"Then how do you explain your being able to speak English?" Barlow asked, grinning. He was thinking that the stranger was an unconvincing liar. "This stop is merely incidental. I miscalculated time before last and landed in 1941--met a nice fellow who didn't ask too many questions." He looked severely at Barlow. "_He_ believed me right away, taught me English, and told me I was just like someone out of a science-fiction story. Poor fellow was quite worried about some sort of a European menace, though. So I gave him the Mental Ray to protect his--" "Why, you dirty--" Barlow started forward with swinging fists. He landed one fairly solid blow, then his hands were held powerless in the other's. "What's the matter with you?" Valnar asked a bit angrily. Barlow fought to free himself, and couldn't. Valnar was much stronger than he appeared to be. Finally he ceased his struggling, watching closely for a chance, but he didn't stop cursing the newcomer. "Was that fellow's name Dodson?" he asked at last. "Why yes," Valnar admitted with surprise. "Then my help was enough to protect this continent. Good!" "Yeah, 'Good!'" Barlow snarled. "Your 'poor' Dodson protected the American continents, but when he saw that it was so easy, he decided to be a Dictator--only he calls himself, Director." Suddenly Barlow chuckled, "Now Europe is squealing about the 'American Menace.' Don't you think you ought to go over and 'protect' them?" * * * * * Valnar released Barlow and stepped back. "But he didn't seem like that sort of a fellow. He was so--so idealistic!" "Probably because he didn't have anything to be practical about," Barlow sneered. "Now he's got the Mental Ray you said you gave him, and he controls two continents with absolute power--and is thinking of expanding. The only ones in all the Americas who can even _think_ he's wrong are a few like me--ones who for some reason, aren't affected by the ray which orders your thoughts to an approved pattern." "The dirty heel!" Valnar spat. "I'm going back and kill him. So long!" "Wait! What good will that do? He's here now, so that proves you didn't kill him. But you caused all this mess; help us free ourselves." "I can kill him; and I will. I'll create a new branch of the tree--a world where Dodson died right after protecting the Americas." "But what about this branch!" Barlow shouted as Valnar's hand went to the plaque on his chest. "According to your screwy theory this limb will still be going strong." Valnar hesitated. "You're right," he admitted, lowering his hand. "We might as well create two new limbs, one right here."