irector General did
not like to encounter either happenings or persons he could not
readily understand; it was disturbing to one's official dignity. The
giant must have read some of this, for he tried to make himself clear.

* * * * *

He repeated the sentences slowly. Then he waved one huge hand in air
and pointed upward, and the hand moved up and up as if to indicate
some tremendous distance. He pointed to himself; then brought one
aiming finger down as if he were coming from that far-off place. And
Danny got the significance.

"It's happened!" he told the Director explosively. "I knew it would
come some day--I knew they'd get here! And us monkeyin' with our
stratosphere ships and thinkin' we were beatin' the rest of the
Universe!"

The Director regarded the young American with about the same degree of
disfavor as he had shown the giant. "What is it you say?" he
questioned. "You mean--what? I do not understand."

And, in careful words, Danny explained. He told the Director of
District Three something of his dreams that space might not be an
insurmountable bar; he told him, with enthusiasm driving his words out
faster and faster, that here was a man--or if not a man, a living
creature of some sort--that had come out of space.

"Where did they find him?" he demanded. "Where is his ship?"

But he ceased to ask questions as he noticed the Director's mirth. For
that official was rocking with roaring laughter that had a distinctly
uncomplimentary sound. And he added some words in Russian that were as
incomprehensible to Danny as the growling talk of the giant man, but
the O'Rourke temper flamed as he saw the other Russians in the room
smiling appreciatively.

Then: "Take him away!" the Director thundered. "We'll see where he
comes from. Search him! And if he hasn't any passports--" The unended
sentence was suggestive.

* * * * *

But an hour later, Danny saw the giant furnish his own ending to the
incompleted order. He had left the Director's room. Across the street
was the gray stone building where prisoners were held for disposition
by the courts. And once more Danny O'Rourke's jaw dropped in
open-mouthed, unbelieving amazement as he saw a section of gray stone
wall fall outward where the edge of it was sharply outlined in
white-hot, dripping stone.

A great figure stepped forth. In his hand was a rod like an elongated
pencil attached to a heavy