METROPOLIS "Yesl" said Grot, the guard of the Heart-machine. He sprang to his feet. He raised his broad face. which shone with the joyful eagerness of obedience. "Yes, here I ami" A voice said, slowly and clearly: "Open the door, and give up the machine!" Grot stood motionless. Fists like hammers hung down from his arms. He gulped. But he said nothing. «Repeat instructions," said the quiet voice. The guard of the heart machine swung his head violently this way and that, like a weighty bundle. "I ... I didn't understand," he said, gaspingly. The quiet voice spoke in-a more forceful tone: "Open the door and give up the machinel" The man still said nothing, gazing stupidly upward. "Repeat instructions," said the quiet voice. The guard of the Heart-machine drew in a great draught of air.
«Who is speaking there-P" 1)e asked. "What lousy swine is speaking there-P" "Open the doof, Grot .. .n "The devil I will-I" ... .. and give up the machine'"
"The machine-?" said Grot, "the-my machinei'" "Yes," said the quiet voice. The quard of the Heart-machine began to shake. His was a quite blue face, in which the eyes stood like whitish balls., The mob, which was throwing itself, as a buHer, against the ringing door yelled, hoarse with yelling: "The machines must die-to Hell with theml Deathl Deathl Death to the machinesl" "Who is speaking there?" asked the man, so loudly that his words were a scream. C<J oh Fredersen is speaking." ur want the pass-word:' "The pass-word is one thousand and three. The machine is running on half power. You have set the lever to 'Safety .. : .. The guard of the Heart-machine stood like a log. Then the . 164
