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289
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, August 1930
·
Various
5
An
exclamation
from
Gunga
startled
him.
The
Martian
was
pointing
to
the
ventilator
opening,
the
only
part
of
this
strange
building
that
was
not
hermetically
sealed
against
the
hostile
life
of
Inra.
A
dark
rim
had
appeared
at
its
margin,
a
loathsome,
black-green
rim
that
was
moving,
spreading
out.
It
crept
over
the
metal
walls
like
the
low-lying
smoke
of
a
fire,
yet
it
was
a
solid.
From
it
emanated
a
strong,
miasmatic
odor.
"The
giant
mold!"
Forepaugh
cried.
He
rushed
to
his
desk
and
took
out
his
flash
pistol,
quickly
set
the
localizer
so
as
to
cover
a
large
area.
When
he
turned
he
saw,
to
his
horror,
Gunga
about
to
smash
into
the
mold
with
his
ax.
He
sent
the
man
spinning
with
a
blow
to
the
ear.
"Want
to
scatter
it
and
start
it
growing
in
a
half-dozen
places?"
he
snapped.
"Here!"
He
pulled
the
trigger.
There
was
a
light,
spiteful
"ping"
and
for
an
instant
a
cone
of
white
light
stood
out
in
the
dim
room
like
a
solid
thing.
Then
it
was
gone,
and
with
it
was
gone
the
black
mold,
leaving
a
circular
area
of
blistered
paint
on
the
wall
and
an
acrid
odor
in
the
air.
Forepaugh
leaped
to
the
ventilating
louver
and
closed
it
tightly.
"It's
going
to
be
like
this
from
now
on,"
he
remarked
to
the
shaken
Gunga.
"All
these
things
wouldn't
bother
us
as
long
as
the
machinery
kept
the
building
dry
and
cool.
They
couldn't
live
in
here.
But
it's
getting
damp
and
hot.
Look
at
the
moisture
condensing
on
the
ceiling!"
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
