Astounding Stories of Super-Science, August 1930

He flung himself through that door. He knew the secret of The Master's power. He was The Master's appointed successor. If The Master and all his deputies died, Ribiera.... But Bell snapped into action like a bent spring released. His arm shot forward. A grenade went hurtling through the door through which Ribiera had fled. There was an instantaneous, terrific explosion. The solid wall shook and shivered and, with a vast deliberation, collapsed. The greenhouse was full of crushed plaster dust. Panes of glass shivered.... But Bell was upon The Master. He had struck the little man down and stood over him, his remaining automatic replacing the grenade he had thrown. "Ribiera's dead," he snapped, "and if I'm shot The Master dies too and you all go mad! Stand back!" The deputies stood frozen. "I think," said Jamison composedly, "I take a hand now. I'll pick him up, Bell.... Right. I've got him. With a grenade hanging down his back. If he jerks away from me, or I from him, it will blow his spine to bits." "Hold him so," said Bell coldly. He went coolly to where he could look over the heap of the collapsed wall. He saw a bundle of torn clothing that had been a man. It was flung against a cracked and tottering chimney. "Right," he said evenly. "Ribiera's dead, all right." He turned to the deputies, whose revolvers were still in their hands. "The Master's carriage, please," he said politely. "To the door. You may accompany us if you please, but in other carriages. I am working for the release of all the Master's slaves, and you among them if you choose. But you can see very easily that there is no hope of the release of The Master without the meeting of my terms."