My Library

produce a wide beam. I did, and the unconscious man sat up and resumed his conversation as if nothing had happened. My host then led me outside, and I asked the second man if he had felt anything. He stopped his conversation, looked at me puzzled, and said no, he had not. I asked him if he remembered going to sleep or any lapse of time, and again he replied in the negative and turned away to continue his conversation. The man who was my host looked at me and smiled, then took me over to the other side of the house overlooking the valley, indicating that he would show me another thing the device could do. He pointed toward the distance. A small fire was burning brightly on the hillside some three hundred yards away, with smoke curling up into the sky. He told me to use the narrow beam, and aim at the fire. I did, and immediately the fire went out. The flame shut off as if suddenly extinguished. The smoke held for a moment or so longer, then it too was gone. I grew very excited about the gadget, and asked my host to describe it to me. He did gladly. It was composed of three parts, he told me. The cylinder was a focusing device, which I understood. In the middle was a spiral coil, which he said was the power source. Behind the power source were three finlike plates (like those found in a rectifier), which he explained were not too important in that they were only shields to protect the user. He rubbed his thumb over them and they bent, showing their flexibility. He asked me if I was sure I understood. I replied that the affair looked like a large triode (the closest thing I could think of resembling the layout pattern). He nodded excitedly and replied, '"Yes! A triode!" Feeling that I had to go and could not stay longer, I thanked him for all of the information, and he said he would see me again at (unremembered). My mind recognized the place, evidently, and I said yes, the Cadena Azul. (This was a product of my South American visit, and it seemed a natural way to say whatever I was trying to say—blue network.) My host started to nod yes, then gave me a blank, uncomprehending look, and I realized that my impression was right but that he did not understand the Spanish term. I then went back to the unfinished room, and "took off" upward with a stretchleap. I went up what seemed to be only two or three floors, then stopped. The place looked like my office room, but was empty. No furniture, no couch, dust on the floor and windows—and no physical body! I realized this was the wrong "place" (time?), that where I wanted to be was still "up" I started up again, through the ceiling, and after eight or ten floors, emerged in my proper