The Earth-Tube by Gawain Edwards Page B

Secretary with asperity, but he was cut off by the President’s upraised hand. He had observed that King had something more to say.
    “Henderson,” he said, “I beg your pardon for taking up the conversation before you had finished. Did you have a suggestion along this line?”
    King came properly to his feet again before he replied.
    “I was only going to add,” he said, “that I made the suggestion about espionage because I’d like to try the job myself. if you can’t find a better man.”
    The effect of this reply was electrical. Dr. Scott stiffened imperceptibly in his chair. The Secretary made an exclamation of surprise, and the President arose and took King kindly by the hand.
    “We haven’t doubted your courage, Henderson,” he said evenly, “but. you are too valuable here. Let us try it first with others. and if they lose. then you may go.”
    Dr. Scott also stood up, regarding his associate quietly. There were tears in the old man’s eyes. “It is almost certain death you are asking for,” he declared. “I am proud of you. but I am sure there is some better way.”
    He turned abruptly to the others.
    “In fact,” he said, “I may already be on the way to a solution of our problems. Since I first began to think of this Asian metal I’ve been working on a ray of disintegration which I believe will ultimately destroy it.
    “The announcement, I’ll admit, is premature. I have only now got track of this ray; I haven’t yet discovered it. But if telling you will serve to prevent the wanton loss of any additional American lives. “
    He paused uncertainly.
    The President came forward eagerly with a question.
    “Can you say how soon you will be able to show results?” he demanded.
    The old scientist slumped back into his chair, shaking his head a little wearily. “I’m tinkering at it almost day and night,” he replied. “It may be only a matter of days. also it may be that I’ll never find it.”
    “In that case,” said the President, “allow us to give you every aid possible. But in the meantime we’d better send out the spies.”
    He turned brusquely toward Dr. Angell, who was rather white and shaken, like the others, by the sudden serious turn of events.
    “Detail two of your young men to make this attempt,” the President directed. “Use your own judgment. and theirs. as to how it should be done. But mind you pick your cleverest. We must have no bungling. They must return or send the necessary information as soon as possible. I’ll give them. two weeks!”

    III
    In the night a small airplane crossed over the ruins of what had been Buenos Aires and landed beyond the blackened battleground. Two men got out and shook hands gravely, without a word. One wore the clothing of a ragged old man. He walked with difficulty as if his joints were stiff with much hobbling. The other was pilot of the plane.
    For a moment they stood there in the silence, listening. No sound was to be heard. The known enemy camps were miles away, and in the bruised and blackened site where they stood there was not even animal life to break the stillness.
    “Be here in two weeks,” said the old man at length. “If you find me. well, you will find me. If not, report at once to Washington. That’s all.”
    The two shook hands again, and the old one moved slowly away on his stick. When he had gone a short distance the engine of the airplane roared, and the ship rose easily into the darkness.
    At nearly the same hour, a little over a hundred miles away, another man was creeping along the seashore north and east of what had once been Montevideo. Near by there was a long finger of land which reached out into the ocean until it was lost in the darkness and the faintly visible motion of the sea. At the land end of the causeway the great curved door was open a little crack, perhaps as wide or wider than a man, and through the opening came a yellow glimmer of light. The wayfarer turned his feet cautiously toward the