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published works were two very Smith-like novels aimed at teenagers, Man of Many Minds (1953) and Alien Minds (1955), both published by Fantasy Press. Evans died of a heart condition with the first draft of another novel, Masters of Space, on his desk. To help Evans' widow sell it, Smith did a complete revision and polishing job and the story ran as a collaboration in if (November, 1961-Janu-ary, 1962). Dealing with the pooling of minds telepathically as a means of invading and destroying a planet, the story failed to come off. Smith then experimented with a detective novel, but it interested no one.
    A rapprochement with Campbell resulted in the plotting of a new novel, for which Subspace Survivor, a novelette ap-pearing in the July, 1960, astounding science fiction was a prelude. The major story and sequel, Subspace Explorers, was another attempt on the part of Smith to write what he felt was wanted in modern science-fiction. Campbell didn't agree with him in the result and the effort was eventually published as an original book by Canaveral Press, publishers of Edgar Rice Burroughs hard-cover editions (1965). It was time for Smith to review. Here he was 73, retired and living in a trailer in Florida. What was he trying to prove?
    The Skylark of Space in 1928 had given the science-fiction world the stars. Galactic Patrol in 1937 had unified those stars into a community. Each time he had dared to be himself and the result had altered the direction of a literature. What he had been doing the past few years was attempting to conform to a literary vogue instituted by someone else, in the process imitating writing methods popularized by some-one else, rewriting a story conceived by someone else, and patterning a plot to suit someone else.
    At the 21st World Science Fiction Convention in Washing-ton, D.C. (birthplace of The Skylark of Space nearly a half-century earlier), September 1, 1963, First Fandom presented its Hall-of-Fame Award to Edward E. Smith for his pivotal contributions to science fiction. From the floor, John W. Campbell honored him with the statement: "Smith made the last big breakthrough in science fiction; we're still waiting for someone else to make another." Almost too overcome with emotion to speak, Smith, whose eyes were almost blinded by cataracts, accepted the award.
    Inevitably, someone asked the question: "What's your next story, Doc?" Smith's hand trembled slightly, but the answer was sharp and clear. "The title of my next story," he said,
    "is Skylark DuQuesne!"
    On August 31, 1965, Edward E. Smith died of a heart attack.
    Two weeks earlier, the October, 1965 if had appeared, completing serialization of Skylark DuQuesne begun in its July issue. In it, Blackie DuQuesne proposes marriage and finds a soul mate. It was as though Skylark DuQuesne was his last literary will and testament. E. E. Smith had finally done right by the noblest villain of them all.

2  JOHN W. CAMPBELL

    "And now Campbell!" That was the title, set in thick 36-point type, of an editorial in the October, 1934, astounding stories.
    In December we bring you a great book-length novel by an author you have asked us to get for Astounding Stories. John W. Campbell, Jr., comes to us with a story of vast conceptions, The Mightiest Machine .... He has been called one of the two greatest science fiction authors. We have obtained stories from both (E.E.) Smith and Campbell.... Don't miss this story. It's Campbell at his best. Diametrically opposed to Smith's theories but a worthy opponent.
    The editorial voice behind the "pitch" was that of F. Orlin Tremaine. Procuring Campbell for his magazine was almost like driving the last nail in the coffins of his competitors. One year earlier astounding stories had been revived by Street & Smith as the third science-fiction monthly in a field of three. Now it was the unquestioned leader in quality and circulation.
    Campbell was a true giant in popularity among those au-thors who had grown out of the