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289
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, August 1930
·
Various
133
In
a
growing
daze
Tommy
saw
her
dash
to
the
platform,
seize
Frank
in
a
clutch
of
desperation.
There
was
a
violent
wrench
as
if
some
monster
were
twisting
at
his
vitals.
He
closed
his
eyes
against
the
blinding
light,
then
realized
that
utter
silence
had
followed
the
erstwhile
confusion.
He
sat
in
Frank's
car--alone.
The
journey
was
over,
and
Frank
was
left
behind.
With
awful
finality
it
came
to
him
that
there
was
nothing
he
could
do.
It
was
clear
that
Phaestra
had
wanted
his
pal,
needed
him--come
for
him.
From
the
fact
that
Frank
remained
behind
it
was
evident
that
she
had
succeeded
in
retaining
him.
A
sickening
fear
came
to
Tommy
that
she
had
been
too
late;
that
Frank's
body
was
already
partly
disintegrated
and
that
he
might
have
paid
the
price
of
her
love
with
his
life.
But
a
little
reflection
convinced
him
that
if
this
were
the
case
a
portion
of
his
friend's
body
would
have
reached
the
intended
destination.
Then,
unexplainably,
he
received
a
mental
message
that
all
was
well.
Considerably
heartened,
he
pressed
the
starter
button
and
the
cold
motor
of
Frank's
coupe
turned
over
slowly,
protestingly.
Finally
it
coughed
a
few
times,
and,
after
considerable
coaxing
by
use
of
the
choke,
ran
smoothly.
He
proceeded
to
back
carefully
through
the
drifts
toward
the
road,
casting
an
occasional
regretful
glance
in
the
direction
of
the
demolished
mansion.
He
would
have
some
explaining
to
do
when
he
returned
to
New
York.
Perhaps--yes,
almost
certainly,
he
would
be
questioned
by
the
police
regarding
Frank's
disappearance.
But
he
would
never
betray
the
trust
of
Phaestra.
Who
indeed
would
believe
him
if
he
told
the
story?
Instead,
he
would
concoct
a
weird
fabrication
regarding
an
explosion
in
Leland's
laboratory,
of
his
own
miraculous
escape.
They
could
not
hold
him,
could
not
accuse
him
of
murder
without
producing
a
body--the
corpus
delicti,
or
whatever
they
called
it.
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