Part 7 (2/2)

As Masters spoke, the point of Pember's bayonet touched the small of Norden's back. The soldier had crept from the tunnel, un.o.bserved by Norden, who was engrossed in the mental torture of his prisoners.

With a cry of rage Norden whirled and fired.

But Taylor had expected such a move. Even as Norden swung around, the officer sprang, knocking the spy off his feet and spoiling his aim.

A warning whistle came from the sphere heating the cauldron.

”Back! Out of the doorway!” Taylor shouted, grappling with Norden. ”I'll take care of him!”

Pember obeyed orders. He jumped back, dragging Masters with him.

Taylor wrenched the gun from Norden's hand, just as the spy landed a jarring blow to the body. Taylor staggered, lost his balance and dropped the gun.

Norden leaped forward to retrieve the weapon, but Taylor blocked the move. He drove Norden back with a hard right. The two men closed in and stood toe to toe, trading blows.

The screaming of the sphere grew louder. The creature by the metal pot seemed to be calling the others over the town. The half-formed sphere in the melting pot joined and the entire building rang with the shrill screams.

Taylor was slowly driving Norden back toward the door of the casting room. A tentacle of flame reached out from the monster by the metal pot, but it only circled the men. Apparently it was afraid to strike, for fear of destroying friend as well as enemy.

Norden's knee came up. Taylor dodged in time to avoid a crippling blow, but the leg caught him on the thigh, sending him back and upsetting him on the floor.

With a cry of triumph, Norden dived toward his foe. But Taylor rolled on his back, doubled his legs and met the hurtling body with a two-footed kick.

Norden grunted with pain. He staggered back, straight toward the sphere by the metal pot.

A whistled warning had no effect. The momentum carried Norden cras.h.i.+ng into the orange nucleus of energy. There was a blinding flash.

A small pile of glowing ashes appeared on the floor.

The whistle of the sphere stopped. It pulsed once. A feeble ray of heat lashed out toward Taylor, but the bolt halted in mid-air.

A _plop_ cracked in Taylor's ear. The sphere disappeared like a bursting soap bubble.

”Cap! Are you all right!”

Masters appeared in the doorway behind Taylor.

”Gos.h.!.+” His eyes settled on the pile of ashes, the remains of Norden. He turned to Taylor. ”Are you all right, Cap?”

Taylor nodded.

”Where's the sphere?” asked Masters.

”He died of frustration--or sorrow--over having killed the wrong man,” Taylor said grimly. Taylor indicated the half-formed monster in the pot. ”Now we've got to get rid of that one and all the unhatched spores.”

”If that metal pot hatches 'em, we will,” said Masters. ”We'll dump the metal.”

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