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This civilization was advanced far beyond any the Terranshad ever seen.]
_Wanted-- 7 Fearless Engineers!_
By WARNER VAN LORNE
_A great civilization's fate lay in Dick Barrow's hands as he led his courageous fellow engineers into a strange and unknown land. None of them knew what lay ahead--what dangers awaited them--or what rewards. But they did not hesitate because the first question asked them had been: "Are you a brave man?"_
CHAPTER I
_Opportunity_
From where Dick Barrow sat, hundreds of men were visible, occupyingbenches in every manner of position. Some stretched at full length,sleeping in the morning sun after a night in the park. Others sat withheads hanging; thinking thoughts of their own.
Depression or recession, it meant the same to all of them. Some didn'tcare, but others tried to find any kind of work that would fill theirstomachs with food.
For three days Dick hadn't eaten a good meal, and felt almost as low asthe derelicts whom he had for companions. He would have enjoyed a smoke,but turned away as two men dove for a cigarette-butt; discarded by apasserby.
Anyone who could afford to buy a newspaper was an aristocrat, and Dickwatched until he saw one discarded. For three days he had been readingthem secondhand, but the only jobs were too far to walk and apply for.
His eyes stopped at one item in the column and a puzzled frown slowlypuckered his forehead.
_Wanted: An Engineer. Young man with love for electrical and mechanical work, who is not afraid of isolation. Have some knowledge of engineering, but general experience more desirable than specialized training. Must be willing to leave country, never to return; for which he will be well remunerated. Have no close family ties, and willing to submit to certain amount of danger. Will be isolated with few members of own race, but will have great opportunity to develop mastery of huge machines. Come prepared to leave for post immediately, without preparation. Every want will be taken care of by employers. This position is for lifetime, without opportunity of turning back after having accepted responsibility. GREAT OPPORTUNITY! Room 36, 18 W. Morgan Ave., City._
* * * * *
For a long time Dick Barrow gazed at the ad, mentally comparing his ownqualifications for the position--and they _seemed_ to fit! He was not agraduate engineer, being forced to quit school after two years of study.Three years later his father died, then Dick lost the job that had keptthem eating regularly. His love of mechanics remained insatiable, and heconstantly hoped for work which would allow him to use his knowledge andability.
He had no relations, and the _only_ girl had forgotten him, when he leftschool. He heard that she married a classmate!
Dick was twenty-seven. Five years had slipped by since he quit school,and he couldn't remember where they had gone. It was only six monthsafter his father died that he lost his last regular job. He triedselling and was a failure. He had been carpenter's helper, plumber'shelper, porter, counter-man and busboy as the months passed, but nothingsteady. For the past two months he had been hunting for work, while hisfew dollars dwindled to where he no longer had room rent. Then it wasthe park.
His feet were sore and blistered from holes in his shoes, and he limpedwith every step. It took so long to reach the address that there waslittle chance of finding the job still open. It was not the first timehe had missed--for the same reason.
* * * * *
He found that 18 Morgan Avenue was a dreary structure, appearing as ifit had been standing twenty years too long. The wooden stairs creaked ashe rested his weight on first one sore foot and then the other. Room 36was at the top of the five-story building, and it seemed ages before hereached the doorway. The only sign of furnishing in the room was a hardbench, occupied by three men. Dick had to stand while his feet torturedhim, but it was hopeful to see men waiting--_the job wasn't filled_!
Suddenly a door at the opposite side of the room jerked open and a mandashed through.
"Get out of here! The man's _insane_!"
Two of the men followed, but the man who remained on the bench glancedat Dick, grinned, shrugged his shoulders and entered the door. A momentlater his booming voice could be heard through the thin partition,although his words were not clear.
An hour passed while Dick waited. When the man came out, with a smile onhis face, he wished Dick luck and headed for the stairway.
Barrow felt a queer sensation as he stepped through the inner doorway. Aman faced him in a huge leather chair across the room. At least Dickthought he was a man. Grotesque in every way, his body was small whilehis head was twice as large as normal. He was light complexioned, withalmost white hair thinly covering the top of his enormous head. Hisfeatures were finely cut, with large aquiline nose. He was notrepulsive, and smiled in welcome as Dick hesitated at the threshold.When he spoke his tone was soft and musical.
"Welcome, stranger. You have come in answer to my advertisement and Iwill explain without wasting time. But first tell me about yourself."
Going over his complete life history, including the two years incollege, Dick came to the lean years when his father died. He hesitatedslightly not proud of this period.
"Go on, Mr. Barrow. It is not important to have been a success inbusiness, and I will not consider that in your applications. It isn'twhat you _have_ done, but what you _want_ to do, that interests me."
He spoke with a strange accent, that Dick didn't recognize. But he waspleasant and made it easy to talk.
When Barrow finished, by relating the finding of the newspaper and thelong walk to the office, the queer man was smiling.
"I like your frankness and will tell you about the position, although Ican't reveal the location of your work. It is not on any map, and youwill work among a race such as myself, with no opportunity of leavingafter reaching the destination.
"You will be given every comfort and advantage among my people, and berequired to work hard in return. There are several machines out ofcommission which must be repaired and put to work again. After a fewmonths your work will be easier, although you must constantly watch allmachinery to see that it is in perfect condition, and does not stop workfor even a moment.
"My people use mechanics of greater size and development than anythingyou have ever seen, and our lives depend on its perfect operation. Inorder to accept this position you must be married. Your wife must comewith you, and be willing to accept the same living conditions which areoffered to you.
* * * * *
"The man who left this office as you entered has a fiancee and has goneto talk it over with her. In your instance _I must select your wife_!You will be the leader of the workmen whom I take back. There will beonly a few people such as yourself, and you can never again see othersof your race.
"You will have power and wealth among my people, and every type ofentertainment that you desire. But remember that you leave your raceforever, with _no possibility_ of return! If you accept my offer youmust trust entirely in what I say about the future."
When the man finished speaking Dick was quiet for a long time.Everything seemed so unreal, so different from what he had expected. Hemust be willing to leave everything that he had always known--to enteran existence which he didn't understand--without chance of return! Yethe believed every word this man spoke, impossible as it seemed. But_marriage_ ... with a girl he had never _seen_!
The man spoke again. "You hesitate about marrying; I can see it in youreyes. But remember that _she_ must accept without know
ing you, and istaking just as great a chance. This I can say. She will be brilliant,and I _could not_ trust you to pick out a brilliant woman for your wife.Love would come first in your eyes. Other things would seem unimportant.I know that you and the girl I select are apt to fall in love, as Ishall choose a girl suitable to your temperament."
Dick answered slowly, "I don't know what to say. I will have to livewith her all of my life, and if we are not happy anything you couldoffer would mean nothing."
The smile spread over the strange man's face again. "I wouldn't worrytoo much. I believe you could stand a greater chance of happiness if _I_do the choosing than if you do it yourself as I can see more of thefuture. If you are mutually likable and willing to understand eachother; if you are mentally on the same level, there is little chance of_not_ falling in love. My race mates in this way, and it works outbetter than your haphazard mating."
When he realized that Dick still hesitated, he was slightly upset. Thenreaching into a leather bag, hung from a strap around his neck, hestretched forth a handful of bills.
"Go and get yourself a good meal. It is now morning. When two moremornings have passed come again. Don't be afraid to use the money foranything that you desire. This does not mean that I expect you to acceptthe offer, but it will allow you to think it over carefully--withoutthinking of your _stomach_. Buy clothes, a room to sleep in, anythingelse that you want. Be comfortable and do not worry about what youspend. If you refuse my terms, I will be disappointed, but will notexpect to be repaid."
* * * * *
As Dick reached the street he shook his head. It all seemed sofantastic. But the money in his hand was real money--and there was a lotof it! Suddenly he realized that people were staring at the handful ofbills, and he hurriedly stuffed them in a pocket. When he was alone fora moment he stepped into a vacant doorway to count it.
There were 14 twenties, 10 fifties, and three ten dollar bills in thelot. Twenty-seven bills in all, representing eight hundred and tendollars. Folding the money carefully and placing it in a safe pocket, henoticed a sign across the street. "SHOES," it said. He glanced at hisown, then limped slowly across when the traffic lights changed. For amoment he looked in the window, then stepped inside.
While the shoe clerk was busy he carefully slipped a twenty from theother bills. It would seem strange if he had too much money with hisfeet in such shape.
The next stop was a restaurant. Then followed a trip to a clothingstore--and he left his old suit behind. With new clothes, shoes, and ameal beneath his belt, he began to think the offer of the stranger wasfar from fantastic. What if he did have to marry a strange girl? Atleast they would both have comfort and companionship, wherever theywent.
Barrow's first appointment was on Tuesday morning, and Friday found himclimbing the same stairs. He watched the papers but there had been norepetition of the advertisement. Evidently the strange man had all theapplicants he wanted.
The outer office was empty, but when he opened the inner door, the queerman was smiling just as Dick remembered him.
"Come in, Mr. Barrow. I'm glad to see you. I was surprised to hear ofyour use of the money, but was pleased rather than disappointed. You didwell."
For a moment Dick was taken back, then he smiled sheepishly. "I don'tknow just what to say, Sir, I did so many things. But I didn't know Iwas being watched."
"Every move you made was watched carefully, and reported to me. I knowwhere you spent every hour since you left here the other morning. Iwanted to know how you would act with money enough to do as you pleasedfor a few days. You acted wisely, and I'm glad that you spent so much ofit on men who need it. You bought twenty-two pairs of shoes, thirty-sixshirts and forty-five suits of underwear. You also bought cheap suitsfor nine men and several odd and end accessories as well.
"Out of the total sum you spent less than one hundred dollars foryourself, and yet you have only forty-two dollars of the sum I handedyou. The remainder you used for meals and cheap lodging for the men youhave taken care of in the past three days. You have gone through a lotof money since you were here."
Dick stammered as he spoke, "I'm sorry, sir, but I thought--"
"You thought _just right_! I _did_ give you the money to use as youpleased and I'm proud of the way you spent it. But I want to know theanswer. You must have decided by this time. If the answer is yes, youwill bind yourself to a lifetime of work. If it is no, we will saygoodbye."
Dick's face lighted with a smile. "The answer is _yes_. I am proud toleave my future in your hands--even to my marriage. I made up my mind todo as you desire, and am prepared to leave any time you are ready. Ihope you have hired every one you need and that we will all enjoy ournew work."
"You're a brave man, Dick Barrow." There was admiration in the voice ofthe stranger. "If you remained here I believe you would make your markin life, but you will have even greater opportunity where you are going.I believe your decision will prove to be a happy one.
"You must stay at a good hotel. Reasonable if you want, although it isnot important. I will send the girl to you within a few days. You willbe married as soon as possible after you meet her.
"She will bring a letter and will do exactly as you say. I will allowtime for you to get acquainted before I have further orders. From thattime you will obey my orders explicitly and follow every instructionwithout question. Every member of the party will take orders from you,and _you must give them_!"
Once more Dick was handed a handful of bills as he prepared to leave,and knew there was even more than the first time. But he would live inconstant dread of meeting the girl he was to marry. As he started toopen the door, the man spoke again.
"Use the money as you desire. It will be your last chance of spendingany and I want you to enjoy yourself as much as possible during the timeremaining. Do what you like for the men in the park or any others youwish to help. If you need more money send a messenger to this room, butdon't come yourself. Don't contact me again until my orders require it.Have a good time."
Dick felt that he was living a dream, but a very pleasant one. Just onethought disturbed him. Who the girl would be--and what she would belike?