The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Radiant Shell, by Paul Ernst

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Title: The Radiant Shell

Author: Paul Ernst

Release Date: July 30, 2007 [EBook #22171]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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The Radiant Shell

By Paul Ernst

[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from "Astounding Stories"
January 1932. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the
U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]

[Illustration: _The man on the metal plate was vanishing._]

"And that, gentlemen," said the Secretary of War, "is the situation.
Arvania has stolen the Ziegler plans and formulae. With their
acquisition it becomes the most powerful nation on earth. The Ziegler
plans are at present in the Arvanian Embassy, but they will be smuggled
out of the country soon. Within a month of their landing in Arvania, war
will be declared against us. That means"--he glanced at the tense faces
around the conference table--"that we have about three months to live as
a nation--unless we can get those plans!"

There was a hushed, appalled silence, broken at last by General Forsyte.

"Nonsense! How can a postage-stamp country like Arvania really threaten
us?"

"The day has passed, General," said the Secretary, "when a nation's
power is reckoned by its size. The Ziegler heat ray is the deadliest
weapon yet invented. A thousand men with a dozen of the ray-projectors
can reduce us to smoking ruins while remaining far outside the range of
our guns. No! I tell you that declaration of war by Arvania will be
followed by the downfall of the United States inside of three months!"

Again the hushed, strained silence descended over the conference table,
while one white-faced man gazed at another and all speculated on the
incredible possibility of a world in which there was no United States of
America.

"We must get the plans," nodded Forsyte, convinced at last. "But how?
March openly on the Arvanian Embassy?"

"No, that would be declaration of war on _our_ part. The Worl