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| author | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-01-26 16:21:11 -0800 |
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| committer | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-01-26 16:21:11 -0800 |
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diff --git a/75218-h/75218-h.htm b/75218-h/75218-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0f19fd3 --- /dev/null +++ b/75218-h/75218-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4312 @@ +<!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=utf-8" /> + <title> + Secret of the Earth Star | Project Gutenberg + </title> + + <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg"/> + <style type="text/css"> + body { margin-left:8%;margin-right:10%; } + .it { font-style:italic; } + .bold { font-weight:bold; } + + .summary { + margin-top:1em; + margin-bottom:1em; + padding-left:1.5em; + padding-right:1.5em; + text-indent:0em; + text-align-last:center; + text-align:center; + } + .summary .pindent { + text-indent:0; + text-align-last:center; + } + p { text-indent:0; margin-top:0.5em; margin-bottom:0.5em; + text-align: justify; } + div.lgc { } + div.lgl { } + div.lgc p { text-align:center; text-indent:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; } + div.lgl p { text-indent: -17px; margin-left:17px; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; } + div.lgp { } + + div.lgp p { + text-align:left; text-indent:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; + } + + .poetry-container { + display:block; text-align:left; margin-left:2em; + } + + .stanza-inner { + display:inline-block; + } + + .stanza-outer { + page-break-inside: avoid; + } + + .stanza-inner .line0 { + display:inline-block; + } + .stanza-outer .line0 { + display:block; + } + + h1 { + text-align:center; + font-weight:normal; + page-break-before: always; + font-size:1.2em; margin:2em auto 1em auto + } + + .sub-head { font-size: smaller; } + hr.tbk { border:none; border-bottom:1px solid black; width:30%; margin-left:35%; margin-right:35%; } + hr.pbk { border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:100%; margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:2em } + .figcenter { + text-align:center; + margin:1em auto; + page-break-inside: avoid; + } + + p.caption { text-align:center; margin:0 auto; width:100%; } + p.credit { text-align:right; margin:0 auto; width: 100%; } + + p.line { text-indent:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; } + div.lgp p.line0 { text-indent:-3em; margin:0 auto 0 3em; } + .pindent { margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-indent:1.5em; } + .noindent { margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; text-indent:0; } + .hang { padding-left:1.5em; text-indent:-1.5em; } + </style> + <style type="text/css"> + .poetry-container { margin-top:.5em; margin-bottom:.5em } + .literal-container { margin-top:.5em; margin-bottom:.5em } + div.lgc { margin-top:.5em; margin-bottom:.5em } + p { margin-top:0em; margin-bottom:0em; } + .caption { font-family: sans-serif; } + </style> + </head> + <body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75218 ***</div> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/img-1.jpg' alt='' /> +<p class='caption'>The jewel glowed and death leaped from the gun</p> +</div> + +<hr class='pbk'/> + +<div class='lgc' style=''> <!-- rend=';' --> +<p class='line' style='font-size:3em;'>Secret of the EARTH STAR</p> +<p class='line'> </p> +<p class='line'>By</p> +<p class='line'><span style='font-size:x-large'>HENRY KUTTNER</span></p> +<p class='line'> </p> +<p class='line'>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> + Amazing Stories August 1942.<br /> + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br /> + the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] +</p> +</div> <!-- end rend --> + +<div class='summary'> +<p class='pindent'><span class='it'>The theft of the Earth Star blazed a trail +of death to a weird city under the Sahara.</span></p> +</div> + +<div><h1>CHAPTER I</h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>Despite the blazing heat of the +hot Indian night, this air-conditioned +room in the palace was +cool and comfortable. It was a bit too +luxurious for a business office; otherwise, +it might have been any New York +suite. Three men sat at a small glass-topped +table, on which stood a Gladstone +bag.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They rose as two Indians entered, +bowing respectfully to the Rajah. The +latter was a small, weak-faced man with +a straggling moustache and lips too +large and red for his sallow face. He +barely acknowledged the greetings, his +gaze riveted on the leather bag.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You have the Earth Star?” he +asked.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yes,” said one of the three Europeans. +He opened the bag, unlocked a +metal case built into it, and withdrew +a jewel-case. This he opened and placed +flat on the table.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Rajah’s mouth went dry. He +could not repress a little shiver. “The +Earth Star . . .” he whispered.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>On black velvet the great gem flamed. +It was lens-shaped and supernally lovely, +with rays of living light flaming out +from its heart. The colors latent within +it changed and shifted under the soft +illumination. It was like a diamond—yet +no diamond had ever possessed the +wonder of the Earth Star.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Rajah’s secretary breathed deeply. +“Carbon,” he murmured. “A tree-fern +some million years ago—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One of the Europeans interrupted, +though he did not look away from the +jewel. “A little more than that, sir. It +took unusual pressure to make the Earth +Star. It came from the new cavern +mines under the Atlantic, you know, +when they were taking cores to test +from immense depths. A tree-fern made +the Earth Star—but that fern was +somehow buried deeper than man has +ever thought possible. It’s immensely +harder than diamond, though it’s carbon, +of course. And the only one in existence—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Rajah said softly, “There is an +Earth Star in the crown of your ruler.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A subdued smile went the rounds of +the group. “So there is, and an excellent +imitation, too. I repeat: you will +be the owner of the only Earth Star in +existence.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Rajah placed his slim hand, glittering +with invaluable jeweled rings, flat +on the table-top. “Then it is a bargain. +My secretary will give you a +check.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Abruptly the moonlight was blotted +out. The figure of a man seemed to +rush out of the night, leaping in through +the open window to land lightly on the +deep carpet. And that window overlooked +a sheer abyss, reaching down to +the river gorge far below.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The sudden movements of the Europeans, +and the quick gesture of the Rajah’s +secretary, were arrested at sight +of an oddly shaped pistol in a gloved +hand. The intruder stood motionless, +one hand gripping a light metal ladder +that extended up through the window +and out of sight. He wore ordinary flying +togs, but his face was hidden by +a black silk mask.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Don’t move,” he said, in a low voice +that was obviously disguised. “No—don’t +do that!” The pistol jerked +slightly; otherwise there was no indication +that the trigger had been pulled. +But one of the Europeans cursed softly +as his arm dropped to his side, paralyzed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“A neurogun,” the masked man observed +pleasantly. “It <span class='it'>can</span> kill, you +know. . . . I’ll thank you not to move. +Now—” He hooked the flexible ladder +across a chair and moved warily to the +table. “The Earth Star, eh?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Don’t be a fool,” the secretary said. +“You can’t hope to sell that. It’s +unique.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The intruder did not answer, but his +quizzical gaze was amused. The tallest +of the Europeans snarled, “Sell it? +Jackass—haven’t you ever heard of the +Merlin?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>As he spoke, his foot moved slightly +toward the chair to which the ladder +was attached. He froze as the Merlin +turned toward him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You recognize me?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’ve heard of you.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Good!” The Merlin’s voice was +suddenly sharp. “Then listen! I have +ways of finding out what I want to +know. I discovered that certain powers +ruling your country had decided to sell +the Earth Star to our friend the Rajah. +The price I don’t know, but it must be +fabulous. If that money were to go to +needed purposes, I’d not have come here +tonight.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The tall European kicked the chair +gently. The metal ladder slipped off, +slid across the carpet, and vanished out +the window. The Merlin apparently did +not notice, though his retreat was now +cut off.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>He went on: “But the money is to +be used for armaments. And you +gentlemen, and those behind you, are +trying to foment a new war. As for +you—” He glanced at the Rajah. “You +are a degenerate moron. <span class='it'>Don’t move!</span> +It’s probably the first time you’ve ever +heard the truth, but you’re going to hear +it now. You’re the wealthiest man in +the Orient, and you inherited your fortune, +as well as your powers. You won’t +buy the Earth Star out of your own +treasury, though. It’ll mean taxes for +your people, who are starving already. +Another reason why I’m here.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Merlin glanced down. “This bit +of carbon is causing trouble, I think. +So I’ll take it along. The imitation that +was made to replace it won’t interest the +Rajah. So—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He slipped the jewel in his pocket and +moved back toward the window. The +others watched him narrowly. The Merlin +apparently did not notice the absence +of his metal ladder.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The gun was still steady in one hand, +but in the other he now held an object +like a small flashlight. “You may be +interested in knowing how I evaded +your guards and alarms. I came in a +gyroship.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But—my motor-killing rays—” The +Rajah’s eyes were wide.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“They extend up only 300 feet. I +hovered well above that point and came +down a ladder. And here it is.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The ladder swung in from the darkness. +The Merlin’s voice was amused +as he slipped the “flashlight” into his +flying suit.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“A clever trick—but I have a very +powerful magnet. I’ll leave you, gentlemen—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>For an instant his attention was distracted +as he put one foot on the window-sill. +Simultaneously the tallest +European acted. With a deep-voiced +oath he sprang forward, seized the Merlin, +and clamped one hand over the outlaw’s +gun-wrist.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Hold him!” the secretary shrilled. +He dived for an alarm buzzer. The +other Europeans closed in.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Merlin fought in silence. His +opponent was trying to drag him back +into the room—and that would be fatal. +The outlaw dropped his weapon and +gripped the ladder, with both hands +now.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He pulled himself up, putting all his +weight on his arms. Inevitably the +European was lifted too. Overbalanced, +the two went arcing into the night as +clutching fingers missed their mark by +a fraction.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Shoot!” the Rajah screamed. “Shoot +him!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Guns blazed from the window. Dim +in the moonlight two figures were struggling +on a frail metal ladder, suspended +above nothingness. A scrap of cloth +went fluttering down.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“His mask—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Out of the dark came a voice, sharp +and clear.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“<span class='it'>Martell!</span>”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It rose in a scream. One of the figures +went plunging down.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The secretary was at the window, a +flashlight in his hand. He focused the +beam on the quarry, a man in flying togs +who kept his face turned from the light. +Now other rays shot out from the roof, +bathing the Merlin in merciless brilliance. +A shot cracked sharply.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“They’ll get him,” the Rajah said. +“I’ve sub-machine guns on the roof.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Merlin’s hand lifted, fumbled +over the ladder. And—suddenly—he +was gone! Ladder and outlaw vanished!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Rajah stared in blank amazement. +“How—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Automatic winding device in his +plane. It just wound him up.” The +European who spoke looked at his +empty gun. “Better get your planes +after him.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At a nod from the Rajah the secretary +hurried from the room. “We’ll +get him,” royalty remarked.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“No, you won’t. The Merlin’s got +a fast plane. He’s pulled off these things +before. But this time—well, he lost +his mask.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Did you recognize him?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Stone did, before he fell. He +screamed a name. Remember? Martell.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“A common name,” the Rajah +frowned.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Stone and I worked closely together. +He knew no Martells. He recognized +the name and the face from elsewhere. +Newsreels—newspapers—everybody +knows Seth Martell and his sons. I’ll +get in touch with my government immediately. +May I use your televisor?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yes. Recover the Earth Star, and +I’ll buy it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That,” said the European grimly, +“is a bargain.”</p> + +<div><h1>CHAPTER II<br/> <span class='sub-head'>Escape</span></h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>Seth Martell’s craggy, strong +face was set in harsh lines as he sat +staring at a folded paper on his desk. +Sunlight came warmly through the windows +of the penthouse apartment above +New York, silvering Martell’s iron-gray +hair and clipped moustache. He looked +hard as nails—till he lifted his lids and +gazed at the three young men before +him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Seth Martell was one of the biggest +men in America. Connected with the +military, high up in the government, his +honesty had never been questioned, nor +his devotion to his country. Always he +had been unswerving in serving his own +ideals, no matter what self-sacrifice it +entailed. Now—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now there was pain in his gray eyes.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He looked at his three sons and hesitated, +tapping the folded document +with stubby, calloused fingers.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>None of the three spoke.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Martell reached for a buzzer, and +then drew back his hand. He looked at +the tallest of the three.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Tony. Are you the Merlin?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony—a dark, lean young man, with +very keen black eyes and a thin eager +face—cocked up a quizzical eyebrow. +“I, sir? The—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Martell’s restraint failed for an instant +as he snapped, “Answer me!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony sobered. “No, sir,” he said +quietly. “I’m not.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Phil.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The second youth, blond and stocky, +took a stubby pipe out of his mouth.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“No, sir.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Jimmy.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The third of the trio looked somewhat +like Tony, though a less matured +man. The eagerness in Tony’s face was +enthusiasm in Jimmy’s, boyish and +pleasant. He shot a quick glance at the +others, hesitated, and finally said, with +a little frown, “I’m not the Merlin, sir.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Martell sighed. “All right. Go in the +sun-room and wait, boys. The investigators +will be in presently.” He sat +steadily regarding his nails till his sons +had departed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony left them at the door. “Be with +you directly,” he murmured, and hurried +off along the corridor. The others +went into the room, and ten minutes +later the oldest of the three came in, his +face blandly impassive. He went to the +window and stood staring out over the +skyscrapers of New York, waiting on +the verge of the 21st century. He began +to whistle ruminatively.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Seth insisted on interviewing us before +the detecs. Good of him.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Young Jimmy, nervously lighting a +cigarette, nodded. “Damn good. But +all this. . . . I don’t understand it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil’s serious eyes were questioning. +“Are you sure? There’s no doubt the +authorities think one of us is a crook. +I wonder—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was a little silence. Finally +Jimmy asked, “Who is this Merlin, anyway?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Cleverest crook in the world,” said +Tony, turning. “At least, he’s been +kicking around for two years. That +means a lot these days. He’s pretty +much of a Robin Hood. Only kills in +self-defense—and never for personal +profit.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil broke in, “Plenty of criminals +have evaded capture for years, but +they’re the small fry. Not important +enough to attract attention. But the +Merlin—everyone thinks he’s had years +of experience. Remember when Janison +died? The governor? The Merlin +killed him, and nobody knew why +till they found out Janison was one of +the biggest political racketeers in the +country. He’s a Robin Hood of sorts, +but the law won’t stand for Robin +Hoods.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And,” said Tony sardonically, “one +of us is the Merlin. So they say.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil grinned. “Which one?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Oh, they’ll find out. They’ll chart +our psychology—our character patterns—and +check it with the analysis of the +Merlin’s activities. Their lie-detectors +will tell them which one of us is the +Merlin. That’s positive identification, +you know.”</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy crushed out his cigarette, +lips working. He swung suddenly +on the others.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You’re damn flippant about it! +What if it’s true? What if one of us +<span class='it'>is</span> this crook—d’you know what that’ll +mean to Seth? His son shown to the +world as a thief and a murderer. Seth +will stick by us; I know that. But I +know what his honor means to him. He +got that silver plate in his skull because +he thought more of honor than his life. +And now—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Shut up, Jimmy,” Phil said quietly. +“We know all that. But what can we +do about it?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony murmured, “Our youngest +brother is about to suggest that the +Merlin confess. A touching sentiment. +Headlines all over the world announcing +the news. Seth resigning all his +offices immediately—he’d do that. +Everyone knowing that a son of Seth +Martell was—the Merlin.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil said, “The Merlin might . . . +disappear.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“He’d have to disappear for good. +Suppose I’m the lad, Philip, and suppose +I disappear. A signed confession +would be just as effective. The moment +I disappear, it proves I’m the Merlin. +No one has ever watched us. As Seth’s +sons, we’re above the routine character-checks. +We reported to Seth once a +month. Otherwise we were free, all of +us, with plenty of time to do as we +pleased. Including brigandage!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil grunted. “Anyway, people can’t +simply drop out of sight in this day and +age. Not with television, specialized +wireless, telephotography, and so forth. +Where the devil could a man hide for +years?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“In the Foreign Legion,” Tony said, +and waited. His gaze searched the faces +of the other two.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Surprise, astonishment, and incredulity +showed. And vanished. Into Phil’s +eyes came a look of dogged grimness. +And Jimmy’s face showed—excitement.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The Legion?” he asked.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yeah. No extradition. Since 1960, +when the company started. No government +has a hand in the Legion. They +rent its services from the company, just +as the Hessian dukes used to sell their +soldiers to fight for other countries. +When there’s a job to be done too dirty +for anyone else, they ask the Legion—and +waive extradition. The Polar fortresses. +The Sub-Sahara. The Canal +Patrols on Mars. Dangerous space-lane +patrols. It isn’t like the ancient French +Legion. This one’s privately owned, +and, once you get in, nothing on Earth +or Mars can touch you. As long as +you’re in the Legion. Men don’t live +long in it, as a rule.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Cheerful thought,” Phil grunted, +puffing at his pipe. “By the way, which +of us <span class='it'>is</span> the Merlin?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony smiled. “I’m the guy, lads. +And that’s what I’ve been building up +to. I’m going to drop out of sight. +Head for the Legion. And—well, I +wanted you two to know about it. I +can’t tell Seth, of course. But—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’ll be damned,” Phil said in blank +amazement. “You’ve got the Earth +Star?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That’s right.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Odd. I happen to have it myself. In +a hollow tooth.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You’re both crazy,” said Jimmy. +“I’ve got it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony shook his head. “It’s no use. +There’s no point in the three of us going +into the Legion. One’s enough. +So—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil said, “Wait a minute. Suppose +all three of us disappear? Nobody’d +press a charge against three men, when +obviously two were innocent. I happen +to have the jewel myself—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yeah,” Tony grunted. “But slow +down. You’re both going off the deep-end. +I’m leaving now. Heading for the +Legion, and you’re both staying here.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy said, “We’ll meet you there.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The argument kept on—with no result. +Jimmy and Phil were adamant. +Each one insisted he had the stolen gem. +And, if they didn’t accompany Tony, +they’d simply go after him on their own +hook. “So we’d better stick together,” +Phil said at last. “We’ll have a better +chance that way.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s lips were compressed. “You +crazy fools! You’d do it, too . . . well, +stay here. I’m going after an amphiplane.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What if the investigators get here +first?” Phil asked.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Stall ’em. And keep your eye on +that window.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy was chewing his lip. “How +do you expect to get out? If there are +guards—”</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s grin flashed. “You’ll find +out.” He turned to the door—and +was gone, apparently unruffled. But as +he hurried along the passage there was +a gnawing uneasiness in his mind. +Guards would no doubt be watching to +prevent just such an attempt at escape +as this. Only blind luck could help now.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He went into the big, gleaming +kitchen, a bare room with murals on its +walls. Every appliance had been built-in, +so that stove, tables, and so forth, +could be swung out from their cubbyholes +by the pressure of a button. The +room was empty.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s sharp eyes flickered about, +resting at last on a panel near by. He +went to it, swung it open, and revealed +a black hole beyond. The dumbwaiter. +A glance upward informed him that the +little car was below, though how far he +did not know. Deftly Tony swung his +legs through the hole and seized the +ropes in strong fingers.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He closed the panel behind him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It wasn’t entirely dark. A diffused +pale glow filtered down from above, and +gently, carefully, Tony let himself slip +toward the shaft’s bottom. It was a +long chance. Unless he found footing +on the dumbwaiter car soon, his fingers +would inevitably lose their cramped +grip. For this was a penthouse apartment +in a skyscraper.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Down he went into the shaft. Skin +scraped from his hands. It grew +darker, and below him was only unfathomable +blackness. Tony hooked +his legs about the rope and rested for +a few moments, though he dared not +delay long. Time was vitally important.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then down he went again. He was in +pitch darkness now, every muscle +strained and beginning to ache. His +hands stung painfully. His shoulders +were throbbing.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s feet thumped softly upon the +peaked top of the car.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Gasping with relief, he relaxed, keeping +the ropes wound about his wrist so +that his weight would not carry the car +to the bottom too suddenly. But a moment +later he was plummeting down, +occasionally checking his speed when +caution grew stronger than the imperative +need for haste. Up in the penthouse +Jimmy and Phil were waiting, +perhaps being questioned even now by +the investigators. And Seth—unseen in +the darkness, Tony’s face grew grim. +Seth was suffering. The old man’s devotion +to his ideals, to humanity was +pitted against his genuine love for his +three step-sons. And one of those three +was the Merlin.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Finally the car thumped against the +bottom of the shaft. A little crack of +light indicated the panel opening into +the porter’s cellar. Tony used his +knife-blade to open it, easing the door +outward little by little till he discovered +that the room was vacant.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The rest was surprisingly easy. A +pair of overalls and a cap in a closet +made a satisfactory disguise, and, carrying +a can of rubbish, Tony walked +blandly past the service man posted on +guard outside. He deposited his burden +on the sidewalk, and without a +pause began to hurry toward the corner. +A hail stopped him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You, there! Wait a minute!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony turned. The guard was following +him, gaze probing. A thick finger +thrust out suspiciously.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Where’re you going?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The street was almost empty. Tony +didn’t wait for the guard. He hastened +toward him, arms hanging loosely at his +side—until the last moment. Then, as +recognition came into the man’s eyes +and as his hand dived into a pocket, +Tony brought up his fist in a vicious +uppercut. The blow was delivered at +such close quarters that it went unobserved +by passers-by. The dull +thwack of bone against bone was the +only sound. Tony caught the guard +as he fell, pulled him swiftly back into +the cellar, and left him there. The man +was out for the count.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>There were no other guards. +Tony’s progress was not halted +again. He reached his destination, secured +a small, swift amphiplane, +equipped with gyros, and lifted it +through the port in the roof. Luckily, +he had plenty of money in his pocket—enough +to buy the plane instead of renting +it, had he desired to do so. But, +like most ships of this type, the instrument +board was fitted with a “homing +pigeon” device, by which the plane +could be set to return to its garage along +a radio beam whenever desired.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s fingers flickered over the controls. +The ship was a honey—small and +swift, built like a thick cigar, with retractable +wings and props. He swung +up in a wide arc that presently brought +him directly over the penthouse that +was his goal.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Briefly he wondered what had happened +there, and whether Phil and Jimmy +were still waiting. Well—fast work +was vital now. The investigators were +already on guard. Sight of an approaching +plane would warn them of trouble. +Tony checked his controls, took a few +deep breaths—and dropped faster than +was safe. The wind shrieked up into a +high-pitched whine past the ship, almost +beyond the threshold of hearing.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The skyscraper leaped toward him +like a driving lance. Its top seemed +about to impale him. But the controls +had been expertly set, and the craft fled +down safely to one side, stopping with +a bone-wrenching jolt as the automatics +took hold. Tony fought back giddiness +and stared out through swimming +eyes. His blurred vision focused. Too +far to the left—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He slid the ship forward. This was +the window. Inside, he could see Phil’s +broad back, and one hand extended in +a sign of warning. So the investigators +had already arrived. But where was +Jimmy? Tony couldn’t be sure.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A voice he didn’t recognize was talking. +One of the investigators . . .</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, we’ll find him. And the lie-detectors +will give us the information +we want. Trying to frame Seth Martell +is the dirtiest thing the Merlin ever +did.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy said, “You’re nuts.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yeah? One of our men saw it. The +Merlin was opening Martell’s safe—trying +to put the Earth Star in it and +throw the blame on Martell. But he +didn’t have time. Our man was too +close, and the Merlin had to scram in +a hurry. Now—which one of you was +it?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s eyebrows lifted. A new element +had entered into the affair. Trying +to throw the blame on Seth—yeah, +that <span class='it'>was</span> a hell of a lousy trick. So—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony whistled softly, and saw Phil +jerk aside, crying out something. A +slim form came hurtling toward the window. +Tony got a glimpse of Jimmy’s +pale young face; then the boy was hurtling +out into space, almost overshooting +the mark in his eagerness. Tony +seized his arm and pulled him back as +he swayed on the ship’s edge. The craft +dipped slightly under the additional +weight, and then lifted again as compensatory +stabilizers went into action.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>From within the room came a crash, +and a sharp cry of pain. Phil appeared, +his face stolid and expressionless. +He jumped, landing accurately, +and immediately whirled. In his hand, +Tony saw, was a bronze figurine he had +snatched up from a table.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Run for it!” he snapped. There +were faces in the window. A gun +snarled viciously. Phil hurled the figurine +with deadly aim, shattering the +glass above the group, and the investigators +dodged back as shards and splinters +showered them. Almost immediately +they were back—but Tony’s +hands had found the controls.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The ship fled up. As it fled it curved +southward, till far below could be seen +the shining waters of Long Island +Sound.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy said tautly, “They’re coming +after us. I can see planes—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil touched a lever. The upper +framework of the plane was instantly +sheathed with transparent walls, making +it more than ever resemble a fat, +shining cigar.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony sent the craft rocketing down. +Almost at the surface of the water, he +pulled out into a glide, swooping almost +without a splash into the Sound. The +light was blotted out by green translucence +that grew darker as the ship +slanted into the depths.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Not too deep,” Phil suggested. “The +hull won’t stand a crack-up.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony didn’t answer. He was fingering +the controls, trying to get every possible +bit of speed out of the ship before +the pursuers located it with their search-rays. +If they could reach the outer Atlantic, +they’d be safe—barring accident. +But they were not safe in the Sound.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Abruptly the water ahead sizzled and +bubbled with heat. An aerial torpedo +had been launched. Tony shot up and +then almost immediately dived again, +shifting sharply to the left. Before +his companions could get their breath, +the ship was rushing back along the +way it had came, retracing its path. +Jimmy said sharply, “What the hell—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil’s fingers dug into the youngster’s +arm. “Good idea, Tony.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The latter nodded. “Maybe. We’ll +dig in at the mouth of the Hudson. +They’ll never look for us there. Then +tonight we can slip out, take the air +again—and head for the Company.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy said, “Once we’re there, we’re +safe. There’s no extradition from the +Legion, eh?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Only to Hell,” Tony remarked, +grinning.</p> + +<div><h1>CHAPTER III<br/> <span class='sub-head'>Legion of the Lost</span></h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>“So,” said the fat little man with +the shaved head, “so you want to +join the Legion. Eh?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony looked him over. The dingy +office in the outskirts of the North +African city was unimpressive. But, +somehow, the little man was not. He +wore dirty white tropical linens, his face +glistened with sweat, but to the three +brothers he represented fate. On his +decision their destiny would depend.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yeah,” Tony said. “We want to +join. Well?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The little man smiled, tapping pudgy +fingers on the crowded desk. “Well. +Let’s see. You passed the physical examination. +Your names are—Anthony. +Phillips. Jameson.” The pale blue +eyes sparkled maliciously. “Better remember +’em. Sometimes it’s hard at +first, but you’ll get used to them. I’m +sure I don’t know why everyone who +enters the Legion changes his name. +There’s no extradition. However . . . +You are joining for a term of five years. +If you wish to leave before then, you +can buy your freedom if you have the +money. If you have not, you must +serve your term.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You may try to escape. You may +succeed. You may fail, and in that case +will be assigned to the guards in the +uranium pits of Mars. No one has ever +escaped from there. It is not advisable—” +The blue eyes were hard as steel +now. “It is scarcely wise to attempt +escape. Aside from all else, when you +leave us, you are no longer under the +Company’s protection.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He passed a plump hand over his +shining head. “Anything more?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony glanced at his brothers and +shook his head. “Not a thing. What +happens next?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The Sub-Sahara post needs men. +It’s an easy job for recruits, keeping +the Copts in check and seeing they +don’t go outside raiding. Here!” A +buzzer rang, and soon a man entered, +clad in the dull gray uniform of the +Legion. He saluted casually.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Sir.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Captain Brady,” said the fat little +man, “these three are assigned to Sub-Sahara. +Rookies. Anthony, Phillips, +Jameson. Break ’em in.” He immediately +became engrossed in the papers +piled high on his desk.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony looked at the officer with interest. +He saw a spare figure, and a +worn, tired face, deeply lined, with +sunken eyes and a clipped moustache. +An adventurer gone to seed, he thought—grown +tired.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Brady said, “Come along,” and led +the way out of the room. They emerged +in blazing white sunlight. A helicopter +stood a few rods away, and the captain +gestured toward it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“<span class='it'>’ntre.</span> We’ll fly, and talk as we go. +Discipline needn’t begin till we reach +Sub-Sahara, so if you’ve any questions—I’m +at your service.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He pointed toward the plane, and +followed the brothers into it. With +quick, familiar motions he lifted the +craft into the air and sent it winging +southward.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’ll stop at Azouad. That’s an oasis +on the way. You can get smokes and +equipment there—personal stuff you +may want. That is—if you have any +money.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s eyes narrowed, but he merely +said, “We’ve a little.” He shifted on +the worn leather seat, glancing aside at +Captain Brady. The man’s haggard +face was immobile, the eyes mere slits +as he squinted into the flaming sunlight.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>From the rear of the plane came Jimmy’s +voice. “Just what is Sub-Sahara?”</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>Brady’s voice went dull with routine. +“Well—twenty years or more +ago a labyrinth of caverns was discovered +under the Sahara. It was inhabited +by survivors of prehistoric Egyptians—Copts. +They were trapped underground +in some ancient catastrophe, +and got along there, gradually growing +accustomed to their environment. Matter +of fact—there was a sort of colony +in the old pre-dynastic days down there. +The Copts worked mines, and there was +a—well, a city of miners under the Sahara. +When the entrance was blocked, +the miners couldn’t get out—so they +stayed there.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What about food?” Jimmy asked. +“And oxygen?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“There’s a lot about that Copt tribe +we don’t know. Food—well, fish and +mushrooms are staples. The Midnight +Sea lies under the Sahara. Ages ago +the water in it made the desert itself a +sea, but it drained underground at last. +As for oxygen, there must have been +outlets before we blasted some, though +they’ve never been discovered. Possibly +through river caves that drain into +the sea.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Captain Brady rubbed his eyes with +the back of one mahogany hand. “A lot +we don’t know about the Copts. Savage, +ferocious—but marvelous miners. +The Legion’s posted there to keep order. +Prevent raids on the surface tribes. The +Copts worship Isis, or the Moon—I +dunno which. Probably they’re the +same. Keep clear of them unless you’re +armed; don’t monkey with their religion; +and don’t enter any passages engraved +with the emblems of the Moon +and the sistrum.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Why not?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Religion, youngster. No white man +has ever seen the Ka’aba—the Black +Stone—at Mecca. It’s sacred to the +Moslem, just as the Alu—the group of +deepest caverns—are sacred to the +Copts. They say Amon-Ra is down +there.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy’s eyebrows lifted. “Amon-Ra? +The ancient Egyptian god?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Right. ‘The Hidden Light.’ We +have a sort of armed truce with the +Copts, provided we don’t interfere too +much. When they get out of line, we +whip them back. Figuratively, of +course.” Brady’s hand touched the +buttoned holster at his thigh.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What did you say the sacred caves +were called?” Phil asked suddenly.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Alu.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What does it mean?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The Land of Light.” Brady looked +around. His face was alight with interest. +“Have you studied Egyptology?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“No—afraid not.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The captain’s eyes lost their glow. +“Um. Bit of a hobby of mine. Land +of Light—Hidden Light—Isis, the +Moon goddess—I’ve always wondered +what exists in Alu. Never found out. +Never expect to. But I shouldn’t be +surprised if there’s the wreckage of a +civilization down there.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He chuckled. “Not that the commander +agrees with me—Commander +Desquer, you’ll be under him. But he +can’t tell me how the Pyramids were +built, or the explanation of so many +mysteries of Egypt. In my opinion, +space travel was understood ages before +Europeans achieved it. Yes . . .” He +nodded thoughtfully. “A puzzle. A +nomadic civilization on the Nile, and +then, without warning, a civilization +full-blown and decadent. Where did it +come from? It was decadent when it +reached Egypt. I wonder . . .”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He turned to the controls. “Here’s +Azouad. Half an hour. You’ll find +plenty of shops. Don’t buy any wines—they +won’t keep in Sub-Sahara. +Brandy’s good. And pipes wear better +than cigarettes in the Legion.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Below the gyro was a patch of gray +on the brownish, rolling Sahara plain. +Small dots of faded green were visible, +trees struggling desperately for moisture +and life. In a clearing Captain +Brady set down the ship.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“All out,” he grunted. “<span class='it'>Parte!</span> +Half an hour, remember.”</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>The brothers watched the lean figure +move briskly across the sun-baked +square, to disappear into the +depths of a cantina. Then they looked +at one another.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well!” Jimmy murmured. “So +we’re in the Legion!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Sub-Sahara. Um. Come on; we’ve +only half an hour. Let’s look over +Azouad.” Tony hesitated, gripped +Phil’s arm, and glanced up. “That a +plane?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yeah.” Phil squinted aloft. “Wait +. . . not a government plane. Private. +Anyway, so what? There’s no extradition.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I know,” Tony said softly. “But +the Earth Star’s plenty valuable. Somebody +might have . . . ideas.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Maybe I’d better mail it back +home,” Jimmy grinned.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Three glances crossed. And, curiously, +at that moment a shadow drifted +across the brothers—the shadow of a +plane, chilling them momentarily after +the blast of the African sun. It was +like an omen.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil said, “I wonder which of us +really has it?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I have,” Tony remarked. “Come +along. I want a drink.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He led the way, shouldering through +a crowd of assorted riff-raff, the usual +scum of a bordertown. Odors of sesame, +oils, and less familiar stenches +were sickeningly strong. Dozens of +mongrels roved hungrily about; the flies +were countless.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They bought smokes and entered a +cantina, dark and muggy. A fat native +served them squareface gin, waddling +toward the dim corner where they +sat. Behind them, Tony noticed, was +a door, half opened less to permit fresh +air to enter than to allow foul to emerge. +He pushed it shut with a casual foot.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The gin wasn’t good, but it was +strong. Also, it was inordinately expensive. +Jimmy made a wry face.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Hell of a lot of good money will do +us now. We’ve ten minutes. Think +we’ll like Sub-Sahara?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It sounds—interesting,” Phil said +slowly. “Captain Brady’s certainly +hipped on his Land of Light. I wonder +what sort the Copts are?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Tough hombres,” Tony grunted. +There was a brief silence. The waiter +appeared, refilled glasses, and departed. +Then—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“<span class='it'>Merlin!</span>” a soft voice whispered.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s fingers tightened around his +glass. Phil sat perfectly motionless. +Jimmy’s head jerked slightly; then he +was immobile.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony looked around, and the others +followed his lead.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Standing beside them was a small, +round-faced man, his beady dark eyes +glinting beneath a sun-helmet, his tropical +whites looking freshly laundered. +His gaze swiveled sharply from one to +another of the trio. A shadow of disappointment +flickered over his features +and was gone.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony said, “Who the devil are you?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The stranger flashed white teeth. +“The private secretary of a certain Rajah. +One of you has seen me before. +I do not know which one. However—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“He’s crazy,” Phil grunted. “Batty +as a bedbug. Drink up, boys.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“My name is Zadah,” the man went +on without heeding the interruption. “I +know that one of you is the Merlin and +has the Earth Star. I want it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony looked at the man. “Do you +think anybody’d who’d stolen a jewel +would be fool enough to keep it on +him?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The Merlin would. Because he’d +want to make certain that a certain—deal—wouldn’t +ever be completed. An +imitation of the stone was made, so perfect +that the deception can be discovered +only by comparison with the original. +Someone might try to sell the +imitation as the original jewel—and the +Merlin could block such a transaction +only by producing the real Earth Star. +He won’t get rid of it. Not unless—he’s +forced to.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony drank gin reflectively. “There’s +an offensive odor in this place,” he remarked. +“Notice it, anybody?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Zadah said, “I do not want the police +to find you or the Earth Star. If I +recover it myself, the Rajah will pay +me any price to have the jewel—and the +original owners can prove nothing. My +private operatives have traced you this +far. Now—” He took out a small gun. +“You will stand up and walk one by +one through the door behind you. Stay +in single file. My plane is just near by. +We will fly to my country, and there—” +Again the teeth flashed. “There I think +it will not be too hard to learn which +of you is the Merlin.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony hesitated, remembering the +plane he had seen in the sky. Zadah +held the gun almost hidden under his +coat, but of its deadliness there could be +no doubt. The brothers exchanged +glances.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Stand up!” Zadah whispered.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony obeyed. He turned toward the +door, opened it, and stepped out into +sunlight. The others followed. Zadah +said, “To the left.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They moved slowly through an alley, +littered with refuse and foul with odors. +Not a soul was visible—only a stray +cur that ran past, tail between its legs.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Across the square. The gun is in +my pocket, but I have my finger on the +trigger. Make no suspicious move.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s lips were white. He guessed +well enough what would happen once he +and his brothers were captives aboard +the plane. Zadah would not stop at +torture to achieve his ends. If only—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But there was no sign of help. Across +the square they went, toward a small +gyro in its center. Loungers in the +shadows of the low buildings eyed the +group incuriously as they passed. They +walked on, toward a cantina, past its +door—</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>Captain Brady came out. He +hesitated, his sunken eyes intent +on the spectacle. Then he moved like +an uncoiled spring.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Zadah sensed danger. He started to +whirl, dragging his gun from his pocket. +But Brady’s hand chopped down viciously, +the edge of the palm smashing +against the secretary’s spine, at the nape +of the neck.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A little grunt came from Zadah. He +went down like a wet sack of flour. Casually +Brady bent, picked up the gun, +and pocketed it. His humorless eyes +were without any hint of emotion.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Time to go,” he said. “Come along.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Silently the brothers followed Brady +to the latter’s plane. Without a word +they took off, speeding south until the +desert-stain of Azouad was lost beneath +the horizon.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And not once, during the journey, did +Captain Brady refer to the affair in +which he had played Saviour. Tony, +grinning to himself, remarked in an undertone, +“There’s no extradition from +the Legion.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yeah,” Phil nodded. “The devil +protects his own.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy said nothing. He was too +busy peering out at the rolling dunes +and endless plains of the Sahara.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Sub-Sahara! Underground labyrinth—an +oasis under a burning, lifeless expanse +of wilderness! To the three Martells +it was, at first, a relief, after the +flaming heat of the desert. Though +even in the beginning there was a feeling +of oppression as the metal car sank +down into its shaft and the weight of +earth overhead was felt almost tangibly.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It seemed hours later when the car +stopped and a panel in its bare side slid +open. Pale radiance flickered in through +the gap, lighting the men’s faces eerily. +The glow seemed to come from the walls +itself.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Phosphorescent paint,” Brady said, +nodding. “Saves trouble. We spray the +walls and ceiling once a year, and it’s +bright enough for our needs. Come +along.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The four stepped out into a passageway. +It wasn’t long. It ended before +a metallic door; Brady took a rod from +his pocket and held it briefly pointed at +the lock. The panel opened.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Beyond the threshold lay a cavern.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Huge and dim and alien as a distant +world it seemed, a gigantic hollow hemisphere +in the solid Earth. It was, as +far as Tony could judge, about two +miles in diameter, with a jagged floor +that had been cleared in a few spots. +The dim light filtered down from the +ceiling, as sunlight through heavy cloud. +When Brady spoke, his voice was incongruous +in this place of silvery soft +grayness.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“There’s the fort. Over there—” He +pointed. “That’s the entrance to the +Coptic tunnels. We guard the entrance +to the surface. Though the Copts +haven’t tried to make any surface raids +for a long time.” He swung out along +a rough path, the others following. +“They hate the Bedouins, just as the +ancient Egyptians did. They don’t especially +dislike us, unless we get in their +way. If the mineral deposits the Copts +work weren’t valuable, though, they’d +be left to themselves. But the Legion’s +paid to make sure the mines are kept +active.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony didn’t answer. His eyes were +slowly accustoming themselves to this +strange light. He glanced up at a ceiling +that was both visible and invisible. +No details could be seen. A veil of +shining cloud seemed to obscure the +rock far above. The vault of a world, +Tony thought. A world created here, +perhaps, when the Sahara was a sea +instead of a desert. What had Brady +said a while ago? Something about a +prehistoric, mighty civilization in ante-dynastic +Egypt . . . and, far and far +below, the Copts still worshiped Isis, in +the hidden caverns of Alu where no +white man had ever penetrated. “The +wreckage of a civilization down there,” +Brady had said.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>In this eery cavern-world it was easy +to believe in almost anything. A scrap +of half-forgotten verse drifted through +Tony’s mind:</p> + + + <div class='poetry-container' style=''> + <div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“<span class='it'>But you have seen the hieroglyphs on the great sandstone obelisks,</span></p> +<p class='line0'><span class='it'>And you have talked with Basilisks, and you have walked with hippogriffs</span> . . .”</p> +</div> +</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend --> + +<p class='pindent'>They were at the fort. Nothing could +be seen beyond a palisade of strong, +dully-gleaming metal. But a bell rang +sharply; a gate opened, and a man in +legionnaire uniform appeared.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Even in the odd light his face seemed +strangely pallid—drained of all color, +like bleached papyrus. He was gaunt +and fleshless almost to the point of +emaciation, so that his eyes and mouth +were black hollows. It seemed as +though a skull wore the rakish Legion +cap atop its dome.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He saluted, and Brady responded.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Hello, Jacklyn. Tell Commander +Desquer I’m here.”</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>Jacklyn stood aside to let the others +enter. Tony discovered that +within the palisade were a dozen metal +shacks, prefabricated, and without sign +of life. So this would be their home +from now on!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Brady said, “Well? Didn’t you—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jacklyn’s voice was strained. “Glad +you’re back, sir. The commander left +for the surface an hour ago. He got a +message. . . . There’s trouble, sir. The +Copts—they’ve kidnapped Ruggiero.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Captain Brady looked at his fingernails. +“It’s full moon, isn’t it?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yes, sir.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“All right. I need four men. Completely +armed. We’ll leave as soon as +they’re ready.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jacklyn hurried away. Tony asked, +“Is this—the usual thing, down here?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Brady shook his head. “No. At full +moon the Copts choose a victim to represent +Osiris. The Husband of Isis. +Usually it’s all done quietly, and the +sacrifice is a Copt, of course.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy inquired rather weakly, +“What sort of sacrifice is it?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Degenerate form of Egyptian religion. +According to legend, Seth, the +evil god, was jealous of Osiris. He put +him to death, tearing his body into fourteen +pieces. The Copts are . . . literal-minded.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Brady sucked in his breath. “I wish +I knew more of their mythos. The +ceremony glorifies Isis of the Moon. A +Copt has always served before. But +now . . .” He pulled at the clipped +gray moustache. “Ruggiero has been +taken to Alu to be sacrificed. This +means trouble—plenty of it.” But there +was no fear in the sunken eyes; only +excited anticipation. “Alu! The Land +of Light!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And suddenly Tony understood. For +years Brady had wondered about the +half-mythical cavern world below, a +place forbidden to him by rigid rules. +Now, in the absence of the commander, +it was Brady’s duty to rescue the kidnapped +legionnaire. His duty—and his +chance.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony said, “Let us go with you, captain. +Eh?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy and Phil exchanged surprised +glances. Then Phil nodded. “Yeah! +How about it?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Brady hesitated. “You’re untrained. +You don’t know the ropes—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We know how to handle guns.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Carbon-pistols?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We can learn easily enough.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yes . . . they’re simple. But—all +right,” the captain said with sudden decision. +“You’re new, and that means +you’re not scared stiff of Alu. The three +of you and Jacklyn. Right!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He bawled for the skull-faced man. +“Jacklyn! Get equipment! I’m taking +these three recruits. <span class='it'>Allons!</span>”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony grinned at his brothers. Their +introduction to the Legion was to be +exciting, after all—if not fatal!</p> + +<div><h1>CHAPTER IV<br/> <span class='sub-head'>Sub-Sahara</span></h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>Jacklyn said, “Fifty years nearly +I’ve been here. It never changes. +First time I’ve ever seen the Copts get +out of hand. Sure, they’d try to get +out once in a while to butcher the +Bedouins, but they never had anything +against us. Funny.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The group was marching swiftly +through a dim tunnel, Captain Brady +in the lead, the others trailing. They +had been moving for an hour, in a +labyrinth of passages through which +the captain unerringly found his way. +Now he looked back and remarked:</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That’s right. I know this maze +pretty well, but Jacklyn knows it blindfolded. +He’s practically a Copt himself. +Hasn’t been above ground for +fifty years.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You must like it here,” Jimmy remarked.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jacklyn said, very softly, “It’s hell. +You been in New York lately? Yeah? +How does the old burg look now?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It’s changed in fifty years,” Phil +said. “But you know that already.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Times Square, though—that’s there, +eh? I remember I used to feel empty +whenever I got out of the old town. +God, I’d like to see it again—but not +on a televisor. In fact,” he went on +slowly, “I’d like to smell fresh air again. +Not this artificial ventilation. See starlight +and green growing things.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“And the Sun,” Jimmy nodded understandingly. +He glanced at Jacklyn—and +then caught his breath at sight +of the expression on the legionnaire’s +pallid face. Horror—and hate!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was gone immediately. Jacklyn +ignored the remark. He said, “I was +one of the first spacemen. There’ve +been plenty of improvements since my +time, what with liquid fuels instead of +powder, and those new magnetic induced-gravity +screens they’re working +on. But it’s like shipping, I guess—steam +or sail, it’ll never really change. +There’ll be the sea under you, or space +around you. We—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“<span class='it'>Sh-h!</span>” Brady held up a warning +finger. “Hold it!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They paused, but no sound came. +The captain relaxed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Thought I heard an explosion. +Guess not. Well—by the way, are you +sure you know how to use the carbon-pistols?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It’s not hard,” Tony said. He took +out his weapon, resembling an oversized +revolver with a cup-shaped hollow +where the hammer should have +been. From his pocket he withdrew a +bit of coal, slipped it into the cup, +where prongs held it firmly in place, +and hefted the gun. “Not so easy to +sight as a Colt, but the force-charge +scatters, doesn’t it?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jacklyn said, “Right. Watch the +recoil, though. Ease the trigger-button +down. And don’t run out of coal.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Funny,” Tony remarked. “Coal +doesn’t seem much good in a pistol.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Captain Brady laughed a little. “The +thing’s based on atomic force—liberation +of quanta, though I don’t understand +the scientific principles of it myself. +Works only on carbon. Coal’s +carbon—and cheap. So, if the Copts +get out of hand, we fight ’em with the +coal they dig for us. Rather unfair, +but it’s all in the Legion’s work.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Practically everything is,” Tony +said dryly. “How much farther, captain?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We’ve been going down steadily—wait! +Here’s someone. Don’t touch +your guns unless I give the word.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony stared ahead. For a second +he saw nothing; then abruptly the tunnel +was filled with a dozen bizarre figures. +Clad in skin-fitting garments of +unfamiliar texture, white-skinned, with +blue veins showing plainly through the +flesh, the men’s faces were aquiline +and strong, with beaked noses and +abnormally large eyes, in which the +pupils nearly eclipsed the irises. The +Copts’ hair—they had none on their +faces—was like bleached straw, tightly +curled. They seemed unarmed, yet +Brady’s whole body subtly tensed as he +stood waiting.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The foremost of the Copts, taller +than the rest, and wearing a tapering +headdress, came forward, hand lifted. +He spoke in English.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Captain Brady, why are you here?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Brady said, “If any harm comes to +a legionnaire, it will not be well with +the Copts, priest.”</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>The man nodded. “I understand. +That was a mistake. Some of our +younger men—they have already been +suitably punished for meddling in +affairs beyond them. Your legionnaire +is back in the fort, Captain Brady. You +will find him there if you return.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony detected a half-veiled glance +the priest sent at his fellows. Brady +saw it also, and tugged at his moustache.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You are speaking true words?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I speak true words.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Suppose we do not believe. Suppose +we—go on.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A stir shook the Copts; they looked +at one another askance. The priest +said, “The Moon passages begin not +far from here. Those you may not +enter.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Brady seemed undecided. “We shall +go back. But if our man is not safely +in the fort—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The priest’s smile was apparently +guileless. “He will be there.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“All right. About face! <span class='it'>Allons!</span>”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony turned with the others. But +before a foot was lifted there came an +interruption. The priest’s voice was +raised in an urgent command in an unfamiliar +tongue. He, with the others, +had seen the bloodstained, tattered, +huge figure that sprang out from concealment +behind a rock.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Kill those men!” a bull voice +shouted. “Blast ’em down!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Commander Desquer!” Brady +clipped—and then—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Out guns!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>For from the ranks of the Copts a +pale ray had lanced, striking full upon +Desquer’s bison chest, bared by a tattered +tunic. Another ray touched Tony; +he felt a wave of intolerable heat as he +snatched out the carbon-gun at his +belt.</p> + +<p class='pindent'><span class='it'>Cr-rack!</span> Brady’s weapon snarled +viciously, and the heat-ray left Tony. +He slipped a coal-cartridge into the +cup and triggered almost without aiming. +The deadly little guns worked +havoc. But there were almost a dozen +Copts, and for a few moments the tunnel +was a chaotic Maelstrom of battle, +dominated by Desquer’s deep voice +roaring commands.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Get them! All of them! Aim at +their bellies!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Smoke drifted away. The Copts lay +in helpless huddles amid red stains. +Tony lowered his gun and stared +around anxiously. Jimmy was painfully +rubbing his arm where a heat-ray +had cindered the cloth. Phil was +apparently untouched, and so was Jacklyn, +but Captain Brady was rubbing +his thigh and cursing quietly. As for +Commander Desquer, it was impossible +to judge whether he had been injured +in the conflict. He was already +wounded in a dozen places.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s fascinated gaze clung to the +man. The mighty body was thewed +like an auroch-bull, the matted, deep +chest heaving convulsively with exhaustion. +The commander’s head was +shaved, but nevertheless there was +something leonine about his face. +Shaggy, tufted eyebrows overhung +glittering small eyes, and thick, sensual +lips were pressed tightly together. +Desquer reminded Tony, somehow, of +a Nero or a Caligula—a degenerate +Roman despot.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Now Desquer flung back his huge +head in an arrogant gesture. “Jacklyn! +See if the priest’s got a healing-ray. We +need it.” As the legionnaire hurried +forward the commander turned his eyes +to the others. Tony felt a curious +shiver ripple down his spine as the +cold gaze touched him. Desquer looked +long and intently at Tony, and not until +he had stared equally long at Phil +and Jimmy did he turn his attention +to Brady.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The fort’s gone,” he said. “The +Copts smashed it and massacred every +man. They blew up the shaft to the +surface just after I reached Sub-Sahara. +I just managed to get away . . . the +cavern’s overrun with ’em.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jacklyn came back with a small flat +box, in which a lens was set. He +touched a button and turned the lens +to focus upon Brady’s thigh.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Thanks . . . up a bit . . . You know +they kidnapped Ruggiero?”</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer nodded “Yes. I found +a Copt alone and induced him to +give me a little information.” He +glanced at his hands, took out a small +knife, and began to clean his nails. +“What this means I don’t know. A +<span class='it'>jehad</span>—a holy war, possibly. Though +it’s without precedent.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The captain lifted his hand. +“Enough, Jacklyn. Tend to the commander.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But Desquer shook his head impatiently. +“No time.” He drew +Brady aside, as Jacklyn turned to the +others. The two officers withdrew a +few steps and lowered their voices.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony stared at the lensed box as +Jacklyn used it on Jimmy’s arm. “What +the devil’s that?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“A gadget the Copts have. Nobody +knows how it works. They don’t themselves. +It was handed down . . . it’s +a ray that increases cell activity. Builds +up cell tissue. Prevents infection . . . +how’s that?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Swell,” said Jimmy, touching his +arm. “It still hurts a bit, though.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It won’t for long—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer said, “You three recruits—listen +to me. We’re going down. Into +Alu. Jacklyn, you’ll go for help.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The skull-faced legionnaire’s body +jerked convulsively. He stared at the +commander.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“For—help?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer nodded. “Right. You know +these caves. There are other openings +to the surface. Get help. We’ll hide +out and wait for you. The Copts won’t +expect us to go right to their headquarters, +so that’s just what we’ll do.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But—” Jacklyn moistened dry +lips. “I’ll have to go to the surface?” +There was a curious note of horror in +his voice.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Don’t argue. Move! You’ll have +a better chance alone than with companions, +so—<span class='it'>allez!</span>”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jacklyn moved a pace away, stopped, +and turned back. He said woodenly, +“I can’t go to the surface, Commander.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer said very softly, “Why +not?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Sunlight will kill me.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was a little silence.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Why?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I was space-burned. That’s why +I joined the Legion. It’s a kind of +allergy, you know—I was so badly +burned in space by direct solar rays +that even filtered sunlight will kill me +now in a few hours.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony felt his stomach move sickeningly. +So that was why Jacklyn had +remained in Sub-Sahara for fifty years. +A prison with its mockery of freedom—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Let one of the others go, sir!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’ll go,” Jimmy offered—but +Desquer snarled at him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Silence! You know these caves, +Jacklyn—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The captain knows them!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“He’s badly burned. That heat-ray +touched the bone. He couldn’t stand +a long trek. Here!” Desquer bent +over the dead Copts and rapidly began +to strip them of their garments. +“If sunlight will kill you, stay out of +it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“In the desert?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Bandages, you fool—bandages! +Wrap yourself up in these. Travel by +night if you have to, after you reach +the surface.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Silently Jacklyn began to don the +garments. He said without expression, +“It will kill me.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer threw him an armful of +clothes and grinned. “You’ll live long +enough to get help. If the Copts break +out of Sub-Sahara, it’ll be like rounding +up a thousand fleas. Besides, I +don’t know what’s back of this—but +it’s nothing small, I can promise you. +If—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He leaped like a panther. His shod +foot came down with a sickening crunch +on flesh and bone. Tony, startled by +the sudden movement, saw that +Desquer had sprung upon the Coptic +priest, from whose hand a ray-projector +had dropped. The priest’s blood-smeared +face, twisted in agony, lifted +toward the ceiling as he cried out.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Not dead, eh?” Desquer whispered, +his voice taut with savage fury. “Well—you +soon will be.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He drew back his foot. But the +priest’s lifted arm somehow halted him. +The Copt dragged himself half erect. +His thin voice shrilled, “Go down to +Alu, fools! But you will be too late. +Isis has risen—and with her the gods +who dwell in Alu. Before the opening +to the outer world can be cleared again, +we shall have triumphed—and the +Earth will tremble before the power +of the Ancients! Aye—the Ancients +who ruled over the Four Rivers before +their sons fled to Egypt!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Go down to Alu, fools! <span class='it'>You shall +find death!</span>”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The priest fell back—and died.</p> + +<div><h1>CHAPTER V<br/> <span class='sub-head'>Five Against the Gods</span></h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>Hours had passed. The legionnaires, +headed by Commander +Desquer, were encamped by a small, +rocky inlet on the Midnight Sea, a +fathomless lake of inky water that +stretched beyond the limit of vision. +A pallid glow came from the cavern +roof far above, rippling over the surface +of the tideless, sluggish sea. It +was a scene fantastic almost beyond +belief, and Tony, on guard at the mouth +of a crevasse where the others slept, +could scarcely realize that he was still +on Earth, and not beneath the surface +of some alien world.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They had come far and fast, slipping +stealthily past the guards the Copts +had posted, taking advantage of every +unused tunnel, guided more by instinct +than by knowledge. The city of the +Copts they had skirted, descending +ever deeper to the forbidden gates of +Alu. And now, on the shore of the +Midnight Sea, they were ready for the +plunge into the unknown.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We can’t stay here,” Desquer +grunted. “They’d find us sooner or +later. But in Alu we have a chance. +The element of surprise will be on our +side, at least.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He was right. Tony knew. He +shifted uneasily, glancing at the carbon +pistol and checking its load. His +thoughts went back to New York, and +the civilization of a world that seemed +a billion miles distant. A world lost to +him—and his brothers—forever. And +in exchange they had gained—this!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A hand fell on Tony’s shoulder. +Desquer said, “All right. We’re marching.” +The commander’s heavy jaw jutted +as he stared out over the water.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The others appeared one by one, +ragged, disheveled, and unshaved. +Brady was wincing with the pain in his +stiffened leg as he walked. Jimmy’s +face was haggard; he had not the stamina +of the others. But Phil seemed as +sturdy and untroubled as ever.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer turned; his cold eyes took +stock of his command. “All right. +March!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He led the way. Brady behind him. +The brothers followed. Tony caught a +wink from Phil, and lagged behind +somewhat, till the officers were out of +earshot of a whisper.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yeah?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil’s hand touched his tunic pocket. +“Somebody searched me while I was +asleep. I thought I was dreaming, but +when I woke up, this pocket was unbuttoned.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh-oh!” +He squinted ahead. “Who—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Dunno. But—somebody. Just +thought I’d tell you. We’d better keep +our eyes peeled after this.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil exchanged a meaningful glance +with Tony and increased his pace. The +latter frowned, trying to figure out what +this new development meant. The +Earth Star? It was scarcely probable +that anyone in Sub-Sahara would know +the details of the theft and its aftermath. +More likely the motive was +merely petty robbery—unless, indeed, +Phil had actually dreamed it. But in +his heart, somehow, Tony sensed impending +danger. The baleful fires of +the Earth Star still burned far below +the surface of the planet.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer? He could scarcely know +anything of the jewel. Brady? Perhaps +the encounter with Zadah, the +Rajah’s secretary, had aroused the captain’s +suspicions. Or—Jimmy? Was +he searching for the Earth Star, trying +to learn which of his brothers carried +it? That might have been more plausible +had not Jimmy kept insisting, with +his brothers, that he himself had stolen +the gem.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s face did not change, but his +hand touched the butt of the carbon-pistol. +He felt safer with the +weapon at his thigh. For a time he +plodded on, every sense alert for sign +of danger. The immediate peril was +from the Copts, of course.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>None of the underground race appeared +as the group skirted the Midnight +Sea. They came at last to a tunnel +mouth where Desquer paused, hesitating, +to confer with Brady. The latter +pointed to a sign cut out of the rock +above the entrance—a full moon surmounted +by a crescent.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Moon and sistrum,” the captain +nodded. “This is one of the forbidden +gateways. A door to Alu.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer grunted. “Very well. Come +along. Watch out for traps.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They entered the tunnel. It was +darker, though a vague illumination filtered +from the walls and roof, due, perhaps, +to some sort of radioactivity. The +passage slanted down steeply. It was +apparently little used, and in spots almost +blocked by debris, where the legionnaires +had to crawl through painfully. +Desquer’s bull strength came in +useful there. The giant commandant +was untiring, and there came a time +when he was almost carrying Brady +along as the captain’s weak leg grew +weaker.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Wonder if Jacklyn will make it,” +Jimmy muttered to Tony.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“God knows. If he doesn’t, we’re in +the soup.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil grinned. “What if he does? +We’re still in Alu!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The tunnel grew steeper. Now half-obliterated +carvings were visible on the +walls, symbols that bore the trace of +immeasurable antiquity. One sign puzzled +Tony; it was a cross within a circle. +It reminded him, somehow, of the +dying Coptic priest’s words—“. . . +the Ancients who ruled over the Four +Rivers before their sons fled to Egypt.” +The circled cross struck a chord of +memory in Tony’s mind, and he knew, +somehow, that the cross was supposed +to represent four rivers. But—try as +he might—he could recall no more.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There were other carvings, most of +them showing the sistrum and the lunar +disk. They had been cut out of the +rock, Tony felt, long before the Pharaohs +had reigned in Egypt, before the +uraeus crown had come to represent a +dynasty. A little chill touched Tony +as he thought of the endless centuries +that had ravaged the world above and +left the road to Alu untouched.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Before Egypt—a civilization. And in +Alu—<span class='it'>what</span>?</p> + +<p class='pindent'>No premonition troubled Commander +Desquer. His great frame marched on +untiringly, practically carrying the exhausted +Brady. Down and down they +went. Tony’s legs began to ache, and +Jimmy was drooping with fatigue. +Phil’s stolid face showed no emotion, +but there were lines of strain about his +mouth.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Down—and down! Into Earth’s secret +heart—into the forbidden land. +And what caused Tony the most uneasiness +was the fact that they went on unchallenged. +Perhaps the Copts had not +discovered the intruders. Or, perhaps, +the Copts knew that there was no need +to guard the road to Alu.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Occasionally Tony would intercept a +glance from Desquer, who would impartially +stare at the three brothers as +though in puzzled curiosity. But the +commander said nothing, till at last they +came out in a large cavern from which +three tunnel-mouths opened, besides the +one on the threshold of which they +stood. Desquer paused, his gaze searching.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We’ll camp here,” he said shortly. +“In the middle. That way, our retreat +won’t be cut off if the Copts find us. +That middle passage is our road. Eh, +Captain?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Brady nodded. “Yes. The Moon +and sistrum is over it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>In silence the five moved wearily to +the center of the cavern and dropped +rather than relaxed on the rock floor. +They were tired out. Desquer alone sat +straddle-legged, his gun ready in his +hand, icy eyes flashing about.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Sleep,” he said. “I’ll guard.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony gratefully obeyed. Stillness +closed over the cave. But—it was +broken.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>Very faintly, as though from an infinite +distance, came a rhythmic +chanting. Muffled and scarcely audible +it whispered, almost below the threshold +of hearing.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Brady’s breath hissed between his +teeth. “Hear that?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer said, “Well?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The Chant of Set. Somewhere +they’re beginning the ceremony of Osiris, +where they’ll sacrifice Ruggiero.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony said, “That’s where they tear +the victim into pieces, isn’t it?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yes. Commander—” Brady didn’t +finish. One look at Desquer’s grim face +was enough.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Don’t be a fool, captain. Get your +rest—and the rest of you, too. You’ll +need it. You know well enough we +can’t rescue Ruggiero.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>That, Tony thought as he relaxed, +was true; but nevertheless he had a +curiously unpleasant feeling at the base +of his spine. Somewhere amid these +caverns a white man was being horribly +sacrificed, and it was not a thought conducive +to sound sleep. Yet Desquer +was right. The legionnaires’ only chance +was to remain hidden . . .</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Once Tony roused sleepily to find the +Commander lying down and Captain +Brady on guard. Brady was wandering +about the cavern, staring up at the carving +of the Moon and sistrum. He was +a gaunt, scarecrow figure in the dim +light. As Tony drifted off again to sleep +he realized that the faint chanting had +grown louder—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>That it was different now in tone—triumphant!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And then Desquer was shaking +Tony’s shoulder, his hand pressed over +the legionnaire’s lips. The commander’s +eyes were glittering brightly.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“<span class='it'>Sh-h!</span> Not a sound! Rouse the +others.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Silently Tony obeyed. There was no +sign of Captain Brady, he realized.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>On cat feet Desquer led the three into +the tunnel. Hidden by the first turn, +he whispered, “Brady’s gone. When I +woke up—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy asked, “What happened to +him? The Copts?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Perhaps.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But wouldn’t they have killed us, +then?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer passed a hand over his +shaven head. “Not necessarily. They +may have other plans.” He smiled, not +pleasantly. “So Brady’s gone. That +leaves the four of us.” There was an +oddly secretive look in the cold eyes. +“Come on. We’re still heading for +Alu.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What’s the use?” Tony asked. “If +the Copts have discovered us—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“They may not have. Brady may +have gone off to try and save Ruggiero. +I doubt that, though—but we mustn’t +overlook any chances. Alu is our destination. +So—<span class='it'>allons!</span>”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The three brothers exchanged +glances. One by one their number was +being cut down. First the entire garrison +of the fort; then Jacklyn; now +Captain Brady. Tony felt a twinge of +sympathy for the weatherbeaten old soldier. +Whatever had happened to the +man, Brady would have gone down +fighting.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“He didn’t try to warn us,” Jimmy +muttered.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer grunted. “We don’t know all +the weapons of those Copts. Where +they get them God knows. Every once +in a while they’ll pop up with some +super-scientific device far beyond their +power to manufacture. It’s a mystery. +Maybe we’ll find the answer in Alu.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>That, to Tony, was a strange paradox. +A search amid the ruins of a forgotten +past for the super-science of the +future. And yet—whence had come +the mighty civilization of Egypt? +What mystery lay behind the cryptic +powers of the Copts?</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There could be no answer, as yet. +The four men marched on, down into +the depths. They were beneath the +Midnight Sea now, Tony decided, since +the tunnel had curved in a long loop. +Not only beneath the Sahara Desert, +but under a sunken sea as well.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>Endlessly the road stretched before +them. But the end came unexpectedly. +So exhausted were the +four that they scarcely realized that +the silvery radiance of the tunnel had +given place to a reddish glow, brighter +and reminiscent of volcanic activity. +Desquer lifted his hand in warning. +He went on to reconnoitre, and presently +beckoned the others. His burly +figure was rigid, Tony saw.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And, as he went on, he saw something +else. The tunnel ended. It +opened upon a cavern.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A cavern that was a world!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A world beneath a desert and a sea! +Alu, the Land of Light, lay before the +adventurers, and human eyes had never +gazed upon a stranger sight. A metropolis +of antiquity, with the wrecks +of mighty buildings and fallen pillars +strewing the flat floor of the cave. It +was like Pompeii, and far older than +Pompeii. It was grander than Karnak, +more alien than crumbling Ang-kor-Vat. +In the distance a pyramid +rose toward the roof of the cave—touching +it, supporting it as the fabled +tree Yggdrasil is supposed to support +the Earth.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Red light flamed from beyond the +pyramid.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Alu! Old beyond imagination, cradle +of a race that had ruled long and +long ago! Alu, which the Egyptians +had incorporated into their mythology +as their heaven.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The sheer, overwhelming majesty of +the panorama struck the men dumb, as +a hand might strike an impious lip. +Huge and desolate and dead the lost +world stretched before them, holding +its secret fast, as it had held it since +before the Pharaohs reigned. No wonder +the pyramids were a mystery—built +by some alien science. The same +science that had reared the colossal +structures of Alu!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A hundred feet away a square white +marble building towered, Doric pillars +on either side of its open gateway. +Some indefinable urge drew Tony’s +eyes to it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer said, “Hear that?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The others listened, but detected no +sound. The commander grunted.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It came from that temple. Get +your guns ready. We’re going in. If +there’s trouble, shoot first.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The four moved softly across the +flat rock of the floor. Halfway to the +door of the building Jimmy clutched +Tony’s arm. He pointed, his face +chalk-white.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Look at that!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony followed his brother’s gaze, as +did the others. Far away were two +structures connected by an arched +span. Across this span figures were +moving.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Figures with human bodies—but inhuman +heads!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At the distance it was impossible to +make out details, but it was plain that +there was something definitely abnormal +about the beings who walked +across the span. They moved in stately +file and were gone. Jimmy whispered:</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Remember what the priest said? +The gods live in Alu!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony thought of the Egyptian gods, +men with the heads of beasts and birds +and reptiles. Could some monstrous +hybrids have survived in this cavern? +He shrugged off the thought.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Masks, Jimmy! Don’t be an idiot. +Come on.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer urged them toward the +square building. “Quick! We can +hide here, until we know more about +this place. Keep your guns ready.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The commander’s icy eyes were +searching the gloom of the temple as +they crossed the threshold. The symbol +of Osiris, sign of the horned bull, +was carved everywhere. Crumbling, +broken pillars made the interior of the +temple a labyrinth. The floor was littered +with smashed blocks of stone.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was very dim here, but one ray of +red light flamed like a sword-blade +through a gap in the wall and fell directly +upon the throne that stood on a +dais at the farther end of the room. +Tony and the others looked down a +long aisle toward the throne and the +statue upon it—the statue of a man, +clad in stylized flowing robes, with the +head of a bull upon the human shoulders.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come on!” Desquer whispered. +He gripped his gun. Tony felt the butt +of his own weapon cold against his +palm as he walked on. The approach +to the dais seemed endless. Incredible +journey amid the wreckage of a forgotten +civilization! So might a lost +soul have journeyed to Osiris . . . A +scrap of verse came unbidden to Tony.</p> + + + <div class='poetry-container' style=''> + <div class='lgp'> <!-- rend=';' --> +<div class='stanza-outer'> +<p class='line0'>“<span class='it'>Ten hundred shaven priests did bow to Ammon’s altar day and night,</span></p> +<p class='line0'><span class='it'>Ten hundred lamps did wave their light through Ammon’s carven house—and now</span></p> +<p class='line0'><span class='it'>Foul snake and speckled adder with their young ones crawl from stone to stone</span></p> +<p class='line0'><span class='it'>For ruined is the house and prone the great rose-marble monolith!</span>”</p> +</div> +</div></div> <!-- end poetry block --><!-- end rend --> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer stopped. His figure stood +rock-still for a moment. The gun +swung up, aimed at the statue on the +throne.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And now Tony saw what the commander +had already realized. It was +no statue that faced them. The being +was alive!</p> + +<div><h1>CHAPTER VI<br/> <span class='sub-head'>Before the Gods</span></h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>Only one thing could have stopped +Desquer’s finger on the trigger—and +that thing happened. The monster +on the throne spoke. Thick and almost +unintelligible, its voice poured out from +the inhuman muzzle, as the hands +twitched on the arms of the throne.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Don’t!” the bull-headed creature +moaned. “It’s Brady—Brady!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Sheer amazement petrified Desquer. +He lowered his gun at last, shaved +scalp shining with sweat. Tony swallowed +a lump in his dry throat, glaring +at the hybrid on the dais.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Brady? Captain Brady?</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Those devils did this to me,” the +thick voice went on. “Surgery, commander—super-surgery. +Remember their healing ray? They grafted the +flesh and skin of a bull on to my head +and speeded up the cellular activity +tremendously with their ray. I—I +don’t dare move. This head is so heavy +it would snap my spine if—if—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer said in a low voice, “Are +we in danger now?” His eyes searched +the shadows.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You’re doomed,” Brady mouthed. +“Thotmes told me the hellish plan behind +all this. Thotmes is the high +priest. He’s one of the very few that +know the secret of Alu. He told me—almost +everything. It tickled his ego, +I think, to gloat over his triumph . . .”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The bull head lolled forward and +came back into place again abruptly. +Brady said, “Maybe there’s a chance. +I don’t know. Your guns . . . Listen! +If you can get to the pyramid and blast +the machine out of existence—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What machine?” Desquer asked.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The machine that will destroy +Europe! The same kind of machine +that created Earth’s Moon, ages ago! +The machine that sank Atlantis!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s breath caught in his throat. +Atlantis? Now he remembered the +significance of the sign of the cross-and-circle. +It was the symbol of Atlantis, +the four rivers on the island continent. +Softly he whispered, “The Ancients +who ruled over the Four Rivers +before their sons fled to Egypt.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Brady said, “Yes. That’s the secret +of Egypt, and its civilization. Men +have guessed at that before now. Ages +ago, when Europe was filled with nomadic +tribes, Atlantis was a continent +of culture and science. It was unstable—volcanic +activity went on endlessly +beneath it. And the land began to sink. +Thotmes told me how the scientists of +Atlantis planned to prevent their doom.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“They made a Moon. Out of the +bed of the Pacific Ocean they tore part +of the Earth and sent it driving out +into space. They thought that would +release the pressure under Atlantis and +save their civilization.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“They failed. The forces they controlled +were too mighty. Atlantis sank, +taking with it a science such as the +world has never known and perhaps +may never know again. But before the +deluge, a few Atlanteans fled eastward, +through the Pillars of Hercules, to +Egypt.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The bull head nodded. “They were +the ancestors of the underground +Copts. They found Sub-Sahara centuries +before the Pharaohs, and they +found Alu. There they built a city +such as had existed in the Atlantean +valleys. They sent forth some of their +number to civilize the Nile peoples, and +those Atlanteans became the high +priests of the gods. They created the +gods!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“As they created me—they made +gods with heads of bulls and crocodiles +and jackals, to terrify the superstitious +tribes that needed tangible gods to +worship. And then the road to the surface +was closed by some ancient cataclysm, +so that the Atlanteans were +trapped here. Some few of the priests +kept their culture. The others degenerated. +They became—the Copts.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“But the priests still kept the old +religion alive, using their surgery and +their healing-rays to make new gods, +and ruling the Copts through fear. +Now they plan to make a second Moon, +and to raise Atlantis; they wish to rule +the Earth as they did once, long ago.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Brady’s thin hands clenched into +fists. “They caught me in the cavern +where I was standing guard—used +some sort of paralyzing ray on me. +They brought me down here and told +me what they intend. There’s a machine +that’s capable of ripping all +Europe from the face of the Earth and +sending it out in space, to be another +Moon.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony said, “But that would wreck +the world!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That is part of their plan. They +have lost all their science, possessing +only a few machines and devices that +have come down since the days of the +Atlantean exodus. And these are gradually +losing their power. In sunken +Atlantis Thotmes and his followers can +find weapons and secrets that will enable +them to rule the world. But first +they plan to make another moon—to +destroy Europe—and to wreck most of +the Earth with quakes, tidal waves, +and storms. They’ll be safe here in +Alu. They’ll emerge after the Atlantic +has drained into the great abyss that +will be left by the destruction of +Europe, and they’ll return to Atlantis, +west of the Canary Islands.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“A machine to make a Moon!” +Desquer’s voice was almost scornful. +“Unbelievable!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It was done once. The principle is +that of vibration. A file of men marching +in unison can shake down a bridge—you +know that. The right vibration +can wreck a building. Sonic waves +can disrupt the molecular framework +of the Earth, and Thotmes has a machine +that can be focused <span class='it'>through</span> the +body of the planet. There will be little +temblors in Europe at first, then heavy +quakes. They will grow stronger. +And finally the entire continent will be +ripped away, and centrifugal force will +carry it out to its orbit. Thotmes explained +it in detail . . .”</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>The bull head jerked forward suddenly. +There was a sharp, brittle +snap. And, slowly, the body of Captain +Brady leaned and bent. It toppled.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer sprang forward with a +curse. He touched the monstrous +muzzle, jerked his hand away, and +then felt for Brady’s heart-beat. After +a moment he shrugged.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Well, he told us enough. Now +. . .” The commander stood up, his +gaze traveling slowly from face to face. +“Now we must find that machine and +destroy it—eh?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He seemed vaguely displeased when +the three brothers nodded as one. But +his words were commonplace enough.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We need information. <span class='it'>Bon.</span> First, +we must find someone who can supply +it. Preferably this Thotmes—but we +cannot pick and choose, I suppose.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy said on impulse, “You believe +Captain Brady’s story?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>For answer Desquer waved his hand +around. “Look at this. No modern +civilization built it. I’ve lived in Sub-Sahara +for a long time, and—well, at +least I’ll verify the story before I act. +Let me remind you that it is not your +business to ask questions.” His cold +gaze held the youngster.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony said quickly, “I’ll get the information, +commander.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer nodded. “Very well. I +need tell you nothing you do not already +know. Most of the Copts know +English; if not, bring your captive +back here. We shall wait.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony looked once at the sprawled, +terrible body that had been Captain +Brady, waved casually to Phil and +Jimmy—and went out. Along the +shadowed aisle of pillars he hurried, +pausing only when he emerged from +the temple. There, crouching in the +dimness, he paused, looking about.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was no sign of life. In the +distance loomed the tunnel mouth by +which they had entered Alu. Tony slid +along the side of the building and +peered gingerly around the corner. He +could see the arched ramp along which +the “gods” had passed, but it was vacant +now. What was the logical course +to pursue?</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The lost city stretched about for +miles, an apparently tenantless ruin. +Yet it was peopled, Tony knew, by +Thotmes the high priest and his servitors—perhaps +by Copts, though probably +not, since the latter were confined +to their own city above. At the +thought Tony involuntarily glanced up. +Beyond the cavern roof was the Midnight +Sea, above that the Coptic city, +and still further above, Sub-Sahara itself. +The weight of innumerable tons +of Earth pressing down on him was +almost suffocating. However—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony shook off the feeling and set +out at random, after taking careful +bearings. He had a compass, but it +was useless in this environment, as he +found after brief experimentation. +But he could gauge direction fairly +well from the great pyramid, which +was visible from almost any point in +the city of Alu.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He kept in the shadows, which were +concealingly dark where the flickering +red light did not shine. What caused +that volcanic glow Tony did not know, +though he hazarded a few guesses. He +went toward the pyramid.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was a metropolis of the dead. +Eons ago it had been inhabited, by the +survivors of sunken Atlantis, but now +only the dust of ages filled it. Silence, +and everywhere the symbol of Isis, +Moon-goddess, carved upon the stones. +Silence . . .</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The pyramid drew nearer, and Tony +was amazed anew at its hugeness. It +towered up and up to the very ceiling +of the cavern, seeming to support it +like a pillar. Perhaps it did—he could +not tell. But as he came closer he saw +that the pyramid was hollow, for there +were lighted embrasures here and there +in the sloping expanse of its sides.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And still there was no sound, no +movement, no trace of life.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony grew more cautious, though +there seemed no need. An arched +opening loomed in the side of the pyramid +near him, and he slunk toward it +watchfully. No guards were posted. +He hesitated near the threshold. +Should he take the risk of entering +what might be a stronghold of his +enemies? To search the deserted city +was seemingly a vain task, and, shrugging, +Tony walked boldly toward the +opening. But his gun was in his hand, +and a coal-cartridge in its cup, ready +for instant use.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>A passageway sloped upward +within the pyramid. It was +lighted dimly by gleaming bars like +neon-tubes that ran the length of the +ceiling. In the vague glow Tony went +stealthily on.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The corridor was featureless and +without doors—at first. But, suddenly, +he noticed what had at first +evaded his attention, a series of panels +set in the walls. The secret of their +locks was beyond him, until at last +one seemed simpler than the others. +Tony pressed a spring that was not too +deftly hidden—and the panel opened.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He looked through metal bars into a +great cage.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Briefly he thought of a menagerie, +and then went sick and dizzy with +nausea. This was, indeed, a “zoo”—but +it did not hold animals. It held—gods!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The artificial monsters created by +Thotmes and his servants roamed +within the cage, men with the heads of +teratological mythos. Here, indeed, +were the gods of Egypt, jackal-headed, +ibis-headed, bull-headed, even some +with the heads of crocodiles set hideously +upon the human shoulders. So +brightly lit was the cage that the beings +did not see Tony, and he drew back +swiftly, closing the panel. Obviously +he could get no information here. He +suppressed a strong impulse to use his +carbon-gun to put these pitiful beings +out of the unending nightmare of their +existence. If this was a sample of +Thotmes’ power, it would not be well +for the Atlantean to rule over Earth!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony went on along the corridor. +From his slight knowledge of Egyptology, +he knew that not all of the gods +were malevolent, like Set. Both Osiris +and Amon-Ra were benevolent, and so, +indeed, was Isis. Perhaps in the beginning +the whole religion had been a +good one, and had become decadent +and degenerate with the passage of +ages in this hidden cavern-world. The +obvious parallel was Satanism . . .</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Yet this wasn’t a question of superstition. +It was one of logic and science, +of cold facts in which the mythology of +a race had been rooted. Behind the +veil of so-called “magic” lay an alien +and powerful culture, born in Atlantis +long before Ur and Akkad had risen in +Sumeria, along the Tigris and Euphrates.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>On and on Tony went, a cold uneasiness +rising within him. No one appeared +to bar his path. More than +once he glanced at the carbon-gun—but +he was unprepared when the floor +dropped beneath him, and he fell, writhing +and twisting, into darkness.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He landed heavily on a hard surface, +and went down with a grunt and an +oath. Before he could rise, he felt the +weight of muscular bodies upon him. +Handicapped by the darkness, he +fought doggedly, but the gun was torn +from his grasp almost at the outset of +the struggle. He was not in complete +blackness; there was a vague dim glow, +but Tony’s eyes were not conditioned +to it, as those of his enemies were. At +last he lay prostrate, held motionless +by iron hands that gripped him.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A deep voice murmured a command. +The light grew brighter. Tony blinked, +staring up from his position spread-eagled +on a stone floor. He discovered +that he was in a bare chamber, with a +barred door of metal grating set in one +wall. Five strong-thewed Copts held +him—but almost immediately Tony +saw that they were not Copts. Their +faces lacked the degeneracy of the +underground mining race. They were +cruel instead of stupid. Cruel—and +arrogant, proud! Proud with the +knowledge of a culture that stretched +back into the mists of a lost antiquity.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One man stood against the wall—and +he was a giant. He wore a short +spade beard, and soft, glossy black +hair fell in curled, oily ringlets about +his face. He was handsome with the +beauty of a sword-blade, strong and +powerful and deadly, and his beaked +nose was hooked like a scimitar. Pale +blue eyes watched Tony unwinkingly.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>In not-quite-perfect English, he said, +“I am Thotmes.” Tony could not +repress a slight movement, and the +blue eyes narrowed; but the priest +merely smiled. “You know me? That +is strange. Perhaps you have spoke +to . . . Osiris!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He nodded to the priests, who relaxed +their grip on Tony. The legionnaire +sprang up, but made no hostile +movement. He stood silent, watching +Thotmes.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The Atlantean stroked his beard. +“You are wise. This will be your prison, +and, if you cause no trouble, you +can live for a time. We do not murder +unnecessarily.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Only nine-tenths of the world’s population,” +Tony said gently.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That,” Thotmes smiled, “is necessary. +We are a handful, against billions. +Not even the powers we shall +recover from Atlantis would enable us +to conquer Earth—unless Earth is already +conquered, her navies and aircraft +and weapons smashed by cataclysms.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You actually expect to make a second +Moon?” Tony’s voice held skepticism. +But the priest was not offended.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yes. Such a thing was done once +before. The machine that made the +Moon was built in Atlantis, and we +have built a duplicate here. It took +centuries, but at last it is finished. In +the heart of the pyramid it lies—and +already it is in operation.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“In operation?” Involuntarily Tony +glanced around. “I don’t—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You feel nothing here and now, of +course. Later you may, though we are +safe in Alu. The machine sets up vibration +and molecular disruption in +certain strata under Europe, and gradually +the intensity of the vibration will +be increased—until Europe shakes itself +literally to pieces. In a week or +even less the final cataclysm will take +place. Europe will vanish, leaving an +abyss into which the waters of the Atlantic +will pour. And Atlantis will rise +again!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“That,” said Tony, “will be Old +Home Week, eh?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Thotmes didn’t answer. He turned +to the others and gestured. One of +them slid open the barred grating, and +the group filed out. The door slammed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Beyond it, Thotmes smiled at his +captive. “Your companions will join +you soon. We shall not trouble to +search for them. They will walk into +our midst soon enough, and then you +will have company.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Look out you don’t get your head +blown off by one of them,” Tony remarked.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Thotmes lost his smile. He tugged +at his spade beard and said, “Few men +jest in Alu. There is always a need +for new gods—and you would look well +with a jackal’s head on your shoulders.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You’d look lovely with a rat’s,” +Tony agreed, “only you already have +one.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The high priest said something indistinguishable, +glared and departed. +Tony was left alone. He shrugged and +took stock of his possessions.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He had been searched completely. +His pockets were empty. Carbon-gun +and coal-cartridges had been taken +from him. He had no tool by which +he might leave the cell.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>On the other hand, there might possibly +be a concealed panel somewhere. +It took an hour for Tony to convince +himself that none existed. Finally he +sat down and waited. There was nothing +else to do. He had got the information +for which he had come. The +machine of the Atlanteans was in the +heart of the pyramid. But he was unarmed, +and had no way of conveying +a message to Desquer or his brothers. +Briefly he wondered what was happening +to Phil and Jimmy, and how long +they would wait. And when they got +tired of waiting—what would they do?</p> + +<p class='pindent'>What could they do—trapped in Alu, +city of science and fathomless antiquity? +Four men, Desquer and the brothers, +against the mighty powers of the +greatest civilization Earth had ever +known. Four against the might that +had made Egypt an invincible empire.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Four against the gods!</p> + +<div><h1>CHAPTER VII<br/> <span class='sub-head'>The Might of Atlantis</span></h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>A thump from above brought Tony +from his crouching position to +stand rigidly erect, gaze riveted to the +ceiling. He was in time to see a section +of it swing down on hinges, letting +the body of a man, with arms and legs +flailing, drop into the prison. Tony +sprang forward, breaking the man’s +fall. It was Phil.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil’s blond hair was disheveled, a +stubble of yellow beard on his face; +but his stocky body was as steel-muscled +as ever. He still gripped the +carbon-gun he had been holding, and +his eyes met Tony’s with relief.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You okay?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yeah.” There was no need for +more, so deep was the understanding +between the brothers. Tony said +swiftly, “Anybody after you?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Didn’t see anybody.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Took ’em by surprise, perhaps. +But they’ll be along. We’ve got to work +fast while we’ve a chance of getting +out of here.” He glanced at the barred +door. “We could blast out there with +the carbon-gun, but I don’t know the +road. Hop on my shoulders, kid. +We’re going out through the ceiling.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil handed his brother the gun and +climbed deftly onto Tony’s shoulders +as the latter knelt. Slowly he rose, +steadying Phil with one hand.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Got—got worried about you when +you didn’t show up. I went after you.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“See if you can open the panel . . . +Jimmy all right?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“He’s okay. The kid’s pretty tough +. . . Got it!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The hinged panel slid down as Phil’s +stubby fingers closed over the edge of +the opening. Tony heaved up strongly. +For a second Phil hung there; then +his body wriggled up, and his weight +was gone from Tony’s shoulders.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Simultaneously a cry came from beyond +the barred door.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A pale ray lanced out. Tony felt a +twinge of agony in his side. Involuntarily +he flung up the carbon-gun and +fired. The metal door vanished in a +blaze of white fires. Whoever had been +beyond it had also disappeared without +trace.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But there were others coming. Tony +traded shots with them. He heard +Phil’s voice and risked a glance up. +Phil was lying flat, his arm extended +down.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Jump for it!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Can’t,” Tony said. “They’d wing +me . . .”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You’ve got to. I can hear them +coming up here, too.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Beat it. Get back to Desquer. Tell +him the machine’s in the base of this +pyramid. I’m going out this way; +there’ll be a better chance of one of us +getting through if we take different +routes. Beat it!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was a pause, punctuated by +the snarl of the carbon-gun. Then Phil +said, “Okay. Luck!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>His feet scraped on the stone above. +The panel slammed shut. Tony made +a wry face, realizing that Phil was unarmed. +But he had a better chance of +escape than Tony himself, for a dozen +or more of priests was blocking the +passage that led—perhaps!—to freedom.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony fired again. The foremost of +the priests went down, and the others +hesitated. The gun crackled savagely. +One priest broke and fled—and the +others followed.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony hurried after them, every +sense on the alert. The passage +was apparently bare, and silent save +for the dying thump of flying feet; but +he guessed that there might be traps. +Would this road lead to escape? And—had +Phil escaped safely? There was +no way of knowing—yet.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The passage stretched empty before +Tony. He gripped the gun, feeling in +its cold metal a reassurance against +even the danger of Thotmes and his +powers. There was no limit to the +weapon’s potentialities. The stronger +the charge, the more effective the results. +With a powerful enough charge, +Tony thought sardonically, he could +bring down the whole pyramid. Unfortunately +he had no ammunition, +save for the clip in the gun’s butt.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>At a side passage he hesitated, realizing +that the new tunnel led up. +The priests would not expect him to +take this path—so he did so. And, as +it turned out, he was wise.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He came out on a little balcony overlooking +the sloping ramp of the pyramid. +Beneath him the massive piles of +masonry fled down like gigantic steps, +and Tony hesitated as he glanced down. +A noise from behind him, along the +passage, helped him make his decision.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was almost too late. A priest +burst into view, mouth open in a soundless +scream, raising a short metal rod +in one hand. Tony flung up the carbon-gun +and squeezed the trigger. Nothing +happened.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The ammunition was exhausted.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s reaction was involuntary and +instinctive. He flung the gun straight +at the priest’s face and ducked, diving +in at his opponent. A beam of light +lanced out over Tony’s head. Then he +crashed into the priest’s knees and +brought the man down heavily.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was no time for ethics. Tony +struck low and hard. He left the priest +unconscious and vaulted the balcony’s +rail. Down the slope of the pyramid he +sprang, leaping along the huge steps +made by the giant blocks, risking his +neck at every jump. But—he made it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Once at the base of the pyramid, he +was comparatively safe. Out of the red +glow the shadows were heavy, and Tony +took advantage of them to slink away +toward the wall of the cavern he could +see far ahead of him. But before he +did so he made a brief scouting trip, +hoping to find Phil. It was useless. +Either Phil had already made good his +escape, or else he had fallen victim to +the priests of Thotmes.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was no sign of excitement. +Tony wondered why. Perhaps the +escape of prisoners was of little importance +to the Atlanteans. They were too +self-confident—with good reason, it +might be. Science that could rip the +Earth asunder was not easily to be conquered.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Near the door of the Temple of Osiris +Tony quickened his pace. The sound +of hoarse breathing and shuffling footsteps +came to his ears. On the threshold +he hesitated, staring, but saw nothing +in the dimness of the interior. Wait! +Far down beneath the dais were two motionless +bodies. One was that of Captain +Brady, of course. But the other—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony broke into a run. Yet he retained +caution enough to move as silently +as possible, though he could hardly +repress a shouted question. Had the +Atlanteans found the intruders in Alu? +Was the body that of Desquer, or—Jimmy?</p> + +<p class='pindent'>It was neither! Tony stumbled over +a carbon-gun, snatched it up in one motion, +and simultaneously saw that beside +the figure of Brady lay Phil, unconscious +and bloodstained, red fluid seeping +from a gaping hole in his chest. But +Tony could spare only one glance at his +brother. Beside him, between the pillars +that towered to the roof, two men +were locked in conflict—Jimmy and +Commander Desquer!</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy was getting the worst of it. +He was weaponless and trying to +hold on to the hand in which Desquer +held his gun. The commander was +slowly breaking his opponent’s grip. +No expression showed in the Legion officer’s +face, but his eyes were black and +deadly as wet velvet. Jimmy was gasping +and bleeding from a cut over one +eye, almost exhausted.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony said, his voice like a whiplash, +“<span class='it'>Drop that gun, Desquer!</span>”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The commander’s reaction was unexpected. +All in one swift motion he released +Jimmy and flung himself back. +Hidden in the shadow of the pillars, he +fired at Tony.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The shot missed. Tony lifted his +own weapon—the one Jimmy had apparently +dropped—but Desquer was +fleeing, dodging in and out like a phantom. +Why the devil—! Then Tony +knew why. Desquer was no coward. +But, on the other hand, he was no fool. +He had run out of ammunition. A cartridge +belt on the floor, its buckle torn +off, explained the reason. In the fight +Desquer had lost the belt.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He vanished through the door of the +temple and was gone. Tony stared at +Jimmy. “What the hell?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The boy was white and gasping. +“Phil got back. He’d seen you in the +pyramid—told us where the machine +was. But he’d been wounded—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Yeah. Keep talking, kid.” Tony +was kneeling beside the unconscious +form of Phil, rendering such first aid as +he could.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Desquer sent me outside to keep +guard. I heard Phil yell, and came running +in. I was just in time to see Desquer—” +The boy swallowed. “He +killed Phil, Tony. Shot him through +the chest. I tried to stop him—and +then you came in.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil’s eyelashes flickered. Tony gave +Jimmy the gun. “Okay. Run along +and keep guard again. Watch out for +Desquer. If he shows up—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’ll use the gun.” There was deadly +grimness in the young voice. Jimmy’s +hand closed over the weapon; he hurried +off down the dark aisle.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil was looking up at his brother, a +wry grin twisting his lips. “So you got +out of the pyramid too, eh? Good.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“What happened, boy?” Tony was +futilely trying to stanch the flow of +blood.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Nothing much. Desquer didn’t +bandage me up after I got here. He +searched me, instead. Found nothing, +of course. But—he asked me where +the Earth Star was.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was a little silence. Tony +whispered, “How—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I don’t know. Desquer found out +something. He’s after the gem. +Thought I had it, and when he couldn’t +find it on me, he tried to make me talk. +His methods weren’t very—nice. +That’s when I yelled, I guess. I jumped +at Desquer. Found out I wasn’t as badly +wounded as I’d thought. He shot me +through the chest.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Phil coughed. “Might as well stop +trying, Tony. I’m the first of us to go. +I’ve a hunch there’ll be another. But +one of us three ought to pull through.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’ll get Desquer,” Tony said very +softly. His thin, dark face was a grim +mask of copper.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Thanks. And keep an eye on the +kid, will you? I—I—” A gush of +blood came from Phil’s mouth. He +coughed rackingly. Tony hurriedly +ripped off his shirt to improvise an additional +bandage.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>But it was useless. Ten minutes +later Tony stood silently beside the +body of his brother, looking down at the +stolid features, relaxed utterly now in +death. The shadows of the temple of +Osiris pressed in heavily. It was, in a +way, fitting that death should have +come for Phil in Alu, the asphodel land +where Egyptians thought the souls went +to roam endlessly.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony turned and walked slowly along +the aisle. At the threshold of the temple +he turned and looked back. Phil +would rest there forever, perhaps—and +it was such a sarcophagus as few men +have ever possessed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Don’t move,” a low voice commanded. +“Not an inch! <span class='it'>Careful!</span>”</p> + +<hr class='pbk'/> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/img-3.jpg' alt='' /> +<p class='caption'>“Don’t move! Not if you value your lives!”</p> +</div> + +<hr class='pbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>But Tony’s reaction was involuntary +as he whirled. Almost beside him, but +out of easy reach, was Commander +Desquer. In his hand was a carbon-gun, +and another was in his holster. The +man’s glittering eyes watched Tony +icily from under the shaggy penthouse +brows.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Careful!” Desquer repeated. “Your +brother wasn’t.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Where is he?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“There. . . . He isn’t hurt. He’ll +wake up in a few minutes. Just +stunned. My gun wasn’t loaded, but his +was. So—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer grinned and passed his palm +over his shaved scalp. “Revive him. +Quick!” he barked as Tony hesitated.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>The latter silently went to where +Jimmy lay huddled against the wall +of the temple. He knelt beside the boy +and began to slap his cheeks. He +glanced up once to see the Commander +watching him narrowly.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer said, “Where’s the Earth Star? +You got it?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I don’t know what you’re talking +about,” Tony grunted.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“No? Then let me explain. That +televisor call that took me to the surface—it +was from a man named Zadah, +the secretary of a certain Rajah. He +told me all about you. Offered me a +fortune if I got the jewel back for him. +Well—I intend to. I’m sick of the +Legion, and this is my chance to buy +my way out and live like a prince. So—where’s +the stone?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony told him, but his remark was +unprintable. Desquer’s thick lips twisted +in a sneer.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Very well. But I’ll get it, remember +that.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“A lot of good it’ll do you now.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’ll get out of here. But first we’re +going to destroy that machine of Thotmes. +Your brother’s waking up. Bring +him along. We’re heading for the pyramid.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Grimly Tony hoisted the half-unconscious +Jimmy to his feet and supported +him. “We’re unarmed. There are +scores of priests—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“You’re going to stay unarmed,” +Desquer snapped. “I can handle a gun +better than any three men. <span class='it'>Allons!</span>”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony grunted and started out, carrying +most of Jimmy’s weight on his +shoulders as the boy slowly recovered +from the blow that had stunned him. +His lips were a tight, pale line. Both he +and Jimmy were completely in Desquer’s +power, and the man was so completely +an egotist that he had not hesitated +to carry out his own plans even in +the face of a doom that threatened the +entire Earth. Ruthless Desquer was—but +of his icy courage there could be no +doubt. Nor of his greed! Tony sensed +something of the driving power within +the man, the desolate years of loneliness +in Sub-Sahara, a prison worse for +Desquer, perhaps, than for any other +man there.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They moved toward the pyramid, +keeping to the shadows. Tony and +Jimmy preceded their captor, conscious +always of the gun leveled unerringly +at their backs. There was neither sign +nor movement to indicate the presence +of the Atlanteans.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“How do you expect to get to the +machine?” Tony asked finally. “It’s +guarded.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I can outshoot a dozen Copts,” +Desquer said confidently. “We’re going +straight in. We’ll find a guide—make +him guide us. If anyone gets in +our way, he’ll regret it. We’re going +in, smash the machine, and come out +again. And then—I’ll find out which +of you has the Earth Star.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony didn’t reply. He went on, his +mind desperately searching for a plan. +But it seemed hopeless. There was no +way out.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Finally only a broad plaza separated +them from the pyramid. At its edge +the trio paused. Desquer said, “We’ll +skirt around to that building—see it? +It juts into the open space . . . I don’t +see any guards, but there may be some.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The three were standing in the +shadow at the corner of a tall stone +obelisk. And without warning a score +of figures dropped down upon them, in +utter silence—and with murderous +fury.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer’s guns were in his hands. +The snarling crackle of the carbon-pistols +rapped out, awakening echoes +in the dead city. Tony could not see +the commander; he was borne down +under a press of bodies, struggling furiously. +Beside him he heard Jimmy +cursing and striking out weakly. The +Atlantean priests were not using their +ray-projectors, perhaps because they +depended on weight of numbers. That +was their mistake!</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>It was Desquer’s fearless savagery +turned the tide of battle. His guns +bellowed without ceasing. Thrice he +went down, rising at last a gargoylish, +hideous figure, dripping with blood from +a dozen wounds, his bare scalp shining +blackly in the red light. One by one +and two by two he killed, mercilessly, +viciously, finally clubbing his pistol to +dispose of the last of the priests, who +was atop Tony.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Can’t waste ammunition,” he +growled. “Get up! Both of you! +Hurry!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony stood up, Jimmy beside him. +A few of the priests <span class='it'>had</span> escaped, he saw, +and were even now fleeing toward the +temple. Desquer raised his gun, hesitated, +and lowered it.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come on!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony stared. Scores—no, more than +a hundred priests were pouring from +the pyramid, forming a phalanx massing +itself to guard the threshold. In the +lead stood Thotmes, his spade beard +making him easily recognizable. The +fleeing priests joined their companions, +and the little army stood in silence.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Not using their ray-projectors,” +Tony said. “Guess they’re good only +at short range.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer snarled, “Come on!” His +guns snouted forward, urging his captives +on. Slowly they moved across the +plaza.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The commander fired. A priest fell, +screaming. The ranks closed in, hiding +him from view.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Again and again Desquer fired. His +gun clicked on an empty chamber; he +emptied the other one. Then he reached +for his belt—and Tony heard him curse.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“<span class='it'>Dieu!</span> Those damned Copts! The +priests—they got my ammunition belt +in the fight!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony stopped, turned. Desquer was +standing straddle-legged, the carbon-pistols, +futile without coal, pointing at +the priests. His face was set into rock-hard +lines.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Thotmes shouted something and +lifted the missing ammunition belt in +one hand. He raised it tauntingly.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Got any coal?” Desquer rasped. The +other two men shook their heads.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The priests began to move forward.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony said, “You can’t destroy the +machine now, Desquer. You’ve doomed +the world—and yourself.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer’s knuckles were white; he +stood as though carven from granite. +His jet eyes squinted at the oncoming +mob.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy started to laugh. “How do +you like it, Desquer?” he mocked. +“You’re not the commander now. +You’re just a guy with an empty gun. +And—you’re going to die, Desquer. +<span class='it'>You’re going to die!</span>”</p> + +<div><h1>CHAPTER VIII<br/> <span class='sub-head'>The New Atlantis</span></h1></div> + +<p class='pindent'>The tension grew unendurable. The +priests were advancing slowly, as +though assured that their quarry could +not escape. In the lead Thotmes was +smiling and stroking his beard with one +hand.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Surrender,” he called out. “No +harm will come to you—for a while. +Not till we need new beast-gods!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer’s face went a mottled red. +But still there was no fear in the man. +He faced the throng, still holding his +guns—and suddenly sheathed one and +began to search his pockets. His low +voice rapped out.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Quick, you fools! See if there’s +anything on you we can use for ammunition. +It doesn’t have to be coal—carbon +will do.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony shot one hurried glance at the +mob of priests. Desquer gave a little +cry of triumph and brought out a single +coal-cartridge from his tunic pocket. +“Good! Only one, but—” He slipped +it into the gun’s firing cup.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>There was a queer look, almost of +amusement, on Tony’s dark face. He +gripped Jimmy’s arm and whispered, +“Wait!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer stepped forward. He raised +his gun and called, “Halt!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A flashing smile came from Thotmes. +The high priest did not reply. He kept +on. . . .</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And Desquer fired.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Thotmes seemed surprised. He +paused, lifting his hands to a chest that +was a gory mass of red ruin. He stared +at his bloodstained fingers.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>From the priests went up a whisper +of terror—as Thotmes fell! The high +priest of Alu was dead!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer did not pause. He took one +step forward, and another, as though +expecting his enemies to give back. But +they did not.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They massed together grimly—and +advanced.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>This time the commander paused, his +thick lips twisting. His hand dived into +his tunic pocket in a futile gesture. But +there was no more ammunition.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony was smiling. He touched Desquer’s +arm.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“I’ve a bullet for you, commander.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Eh?” The glittering eyes widened. +“Where—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer’s gaze focused on what Tony +held in his palm. Lens-shaped and +lovely the great gem lay there, flashing +in the red light of Alu. Like a diamond +it was—but it was not a diamond.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy said breathlessly, “Tony! +You—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“<span class='it'>The Earth Star!</span>” There was sweat +on Desquer’s face.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Go on,” Tony whispered. “Take it, +commander! It’s carbon. You can +use it as a bullet. A coal-cartridge will +kill a man. This jewel’s much harder +than stone. There’s no limit to the +power of a carbon gun. You can bring +down the pyramid with this—commander!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer still did not move, and Tony +deftly slipped the jewel into the gun’s +cup. It rested there in its strange setting, +beautiful beyond imagination, +holding within its fiery heart fortunes +and grandeur and death. A jewel—but +it was carbon, too. And Desquer’s eyes +did not move from the great gem.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Shoot,” Tony said. “If you do, you +lose the Earth Star. If you don’t—it +means death.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The commander’s face was shining +with sweat. He glanced up once to the +mob of priests, very close now. His +gross frame shook with the agony of +indecision. To possess the Earth Star—and +to know that its possession meant +certain doom! He had only to squeeze +the trigger, and his enemies would be +blasted out of existence. But if he did +that—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He would lose the Earth Star!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He snarled at Tony, “So you were the +one! The Merlin—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“<span class='it'>Fire!</span>”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Almost involuntarily Desquer brought +up the gun and aimed it. He was whispering +curses under his breath, putting +off until the last moment the decision +that must be made sooner or later. And +he dared not wait too long. The priests +came closer.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The flickering red glow made Desquer’s +features scarlet and black; his +eyes burned balefully, tortured and terrible. +He said, “Damn you! I—I’ll—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>His finger tightened on the trigger. +And—stopped.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>For the priests had paused. They +were staring at the Earth Star. They, +too, were frozen motionless.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One cried, “The jewel! The jewel!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The tableau held. Abruptly the +priests gave back, hesitating. Tony +heard Jimmy’s gasp. He, too, was wondering +what this meant.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>He was never to know. Perhaps, +in long-forgotten ages, another +Earth Star had been dug out from beneath +the Atlantic, to form part of the +religion of Atlantis. Tony could not +know. But he realized that the priests +recognized the jewel, or thought they +did. They bowed before it!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Instantly Desquer realized his opportunity. +He said quietly, “Come on. +We’re going into the pyramid—and +smash the machine.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony said, “You’re crazy. The +priests won’t stand for <span class='it'>that</span>!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer grinned unpleasantly. Without +warning the other gun was in his +hand; he clubbed it and swung. Tony +felt a crashing blow on his head as he +ducked. Gasping with pain, he reeled +in and closed with the giant commander.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy had hold of Desquer’s arm +but with one sweeping motion the officer +sent the boy sprawling. Desquer +and Tony went down with a crash on +the stones. Soft cries came from the +priests. They began to move forward +again, their superstitious terror gone.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer’s stubby fingers were sunk +into Tony’s throat; he squeezed viciously, +his tiny eyes glinting. Though +he lay undermost, he was getting the +better of the battle. Tony pumped +blow after blow at the commander’s +face, but apparently without effect. He +felt Jimmy at his side, saw the boy try +to tear the iron fingers from his brother’s +neck.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And, too, Tony saw the carbon-pistol +lying on the stones near by.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Jimmy!” His voice was a cracked +wheeze. “Gun—pyramid—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Into Desquer’s eyes sprang murder-light. +The fingers contracted, sending +agony down Tony’s spine. Jimmy understood, +though, and dived for the +pistol. He snatched it up, leveled it +at the pyramid and the oncoming +priests.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Desquer yelled like a beast. His +fingers relaxed. Somehow he writhed +free, sprang up, plunged toward Jimmy.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Don’t!” he bellowed. “Don’t—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>From the gun’s muzzle burst a raving +blast of searing flame. The incredible +pressure that had made the Earth Star +was released. Straight through the +ranks of the priests it bored an aisle, +into the heart of the pyramid, melting +and wrecking solid stone with the terrific +power of its thrust. The volcanic +fires of Earth itself seemed to be latent +in that—bullet!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Over the cries of the priests came +a rumbling, crashing thunder. A block +fell, clattering down the pyramid’s side. +The structure buckled. Its whole side +was torn out. The summit toppled and +came thundering down, amid clouds +of smoking dust and ruin.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony staggered erect, staring up. +Something was happening to the cavern +roof. The pyramid <span class='it'>had</span> been a pillar, +supporting it. And now the support +was gone—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Rocks fell from above. Cracks ran +out like a great spider web. Something +silvery flashed down from above, glinting +red in the crimson glow. Tony remembered +that above Alu was—the +Midnight Sea!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>And that sunless, tideless ocean was +pouring into the cavern world through +the crevasse that had been torn in its +floor!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The falling water became a column, +a torrent, a bellowing Niagara. It +drowned the wreckage of the pyramid. +Down the flood came thundering, and +icy tides lapped at Tony’s feet. He +seized Jimmy’s arm, pushed him along.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We’ve got to get out of here!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“How—how can we?”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“We can try—”</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>Their voices, raised to shouts, +sounded like thin whispers above +the mighty rush of the ocean that was +pouring into Alu. The priests ran about +aimlessly, and among them, Tony saw, +was Commander Desquer. A knot of +the Atlanteans surrounded the officer. +They were trying to pull him down, like +wolves surrounding a bison. Unarmed, +Desquer yet was stronger than his opponents.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Silently Jimmy pointed. Tony’s teeth +showed in a mirthless grin.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“So what?” his lips formed. He was +remembering Phil . . .</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The brothers plunged along the +street, already knee deep in surging +black water. A louder thunder came +from behind them. A new sound filled +the cavern—a deep hissing, like steam. +Beyond the wreck of the pyramid, Tony +saw with a quick glance, crimson clouds +were lifting. So the red light of Alu +was actually due to volcanic activity. +And now the icy waters of the Midnight +Sea were finding the molten fires of +lava—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>More rocks fell thunderously. Looking +back, Tony saw a single figure +charging after them—Desquer, a battered, +bleeding giant who splashed on +through the water amid a hail of stone +that dropped from the vaulted heaven +of Alu. All about him that deadly hail +dropped. One glance Tony had of Desquer +rushing on, heavy shoulders +hunched, teeth bared in a mirthless +grin—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then he was gone! The avalanche +from the cracking skies buried him. A +pile of rocks showed for an instant +where he had been, and that, too, vanished +as the rising waters seethed past.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony said nothing, but as he fought +past the temple of Osiris where Phil’s +body lay, he lifted his hand in a queer, +quick salute. Perhaps Phil would +know, now, that his death had been +avenged . . .</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Already the dark tides were seething +at the tunnel-mouth that led to the upper +world. On the threshold Tony +paused, to take one last look at ruined +Alu. The red light was darker now, +and somber. The flaming clouds boiled +up endlessly; the rock shook and +quaked underfoot. The Niagara that +poured from the roof of the cave +looked like a solid obelisk, and an odd +thought came into Tony’s mind.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“A pillar of cloud by day . . . and +a pillar of smoke by night . . .”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Alu, daughter of Atlantis, was dying +as the mother continent had died. +Earth-fires and deluge were slaying +her, wiping out all life, wrecking the +culture that had survived from the +misty, unknown eons before Egypt +was. The huge temples, half submerged +in seething tides, were falling +in ruin. All over the vast cavern darkness +was falling.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The arched ramp they had seen on +entering Alu was still visible, far away. +And now Tony saw that there were +figures upon it, as there had been at +first. Figures with strange, misshapen +heads—</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The pitiable, terrible beast-gods of +Alu, created by dead Thotmes’ science!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>One glimpse Tony had of those far +figures, outlined blackly against red +smoke. Then—the ramp fell.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Over Alu the roaring desolation of +death and ruin held sway!</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony turned to the white-faced Jimmy. +Already the water was tearing at +their thighs.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Come on,” he shouted. “We’re getting +out of here. Fast!”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They fled up the tunnel . . .</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The rest was sheer nightmare. +Somehow they found their way, following +always the passages that led up, +hiding from terrified, frantic Copts, +fleeing through corridors whose walls +shook with the grip of earthquake. Up +and up they went, finding at last a +frightened Copt who agreed to guide +them to the surface. His own world +was falling in pieces about him, and he +wished only to escape. A cave-in +crushed him not long after, but the +passage stretched unbroken before the +brothers. They toiled on . . .</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Daylight filtered in yellow brilliance +through a crack in the rock. Exhausted, +haggard, filthy scarecrows, the +two squeezed through into blazing +sunlight. About them lay rolling +dunes. They were in a rocky little +valley.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>They dropped to the sand and lay +there motionless for hours, scarcely +conscious of the burning sun.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The soft mutter of a gyro motor +woke them. Tony sat up, blinking. He +was in time to see a plane land softly +not far away, and a figure in flying uniform +step out.</p> + +<hr class='tbk'/> + +<p class='pindent'>Jimmy was still sleeping. Tony +lurched forward to greet the new +arrival. His eyes were misty with +sleep, and he did not at first recognize +the pilot—not till the latter took out +an automatic and held it ready.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then he saw it was Zadah, the +Rajah’s secretary.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony stopped, swaying a little, his +arms hanging limp at his sides. Zadah’s +round face was triumphant. The +beady eyes shone with triumph.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Luck,” he said. “I’ve been cruising +about for hours just on an off chance. +I just happened to sight you—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“The Copts.” Tony said thickly. +“They—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Zadah nodded. “I know. Your +legionnaire got through—Jacklyn. +There’s an army of troopers at the +mouth of Sub-Sahara. But—where’s +the Earth Star? If you escaped, that +means Desquer didn’t get it.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“It’s gone. Desquer got it—and +used it. The Earth Star’s destroyed, +Zadah.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The other hesitated. Something he +saw in Tony’s eyes made him realize +that the latter spoke truth. Abruptly +baffled rage sprang into Zadah’s round +face.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>“Gone! Then—”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He lifted the gun, his lips white with +fury at the wreckage of his plans. +“Maybe! If you’re lying, I’ll find the +jewel on your bodies.”</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony tensed himself for a spring that +he knew in advance would be futile. +But, before he could move, another +figure hurled itself forward. Jimmy’s +slight frame dived at the killer.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Zadah’s gun barked. Jimmy cried +out; the Oriental swung his weapon +back to Tony. But he was too late. +His wrist was held in a grip of iron. +Tony’s dark face was close to his own, +and there was death in the somber +eyes.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Zadah screamed.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony said not a word. Very slowly, +very carefully, he bent Zadah’s hand +back. The latter’s finger was still on +the trigger. The gun pointed at last +at the killer’s heart.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Then Tony smiled—and the muscles +of his hand contracted.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The report was shatteringly loud in +the desert stillness.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony let the limp body slide down, +and turned back to Jimmy. The boy +was dead. Zadah’s bullet had made a +neat little hole in the brown shirt.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>After a moment Tony carried the +body of his brother to the plane and +put it aboard. He followed. He sent +the gyro winging up over the desert.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Beneath him the Sahara stretched, a +white wilderness under the flaming heat +of the Sun. To the north could be seen +an encampment, the troopers that had +arrived, too late, at the mouth of Sub-Sahara. +Tony set the controls and fled +beyond them.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>The desert gave place to the Mediterranean, +and that, in turn, to the Pacific +Ocean. The cool blueness of +night folded down. Moonlight silvered +the waves.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony opened a trap-door in the floor +and let the body of his brother slide +through. Phil rested in the temple of +Osiris—and Jimmy would lie beneath +the waves that hid Atlantis.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>He went back to the controls, staring +ahead at an empty horizon. Westward +lay New York. He could go back there +now; the motive for keeping hidden +had vanished. No one would know +who the Merlin was. Some men might +guess, might be convinced that either +Phil or Jimmy had stolen the Earth Star—but +they would never dare make +an accusation, and Seth Martell would +need make no compromises with his +honor and his ideals.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Only Tony would know that the +Merlin had been his brother Phil.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>For ten minutes he had been alone +with Phil in the Temple of Osiris. And, +before the youth died, he had told Tony +the truth—that he was the Merlin. +He had given his brother the Earth Star +to keep. But no one would ever +know that now.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>Tony’s throat was tight. He stared +at the dim horizon of sky and sea, +knowing that beyond it lay New York, +and a life he could take up again +where he had left it. A life he must +live—alone.</p> + +<p class='pindent'>A faint glow brightened to the west. +The tallest towers of Manhattan were +pillars of light against the sky.</p> + +<p class='line'> </p> +<p class='line'> </p> + +<p class='noindent'>[The end of <span class='it'>Secret of the Earth Star</span> by Henry Kuttner]</p> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75218 ***</div> + </body> + <!-- created with fpgen.py 4.64b on 2023-01-07 00:26:56 GMT --> +</html> + diff --git a/75218-h/images/cover.jpg b/75218-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1d2f0f8 --- /dev/null +++ b/75218-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/75218-h/images/img-1.jpg b/75218-h/images/img-1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7d3636 --- /dev/null +++ b/75218-h/images/img-1.jpg diff --git a/75218-h/images/img-3.jpg b/75218-h/images/img-3.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4caee16 --- /dev/null +++ b/75218-h/images/img-3.jpg |
