Free The Earth-Tube by Gawain Edwards Page A

scientist, recovering himself.
    King arose and went to the door, which opened into the street from a hall communicating with the laboratory. Outside stood the Secretary, and with him was a short, important-appearing man, whom King recognized from his pictures. Preceded by two armed attendants in uniform and followed by another who continually glanced around as if suspicious of every one and everything, the two men stepped briskly into the laboratory. King closed the door. When he joined the group again, the Secretary was going through the formality of introductions.
    “Mr. President,” he was saying, with a grand manner, “this is Dr. Scott, and this, King Henderson. Gentlemen. the President of the Pan-Americas!”
    The President broke in upon these flourishes quickly, smiling appreciatively at Dr. Scott and King. “We have come for a council of war as we explained over the telephone,” he remarked. “To-night we must decide some course of defense.”
    “We are honored by this visit from you,” said Dr. Scott with evident respect. “It is not often that the President of so powerful a state comes to the humble home of a scientist to speak of war and national defense.”
    “Unusual situations, such as this one certainly is, must be met by unusual measures,” replied the President, smiling again. “Besides, Dr. Angell has told me many interesting things about you and Mr. Henderson here. It is a pleasure to meet you in your own home and to see the curious laboratory you have built here.”
    Dr. Scott piloted the group to easy chairs before the open fire in the library. This room and the laboratory were both on the ground floor, communicating with each other through enormous folding doors. In these two rooms, the one fitted with the most modern apparatus for physical, chemical, and other research, the other equipped with those quiet luxuries for body and mind which make association with good books doubly pleasant, Dr. Scott spent most of his waking hours. The little world in which he lived was stamped indelibly with his personality. Secluded and peaceful, separated completely in many ways from contact with the outer world, it was nevertheless a place where the affairs of that world and the universe were most closely studied and analyzed.
    The President glanced about him appreciatively, smiling particularly at Anna as she came in with coffee for every one, while Dr. Scott stirred up the fire. The War Secretary arose and bowed. He remained standing until the girl had gone out of the room again.
    “You have a most charming daughter,” he commented to Dr. Scott.
    It was King who turned the discussion to the problem of defense.
    “Is there anything new in South America?” he asked.
    The Secretary shook his head.
    “Not a thing,” he replied. “The fact is, I believe we have them completely bluffed. They haven’t stirred out of Montevideo, and it’s ten days now since they took the town. Aside from the defenses they’ve thrown up there and along the coast at intervals clear to the head of the causeway, they appear to have been completely inactive. Why they haven’t, by some roundabout route, marched their tanks on Buenos Aires I have not been able to figure out, but it is probable that they have learned in some way of the deep moats we have built there and know that they cannot cross with their moving forts.”
    Dr. Angell put his fingertips together in a large gesture of satisfaction.
    “It seems like a return to ancient methods of warfare, in a way,” he continued, “but so far it has worked.”
    Dr. Scott stirred angrily.
    “It’s a return to ancient methods on your part,” he declared, “but what of their methods? A resourceful people will not be stopped long by your moats and your medieval fighting equipment!”
    “They have been stopped for ten days by it.”
    “Perhaps. and perhaps also they have merely been playing with you.”
    “Well, there’ll be no playing when they do come. I have sent