Gary lifted his head and groaned; opened his eyes to find himself looking up into the kindly face of Dr. Bryant. Beside the old astronomer, her mist-blue eyes wide with fear and something else Gary Lane was too dazed to decipher, stood Nora Powell, while beside her, cherubic cheeks gray with inarticulate outrage, was the small foreign physicist. Recollection flooded back on Gary; swiveling his head he discovered that the flames which threatened the room had been extinguished. But how about--? "Flick?" he muttered, struggling to rise. "Flick! Is he--?" "O.Q., chum," growled Flick Muldoon, coming from behind him. "The firebug busted me, laid me out colder than a Laplander's kiss, but you got a worse smack than I did. I'm O.Q." "And the--the films?" asked Gary fearfully. "Safe," chuckled Muldoon, "as a pork pie at a Mohammedans' picnic. I went down, yeah--but I went down with 'em clutched to my manly buzzum! Our murderous friend, whoever he was, would have needed a can opener to get 'em out of my hands. Me, I've got instincts, I have!" Gary was on his feet, now, and staring about him. A little unsteadily, true, but gathering strength with every moment. He said, "Then you didn't get a look at him?" "Who, me? I haven't got eyes in the back of my head, pal!" "How about you, No--Miss Powell?" Gary caught himself just in time, reddening as he did so. Though his mind was intent on the problem now confronting them, some hidden portion found time to be astonished that his tongue should so trick him. "I saw him no better than you did. Perhaps not even as well. When you charged him, I ran into the corridor and screamed for help." "And a good thing, too," appended Dr. Bryant. "The whole Observatory might have gone up in flames had help not come immediately. Gary, that weapon--whatever it was--is the most destructive force ever unleashed by man! It burns right through anything. Wood, metal, plastic--" "I can see that," scowled Gary. He bit his lip, an unwelcome suspicion forcing itself into his mind as he stared at the other member of their little party. "What puzzles me is--where did he come from? The arsonist, I mean. How many people are in this Observatory beside ourselves?" "Why, scores, Gary. The laboratory men and the observers, upstairs, the students below--it was they who helped us fight the fire, you know." "Yes. But--" Gary turned suddenly to Dr. Anjers. "Doctor--where were _you_ when this fire was started?" Anjers blinked at Gary mildly. "Me, my friend? Why, with Dr. Bryant in his study, of course. But, why? Surely you don't think I--?" "I don't know what to think," groaned Gary. "While I didn't see the intruder very well, as nearly as I could judge he was just about your height and build. Dr. Bryant, you're positive Dr. Anjers was with you?" "Of course, Gary." "Every minute? Neither of you left the study?"