Bringing proofs which will satisfy the most skeptical, Dr. William
G. Kinney, G. Van Emmon, E. Williams Jackson, and John W. Smith, who
left the earth on December 9 in a powerful sky-car of the doctor's
design, returned on the 23rd, after having explored the two planets
which lie between the earth and the sun.
They found Mercury to be a dead world, like the moon, except that it
once supported a civilization nearly as advanced as our own. They
tell of a giant human, a veritable colossus, who was the planet's
last survivor.
But on Venus they discovered people still living! They are
marvelously developed people, infinitely more advanced than the
people of the earth, and enjoying a civilization that is well-nigh
incredible. Among other things, they have learned how to visit other
worlds without themselves leaving their planet. They do it by a kind
of telepathy; they know all about us here on the earth; and they
have accumulated data regarding the peoples of hundreds of thousands
of other planets! The four explorers are able to prove their
statements beyond the shadow of doubt. They possess photographs
which speak for themselves; they have brought back relics from
Mercury and materials from Venus, such as never existed on the
earth. They submit a vast library of extraordinarily advanced
scientific literature, which was given to them by the Venusians.
The article went on to detail, to the extent of some eight or ten
pages, the main features of the exploration. Hill, however, did not
stop to read it all just then. He looked up, his thoughts flying to
the strange scene in the room up-stairs. "What are they
doing--recuperating?"
"Not exactly." Mrs. Kinney was a little disappointed. "Here--let me
point out the paragraph." And she ran a finger down the column until
it indicated this line:
Among other things they have learned how to visit other worlds
without themselves leaving their planet. They do this by a kind of
telepathy.
"That's the explanation," Mrs. Kinney said quietly. Hill fairly
blinked when he read the paragraph. "They are trying out one of the
Venusian experiments?"
"Of course; you know the doctor. He couldn't resist the temptation.
And I must say the others are just as bad.
"Mr. Smith is quite as much interested as Mr. Van Emmon. Mr. Smith
is an electrical engineer; the other man is a geologist, and a very
adventurous spirit. As for Mrs. Van Emmon--"
"But this account mentions"--Hill referred to the magazine--"'E.
Williams Jackson.' Who was he?"
"She--not he. Mrs. Van Emmon now; she used to be an architect. She
had the other three fooled for ten days; she passed herself off as a
man!"
But Hill was too absorbed in the general strangeness of the affair
to note this amazing item. He again glanced at the article, opened
his mouth once or twice as though to ask a question, thought better
of it each time, and finally got to his feet.
"Let me have this?" referring to the magazine.
Mrs. Kinney handed over the rest of the collection.
"I am sure the doctor would want you to read them. I remember he
said, just before they started away, that he wished you could have
gone with him."
"Did he?" much pleased. Hill made some affectionate remark, under
his breath about "the star-gazing old fraud"; then, evidently in a
hurry to get off by himself and read, he made his excuses and left
the house.
Mrs. Kinney returned to the book she had been reading, glanced at
the clock, and noted that it was almost at the hour, previously
agreed upon, that she should arouse the four up-stairs. She put the
book down and started toward the stairs.
At that instant a large gong sounded in the hall. In the study
up-stairs, the doctor's hand moved away from a pushbutton. He
stirred in his chair; and as he did so, the other three awakened.
First Van Emmon, then "Billie," his wife, and lastly the engineer.
Next second all four were sitting bolt upright, and looking at each
other eagerly.