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289
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, August 1930
·
Various
105
"Ah-h-h!"
breathed
Frank.
"So
that
is
where
Ed
Leland
is
hiding!
The
secret
retreat
of
the
gloomy
scientist!"
He
spoke
half
jestingly,
yet
when
he
squeezed
his
stalwart
bulk
through
the
opening
and
flashed
the
beam
of
his
light
into
the
darkness
of
a
narrow
passage
ahead
he
was
assailed
with
vague
forebodings.
Tommy
followed
close
behind
and
spoke
not
a
word.
The
passage
floor
was
thick
with
dust,
but
the
marks
of
many
footsteps
going
and
returning
gave
mute
evidence
of
the
frequency
of
Leland's
visits.
The
air
was
heavy
and
oppressive
and
the
temperature
and
humidity
increased
as
they
progressed
along
the
winding
length
of
the
rock-walled
passageway.
The
floor
sloped,
ever
downward
and,
in
spots,
was
slippery
with
slimy
seepage.
It
seemed
that
they
turned
back
on
their
course
on
several
occasions
but
were
descending
deeper
and
deeper
into
the
heart
of
the
mountain.
Then,
abruptly,
the
passage
ended
at
the
mouth
of
a
shaft,
which
dropped
vertically
from
almost
beneath
their
feet.
"Whew!"
exclaimed
Frank.
"Another
step
and
I'd
have
dropped
into
it.
That's
probably
what
happened
to
Leland."
He
knelt
at
the
rim
of
the
circular
opening
and
looked
into
the
depths
of
the
pit,
Tommy
following
suit.
The
feeble
ray
of
the
flashlight
was
lost
in
the
blackness
below.
"Say,
Frank,"
whispered
Tommy,
"turn
off
the
flash.
I
think
I
saw
a
light
down
there."
And,
with
the
snapping
of
the
catch,
there
came
darkness.
But,
miles
below
them,
it
seemed,
there
was
a
tiny
pin-point
of
brilliance--an
eery
green
light
that
was
like
a
wavering
phosphorescence
of
will-o'-the-wisp.
For
a
moment
it
shone
and
was
gone.
Then
came
the
dreadful
vibration
they
had
experienced
in
the
hall
of
the
house--the
whistling
scream
that
grew
louder
and
louder
until
it
seemed
they
must
be
deafened.
The
penetrating
wail
rose
from
the
depths
of
the
pit,
and
the
vibration
was
all
around
them,
in
the
damp
rock
floor
on
which
they
knelt,
and
in
the
very
air
of
the
cavern.
Hastily
Frank
snapped
on
the
light
of
his
flash.
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