tly
into a shapeless mass of flesh and bone.

And Tode had known more about the Atom Smasher--as they affectionately
called the mechanism for releasing atomic energy--than old Parrish and
he together. Suppose Lucille's story were true! Suppose old Parrish
were actually alive, suppose Tode were responsible for some designed
scheme which would, in the end place Lucille in his power!

Wild thoughts and fears--but Jim would soon know. And with throttle
stretched to the limit he went roaring over the scrub oak toward
Peconic Bay.

* * * * *

It was beginning to grow dark, almost too dark for landing. But now
Jim could feel the tang of the salt wind upon his face. He slowed
down. The fog was as thick as ever, but the scrub oak had given place
to more open country. In a minute or two he ought to sight some
landmark. Yes, he had overshot his mark, for suddenly, through a gap
in the mists, he saw the line of breakers forming a white ridge upon
the sand.

A mile southward! Jim knew where he was now, for he knew every curve
of that shore. He banked and turned. And then he saw something that
for an instant chilled his blood.

Not far away, and not far beneath him, a ghostly violet haze was
spreading through the fog, and the fog itself was coiling back from it
until it formed a dense white wall.

For a moment Jim's hand was paralysed upon the stick. The next, his
decision was made. He closed his throttle and went down in a slow
descent right toward the heart of that column of lavender smoke that
seemed to be springing straight up out of the ground. "A pillar of
violet fire!" It could not have been described better.

The plane dived through the dense wall of fog, which for a moment shut
out the violet fire completely. Then Jim was through, and almost
immediately beneath him lay the black and glassy surface of the pool.
Out of the very heart of it rose the fire, burning like some infernal
flame that consumed nothing, and between it and the fog was a space of
almost translucent air, extending to the borders of the pool.

Jim began to circle the pool to find a landing-place. But as he looked
down, the surface of the pool began to change its aspect.

* * * * *

In place of the unruffled calm, it began to work with some devil's
yeast all around the central pillar of flame, until its depths seemed
to be churned up in frothy masses and the movement extended almost t