ur every defense would be precisely as efficacious as so much vacuum.
Think a moment! You know that we know nothing fundamental concerning
even our servants, the sub-rays. If we really knew them we could utilize
them in thousands of ways as yet unknown to us. We work with the merest
handful of forces, empirically, while it is practically certain that the
enemy has at his command the entire spectrum, visible and invisible,
embracing untold thousands of bands of unknown but terrific
potentiality."

"But he spoke of a calculated time necessary before our answer could be
received. They must, then, be using vibrations in the ether."

"Not necessarily--not even probably. Would we ourselves reveal
unnecessarily to an enemy the possession of such rays? Do not be
childish. No, Fenimol, and you, Fenor of the Fenachrone, instant and
headlong flight is our only hope of present salvation and of ultimate
triumph--flight to a far distant Galaxy, since upon no point in this one
shall we be safe from the infra-beams of that self-styled Overlord."

"You snivelling coward! You pusillanimous bookworm!" Fenor had regained
his customary spirit as the scientist explained upon what grounds his
fears were based. "Upon such a tenuous fabric of evidence would you have
such a people as ours turn tail like beaten hounds? Because, forsooth,
you detect a peculiar vibration in the air, will you have it that we are
to be invaded and destroyed forthwith by a race of supernatural ability?
Bah! Your calamity-howling clan has delayed the Day of Conquest from
year to year--I more than half believe that you yourself or some other
treacherous poltroon of your ignominious breed prepared and sent that
warning, in a weak and rat-brained attempt to frighten us into again
postponing the Day of Conquest! Know now, spineless weakling, that the
time is ripe, and that the Fenachrone in their might are about to
strike. But you, foul traducer of your emperor, shall die the death of
the cur you are!" The hand within his tunic moved and a vibrator burst
into operation.

"Coward I may be, and pusillanimous, and other things as well," the
scientist replied stonily, "but, unlike you, I am not a fool. These
walls, this very atmosphere, are fields of force that will transmit no
rays directed by you. You weak-minded scion of a depraved and obscene
house--arrogant, overbearing, rapacious, ignorant--your brain is too
feeble to realize that you are clutching at the Universe hun