They had started to rush me, but as the full import
of my threat camehome to them, they halted.
Briefly, it was a cylinder pointed at eachend and
closely resembled the model of The Flying Death. The scene that met my gaze sent the
hot fighting blood surging throughmy frame. As you are aware every substance in the
universehas its own fixed vibratory rate. Oh,why did you come, for this time they
will make no mistake. You cannot dare draw your sword against the sonof Haj Osis.
You ruin all my plans, screamed Phor Tak. Once again I wasalone, fettered to a stone
wall.
I had also brought along something which PhorTak
had refused me when I had asked him for it.
I felt that I should experience remorse and
selfloathing, but I experienced neither.
What I told the padwar ofthe guard was a lie. It is
merely the application ofscientific principles well known to me for hundreds of
years.
Well, they would not kill meany deader for that
crime than for menacing the life of the prince.
I must depend upon its ownweight and hope that no
high wind would rise. We must not permit this fellow to escape or he will sound the
alarmand we shall all be lost.
Then I blindfolded him andleft him lying
there.
I was disappointed forthis must necessarily greatly
complicate my plans for rescue.
Should he turn he would discoverme instantly and
would give an alarm before I could be upon him.
I must enter the palace and to do it in any degree
of safety I musthave a disguise.
That is true, said Phor Tak thoughtfully. Have you
not seen me render the deviceinvisible?
It is still there, he said,but you cannot see it.
They had started to rush me, but as the full import of my threat camehome to them,
they halted. Phor Tak laughed his high cackling laugh.
Atthe main hangar a single guardsman
watched.
What righthave you to interfere with my
plans?
At the ornate desk where the Jed of Tjanathsigned
his decrees, I went to work. Ithought of these things now and perhaps I upbraided
myself, but I hadgone too far now to retreat.
It is merely the application ofscientific
principles well known to me for hundreds of years.
He was breathing rapidly as he stopped at the foot
of the throne.
Ihad backed him up against his desk and thought
that I had him where hecould not escape. Hurrying quickly across the apartment I
entered the ramp upon theopposite side.
Upon the floor fully a score of warriors were
stretched upontheir sleeping silks and furs.
There was a strangelook in his eyes that I did not
like.