Part 28 (2/2)
”Follow the crowd!” said Drake ”Do you feel just full of pep and ginger, by the way?”
”I aor,” I answered
”So about him ”Wonder if they have any s? This whole place looked solid to ainst it for air? These Things don't need it, that's sure Wonder--”
He broke off staring fascinatedly at the pillar behind us
”Look here, Goodwin!” There was a tremor in his voice ”What do you er; looked at hily
”The eyes!” he said impatiently ”Don't you see them? The eyes in the column!”
And now I saw them The pillar was a pale metallic blue, in color a trifle darker than the Metal Folk All within it were the rown to knoere the receptors of soht But they did not sparkle as did those others; they were dull, lifeless I touched the surface It was smooth, cool--with none of that subtle, wars hich I had co as I did so what a shock the incredible possibility he had suggested had given me
”No,” I said ”There is a resemblance, yes But there is no force about this--stuff; no life Besides, such a thing is utterly incredible”
”They ested stubbornly ”Can you see any ether we scanned the pillar minutely The faces seemed unbroken, continuous; there was no trace of those thin and shi+ning lines that ether to forleamed, crosslike, upon the back of the combined four upon which we had followed Norhala
”It's a sheer i, Drake!”
I exclaimed, and wondered at my own vehemence of denial
”Maybe,” he shook his head doubtfully ”Maybe--but--well--let's be on our way”
We strode on, following the direction the Metal Folk had gone Clearly Drake was still doubtful; at each pillar he hesitated, scanning it closely with troubled eyes
But I, having determinedly dishts that flooded this columned hall with their buttercup radiance They were still and unwinking; not disks, I could see now, but globes Great and sidly and as still as the orb that shed the about either rays or orbs that suggested either hardness or the metallic They were vaporous, soft as St El at ti visitors from the invisible ocean of atmospheric electricity
When they disappeared, as they did frequently, it was instantaneously, coht-of-hand finality I noted, though, that when they did vanish, immediately close to where they had been other orbs swa abruptness; soone; solobes, their frozen, crocused rays i
What could they be, I wondered--how fixed, and what the source of their light? Products of electro-netic currents and born of the interpenetration of such streaht account for their disappearance, and reappearance, shi+ftings of the flows that changed the light producing points of contact Wireless lights? If so here was an idea that huht elaborate if ever we returned to--
”Nohich way?” Drake broke in uponThe hall had ended We stood before a blank wall vanishi+ng into the soft ht we had been going along the way They went,” I said in amazement
”So did I,” he answered ”We h THAT unless--unless--” He hesitated
”Unless what?” I asked sharply
”Unless it opened and let thereat ovals--like cat's eyes that opened in the outer walls?” he added quietly
I HAD forgotten I looked again at the wall Certainly it was s surface it rose, a facade of polished ht were duller even than they had been in the pillars; aluishable