The Argosy for May — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

242 hour, you’ll never. reach the outside alive. Béfore midnight, you’ll sleep in a sepul- cher of ruins.” ‘We are not leaving,” Bob replied. “So be it,” came the answer. ‘ You have bravery, but not brains. You can- not hide from me. Will you leave the city?” ‘“Why do you wish us to leave?” Bob asked. — “ Because it does not suit my purpose to have you remain.” “What is your purpose?”’ “You ask too much,” wired the un- known. ‘Tf you are master of the world, and have the city and us at your mercy, why should you be afraid to tell us your purpose P”’ ” “T am not afraid to tell you. I refuse to do it.” ‘“[ say you are afraid. You do not have -confidence in the power you say you possess.” “Have I not?” came the answer. “Very well, [I'll tell you my purpose, and in telling you I speak your death- warrant. For if I speak, you shall never leave the city alive.” “Speak!” commanded Bob. “You talk for yourself. How about the other operator?” 3 Bob turned and looked at Haverson. Fred’s face went white, but he stum- bled forward, grasped the key, and tapped his answer: ‘“ Speak!” The unknown wired again: “Very well! My purpose is to crush the city of Merton, to leave it a mass of ruins, to demolish every building, to tear stone from stone and brick from brick, and then to sweep it with con- suming fire. The city is in my power now. Nothing can save it. Nothing can cheat me of my vengeance.” “Vou are not, then, going to loot the city of its wealth, and escape with it?” Bob asked. “T do not care for wealth. I have possessed wealth for years—wealth I inherited and wealth that I amassed. It has brought me many things, chief among which is my revenge. I shall destroy the city—all of it except the building in which I now am—and then I shall go my way.” But THE ARGOSY. “ You forget,” said Bob, ‘that you are writing your own doom. The city is surrounded by thousands of people, and by troops. You may destroy it, but you'll never reach the outside. How will you escape the vengeance of the citizens outside? ”’ “The same force which tears the city to pieces shall be thrown against the foolish people who would oppose me,” the unknown answered. ‘ Though thou- sands stand in my way, they shall be swept from the face of the earth, hurled from my path. He who tries to oppose me, dies. Now you have learned my purpose — and for this knowledge you pay with your lives.” ‘One moment,” Bob flashed. ‘‘ Who are you, and why do you desire revenge against the city of Merton?” . “Vl tell you no more,” said the un- known operator. ‘“ You have one hour in which to communicate with the out- side. I grant you this last favor. At the end of the hour, the destruction of the city will begin. You may think it peculiar I did not crush the city while its thousands of people were within. Do you wish to know why?” ‘ Yes,’’ Bob answered. ‘Because I know what lingering agony is. I know the mercy in a quick death. I know the feelings of the peo- ple of Merton now upon the outside, who count the seconds while their homes and fortunes are being swept away. I want to send those thousands of people out into the world penniless, to make them lifelong slaves to the terrible mem- ory of how it happened. In that way, my revenge will live long. “To annihilate them would be mer- ciful indeed. ‘To hear their groans and shrieks, to see their tears and their agony —that will be sweet for me. I am done with talk. You have your hour — and perhaps you'll count the minutes and the seconds, and know what fear is when you see buildings tumbling about you, and flames shooting toward the sky. This is my last communication—I will cut the wire.” Bob had fallen back in the chair as the unknown sent the dots and dashes flying into the sounder. Fred was be- side him, his hands trembling, his breath coming in gasps. COnnicloookxs