Captain Future 10 - Outlaws of the Moon (Spring 1942) Read Online Free PDF

can do it,” Carthew promised. “This wonderful thing you have brought back for Mercury will certainly counteract King’s vicious propaganda. Moreover —”
    There came a sudden, incredible interruption. A glittering, buzzing object flew into the office from the open window. It looked like a little metal torpedo, two feet long, propelled by diminutive rocket-jets. In its prow was a glass electric-eye, and a pair of powerful jointed pincers like metal claws.
    “A telautomaton!” exclaimed Curt Newton, leaping to his feet in alarm.
    Curt had recognized the flying object. Telautomaltons were self-propelled and guided by remote radio control. The operator of one could see to direct it by its electric-eye. Telautomaltons had been designed for undersea salvage and similar jobs, but criminals often used them for theft and other low purposes. The telautomaton was flashing with blurring speed toward Carthew’s desk. Its large pincers grabbed up a heavy iridium vase on the desk. Holding the vase, it whizzed on through the air making toward the petrified President.
    “Look out, Sir!” cried Captain Future.
    His proton-pistol had flashed into his hand. Bur before he could fire, it was too late. The hurtling telautomaton reached its goal. The iridium vase it clutched struck the head of President Carthew with shattering impact.
     
    CARTHEW collapsed without a groan. In the same split second, the telautomaton dropped the crimsoned vase and streaked out of the window.
    “Carthew!” yelled Curt in an agony of alarm, dashing forward to the prone figure behind the desk.
    James Carthew laid face upward. His tired face was peaceful — more peaceful than it had been in life. The whole side of his skull had been crushed in by the terrific impact of the heavy vase.
    Appalled, Curt Newton looked down at the pallid features. His first reaction was one of choking grief. It was the oldest friend of the Futuremen who lay dead here.
    He heard the door burst open. Halk Anders, young Bonnel, Larsen King and others were bursting into the room. They stopped with exclamations of horror as they saw the prostrate figure and the blood-stained iridium vase beside it.
    King’s horrified cry came loudly in the frozen silence.
    “Good heavens, Captain Future has killed the President!”
     

     
Chapter 4: Outlawed Futuremen
     
    CURT NEWTON paid no attention to the accusation for the moment. He was rushing toward the window through which the murderous telautomaton had vanished. He peered out into the summer night. There was no sign of the deadly little mechanism. Its work done, it had been recalled at once by whoever operated it by remote control. Larsen King pointed accusingly at him.
    “You murdered the President because he had given my company a concession on the Moon, and wouldn’t revoke it!” he charged.
    “You’re talking nonsense,” Captain Future rapped. “Carthew was going to revoke the concession. He’d just said so when a telautomaton flashed in through the window seized that vase and struck him on the head, then disappeared.”
    “So, that’s your story, is it?” Halk Anders said grimly to Curt. “You maintain that a telautomaton did it?”
    “It’s not just my story — it’s the truth,” Curt retorted. “You don’t doubt it, do you?”
    To his amazement, Halk Anders shook his head.
    “You may be telling the truth, Future. Or, on the other hand, you may not. It seems queer that if a telautomaton was used to kill the President, the mechanism utilized that vase to strike the blow. Why wasn’t it just flung right at Carthew’s head?”
    North Bonnel, the dead President’s secretary and assistant, had stood until now with his studious young face dazed by grief. But now Bonnel seemed to have become aware of the controversy.
    “Wait, we can soon prove whether or not it was Future who killed the President!” he exclaimed. “Every word said in this office, every sound, will be on the record of the Ear.”
    “The Ear?”