joining room was open. Lina and her father had been
kept in there, with the little thug as their guard. Evidently Cadorna
had caught him trying to force his attentions on the girl. Good thing
he'd killed him.

Lina was sobbing and the sound brought increased agony to the helpless
Eddie. He lay still where they had placed him, beside the table which
supported the robot control apparatus. His cheek was against the floor
and he saw that a little pool of blood was forming there, blood drawn
by the butt of Cadorna's pistol when it contacted with his skull. He
was bound hand and foot. They hadn't thought him dead, after all.
Keeping him for that ride and a watery grave. Couldn't afford to leave
his body around where it might be found.

"What are you going to do with us?" Shelton was asking, his voice
bravely defiant. Game old sport at that, he was.

"Don't fret over your daughter. Al Cadorna's her protector now, and
she'll be taken care of better'n she's ever been. But you--that's
somethin' else again. First off, you're goin' to give Carlos the dope
on these trick metals in your machines. He couldn't analyze 'em, or
whatever you call it. Then you're goin' to have a nice long ride with
your friend over there."

"You'll go to the chair for this, Cadorna. And I'll never tell you the
secret of the alloys."

"Tell him, Dad," Lina was crying. "He'll let us go if you do."

"The hell I will, girlie. What I said, goes. We'll make him talk
first, too," Cadorna snarled.

"Never!" Shelton shouted.

* * * * *

Lina had seen Eddie and, with a little cry, she bounded across the
room. Carlos was after her like a panther.

"Hands off that dame!" Cadorna yelled. "Let her cry over the boy
friend if she wants to. Won't do her any good. You get busy and set
one of the tin soldiers goin'. Make the old buzzard talk."

Carlos muttered sullenly as he started the motor-generator. Give him a
chance and he'd knife Cadorna in the back--for Lina.

The girl was kneeling at Eddie's side now, examining his bleeding
scalp. He opened one eye and gazed at her solemnly, pursing his lips
in a warning to silence. She caught her breath and nodded in
understanding.

Cadorna was shouting like a madman. "Keep the damn thing so I can see
it, you spig! They make me bug-house when you blink 'em off. Besides,
I don't trust you."

The bold Cadorna was afraid of something he couldn't see! An idea
flashed across Eddie's quick