lan. Wetzel tells us
the man in charge of the spaceship appeared to be an Indian. It seems
our best move is to send an emissary into the blacked-out section to
learn the reason for this--well--this attack. Such a representative
should be qualified to deal intelligently with this--this Indian.
Somebody able to understand the Indian temperament. In short, Mr.
Quinlan, you!"

* * * * *

I rubbed a hand along the back of my neck and smiled. "You know, this
whole thing is utterly mad! Indians, time machines, robots,
spaceships! But then these days the most fertile imaginations can't
seem to keep up with reality. If you gentlemen want me to try to get
to this Indian and ask him what's the big idea, I'll do my best. Not
because I want to, but because I wouldn't know how to go about
refusing the President of my country."

Some of the tension seemed to go out of the room. The President said,
"You won't find me or your country ungrateful, Mr. Quinlan," and the
Secretary of War nodded approvingly, and General Ohlmsted's cigar
stopped shaking. Proudfit took out a sheaf of papers from an inner
pocket of his coat, leafed through them quickly and handed one to me.
"This authorizes you as a representative of the United States
Government, answerable only to the President, and with full authority
to act accordingly."

"Fine," I said, putting it away. "Maybe I can use it on these robots
Wetzel mentioned!"

Proudfit looked at his strap-watch. "An Army jet bomber will take you
and Mr. Wetzel to a point as close to Burdette, Colorado, as can be
managed. Wetzel tells us he can locate the spaceship from that point.
We don't know, of course, how closely guarded the ship is--or even if
it's guarded at all. But Wetzel is confident his training and
background as a frontiersman and Indian fighter can get you there
under cover of darkness. Once you reach the spaceship, the rest is up
to you."

"And if I don't make it?"

Proudfit spread his hands. "Two companies of Army regulars entered
that area at 6:30 tonight. They were fully armed, with orders to use
those arms if necessary. Nothing has been heard from them since. We're
sending you on the theory that where many can't get through perhaps
one or two can. You have until noon--slightly more than eleven hours
from now--to get word to us. If we don't hear from you by then or if
the 'dead' area continues to expand after that time, then we throw our
Sunday punch!