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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/29069-h.zip b/29069-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3577dbb --- /dev/null +++ b/29069-h.zip diff --git a/29069-h/29069-h.htm b/29069-h/29069-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5877c05 --- /dev/null +++ b/29069-h/29069-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1815 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Poisoned Air, by S. P. Meek + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; background-color: #FFFFFF; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +.tr {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; margin-top: 5%; margin-bottom: 5%; padding: 2em; background-color: #f6f2f2; color: black; border: dotted black 1px;} + +.img1 {border:solid 1px; } + +.f2 { font-size:x-large; font-weight:bold; } + +.sidenote { + width: 20%; + padding-bottom: .5em; + padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; + padding-right: .5em; + margin-left: 1em; + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; + color: black; + background: #eeeeee; + border: dashed 1px; +} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} +/* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Poisoned Air, by Sterner St. Paul Meek + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Poisoned Air + +Author: Sterner St. Paul Meek + +Release Date: June 8, 2009 [EBook #29069] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POISONED AIR *** + + + + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="tr"><p class="center">Transcriber's Note:</p> +<p class="center">This etext was produced from Astounding Stories March 1932. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.</p></div> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img class="img1" src="images/image_001.jpg" width="500" height="558" alt="Dr. Bird fell back under the ferocity of her attack." /> +<span class="caption">Dr. Bird fell back under the ferocity of her attack.</span> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<h1>Poisoned Air</h1> + +<h2>By Capt. S. P. Meek</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class="sidenote">Again Dr. Bird closes with the evil Saranoff—this time +near the Aberdeen Proving Ground, in a deadly, mysterious blanket of +fog.</div> + + +<p><span class="f2">A</span> telephone bell jangled insistently. The orderly on duty dropped his +feet from the desk to the floor and lifted the receiver with a +muttered curse.</p> + +<p>"Post hospital, Aberdeen Proving Ground," he said sleepily, rubbing +his eyes.</p> + +<p>A burst of raucous coughing answered him. Several times it ceased for +an instant and a voice tried to speak, but each time a fresh spasm of +deep-chested wracking coughing interrupted.</p> + +<p>"Who is this?" demanded the now aroused orderly. "What's the matter?"</p> + +<p>Between intervals of coughing difficultly enunciated words reached +him.</p> + +<p>"This is—<i>uch! uch!</i>—Lieutenant Burroughs at +the—<i>uch!</i>—Michaelville range. We have been—<i>uch!</i>—caught in a +cloud of poison—<i>uch!</i> <i>uch!</i>—gas. Send an ambulance and +a—<i>uch!</i>—surgeon at once. Better bring—<i>uch!</i>—gas masks."</p> + +<p>"At the Michaelville range, sir? How many men are down there?"</p> + +<p>"<i>Uch! uch! uch!</i>—five—all help—<i>uch! uch!</i>—helpless. Hurry!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. I'll start two ambulances down at once, sir."</p> + +<p>"Don't forget the—<i>uch! uch!</i>—gas—<i>uch!</i>—masks."</p> + +<p>"No, sir; I'll send them, sir."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">F</span>ive minutes later two ambulances rolled out of the garage and took +the four-mile winding ribbon of concrete which separated the +Michaelville water impact range from the main front of the Aberdeen +Proving Ground. On each ambulance was a hastily awakened and partially +clothed medical officer. For three miles they tore along the curving +road at high speed. Without warning the leading machine slowed down. +The driver of the second ambulance shoved home his brake just in time +to keep from ramming the leading vehicle.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" he shouted.</p> + +<p>As he spoke he gave a muttered curse and switched on his amber +fog-light. From the marshes on either side of the road a deep blanket +of fog rolled up and enveloped the vehicle, almost shutting off the +road from sight. The forward ambulance began to grope its way slowly +forward. The senior medical officer sniffed the fog critically and +shouted to his driver.</p> + +<p>"Stop!" he cried. "There's something funny about this fog. Every one +put on gas masks."</p> + +<p>He coughed slightly as he adjusted his mask. His orders were shouted +to the ambulance in the rear but before the masks could be adjusted, +every member of the crew was vying with the rest in the frequency and +violence of the coughs which he could emit. The masks did not seem to +shut out the poisonous fog which crept in between the masks and the +men's faces and seemed to take bodily possession of their lungs.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe we'll ever make the last mile to Michaelville through +this, Major," cried the driver between intervals of coughing. "Hadn't +we better turn back while we can?"</p> + +<p>"Drive on!" cried the medical officer. "We'll keep going as long as we +can. Imagine what those poor devils on the range are going through +without masks of any sort."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">O</span>n through the rapidly thickening fog, the two ambulances groped their +way. The road seemed interminable, but at length the flood lights of +the Michaelville end of the range came dimly into view. As the +vehicles stopped the two surgeons jumped to the ground and groped +their way forward, stretcher bearers following them closely. Presently +Major Martin stumbled over a body which lay at full length on the +concrete runway between the two main buildings. He stooped and +examined the man with the aid of a pocket flashlight.</p> + +<p>"He's alive," he announced in muffled tones through his mask. "Take +him to the ambulance and fit a mask on him."</p> + +<p>Three more unconscious men were carried to the ambulances before the +prone form of Lieutenant Burroughs was found by the searchers. The +lieutenant lay on his back not far from the telephone and directly +under the glare of a huge arc-light. His eyes were open and he was +conscious, but when he tried to speak, only a murmur came from his +lips. There was a rattle in his chest and faint coughs tried in vain +to force their way out between his stiffened lips.</p> + +<p>"Easy, Lieutenant," said Major Martin as he bent over him; "don't try +to talk just now. You're all right and we'll have a mask on you in a +jiffy. That damned gas isn't as thick right here as it is down the +road a way."</p> + +<p>Two medical corps men lifted the lieutenant onto a stretcher and +started to fit a mask over his face. He feebly raised a hand to stop +them. His lips formed words which he could not enunciate, but Major +Martin understood them.</p> + +<p>"Your men?" he said between intervals of coughing. "We've got them all +in the ambulance, I think. There were four besides yourself, weren't +there?"</p> + +<p>The lieutenant nodded.</p> + +<p>"Right. We have them all. Now we'll take you back to the hospital and +have you fixed up in a jiffy."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">T</span>he entire rescue crew were coughing violently as the ambulances left +Michaelville. For a mile they drove through fog that was thicker than +had been seen in Maryland for years. They reached the point where they +had encountered the congealed moisture on the way out, but now there +was no diminution of its density. The main post was less than two +miles away when they burst out into a clear night and increased their +speed.</p> + +<p>As the two machines drew up in front of the post hospital, the driver +of the leading ambulance swayed in his seat. Blindly he pulled on his +emergency brake and then slumped forward in his seat, his breath +coming in wheezing gasps. Major Martin hastily tore the mask from his +face and glanced at it.</p> + +<p>"Take him in with the rest!" he cried. "His mask must have leaked."</p> + +<p>As they entered the hospital, a sickening weakness overcame Major +Martin. From all sides a black pall seemed to roll in on him and bits +of ice seemed to form in his brain. He reeled and caught at the +shoulder of a corps man who was passing. The orderly caught at him and +looked for a moment at his livid face.</p> + +<p>"Sergeant Connors!" he cried.</p> + +<p>A technical sergeant hastened up. Major Martin forced words with +difficulty through stiffening lips.</p> + +<p>"Call Captain Murdock," he wheezed, "and have him get Captain +Williams. I'm down and probably Dr. Briscoe will be down in a few +minutes. Telephone the commanding officer and tell him to quarantine +the whole proving ground. Have the telephone orderly wake everyone on +the post and order them to close all windows in all buildings and not +to venture outside until they get fresh orders. This seems to be the +same stuff they had in Belgium last December."</p> + +<p>As the last words came from his lips he slowly stiffened and slumped +toward the ground. The sergeant and the orderly picked him up and +carried him to a bed in the emergency ward. The orderly hurried away +to close all of the hospital windows while Sergeant Connors took down +the receiver of the telephone and began to carry out the Major's +orders.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">D</span>r. Bird glanced at the news-paper clipping which Operative Carnes of +the United States Secret Service laid on his desk. Into his eyes came +a curious glitter, sure evidence that the famous scientist's interest +was aroused.</p> + +<p>"Last December when we discussed this matter, Doctor," said the +detective, "you gave it as your opinion that Ivan Saranoff was at the +bottom of it and that the same plague which devastated the Meuse +Valley in Belgium would eventually make an appearance in the United +States. You were right."</p> + +<p>Dr. Bird bounded to his feet.</p> + +<p>"Is Saranoff back on this side of the Atlantic?" he demanded.</p> + +<p>"Officially, he is not. Every customs inspector and immigration +officer has his photograph and no report of his arrest has come in, +but we know Saranoff well enough to discount negative evidence where +he is concerned. Whether he is here or not, the plague is."</p> + +<p>"When did it appear?"</p> + +<p>"Last night at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. It has killed +eight or ten and twice as many more are sick. The place is quarantined +and a rigid censorship has been placed over the telephones, but it is +only a matter of time before some press man will get the story. I have +a car waiting below and a pass signed by the Secretary of War. Grab +what apparatus you need and we'll start."</p> + +<p>Dr. Bird pressed a button on his desk. A tall, willowy girl entered, +notebook in hand. Carnes glanced with keen appreciation at her slim +beauty.</p> + +<p>"Miss Andrews," said the doctor, "in five minutes Mr. Carnes and I +will leave here for Aberdeen Proving Ground in the Government car +which is waiting below. You will see that Mr. Davis is in that car and +that traveling laboratory 'Q' is ready to follow us."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Doctor."</p> + +<p>"You remember that mysterious plague in Belgium last December, do you +not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Doctor."</p> + +<p>"I was unable to get over to Belgium, but an army surgeon and two +Public Health Service men went over. You will get copies of all +reports they made, including especially any reports of autopsies on +bodies of victims. I want all data on file in the Public Health +Service or the War Department. You will then obtain a car and follow +us to Aberdeen. Arrangements will be made for your admittance to the +proving ground. The Belgian plague has made its appearance in the +United States."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">S</span>wiftly the expression of the girl's face changed. Her dark eyes +glowed with an internal fire and the immobility of her face vanished +as if by magic to be replaced by an expression of fierce hatred. Her +lips drew back, exposing her strong white teeth and she literally spat +out her words.</p> + +<p>"That swine, Saranoff!" she hissed.</p> + +<p>Carnes sprang to his feet.</p> + +<p>"Why, it's Feodrovna Androvitch!" he cried in astonishment.</p> + +<p>In an instant the rage faded from her face and the calm, immobility +which had marked it reappeared. Through the silence Dr. Bird's voice +cut like a whip.</p> + +<p>"Miss Andrews," he said sternly, "I thought that I had impressed on +you the fact that even a momentary lapse from the character which you +have assumed may easily be fatal to both of us. Unless you can learn +to control your emotions, your usefulness to me is at an end."</p> + +<p>Although Carnes watched closely he could not detect the slightest +change of expression in the girl's face as the doctor spoke.</p> + +<p>"I am very sorry, Doctor," she said evenly. "We were alone and I +allowed the mask to slip for an instant. It will not happen again."</p> + +<p>"It <i>must</i> not," said the doctor curtly. "Carry out your +instructions."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Doctor."</p> + +<p>She turned on her heel and left the office. Carnes looked quickly at +Dr. Bird.</p> + +<p>"Surely that is Feodrovna Androvitch, Doctor?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"It was. It is now Thelma Andrews, my secretary. She changed her name +with her appearance and politics. I have been training her since last +August. This is her first official appearance, so to speak."</p> + +<p>"In view of her past associations, is it safe to trust her?"</p> + +<p>"If I didn't think so, I wouldn't use her. She has ample reason to +hate Ivan Saranoff and she knows how much mercy she has to hope for +from him if he ever gets her in his clutches. We can't play a lone +hand against Saranoff forever and I know of no better place to recruit +an organization than the enemy's camp. Thelma saved our lives in +Russia, you may remember."</p> + +<p>"But even when she was rescuing us from the clutches of Saranoff's +gang, she was an ardent communist, if I remember correctly."</p> + +<p>"Theoretically I believe she still favors the world revolution, but +she hates Saranoff even more than she does the bourgeoisie and I +believe she had come to be willing to accept capitalistic institutions +for the present, at least as far as this country is concerned. At any +rate, I trust her. If you have any doubts, you can have her watched +for a while."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">C</span>arnes thought for a moment and then picked up the telephone.</p> + +<p>"I have plenty of confidence in your judgment, Doctor," he said +apologetically, "but if you don't mind, I'll have Haggerty trail her +for a few days. It won't do any harm."</p> + +<p>"Very well; and if any of the Young Labor gang should penetrate her +disguise, he'd be a mighty efficient bodyguard. Do as you see fit."</p> + +<p>Carnes called the number of the secret service and conferred for a few +moments with Bolton, the chief of the bureau. He turned to Dr. Bird +with a smile of satisfaction.</p> + +<p>"Haggerty will be on the job in a few minutes, Doctor."</p> + +<p>"Good enough. The five minutes I allowed are up. Let's see how well +she has performed her first task."</p> + +<p>As they emerged from the Bureau of Standards, Carnes glanced rapidly +around. In the front seat of the secret service car which he had left +sat a young man whom the detective recognized as one of Dr. Bird's +assistants. Behind the car stood a small delivery truck with two of +the Bureau mechanics on the seat.</p> + +<p>Dr. Bird nodded to the mechanics and followed Carnes into the big +sedan. With a motorcycle policeman clearing a way for them, they +roared across Washington and north along the Baltimore pike. Two hours +and a half of driving brought them to Aberdeen and they turned down +the concrete road leading to the proving ground. Two miles from the +town a huge chain was stretched across the road with armed guards +patrolling behind it. The car stopped and an officer stepped forward +and examined the pass which Carnes presented.</p> + +<p>"You are to go direct to headquarters, gentlemen," he said. "Colonel +Wesley is waiting for you."</p> + +<p>The commanding officer rose to his feet as Carnes and Dr. Bird entered +his office.</p> + +<p>"I am at your service, Dr. Bird," he said formally. "The Chief of +Ordnance has given instructions which, as I understand them, put you +virtually in command of this post." There was resentment in the +colonel's tone.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">D</span>r. Bird smiled affably and extended his hand. The old colonel +struggled with his chagrin for a moment, but few men could resist Dr. +Bird when he deliberately tried to charm them. Colonel Wesley grasped +the proffered hand.</p> + +<p>"What I want most, Colonel, is your cooperation," said the doctor +suavely. "I am not competent to assume command here even if I wished +to. I would like to ask a few favors but if they should prove to be +contrary to your established policies, I will gladly withdraw my +request."</p> + +<p>Colonel Wesley's face cleared as if by magic.</p> + +<p>"You have only to ask for anything we have, Doctor," he said +earnestly, "and it is yours. Frankly, we are at our wit's end."</p> + +<p>"Thank you. I have a truck with some apparatus and three men outside. +Will you have them guided to your laboratory and given what aid they +need in setting their stuff up?"</p> + +<p>"Gladly."</p> + +<p>"My secretary, Miss Andrews, will arrive from Washington later in the +day with some information. I would like to have her passed through the +guards and brought directly to me wherever I am. You have the place +well guarded, have you not?"</p> + +<p>"As well as I can with my small force. All roads are patrolled by +motorcycles; four launches are on the waterfront, and there are seven +planes aloft."</p> + +<p>"That is splendid. Now can you tell me just what happened last night?"</p> + +<p>"Captain Murdock, the acting surgeon, can do that better than I can, +Doctor. He is at the hospital but I'll have him up here in a few +minutes."</p> + +<p>"With your permission, we'll go to the hospital and talk to him there. +I want to examine the patients in any event."</p> + +<p>"Certainly, Doctor. I will remain at my office until I am sure that I +can give you no further assistance."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">W</span>ith a word of thanks, Dr. Bird left, and, accompanied by Carnes, made +his way to the hospital. Captain Murdock was frankly relieved to greet +the famous Bureau of Standards scientist and readily gave him the +information he desired.</p> + +<p>"The first intimation we had of trouble was when Lieutenant Burroughs +telephoned from the water impact range where they were doing night +firing last night at about four A.M. Two ambulances went down and +brought him and his four men back, all of them stricken with what I +take to be an extremely rapidly developing form of lobar pneumonia. +All of the men who went down were stricken with the same disease, two +of them as soon as they got back. So far we have had eight deaths +among these men and all of the rest, except Lieutenant Burroughs, are +apt to go at any moment.</p> + +<p>"The trouble seemed to come from a cloud of some dense heavy gas which +rolled in from the marsh. On the advice of Major Martin, every door +and window in the post was kept closed until morning. The gas never +reached the upper part of the post but it reached the stables. Eleven +horses and mules are dead and all of the rest are stricken. The stable +detachment either failed to close their barracks tightly or else the +gas went in through cracks for seven out of the nine are here in the +hospital, although none of them are very seriously ill. As soon as the +sun came up, the gas seemed to disappear."</p> + +<p>"Let me see the men who are sick."</p> + +<p>Captain Murdock led the way into the ward. Dr. Bird went from man to +man, examining charts and asking questions of the nurses and medical +corps men on duty. When he had gone the rounds of the ward he entered +the morgue and carefully examined the bodies of the men who lay there.</p> + +<p>"Have you performed any autopsies?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Not yet."</p> + +<p>"Have you the authority?"</p> + +<p>"On the approval of the commanding officer."</p> + +<p>"Please secure that approval at once. Have all lights taken out of the +operating room and the windows shaded. I want to work under red light. +We must examine the lungs of these men at once. With all due respect +to your medical knowledge, Captain, I am not convinced that these men +died of pneumonia."</p> + +<p>"Neither am I, Doctor, but that is the best guess I could make. I'll +have things fixed up for you right away."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">D</span>r. Bird stepped to the telephone and called the laboratory. When, in +half an hour, Captain Murdock announced that he was ready to proceed, +Davis had arrived with an ultra-microscope and other apparatus which +the doctor had telephoned for.</p> + +<p>"Did you arrange about the horses, Davis?" asked Dr. Bird.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. They will be up here as soon as the trucks can bring them."</p> + +<p>"Good enough. We'll start operating."</p> + +<p>An hour later, Dr. Bird straightened up and faced the puzzled medical +officer.</p> + +<p>"Captain," he said, "your diagnosis is faulty. With one possible +exception, the lungs of these men are free from pneumonicocci. On the +other hand there is a peculiar aspect of the tissues as though a very +powerful antiseptic solution had been applied to them."</p> + +<p>"Hardly an antiseptic, Doctor; wouldn't you say, rather, a cauterizing +agent."</p> + +<p>Dr. Bird bent again over the ultra-microscope.</p> + +<p>"Are you familiar with the work done by Bancroft and Richter at +Cornell University last November and December?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"No, I can't say that I am."</p> + +<p>"They were working under a Heckscher Foundation grant studying just +how antiseptic solutions destroy bacteria. It has always been held +that some chemical change went on, but this theory they disproved. It +is a process of absorption. If enough of the chemical adheres to the +living bacterium, the living protoplasm thickens and irreversibly +coagulates. It resembles a boiling without heat. I have seen some of +their slides and the appearance is exactly what I see in this tissue."</p> + +<p>Captain Murdock bent over the microscope with a new respect for Dr. +Bird in his face.</p> + +<p>"I agree with you, Doctor," he said. "This tissue certainly looks as +though it had been boiled. It is certainly coagulated, as I can +plainly see now that you point it out to me. You believe, then, that +it is a simple case of gassing?"</p> + +<p>"If so, it was done by no known gas. I have studied at Edgewood +Arsenal, and I am familiar with all of the work done by the Chemical +Warfare Service in gases. No known gas will produce exactly this +appearance. It is something new. Carnes, have those horses been +brought up yet?"</p> + +<p>"I'll see, Doctor."</p> + +<p>"If they are, bring one here."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">I</span>n a few moments the body of a dead horse was dragged into the +operating room and Dr. Bird attacked it with a rib saw. He soon laid +the lungs open and dragged them from the body. He cut down the middle +of one of the organs and shaved off a thin slice which he placed under +the lens of a powerful binocular microscope.</p> + +<p>"Hello, what the dickens is this?" he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>With a scalpel and a delicate pair of tweezers he carefully separated +from the lung tissue a tiny speck of crystalline substance which +glittered under the red light in the operating room. He carefully +transferred it to a glass slide and put it under a microscope with a +higher magnification.</p> + +<p>"Rhombohedral regular," he mused as he examined it. "Colorless, +friable, and cleaving in irregular planes. What in thunder can it be? +Have you ever seen anything like this in a lung, Murdock?"</p> + +<p>The medical officer bent over the microscope for a long time before he +shook his head with a puzzled air.</p> + +<p>"I never have," he admitted.</p> + +<p>"Then that's probably what we're looking for. Start slicing every lung +in this place and look for those crystals. Save them and put them in +this watch glass. If we can get enough of them, we may be able to +learn something. Carnes, get the rest of those horses in here and open +them up."</p> + +<p>Two hours of careful work netted them a tiny pile of the peculiar +crystals. Some had come from the lungs of the dead animals and some +few from the lungs of the dead soldiers. Dr. Bird placed the crystals +in a glass bottle which he covered with layer after layer of black +paper.</p> + +<p>"Get me more of those crystals if you can find them, Captain +Murdock," he said, "and in any case, leave the bodies here for +further study. Davis and I will go to the laboratory and try to find +out what they are. Carnes, hasn't Miss Andrews showed up yet?"</p> + +<p>"No, Doctor."</p> + +<p>"Locate her on the telephone if you can and tell her not to bother +about anything except the autopsy reports and to get them here as +quickly as possible. Let me know when you have that done."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">I</span>n a dark room of the photographic laboratory, Dr. Bird removed the +black wrappings from the bottle. He dropped a few of the crystals in a +test tube and added distilled water. The water assumed a pink tinge as +the blood with which the crystals were covered dissolved, but the +crystals themselves did not change. They rose and floated on the +surface of the water.</p> + +<p>"Insoluble in water, Davis," commented the doctor. "Better wash the +lot and then we'll get after the ultimate analysis. Whether we'll be +able to make a proximate is doubtful in view of the small amount of +sample we have. It's dollars to doughnuts that it's some carbon +compound."</p> + +<p>He heated a few of the washed crystals in a watch glass. Suddenly +there was a sharp crack and the material disappeared. Dr. Bird thrust +his nose toward the glass and sniffed carefully.</p> + +<p>"The dickens!" he muttered. "Davis, have I got a cold or do you smell +garlic?"</p> + +<p>"Faintly, Doctor."</p> + +<p>"I have a hunch. Fill a gasometer with purified argon and we'll +introduce a few of these crystals and explode them. If I'm right—"</p> + +<p>Half an hour later he straightened up and examined the tube of the gas +analysis apparatus with which he was working. The level of the gas +showed it to be of the original volume but the liquid under the argon +was stained a light brown.</p> + +<p>"It's impossible, Davis," cried the doctor, "but nevertheless, it's +true. Expose some of those crystals to strong sunlight and see what +happens."</p> + +<p>The crystals rapidly disappeared as the light from a sun-ray arc fell +on them.</p> + +<p>"It's true, Davis," cried the doctor, positive awe in his voice. "Keep +this strictly under your hat for the present. Now that you know what +we're up against, fix up a couple of masks and air-collecting +apparatus. That stuff will show up again in the swamp to-night and I +am going down there to collect some samples. I'll telephone the +hospital now."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">A</span>s Dr. Bird emerged from the dark room, Carnes hurried up with a +worried expression.</p> + +<p>"The devil's to pay, Doctor," was his greeting.</p> + +<p>"All right, stall him off for a minute while I telephone the hospital. +I think I can save some of those poor fellows up there."</p> + +<p>Carnes paced the floor in anxiety while Dr. Bird got Captain Murdock +on the telephone.</p> + +<p>"Bird talking, Murdock," he said crisply. "How much deep therapy X-ray +apparatus have you got up there?... Too bad.... Well, at least you can +give every patient a four-minute dose of maximum intensity and repeat +in an hour or so. Keep them under sun-ray arcs as much as you can. Be +ready for a fresh attack of the same epidemic to-night. As fast as the +patients come in, give them a five-minute dose of X-rays and then +sun-rays. Do you understand?... All right, then."</p> + +<p>"Just a moment more, Carnes," he went on as he called the office of +the commanding officer. "Colonel Wesley, this is Dr. Bird. I think +that I have some light on your problem. You must anticipate another +more virulent attack than you had last night, probably as soon as the +sun goes down. Will you arrange to have everyone removed from the +swamp area before that time? Never mind trying to guard the place; +you'll just lose more lives if you do. Warn everyone to keep inside +the buildings with all doors and windows closed tight. Get all the +women and children and everyone else who isn't needed here off the +post before dark. Send them to Aberdeen or Baltimore or anywhere.... +No, sir, the sick had better not be moved. I think they will be safer +in the hospital than they would be elsewhere.... Yes, sir, that's all. +Thank you."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">D</span>r. Bird turned to the waiting Carnes.</p> + +<p>"Did you locate Miss Andrews?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"No, I didn't and that is what I want to talk to you about. I just +started to telephone when a hurry call came through from Washington +for me and I took it. It was Haggerty on the wire. He followed your +precious secretary from the Bureau of Standards over to the Public +Health Office and waited for her to come out. She stayed in the +building for about an hour and brought a bundle of papers with her +when she returned. She walked toward the State, War and Navy Building +and Haggerty followed.</p> + +<p>"On Pennsylvania Avenue, she was stopped by two men whom Haggerty +describes as dark, swarthy, bearded Europeans of some sort. He tried +to overhear their conversation but it was in a language which he did +not recognize. He got only one word. The girl called one of them +'Denberg.'"</p> + +<p>"Denberg!" cried the doctor, "Why, he's one of the Young Labor crowd, +but he's in Atlanta."</p> + +<p>"He was, Doctor, but I telephoned Atlanta, and found that he had been +released last month. After several minutes of talk the two men and +your secretary went off together in perfect amity with Haggerty +following. The trio got into a waiting car and Haggerty trailed them +in a taxi. They drove around town rather aimlessly for some time and +then left the car and walked. Haggerty was afraid he would lose them +in the crowd so he closed in on them. He doesn't know what happened +except that he felt a sudden stab in his arm and everything went +black. He recovered in the police station twenty minutes later but the +birds had flown."</p> + +<p>"The devil!" cried Dr. Bird, consternation in his voice. "Of course, +it's easy to see what happened. They spotted him and a confederate +slipped a hypo into his arm. What worries me is the fact that they've +got Thelma."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">"I</span> hope they kill her," snapped Carnes vindictively. "She was never +kidnapped in broad daylight. Haggerty says she went with them quite +willingly and talked and laughed with them. She has deserted, if she +wasn't simply acting as a spy from the first. I didn't trust her at +all."</p> + +<p>"I hate to admit that my judgment is that rotten, Carnes, but the +evidence certainly points that way. At that, I think I'll reserve +final judgment until later. Now, in view of what you have learned, I +have a job for you."</p> + +<p>"It's about time, Doctor. I have been rather useless with all the +high-powered science that has been flying around here."</p> + +<p>"Well, you'll be in your element now. We know that Denberg is loose +and their capture of Thelma is no coincidence. I was pretty sure that +Saranoff and his gang were at the bottom of this; now I am certain. +They must have introduced something onto the marshes last night which +caused the trouble. They could not have come overland very well, for +the place is too well patrolled. Had they come by air, they would have +attracted attention, even had they used a Bird silencer on their +motor, for they couldn't muffle their propeller, especially on a +takeoff, and there are plenty of men here who would have recognized +it. You might check up on that, but I am confident that they came by +water. Launches and boats are continually passing up and down the +Chesapeake and its tributaries and one more could easily have escaped +notice. The Bush River is at the far end of the Michaelville range and +it is navigable for craft of light draft at high tide. Find out +whether any strange craft were seen in the vicinity of the proving +ground last night. If you draw a blank, go to Perryville and Havre de +Grace and see what you can find out there. I have a hunch that their +base is more likely to be up the Susquehanna than down toward the +coast. Above all, Carnes, don't approach the proving ground by water +to-night and don't get near the mouth of the Bush River."</p> + +<p>"All right, Doctor. What are you going to do?"</p> + +<p>"I'm going down on the swamp and collect samples. Oh, don't look so +worried. I know just what I am up against and I will have adequate +protection. I'll be in no danger and you would just be in the way. +Toddle along, old dear, and report to me by telephone as soon as you +have learned anything."</p> + +<p>"As you say, Doctor. You'll hear from me the minute I do."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">W</span>hen Carnes had left, Dr. Bird climbed into the waiting car and was +driven back to the hospital. Captain Murdock greeted him with a +smiling face.</p> + +<p>"I don't know how you got on to that treatment, Dr. Bird," he said, +"but it is doing the men good. The worst cases haven't been affected +much, one way or the other, but the progress of the malady in the mild +cases from the stables has been completely checked. I think they have +a chance now."</p> + +<p>"They'll be all right if the destruction and coagulation of tissue +hadn't progressed too far before you checked it, Captain. Treat them +now for simple lung cauterization and they ought to get well."</p> + +<p>"I have some more of those crystals dissected out, Doctor."</p> + +<p>"Keep them in the dark until Mr. Davis comes after them. I want to +take a few of them back to Washington for study."</p> + +<p>"You expect another attack to-night, Doctor?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sometime after sundown."</p> + +<p>"What, in heaven's name, is it?"</p> + +<p>"Heaven has nothing to do with it, Captain; the stuff comes from the +devil's regions and it is the product of a Russian chemist, who I +sometimes believe is verily the devil himself. How it's done and what +it is, I haven't found out yet, but I am going to investigate a little +to-night. The effect is what you have seen. Are you familiar with the +various forms of oxygen?"</p> + +<p>"The forms of oxygen? Why, there is only one, oxygen gas. Wait a +minute though, there is another form, ozone. Are there any more?"</p> + +<p>"None that have been previously listed and studied, but at least one +other form exists. Those crystals are pure oxygen."</p> + +<p>"Impossible! Oxygen is a gas at all ordinary temperatures."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">"Y</span>es, a gas, but one whose density varies. Oxygen, to which we +chemists assign the formula O<sub>2</sub>, meaning that its molecule consists +of two atoms of oxygen, has a weight of 32 grams per gram molecule. +Ozone, to which we assign the formula O<sub>3</sub>, meaning that its molecule +contains three atoms of oxygen, weighs fifty per cent more or 48 grams +per gram molecule. This new form has a density less than water, but +tremendously greater than any known gas. I have not yet been able to +determine its structure, so I will have to assign to it the formula, +O<sub>x</sub>, meaning an indefinite number of atoms per molecule. The only +name which suggests itself is oxyzone, a combination of oxygen and +ozone.</p> + +<p>"The stuff is a polymerization, or condensation, to speak roughly, of +the oxygen of the air. The oxygen takes this form which the lungs +cannot assimilate except with great difficulty and with great damage +to the tissues. The oxyzone will break down rapidly under the +influence of sunlight or of any ray whose wave-length is shorter than +indigo. As a result, it disappears as soon as the sun is up and it +will reappear after dark. That is why I suggested X-rays as a +treatment. They have a very short wave-length and will penetrate +tissues and affect the particles in the lungs themselves. Once the +material is removed from the lungs, the cauterization of the tissue +ceases and it is merely a matter of slow recovery."</p> + +<p>"It is a marvelous discovery, Doctor. I can foresee great uses for it +in medical science if a way can be found to produce it."</p> + +<p>"Just now we are much more interested in stopping its production than +in producing it. Carry on with the line of treatment I have prescribed +and be ready for a busy time to-night."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">F</span>rom the hospital, Dr. Bird made his way to the headquarters building +where he conferred with Colonel Wesley on the measures being taken to +clear the proving ground of all persons not strictly necessary for its +guarding. The commanding officer, when he learned Dr. Bird's plans, +wished to send guards with him, but the doctor promptly vetoed the +scheme.</p> + +<p>"My assistant, Mr. Davis, won't be able to fix up more than two masks +before dark, Colonel," he said, "and you would just be condemning men +to death to send them with me into that fog without proper protection. +I can see that you are anxious to know what is causing it, but I'm not +ready to tell just yet. I had given your medical officer enough +information to enable him to treat the hospital cases scientifically, +and to-morrow or the next day I hope to be able to tell you all about +it. Now, if you'll pardon me, I'm going to the laboratory to see how +Mr. Davis is getting along. It will be dark in three-quarters of an +hour and I hope that everyone will stay under cover as much as +possible."</p> + +<p>Davis looked up as Dr. Bird entered the laboratory.</p> + +<p>"I'll have the masks completed in an hour, Doctor," he said, "but I +don't know how much value they will be. If the oxygen polymerizes +before it enters the body, these masks ought to stop it, but if it +polymerizes under the influence of heat and moisture in the lungs, +they will be useless."</p> + +<p>"I'll have to take a chance on that, Davis. From the description of +the fog, I strongly suspect that the process takes place outside the +body. Have you had your supper?"</p> + +<p>"No, Doctor."</p> + +<p>"Neither have I. I'll go over to the officers' mess and get a bite to +eat. As soon as you have those masks done, get your supper and then +telephone me at the club. If Carnes isn't back, I may have to ask you +to drive me down toward Michaelville."</p> + +<p>"I'll be very glad to, Doctor."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">C</span>arnes had not returned when Davis called Dr. Bird at the officers' +club two hours later. Night had fallen and everyone on the proving +ground sat behind tightly closed windows with lights blazing on them, +wondering whether the finger of death would reach in from the swamp to +touch them. The fog had not yet made an appearance on the main post +and Dr. Bird had no fear of it when he entered his car and drove down +to pick up his assistant.</p> + +<p>Davis came out to meet him with a curious hood made of vitiolene and +rubber, pulled down well over his head. In his hand he carried a +second one. Dr. Bird adjusted the second mask and the two men loaded +the rear of the car with apparatus designed for collecting samples of +air. The outside of each sample cylinder was heavily coated with black +rubberine paint. At a word from the Doctor, Davis took the wheel and +drove off along the winding ribbon of concrete which led to the upper +end of the Michaelville range.</p> + +<p>For a mile they drove through a clear, calm night with no traces of +fog apparent. Dr. Bird's eyes continually searched the swamps on both +sides of the road.</p> + +<p>"Stop!" he said suddenly, his voice coming muffled through the +enveloping mask. The car stopped and the Doctor pointed to the west. +Over the swamp a few stray fingers of fog were curling up from the +water.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">L</span>eaving Davis in charge of the car, Dr. Bird donned rubber hip boots +and with a gas cylinder in his hand, splashed through the water +toward the fog. He reached the place with no difficulty and spent ten +minutes trying to collect a sample. Finally, with a muttered +exclamation, he removed his mask and inhaled deeply a dozen times. +Carrying the mask in his hand, he made his way back to the car.</p> + +<p>"False alarm," he said as he pulled on his mask. "It was so thin that +I couldn't get a sample so I tested it by breathing. There isn't a +trace of cough in that fog. Drive on."</p> + +<p>A half mile farther along the road, a curtain of fog swept in on them, +momentarily hiding the road from view. They were through the belt of +fog in a few feet and the car came to a stop. Dr. Bird sprang out, gas +cylinder in hand. He returned to the car shortly.</p> + +<p>"We may have what we are looking for, Davis," he said, "but I am not +at all certain. It looked very much like ordinary fog. Let's go down +to the range."</p> + +<p>The car drew up between the two main buildings of the Michaelville +front. The air was clear as far as they could see, but from under the +north building, a tiny wisp of fog was coming. As it came under the +glare of the three huge arc-lights which flooded the ground with +light, it grew more tenuous and gradually dissipated into nothingness. +With an exclamation of satisfaction, Dr. Bird bent down and thrust the +end of a cylinder under the building. He removed it in a moment as the +fog began to stream from the upper end. Carefully he closed the +pet-cocks of the tube and replaced it in the car. He filled a half +dozen tubes before he was satisfied.</p> + +<p>"I'd like to go down to the water," he said through his mask. "What +kind of a jigger do they run on that track?"</p> + +<p>"It's a Ford scooter, I was told. It's probably in that shed."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">H</span>alf an hour later the two men were running the scooter down the four +miles of narrow gage track which separated Michaelville from the Bush +River. A few scattered patches of fog could be seen on either side of +the track, but none were of sufficient thickness to warrant much +success in sample taking. At the water front Dr. Bird looked across +the half mile wide river and grunted.</p> + +<p>"The tide won't be in for another three hours," he said. "Right now +there isn't over sixteen inches of water in there."</p> + +<p>Carnes was waiting in the well lighted laboratory when they drove up.</p> + +<p>"All right, Davis," said the doctor, "get busy on those samples. If +you can't make out the first two, don't crack the others but leave +them for me. Give Carnes your mask; he'll drive the rest of the night.</p> + +<p>"What luck, Carnesy?" he asked, as the detective, wearing Davis' mask, +drove toward the officers' club.</p> + +<p>"No stray plane landed or even flew over here last night so far as I +could learn. Most of the boats on the bay were either known or lent +themselves to ready identification. There were four that I couldn't +exactly place, but I think we can safely discard all but one. Some +fishermen were pulling nets on the bay about half a mile outside the +mouth of the Bush River last night. About eleven, a boat running +without lights passed them. They said that they could not hear an +engine running, but just a dull hum and the gurgle of a propeller. +They hailed it, but got no answer. It faded away into the darkness and +they think it was headed toward the mouth of the Bush River. They had +their nets up and reset in another hour but the boat didn't +reappear."</p> + +<p>"Hmm. High tide was at ten minutes after midnight. There was plenty of +water in the river at that hour. It sounds promising."</p> + +<p>"I thought of telephoning Washington and getting a Coast Guard cutter +put on patrol in the bay but I didn't like to do it without your +sanction."</p> + +<p>"It might have been a good idea, but on the whole it's probably better +that you didn't. Carnes, we'll go down to the water front and see +whether anything shows up to-night. High tide will be about +eleven-thirty. It's about half-past nine now. We'd better get going."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">O</span>n the second drive to Michaelville, the fog patches were quite +noticeably denser than they had been earlier in the evening. Three +times the car had to pass through bands of fog which covered the road. +As they passed the second one Carnes suddenly began to cough.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter, old man?" cried Dr. Bird, a note of anxiety in his +voice. For a few moments Carnes could not answer for coughing. He +seized the mask to tear it from his head but Dr. Bird restrained him. +In a few minutes his voice became intelligible.</p> + +<p>"It seemed like that fog bit right into my lungs, Doctor," he gasped. +"I felt as if I were choking. It's better now."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure your mask isn't leaking, Carnes? It'll be all up with +you if it does. Test it."</p> + +<p>The detective closed the intake valve of the mask and expelling all of +the air from his lungs, took a deep breath. The air whistled noisily +in through the outlet valve.</p> + +<p>"The devil!" cried the doctor. "Take that mask off and let me look at +it."</p> + +<p>A few moments were enough to make the needed repairs and they drove +on. Carnes still coughed from time to time. At Michaelville, they +started the scooter and ran down the track to the river. They secreted +the scooter under the parapet on the water pent-house and walked to +the river's edge.</p> + +<p>"There's no telling just where they may land, Carnes," said the doctor +reflectively, "but this looks like the most likely place. I'll tell +you what we'll do. The river narrows a good deal about half a mile +east of here. You go up to the narrows and keep watch while I stay +here. If any craft passes you, follow it upstream until you find me. +If they land, handle the situation as well as you can alone. If you +hear any shooting, come as fast as you can leg it. I'll do the same."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">T</span>he detective stole away into the darkness and Dr. Bird settled +himself for a long vigil. For an hour nothing broke the stillness of +the night. Suddenly the doctor was on his feet, peering downstream. A +faint purring murmur came over the water, so faint that no one with +less sensitive ears than the doctor's could have detected it. Assured +after a few minutes of listening that some kind of a craft was coming +up the river, the doctor sank back into his hiding place, an automatic +pistol firmly grasped in his long tapering fingers.</p> + +<p>The purr came nearer, but it was not appreciably louder. The gurgle of +water past the prow of the boat could be heard and Dr. Bird could see +a long ribbon of white on the water where the craft was passing. He +stepped from his cover and leaned forward, straining his eyes to see +the boat. It passed beyond him and continued up the river. He stepped +quickly along the river bank, trying to keep it in sight. Suddenly he +paused. The boat had turned and was coming back. Hurriedly he +returned to his hiding place.</p> + +<p>The boat came down the river until it was opposite the point where he +crouched, and then it turned and came in toward the shore. Dr. Bird +gripped his pistol and waited. When the craft was less than twenty +feet from shore it stopped and a guttural voice spoke. Dr. Bird +started. He had expected the language to be Russian, but it came as a +shock to him, nevertheless. He strained his ears and cursed his +inability to make out the words. Dr. Bird had been assiduously +studying Russian under the tutelage of his new secretary for some +months, but he had not yet progressed to the stage where he could +readily understand it. The gift of languages was one which the erudite +doctor did not possess.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">T</span>he boat lay motionless for several minutes. Nervously the doctor +glanced at his wrist watch. He barely stifled a cry of amazement. From +the face of the luminous dial, long streamers of faintly +phosphorescent light were streaming. He whirled to meet an attack from +the rear but he was too late. Even as he turned the muzzle of a pistol +pressed into his back and a voice spoke behind him.</p> + +<p>"Drop that pistol, Doctor, or I'll be under the unpleasant necessity +of making a hole in you."</p> + +<p>Reluctantly, Dr. Bird dropped his pistol and the voice went on.</p> + +<p>"Really, I hardly expected to catch you by surprise, Doctor. I thought +you were clever enough to realize that our boat would be equipped with +an ultra-violet searchlight. However, even the best minds must rest +sometimes, and yours is due for a nice long rest. In fact, I might +almost prophesy that it will be a permanent rest."</p> + +<p>Dr. Bird shivered despite himself at the cold mercilessness of the +railing voice behind him. The accents were ones which he did not +recognize. His captor chuckled for a few moments and then called out +in Russian. The boat came into the shore and eight figures climbed +out. Two of them bore a small chest which they set down on the wharf. +One of the figures picked up the doctor's automatic and his captor +stepped in front. A flashlight gleamed for an instant and Dr. Bird +started in surprise. The men wore no masks but only a plate of glass +which protected their cheeks and eyes. Fastened to the neck of each +one, below the chin, was a long tube which gleamed like glass. They +wore heavy knapsacks strapped to their backs from which wires ran to +each end of the bars.</p> + +<p>"Those protectors make your enveloping head-mask look rather clumsy, +don't they, Doctor?" said his captor mockingly. "It's too bad you +didn't think of them first. It must be such a blow to your pride to +think that anyone had invented something better than yours. Really, +that mask of yours worries me. Remove it!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">A</span>t his words two of the men stepped forward and tore the doctor's mask +roughly from his head. The mocking voice went on.</p> + +<p>"In view of the fact that you have only a few hours of life left, Dr. +Bird, it will give me pleasure to let you know how thoroughly you have +been defeated. You may not know me by sight, although my name may not +be unfamiliar. I am Peter Denberg."</p> + +<p>He turned the flashlight for an instant on his own face, and Dr. Bird +gazed at him keenly.</p> + +<p>"I'll know you the next time I see you," he muttered, half to himself.</p> + +<p>"The next time you see me will be in the hereafter, if there be such a +thing," laughed the Russian. "The sweetest blow of all is now about +to fall. We expected you to be here and came prepared to capture you. +Had we not known that the arch enemy of the people would be here +to-night, we would have struck at a point miles away. Do you know who +betrayed you? It was one we placed in your laboratory for the very +purpose which she served."</p> + +<p>He turned on the light again and it picked out of the darkness another +face, a long oval face with startlingly red lips and dark oval eyes +which glowed as with an internal flame. As the face became visible, +the red lips drew back, exposing strong white teeth and the words were +literally spat out.</p> + +<p>"Swine!" she hissed. "Bourgeois! Did you think you could bribe me with +your gifts to tolerate your vileness? I have brought about your +downfall and death, Dr. Bird. I, Feodrovna Androvitch! Now will I +avenge my brother's death at your hands!"</p> + +<p>She sprang forward and spat full in the doctor's face. Dr. Bird fell +back for an instant under the ferocity of her attack and long nails +ripped the skin from his face. Denberg stepped forward and caught her +wrists.</p> + +<p>"Gently, sister," he warned. Feodrovna struggled for an instant but +gave way to the powerful muscles of the communist leader. "There is no +need for anything of that sort," he went on. "In a few moments we will +open the chest which we have and then you will enjoy the amazing +spectacle of the man who has temporarily checked the plans of our +leader a dozen times, gasping for breath like a fish out of water. +Start your protectors."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">E</span>ach of the Russians closed a switch on the knapsack which he wore. +From the bars below their chins came a dull violet glow which made +their faces stand out eerily in the darkness. The flashlight was +centered on the box which Dr. Bird could see was made of lead, +soldered into a solid mass. At a word from Denberg, one of the +Russians stepped forward with a long knife in his hand and started to +cut open the box.</p> + +<p>With a sudden effort, Dr. Bird shook himself loose from the two men +who were holding him and sprang forward. Denberg turned to meet him +and the doctor's fist shot out like a piston rod. Full on the +Russian's chin it landed and he went down like a poled ox. Two of the +Russians closed with him but the two were no match for Dr. Bird's +enormous strength, fighting as he was for his life. He hurled one away +and swung with all of his strength at the other. His blow struck +glancingly, and while the Russian spun away under the blow, he did not +fall. A man caught at him from the rear and Dr. Bird whirled, but as +he did so, two men seized his arms from behind. Mightily the doctor +strove but others flung themselves on him. He straightened up with a +superhuman effort and then from an unexpected source came help.</p> + +<p>One of the men holding him gave a choking gasp and reeled sideways. +Dr. Bird felt his neck deluged with liquid and the smell of hot blood +rose sickeningly on the air. He shook himself loose again and smote +with all of his strength at his nearest opponent. His blow landed fair +but at the same instant an iron bar fell across his arm and it dropped +limp and helpless. Again a knife flashed in the darkness and a howl of +pain came from the Russian who felt it bite home.</p> + +<p>"We are attacked!" cried one of them. They whirled about, their +flashlights cutting paths through the thickening fog. With her back +to the crippled doctor's Feodrovna Androvitch held aloft a bloody +knife.</p> + +<p>Something seemed to catch Dr. Bird by the throat and shut off his +breath. From a gash which had been cut in the lead box, a heavy gray +fog was rising and enveloping everything in its deadening blanket. The +fog penetrated into the doctor's lungs and an intolerable pain, as +though hot irons were searing the tissues, tore him. He tried to +cough, but the sound could not force its way through his stiffening +lips. Darkness closed in on him and he swayed. He was dimly conscious +that the Russians were swarming about Feodrovna, knives and clubs in +their hands. Then through the night came an ear-splitting crack and a +flash of orange flame. One of the Russians toppled and fell forward, +knocking the weakened doctor down as he did so. Again came a flash and +a report, and to the doctor's fading senses came a sound of shouts and +pounding feet. Over his head another flash split the fog and then +darkness swarmed in and with a sigh of pain, Dr. Bird let his head +fall forward on his chest.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">H</span>e recovered consciousness slowly and looked about him. He was in a +white bed in a strange, yet somehow familiar, place with a ray of +light of almost intolerable brilliance boring its way into his brain. +He tried to raise his hand and found himself curiously weak. With a +great effort he raised his hand until he could see it and let it fall +with a cry which came from his lips only as a feeble murmur. His hand +was thin almost to the point of emaciation. Blue veins stood out on +the back and his long, slim, mobile fingers, the fingers of an artist +and dreamer, were mere claws, with the skin drawn tight over the +bones.</p> + +<p>A man in a white uniform bent over him. "Drink this, Doctor," came in +soothing tones.</p> + +<p>He was too weak to protest and he managed to sip the drink through a +glass tube. Slowly he felt himself sinking through vast unexplored +reaches of darkness.</p> + +<p>How long he lay there he did not know but when he again opened his +eyes the light was no longer over him. He strove to speak and a husky +whisper came from his lips. A tall woman in white hastened forward and +bent over him.</p> + +<p>"Where am I?" he asked with difficulty.</p> + +<p>"You're in the hospital at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Doctor," said the +nurse. "Everything is all right and you're doing splendidly. Just +don't excite yourself and you'll get well in no time. Captain Murdock +will be here in a few minutes."</p> + +<p>"How long have I been here?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Oh, quite a while, Doctor. Now don't ask any more questions. You must +rest and get well and strong, you know."</p> + +<p>Strength seemed to be surging slowly back into the doctor's wasted +frame. His voice came clearer and stronger.</p> + +<p>"How long have I been here?" he demanded.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">T</span>he nurse hesitated, but her face suddenly cleared as Captain Murdock +entered the ward.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Captain," she cried, "come here and take care of your patient. He +won't keep quiet."</p> + +<p>"Out of his head again?" asked Captain Murdock as he hastened forward.</p> + +<p>"No more than you are," came in a husky whisper from Dr. Bird's lips.</p> + +<p>Captain Murdock looked quickly down and smiled in relief. "You'll +live, Dr. Bird," he said. "Just take it easy for a few days and then +you can talk all you want to."</p> + +<p>"I'll talk now," came in stronger tones from the doctor's lips. "How +long have I been here?"</p> + +<p>Captain Murdock hesitated, but a glance at the doctor's flushed face +warned him that it was better to give in than to fight him.</p> + +<p>"You were brought in here two weeks ago yesterday," he said. "It was +touch and go for a while, and, but for the treatment you devised, you +would have been a goner. We fed you X-rays until I was afraid we would +burn you up, but they did the business. It will cheer you up to learn +that every man who got your treatment is either well or on the high +road to recovery."</p> + +<p>"The plague?" asked the doctor faintly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's all over, thanks to you. It reached the post that night +but under the influence of the daylight blue bulbs you had installed, +it lost most of its virulence. We had a lot of sore throats in the +morning but there wasn't a man dangerously sick. It all faded when the +sun hit it."</p> + +<p>An orderly entered and spoke in an undertone to Captain Murdock. The +surgeon hesitated for a moment, his eyes on Dr. Bird, and then nodded.</p> + +<p>"Bring him in," he said quietly.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">A</span> small, unobtrusively dressed man entered the room and stepped to the +bedside. Dr. Bird's face lighted up in one of its rare smiles and he +strove to raise his hand in greeting.</p> + +<p>"Carnesy, old dear, I'm glad to see you got out all right," he +whispered. "I was afraid your mask wouldn't hold up after the trouble +you had with it. Tell me what happened that night."</p> + +<p>Carnes glanced at Captain Murdock, who nodded.</p> + +<p>"I went down to the narrows and watched, Doctor, and when the Russian +boat passed, I started to make my way back to you. The tide had come +in and I had to make quite a detour to get to you. I got there a +little later than I liked but still in time to do some good. You were +down and Miss Andrews was standing over you with a bloody knife in her +hand, fighting like a wildcat. I started shooting and ran in yelling +as loud as I could. I managed to plug three of them and I guess they +thought I was a dozen men. I tried to make enough noise for that many. +The rest took to their heels and Miss Andrews and I rigged one of +their protectors over your face and dragged you to the scooter. The +rest was plain sailing. We brought you in and Captain Murdock did the +rest. That's all there was to it. If I hadn't been so slow, I could +have driven them off before they opened that box and saved you all of +this."</p> + +<p>"Thelma?" asked the doctor faintly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, she's none the worse, Doctor. I want to apologize to you for the +poor opinion I had of your judgment. That girl wasn't recognized; she +recognized Denberg on the streets of Washington and deliberately put +her head into the lion's mouth by declaring herself. She got their +whole plan and went along to try to checkmate them. If she hadn't +started knifing when she did, the devils meant to hold your head +directly over that box and it would have been just too bad."</p> + +<p>"What was in the box?"</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p><span class="f2">"S</span>he found that out. It was some kind of a microbe that Saranoff +developed in a Belgian laboratory which does something to the oxygen +of the air. You'll have to get Dr. Burgess to explain that to you +later; he has some of the bugs shut up for you to play with when you +get back on the job. When we found that you were knocked out, Davis +got him to come down from Washington to take charge. He has been +running ray machines over the swamps for two weeks and says that every +trace of the bugs are gone except those he has in the laboratory."</p> + +<p>"Saranoff has more."</p> + +<p>"No, he hasn't, thanks to Miss Andrews. Every day they started a fresh +colony, leaving one lot back to start the next brood with. She tipped +us off where they were kept and Bolton and Haggerty raided and got the +lot and turned them over to Dr. Burgess."</p> + +<p>"That's enough for to-day, Mr. Carnes," interrupted Captain Murdock. +"You can see Dr. Bird to-morrow, but he has had enough excitement for +to-day."</p> + +<p>As Carnes took his leave, the nurse spoke to Captain Murdock. He +looked carefully at Dr. Bird and nodded.</p> + +<p>"For one minute. No longer!" he said.</p> + +<p>The nurse stepped to the door. Into the room came a slim young woman +of remarkable beauty, her eyes glowing as with an internal light. Her +parting lips of startling redness showed strong white teeth. Her eyes +grew misty as she leaned over the doctor's bed. Dr. Bird blinked for a +moment and his face grew stern.</p> + +<p>"Miss Andrews," he said in a husky whisper, "Mr. Carnes has told me +what you did. In my service, success does not excuse disobedience. I +thank you for your services which may have saved my life and which may +have put me in worse danger. In any event, please remember two things. +Unless you can learn to entirely suppress your emotions and learn that +I will tolerate nothing but implicit obedience, your usefulness to me +will be at an end and I will no longer need you."</p> + +<p>The happiness faded from the girl's face as if by magic and an +expression of absolute immobility took its place. Her eyes looked as +though a curtain had been drawn over them.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Doctor," she said in a toneless voice as she turned and left the +room.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Poisoned Air, by Sterner St. Paul Meek + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POISONED AIR *** + +***** This file should be named 29069-h.htm or 29069-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/0/6/29069/ + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Poisoned Air + +Author: Sterner St. Paul Meek + +Release Date: June 8, 2009 [EBook #29069] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POISONED AIR *** + + + + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from Astounding Stories March 1932. + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the + U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. + + + [Illustration: _Dr. Bird fell back under the ferocity of + her attack._] + + + + Poisoned Air + + By Capt. S. P. Meek + + * * * * * + + + + +[Sidenote: Again Dr. Bird closes with the evil Saranoff--this time +near the Aberdeen Proving Ground, in a deadly, mysterious blanket of +fog.] + + +A telephone bell jangled insistently. The orderly on duty dropped his +feet from the desk to the floor and lifted the receiver with a +muttered curse. + +"Post hospital, Aberdeen Proving Ground," he said sleepily, rubbing +his eyes. + +A burst of raucous coughing answered him. Several times it ceased for +an instant and a voice tried to speak, but each time a fresh spasm of +deep-chested wracking coughing interrupted. + +"Who is this?" demanded the now aroused orderly. "What's the matter?" + +Between intervals of coughing difficultly enunciated words reached +him. + +"This is--_uch! uch!_--Lieutenant Burroughs at +the--_uch!_--Michaelville range. We have been--_uch!_--caught in a +cloud of poison--_uch!_ _uch!_--gas. Send an ambulance and +a--_uch!_--surgeon at once. Better bring--_uch!_--gas masks." + +"At the Michaelville range, sir? How many men are down there?" + +"_Uch! uch! uch!_--five--all help--_uch! uch!_--helpless. Hurry!" + +"Yes, sir. I'll start two ambulances down at once, sir." + +"Don't forget the--_uch! uch!_--gas--_uch!_--masks." + +"No, sir; I'll send them, sir." + + * * * * * + +Five minutes later two ambulances rolled out of the garage and took +the four-mile winding ribbon of concrete which separated the +Michaelville water impact range from the main front of the Aberdeen +Proving Ground. On each ambulance was a hastily awakened and partially +clothed medical officer. For three miles they tore along the curving +road at high speed. Without warning the leading machine slowed down. +The driver of the second ambulance shoved home his brake just in time +to keep from ramming the leading vehicle. + +"What's the matter?" he shouted. + +As he spoke he gave a muttered curse and switched on his amber +fog-light. From the marshes on either side of the road a deep blanket +of fog rolled up and enveloped the vehicle, almost shutting off the +road from sight. The forward ambulance began to grope its way slowly +forward. The senior medical officer sniffed the fog critically and +shouted to his driver. + +"Stop!" he cried. "There's something funny about this fog. Every one +put on gas masks." + +He coughed slightly as he adjusted his mask. His orders were shouted +to the ambulance in the rear but before the masks could be adjusted, +every member of the crew was vying with the rest in the frequency and +violence of the coughs which he could emit. The masks did not seem to +shut out the poisonous fog which crept in between the masks and the +men's faces and seemed to take bodily possession of their lungs. + +"I don't believe we'll ever make the last mile to Michaelville through +this, Major," cried the driver between intervals of coughing. "Hadn't +we better turn back while we can?" + +"Drive on!" cried the medical officer. "We'll keep going as long as we +can. Imagine what those poor devils on the range are going through +without masks of any sort." + + * * * * * + +On through the rapidly thickening fog, the two ambulances groped their +way. The road seemed interminable, but at length the flood lights of +the Michaelville end of the range came dimly into view. As the +vehicles stopped the two surgeons jumped to the ground and groped +their way forward, stretcher bearers following them closely. Presently +Major Martin stumbled over a body which lay at full length on the +concrete runway between the two main buildings. He stooped and +examined the man with the aid of a pocket flashlight. + +"He's alive," he announced in muffled tones through his mask. "Take +him to the ambulance and fit a mask on him." + +Three more unconscious men were carried to the ambulances before the +prone form of Lieutenant Burroughs was found by the searchers. The +lieutenant lay on his back not far from the telephone and directly +under the glare of a huge arc-light. His eyes were open and he was +conscious, but when he tried to speak, only a murmur came from his +lips. There was a rattle in his chest and faint coughs tried in vain +to force their way out between his stiffened lips. + +"Easy, Lieutenant," said Major Martin as he bent over him; "don't try +to talk just now. You're all right and we'll have a mask on you in a +jiffy. That damned gas isn't as thick right here as it is down the +road a way." + +Two medical corps men lifted the lieutenant onto a stretcher and +started to fit a mask over his face. He feebly raised a hand to stop +them. His lips formed words which he could not enunciate, but Major +Martin understood them. + +"Your men?" he said between intervals of coughing. "We've got them all +in the ambulance, I think. There were four besides yourself, weren't +there?" + +The lieutenant nodded. + +"Right. We have them all. Now we'll take you back to the hospital and +have you fixed up in a jiffy." + + * * * * * + +The entire rescue crew were coughing violently as the ambulances left +Michaelville. For a mile they drove through fog that was thicker than +had been seen in Maryland for years. They reached the point where they +had encountered the congealed moisture on the way out, but now there +was no diminution of its density. The main post was less than two +miles away when they burst out into a clear night and increased their +speed. + +As the two machines drew up in front of the post hospital, the driver +of the leading ambulance swayed in his seat. Blindly he pulled on his +emergency brake and then slumped forward in his seat, his breath +coming in wheezing gasps. Major Martin hastily tore the mask from his +face and glanced at it. + +"Take him in with the rest!" he cried. "His mask must have leaked." + +As they entered the hospital, a sickening weakness overcame Major +Martin. From all sides a black pall seemed to roll in on him and bits +of ice seemed to form in his brain. He reeled and caught at the +shoulder of a corps man who was passing. The orderly caught at him and +looked for a moment at his livid face. + +"Sergeant Connors!" he cried. + +A technical sergeant hastened up. Major Martin forced words with +difficulty through stiffening lips. + +"Call Captain Murdock," he wheezed, "and have him get Captain +Williams. I'm down and probably Dr. Briscoe will be down in a few +minutes. Telephone the commanding officer and tell him to quarantine +the whole proving ground. Have the telephone orderly wake everyone on +the post and order them to close all windows in all buildings and not +to venture outside until they get fresh orders. This seems to be the +same stuff they had in Belgium last December." + +As the last words came from his lips he slowly stiffened and slumped +toward the ground. The sergeant and the orderly picked him up and +carried him to a bed in the emergency ward. The orderly hurried away +to close all of the hospital windows while Sergeant Connors took down +the receiver of the telephone and began to carry out the Major's +orders. + + * * * * * + +Dr. Bird glanced at the news-paper clipping which Operative Carnes of +the United States Secret Service laid on his desk. Into his eyes came +a curious glitter, sure evidence that the famous scientist's interest +was aroused. + +"Last December when we discussed this matter, Doctor," said the +detective, "you gave it as your opinion that Ivan Saranoff was at the +bottom of it and that the same plague which devastated the Meuse +Valley in Belgium would eventually make an appearance in the United +States. You were right." + +Dr. Bird bounded to his feet. + +"Is Saranoff back on this side of the Atlantic?" he demanded. + +"Officially, he is not. Every customs inspector and immigration +officer has his photograph and no report of his arrest has come in, +but we know Saranoff well enough to discount negative evidence where +he is concerned. Whether he is here or not, the plague is." + +"When did it appear?" + +"Last night at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. It has killed +eight or ten and twice as many more are sick. The place is quarantined +and a rigid censorship has been placed over the telephones, but it is +only a matter of time before some press man will get the story. I have +a car waiting below and a pass signed by the Secretary of War. Grab +what apparatus you need and we'll start." + +Dr. Bird pressed a button on his desk. A tall, willowy girl entered, +notebook in hand. Carnes glanced with keen appreciation at her slim +beauty. + +"Miss Andrews," said the doctor, "in five minutes Mr. Carnes and I +will leave here for Aberdeen Proving Ground in the Government car +which is waiting below. You will see that Mr. Davis is in that car and +that traveling laboratory 'Q' is ready to follow us." + +"Yes, Doctor." + +"You remember that mysterious plague in Belgium last December, do you +not?" + +"Yes, Doctor." + +"I was unable to get over to Belgium, but an army surgeon and two +Public Health Service men went over. You will get copies of all +reports they made, including especially any reports of autopsies on +bodies of victims. I want all data on file in the Public Health +Service or the War Department. You will then obtain a car and follow +us to Aberdeen. Arrangements will be made for your admittance to the +proving ground. The Belgian plague has made its appearance in the +United States." + + * * * * * + +Swiftly the expression of the girl's face changed. Her dark eyes +glowed with an internal fire and the immobility of her face vanished +as if by magic to be replaced by an expression of fierce hatred. Her +lips drew back, exposing her strong white teeth and she literally spat +out her words. + +"That swine, Saranoff!" she hissed. + +Carnes sprang to his feet. + +"Why, it's Feodrovna Androvitch!" he cried in astonishment. + +In an instant the rage faded from her face and the calm, immobility +which had marked it reappeared. Through the silence Dr. Bird's voice +cut like a whip. + +"Miss Andrews," he said sternly, "I thought that I had impressed on +you the fact that even a momentary lapse from the character which you +have assumed may easily be fatal to both of us. Unless you can learn +to control your emotions, your usefulness to me is at an end." + +Although Carnes watched closely he could not detect the slightest +change of expression in the girl's face as the doctor spoke. + +"I am very sorry, Doctor," she said evenly. "We were alone and I +allowed the mask to slip for an instant. It will not happen again." + +"It _must_ not," said the doctor curtly. "Carry out your +instructions." + +"Yes, Doctor." + +She turned on her heel and left the office. Carnes looked quickly at +Dr. Bird. + +"Surely that is Feodrovna Androvitch, Doctor?" he asked. + +"It was. It is now Thelma Andrews, my secretary. She changed her name +with her appearance and politics. I have been training her since last +August. This is her first official appearance, so to speak." + +"In view of her past associations, is it safe to trust her?" + +"If I didn't think so, I wouldn't use her. She has ample reason to +hate Ivan Saranoff and she knows how much mercy she has to hope for +from him if he ever gets her in his clutches. We can't play a lone +hand against Saranoff forever and I know of no better place to recruit +an organization than the enemy's camp. Thelma saved our lives in +Russia, you may remember." + +"But even when she was rescuing us from the clutches of Saranoff's +gang, she was an ardent communist, if I remember correctly." + +"Theoretically I believe she still favors the world revolution, but +she hates Saranoff even more than she does the bourgeoisie and I +believe she had come to be willing to accept capitalistic institutions +for the present, at least as far as this country is concerned. At any +rate, I trust her. If you have any doubts, you can have her watched +for a while." + + * * * * * + +Carnes thought for a moment and then picked up the telephone. + +"I have plenty of confidence in your judgment, Doctor," he said +apologetically, "but if you don't mind, I'll have Haggerty trail her +for a few days. It won't do any harm." + +"Very well; and if any of the Young Labor gang should penetrate her +disguise, he'd be a mighty efficient bodyguard. Do as you see fit." + +Carnes called the number of the secret service and conferred for a few +moments with Bolton, the chief of the bureau. He turned to Dr. Bird +with a smile of satisfaction. + +"Haggerty will be on the job in a few minutes, Doctor." + +"Good enough. The five minutes I allowed are up. Let's see how well +she has performed her first task." + +As they emerged from the Bureau of Standards, Carnes glanced rapidly +around. In the front seat of the secret service car which he had left +sat a young man whom the detective recognized as one of Dr. Bird's +assistants. Behind the car stood a small delivery truck with two of +the Bureau mechanics on the seat. + +Dr. Bird nodded to the mechanics and followed Carnes into the big +sedan. With a motorcycle policeman clearing a way for them, they +roared across Washington and north along the Baltimore pike. Two hours +and a half of driving brought them to Aberdeen and they turned down +the concrete road leading to the proving ground. Two miles from the +town a huge chain was stretched across the road with armed guards +patrolling behind it. The car stopped and an officer stepped forward +and examined the pass which Carnes presented. + +"You are to go direct to headquarters, gentlemen," he said. "Colonel +Wesley is waiting for you." + +The commanding officer rose to his feet as Carnes and Dr. Bird entered +his office. + +"I am at your service, Dr. Bird," he said formally. "The Chief of +Ordnance has given instructions which, as I understand them, put you +virtually in command of this post." There was resentment in the +colonel's tone. + + * * * * * + +Dr. Bird smiled affably and extended his hand. The old colonel +struggled with his chagrin for a moment, but few men could resist Dr. +Bird when he deliberately tried to charm them. Colonel Wesley grasped +the proffered hand. + +"What I want most, Colonel, is your cooperation," said the doctor +suavely. "I am not competent to assume command here even if I wished +to. I would like to ask a few favors but if they should prove to be +contrary to your established policies, I will gladly withdraw my +request." + +Colonel Wesley's face cleared as if by magic. + +"You have only to ask for anything we have, Doctor," he said +earnestly, "and it is yours. Frankly, we are at our wit's end." + +"Thank you. I have a truck with some apparatus and three men outside. +Will you have them guided to your laboratory and given what aid they +need in setting their stuff up?" + +"Gladly." + +"My secretary, Miss Andrews, will arrive from Washington later in the +day with some information. I would like to have her passed through the +guards and brought directly to me wherever I am. You have the place +well guarded, have you not?" + +"As well as I can with my small force. All roads are patrolled by +motorcycles; four launches are on the waterfront, and there are seven +planes aloft." + +"That is splendid. Now can you tell me just what happened last night?" + +"Captain Murdock, the acting surgeon, can do that better than I can, +Doctor. He is at the hospital but I'll have him up here in a few +minutes." + +"With your permission, we'll go to the hospital and talk to him there. +I want to examine the patients in any event." + +"Certainly, Doctor. I will remain at my office until I am sure that I +can give you no further assistance." + + * * * * * + +With a word of thanks, Dr. Bird left, and, accompanied by Carnes, made +his way to the hospital. Captain Murdock was frankly relieved to greet +the famous Bureau of Standards scientist and readily gave him the +information he desired. + +"The first intimation we had of trouble was when Lieutenant Burroughs +telephoned from the water impact range where they were doing night +firing last night at about four A.M. Two ambulances went down and +brought him and his four men back, all of them stricken with what I +take to be an extremely rapidly developing form of lobar pneumonia. +All of the men who went down were stricken with the same disease, two +of them as soon as they got back. So far we have had eight deaths +among these men and all of the rest, except Lieutenant Burroughs, are +apt to go at any moment. + +"The trouble seemed to come from a cloud of some dense heavy gas which +rolled in from the marsh. On the advice of Major Martin, every door +and window in the post was kept closed until morning. The gas never +reached the upper part of the post but it reached the stables. Eleven +horses and mules are dead and all of the rest are stricken. The stable +detachment either failed to close their barracks tightly or else the +gas went in through cracks for seven out of the nine are here in the +hospital, although none of them are very seriously ill. As soon as the +sun came up, the gas seemed to disappear." + +"Let me see the men who are sick." + +Captain Murdock led the way into the ward. Dr. Bird went from man to +man, examining charts and asking questions of the nurses and medical +corps men on duty. When he had gone the rounds of the ward he entered +the morgue and carefully examined the bodies of the men who lay there. + +"Have you performed any autopsies?" he asked. + +"Not yet." + +"Have you the authority?" + +"On the approval of the commanding officer." + +"Please secure that approval at once. Have all lights taken out of the +operating room and the windows shaded. I want to work under red light. +We must examine the lungs of these men at once. With all due respect +to your medical knowledge, Captain, I am not convinced that these men +died of pneumonia." + +"Neither am I, Doctor, but that is the best guess I could make. I'll +have things fixed up for you right away." + + * * * * * + +Dr. Bird stepped to the telephone and called the laboratory. When, in +half an hour, Captain Murdock announced that he was ready to proceed, +Davis had arrived with an ultra-microscope and other apparatus which +the doctor had telephoned for. + +"Did you arrange about the horses, Davis?" asked Dr. Bird. + +"Yes, sir. They will be up here as soon as the trucks can bring them." + +"Good enough. We'll start operating." + +An hour later, Dr. Bird straightened up and faced the puzzled medical +officer. + +"Captain," he said, "your diagnosis is faulty. With one possible +exception, the lungs of these men are free from pneumonicocci. On the +other hand there is a peculiar aspect of the tissues as though a very +powerful antiseptic solution had been applied to them." + +"Hardly an antiseptic, Doctor; wouldn't you say, rather, a cauterizing +agent." + +Dr. Bird bent again over the ultra-microscope. + +"Are you familiar with the work done by Bancroft and Richter at +Cornell University last November and December?" he asked. + +"No, I can't say that I am." + +"They were working under a Heckscher Foundation grant studying just +how antiseptic solutions destroy bacteria. It has always been held +that some chemical change went on, but this theory they disproved. It +is a process of absorption. If enough of the chemical adheres to the +living bacterium, the living protoplasm thickens and irreversibly +coagulates. It resembles a boiling without heat. I have seen some of +their slides and the appearance is exactly what I see in this tissue." + +Captain Murdock bent over the microscope with a new respect for Dr. +Bird in his face. + +"I agree with you, Doctor," he said. "This tissue certainly looks as +though it had been boiled. It is certainly coagulated, as I can +plainly see now that you point it out to me. You believe, then, that +it is a simple case of gassing?" + +"If so, it was done by no known gas. I have studied at Edgewood +Arsenal, and I am familiar with all of the work done by the Chemical +Warfare Service in gases. No known gas will produce exactly this +appearance. It is something new. Carnes, have those horses been +brought up yet?" + +"I'll see, Doctor." + +"If they are, bring one here." + + * * * * * + +In a few moments the body of a dead horse was dragged into the +operating room and Dr. Bird attacked it with a rib saw. He soon laid +the lungs open and dragged them from the body. He cut down the middle +of one of the organs and shaved off a thin slice which he placed under +the lens of a powerful binocular microscope. + +"Hello, what the dickens is this?" he exclaimed. + +With a scalpel and a delicate pair of tweezers he carefully separated +from the lung tissue a tiny speck of crystalline substance which +glittered under the red light in the operating room. He carefully +transferred it to a glass slide and put it under a microscope with a +higher magnification. + +"Rhombohedral regular," he mused as he examined it. "Colorless, +friable, and cleaving in irregular planes. What in thunder can it be? +Have you ever seen anything like this in a lung, Murdock?" + +The medical officer bent over the microscope for a long time before he +shook his head with a puzzled air. + +"I never have," he admitted. + +"Then that's probably what we're looking for. Start slicing every lung +in this place and look for those crystals. Save them and put them in +this watch glass. If we can get enough of them, we may be able to +learn something. Carnes, get the rest of those horses in here and open +them up." + +Two hours of careful work netted them a tiny pile of the peculiar +crystals. Some had come from the lungs of the dead animals and some +few from the lungs of the dead soldiers. Dr. Bird placed the crystals +in a glass bottle which he covered with layer after layer of black +paper. + +"Get me more of those crystals if you can find them, Captain +Murdock," he said, "and in any case, leave the bodies here for +further study. Davis and I will go to the laboratory and try to find +out what they are. Carnes, hasn't Miss Andrews showed up yet?" + +"No, Doctor." + +"Locate her on the telephone if you can and tell her not to bother +about anything except the autopsy reports and to get them here as +quickly as possible. Let me know when you have that done." + + * * * * * + +In a dark room of the photographic laboratory, Dr. Bird removed the +black wrappings from the bottle. He dropped a few of the crystals in a +test tube and added distilled water. The water assumed a pink tinge as +the blood with which the crystals were covered dissolved, but the +crystals themselves did not change. They rose and floated on the +surface of the water. + +"Insoluble in water, Davis," commented the doctor. "Better wash the +lot and then we'll get after the ultimate analysis. Whether we'll be +able to make a proximate is doubtful in view of the small amount of +sample we have. It's dollars to doughnuts that it's some carbon +compound." + +He heated a few of the washed crystals in a watch glass. Suddenly +there was a sharp crack and the material disappeared. Dr. Bird thrust +his nose toward the glass and sniffed carefully. + +"The dickens!" he muttered. "Davis, have I got a cold or do you smell +garlic?" + +"Faintly, Doctor." + +"I have a hunch. Fill a gasometer with purified argon and we'll +introduce a few of these crystals and explode them. If I'm right--" + +Half an hour later he straightened up and examined the tube of the gas +analysis apparatus with which he was working. The level of the gas +showed it to be of the original volume but the liquid under the argon +was stained a light brown. + +"It's impossible, Davis," cried the doctor, "but nevertheless, it's +true. Expose some of those crystals to strong sunlight and see what +happens." + +The crystals rapidly disappeared as the light from a sun-ray arc fell +on them. + +"It's true, Davis," cried the doctor, positive awe in his voice. "Keep +this strictly under your hat for the present. Now that you know what +we're up against, fix up a couple of masks and air-collecting +apparatus. That stuff will show up again in the swamp to-night and I +am going down there to collect some samples. I'll telephone the +hospital now." + + * * * * * + +As Dr. Bird emerged from the dark room, Carnes hurried up with a +worried expression. + +"The devil's to pay, Doctor," was his greeting. + +"All right, stall him off for a minute while I telephone the hospital. +I think I can save some of those poor fellows up there." + +Carnes paced the floor in anxiety while Dr. Bird got Captain Murdock +on the telephone. + +"Bird talking, Murdock," he said crisply. "How much deep therapy X-ray +apparatus have you got up there?... Too bad.... Well, at least you can +give every patient a four-minute dose of maximum intensity and repeat +in an hour or so. Keep them under sun-ray arcs as much as you can. Be +ready for a fresh attack of the same epidemic to-night. As fast as the +patients come in, give them a five-minute dose of X-rays and then +sun-rays. Do you understand?... All right, then." + +"Just a moment more, Carnes," he went on as he called the office of +the commanding officer. "Colonel Wesley, this is Dr. Bird. I think +that I have some light on your problem. You must anticipate another +more virulent attack than you had last night, probably as soon as the +sun goes down. Will you arrange to have everyone removed from the +swamp area before that time? Never mind trying to guard the place; +you'll just lose more lives if you do. Warn everyone to keep inside +the buildings with all doors and windows closed tight. Get all the +women and children and everyone else who isn't needed here off the +post before dark. Send them to Aberdeen or Baltimore or anywhere.... +No, sir, the sick had better not be moved. I think they will be safer +in the hospital than they would be elsewhere.... Yes, sir, that's all. +Thank you." + + * * * * * + +Dr. Bird turned to the waiting Carnes. + +"Did you locate Miss Andrews?" he asked. + +"No, I didn't and that is what I want to talk to you about. I just +started to telephone when a hurry call came through from Washington +for me and I took it. It was Haggerty on the wire. He followed your +precious secretary from the Bureau of Standards over to the Public +Health Office and waited for her to come out. She stayed in the +building for about an hour and brought a bundle of papers with her +when she returned. She walked toward the State, War and Navy Building +and Haggerty followed. + +"On Pennsylvania Avenue, she was stopped by two men whom Haggerty +describes as dark, swarthy, bearded Europeans of some sort. He tried +to overhear their conversation but it was in a language which he did +not recognize. He got only one word. The girl called one of them +'Denberg.'" + +"Denberg!" cried the doctor, "Why, he's one of the Young Labor crowd, +but he's in Atlanta." + +"He was, Doctor, but I telephoned Atlanta, and found that he had been +released last month. After several minutes of talk the two men and +your secretary went off together in perfect amity with Haggerty +following. The trio got into a waiting car and Haggerty trailed them +in a taxi. They drove around town rather aimlessly for some time and +then left the car and walked. Haggerty was afraid he would lose them +in the crowd so he closed in on them. He doesn't know what happened +except that he felt a sudden stab in his arm and everything went +black. He recovered in the police station twenty minutes later but the +birds had flown." + +"The devil!" cried Dr. Bird, consternation in his voice. "Of course, +it's easy to see what happened. They spotted him and a confederate +slipped a hypo into his arm. What worries me is the fact that they've +got Thelma." + + * * * * * + +"I hope they kill her," snapped Carnes vindictively. "She was never +kidnapped in broad daylight. Haggerty says she went with them quite +willingly and talked and laughed with them. She has deserted, if she +wasn't simply acting as a spy from the first. I didn't trust her at +all." + +"I hate to admit that my judgment is that rotten, Carnes, but the +evidence certainly points that way. At that, I think I'll reserve +final judgment until later. Now, in view of what you have learned, I +have a job for you." + +"It's about time, Doctor. I have been rather useless with all the +high-powered science that has been flying around here." + +"Well, you'll be in your element now. We know that Denberg is loose +and their capture of Thelma is no coincidence. I was pretty sure that +Saranoff and his gang were at the bottom of this; now I am certain. +They must have introduced something onto the marshes last night which +caused the trouble. They could not have come overland very well, for +the place is too well patrolled. Had they come by air, they would have +attracted attention, even had they used a Bird silencer on their +motor, for they couldn't muffle their propeller, especially on a +takeoff, and there are plenty of men here who would have recognized +it. You might check up on that, but I am confident that they came by +water. Launches and boats are continually passing up and down the +Chesapeake and its tributaries and one more could easily have escaped +notice. The Bush River is at the far end of the Michaelville range and +it is navigable for craft of light draft at high tide. Find out +whether any strange craft were seen in the vicinity of the proving +ground last night. If you draw a blank, go to Perryville and Havre de +Grace and see what you can find out there. I have a hunch that their +base is more likely to be up the Susquehanna than down toward the +coast. Above all, Carnes, don't approach the proving ground by water +to-night and don't get near the mouth of the Bush River." + +"All right, Doctor. What are you going to do?" + +"I'm going down on the swamp and collect samples. Oh, don't look so +worried. I know just what I am up against and I will have adequate +protection. I'll be in no danger and you would just be in the way. +Toddle along, old dear, and report to me by telephone as soon as you +have learned anything." + +"As you say, Doctor. You'll hear from me the minute I do." + + * * * * * + +When Carnes had left, Dr. Bird climbed into the waiting car and was +driven back to the hospital. Captain Murdock greeted him with a +smiling face. + +"I don't know how you got on to that treatment, Dr. Bird," he said, +"but it is doing the men good. The worst cases haven't been affected +much, one way or the other, but the progress of the malady in the mild +cases from the stables has been completely checked. I think they have +a chance now." + +"They'll be all right if the destruction and coagulation of tissue +hadn't progressed too far before you checked it, Captain. Treat them +now for simple lung cauterization and they ought to get well." + +"I have some more of those crystals dissected out, Doctor." + +"Keep them in the dark until Mr. Davis comes after them. I want to +take a few of them back to Washington for study." + +"You expect another attack to-night, Doctor?" + +"Yes, sometime after sundown." + +"What, in heaven's name, is it?" + +"Heaven has nothing to do with it, Captain; the stuff comes from the +devil's regions and it is the product of a Russian chemist, who I +sometimes believe is verily the devil himself. How it's done and what +it is, I haven't found out yet, but I am going to investigate a little +to-night. The effect is what you have seen. Are you familiar with the +various forms of oxygen?" + +"The forms of oxygen? Why, there is only one, oxygen gas. Wait a +minute though, there is another form, ozone. Are there any more?" + +"None that have been previously listed and studied, but at least one +other form exists. Those crystals are pure oxygen." + +"Impossible! Oxygen is a gas at all ordinary temperatures." + + * * * * * + +"Yes, a gas, but one whose density varies. Oxygen, to which we +chemists assign the formula O_{2}, meaning that its molecule consists +of two atoms of oxygen, has a weight of 32 grams per gram molecule. +Ozone, to which we assign the formula O_{3}, meaning that its molecule +contains three atoms of oxygen, weighs fifty per cent more or 48 grams +per gram molecule. This new form has a density less than water, but +tremendously greater than any known gas. I have not yet been able to +determine its structure, so I will have to assign to it the formula, +O_{x}, meaning an indefinite number of atoms per molecule. The only +name which suggests itself is oxyzone, a combination of oxygen and +ozone. + +"The stuff is a polymerization, or condensation, to speak roughly, of +the oxygen of the air. The oxygen takes this form which the lungs +cannot assimilate except with great difficulty and with great damage +to the tissues. The oxyzone will break down rapidly under the +influence of sunlight or of any ray whose wave-length is shorter than +indigo. As a result, it disappears as soon as the sun is up and it +will reappear after dark. That is why I suggested X-rays as a +treatment. They have a very short wave-length and will penetrate +tissues and affect the particles in the lungs themselves. Once the +material is removed from the lungs, the cauterization of the tissue +ceases and it is merely a matter of slow recovery." + +"It is a marvelous discovery, Doctor. I can foresee great uses for it +in medical science if a way can be found to produce it." + +"Just now we are much more interested in stopping its production than +in producing it. Carry on with the line of treatment I have prescribed +and be ready for a busy time to-night." + + * * * * * + +From the hospital, Dr. Bird made his way to the headquarters building +where he conferred with Colonel Wesley on the measures being taken to +clear the proving ground of all persons not strictly necessary for its +guarding. The commanding officer, when he learned Dr. Bird's plans, +wished to send guards with him, but the doctor promptly vetoed the +scheme. + +"My assistant, Mr. Davis, won't be able to fix up more than two masks +before dark, Colonel," he said, "and you would just be condemning men +to death to send them with me into that fog without proper protection. +I can see that you are anxious to know what is causing it, but I'm not +ready to tell just yet. I had given your medical officer enough +information to enable him to treat the hospital cases scientifically, +and to-morrow or the next day I hope to be able to tell you all about +it. Now, if you'll pardon me, I'm going to the laboratory to see how +Mr. Davis is getting along. It will be dark in three-quarters of an +hour and I hope that everyone will stay under cover as much as +possible." + +Davis looked up as Dr. Bird entered the laboratory. + +"I'll have the masks completed in an hour, Doctor," he said, "but I +don't know how much value they will be. If the oxygen polymerizes +before it enters the body, these masks ought to stop it, but if it +polymerizes under the influence of heat and moisture in the lungs, +they will be useless." + +"I'll have to take a chance on that, Davis. From the description of +the fog, I strongly suspect that the process takes place outside the +body. Have you had your supper?" + +"No, Doctor." + +"Neither have I. I'll go over to the officers' mess and get a bite to +eat. As soon as you have those masks done, get your supper and then +telephone me at the club. If Carnes isn't back, I may have to ask you +to drive me down toward Michaelville." + +"I'll be very glad to, Doctor." + + * * * * * + +Carnes had not returned when Davis called Dr. Bird at the officers' +club two hours later. Night had fallen and everyone on the proving +ground sat behind tightly closed windows with lights blazing on them, +wondering whether the finger of death would reach in from the swamp to +touch them. The fog had not yet made an appearance on the main post +and Dr. Bird had no fear of it when he entered his car and drove down +to pick up his assistant. + +Davis came out to meet him with a curious hood made of vitiolene and +rubber, pulled down well over his head. In his hand he carried a +second one. Dr. Bird adjusted the second mask and the two men loaded +the rear of the car with apparatus designed for collecting samples of +air. The outside of each sample cylinder was heavily coated with black +rubberine paint. At a word from the Doctor, Davis took the wheel and +drove off along the winding ribbon of concrete which led to the upper +end of the Michaelville range. + +For a mile they drove through a clear, calm night with no traces of +fog apparent. Dr. Bird's eyes continually searched the swamps on both +sides of the road. + +"Stop!" he said suddenly, his voice coming muffled through the +enveloping mask. The car stopped and the Doctor pointed to the west. +Over the swamp a few stray fingers of fog were curling up from the +water. + + * * * * * + +Leaving Davis in charge of the car, Dr. Bird donned rubber hip boots +and with a gas cylinder in his hand, splashed through the water +toward the fog. He reached the place with no difficulty and spent ten +minutes trying to collect a sample. Finally, with a muttered +exclamation, he removed his mask and inhaled deeply a dozen times. +Carrying the mask in his hand, he made his way back to the car. + +"False alarm," he said as he pulled on his mask. "It was so thin that +I couldn't get a sample so I tested it by breathing. There isn't a +trace of cough in that fog. Drive on." + +A half mile farther along the road, a curtain of fog swept in on them, +momentarily hiding the road from view. They were through the belt of +fog in a few feet and the car came to a stop. Dr. Bird sprang out, gas +cylinder in hand. He returned to the car shortly. + +"We may have what we are looking for, Davis," he said, "but I am not +at all certain. It looked very much like ordinary fog. Let's go down +to the range." + +The car drew up between the two main buildings of the Michaelville +front. The air was clear as far as they could see, but from under the +north building, a tiny wisp of fog was coming. As it came under the +glare of the three huge arc-lights which flooded the ground with +light, it grew more tenuous and gradually dissipated into nothingness. +With an exclamation of satisfaction, Dr. Bird bent down and thrust the +end of a cylinder under the building. He removed it in a moment as the +fog began to stream from the upper end. Carefully he closed the +pet-cocks of the tube and replaced it in the car. He filled a half +dozen tubes before he was satisfied. + +"I'd like to go down to the water," he said through his mask. "What +kind of a jigger do they run on that track?" + +"It's a Ford scooter, I was told. It's probably in that shed." + + * * * * * + +Half an hour later the two men were running the scooter down the four +miles of narrow gage track which separated Michaelville from the Bush +River. A few scattered patches of fog could be seen on either side of +the track, but none were of sufficient thickness to warrant much +success in sample taking. At the water front Dr. Bird looked across +the half mile wide river and grunted. + +"The tide won't be in for another three hours," he said. "Right now +there isn't over sixteen inches of water in there." + +Carnes was waiting in the well lighted laboratory when they drove up. + +"All right, Davis," said the doctor, "get busy on those samples. If +you can't make out the first two, don't crack the others but leave +them for me. Give Carnes your mask; he'll drive the rest of the night. + +"What luck, Carnesy?" he asked, as the detective, wearing Davis' mask, +drove toward the officers' club. + +"No stray plane landed or even flew over here last night so far as I +could learn. Most of the boats on the bay were either known or lent +themselves to ready identification. There were four that I couldn't +exactly place, but I think we can safely discard all but one. Some +fishermen were pulling nets on the bay about half a mile outside the +mouth of the Bush River last night. About eleven, a boat running +without lights passed them. They said that they could not hear an +engine running, but just a dull hum and the gurgle of a propeller. +They hailed it, but got no answer. It faded away into the darkness and +they think it was headed toward the mouth of the Bush River. They had +their nets up and reset in another hour but the boat didn't +reappear." + +"Hmm. High tide was at ten minutes after midnight. There was plenty of +water in the river at that hour. It sounds promising." + +"I thought of telephoning Washington and getting a Coast Guard cutter +put on patrol in the bay but I didn't like to do it without your +sanction." + +"It might have been a good idea, but on the whole it's probably better +that you didn't. Carnes, we'll go down to the water front and see +whether anything shows up to-night. High tide will be about +eleven-thirty. It's about half-past nine now. We'd better get going." + + * * * * * + +On the second drive to Michaelville, the fog patches were quite +noticeably denser than they had been earlier in the evening. Three +times the car had to pass through bands of fog which covered the road. +As they passed the second one Carnes suddenly began to cough. + +"What's the matter, old man?" cried Dr. Bird, a note of anxiety in his +voice. For a few moments Carnes could not answer for coughing. He +seized the mask to tear it from his head but Dr. Bird restrained him. +In a few minutes his voice became intelligible. + +"It seemed like that fog bit right into my lungs, Doctor," he gasped. +"I felt as if I were choking. It's better now." + +"Are you sure your mask isn't leaking, Carnes? It'll be all up with +you if it does. Test it." + +The detective closed the intake valve of the mask and expelling all of +the air from his lungs, took a deep breath. The air whistled noisily +in through the outlet valve. + +"The devil!" cried the doctor. "Take that mask off and let me look at +it." + +A few moments were enough to make the needed repairs and they drove +on. Carnes still coughed from time to time. At Michaelville, they +started the scooter and ran down the track to the river. They secreted +the scooter under the parapet on the water pent-house and walked to +the river's edge. + +"There's no telling just where they may land, Carnes," said the doctor +reflectively, "but this looks like the most likely place. I'll tell +you what we'll do. The river narrows a good deal about half a mile +east of here. You go up to the narrows and keep watch while I stay +here. If any craft passes you, follow it upstream until you find me. +If they land, handle the situation as well as you can alone. If you +hear any shooting, come as fast as you can leg it. I'll do the same." + + * * * * * + +The detective stole away into the darkness and Dr. Bird settled +himself for a long vigil. For an hour nothing broke the stillness of +the night. Suddenly the doctor was on his feet, peering downstream. A +faint purring murmur came over the water, so faint that no one with +less sensitive ears than the doctor's could have detected it. Assured +after a few minutes of listening that some kind of a craft was coming +up the river, the doctor sank back into his hiding place, an automatic +pistol firmly grasped in his long tapering fingers. + +The purr came nearer, but it was not appreciably louder. The gurgle of +water past the prow of the boat could be heard and Dr. Bird could see +a long ribbon of white on the water where the craft was passing. He +stepped from his cover and leaned forward, straining his eyes to see +the boat. It passed beyond him and continued up the river. He stepped +quickly along the river bank, trying to keep it in sight. Suddenly he +paused. The boat had turned and was coming back. Hurriedly he +returned to his hiding place. + +The boat came down the river until it was opposite the point where he +crouched, and then it turned and came in toward the shore. Dr. Bird +gripped his pistol and waited. When the craft was less than twenty +feet from shore it stopped and a guttural voice spoke. Dr. Bird +started. He had expected the language to be Russian, but it came as a +shock to him, nevertheless. He strained his ears and cursed his +inability to make out the words. Dr. Bird had been assiduously +studying Russian under the tutelage of his new secretary for some +months, but he had not yet progressed to the stage where he could +readily understand it. The gift of languages was one which the erudite +doctor did not possess. + + * * * * * + +The boat lay motionless for several minutes. Nervously the doctor +glanced at his wrist watch. He barely stifled a cry of amazement. From +the face of the luminous dial, long streamers of faintly +phosphorescent light were streaming. He whirled to meet an attack from +the rear but he was too late. Even as he turned the muzzle of a pistol +pressed into his back and a voice spoke behind him. + +"Drop that pistol, Doctor, or I'll be under the unpleasant necessity +of making a hole in you." + +Reluctantly, Dr. Bird dropped his pistol and the voice went on. + +"Really, I hardly expected to catch you by surprise, Doctor. I thought +you were clever enough to realize that our boat would be equipped with +an ultra-violet searchlight. However, even the best minds must rest +sometimes, and yours is due for a nice long rest. In fact, I might +almost prophesy that it will be a permanent rest." + +Dr. Bird shivered despite himself at the cold mercilessness of the +railing voice behind him. The accents were ones which he did not +recognize. His captor chuckled for a few moments and then called out +in Russian. The boat came into the shore and eight figures climbed +out. Two of them bore a small chest which they set down on the wharf. +One of the figures picked up the doctor's automatic and his captor +stepped in front. A flashlight gleamed for an instant and Dr. Bird +started in surprise. The men wore no masks but only a plate of glass +which protected their cheeks and eyes. Fastened to the neck of each +one, below the chin, was a long tube which gleamed like glass. They +wore heavy knapsacks strapped to their backs from which wires ran to +each end of the bars. + +"Those protectors make your enveloping head-mask look rather clumsy, +don't they, Doctor?" said his captor mockingly. "It's too bad you +didn't think of them first. It must be such a blow to your pride to +think that anyone had invented something better than yours. Really, +that mask of yours worries me. Remove it!" + + * * * * * + +At his words two of the men stepped forward and tore the doctor's mask +roughly from his head. The mocking voice went on. + +"In view of the fact that you have only a few hours of life left, Dr. +Bird, it will give me pleasure to let you know how thoroughly you have +been defeated. You may not know me by sight, although my name may not +be unfamiliar. I am Peter Denberg." + +He turned the flashlight for an instant on his own face, and Dr. Bird +gazed at him keenly. + +"I'll know you the next time I see you," he muttered, half to himself. + +"The next time you see me will be in the hereafter, if there be such a +thing," laughed the Russian. "The sweetest blow of all is now about +to fall. We expected you to be here and came prepared to capture you. +Had we not known that the arch enemy of the people would be here +to-night, we would have struck at a point miles away. Do you know who +betrayed you? It was one we placed in your laboratory for the very +purpose which she served." + +He turned on the light again and it picked out of the darkness another +face, a long oval face with startlingly red lips and dark oval eyes +which glowed as with an internal flame. As the face became visible, +the red lips drew back, exposing strong white teeth and the words were +literally spat out. + +"Swine!" she hissed. "Bourgeois! Did you think you could bribe me with +your gifts to tolerate your vileness? I have brought about your +downfall and death, Dr. Bird. I, Feodrovna Androvitch! Now will I +avenge my brother's death at your hands!" + +She sprang forward and spat full in the doctor's face. Dr. Bird fell +back for an instant under the ferocity of her attack and long nails +ripped the skin from his face. Denberg stepped forward and caught her +wrists. + +"Gently, sister," he warned. Feodrovna struggled for an instant but +gave way to the powerful muscles of the communist leader. "There is no +need for anything of that sort," he went on. "In a few moments we will +open the chest which we have and then you will enjoy the amazing +spectacle of the man who has temporarily checked the plans of our +leader a dozen times, gasping for breath like a fish out of water. +Start your protectors." + + * * * * * + +Each of the Russians closed a switch on the knapsack which he wore. +From the bars below their chins came a dull violet glow which made +their faces stand out eerily in the darkness. The flashlight was +centered on the box which Dr. Bird could see was made of lead, +soldered into a solid mass. At a word from Denberg, one of the +Russians stepped forward with a long knife in his hand and started to +cut open the box. + +With a sudden effort, Dr. Bird shook himself loose from the two men +who were holding him and sprang forward. Denberg turned to meet him +and the doctor's fist shot out like a piston rod. Full on the +Russian's chin it landed and he went down like a poled ox. Two of the +Russians closed with him but the two were no match for Dr. Bird's +enormous strength, fighting as he was for his life. He hurled one away +and swung with all of his strength at the other. His blow struck +glancingly, and while the Russian spun away under the blow, he did not +fall. A man caught at him from the rear and Dr. Bird whirled, but as +he did so, two men seized his arms from behind. Mightily the doctor +strove but others flung themselves on him. He straightened up with a +superhuman effort and then from an unexpected source came help. + +One of the men holding him gave a choking gasp and reeled sideways. +Dr. Bird felt his neck deluged with liquid and the smell of hot blood +rose sickeningly on the air. He shook himself loose again and smote +with all of his strength at his nearest opponent. His blow landed fair +but at the same instant an iron bar fell across his arm and it dropped +limp and helpless. Again a knife flashed in the darkness and a howl of +pain came from the Russian who felt it bite home. + +"We are attacked!" cried one of them. They whirled about, their +flashlights cutting paths through the thickening fog. With her back +to the crippled doctor's Feodrovna Androvitch held aloft a bloody +knife. + +Something seemed to catch Dr. Bird by the throat and shut off his +breath. From a gash which had been cut in the lead box, a heavy gray +fog was rising and enveloping everything in its deadening blanket. The +fog penetrated into the doctor's lungs and an intolerable pain, as +though hot irons were searing the tissues, tore him. He tried to +cough, but the sound could not force its way through his stiffening +lips. Darkness closed in on him and he swayed. He was dimly conscious +that the Russians were swarming about Feodrovna, knives and clubs in +their hands. Then through the night came an ear-splitting crack and a +flash of orange flame. One of the Russians toppled and fell forward, +knocking the weakened doctor down as he did so. Again came a flash and +a report, and to the doctor's fading senses came a sound of shouts and +pounding feet. Over his head another flash split the fog and then +darkness swarmed in and with a sigh of pain, Dr. Bird let his head +fall forward on his chest. + + * * * * * + +He recovered consciousness slowly and looked about him. He was in a +white bed in a strange, yet somehow familiar, place with a ray of +light of almost intolerable brilliance boring its way into his brain. +He tried to raise his hand and found himself curiously weak. With a +great effort he raised his hand until he could see it and let it fall +with a cry which came from his lips only as a feeble murmur. His hand +was thin almost to the point of emaciation. Blue veins stood out on +the back and his long, slim, mobile fingers, the fingers of an artist +and dreamer, were mere claws, with the skin drawn tight over the +bones. + +A man in a white uniform bent over him. "Drink this, Doctor," came in +soothing tones. + +He was too weak to protest and he managed to sip the drink through a +glass tube. Slowly he felt himself sinking through vast unexplored +reaches of darkness. + +How long he lay there he did not know but when he again opened his +eyes the light was no longer over him. He strove to speak and a husky +whisper came from his lips. A tall woman in white hastened forward and +bent over him. + +"Where am I?" he asked with difficulty. + +"You're in the hospital at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Doctor," said the +nurse. "Everything is all right and you're doing splendidly. Just +don't excite yourself and you'll get well in no time. Captain Murdock +will be here in a few minutes." + +"How long have I been here?" he asked. + +"Oh, quite a while, Doctor. Now don't ask any more questions. You must +rest and get well and strong, you know." + +Strength seemed to be surging slowly back into the doctor's wasted +frame. His voice came clearer and stronger. + +"How long have I been here?" he demanded. + + * * * * * + +The nurse hesitated, but her face suddenly cleared as Captain Murdock +entered the ward. + +"Oh, Captain," she cried, "come here and take care of your patient. He +won't keep quiet." + +"Out of his head again?" asked Captain Murdock as he hastened forward. + +"No more than you are," came in a husky whisper from Dr. Bird's lips. + +Captain Murdock looked quickly down and smiled in relief. "You'll +live, Dr. Bird," he said. "Just take it easy for a few days and then +you can talk all you want to." + +"I'll talk now," came in stronger tones from the doctor's lips. "How +long have I been here?" + +Captain Murdock hesitated, but a glance at the doctor's flushed face +warned him that it was better to give in than to fight him. + +"You were brought in here two weeks ago yesterday," he said. "It was +touch and go for a while, and, but for the treatment you devised, you +would have been a goner. We fed you X-rays until I was afraid we would +burn you up, but they did the business. It will cheer you up to learn +that every man who got your treatment is either well or on the high +road to recovery." + +"The plague?" asked the doctor faintly. + +"Oh, that's all over, thanks to you. It reached the post that night +but under the influence of the daylight blue bulbs you had installed, +it lost most of its virulence. We had a lot of sore throats in the +morning but there wasn't a man dangerously sick. It all faded when the +sun hit it." + +An orderly entered and spoke in an undertone to Captain Murdock. The +surgeon hesitated for a moment, his eyes on Dr. Bird, and then nodded. + +"Bring him in," he said quietly. + + * * * * * + +A small, unobtrusively dressed man entered the room and stepped to the +bedside. Dr. Bird's face lighted up in one of its rare smiles and he +strove to raise his hand in greeting. + +"Carnesy, old dear, I'm glad to see you got out all right," he +whispered. "I was afraid your mask wouldn't hold up after the trouble +you had with it. Tell me what happened that night." + +Carnes glanced at Captain Murdock, who nodded. + +"I went down to the narrows and watched, Doctor, and when the Russian +boat passed, I started to make my way back to you. The tide had come +in and I had to make quite a detour to get to you. I got there a +little later than I liked but still in time to do some good. You were +down and Miss Andrews was standing over you with a bloody knife in her +hand, fighting like a wildcat. I started shooting and ran in yelling +as loud as I could. I managed to plug three of them and I guess they +thought I was a dozen men. I tried to make enough noise for that many. +The rest took to their heels and Miss Andrews and I rigged one of +their protectors over your face and dragged you to the scooter. The +rest was plain sailing. We brought you in and Captain Murdock did the +rest. That's all there was to it. If I hadn't been so slow, I could +have driven them off before they opened that box and saved you all of +this." + +"Thelma?" asked the doctor faintly. + +"Oh, she's none the worse, Doctor. I want to apologize to you for the +poor opinion I had of your judgment. That girl wasn't recognized; she +recognized Denberg on the streets of Washington and deliberately put +her head into the lion's mouth by declaring herself. She got their +whole plan and went along to try to checkmate them. If she hadn't +started knifing when she did, the devils meant to hold your head +directly over that box and it would have been just too bad." + +"What was in the box?" + + * * * * * + +"She found that out. It was some kind of a microbe that Saranoff +developed in a Belgian laboratory which does something to the oxygen +of the air. You'll have to get Dr. Burgess to explain that to you +later; he has some of the bugs shut up for you to play with when you +get back on the job. When we found that you were knocked out, Davis +got him to come down from Washington to take charge. He has been +running ray machines over the swamps for two weeks and says that every +trace of the bugs are gone except those he has in the laboratory." + +"Saranoff has more." + +"No, he hasn't, thanks to Miss Andrews. Every day they started a fresh +colony, leaving one lot back to start the next brood with. She tipped +us off where they were kept and Bolton and Haggerty raided and got the +lot and turned them over to Dr. Burgess." + +"That's enough for to-day, Mr. Carnes," interrupted Captain Murdock. +"You can see Dr. Bird to-morrow, but he has had enough excitement for +to-day." + +As Carnes took his leave, the nurse spoke to Captain Murdock. He +looked carefully at Dr. Bird and nodded. + +"For one minute. No longer!" he said. + +The nurse stepped to the door. Into the room came a slim young woman +of remarkable beauty, her eyes glowing as with an internal light. Her +parting lips of startling redness showed strong white teeth. Her eyes +grew misty as she leaned over the doctor's bed. Dr. Bird blinked for a +moment and his face grew stern. + +"Miss Andrews," he said in a husky whisper, "Mr. Carnes has told me +what you did. In my service, success does not excuse disobedience. I +thank you for your services which may have saved my life and which may +have put me in worse danger. In any event, please remember two things. +Unless you can learn to entirely suppress your emotions and learn that +I will tolerate nothing but implicit obedience, your usefulness to me +will be at an end and I will no longer need you." + +The happiness faded from the girl's face as if by magic and an +expression of absolute immobility took its place. Her eyes looked as +though a curtain had been drawn over them. + +"Yes, Doctor," she said in a toneless voice as she turned and left the +room. + + * * * * * + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Poisoned Air, by Sterner St. Paul Meek + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POISONED AIR *** + +***** This file should be named 29069.txt or 29069.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/0/6/29069/ + +Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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