Page:Amazing Stories Volume 10 Number 13.djvu/59

Rh booth, which greatly resembled a motion-picture projection cell back home in the States.

He watched the final bolting of heavy apparatus to the floor and turned to Mina. "Well, sweet, everything seems ready. We have exactly twenty-four hours time before the council begins. According to my figures which have been closely checked by Vassily and Peter, I must remain in uninterrupted suspension for about one hour. The nearest ratio we have developed is one to twenty-four. Then I shall see what I shall see."

The girl's eyes darkened with a sad thought. She turned away to conceal her nervousness, but not before Earl noticed it.

"What's the matter, dear?" he asked anxiously.

"N-nothing," she sighed, "but some- how I feel that something may go wrong. Can't I go along with you?"

Earl laughed. "No, not this time."

"Then, why not take Vassily? I'd feel better if I knew you were not alone."

"Very well," he agreed. "If Vassily will consent to come along I'll take him."

Vassily quickly agreed when he was asked, although Earl knew that the Russian disliked these little trips ahead in time.

The moment Mikhailloff signaled from an adjoining building that all was in readiness, Earl and Vassily entered the booth. The walls were removed and they found themselves in a small counterpart of the cage in their home laboratory.

Mina threw them a kiss and pressed the button for Mikhailloff to begin.

After the usual dazzling preliminaries, the men settled down for a long wait. The first message that Earl flashed to Vassily was: "(Well, old timer, I'm glad that I won't feel the strain of being on my feet for twenty-four hours.)"

"(Enough of this unseemly joking. Let's watch what's happening. Are you sure the ratio is one to twenty-four?)"

"(Positively, Vassily. We'll have to watch closely or in the speed of transition, we may miss something of importance.)"

"(Comrade Earl, look. The men are preparing to clean the hall. See how swiftly they work with their brooms and mops.)"

"(Why, Vassily, it seemed to take only a second. They are all finished!)"

"(There's Comrade Varenikoff. He's looking over the place to see if it is ready for the conference guests. He seems satisfied.)"

Things were progressing rapidly. Earl made a mental resolution to refrain from using that ratio in the future.

Vassily read his thoughts immediately. "(What we should have done was to accelerate the speed for, about twenty hours and then decelerate it to something just a little quicker than normal.)"

"(You're right, Vassily, but it's too late now. Pay strict attention. I may miss something.)"

Slowly, the delegates began to arrive and take their chosen seats. As a new envoy would enter, the entire assemblage would come to their feet and bow.

At once a huge, clumsy figure entered, resplendent in afternoon clothes. He was greeted by stiff nods. The watchers could see that he was none too popular.

"(Look, Earl. It is Anton Yousopoff. If it were not for his popularity with