bring you that egg, chief," he said, with a grim smile. I had one right in my hand, but it hatched out on me. Overton looked up wearily. He was a man who had seen a miracle, a godless miracle that restored his faith in the devil. Don't talk, just write," he growled. I've seen and heard too much tonight. We're all going to hell, I guess, unless we're already there. But Jim wasn't ready to write yet. What's the dope elsewhere? The same? All over the map. We're frying from coast to coast. And abroad, cooked everywhere. He paused and turned an imploring face to Jim. Tell me, Carter, what's happening? You've seen Wentworth, I suppose. What's he make of it? He doesn't know. God, help us. Well, go write your story. If we've got a plant by press time, we'll have something on page one tomorrow, if there's anyone to read it. By morning the fires in the metropolitan area had been brought under control, and it was found that neither the loss of life nor the damage was as great as had at first been feared. Mainly it was the older types of buildings that had suffered the most. The same thing was true in other parts of the country and elsewhere in the world. And elsewhere, as in New York, people pulled themselves together, cleared up the debris and went ahead with their occupations. Business was resumed and rebuilding operations were begun. Meanwhile, where were those fiery moths that had sprung so devastatingly from their strange cocoons? For a while no one knew and it was believed that they had indeed winged off into interstellar space, as Joan had suggested that night on Observatory Hill. Then came rumors that damped these hopes, followed by eyewitness reports that altogether dashed them. The bat-like monsters had flown not off into space but to the world's wastelands. Strange it was, the instinct that had led them unerangly to the remotest part of each continent. In North America, it was the Great Arizona Desert. In South America, the Pampas of Argentina. In Europe, the Steps of Russia. In Asia, the Desert of Gobi. In Africa, the Sahara. In Australia, the Victoria. While in the British Isles, Philippines, New Zealand, Madagascar, Iceland, East Indies, West Indies, South Seas, and other islands of the world, the interiors were taken over by the demons, the populace fleeing for their lives. As for the oceans, no one knew exactly what had happened there, though it was obvious they too had received their share of the bombardment on that fateful night. But while temperatures were found to be somewhat above normal, scientists were of the opinion that the deadly spawn that had fallen there had failed to incubate. Immediately, the presence of the monsters in the Arizona Desert was verified. Overton called Jim Carter to his office. Well, I've got a big assignment for you boy," he said, rather more gently than was his fashion. Maybe you know what, huh? You want me to buzz out and interview those birds? You guessed it. And photograph them. Okay, Chief," said Carter, though he knew this would be the toughest job yet. Overton knew it too. It won't be easy," he said, and it may be dangerous. You don't have to take the assignment unless you want. But I want. Good. I thought you would. I'm a young man, admiringly, almost enviously. Now, about those photos. The television news people haven't been able to get a thing, nor the war department. Not so much as a still. So those photos will be valuable. Overton paused to let that sink in. They'll be worth a million. In fact, in addition to what the war department offers, to you they'll be worth $10,000. How come? Because that's what the old man said. Well, I can use it," said Jim, thinking of John. Alright, then go to it. Leaving New York late that night, Carter timed his flight to arrive over the eastern edge of the desert just before dawn. The trip was uneventful till he crossed the Rockies and eased down into Arizona. Then, flying low and fast, he suddenly caught a glow of color off ahead. For an instant, Jim thought it was the dawn, then called himself a fool. For one thing, the glow was in the west, not the east, and for another, altogether more significant, it was orange. His quarry. Pulling his stick back hard, like a rocket, to 10,000 feet, figuring that a higher altitude, besides giving him a better view of the lay of the land, would be considerably safer. Winging on now at that height, he saw the orange tide rise higher in the west by seconds, as he rushed toward God knew what eerie lair. He suddenly gasped in amazement as he saw now something so incredible it left him numb. Below, looming above the on rushing horizon, was a city, but such a city as the brain of man could scarcely conceive, much less execute. A city of some fluorescent orange material, rising tier on tier, level on level, spreading out over the sandy floor of the desert, for miles. And, as Jim drew nearer, he saw too, that this weird city was teeming with life. Terrible life. Thousands of those hideous monsters were working there, like an army of ants in a sand hill. A sand hill of glistening molten glass, it seemed from the air. Were they building their city from the sand of the desert, these hellish glaciers? Carter decided to find out. Well, here goes, he muttered, diving straight for that dazzling sedadol, one hand on the stick, the other gripping the trigger of his automatic camera. This'll make a picture for the old man, alright? Off to the east, the dawn was breaking, and he saw, as he swept down, its pearly pastel shades blending weirdly with that blindingly orange glare. Pressing the trigger now, he drove his screaming plane on with throttle wide. And yes, it was glass, of some sort, that crazy nightmare down there. Whew, gasped Carter as waves of daising heat rose about him. Boy, but it's hot. I can't stand much of this. Better get out while the getting's good. But he clenched his teeth and dove on down to see what those fiery demons looked like. Funny, they didn't make any effort to attack. Surely, they must see him now. Take that, beauties. And that, he gasped, pressing the trigger of his camera furiously. Then, at a scant 2,000 feet, he leveled off, his wings blistering with the heat and zoomed up again, when, to his horror, his engine faltered. Died. In that agonizing moment, it came to Jim that this perhaps was why neither the television news nor the war department pilots had pictures of the hell below. Had something about that daring heat killed their motors too, as it had his. Had they plunged like fluttering, sizzling moths into that inferno of orange flame? Well, I guess it's curtains, he muttered. A glance at his altimeter showed a scant 1,800 now. Another glance showed the western boundary of the city, agonizing miles ahead. Could he make it? He'd try anyway. So, nursing his plane along in a shallow glide, Jim slipped down through that daising heat. Got to keep her speed up, he told himself, half-delariously, as he steadily lost attitude. Can't pancake here, or I'll be a flapjack. At an altitude of less than 1,000, he leveled off again, eased on down, fully expecting to fill his plane burst into flames. But though his eyebrows crisped and the gas must have boiled, the sturdy little plane made it. On a long last glide he put her wheels down on the sandy desert floor, a bare half mile beyond that searing hell. The heat was still terrific, but endurable now. He dared breathe deeper. He found his head clearing. It was only a respite. The monsters had seen him all right. No doubt about that. Already they were swooping out of their weird citadel, like a pack of furious hornets. On they came incredibly fast, moving in a wide half-circle that obviously was planned to envelop him. Tense with horror, like a doomed man at the stake, Jim watched the flaming phalanx advance. And now he saw what they really were, saw that his first fantastic guess had been right. They were ants, or at least more like ants than anything on earth. Great fiery termites ten feet long, hideous mandibles snapping like steel, hot from the forge. Their huge compound eyes burning like greenish electric fire in their livid orange sockets. And another thing Jim saw, something that explained why the fearful insects had not flown up to attack him in the air, their wings were gone. They had molted, were earthbound now. There was much food for thought in this, but no time to think. Already the creatures were almost on him. Jim turned his gaze from them and bent over his dials in a last frantic effort to get his motor started. The instinct of self-preservation was dominant now. And to his joy suddenly the powerful little engine began to hum with life. He drew one deep breath of infinite relief, then gave her the gun and whirled off down the desert floor. The enraged horde after him. Inaudicizing insinence, it was a nipintuck race. Then as he felt his wheels lift he pulled hard back on his stick and swept up and away from the deadly claws that clutched after him in vain. Climbing swiftly, Jim banked once, swept back, put the bead full on that scattering half circle of fiery termites and pressed the trigger of his automatic camera. There babies! You're in the rose gallery now! Then, swinging off to the northeast, he continued to climb, giving that weird ant hill a wide berth. Funny about those things losing their wings, he was thinking now. Would they grow them again or were they on the ground for good? And what was their game out there in the desert anyway? Questions Jim couldn't answer, of course. But the time would tell. Meanwhile, he had some pictures that would make the old man set up and take notice, not to mention the war department. They'd better get the army on the job before those babies get air-minded again, he told himself, as he winged on into the rising sun. Otherwise, the show they've already staged may be only a little curtain raiser. Jim's arrival in the city-room of the New York Press that afternoon had radio-phone the story ahead and extras were out all over the metropolitan area with relays flashing from the front pages of papers everywhere. No sooner had he turned over his precious pictures to the photographic department for development then overton rushed him to a microphone and made him repeat his experience for the television screen. But the city editor's enthusiasm died when the negatives came out of the developer. There are your pictures, he said, handing over a bunch of them. Carter looked at them in dismay. They were all blank, just so much plain blank celluloid. Over-exposed, rasped overton, a hell of a photographer you are. I sure am, Jim agreed, still gazing roofily at the ruined negatives. Funny though, the camera was checked before I started. I had the range before I pulled the trigger, every shot. He paused, then added as though reluctant to excuse himself. It must have been the heat. Yeah, I suppose so. Well, that was damn expensive heat for you, my lad. It cost you ten thousand bucks. Yes, but Jim had been going to say it had nearly cost him his life and not better of it. Besides, an idea had come. Give me those negatives, he said. I'm going to find out what's wrong with them. And since they were of no use to Overton, he gave them to Jim. That night again Jim Carter presented himself at the Wentworth Home in Hartford and again it was Joan who admitted him. Oh, Jimmy! she murmured as he took her in his arms. I'm also proud of you. I'm glad someone is, he said. But what a fearful risk you ran if you hadn't been able to get your motor started. Well, I think of unpleasant things, he said with a smile. Then they went into the library where Professor Wentworth added his congratulations. But I'm afraid I didn't accomplish much, said Jim, explaining about the pictures. Let me see them, Professor. Jim handed them over. For a moment or two, Professor Wentworth examined them intently, holding them this way and that. They indeed appeared to be extremely overexposed, he admitted at length. Your fire ants are doubtless, radioactive to a high degree. The results could not have been much worse had you tried to photograph the sun direct. said Carter gloomily. But possibly the damage isn't irreparable. Suppose we try redeveloping a few of these negatives. He led the way to his study which since the destruction of the observatory had been converted into a temporary laboratory. Ten minutes later Professor Wentworth had his redeveloping bath ready in a porcelan basin and had plunged some of the negatives into it. This process is what photographers call intensification, he explained. It consists chemically in the oxidation of a part of the silver of which the image is composed. I have here in solution uranium nitrate plus potassium ferrocyanide acidified with acetic acid. The latter salt and the presence of the acid is an oxidizing agent and when applied to the image silver oxide, which with the excessive acetic acid forms silver acetate which is all so much Greek to me said Carter. At the same time the ferrocyanide is reduced to ferrocyanide the professor went on with a smile at Joan whereupon insoluble red uranium ferrocyanide is produced and while some of the silver in being oxidized by this process is rendered soluble and removed from the negative into the solution it is replaced by the highly non-attinic and insoluble uranium compound. The process was one quite familiar to photographers experienced in astronomical work he explained. In 15 minutes they should know what results they were getting but they were still as black as ever Jem's hope waned not so professor went worse however. There is a definite but slow reaction taking place after careful examination either the overexposure is even greater than I had suspected or the actinic rays from your interesting subjects have formed a stubborn chemical union with the silver of the image. We must speed up the reaction and tear some of that access silver off if we're ever to see what is underneath but how are you going to speed up the reaction? I thought that uranium was pretty strong stuff by itself it is but not as strong as this new substance we have in combination with the silver here so I think I'll try a little electrolysis or in plain English electroplating as he spoke the professor clipped a couple of platinum electrodes to the basin one at each end to the anode he attached one of the negatives to the cathode, a small piece of iron now then we'll soon see he passed a low current and to the wires and with startling results there was a sudden foaming of the solution and a weird vapor rose from it luminous, milky faintly orange for a moment all they could do was stare then professor Wentworth switched off the current and stepped toward the tank waving away that orange gas he reached for the cathode and held it up but silver now plated he exclaimed in triumph yes but those fumes why they were the same color as the fire ants as you call them I know the professor was not as calm as he pretended we have released some of their actinic rays captured by the negative in prying loose our excess silver later I shall repeat the process and capture some of that vapor for analysis at present let us have a look at the negative already treated he lifted the anode from the solution now remove the negative and held it up a smile of satisfaction broke over his face followed by a shutter there you are Jim have a look Jim looked with Joan peering over his shoulder and his pulses tangled it was a clear shot of that scattering half circle of fiery termites taken after he got away and swept back over them say that's wonderful exclaimed wonderful but horrible echoed Joan I'll admit they're not much on looks but perhaps are worth a lot to me $10,000 in fact he told her why and what he proposed to do with the money and Joan thought it was a very good idea while this was taking place professor Wentworth was redeveloping the rest of the negatives at last all had been salvaged even those taken in the terrific heat over that weird glass city out there and Jim was prepared to bear them and go back to Overton and triumph he had thanked the kindly professor from the bottom of his heart had he even told him something of what he had been telling Joan there remained but to put one last question then go summing it all up what do you make of those nightmares he asked do you think they can be destroyed professor Wentworth did not reply at once I can perhaps answer your question better when I have analyzed the specimen of gas he said at length holding up a test tube in which swirled a quantity of that luminous mochi orange vapor but if you wish to quote me for publication you may say that when I have learned the nature of it I shall devote all my energies to combating the menis it constitutes and that was the message Jim took back with him but it was the pictures that interested the practical Overton most before many days however Overton with the rest of the world was turning anxiously to professor Wentworth watching his every move awaiting his every word for before many days terrible reports started coming in not only from the Arizona desert but from the assembly grounds everywhere those deadly termites were on the move they were spreading from the central citadels in ominous expanding circles circles that engulfed villages towns and cities in a swift relentless ring of annihilation that was fairly stupefying in North America the cities of Phoenix, Tucson and Prescott with all that lay between were already gone and the frantic populaces flaying to the four points to the compass before that fateful orange tide in South America Rosario and Cordoba were within the flaming ring and Buenos Aires was threatened in Europe Moscow and its vast tributary plane had fallen before the invaders in Asia a veritable island empire was theirs reaching from Urga to the kingen mountains in Africa southern Algeria and French Sudan with their innumerable small villages and oasis were overrun in Australia Kulgardy had succumbed and Perth was in a panic but fearful though the destruction was on the continents it was the islands of the world that suffered most first the smallest those picturesque green gems crisp and perished then came reports of the doom of the Hawaiian group the Philippines, the east and west endies New Zealand, Tasmania and a score of others their populations perishing by the thousands as shipping proved unavailable to transport them to safety by far the most tragic fate however was that suffered by the British Isles what happened there stunned the world brought realisation to humanity that unless some miracle intervened it was but a mirror of the doom that awaited all for England, Ireland and Scotland were habitable no more London, Dublin, Glasgow all their proud cities all their peaceful hamlets centuries old were flaming ruins out of a population of some 60 millions it was estimated that at least 70 millions must have perished the rest by prodigious feats of transportation managed to reach the mainland where they spread as refugees throughout an apprehensive demoralized Europe as for the armies and navies of the world they were powerless before this fiendish invader hammered with high explosives drenched with chemicals sprayed with machine gun bullets the fiery termites surged on unchecked in ever widening circles of death lead and steel pass through them harmlessly gas wafted off them like air despite the frantic efforts of scientists and military men nothing could be devised to stem that all devouring orange tide it was quite obvious by now even to the most conservative minds that the end of human life on earth was not far off it could only be a few more weeks before the last stronghold fell daily, hourly those deadly fire ants were everywhere expanding their fields of operations presently all humanity would be driven to the sea coast there to perish by fire or water as they chose there were some optimists of course who believed that the miracle would happen Professor Wentworth or some other scientist would devise some means of repelling the invader before it was too late young Jim Carter of the York Press was not among them, however though he would have gambled it would be Professor Wentworth if anyone for what hope was there that any mere man could figure out a weapon that would be effective against such a deadly such a super human foe and he grew less and less sanguine as he continued his frenzied sleepless work of reporting the unending catastrophes for his paper he often thought bitterly of that $10,000 a lot of good that would do him now as for Joan she faced her fate with fortitude fortitude and a supreme faith that her father would succeed in analyzing that sinister orange vapor and find the weapon the world waited for but agonizing days passed and he did not find it then at last on the night of August 14th when Los Angeles and San Francisco were smoldering infernos along with Reno Denver, Omaha, El Paso and a score of other great American cities when Buenos Aires and Santiago were gone Berlin and Peking and Cairo when Australia was all one and it was a fiery hell then it was that Professor Wentworth summoned Jim Carter to Hartford hoping against hope he hurried over once again Joan ushered him into the house she was very pale and did not speak at her side stood her father it was he who spoke good evening Jim you have come promptly his voice was strained greatly in the past few weeks well I'll admit I clipped along you've found something Professor Wentworth smiled wanly suppose you step into my study and see what I found he let the way toward the little makeshift laboratory that for many days and nights had been the scene of his efforts it was littered with strange devices strange of all perhaps a huge glass tube like a cannon mounted on some sort of swivel base ignoring this for the moment he turned to a smaller tube set upright on a table at the far end of the room in it glowed a sinister orange lump that made the whole tube fluorescent behold one of your monsters and captivity said the professor again with a wan smile in miniature of course what I have done is to condense some of that vapor into a solid the process he explained was similar to that employed by Madam Curay in obtaining metallic radium electrolyzing a radium chloride solution with mercury as cathode then driving off the mercury by heat in a current of hydrogen only he had used the new element instead of radium incidentally I have learned that this new element is far more radioactive than radium and possesses many curious properties among them it decomposes violently in water particularly salt water producing harmless hydrogen and chloride compounds so we have nothing to fear from those seeds that fell in our oceans lakes and rivers well that's something anyway said Jim but have you found any way about the ones that have already hatched before I answer that question professor Wentworth replied I shall let you witness a little demonstration he advanced to the cannon like device at the other end of the room swung it on its swivel till it was pointing directly at that fluorescent orange tube on the table watch closely he said throwing a switch there was a sudden whining hum in the air and the nib of the big tube glowed a soft velvety green Jim gaze at the scene with rapt attention don't look at that one whispered Joan look at the other Jim did so and saw that its fluorescence was waning a moment more the professor held the current on while the tube grow white then he threw off the switch now let us have a look at our captive they followed and one glance told Jim what had happened that sinister lump of orange metal had vanished but where was it that was what he wanted to know a natural question but not one easy to answer was professor Wentworth's reply I shall tell you what I have done then you may judge for yourself the cannon like device which had accompanied the seeming miracle was an adaptation of the cathode tube whose rays are identical with the beta rays of the atom and consist of a stream of negatively charged particles moving at the velocity of light 186,000 miles a second these rays in theory have the power to combine with the positively charged alpha rays of the atom and drag them from their electrons and come to discharge their full quanta of energy at once in the form of complete disintegration and it was this theory the professor had acted on but good lord that's splitting the atom exclaimed Jim you don't mean to say you've done that I apparently have was the grave admission but do not let it seem such a miracle bear in mind as I have pointed out before that nature has accomplished this alchemy many times all radioactive elements are evidences of it the feat consists merely in altering the valence of the atom changing its electric charge in other words what I have done in the present instance is merely to speed up a process nature already had underway we are dealing with a radioactive substance but what happened the by-product of the reaction your guess is as good as mine I have not had time to study that phase of it heat mainly was produced possibly a few atoms of helium but the substance is gone that is our chief concern just now it was only after abandoning chemical means that he had met with success he said cathode res had finally proved the key to the riddle but do you think this thing will work on a big scale asked jem regarding that fragile tube doubtfully professor Wentworth hesitated before replying I do not know he had met it but I intend to find out tonight jem looked at him in amazement tonight yes or rather the experiment will be at dawn if successful this continent at least will be rid of the menis jem's amazement turned to incredulity and a sudden fear gripped him had the strain of the past few weeks unbalanced the professor's mind but surely you can't help to wipe them out with one tube why it would take hundreds no only one you see I am going to place the tube in the center of the circle and direct its rays outward toward the circumference in a swinging radius whereupon for a moment jem's fear seemed confirmed but good god he exclaimed it couldn't possibly be that powerful could it I think it can be made to be the greatest power we know in the universe is radiant energy which reaches us from the sun and the stars traveling at the speed of light like light rays these heat rays can be focused directed and the beta rays of the cathode traveling at the same velocity can be made to ride these rays of radiant heat much as electric power rides radio waves the giant and short can be made to carry the dwarf with his deadly little weapon that at least is the theory I am acting on this somewhat elaid jem's fears fears that vanished when the professor went on to explain somewhat the working of his mechanism but how are you going to get the thing out there he asked picturing with a shutter the center of the flaming hell I imagine the war department will provide me with a volunteer plane and pilot for the purpose was the common reply and you will go yes I will go jem debated but not for long well you needn't trouble the war department here's your volunteer pilot the planes outside when do we start but my dear young man I cannot permit you to make this sacrifice it is suicide sheer suicide is my life any more precious than yours or that of some volunteer army pilot jem asked him but there is jone if I fail she must depend on you if you fail professor jone won't need me or anyone for long no I go so let's chuck the argument and get ready oh jemmy jemmy but her eyes as they met his mistily with a prouds blender two hours later jem Carter's little auto plane lifted into the night and with that precious tube mounted above the cabin winged swiftly westward as on his former foray into that fiery realm flight to arrive over the eastern edge of the arizona desert just before dawn somewhere in that great sandy waste they felt there would be a place to set the plane down and get the ray going professor wentworth had broadcast the particulars of his tube to his scientific colleagues wherever humanity still remained and the eyes of the world were on this flight if successful swift planes would bear similar tubes to the centers of the devastated regions elsewhere and sweep outward with their deadly rays the earth would be rid of this fiery invader if it were not successful jem preferred not to think of that as he drove on into the night crossing the Missouri River at dark and deserted Kansas City they soon saw the eastern arc of that deadly orange circle loom on the horizon to get over it safely jem rose to 20,000 feet but even there the heat as they sped across the frontier into enemy territory was terrific anxiously he watched his revs and prayed for his motor to hold up if it stopped now they were cooked the sturdy engines purred on with scarcely a flutter however and soon they were behind the lines in a region pitted at the front it made them shudder it presented such an appalling panorama of ruin but at the same time it strengthened their hope for very few flares of orange gleamed now among the red the main forces of the invader were at the front that meant there should be a safe place to land somewhere an hour later some miles beyond that weird glass citadel they found a wide stretch of empty desert and there jem brought the little plan down to a faultless landing just as dawn was lightning the east stepping out he drew a deep breath of relief for had he crashed or smashed that fragile tube all would have been in vain well here we are exclaimed grimly cheerful as professor Wentworth now let's then he broke off horrified as he saw another figure follow the professor from the cabin jown he gasped present she replied but my daughter the professor's voice broke in my dear child asab shook him please don't let's talk about it she begged giving his arm a little pat and it can't be helped now i was only afraid you'd find me before it was too late and take me back then edging over to jem and slipping her arm in his she murmured oh my dear don't you see i couldn't stay behind i had to be with you at the end jemmy if it won't be he cried pressing her cold hand it can't be then he turned to give his attention to her father who had already mounted to the cockpit and was working absurdly over his mechanism in the pale light of the coming day any moment jem knew those flaming termites might discover them and come swooping down with keen eyes he scanned the horizon no sign of them yet how are you up there he called about ready was the reply but i shall want more light than this for my mirrors tensely counting the seconds they waited for the sunrise and now as they waited suddenly a sinister tinge of orange suffused the rosy hues of the east the fire ants fried jone shrinking they've seen us they're coming it was true jem saw with a heavy heart turning to professor windworth he gasped out to do something you've no idea how fast they move very well the professor's voice was strangely calm you may start your motor i shall do what i can though if we only had the sun jem leaped for the cabin a touch of the starter and the powerful engine came in breaking his wheels hard to hold the plane on the ground he advanced the throttle as much as he dared and sent a high tension current surging through the wires the professor had connected with his tube above soon came that high whining hum they had heard in the laboratory a thousand times magnified now and the nib of the big tube flowed a livid airy green and the lemon dawn jem called her father sharply get in the cabin with jem she did so her eyes still fixed in horrified fascination on the eastern horizon and in that tense instant she saw two things first a great orange arc of fiery termites bearing down on them and second another arc far greater the vast saffron rim of the rising sun those two things jem saw and so did jem as their eardrums almost burst with a stupendous vibration that came from the gun and the cockpit then they saw a third something that left them mute with awe as professor went worth swung his cannon ray upon that advancing horde it melted leaving only the clear yellow of the morning sunlight before their bewildered eyes but the professor did not cease for five minutes ten, fifteen he swung that mighty ray around stepping up its power making its range as it reached its invisible annihilating arm farther and farther out meanwhile jem was radio phoning frantically the air seemed strangely full of static at last he got overton of the new york press carter speaking out in arizona he said getting any reports on the ray and back came the tremendous news results man the world's crazy they're gone everywhere tell the professor to lay off before he sends us scooting too alright said jem cutting his mortar more later and two professor went worth he called alright that's enough that ray was stronger than you knew but there came no answer and mounting to the wingtip jem following jem saw sight that froze him with horror they beheld the professor slumped against the tube his whole body glowing a pale fluorescent green father screamed jem rushing to his side the man stirred motion her away gasped weakly do not touch me child until the luminosity goes i am highly radioactive i had no time to no time to find out how had to hurry his voice waned off and they knew he was dead the two stood there stunned by the realization of his great sacrifice he and jem had set forth on this adventure knowing they stood at least a chance thought jem but professor went worth had known from the start that it was sure death for him the sun stood out at the eastern horizon like a huge gold coin bright with the promise of life to spend when jem and jem took off at last for the return home but the radiance of the morning was dimmed by the knowledge of the tragic burden they bore for some moments as they winged on both were silent look said jem at length look ahead jem she looked brightened somewhat yes i see and after a moment lifting her hazel eyes to his she said oh jemmy i'm sure it means happiness for us yes i'm sure she stirred moved closer jemmy you you're all i have now he made no reply save to press her trembling hand but it was enough silently understandingly let's move onward into the morning light end of spawn of the comet by herald thompson rich