AFTER FIVE YEARS
Four men sat in the clubroom, at their ease in the luxurious leather
chairs, smoking and talking earnestly. Near the center of the room stood
a huge mahogany table. On its top, directly in the glare of light from
an electrolier overhead, was spread a large black silk handkerchief. In
the center of this handkerchief lay a heavy gold band--a woman's
wedding-ring.
An old-fashioned valise stood near a corner of the table. Its sides were
perforated with small brass-rimmed holes; near the top on one side was a
small square aperture covered with a wire mesh through which one might
look into the interior. Altogether, from the outside, the bag looked
much like those used for carrying small animals.
As it lay on the table now its top was partly open. The inside was
brightly lighted by a small storage battery and electric globe, fastened
to the side. Near the bottom of the bag was a tiny wire rack, held
suspended about an inch from the bottom by transverse wires to the
sides. The inside of the bag was lined with black plush.
On an arm of the Doctor's chair lay two white tin boxes three or four
inches square. In his hand he held an opened envelope and several letter
pages.
"A little more than five years ago to-night, my friends," he began
slowly, "we sat in this room with that"--he indicated the ring--"under
very different circumstances." After a moment, he went on:
"I think I am right when I say that for five years the thought uppermost
in our minds has always been that ring and what is going on within one
of its atoms."
"You bet," said the Very Young Man.
"For five years now we have had the ring watched," continued the Doctor,
"but Rogers has never returned."
"You asked us here to-night because you had something special to tell
us," began the Very Young Man, with a questioning look at the valise and
the ring.
The Doctor smiled. "I'm sorry," he said, "I don't mean to be
aggravating."
"Go ahead in your own way, Frank," the Big Business Man put in. "We'll
wait if we have to."
The Doctor glanced at the papers in his hand; he had just taken them
from the envelope. "You are consumed with curiosity, naturally, to know
what I have to say--why I have brought the ring here to-night.
Gentlemen, you have had to restrain that curiosity less than five
minutes; I have had a far greater curiosity to endure--and restrain--for
over five years.
"When Rogers left us on his last journey into the ring, he gave into my
keeping, unknown to you, this envelope." The Doctor held it up.
"He made me swear I would keep its existence secret from every living
being, until the date marked upon it, at which time, in the event of his
not having returned, it was to be opened. Look at it." The Doctor laid
the envelope on the table.
"It is inscribed, as you see, 'To be opened by Dr. Frank Adams at
8 P. M. on September 4th, 1923.' For five years, gentlemen, I kept that
envelope, knowing nothing of its contents and waiting for the moment
when I might, with honor, open it. The struggle has been a hard one.
Many times I have almost been able to persuade myself, in justice to our
friend's safety--his very life, probably--that it would be best to
disregard his instructions. But I did not; I waited until the date set
and then, a little more than a month ago, alone in my office, I opened
the envelope."
The Doctor leaned forward in his chair and shuffled the papers he held
in his hand. His three friends sat tense, waiting.
"The envelope contained these papers. Among them is a letter in which I
am directed to explain everything to you as soon as I succeed in doing
certain other things. Those things I have now accomplished. So I have
sent for you. I'll read you the letter first."
No one spoke when the Doctor paused. The Banker drew a long breath. Then
he bit the end off a fresh cigar and lit it with a shaking hand. The
Doctor shifted his chair closer to the table under the light.
"The letter is dated September 14th, 1918. It begins: 'This will be read
at 8 P. M. on September 4th, 1923, by Dr. Frank Adams with no one else
present. If the envelope has been opened by him previous to that date I
request him to read no further. If it has fallen into other hands than
his I can only hope that the reader will immediately destroy it
unread.'" The Doctor paused an instant, then went on.
"Gentlemen, we are approaching the most important events of our lives.
An extraordinary duty--a tremendous responsibility, rests with us, of
all the millions of people on this earth. I ask that you listen most
carefully."
His admonition was quite unnecessary, for no one could have been more
intent than the three men silently facing him.
The Doctor continued reading: "'From Dr. Frank Adams, I exact the
following oath, before he reads further. You, Dr. Adams, will divulge to
no one, for a period of thirty days, the formulas set down in these
papers; you will follow implicitly the directions given you; you will do
nothing that is not expressly stated here. Should you be unable to carry
out these directions, you will destroy this letter and the formulas, and
tell no one of their ever having been in existence. I must have your
oath, Dr. Adams, before you proceed further.'"
The Doctor's voice died away, and he laid the papers on the table.
"Gentlemen," he went on, "later on in the letter I am directed to
consult with you three, setting before you this whole matter. But before
I do so I must exact a similar oath from each of you. I must have your
word of honor, gentlemen, that you will not attempt to transgress the
instructions given us, and that you will never, by word or action, allow
a suggestion of what passes between us here in this room to-night, to
reach any other person. Have I your promise?"
Each of his three hearers found voice to agree. The Banker's face was
very red, and he mopped his forehead nervously with his handkerchief.
The Doctor picked up the papers. "The letter goes on: 'I am about to
venture back into the unknown world of the ring. What will befall me
there I cannot foretell. If by September 4th, 1923, I have not returned,
or no other mortal has come out of the ring, it is my desire that you
and the three gentlemen with you at the time of my departure, use this
discovery of mine for the benefit of humanity in your world, or the
world in the ring, exactly as I myself would have used it were I there.
"'Should the European war be in progress at that time, I direct that you
four throw your power on the side of the United States for the defeat of
the Central Powers. That you will be able to accomplish that defeat I
cannot doubt.
"'If, on September 4th, 1923, the United States is formally at peace
with the powers of the world, you are forbidden to use these chemicals
for any purpose other than joining me in the world of the ring. If any
among you wish to make the venture, which I hope may be the case, I
request that you do so.
"'Among these pages you will find a list of fourteen chemicals to be
used by Dr. Frank Adams during the month following September 4, 1923,
for the compounding of my powders. Seven of these chemicals (marked A),
are employed in the drug used to diminish bodily size. Those seven
marked B are for the drug of opposite action.
"'You will find here a separate description of each chemical. Nine are
well known and fairly common. Dr. Adams will be able to purchase each of
them separately without difficulty. Three others will have to be
especially compounded and I have so stated in the directions for each of
them. Dr. Adams can have them prepared by any large chemical
manufacturer; I suggest that he have not more than one of them
compounded by the same company.
"'The two remaining chemicals must be prepared by Dr. Adams personally.
Their preparation, while intricate, demands no complicated or extensive
apparatus. I have tried to explain thoroughly the making of these two
chemicals, and I believe no insurmountable obstacle will be met in
completing them.
"'When Dr. Adams has the specified quantities of each of these fourteen
chemicals in his possession, he will proceed according to my further
directions to compound the two drugs. If he is successful in making
these drugs, I direct that he make known to the three other men referred
to, the contents of this letter, after first exacting an oath from each
that its provisions will be carried out.
"'I think it probable that Dr. Adams will succeed in compounding these
two drugs. It also seems probable that at that time the United States no
longer will be at war. I make the additional assumption that one or more
of you gentlemen will desire to join me in the ring. Therefore, you will
find herewith memoranda of my first journey into the ring which I have
already described to you; I give also the quantities of each drug to be
taken at various stages of the trip. These notes will refresh your
memory and will assist you in your journey.
"'I intend to suggest to Dr. Adams to-day when I hand him this letter,
that in the event of my failure to return within a week, he make some
adequate provision for guarding the ring in safety. And I must caution
you now, before starting to join me, if you conclude to do so, that you
continue this provision, so as to make possible your safe return to your
own world.
"'If our country is at war at the time you read this, your duty is
plain. I have no fears regarding your course of action. But if not, I do
not care to influence unduly your decision about venturing into this
unknown other world. The danger into which I personally may have fallen
must count for little with you, in a decision to hazard your own lives.
I may point out, however, that such a journey successfully accomplished
cannot fail but be the greatest contribution to science that has ever
been made. Nor can I doubt but that your coming may prove of tremendous
benefit to the humanity of this other equally important, though, in our
eyes, infinitesimal world.
"'I therefore suggest, gentlemen, that you start your journey into the
ring at 8 P. M. on the evening of November 4, 1923. You will do your
best to find your way direct to the city of Arite, where, if I am alive,
I will be awaiting you.'"