Air Wonder Stories, August 1929 — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

a i A a Stew 7; 176 _ AIR WONDER STORIES ing. This, of course, removed the power that was supplying the magnetic field, and the result was that there was no more field. Of course, as soon as I removed: the ray from the man in the basement, he was in command of his own senses, and seeing the breaker was out, no doubt he thought that it tripped out on account of overload. So to prevent him from throwing it back in, I could have led him away from the place, or done a dozen other things with him to keep him away had I wished. But I did not want-to leave the power. off too long, for it would lead them to investigate. Riel, hearing of it, might get suspicious,” “Then you are going to send the message to his office ?” “No, to his home. The two sets will be adjusted to the same setting so I can send my message via his office set to his:home.” “But you could have taken the reading of the set at his house as well as at his office,” Wallace said, puzzled. “No, the protecting field-around his ‘house is not sup- plied from the power lines like the one in the office. He has, no doubt, a small independent generating plant in the house, and as it is inside the field, I cannot find a way to throw the power.” "Then your telepathy ray is of no use outside of the vision beam?” “No, when the vision beam is deflected, the telepathy ray is also deflected, for it is carried on the beam. Now I will get the circuit settings changed to correspond with those of Riel’s set. You may stay here at the ray and use it, and if you would like to: change the adjust- ment, tse these two dials hete. Oh, there is no chance of’ you Jearning too much,” he added, noticing: the puzzled look on the other’s face. “TI will see to that. Tf you did learn some of my most important secrets, I would have no cause-for worry because it is impossible for you to escape from here. This place is located on an uncharted island.” With these words, he disconnected his mask from the table and took it over to the experimental-bench. Wal- lace watched the wizard adjust some of the controls and automatic contactors on the wall panels. Then, donning the head set again, Frank pressed the vision tay contactor button. The reflector screen lighted up at the touch, and the office scene was again beforé his eyes. But now there was someone at the desk. He had no doubt but that the man was Riel’s assistant, and wondered if he was aware that the ray was on him. A closer adjustment of the scene soon satisfied him, forthe man wore a wrist watch, and Wallace noticed him look at it occasionally. Could he signal the man? The thought flashed through the official’s brain. He knew: the international wireless code. Perhaps by shutting off the ray and switching it on at long and short intervals, the detective would notice it. He would try. Nervously his fingers pressed the ray button on and. off as: he spelled. the word. “Riel” twice,. then switching on the ray, he watched the man closely. But the fellow did not seem to notice; for he continued writing at his desk and seemed absorbed in his work. A moment later, however, the man leaned back in his chair, and looking up -spoke: “All right, Wallace, wish we could help you but don’t lose hope.” His heart beat faster as he heard the words, then the man had read the message, and knew that he was a prisoner. He felt greatly relieved that Riel would know that he was alive-and in the laboratory of the wizard. He also realized that Riel would perhaps look for help from him in case they attempted to attack the place. There was a tap on his shoulder, and Wallace re- moved his head set to see his host standing behind “The detective didn’t receive your signals by means of the wrist watch,” the old man remarked, with an amused smile on his face. “He has a similar indicator on his desk that he can watch. But I shall have to see that you send no more signals, or keep you from using the ray.” 5 “Isn’t there anything I can do without you knowing it?” asked the disgusted prisoner. “Tf there was, you might do me harm. As it is, you are harmless. I allowed you to send your message be- cause you can do yourself little good, or me little harm. The world is in my power, and your feeble rebellious attempts will not help you any. In fact they might prove advantageous to me, for by reading your thoughts just now, I found that your friends were using a wrist watch as a ray indicator, a thing I did not know before. But I am ready to send them the message. Put your -mask-on again and you will hear it as it is being sent. We will also watch the set at the office to be sure that it records correctly.” A Threat Made Good Wit masks adjusted,.a few controls. were moved in front of each of the men and a red dial care- fully turned. A scraping sound in the ear pieces gave way to words: “Detective Riel will place the drawings of the Skubic Light Wave Receiver on.an air liner, which will leave London. to-morrow motning at 9.30 for New York. If he fails to do this, I will create a reign of terror through England, that in horror, will be beyond imagina- tion. By order of: The Planet’s Air Master.” “The message is now recorded on his oscillograph,” the wizard informed his captive.. “Now he is going to switch the announcer into circuit. Listen.” A moment-later their head sets were connected with the sound wave panel of the vision: ray apparatus, and thé detective cotild be heard’ adjusting the dials, as the stepped to the set to see what message had come in. As he did, the announcer spoke out the message to him. The man-stood before it a moment or two as if tem- porarily stunned, a deep look of worry came over his face, then slowly shutting off the set he returned to the desk. A slight disturbance on one of the meters caused old Jolsen to leave the scene of the office and throw the ray around the sky, sweeping back and forth, and at the same time watching the meter. In a few moments he had-the beam on a fleet. of six planes that were approaching. Wallace also saw them and his heart gave an extra beat as he realized that they. were probably following the beam, in an endavor-to trace it to its source, His hopes rose further as he recognized the slightly tapered wings of the Burley plane, used by the American police. The wizard was quietly watching them as he kept them in the ray. = “This is my opportunity to demonstrate to you my powers,” he boasted through the phone circuits, as he began to adjust some more controls, and draw the-scene closer. “I'll show-you the powers of my telepathy ray, and at the same time illustrate what happens to those who meddle into my affairs.” He busied himself on a few more dials, while Frank TDL ee ee Pere so “3 He each Ded COP ee, Ph et ee 54 - 4 ; ry ‘ ’ ’ - Aheloy weary ght tamidel be > wenn +" ees