"May he read it aloud, Mrs. Kane?" asked Caples. "Certainly, if he wishes. But the first part is technical data on a flight by an inventor named Axtel. The two last paragraphs contain the evidence I am offering you." * * * * * Donner nodded and ran his finger down the sheet. He read: "'The foregoing record is accurate and we acknowledge Axtel's superlative contribution to science. But we must admit that his greatest contribution is in the proving of an axiom: Where ultimate force is involved, it is better to know _none_ of the laws than to know _most_ of them. "'On the fourth day, the aircraft returned from far space to the point of its departure. It was in excellent condition--but empty. Nothing remained of Axtel but merely his clothing and his ring.'" Nalja Kane covered her face with both hands and sobbed noiselessly. The four men all gazed at the paper as it rustled in Donner's quivering hand. Presently the buzzer ripped the silence like the tearing of a shroud. After the second sharp buzz, G. W. Caples tripped the switch and croaked, "Yes?" The girl's voice, bright and businesslike, answered, "There's a long-distance call from Utah for Mr. Donner. It's a Mr. Ruhl. He says it's urgent." End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Point of Departure, by Vaughan Shelton