Amazing Stories, Vol. 3, No. 2 — page 83: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

eatin he sss 178 , AMAZING STORIES By FRANCIS FLAGG (Concluded) or ninety, penniless, unknown, in charge of a middle- aged woman. What good would that do either you or Theda? Besides, there is something else to con- sider. Do you realize that it was only by a miracle we escaped death when our Time Machine fell to pieces on the plain out there? Yet there is no way of returning a machine to 1926, save by hurling it back in time until it, too, disintegrates from old age!” As I stood glaring at him in horror, there came the terrified clamor of hundreds ef voices. “Tools !’? cried a woman's shrill voice. “Lools!” Far out on the plain had risen what seemed an eddying cloud. Even as we gazed, petrified, there rose another, and yet another, until the sky was black with them. The Master Ants were coming to the attack! Of the ghastly fight which took place on the roof, there is little to say. The millions of insects, with their winged steeds, simply fell upon the giant ray cone and smothered it to ineffectiveness with their charred bodies. Nearly two hundred of the Scien- tians fell in battle, stung to death by the sword-like stings of the flying insects. The remainder fled panic-stricken from the roof into the interior of the Castle and sealed up the entrance with impregnable composite metal. By means of the transparent ray it is possible to look through the walls and ceiling. The once fair garden is being eaten and destroyed. The fruit trees are crumbling into dust. All that is vulnerable is a decaying wreck. As I look at the scene of unutterable desolation, despair grips my heart, and a wild desire to strap myself in the Time Machine and quit this terrible future for the past, almost overwhelms me. But that is impossible. There is nothing to do but stay and face whatever the future holds in store for us, Soltano maintains that our situation is not yet hopeless. Those Scien- tians amaze me. Their courage atid optimism in the face of disaster are wonderful. Now I know what their religion is: It is an abiding faith in the power of thei science to aid and uphold them. The Pro- fessor tells me of an intricate arrangement for sup- y plying us with air; I do not understand it yet very- well, but it ig made clear to me that we can live in the interior of the Castle indefinitely. Water and synthetic foods can be made. Meantime, in the splendidly equipped laboratories and machine shops, the scientists and inventors are rushing forward ex- periments which may release, they say, the energy in the atom: and give us possession of weapons which st ALAS will destroy the ants and return the lordship of America to man. But as to this, I do not know; I hardly dare hope. ‘Theda leans over me and presses her soft cheek against mine, and though I do not feel at all heroic, | am comforted and made stronger by her love. Escape or help seems impossible. Nevertheless, I am going to tie this manuscript in the Time Machine, which stands ready at my side, and send it baclc to the period I have left forever. 1 repeat my hope that it will fall into the hands of intelligent people and that its contents will be made known to the public. It may be that we shall overcome the ants in the inevitable final conflict between men and insects. In that case we will try t0 communicate with the twentieth century again. If not, then we bid a final farewell to the people of 1926. Signed: Prorrssor Joun REvuBENS, Raymonp Bent. What Is To Be Done with the Document? HE nationally known lawyer laid down the i -incredible document, For a moment there was complete silence in the room. Finally the President of the University spoke. “T suppose you wish our advice as to what dis- position to make of this ... this... .” “Exactly,” returned the lawyer. “I am positive itis ashoax; and yer 7 “And yet,” finished the Doctor of Science, “ ‘there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy !’ as Hamlet said!” The ordinary M. D. coughed. “There is some- thing fishy about this whole affair,” he said, “‘cast- ing no reflections on our host, whose account of how the manuscript came into his possession I believe absolutely. Perhaps someone is trying to cover up the fact that twenty thousand dollars disappeared. But that doesn’t sound plausible either. My advice — is to lock the manuseript up in a safe. Time enough to publish its contents to the world if any queer happenings should occur—in South America, for instance.” The five other men gave hearty approval to this plan, and there the matter rests, except that there are at least three men in Berkeley, California, who carefully scan the press every day for any strange — news: from: Latin America. comichooks.co