He made no resistance as the guards grabbed him and twisted his arm cruelly behind his back. The hurt from Wagner's shattered nose brought a bright glisten of pain into his eyes. "That was a mistake," Wagner said, the depth of his anger making his voice soft and husky, "I'm going to make you whine like a dog." * * * * * The general was suffering the tragedy of a strong man whose mind was turning senile--and who realized it. Only the two alternative objectives remained virile; the Campaign and, that failing, the Weapon. The Weapon gave him his only solace in times of trouble. Now, going down into the basement of his house, he sought it out again. Letting himself through two thick concrete doors, which he opened with a key that he wore about his neck at all times, he entered the room that held his potentially terrible secret. The outer contour of the Weapon was a rectangular frame of rough lumber. Inside was a metal box, and in this reposed a semi-glutinous mass of liquid. Nothing more. On the shelf above rested a bottle of aqua fortis. Quite simple substances--apart. Together they could spell the destruction of a world. The Dictator himself, had given Koski his instructions long before, back in the homeland. "General," you are being sent with an army, but its purpose is to protect your Weapon, and to bring it into a position of maximum effectiveness, rather than to fight. You fully understand, I hope, that if you ever have to use it, your mission will certainly be fatal to yourself?" "I understand, Sire," Koski answered. "I am thankful for the honor you have done me." "Your mission is to carry the Weapon to a central location on the North American continent. I believe you have the force necessary to accomplish that." Koski nodded but said nothing. "The component ingredients of the Weapon I know no better than you yourself. It was developed at the Institute. Its special faculty is its ability to free hydrogen from the moisture in the air, and to start a chain reaction. The physicists tell me that it will sear most of the continent once it starts reacting. About the only spot that would be spared are the dry regions, and maybe not even those. Just one thing you must remember--do not use it unless you are certain that the war is definitely lost. Do you understand the importance of that command?" "I do," Koski answered. "But wouldn't it be better to use it as soon as possible? The lives of my men and myself would be a small price to pay for victory."