diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 19:58:26 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 19:58:26 -0700 |
| commit | fffa13f02d2e8cfc48b5c126d036ff58f5991d8b (patch) | |
| tree | d593d4f69cac9c6fad6a433d706edf31a9c297a0 | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 32899-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 157138 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 32899-h/32899-h.htm | 1482 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 32899-h/images/cover.jpg | bin | 0 -> 60493 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 32899-h/images/illus.jpg | bin | 0 -> 69659 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 32899.txt | 1273 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 32899.zip | bin | 0 -> 24949 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
9 files changed, 2771 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/32899-h.zip b/32899-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3548672 --- /dev/null +++ b/32899-h.zip diff --git a/32899-h/32899-h.htm b/32899-h/32899-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8488041 --- /dev/null +++ b/32899-h/32899-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1482 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ --> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Cosmic Deflector, by Stanton A. Coblentz. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.linenum { + position: absolute; + top: auto; + left: 4%; +} /* poetry number */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +.sidenote { + width: 20%; + padding-bottom: .5em; + padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; + padding-right: .5em; + margin-left: 1em; + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; + color: black; + background: #eeeeee; + border: dashed 1px; +} + +.bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + +.bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + +.bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + +.br {border-right: solid 2px;} + +.bbox {border: solid 2px;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold;} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +.figleft { + float: left; + clear: left; + margin-left: 0; + margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 1em; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +.figright { + float: right; + clear: right; + margin-left: 1em; + margin-bottom: + 1em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-right: 0; + padding: 0; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Poetry */ +.poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; +} + +.poem br {display: none;} + +.poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + +.poem span.i0 { + display: block; + margin-left: 0em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i2 { + display: block; + margin-left: 2em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + +.poem span.i4 { + display: block; + margin-left: 4em; + padding-left: 3em; + text-indent: -3em; +} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Cosmic Deflector, by Stanton A. Coblentz + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Cosmic Deflector + +Author: Stanton A. Coblentz + +Release Date: June 19, 2010 [EBook #32899] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COSMIC DEFLECTOR *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h1>THE COSMIC DEFLECTOR</h1> + +<h2>By STANTON A. COBLENTZ</h2> + +<p>[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from Amazing Stories January +1943. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="sidenote">It's one thing to force the Earth out of its orbit, and +another to force it back in again!</div> + + +<p>His face red with haste, and his blue eyes glittering, Dan Holcomb burst +into the laboratory.</p> + +<p>"Just look at this, Lucile!" he cried, flinging his hat halfway across +the room, and almost dancing in his joy. "Lord! Look at this, will you!"</p> + +<p>Lucile Travers glanced up from her Bunsen burner, and stared in surprise +at Dan's six-foot bulk. She was used to her lover's flaming enthusiasms; +but never had she seen him so beside himself. How boyish he seemed, with +his lean, keen, studious face, and eyes that were all a blaze of +youthful delight!</p> + +<p>"There! Take a peep at that, old girl!" he rushed on, as he snapped out +his wallet and displayed a handsomely embossed letter.</p> + +<p>Her eyes popped half out of her head as she glanced at the sheet. +"Twenty-five—twenty-five thousand dollars, Dan!" she gasped. "Why, +it—it can't be real!"</p> + +<p>"But it <i>is</i> real! Boy! this isn't any pipe dream, believe me! A neat +twenty-five thousand—that's what I'm offered for my Deflector!"</p> + +<p>While she stared at him dazedly, he did an impromptu hop, skip and jump. +She did not need to be told about the Cosmic Deflector—had she not been +at Dan's side during these many months when he had worked at it? Had she +not shared his enthusiasm at the Gravitational Ray Theory?—the idea +that gravity was due to an invisible ray shot out by the electrons and +hence was akin to electricity in its origin? Had she not believed, with +him, that this ray formed a current, which, like electricity, could be +bent, or twisted from its course? Had she not glowed at the discovery of +the telurium compound—telurox, they called it—which, on burning, would +send out beams that diverted the rays of gravity? And had they not, +poring together over his plans, decided that it would be possible to +alter the movements of the very planets?</p> + +<p>All this was in the girl's mind as her eyes raced along the lines of +that incredible letter. It was from Hogarth, Wiley and Malvine, a well +known firm of construction engineers. And there was no doubt that it +actually did offer $25,000!—$25,000 for all rights in the Deflector, +along with Dan's services for a year!</p> + +<p>"Who'd have thought it?" enthused the inventor. "Why, Bert Wilcox—you +know, my old college chum—introduced me to Wiley only last Tuesday, and +told about the Deflector. When Wiley asked me to lay the plans before +him, I didn't imagine—"</p> + +<p>He rambled on for a minute, then broke short. "But good heavens, Lucy, +let's forget all that! It's not the Deflector I want to think about! +It's you! You, Lucy! Don't you see? Our waiting—it's over now!"</p> + +<p>She did indeed see. For three years they had been engaged, almost since +the day when they had met as laboratory assistants here at Columbia +Chemicals. But Dan, saddled with the care of his aged parents, had seen +no way out of a financial morass that might mean further years of +waiting.</p> + +<p>Down from her vivid brown eyes and over her lovely face the tears were +streaming as his strong arms gathered about her and she pressed close to +him in confidence and love.</p> + +<p>Yet why was it that, even in this moment of their triumph, a gnawing +suspicion crept over her, chilling her joy with a dull clutching +uneasiness?</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>There was a look of steel-and-granite on Dan's ordinarily cheerful face +as he came striding home. He had only a wan smile for his bride of three +months as she greeted him at the door of their little apartment.</p> + +<p>"Don't mind me, Lucy, if I act like a man with his last penny gone," he +explained, after a moment. "It's those damned fellows Hogarth, Wiley and +Malvine. Well, you know I've suspected they weren't all above board."</p> + +<p>"What's the trouble now?"</p> + +<p>He came close to her, and she noticed how red his face was, and how his +arms trembled.</p> + +<p>"They're worse than Hitler, that's what the trouble is! Want to make me +their stooge, the crawling worms!"</p> + +<p>He took a turn or two about the room, then went on, more composedly.</p> + +<p>"Remember how I agreed to use the Deflector to pull the earth a few +thousand miles off its course—only a few thousand, for experimental +purposes! Well, now it's more than that distance off, and getting +further every minute. This afternoon I put it up to them that we'd +better send things into reverse. What do you think they did? Laughed at +me!"</p> + +<p>"I don't call it exactly a laughing matter."</p> + +<p>"Believe me, it's not! That fellow Wiley came up, with his horse-like +face and black eyes that seemed to drill right into me. 'Listen here, +old boy,' he said. 'I'll let you into a secret. We haven't any idea of +putting the earth back on its orbit—not just yet! We'll let the +distance widen a few million miles. We're going to raise hell on this +planet—simply hell!'"</p> + +<p>"My glory, is he crazy?"</p> + +<p>"Not by a long shot! That's the terrible part of it. They outlined their +scheme to me—enough, anyhow, to show it's the most diabolical plot ever +hatched. Thought I would work with them. 'Never fear, you'll get your +share of the swag, old fellow!' Wiley promised. What does he take me +for—a louse?"</p> + +<p>The vivid blue flames of his anger seemed to leap straight out of Dan's +eyes.</p> + +<p>"Well, what is their plot?"</p> + +<p>"To steal the planet—make themselves a World Triumvirate, the dirty +cutthroats! Their scheme is clever too, clever as the devil!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>By degrees he explained the conspiracy, so far as he knew it. Wiley and +his colleagues intended to deflect five or ten per cent of the sun's +gravity, so sending the earth several million miles farther into space. +This would not be fatal, but would cause great climatic inconveniences, +and would so alarm the whole world that it would pay any price to get +back on its orbit. By that time the agents of the Triumvirate would be +planted in every country—Quislings of the sort that can always be +bribed by the prospect of a little power, a little notoriety. When the +present national leaders had been frightened out of their wits, they +would be willing, even eager to turn over the reins to the Triumvirate +"for the duration of the emergency," in the belief that Hogarth and his +fellows would save the earth. Meanwhile the Triumvirs would establish a +secret police. They would demand control of the armies, navies and air +fleets of the earth. And they would win reputations as wizards who had +rescued the globe—and so would gain popular support everywhere. By the +time the planet was back in its proper orbit they would have it, +literally, in the palms of their hands.</p> + +<p>"Even if they didn't tell me all the details," Dan finished, "I could +guess what they left unsaid. Fact is, they're nothing but a gang of +hijackers, saying 'Your money or your life!' to the whole world. The +worst of it is, they'll have us all in such an infernal hole that it'll +be too late unless we act darned soon!"</p> + +<p>"What surprises me," meditated Lucile, "is that they should take you +into their confidence."</p> + +<p>"Probably they didn't doubt my loyalty, after the way I've worked with +them all these months. Besides, that fellow Hogarth made a remark I +didn't like. Turning that beefy red face of his toward me, with a wicked +twinkle in his racoon-like eyes, he said, 'The man who works with us, +Holcomb, will have power and glory. But the man who works against us +will be—underground!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>There was a look of terror on Lucile's face as Dan went on, "Naturally, +I made out to be on their side. Hope to heaven they weren't able to see +through me!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>The smell of burning, from the direction of the kitchen, offered Lucile +temporary diversion. And when she had returned from her scorched dinner +pots, Dan had come to his decision.</p> + +<p>"Only one thing to do, Lucy! I'll go to the police at once. If they act +in time—well, maybe they'll still save the world."</p> + +<p>Already he had seized his hat, and was halfway to the door.</p> + +<p>"For mercy's sake, be careful!" she pleaded, distracted.</p> + +<p>"Don't you worry, I'll do my best. Wait here for me, Lucy. I'll be back +in half an hour."</p> + +<p>Despite her appeals, he was already halfway into the outer hall. She was +never to forget the brave, tragical look of his grimly set face. She +knew that she could not hold him back; that she had no right to hold him +back. Yet something seemed to rise up in her throat and choke her as the +door slammed and she knew that he was gone.</p> + +<p>A deep depression had settled over her when the specified half hour had +passed and he had not returned. When the half hour had lengthened into +an hour, uneasiness gave place to alarm. When an hour had been extended +to two, alarm rose to terror. At last, after two hours, her dread got +the better of her and she telephoned the police.</p> + +<p>No! there had been no accident to a Daniel Holcomb! No! he had not come +to the station that evening! No, sorry, but they could not send out +detectives to investigate! "Don't think there's any need of that, +Ma'am," the sergeant finished. "Chances are he met some old pal and went +off for a drink, and just forgot the time."</p> + +<p>But Lucile, as she put down the receiver, knew that Dan had not "gone +off for a drink." Realizing that he had not even reached the station, +she understood that her gravest misgivings had been justified. And then +it was that, for the first time, she broke down and wept.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Probably no one who lived through the summer of 1977 will forget the +consternation, the terror that convulsed the planet. It was in late May +when astronomers reported unforeseen perturbations in the earth's orbit; +and by early June it had been officially confirmed that we were off our +proper path in space. At first the variation was slight—a mere few +thousand miles. But with the passage of weeks, our distance from the sun +widened until the earth was off its course by a million, two million, +five million miles!</p> + +<p>No hypothesis put forth by science could explain the occurrence. It was +suggested that some dead, dark sun, from the depths of space, had caught +our world in its gravitational pull. But in that case, would it not also +have affected Mars, Jupiter, and the other planets? Yet these, except +for minute variations ascribable to the earth's altered position, were +unaffected!</p> + +<p>But few persons, those desperate days, cared much about the theory +behind the event. What concerned them was the peril to their own +existence. Already the disturbances were acute. By mid-July, New York +and London shivered in snow flurries; the frost had ruined agriculture +in half the north temperate regions; while in the Argentine and South +Africa, which were now experiencing their winter, hundreds of thousands +were freezing to death. Meanwhile blizzards and tornadoes swept the +globe; tidal waves, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions testified to the +upset of the age-old equilibrium; while thunder storms of unexampled +severity, floods, and meteoric displays of a brilliance never known +before, added to the protests of the elements and the terror of the +people.</p> + +<p>Long before the summer was over, men began to resign themselves to the +idea that life on earth was near its end. For, not only were we +receiving less solar radiation than formerly, but the years and +therefore the seasons were being lengthened; hence the winters would be +unendurably severe. As we drifted ever farther into space, an unlifting +frost would settle over every portion of the globe, including the +tropics; and life, frozen and starved, would disappear.</p> + +<p>It was on July 15 that the world was electrified by an announcement +appearing in newspapers throughout the world. A celebrated firm of +construction engineers, Hogarth, Wiley and Malvine, had not only +discovered the root of the trouble but had contrived a way to cure it. +However, they would need the cooperation of every man, woman and child +on earth; they must be given control of all the world's resources, of +all mines, power-plants, factories, and systems of transportation, in +order to throw everything that mankind possessed into the battle.</p> + +<p>At any other time, such a proposal would have been laughed to scorn. But +now, when the world's nerves were stretched taut with terror, men were +eager to clutch at any straw. A committee of alleged experts (who, it +subsequently turned out, were in the pay of Hogarth and Company) +endorsed the claims of the self-styled saviors of the world; legislative +groups, likewise in their pay, voted them unlimited power; dictators and +presidents, in despair, gave them the right of way over great nations. +But what did this matter? What did anything matter, except that Earth be +saved from destruction?</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>In a concrete-walled, electrically lighted basement chamber, originally +intended as a storeroom, a prisoner stalked restlessly. Up and down, up +and down, up and down the ten-by-twelve windowless space he wandered. +His eyes were bloodshot; his fingers twitched uneasily; his rumpled +clothes bore the signs of a recent struggle. At one side of the room, on +a rude work-bench, some food and water stood untouched. From outside the +closed doors, he could hear the obscene jests exchanged by two armed +guards.</p> + +<p>His mind reeled as he recalled the events of the past few hours; how +three men, amid the fogs of twilight, had surrounded him as he emerged +from the apartment house to go for the police; how one of them had +clapped a gag over his mouth, and the other two had forced him into a +waiting sedan.... So swiftly had it all happened that he could hardly +piece together the successive steps of the crime in logical order.</p> + +<p>Yet that the deed had been ordered by his former employers was manifest. +His horror at their plans had been evident, much as he had tried to +conceal it! Their secret police were already functioning! Undoubtedly +one of them, eavesdropping at the door of his apartment, had overheard +his remarks to his wife, which he had made little effort to subdue. And +now that he was in the enemy's power, he would have no chance to thwart +or reveal their schemes!</p> + +<p>Contemplatively he gazed about his jail. Bare walls! a bare floor! Not a +tool by which he might attempt to escape! The prisoner felt in his +pockets—even his knife had been taken from him. He thought of his +wife—and knew that she would be growing frantic. Yet, though he +realized that the odds against him were thousands to one, he would not +let himself despair. For a long while he leaned meditatively against a +wall, his brows wrinkled, his glance withdrawn, as he pondered, pondered +over ways and means to surmount his barriers. For upon his escape, he +knew, the world's freedom depended.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>It was with the air of a beaten dog that, one afternoon in early August, +Hogarth came slouching into his mahogany-paneled headquarters in the +twenty-two-story office building he had recently appropriated.</p> + +<p>As July turned into August, the earth's movements had become more +erratic than ever. Even to the naked eye, the sun's disk had grown +appreciably smaller. The Antarctic cold had begun to lay a white blanket +over jungles beneath the Equator; while already the trees of the eastern +United States had taken on the hues of October. No one who lived through +those disconsolate days will forget the tragic aspect of our cities: +thoroughfares almost deserted, and only an occasional business house +still open; a handful of people passing, with wan features and drooping +heads; and only one question on any one's lips, "When, when will it +end?"</p> + +<p>With the haste of panic, Hogarth, Wiley and Malvine had been granted +everything they asked. They had been placed in control of all natural +resources, all factories and railways, all armies and navies. They had +been given <i>carte blanche</i> with the earth. All other rulers took orders +from them. They were, as they had aimed to be, universal dictators. This +tremendous power had been granted them, so that they might save us all, +as they had promised. Then why did they not save us? men asked, +chattering with cold and terror.</p> + +<p>They might have had their answer had they seen Hogarth sagging into his +office on that August afternoon. Rubbing his fleshy red face with an +equally fleshy red hand, he dropped into a seat, and grumbled, "Guess +it's no use, boys! Simply don't seem able to turn the trick!"</p> + +<p>Wiley had leaped to his feet. His horse-like teeth were unbared beneath +curling lips. "God! Mean to say she won't work?"</p> + +<p>"No, blast it, she won't," concurred Malvine, who had come in just +behind Hogarth. "Haven't the two of us been slaving like teamsters, +along with McBride and a whole army of engineers? That cursed Deflector +has gone haywire! Why, I'll swear we diverted gravity enough to pull the +earth halfway over to Venus. And what are the results? Nil. Precisely +nil!"</p> + +<p>Wiley stood regarding his fellow plotters in silence. An unpleasant +smirk formed itself upon his lips.</p> + +<p>"Well, don't worry, boys. In the long run, a day or two more or less +won't matter."</p> + +<p>"No, I'll be cursed if it will!" growled Hogarth. "Nothing in hell will +matter if we die along with everybody else!"</p> + +<p>Wiley gasped. "What makes you so damned cheerful?"</p> + +<p>"Well, how we going to save ourselves? I'm putting it to you straight, +old man. What if we are world dictators? We're doomed like every beetle +and rat on this crazy planet. The whole rotten globe is going to +freeze!"</p> + +<p>"Afraid that's so," agreed Malvine, with a wry puckering of his long, +fox-like face. "We've tried hard enough, but we've about shot our bolt. +Frankly, there isn't any known principle by which we can get the +Deflector working again."</p> + +<p>For the first time, a pallor had come across Wiley's features. He was +the scheming brains of the firm, but had not kept up on his science, and +always took his colleagues' word on technical matters.</p> + +<p>For a while, he remained silent, his saturnine face grave with thought. +"By thunder," he finally broke out, "I'm not going to let myself die +just yet—not when I've got the world in my hands! There's one man +who'll be able to help out with that damned Deflector."</p> + +<p>"Who's your genius?" sneered Malvine.</p> + +<p>"Well, who but this fellow Holcomb?"</p> + +<p>"Holcomb?"</p> + +<p>"Of course. He's harmless now—but useless—in his underground +storeroom. I'm for taking him out—under proper supervision. He'll know +how to use the Deflector, if any man does!"</p> + +<p>Hogarth's gloom relaxed a bit. "Good!" he approved. "Can't do any harm +to try. We've got to make damned sure, though, he doesn't get loose or +communicate with his friends. I'd a thousand times rather shoot him like +a yellow dog!"</p> + +<p>Wiley chuckled; and the hands of all three conspirators shot out in +agreement.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Dan's face was pale after his long confinement. His cheeks were sunken, +and had the smoldering look of deep suffering. But there was scorn in +his manner as he faced his persecutors.</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's the story," Wiley was reiterating. "Guess we're not quite +on to the ropes. If you'll work a little at the Deflector—"</p> + +<p>Dan glared at his tormentors, his eyes kindled with a fierce blue +glitter. His chin was outthrust, but his manner was quiet as he replied, +after a moment's hesitation, "Show me to the laboratory!"</p> + +<p>Wiley arose, and prepared to lead the way.</p> + +<p>"We'll give you one week!" he stipulated. "Exactly one week! By then, +we'll expect you to show results!"</p> + +<p>After being escorted blindfolded to a secret laboratory, Dan labored +incessantly. He would pretend to obey the Triumvirs, while actually +doing all he could to oppose them! But in the beginning, he had to +confess to himself, his position looked nearly hopeless. Eagerly he +searched for some possible means of escape—some way of signalling the +outside world. But two armed guards stood watching just beyond the only +door.</p> + +<p>His most pressing thought was to get word to his wife—not only to +relieve her terrible anxiety, but to plot with her his escape. He had, +naturally, been denied access to a telephone; yet he would not let this +balk him. Deftly making use of the electrical gear and headphones of a +half dismantled shortwave radio receiver which he had found in the +laboratory, he set about to tap the wires in a remote corner where, he +noted, a telephone connection had formerly been. Meanwhile he was +careful to keep as wide a distance as possible between him and the +guards.</p> + +<p>To prevent them from hearing his voice when he had tapped the wire, he +set a particularly noisy motor in operation close to the door. Then, +trembling with eagerness, he spoke through his improvised speaking +apparatus. To his delight, he heard an answering, "Number, please!" His +tones were jerky with excitement as he gave his home number. But, a +moment later, his joy froze within him.</p> + +<p>Across the wire there came a sickening, "The line has been disconnected, +sir!" And in response to his quavering inquiry, all he could get was, +"No, sir, they mentioned no other number to call."</p> + +<p>He was just about to give another number—that of a friend who might be +able to supply information about Lucile—when he felt a heavy hand on +one shoulder, and looked up into the angry eyes of his guards.</p> + +<p>"None of that, young man!" bawled one jailer, while the other snatched +up the telephone equipment. "I thought you were up to some mischief! Get +back to work!"</p> + +<p>Two rubber truncheons came down upon Dan's defenseless flesh as, with a +groan, he struggled back to his bench.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>As late August shivered toward September, the world's state became still +more terrifying. Whirlwinds rushed more severely than ever through the +darkening skies; blizzards raged, and a mantle of white covered the +northern United States; agriculture and industry had virtually ceased; +and men passed their time in mumbling prayers, in making wild, fruitless +studies of the heavens, and in the sodden forgetfulness of dissipation.</p> + +<p>Dan, however, knew nothing of all this as he labored in his hidden +laboratory. Working once more at the Deflector, in the desire to save +the earth from freezing, he had made a discovery—one which, as he +toiled, had darkened his face with lines of discouragement that +gradually gave place to horror. And in the end he had sagged down, +exhausted, with bloodshot eyes and drooping limbs ... oppressed with a +nightmare realization.</p> + +<p>During the weeks of his imprisonment, the earth had moved millions of +miles farther from the sun. And the strength of telurox, lessening with +the inverse square of the distance, was insufficient to cover the gap. +It was beyond his power to make up the difference. Unless a miracle +intervened, the earth was doomed!</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, was there not just the remotest hope?—possibly a chance +in a million? If only he could gain control of a larger laboratory, with +capable assistants, he might try a certain newly conceived experiment. +But to ask his captors to provide such a laboratory would be to put +himself and the earth even more hopelessly in their power.</p> + +<p>Instead, his thoughts kept wandering in another direction. If he could +once get into touch with his wife, she might be able to help him! But +where was she now? Somewhere in hiding? Or imprisoned by the Triumvirs? +Yet if she were still at liberty, was there not a means by which he +might still communicate with her? He recalled how, during their years +together at Columbia Chemicals, they had worked out a secret code, by +which they could tap out love messages on the walls. Could this code not +be used over the radio? Could he not transmit signals over various +wave-lengths, so that sooner or later—if she still listened to the +radio—she would recognize his message?</p> + +<p>At any rate, he would try. Hoping to ward off suspicion, he pretended to +work at a Cosmic Deflector which, telescope-shaped and two feet in +thickness, reached from floor to ceiling. Within this great tube he +concealed a small radio transmitter which he had hastily contrived, out +of the abundant electrical equipment of the Deflector. Its power, he +knew, would be limited, but it could be heard well enough locally. By +means of a device resembling an electric bell, he was able to transmit +signals, on a dot and dash system. So rapidly did he work that, after a +few hours, this novel broadcaster was sending out its rat-tat-tat.</p> + +<p>His next step was to repair the half dismantled radio receiver. This +task completed, he began to tap out signals, "Lucile! Lucile! Hear me! I +am imprisoned by the Triumvirs! Follow my directions, and we may still +save the world!"</p> + +<p>Time after time—hundreds of times—he repeated this message. Was he but +playing a fool's game? So he asked himself as the hours stretched out; +as the days dragged past and still no answer came. Was he not wasting +his efforts while the earth whirled to its doom?</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>It was on the fourth day of the experiment. Pale with anxiety and +fatigue, Dan still tapped out his messages; still listened at the radio. +Suddenly he stood up, with a start. What was that sound he heard? That +answering tap, tap, tap? Three shorts and a long—three shorts and a +long! In their code, what did that mean? "Where are you? Tell me, where +are you?" Or had he counted the signals wrongly. In desperate eagerness, +he stood listening. Now there came two longs and a short; then a short +and two longs—</p> + +<p>"Well, old man, how's the work going?"</p> + +<p>Dan was so shocked that he leapt back several feet. Not more than a yard +away, leering with a horse-like grin, was the face of Wiley! And just in +the background, devilishly gaping, were Hogarth and Malvine.</p> + +<p>Dan's first thought was that the enemy knew what he was about, and had +come to mock him at the moment of his seeming success.</p> + +<p>"Well, how's she going?" Wiley reiterated. "Any progress?"</p> + +<p>With an effort, Dan snapped out of his stupefied silence. "Oh, she's +promising very well," he managed to say.</p> + +<p>Through the radio, with maddening insistency, came the rat-tat-tat of a +message. It was impossible, under the circumstances, to record or +translate it! The thought flashed over Dan that he had been tricked; +that the message came from the Triumvirs, who were now enjoying his +discomfiture!</p> + +<p>"What's that damned noise?" Hogarth demanded, as if to lend confirmation +to this theory.</p> + +<p>Reaching for a secret switch, Dan snapped off the radio. Only a clever +bluff, he knew, could save him now!</p> + +<p>"Oh, it's only the magnified sound of the impact of the gravitational +rays upon the Deflector," he lied, glibly, still hoping against hope. +"In other words, the vibrational impetus of—"</p> + +<p>"To hell with your long-winded explanations!" Wiley cut him short, +impatiently. "What we want to know is, what progress have you made? Any +sign of getting the earth back in place?"</p> + +<p>"Time we gave you is about up!" said Malvine. "If you're not getting +results, better turn things over to some one else!"</p> + +<p>"Everything's in the devil's own mess!" sighed Hogarth. "It's hell on +earth—people freezing to death right and left. By God! if I thought you +weren't getting somewhere, I'd have you choked to death, just for the +fun of it!"</p> + +<p>"Well, as a matter of fact," fabricated Dan, "the Super-Detectonic rays +are a bit slow in getting into operation. But you can't expect miracles. +If you'll give me a little more time—a few more days, maybe a +week—I'll promise you results."</p> + +<p>A cold sweat had broken out all over him before he had explained, in +scientific detail, just why he might succeed if given another week. +Thank God! they had not suspected! Or had they suspected?—and were they +only toying with him? In any case, they had, wittingly or unwittingly, +broken into his experiment at the crucial point. Would he ever again +catch the interrupted message?</p> + +<p>His fingers shaking with eagerness, he turned back to the radio. But +even as he did so, the sneer on Wiley's retreating face hit him like a +taunt.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>After the first cruel shock, Lucile had realized just what was behind +Dan's disappearance. She not only was sure that he had been kidnapped by +Hogarth and his gang, but that any effort on her part to report to the +police would result in her own immediate apprehension. Already her +position was perilous—might the conspirators not finish the job by +seizing her at any moment? There was nothing to be done, therefore, +except to change her residence, without informing anyone where she was +going. Then, in secret, she might plan to free her husband.</p> + +<p>At first, however, no tenable idea came to her. Meanwhile, through her +old professors at Merlin University, where she had been an excellent +student, she obtained access to the chemical laboratory, and +experimented day and night for means to increase the power of telurox. +If it were possible to divert to the earth enough of the gravity that +shot past it into space, might the planet not even now be drawn back to +its orbit?</p> + +<p>For weeks she labored, without results. She was merely one more +discouraged person in a discouraged world, when at length a startling +incident occurred. She had gone out for a hasty bite of lunch, and on +her return she noticed that her assistant, young Dick Harson, was +listening to the radio, as he often did, while munching at a sandwich.</p> + +<p>"Well, anything new?" she asked, with a faint smile.</p> + +<p>"Nothing but a crazy noise, like a telegrapher breaking in on the +broadcast," he answered. "If it's still on, I'll show you."</p> + +<p>He switched the dial. "There it is!" he exclaimed, after a moment. +"Doesn't it sound just like a secret code?"</p> + +<p>At first she listened indifferently, her mind preoccupied; then gave a +start, for she recognized something astoundingly familiar. Surely, it +was but an accident! It must be an accident that the succession of long +and short syllables made sense, according to her old code with Dan! +"Imprisoned by the Triumvirs! Follow my directions, and we may still +save the world."</p> + +<p>Harson was astonished to see how eagerly the young woman sprang from her +seat; and how she stood staring, as if she had seen a ghost.</p> + +<p>With the frenzy of a famished person finding food, she bent down to +listen. For a minute she remained there, leaning over the radio with a +puzzled look, as if she could not quite make out the message. Then, to +Harson's still greater amazement, she dashed to the laboratory's short +wave transmitter, and, beating together two bits of metal, began to send +out a series of long and short sounds, similar to the signals they had +heard.</p> + +<p>By this time the rat-tat-tat from the other end had ceased. It was more +than half an hour later, when she had paused to rest momentarily, that +fresh signals came over the radio. A flood of tears rushed to her eyes +as she made out the words, "Lucile! Lucile—it is I!"</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>"Take this down, Lucy! Bismuth tetrachloride in combination with the +borium salt I just mentioned will have a catalyzing effect on telurox, +increasing its activity fifty per cent—more than enough to bring the +earth back to its orbit. So my experiments indicate. Try it out just as +soon as possible!"</p> + +<p>Such was one of the first messages that Dan tapped out to his wife, +after a few explanatory interchanges.</p> + +<p>"For God's sake, hurry! At any minute those bandits may catch on!" the +message continued. "Let me hear the results as soon as you can! We've +just got to succeed, and trap them!"</p> + +<p>Several days went by, while the signals still flashed back and forth. +But Dan knew, as did Lucile also, that their time was short, very short. +All too soon the week allowed him by Hogarth, Wiley and Malvine passed; +all too soon the sinister three paid him another visit.</p> + +<p>They found him still working at the Deflector, from whose interior once +more a strange rat-tat-tat was issuing.</p> + +<p>"Well," demanded Hogarth, "what success?"</p> + +<p>Dan looked up casually. "Oh," he declared, trying to appear unconcerned, +"as much as could be expected."</p> + +<p>"What the devil does that mean?" snapped Wiley, projecting his ridged +horse-face pugnaciously. "You promised results in a week. Have you had +them? Can you put the earth back on its orbit?"</p> + +<p>"If you'll give me more time—"</p> + +<p>"More time, and we'll all be driven to our deaths!" stormed Malvine. +"Not another day! No, not another hour!"</p> + +<p>Wiley, who had been peering into the recesses of the Deflector, was +fumbling in an exploratory fashion at its fittings. Suddenly he pulled a +half concealed lever, released a panel, and let out a low whistle. "What +in blazes is this?"</p> + +<p>With an angry wrench, he drew out a mass of wires, bulbs and batteries. +"Looks to me like a radio transmitter!" he growled.</p> + +<p>All three men glared menace at Dan. He had foreseen and dreaded this +very event. Confronted with the evidence, it would be folly to attempt a +denial. His only course would be to try to turn suspicion in the least +dangerous channel.</p> + +<p>"Of course it's a radio transmitter," he admitted, quietly. "I'll be +frank with you—I was hoping to find a chance to get away."</p> + +<p>Ominously the three conspirators closed about him. There was a nasty +rumble in Wiley's voice as he decided. "Well then, you damned traitor, +it's up to us to put you where you won't get away—not for many a good +long day! We were cursed fools to place any trust in you!"</p> + +<p>Abruptly he motioned to the guards. "Solitary confinement again—and a +bread and water diet!" he barked. "Maybe that'll bring him around to +reason!"</p> + +<p>But even as Dan, bound and handcuffed, was being dragged off, he had +grim satisfaction in reflecting that his persecutors could not guess the +real purpose of his radio.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>By the first of September, the earth was farther off its course than +ever. Eleven million, twelve million, thirteen million miles! And every +day the distance widened. Would its orbit, like that of a periodic +comet, be lengthened into a long ellipse, taking it into the unthinkable +cold beyond Jupiter or Saturn?</p> + +<p>This was the question in every one's mind, when on September 2 a +full-page advertisement appeared in America's leading papers: "$50,000 +Reward! For invention to counteract the Cosmic Deflector! All reasonable +propositions given immediate personal attention. Hogarth, Wiley and +Malvine."</p> + +<p>It was on the never-to-be-forgotten third of September that the +advertisers received their first applicant for the award. It was a young +woman, of sad and earnest appearance; and the clerk who questioned her, +perceiving that she had extraordinary information to offer, lost no time +about summoning Hogarth.</p> + +<p>"My name is Landers—Mary Landers," she introduced herself. "I was a +laboratory assistant of Daniel Holcomb when he invented telurox. I have +been trying to increase its power, and have had remarkable success. In +fact, I come to claim that fifty thousand."</p> + +<p>Hogarth gasped.</p> + +<p>The caller went on to explain how, as a result of a long series of +computations, she had mixed a small quantity of a certain bismuth salt +with the telurox; and how this had increased its activity by more than +fifty per cent. Fortunately, a huge Deflector had already been set up in +the laboratory, for experimental purposes.</p> + +<p>"Have you taken any observations today?" she finished. "If so, perhaps +you've noticed that the earth is fifty thousand miles nearer the sun +than yesterday."</p> + +<p>"By glory!" exclaimed Hogarth. "That's just what Lasson Observatory +reported, but I thought those fellows were all soused. Let's see! Got a +model machine to show me?"</p> + +<p>"Everything's over at Merlin University. If you'll just step into your +car, we'll be there in twenty minutes."</p> + +<p>"You bet I will!" agreed Hogarth eagerly, as he reached for his hat. "No +harm looking at it!"</p> + +<p>The young woman started toward the door; then turned back, as if on an +after-thought. "Oh, by the way, don't your partners want to join us? I'd +like to give a real demonstration, which it would waste a lot of good +time and energy to repeat."</p> + +<p>"Don't see what they've got on hand more important," muttered Hogarth. +"Wait a minute."</p> + +<p>From an adjoining room she could hear Hogarth's voice rising +disputatiously. "No harm investigating, anyhow!" And she could not keep +back a secret exultation when, after a time, he appeared in company with +two men whom he introduced as "Mr. Wiley" and "Mr. Malvine."</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>Half an hour later, she had led them into the University laboratory, a +corner of which had been partitioned off. There a twenty-four-inch +telescope-like tube shot up through the ceiling; while nearer at hand +was a table covered with complicated electrical devices.</p> + +<p>"Well, trot out your discoveries!" barked Wiley.</p> + +<p>From a compartment Miss Landers drew three pairs of binoculars, with +wires attached. "Adjust these, gentlemen," she instructed.</p> + +<p>Automatically each man reached for a pair. And as they took them, a look +of triumph crossed the woman's averted face. She pressed a button—and +with what astonishing results!</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3>Her finger sought the button behind her; found it...</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p>All three men gasped, and began to writhe. A convulsive shudder shot +through each; they sagged, and fell to the floor; then gradually all +three stiffened, except for their necks and faces, which still twitched +spasmodically.</p> + +<p>At the same time, the young woman pressed a buzzer; and three men, in +the uniforms of university guards, hastened in with ropes, which they +wound around the helpless trio.</p> + +<p>"What—what in hell's name is this?" sputtered Wiley, as he began to +recover from the first shock. "We—we're paralyzed!"</p> + +<p>"That's just it," stated the lady, calmly. "You're paralyzed, from the +necks down. I merely wanted to introduce you to another little invention +of your friend Dan Holcomb. He asked me to show it to you, with his +compliments. You see, the rays of telurox, much diluted and carried over +a wire, will temporarily paralyze the human nerve centers. But have no +fear. The spell will wear off in half an hour."</p> + +<p>"This—this is an outrage!" groaned Hogarth, as he lay amid his ropes.</p> + +<p>"Not at all. I'm sure, when you're no longer paralyzed, you won't mind +signing a little paper, containing an order for the release of Mr. +Holcomb—"</p> + +<p>"What the devil makes you so interested in Holcomb?" flared back Wiley.</p> + +<p>"Well, it's only that I happen to be his wife. Mary Landers is the name +of a cousin of mine. Dan and I have been planning to get him out of your +dungeon when you locked him up there again, as we expected you would. +I'm simply carrying out his ideas."</p> + +<p>Angry sounds, like the growls of enraged bears, came from the throats of +all three prisoners.</p> + +<p>"If we sign," demanded Malvine, "will you let us go?"</p> + +<p>"There's only one promise I can make. If you don't sign, my friends +here"—she designated the three guards—"will see that you remain +paralyzed."</p> + +<p>The conspirators were trapped, and they knew it; were caught like rats +in a corner, beyond rescue by the corrupt system they had built up. And +so, after their paralysis had begun to wear off and they had been +re-paralyzed several times in succession, they bowed their heads in +capitulation.</p> + +<p>"Come on," snarled Hogarth, "give us that damned paper!"</p> + +<p>He glanced over the sheet, and an even angrier snarl came from his +throat.</p> + +<p>"You must think we're crazy, young lady!" he roared. "You can go to hell +before we'll sign!"</p> + +<p>The document was not only an order for Dan's release, but a confession +of the criminal manner in which he had been seized and detained.</p> + +<p>"Better think it over, gentlemen," advised Lucile, as the prisoners +continued to hold out against signing.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>And this was exactly what they did. After more than twelve hours, during +which they were allowed neither food nor drink (it being impossible to +digest anything in a paralyzed state), the victims realized that they +had no chance except to sign, or miserably to perish. And not being of +the stuff of which heroes are made, they grumblingly asked the guards to +deparalyze them sufficiently to let them sign the paper.</p> + +<p>Thus it came about that Dan was again delivered from the basement +prison, and that he and his wife were restored to one another's arms. +Thus, thanks to his discovery and her application of it, the earth was +saved from the most terrible peril in history, and gradually was brought +back to its true orbit. And thus, after Dan had broadcasted all he knew +about the plots of the Triumvirate, Hogarth, Wiley and Malvine were +discredited and disgraced, and, deserted by their confederates, stood +trial for Dan's kidnapping and imprisonment. The last that was heard of +them, they were still serving their twenty-year terms at Wilmott +Penitentiary.</p> + +<p>As for the Cosmic Deflector—after the earth's orbit was righted, the +secret of it was sealed in a vault at Merlin University. "I've +discovered, Lucile," remarked Dan, shortly after his release, "it's not +a safe invention to entrust in human hands.</p> + +<p>"But there's one thing," he went on, as his lips moved toward hers, "if +it drew the earth out of its orbit, it also drew us closer together."</p> + +<p>Her answering smile told him that, so far as they were concerned, the +Deflector had been a success.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Cosmic Deflector, by Stanton A. Coblentz + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COSMIC DEFLECTOR *** + +***** This file should be named 32899-h.htm or 32899-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/8/9/32899/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/32899-h/images/cover.jpg b/32899-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..991ac9e --- /dev/null +++ b/32899-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/32899-h/images/illus.jpg b/32899-h/images/illus.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8fc7c52 --- /dev/null +++ b/32899-h/images/illus.jpg diff --git a/32899.txt b/32899.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..926a8d2 --- /dev/null +++ b/32899.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1273 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Cosmic Deflector, by Stanton A. Coblentz + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Cosmic Deflector + +Author: Stanton A. Coblentz + +Release Date: June 19, 2010 [EBook #32899] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COSMIC DEFLECTOR *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + THE COSMIC DEFLECTOR + + By STANTON A. COBLENTZ + +[Transcriber Note: This etext was produced from Amazing Stories January +1943. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed.] + + +[Sidenote: It's one thing to force the Earth out of its orbit, and +another to force it back in again!] + + +His face red with haste, and his blue eyes glittering, Dan Holcomb burst +into the laboratory. + +"Just look at this, Lucile!" he cried, flinging his hat halfway across +the room, and almost dancing in his joy. "Lord! Look at this, will you!" + +Lucile Travers glanced up from her Bunsen burner, and stared in surprise +at Dan's six-foot bulk. She was used to her lover's flaming enthusiasms; +but never had she seen him so beside himself. How boyish he seemed, with +his lean, keen, studious face, and eyes that were all a blaze of +youthful delight! + +"There! Take a peep at that, old girl!" he rushed on, as he snapped out +his wallet and displayed a handsomely embossed letter. + +Her eyes popped half out of her head as she glanced at the sheet. +"Twenty-five--twenty-five thousand dollars, Dan!" she gasped. "Why, +it--it can't be real!" + +"But it _is_ real! Boy! this isn't any pipe dream, believe me! A neat +twenty-five thousand--that's what I'm offered for my Deflector!" + +While she stared at him dazedly, he did an impromptu hop, skip and jump. +She did not need to be told about the Cosmic Deflector--had she not been +at Dan's side during these many months when he had worked at it? Had she +not shared his enthusiasm at the Gravitational Ray Theory?--the idea +that gravity was due to an invisible ray shot out by the electrons and +hence was akin to electricity in its origin? Had she not believed, with +him, that this ray formed a current, which, like electricity, could be +bent, or twisted from its course? Had she not glowed at the discovery of +the telurium compound--telurox, they called it--which, on burning, would +send out beams that diverted the rays of gravity? And had they not, +poring together over his plans, decided that it would be possible to +alter the movements of the very planets? + +All this was in the girl's mind as her eyes raced along the lines of +that incredible letter. It was from Hogarth, Wiley and Malvine, a well +known firm of construction engineers. And there was no doubt that it +actually did offer $25,000!--$25,000 for all rights in the Deflector, +along with Dan's services for a year! + +"Who'd have thought it?" enthused the inventor. "Why, Bert Wilcox--you +know, my old college chum--introduced me to Wiley only last Tuesday, and +told about the Deflector. When Wiley asked me to lay the plans before +him, I didn't imagine--" + +He rambled on for a minute, then broke short. "But good heavens, Lucy, +let's forget all that! It's not the Deflector I want to think about! +It's you! You, Lucy! Don't you see? Our waiting--it's over now!" + +She did indeed see. For three years they had been engaged, almost since +the day when they had met as laboratory assistants here at Columbia +Chemicals. But Dan, saddled with the care of his aged parents, had seen +no way out of a financial morass that might mean further years of +waiting. + +Down from her vivid brown eyes and over her lovely face the tears were +streaming as his strong arms gathered about her and she pressed close to +him in confidence and love. + +Yet why was it that, even in this moment of their triumph, a gnawing +suspicion crept over her, chilling her joy with a dull clutching +uneasiness? + + * * * * * + +There was a look of steel-and-granite on Dan's ordinarily cheerful face +as he came striding home. He had only a wan smile for his bride of three +months as she greeted him at the door of their little apartment. + +"Don't mind me, Lucy, if I act like a man with his last penny gone," he +explained, after a moment. "It's those damned fellows Hogarth, Wiley and +Malvine. Well, you know I've suspected they weren't all above board." + +"What's the trouble now?" + +He came close to her, and she noticed how red his face was, and how his +arms trembled. + +"They're worse than Hitler, that's what the trouble is! Want to make me +their stooge, the crawling worms!" + +He took a turn or two about the room, then went on, more composedly. + +"Remember how I agreed to use the Deflector to pull the earth a few +thousand miles off its course--only a few thousand, for experimental +purposes! Well, now it's more than that distance off, and getting +further every minute. This afternoon I put it up to them that we'd +better send things into reverse. What do you think they did? Laughed at +me!" + +"I don't call it exactly a laughing matter." + +"Believe me, it's not! That fellow Wiley came up, with his horse-like +face and black eyes that seemed to drill right into me. 'Listen here, +old boy,' he said. 'I'll let you into a secret. We haven't any idea of +putting the earth back on its orbit--not just yet! We'll let the +distance widen a few million miles. We're going to raise hell on this +planet--simply hell!'" + +"My glory, is he crazy?" + +"Not by a long shot! That's the terrible part of it. They outlined their +scheme to me--enough, anyhow, to show it's the most diabolical plot ever +hatched. Thought I would work with them. 'Never fear, you'll get your +share of the swag, old fellow!' Wiley promised. What does he take me +for--a louse?" + +The vivid blue flames of his anger seemed to leap straight out of Dan's +eyes. + +"Well, what is their plot?" + +"To steal the planet--make themselves a World Triumvirate, the dirty +cutthroats! Their scheme is clever too, clever as the devil!" + + * * * * * + +By degrees he explained the conspiracy, so far as he knew it. Wiley and +his colleagues intended to deflect five or ten per cent of the sun's +gravity, so sending the earth several million miles farther into space. +This would not be fatal, but would cause great climatic inconveniences, +and would so alarm the whole world that it would pay any price to get +back on its orbit. By that time the agents of the Triumvirate would be +planted in every country--Quislings of the sort that can always be +bribed by the prospect of a little power, a little notoriety. When the +present national leaders had been frightened out of their wits, they +would be willing, even eager to turn over the reins to the Triumvirate +"for the duration of the emergency," in the belief that Hogarth and his +fellows would save the earth. Meanwhile the Triumvirs would establish a +secret police. They would demand control of the armies, navies and air +fleets of the earth. And they would win reputations as wizards who had +rescued the globe--and so would gain popular support everywhere. By the +time the planet was back in its proper orbit they would have it, +literally, in the palms of their hands. + +"Even if they didn't tell me all the details," Dan finished, "I could +guess what they left unsaid. Fact is, they're nothing but a gang of +hijackers, saying 'Your money or your life!' to the whole world. The +worst of it is, they'll have us all in such an infernal hole that it'll +be too late unless we act darned soon!" + +"What surprises me," meditated Lucile, "is that they should take you +into their confidence." + +"Probably they didn't doubt my loyalty, after the way I've worked with +them all these months. Besides, that fellow Hogarth made a remark I +didn't like. Turning that beefy red face of his toward me, with a wicked +twinkle in his racoon-like eyes, he said, 'The man who works with us, +Holcomb, will have power and glory. But the man who works against us +will be--underground!" + + * * * * * + +There was a look of terror on Lucile's face as Dan went on, "Naturally, +I made out to be on their side. Hope to heaven they weren't able to see +through me!" + + * * * * * + +The smell of burning, from the direction of the kitchen, offered Lucile +temporary diversion. And when she had returned from her scorched dinner +pots, Dan had come to his decision. + +"Only one thing to do, Lucy! I'll go to the police at once. If they act +in time--well, maybe they'll still save the world." + +Already he had seized his hat, and was halfway to the door. + +"For mercy's sake, be careful!" she pleaded, distracted. + +"Don't you worry, I'll do my best. Wait here for me, Lucy. I'll be back +in half an hour." + +Despite her appeals, he was already halfway into the outer hall. She was +never to forget the brave, tragical look of his grimly set face. She +knew that she could not hold him back; that she had no right to hold him +back. Yet something seemed to rise up in her throat and choke her as the +door slammed and she knew that he was gone. + +A deep depression had settled over her when the specified half hour had +passed and he had not returned. When the half hour had lengthened into +an hour, uneasiness gave place to alarm. When an hour had been extended +to two, alarm rose to terror. At last, after two hours, her dread got +the better of her and she telephoned the police. + +No! there had been no accident to a Daniel Holcomb! No! he had not come +to the station that evening! No, sorry, but they could not send out +detectives to investigate! "Don't think there's any need of that, +Ma'am," the sergeant finished. "Chances are he met some old pal and went +off for a drink, and just forgot the time." + +But Lucile, as she put down the receiver, knew that Dan had not "gone +off for a drink." Realizing that he had not even reached the station, +she understood that her gravest misgivings had been justified. And then +it was that, for the first time, she broke down and wept. + + * * * * * + +Probably no one who lived through the summer of 1977 will forget the +consternation, the terror that convulsed the planet. It was in late May +when astronomers reported unforeseen perturbations in the earth's orbit; +and by early June it had been officially confirmed that we were off our +proper path in space. At first the variation was slight--a mere few +thousand miles. But with the passage of weeks, our distance from the sun +widened until the earth was off its course by a million, two million, +five million miles! + +No hypothesis put forth by science could explain the occurrence. It was +suggested that some dead, dark sun, from the depths of space, had caught +our world in its gravitational pull. But in that case, would it not also +have affected Mars, Jupiter, and the other planets? Yet these, except +for minute variations ascribable to the earth's altered position, were +unaffected! + +But few persons, those desperate days, cared much about the theory +behind the event. What concerned them was the peril to their own +existence. Already the disturbances were acute. By mid-July, New York +and London shivered in snow flurries; the frost had ruined agriculture +in half the north temperate regions; while in the Argentine and South +Africa, which were now experiencing their winter, hundreds of thousands +were freezing to death. Meanwhile blizzards and tornadoes swept the +globe; tidal waves, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions testified to the +upset of the age-old equilibrium; while thunder storms of unexampled +severity, floods, and meteoric displays of a brilliance never known +before, added to the protests of the elements and the terror of the +people. + +Long before the summer was over, men began to resign themselves to the +idea that life on earth was near its end. For, not only were we +receiving less solar radiation than formerly, but the years and +therefore the seasons were being lengthened; hence the winters would be +unendurably severe. As we drifted ever farther into space, an unlifting +frost would settle over every portion of the globe, including the +tropics; and life, frozen and starved, would disappear. + +It was on July 15 that the world was electrified by an announcement +appearing in newspapers throughout the world. A celebrated firm of +construction engineers, Hogarth, Wiley and Malvine, had not only +discovered the root of the trouble but had contrived a way to cure it. +However, they would need the cooperation of every man, woman and child +on earth; they must be given control of all the world's resources, of +all mines, power-plants, factories, and systems of transportation, in +order to throw everything that mankind possessed into the battle. + +At any other time, such a proposal would have been laughed to scorn. But +now, when the world's nerves were stretched taut with terror, men were +eager to clutch at any straw. A committee of alleged experts (who, it +subsequently turned out, were in the pay of Hogarth and Company) +endorsed the claims of the self-styled saviors of the world; legislative +groups, likewise in their pay, voted them unlimited power; dictators and +presidents, in despair, gave them the right of way over great nations. +But what did this matter? What did anything matter, except that Earth be +saved from destruction? + + * * * * * + +In a concrete-walled, electrically lighted basement chamber, originally +intended as a storeroom, a prisoner stalked restlessly. Up and down, up +and down, up and down the ten-by-twelve windowless space he wandered. +His eyes were bloodshot; his fingers twitched uneasily; his rumpled +clothes bore the signs of a recent struggle. At one side of the room, on +a rude work-bench, some food and water stood untouched. From outside the +closed doors, he could hear the obscene jests exchanged by two armed +guards. + +His mind reeled as he recalled the events of the past few hours; how +three men, amid the fogs of twilight, had surrounded him as he emerged +from the apartment house to go for the police; how one of them had +clapped a gag over his mouth, and the other two had forced him into a +waiting sedan.... So swiftly had it all happened that he could hardly +piece together the successive steps of the crime in logical order. + +Yet that the deed had been ordered by his former employers was manifest. +His horror at their plans had been evident, much as he had tried to +conceal it! Their secret police were already functioning! Undoubtedly +one of them, eavesdropping at the door of his apartment, had overheard +his remarks to his wife, which he had made little effort to subdue. And +now that he was in the enemy's power, he would have no chance to thwart +or reveal their schemes! + +Contemplatively he gazed about his jail. Bare walls! a bare floor! Not a +tool by which he might attempt to escape! The prisoner felt in his +pockets--even his knife had been taken from him. He thought of his +wife--and knew that she would be growing frantic. Yet, though he +realized that the odds against him were thousands to one, he would not +let himself despair. For a long while he leaned meditatively against a +wall, his brows wrinkled, his glance withdrawn, as he pondered, pondered +over ways and means to surmount his barriers. For upon his escape, he +knew, the world's freedom depended. + + * * * * * + +It was with the air of a beaten dog that, one afternoon in early August, +Hogarth came slouching into his mahogany-paneled headquarters in the +twenty-two-story office building he had recently appropriated. + +As July turned into August, the earth's movements had become more +erratic than ever. Even to the naked eye, the sun's disk had grown +appreciably smaller. The Antarctic cold had begun to lay a white blanket +over jungles beneath the Equator; while already the trees of the eastern +United States had taken on the hues of October. No one who lived through +those disconsolate days will forget the tragic aspect of our cities: +thoroughfares almost deserted, and only an occasional business house +still open; a handful of people passing, with wan features and drooping +heads; and only one question on any one's lips, "When, when will it +end?" + +With the haste of panic, Hogarth, Wiley and Malvine had been granted +everything they asked. They had been placed in control of all natural +resources, all factories and railways, all armies and navies. They had +been given _carte blanche_ with the earth. All other rulers took orders +from them. They were, as they had aimed to be, universal dictators. This +tremendous power had been granted them, so that they might save us all, +as they had promised. Then why did they not save us? men asked, +chattering with cold and terror. + +They might have had their answer had they seen Hogarth sagging into his +office on that August afternoon. Rubbing his fleshy red face with an +equally fleshy red hand, he dropped into a seat, and grumbled, "Guess +it's no use, boys! Simply don't seem able to turn the trick!" + +Wiley had leaped to his feet. His horse-like teeth were unbared beneath +curling lips. "God! Mean to say she won't work?" + +"No, blast it, she won't," concurred Malvine, who had come in just +behind Hogarth. "Haven't the two of us been slaving like teamsters, +along with McBride and a whole army of engineers? That cursed Deflector +has gone haywire! Why, I'll swear we diverted gravity enough to pull the +earth halfway over to Venus. And what are the results? Nil. Precisely +nil!" + +Wiley stood regarding his fellow plotters in silence. An unpleasant +smirk formed itself upon his lips. + +"Well, don't worry, boys. In the long run, a day or two more or less +won't matter." + +"No, I'll be cursed if it will!" growled Hogarth. "Nothing in hell will +matter if we die along with everybody else!" + +Wiley gasped. "What makes you so damned cheerful?" + +"Well, how we going to save ourselves? I'm putting it to you straight, +old man. What if we are world dictators? We're doomed like every beetle +and rat on this crazy planet. The whole rotten globe is going to +freeze!" + +"Afraid that's so," agreed Malvine, with a wry puckering of his long, +fox-like face. "We've tried hard enough, but we've about shot our bolt. +Frankly, there isn't any known principle by which we can get the +Deflector working again." + +For the first time, a pallor had come across Wiley's features. He was +the scheming brains of the firm, but had not kept up on his science, and +always took his colleagues' word on technical matters. + +For a while, he remained silent, his saturnine face grave with thought. +"By thunder," he finally broke out, "I'm not going to let myself die +just yet--not when I've got the world in my hands! There's one man +who'll be able to help out with that damned Deflector." + +"Who's your genius?" sneered Malvine. + +"Well, who but this fellow Holcomb?" + +"Holcomb?" + +"Of course. He's harmless now--but useless--in his underground +storeroom. I'm for taking him out--under proper supervision. He'll know +how to use the Deflector, if any man does!" + +Hogarth's gloom relaxed a bit. "Good!" he approved. "Can't do any harm +to try. We've got to make damned sure, though, he doesn't get loose or +communicate with his friends. I'd a thousand times rather shoot him like +a yellow dog!" + +Wiley chuckled; and the hands of all three conspirators shot out in +agreement. + + * * * * * + +Dan's face was pale after his long confinement. His cheeks were sunken, +and had the smoldering look of deep suffering. But there was scorn in +his manner as he faced his persecutors. + +"Yes, that's the story," Wiley was reiterating. "Guess we're not quite +on to the ropes. If you'll work a little at the Deflector--" + +Dan glared at his tormentors, his eyes kindled with a fierce blue +glitter. His chin was outthrust, but his manner was quiet as he replied, +after a moment's hesitation, "Show me to the laboratory!" + +Wiley arose, and prepared to lead the way. + +"We'll give you one week!" he stipulated. "Exactly one week! By then, +we'll expect you to show results!" + +After being escorted blindfolded to a secret laboratory, Dan labored +incessantly. He would pretend to obey the Triumvirs, while actually +doing all he could to oppose them! But in the beginning, he had to +confess to himself, his position looked nearly hopeless. Eagerly he +searched for some possible means of escape--some way of signalling the +outside world. But two armed guards stood watching just beyond the only +door. + +His most pressing thought was to get word to his wife--not only to +relieve her terrible anxiety, but to plot with her his escape. He had, +naturally, been denied access to a telephone; yet he would not let this +balk him. Deftly making use of the electrical gear and headphones of a +half dismantled shortwave radio receiver which he had found in the +laboratory, he set about to tap the wires in a remote corner where, he +noted, a telephone connection had formerly been. Meanwhile he was +careful to keep as wide a distance as possible between him and the +guards. + +To prevent them from hearing his voice when he had tapped the wire, he +set a particularly noisy motor in operation close to the door. Then, +trembling with eagerness, he spoke through his improvised speaking +apparatus. To his delight, he heard an answering, "Number, please!" His +tones were jerky with excitement as he gave his home number. But, a +moment later, his joy froze within him. + +Across the wire there came a sickening, "The line has been disconnected, +sir!" And in response to his quavering inquiry, all he could get was, +"No, sir, they mentioned no other number to call." + +He was just about to give another number--that of a friend who might be +able to supply information about Lucile--when he felt a heavy hand on +one shoulder, and looked up into the angry eyes of his guards. + +"None of that, young man!" bawled one jailer, while the other snatched +up the telephone equipment. "I thought you were up to some mischief! Get +back to work!" + +Two rubber truncheons came down upon Dan's defenseless flesh as, with a +groan, he struggled back to his bench. + + * * * * * + +As late August shivered toward September, the world's state became still +more terrifying. Whirlwinds rushed more severely than ever through the +darkening skies; blizzards raged, and a mantle of white covered the +northern United States; agriculture and industry had virtually ceased; +and men passed their time in mumbling prayers, in making wild, fruitless +studies of the heavens, and in the sodden forgetfulness of dissipation. + +Dan, however, knew nothing of all this as he labored in his hidden +laboratory. Working once more at the Deflector, in the desire to save +the earth from freezing, he had made a discovery--one which, as he +toiled, had darkened his face with lines of discouragement that +gradually gave place to horror. And in the end he had sagged down, +exhausted, with bloodshot eyes and drooping limbs ... oppressed with a +nightmare realization. + +During the weeks of his imprisonment, the earth had moved millions of +miles farther from the sun. And the strength of telurox, lessening with +the inverse square of the distance, was insufficient to cover the gap. +It was beyond his power to make up the difference. Unless a miracle +intervened, the earth was doomed! + +Nevertheless, was there not just the remotest hope?--possibly a chance +in a million? If only he could gain control of a larger laboratory, with +capable assistants, he might try a certain newly conceived experiment. +But to ask his captors to provide such a laboratory would be to put +himself and the earth even more hopelessly in their power. + +Instead, his thoughts kept wandering in another direction. If he could +once get into touch with his wife, she might be able to help him! But +where was she now? Somewhere in hiding? Or imprisoned by the Triumvirs? +Yet if she were still at liberty, was there not a means by which he +might still communicate with her? He recalled how, during their years +together at Columbia Chemicals, they had worked out a secret code, by +which they could tap out love messages on the walls. Could this code not +be used over the radio? Could he not transmit signals over various +wave-lengths, so that sooner or later--if she still listened to the +radio--she would recognize his message? + +At any rate, he would try. Hoping to ward off suspicion, he pretended to +work at a Cosmic Deflector which, telescope-shaped and two feet in +thickness, reached from floor to ceiling. Within this great tube he +concealed a small radio transmitter which he had hastily contrived, out +of the abundant electrical equipment of the Deflector. Its power, he +knew, would be limited, but it could be heard well enough locally. By +means of a device resembling an electric bell, he was able to transmit +signals, on a dot and dash system. So rapidly did he work that, after a +few hours, this novel broadcaster was sending out its rat-tat-tat. + +His next step was to repair the half dismantled radio receiver. This +task completed, he began to tap out signals, "Lucile! Lucile! Hear me! I +am imprisoned by the Triumvirs! Follow my directions, and we may still +save the world!" + +Time after time--hundreds of times--he repeated this message. Was he but +playing a fool's game? So he asked himself as the hours stretched out; +as the days dragged past and still no answer came. Was he not wasting +his efforts while the earth whirled to its doom? + + * * * * * + +It was on the fourth day of the experiment. Pale with anxiety and +fatigue, Dan still tapped out his messages; still listened at the radio. +Suddenly he stood up, with a start. What was that sound he heard? That +answering tap, tap, tap? Three shorts and a long--three shorts and a +long! In their code, what did that mean? "Where are you? Tell me, where +are you?" Or had he counted the signals wrongly. In desperate eagerness, +he stood listening. Now there came two longs and a short; then a short +and two longs-- + +"Well, old man, how's the work going?" + +Dan was so shocked that he leapt back several feet. Not more than a yard +away, leering with a horse-like grin, was the face of Wiley! And just in +the background, devilishly gaping, were Hogarth and Malvine. + +Dan's first thought was that the enemy knew what he was about, and had +come to mock him at the moment of his seeming success. + +"Well, how's she going?" Wiley reiterated. "Any progress?" + +With an effort, Dan snapped out of his stupefied silence. "Oh, she's +promising very well," he managed to say. + +Through the radio, with maddening insistency, came the rat-tat-tat of a +message. It was impossible, under the circumstances, to record or +translate it! The thought flashed over Dan that he had been tricked; +that the message came from the Triumvirs, who were now enjoying his +discomfiture! + +"What's that damned noise?" Hogarth demanded, as if to lend confirmation +to this theory. + +Reaching for a secret switch, Dan snapped off the radio. Only a clever +bluff, he knew, could save him now! + +"Oh, it's only the magnified sound of the impact of the gravitational +rays upon the Deflector," he lied, glibly, still hoping against hope. +"In other words, the vibrational impetus of--" + +"To hell with your long-winded explanations!" Wiley cut him short, +impatiently. "What we want to know is, what progress have you made? Any +sign of getting the earth back in place?" + +"Time we gave you is about up!" said Malvine. "If you're not getting +results, better turn things over to some one else!" + +"Everything's in the devil's own mess!" sighed Hogarth. "It's hell on +earth--people freezing to death right and left. By God! if I thought you +weren't getting somewhere, I'd have you choked to death, just for the +fun of it!" + +"Well, as a matter of fact," fabricated Dan, "the Super-Detectonic rays +are a bit slow in getting into operation. But you can't expect miracles. +If you'll give me a little more time--a few more days, maybe a +week--I'll promise you results." + +A cold sweat had broken out all over him before he had explained, in +scientific detail, just why he might succeed if given another week. +Thank God! they had not suspected! Or had they suspected?--and were they +only toying with him? In any case, they had, wittingly or unwittingly, +broken into his experiment at the crucial point. Would he ever again +catch the interrupted message? + +His fingers shaking with eagerness, he turned back to the radio. But +even as he did so, the sneer on Wiley's retreating face hit him like a +taunt. + + * * * * * + +After the first cruel shock, Lucile had realized just what was behind +Dan's disappearance. She not only was sure that he had been kidnapped by +Hogarth and his gang, but that any effort on her part to report to the +police would result in her own immediate apprehension. Already her +position was perilous--might the conspirators not finish the job by +seizing her at any moment? There was nothing to be done, therefore, +except to change her residence, without informing anyone where she was +going. Then, in secret, she might plan to free her husband. + +At first, however, no tenable idea came to her. Meanwhile, through her +old professors at Merlin University, where she had been an excellent +student, she obtained access to the chemical laboratory, and +experimented day and night for means to increase the power of telurox. +If it were possible to divert to the earth enough of the gravity that +shot past it into space, might the planet not even now be drawn back to +its orbit? + +For weeks she labored, without results. She was merely one more +discouraged person in a discouraged world, when at length a startling +incident occurred. She had gone out for a hasty bite of lunch, and on +her return she noticed that her assistant, young Dick Harson, was +listening to the radio, as he often did, while munching at a sandwich. + +"Well, anything new?" she asked, with a faint smile. + +"Nothing but a crazy noise, like a telegrapher breaking in on the +broadcast," he answered. "If it's still on, I'll show you." + +He switched the dial. "There it is!" he exclaimed, after a moment. +"Doesn't it sound just like a secret code?" + +At first she listened indifferently, her mind preoccupied; then gave a +start, for she recognized something astoundingly familiar. Surely, it +was but an accident! It must be an accident that the succession of long +and short syllables made sense, according to her old code with Dan! +"Imprisoned by the Triumvirs! Follow my directions, and we may still +save the world." + +Harson was astonished to see how eagerly the young woman sprang from her +seat; and how she stood staring, as if she had seen a ghost. + +With the frenzy of a famished person finding food, she bent down to +listen. For a minute she remained there, leaning over the radio with a +puzzled look, as if she could not quite make out the message. Then, to +Harson's still greater amazement, she dashed to the laboratory's short +wave transmitter, and, beating together two bits of metal, began to send +out a series of long and short sounds, similar to the signals they had +heard. + +By this time the rat-tat-tat from the other end had ceased. It was more +than half an hour later, when she had paused to rest momentarily, that +fresh signals came over the radio. A flood of tears rushed to her eyes +as she made out the words, "Lucile! Lucile--it is I!" + + * * * * * + +"Take this down, Lucy! Bismuth tetrachloride in combination with the +borium salt I just mentioned will have a catalyzing effect on telurox, +increasing its activity fifty per cent--more than enough to bring the +earth back to its orbit. So my experiments indicate. Try it out just as +soon as possible!" + +Such was one of the first messages that Dan tapped out to his wife, +after a few explanatory interchanges. + +"For God's sake, hurry! At any minute those bandits may catch on!" the +message continued. "Let me hear the results as soon as you can! We've +just got to succeed, and trap them!" + +Several days went by, while the signals still flashed back and forth. +But Dan knew, as did Lucile also, that their time was short, very short. +All too soon the week allowed him by Hogarth, Wiley and Malvine passed; +all too soon the sinister three paid him another visit. + +They found him still working at the Deflector, from whose interior once +more a strange rat-tat-tat was issuing. + +"Well," demanded Hogarth, "what success?" + +Dan looked up casually. "Oh," he declared, trying to appear unconcerned, +"as much as could be expected." + +"What the devil does that mean?" snapped Wiley, projecting his ridged +horse-face pugnaciously. "You promised results in a week. Have you had +them? Can you put the earth back on its orbit?" + +"If you'll give me more time--" + +"More time, and we'll all be driven to our deaths!" stormed Malvine. +"Not another day! No, not another hour!" + +Wiley, who had been peering into the recesses of the Deflector, was +fumbling in an exploratory fashion at its fittings. Suddenly he pulled a +half concealed lever, released a panel, and let out a low whistle. "What +in blazes is this?" + +With an angry wrench, he drew out a mass of wires, bulbs and batteries. +"Looks to me like a radio transmitter!" he growled. + +All three men glared menace at Dan. He had foreseen and dreaded this +very event. Confronted with the evidence, it would be folly to attempt a +denial. His only course would be to try to turn suspicion in the least +dangerous channel. + +"Of course it's a radio transmitter," he admitted, quietly. "I'll be +frank with you--I was hoping to find a chance to get away." + +Ominously the three conspirators closed about him. There was a nasty +rumble in Wiley's voice as he decided. "Well then, you damned traitor, +it's up to us to put you where you won't get away--not for many a good +long day! We were cursed fools to place any trust in you!" + +Abruptly he motioned to the guards. "Solitary confinement again--and a +bread and water diet!" he barked. "Maybe that'll bring him around to +reason!" + +But even as Dan, bound and handcuffed, was being dragged off, he had +grim satisfaction in reflecting that his persecutors could not guess the +real purpose of his radio. + + * * * * * + +By the first of September, the earth was farther off its course than +ever. Eleven million, twelve million, thirteen million miles! And every +day the distance widened. Would its orbit, like that of a periodic +comet, be lengthened into a long ellipse, taking it into the unthinkable +cold beyond Jupiter or Saturn? + +This was the question in every one's mind, when on September 2 a +full-page advertisement appeared in America's leading papers: "$50,000 +Reward! For invention to counteract the Cosmic Deflector! All reasonable +propositions given immediate personal attention. Hogarth, Wiley and +Malvine." + +It was on the never-to-be-forgotten third of September that the +advertisers received their first applicant for the award. It was a young +woman, of sad and earnest appearance; and the clerk who questioned her, +perceiving that she had extraordinary information to offer, lost no time +about summoning Hogarth. + +"My name is Landers--Mary Landers," she introduced herself. "I was a +laboratory assistant of Daniel Holcomb when he invented telurox. I have +been trying to increase its power, and have had remarkable success. In +fact, I come to claim that fifty thousand." + +Hogarth gasped. + +The caller went on to explain how, as a result of a long series of +computations, she had mixed a small quantity of a certain bismuth salt +with the telurox; and how this had increased its activity by more than +fifty per cent. Fortunately, a huge Deflector had already been set up in +the laboratory, for experimental purposes. + +"Have you taken any observations today?" she finished. "If so, perhaps +you've noticed that the earth is fifty thousand miles nearer the sun +than yesterday." + +"By glory!" exclaimed Hogarth. "That's just what Lasson Observatory +reported, but I thought those fellows were all soused. Let's see! Got a +model machine to show me?" + +"Everything's over at Merlin University. If you'll just step into your +car, we'll be there in twenty minutes." + +"You bet I will!" agreed Hogarth eagerly, as he reached for his hat. "No +harm looking at it!" + +The young woman started toward the door; then turned back, as if on an +after-thought. "Oh, by the way, don't your partners want to join us? I'd +like to give a real demonstration, which it would waste a lot of good +time and energy to repeat." + +"Don't see what they've got on hand more important," muttered Hogarth. +"Wait a minute." + +From an adjoining room she could hear Hogarth's voice rising +disputatiously. "No harm investigating, anyhow!" And she could not keep +back a secret exultation when, after a time, he appeared in company with +two men whom he introduced as "Mr. Wiley" and "Mr. Malvine." + + * * * * * + +Half an hour later, she had led them into the University laboratory, a +corner of which had been partitioned off. There a twenty-four-inch +telescope-like tube shot up through the ceiling; while nearer at hand +was a table covered with complicated electrical devices. + +"Well, trot out your discoveries!" barked Wiley. + +From a compartment Miss Landers drew three pairs of binoculars, with +wires attached. "Adjust these, gentlemen," she instructed. + +Automatically each man reached for a pair. And as they took them, a look +of triumph crossed the woman's averted face. She pressed a button--and +with what astonishing results! + +[Illustration: Her finger sought the button behind her; found it...] + +All three men gasped, and began to writhe. A convulsive shudder shot +through each; they sagged, and fell to the floor; then gradually all +three stiffened, except for their necks and faces, which still twitched +spasmodically. + +At the same time, the young woman pressed a buzzer; and three men, in +the uniforms of university guards, hastened in with ropes, which they +wound around the helpless trio. + +"What--what in hell's name is this?" sputtered Wiley, as he began to +recover from the first shock. "We--we're paralyzed!" + +"That's just it," stated the lady, calmly. "You're paralyzed, from the +necks down. I merely wanted to introduce you to another little invention +of your friend Dan Holcomb. He asked me to show it to you, with his +compliments. You see, the rays of telurox, much diluted and carried over +a wire, will temporarily paralyze the human nerve centers. But have no +fear. The spell will wear off in half an hour." + +"This--this is an outrage!" groaned Hogarth, as he lay amid his ropes. + +"Not at all. I'm sure, when you're no longer paralyzed, you won't mind +signing a little paper, containing an order for the release of Mr. +Holcomb--" + +"What the devil makes you so interested in Holcomb?" flared back Wiley. + +"Well, it's only that I happen to be his wife. Mary Landers is the name +of a cousin of mine. Dan and I have been planning to get him out of your +dungeon when you locked him up there again, as we expected you would. +I'm simply carrying out his ideas." + +Angry sounds, like the growls of enraged bears, came from the throats of +all three prisoners. + +"If we sign," demanded Malvine, "will you let us go?" + +"There's only one promise I can make. If you don't sign, my friends +here"--she designated the three guards--"will see that you remain +paralyzed." + +The conspirators were trapped, and they knew it; were caught like rats +in a corner, beyond rescue by the corrupt system they had built up. And +so, after their paralysis had begun to wear off and they had been +re-paralyzed several times in succession, they bowed their heads in +capitulation. + +"Come on," snarled Hogarth, "give us that damned paper!" + +He glanced over the sheet, and an even angrier snarl came from his +throat. + +"You must think we're crazy, young lady!" he roared. "You can go to hell +before we'll sign!" + +The document was not only an order for Dan's release, but a confession +of the criminal manner in which he had been seized and detained. + +"Better think it over, gentlemen," advised Lucile, as the prisoners +continued to hold out against signing. + + * * * * * + +And this was exactly what they did. After more than twelve hours, during +which they were allowed neither food nor drink (it being impossible to +digest anything in a paralyzed state), the victims realized that they +had no chance except to sign, or miserably to perish. And not being of +the stuff of which heroes are made, they grumblingly asked the guards to +deparalyze them sufficiently to let them sign the paper. + +Thus it came about that Dan was again delivered from the basement +prison, and that he and his wife were restored to one another's arms. +Thus, thanks to his discovery and her application of it, the earth was +saved from the most terrible peril in history, and gradually was brought +back to its true orbit. And thus, after Dan had broadcasted all he knew +about the plots of the Triumvirate, Hogarth, Wiley and Malvine were +discredited and disgraced, and, deserted by their confederates, stood +trial for Dan's kidnapping and imprisonment. The last that was heard of +them, they were still serving their twenty-year terms at Wilmott +Penitentiary. + +As for the Cosmic Deflector--after the earth's orbit was righted, the +secret of it was sealed in a vault at Merlin University. "I've +discovered, Lucile," remarked Dan, shortly after his release, "it's not +a safe invention to entrust in human hands. + +"But there's one thing," he went on, as his lips moved toward hers, "if +it drew the earth out of its orbit, it also drew us closer together." + +Her answering smile told him that, so far as they were concerned, the +Deflector had been a success. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Cosmic Deflector, by Stanton A. Coblentz + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COSMIC DEFLECTOR *** + +***** This file should be named 32899.txt or 32899.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/8/9/32899/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/32899.zip b/32899.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..028c90e --- /dev/null +++ b/32899.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fc13a09 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #32899 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32899) |
