e scientist.

"Unless it traveled at the speed of light. Then it would have been
invisible."

"Not only invisible," snorted the old man, "but non-existent."

A question was on the tip of the newspaperman's tongue, but before it
could be asked the old man was speaking again, asking a question:

"Can you imagine a fourth dimension?"

"No, I can't," said Henry.

"Can you imagine a thing of only two dimensions?"

"Vaguely, yes."

The scientist smote his palms together.

"Now we're coming to it!" he exclaimed.

Henry Woods regarded the other narrowly. The old man must be turned.
What did fourth and second dimensions have to do with the Horror?

"Do you know anything about evolution?" questioned the old man.

"I have a slight understanding of it. It is the process of upward
growth, the stairs by which simple organisms climb to become more
complex organisms."

Dr. White grunted and asked still another question:

"Do you know anything about the theory of the exploding universe? Have
you ever noted the tendency of the perfectly balanced to run amuck?"

The reporter rose slowly to his feet.

"Dr. White," he said, "you phoned my paper you had a story for us. I
came here to get it, but all you have done is ask me questions. If you
can't tell me what you want us to publish, I will say good-day."

The doctor put forth a hand that shook slightly.

"Sit down, young man," he said. "I don't blame you for being impatient,
but I will now come to my point."

The newspaperman sat down again.

* * * * *

"I have developed a hypothesis," said Dr. White, "and have conducted
several experiments which seem to bear it out. I am staking my
reputation upon the supposition that it is correct. Not only that, but I
am also staking the lives of several brave men who believe implicitly in
me and my theory. After all, I suppose it makes little difference, for
if I fail the world is doomed, if I succeed it is saved from complete
destruction.

"Have you ever thought that our evolutionists might be wrong, that
evolution might be downward instead of upward? The theory of the
exploding universe, the belief that all of creation is running down,
being thrown off balance by the loss of energy, spurred onward by cosmic
accidents which tend to disturb its equilibrium, to a time when it will
run wild and space will be filled with swirling dust of disintegrated
worlds, would bear out this contention.

"This