last the shadows of
the landscape came up again. And occasionally we saw shadowy
inhabited domains--enclosing walls around water and vegetation, with
a frowning castle and its brood of mound-shaped little houses like
baby chicks clustered around the mother hen.

Tako served us with a meal; it was strange food, but our hunger made
it palatable. Jane and Tolla remained in their nearby cabin. We did
not see them, but occasionally Don or I, ignoring Tako's frown,
called out to Jane, and received her ready answer.

Occasionally also, we had an opportunity to question Tako. He had
begun tell us the general outline of his plans. The important fact
was that the army would mobilize just within visibility of New York.

"Nothing can touch us then," Tako said. "You will have to explain
what weapons will be used against me. Particularly the long-range
weapons are interesting. But you have no weapons which could
penetrate into the shadows of the borderland, have you?"

"No," said Don. "But your weapons--" He tried not to seem too
intent. "Look here, Tako, I don't just understand how you intend to
conquer New York."

"Devastate it," Tako interrupted. "Smash it up, and then we can
materialize and take possession of it. My object is to capture a
great number of young women--beautiful young women."

"How?" I demanded. "By smashing up New York? There are thousands of
young women there, but you would kill them in the process. Now if
you would try some other locality. For instance, I could direct you
to open country--"

* * * * *

He understood my motive. "I ask not that kind of advice. I will
capture New York; devastate it. I think then your rulers will be
willing voluntarily to yield all the captives I demand. Or, if not,
then we will plan to seize them out of other localities."

Don said, "Suppose you tell us more clearly just how you expect to
smash New York, as you call it. First, you will gather, not
materialized, but only visible to the city."

"Exactly. That will cause much excitement, will it not?
Panics--terror. And if we are only wraiths, no weapons of your world
can attack us."

"Nor can yours attack the city. Can they?"

He did not at first answer that; and then he smiled. "Our hand
light-projectors could not penetrate out from the borderland without
losing their force. But we have bombs. You shall see.[6] The bombs
alone will devastate New York, if we choose to use them. I have al