tial dive to the hard ground. All rules of
boxing and wrestling were forgotten. Biting, kicking, gouging, all
were the same to this silent and powerful antagonist. It was
catch-as-catch-can in the darkness, and mostly the other fellow could
and did. He had a grip like the clamp of a robot. Trying to dig out
one of his eyes? Eddie saw stars--and lashed out with all his might,
his flying fists playing a tattoo on the others ribs. Short arm jabs
that brought grunts of agony from his big assailant. Try to blind him,
would he?

Eddie somehow managed to get on top; his clutching fingers found the
other's collar. Then he let loose with terrific rights and lefts that
smacked home to head and face. Those outlanders don't like the good
old American fist, and Eddie had room to bring them in from way back,
now. The fellow had ceased struggling and Eddie's hands were getting
slippery. Blood! Must be, for the stuff was warm and sticky. He rested
for a moment, breathing heavily. The other was quiet beneath
him--knocked cold. He staggered to his feet triumphantly; wondered how
many more of them there were.

* * * * *

He looked around in the darkness, straining his eyes in vain to pierce
its thick veil. There was a glimmer of light over there, through a
window. The laboratory! The light flickered a second and vanished. A
cold fear gripped him and he stumbled through the grounds blindly,
finally colliding painfully with the brick wall. He felt his way
toward the door, or where he thought it should be.

He dared not call out for fear the others would hear. Where was that
damned door? He rested again and listened. Not a sound was to be
heard from within or without. He clawed his way frantically along the
unsympathetic wall. It was a mile wide, that laboratory of Shelton's.
Ah--at last! Weakly, he staggered within.

"Lina!" he whispered, "Lina! Shelton!"

There was no reply. He fumbled for a match. Funny how slowly his mind
worked ... thoughts coming jerkily like a sound film running at quarter
speed ... fingers shaking so he could scarcely strike a light. The flare
showed the laboratory empty of human beings ... Lina gone ... that crazy
robot ... quiet now, and visible ... but grinning at him ... then
darkness....

* * * * *

What a headache! Eddie rolled over and groaned. Astounded by the
hardness of his bed and the stiffness of his joints, he roused to
instant wake