Benjamin Marlowe andhis young assistant, LarryPowell, opened the door ofthe Marlowe laboratory, thenstopped aghast atthe sight whichgreeted theirstartled eyes.
There on thecentral floor-platedirectly in the focus of the bigatomic projector stood the slenderfigure of Joan Marlowe, old BenjaminMarlowe’s niece and LarryPowell’s fiancee.
The girl had apparently only beenawaiting their return to the laboratoryfor aroundher gray laboratorysmock wasalready fastenedone of their SilverBelts, and acord was already in place runningfrom her wrist to the main switch ofthe projection mechanism.
Joan’s clear blue eyes sparkledwith the thrill of high adventure asshe swiftly raised a slender hand ina gesture of warning to the two men.
“Don’t try to stop me,” she warnedquietly. “I can jerk the switch andbe in Arret, before you’ve taken twosteps. I’m going to Arret, anyway. Iwas only waiting for you to returnto the laboratory so I’d be sure ofhaving you here to bring me back toEarth again before I have time toget into any serious trouble overthere.”
“But, Joan,” Benjamin Marloweprotested, “this is sheer madness!No one can possibly guess what terribleconditions you may confrontin Arret. We’ve never dared to senda human being across the atomicbarrier yet!”
“We’ve sent all kinds of animalsacross, though,” Joan retorted calmly,“and as long as we recalled themwithin the twelve-hour limit they alwayscame back alive and unhurt.There’s no reason why a human beingshould not be able to make theround trip just as safely. Ever sinceour Silver Belts first came back withthe weird plant and mineral fragmentswhich proved that there reallyis such a place as Arret, I’ve beenwild to see with my own eyes theincredible things that must existthere.”
Joan waved her hand in gay farewell.“Good-by, Uncle Ben andLarry! I know that you’ll drag meback just as quickly as you can possiblydash over to the recall switch,but I’ll at least have had a few preciousseconds of sightseeing asEarth’s first human visitor to Arret!”
Larry Powell was alreadysprinting for the mechanismas Joan jerked the cord that ran tothe switch, but he was barely halfwayacross the intervening spacewhen the big atomic projector flaredforth in a brilliant gush of roseateflame.
For a fraction of a second Joan’sslender figure was outlined in thevery heart of the ruddy glow, thenvanished completely. There was leftonly a short length of the switchcord to indicate that the girl hadever stood there.
Powell reached the mechanisma