Syd O'Brien did not share his scorn. The more sober twin nodded moodily. "Nevertheless, it's a possibility, Winters. Time is a dimension just as truly as height, breadth, depth. Some have called it the Fourth Dimension and evolved the concept of a Space-Time continuum wherein all things past and present exist side by side. Even the man-in-the-street acknowledges the dimension of Time in his everyday life. When he says he will meet a friend at Broad and Main Streets, his directions are inadequate unless he specifies the _floor_, for if he is on the tenth floor and his friend waits at ground level they will not meet. The third dimension, height, must be taken into consideration. "Similarly, if he tells his friend he will meet him on the tenth floor of a building at Broad and Main, and he is there at ten o'clock but his friend does not arrive until two, they will still not meet--for they did not take into consideration the Fourth extension, Time." "I understand that," acknowledged Ramey impatiently. "But to speak of _crossing_ Time or 'traveling through' Time--that's absurd. Sheer nonsense for imaginative fictioneers to toy with." * * * * * The old scientist stared at him quizzically. "I wish I could be as sure of that as you, Ramey. Unfortunately, science is forced to admit too many contradictory points of evidence to make such bold statements. I might mention the strange case of the two Twentieth Century American lady-tourists who, strolling in the gardens at Versailles, found themselves suddenly translated, incomprehensibly face to face with members of the Eighteenth Century royal French Court. This record is, unhappily, too well authenticated to ignore. I might also point to the accuracy of the prophecies of Michel de Nostradamus who claimed that by means of his magic he was able to move forward into the future and see those things which were to be.[5] [Footnote 5: Michel de Nostradamus, most amazing of all prophets, not only accurately forecast major world events for many hundreds of years but supplemented his prophecies with the _exact dates_ as well as the names of _persons_ and _places_ involved. So highly is he regarded on the continent that at the outbreak of World War II, more than five new editions of his book, _The Prophetic Centuries_, were rushed into print to supply the demand of Frenchmen eager to learn the outcome of the new strife. Unhappily the prophecies of Nostradamus suffered the fate of those of Cassandra. Few believed his statements that France would be betrayed from within, Paris fall, and the greater part of the nation be occupied by German forces.--Ed.]