Jeter called the publisher of the leading newspaper for a conference.

"Strange that you should have called just now," said the publisher, "for
I was on the point of calling you and Eyer and inviting you to a
conference to be held this evening at my office in Manhattan."

"What's the purpose of your conference? Who will attend?"

"I--I--well, let us say I had hoped to make you and Eyer available to
all interviewers on the eve of your flight into the stratosphere."

Jeter hesitated, realizing that the publisher did not wish to tell
everything over the telephone.

"We'll be right along, sir," he said.

* * * * *

It took an hour for them to reach the publisher's office. Wires had
plainly been pulled, too, for a motorcycle escort joined them at the
Queensboro Bridge and led them, sirens screaming, to their meeting with
George Hadley, the publisher.

They looked at each other in surprise when they were admitted to the
meeting.

Hadley's huge offices were packed. The mayor was there, the police
commissioner, the assistant to the head of Federal Secret Service. The
State Governor had sent a representative. All the newspapers had their
most famous men sitting in. Right in this one big room was represented
almost the entire public opinion of the United States. American
representatives of foreign newspapers were there. And there wasn't a
smile on a single face.

It was beginning to be borne in upon everybody that the Western
Hemisphere was in the grip of a strange unearthly malady--almost an
_other_-earthly malady, but what was it?

Hadley nodded to the two scientists and they took the seats he
indicated.

Hadley cleared his throat and spoke.

"We have here people who represent the press of the world," he said. "We
have men who control billions in money. I don't know how many of you
have thought along the same lines as I have, but I feel that after I
have finished speaking most of you will. First, there are certain news
stories which, for reasons of policy, never reach the pages of our
papers. I shall now tell you some of them...."

The whole crowd shifted slightly in its chairs. There was a strained
leaning forward. Grave faces went whiter as they anticipated gripping
announcements.

"All the strange things have not been happening in the United States,
gentlemen," said Hadley. "That young fellow who reported seeing the
columns of light in Arizona--you remember?--"

There w