Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 19, 1924 — page 45: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

COLOSSUS OF THE RADIO. The last word was simultaneous with a touch on the control board and a forward stride of the colossus. Through the flames he went; a thing of irresistible power, obedient to the will of Nick—plus radio voltage. Without hardly being aware of their ac- tions Crawley, Slim and the five others gathered in a semicircle behind Nick. In the marvel of what they were beholding they momentarily forgot all else. In the interior of the garage they saw the steel man reach the girl. She was bound and could not offer any assistance of her own. Nick pressed a key and then others. The steel man bent over. His extended arms came _ together—slowly— gently. He stood up; turned. A hissing gasp came from the group behind Nick. The girl was cradled in the giant’s arms. He stood motionless awaiting the wireless message. Nick’s face was drawn with concentra- tion. and—there was that barrier of. licking flame. It was not enough that the steel man should be made to rush through. He would have to run—jump. Nick studied the keys. His lips moved. He prayed for surety of choice and touch. There is a point of trial and test of cool courage when the bravest and surest wisely lean on the Power above all else. ‘““God help me,” whispered Nick and struck the keys. The colossus responded instantly. A mass of force beyond all human strength and agility, he bounded to the door of the garage. Without pause on the threshold, he leaped high in the air. He came down with ponderous, thudding softness on the turf. Abreast of Nick, his arms parted. . May laughed hysterically as Nick ease her to the ground. Not a flame had even scorched her. It was a moment to relax; but Nick was at high tension pitch. May was saved, but —there was other work for the colossus to do. Action was imperative while Crawley and the others were stil! held by the scene they had just witnessed. Scarcely had May’s laugh died away, when Nick quietly touched the keyboard His colossus held a precious burden 515 again. A yell of dismay and warning came from some member of the gang, but it was too late. Quicker than a cat, the steel man pounced on the group with extended arms. He compassed a breadth of over seven feet, seven feet of steel that snapped together like a sprung wolf trap. Crawley, Slim, and one other, were bunched wriggling in that terrible embrace. The other four backed—to escape. From the hip pocket of Crawley, Nick jerked an automatic. ‘““Stop—hands up, all of you,” he shouted. One shot he fired in earnest of his command and the four halted. Eight hands went stiffly aloft. ‘Now, May,” urged Nick as he loosed her bonds, “ try to get over to Bill. Re- lease him. No—don’t bother about me. I can kneel and get my feet free with one hand. There’s no danger from the tank. It was busted clean open when the truck fell over.” When Bill was freed, he found great and satisfying pleasure in applying the ropes that had held himself, Nick and May at the whim of Crawley. After the seven were all tied together, he went to the truck and reaching under the instrument board came back with something that no one had ap- parently thought of. It was a fire ex- tinguisher. | ‘“T’m anxious to see what it is they’ve got in the basement of that house,” he said as he sprayed the chemical on the blaze. ‘“We’ve got the gang all right; but so far T haven’t got anything on them except at- tempted robbery, assault and near murder.” When the flames were put out, Bill paused for a question before going to in- vestigate the basement. “It beats me how you worked that steel man with his head all battered in?” “His head was only an ornament; a finishing touch as it were,’’ answered Nick. ““T put the brain of him as you might call it, the controlling receiver and transmitter to be exact, where I considered it would be the least likely to be injured by an acci- dent.” “And where was that?” “In his heel. I got the idea from the fable of Achilles, y’know.” (@) Lt nichboo S (S@) PL TORR ey On sera Fa She 8 isis stb 07,6 bids) AY 4. ‘et eid exe ti) sp hw aaig SAE ~4 Uy 4 tatanag L #/ Leese 4 nays rh Rohs fae sak; be day: a ae Tus byt ae