Part 4
“These tubes leading from the base of these generators carry the concentrated power impulses to the tubes you saw on the outside of the flyer. These in turn bombard the round objects you saw placed near the walls of the room, which operate to diffuse the power beam in various directions through the workings.
“The wall of this chamber is an inner partition, giving a vacuum protection against the cold of outer space. Before I go any further, it is necessary to show you the upper compartments of the flyer, where we store the reserve supply of ‘Venusite’ and have the living quarters of the travelers. We have a very clever arrangement for preparing concentrated foods. The capacity of the flyer----”
OOMLAG stopped. The door of the projectile had opened, and the big Venusian guard had entered and broken in abruptly on Oomlag’s talk. He spoke a few rapid, guttural words to my guide, while the door meantime remained open.
Oomlag scowled, and seemed to be considering what he had just heard. He cast a glowering, sidelong glance in my direction, and I guessed that I must be concerned in some way. Finally, he said something curtly to the guard, and faced me. I was relieved to see his face light up into a grin which, though evil and hideous, was a grin nevertheless.
“We shall step outside a moment, Stan-lee,” he said. “I have some important news for you which should make you feel pretty good.”
Wondering what he could possibly mean by this, I followed Oomlag and the guard out of the flyer into the intense light of the large cavern. As soon as the doors had swung shut behind us, Oomlag spoke.
“The Field General has commanded that you be released!”
I gasped with amazement. Surely, there must be some mistake! Released, knowing what I did about their plans, free to take steps to stamp out this menace, to----
“Stan-lee, I see you are incredulous. Nevertheless, you are to be released, immediately.” Oomlag came closer, leering into my face. “The Field General has a sense of humor, just as we all have. It is really our one weakness. He feels your presence here is undesirable, and your services are not needed after all. That leaves two alternatives--either kill you, or let you go. He has decided on the latter. Myself, I am sorry, for I have taken a liking to you.”
I was stunned. Like a fool I blurted out:
“But--but, you have shown me--how do you dare----”
“I know what you think.” Oomlag spoke suavely, mockingly. “You think that, once free, you will spread the alarm to your fellows. How ridiculous! In the first place, no one would believe you, you would be considered mad. In the second place, you humans could do nothing to hinder us if you wished. We have the power of ‘Venusite.’ I need say no more. It is one of the best jokes I ever heard! You alone of the earth inhabitants will know of our existence, and your knowledge will be useless. You can do nothing, absolutely nothing. Your friends will discover you, wandering. A word of this to anyone--well, your mind has been wandering, too!”
I was sickened by his fiendish, throaty laughter as he derided me, mocked me with this terrible truth.
Suddenly his manner changed. The leer on his face was replaced by an ugly snarl of determination. He uttered a few words in his own language, and I felt myself seized from behind. Oomlag’s ochre face came close to mine.
“Goodbye, earth creature. You go out the way you came!”
Again I felt myself blindfolded and gagged, rapidly losing consciousness under the influence of the sweetish drug . . .
The rest can be told in a few words. I regained consciousness not far from the camp-site. The sun was high in the heavens. I staggered to where I had seen the rock camouflage. It was not there--absolutely no sign of any disturbance, nothing but ordinary flat ground. Something made me think of the note I had received from the dark-haired girl. I found it where I had stuffed it in my pocket. In a hasty scrawl she had written, in charcoal, now scarcely legible:
“India is safe.”
The sun was setting when Olin appeared with a posse in search of me. I trumped up an explanation of how I had been restless, had gone for a ride in the moonlight, had been thrown from the horse . . . what else could I do? It was as Oomlag had said.
Now, in India, I write these lines. The girl must have thought I had a chance to get free. My friends, for God’s sake do not regard me as a second Jack Pansay with his phantom “rickshaw.”* Olin knows I disappeared--and I know what happened. If I am not spared to read this document myself, for the sake of those who _will_ believe, give it circulation. How wise was Shakespeare when he had Hamlet say: “There are more things in Heaven and earth . . .”
I can say no more.
THE END
* The reference is to one of Rudyard Kipling’s early stories called “The Phantom Rickshaw.”
[Transcriber’s Note. This is a replica of a promotional booklet sent out by _Amazing Stories_ magaine to readers in 1928. The only way to get the story was to fill out the form on the advertisement shown below. The advertisement for _Vanguard of Venus_ appeared on page 557 of Amazing Stories in September 1928.]