f Time into what we call the Present! The dim yard a second ago
had been empty.

* * * * *

The cage stood there, a thing of gleaming silver bars. It seemed to
enclose a single room. From within its dim interior came a faint glow,
which outlined something standing at the bars, peering out.

The doorway was facing us. There had been utter silence; but suddenly,
as though to prove how solid was this apparition, we heard the clank
of metal, and the door slid open.

I turned to make sure that Mary was hiding well behind me. The way
back to the street, if need for escape arose, was open to her.

I turned again, to face the shining cage. In the doorway something
stood peering out, a light behind it. It was a great jointed thing of
dark metal some ten feet high. For a moment it stood motionless. I
could not see its face clearly, though I knew there was a suggestion
of human features, and two great round glowing spots of eyes.

It stepped forward--toward us. A jointed, stiff-legged step. Its arms
were dangling loosely; I heard one of its mailed hands clank against
its sides.

"Now!" Alten whispered.

I saw Alten's revolver leveling, and my own rifle went up.

"Aim at its face," I murmured.

We pulled our triggers together, and two spurts of flame spat before
us. But the thing had stooped an instant before, and we missed. Then
came Larry's shot. And then chaos.

* * * * *

I recall hearing the ping of Larry's bullet against the mailed body of
the Robot. At that it crouched, and from it leaped a dull red-black
beam of light. I heard Mary scream. She had not fled but was clinging
to me. I cast her off.

"Run! Get back! Get away!" I cried.

Larry shouted, as we all stood bathed in the dull light from the
Robot:

"Look out! It sees us!"

He fired again, into the light--and murmured, "Why--why--"

A great surprise and terror was in his tone. Beside me, with
half-leveled revolver, Alten stood transfixed. And he too was
muttering something.

All this happened in an instant. And there I was aware that I was
trying to get my rifle up for firing again; but I could not. My arms
stiffened. I tried to take a step, tried to move a foot, but could
not. I was rooted there; held, as though by some giant magnet, to the
ground!

This horrible dull-red light! It was cold--a frigid, paralyzing blast.
The blood ran like cold water in my veins. My feet were heavy w