"As Loto told you, the modern conception of the reality of things is that the future exists--but with a different time dimension. We have a familiar axiom, 'No two masses of matter can occupy the same space _at the same time_.' That is just another way of saying it. To reason logically from that, an infinite number of masses of matter can, and do, occupy the same space _at different times_." "I'd rather hear about this new experiment," the Banker said. "You made the statement--" "So would I," agreed George. "That girl--" "You shall," said Rogers. His grave, troubled glance went to his wife's face, but she smiled at him bravely. "You shall have all the facts as briefly as I can give them to you. "Loto became obsessed--I can hardly call it anything less--with the idea that he could alter the time factor of human consciousness. In theory it was perfectly possible--I had to admit that. And so I let him go ahead. He has worked feverishly, with an energy I feared would injure his health, for nearly two years. But, gentlemen, this is all that counts: he has succeeded. I'm sure of that; we have already made a test. The apparatus is ready upstairs now, and--" "Let Loto tell it," grumbled the Banker. "Go on, boy, can't you tell us how you did it?" "Yes, sir. I can in principle." Loto hesitated, then added with a mixture of sarcasm and deference: "I can explain it to you in a general way, but the details are very technical." He paused until the waiter had left the room; then he began speaking slowly, evidently choosing his words with the utmost care. "Matter, as we know it now, has four dimensions; the three so-called planes of space, and one of time. But what is matter? The new science tells us it is molecules, composed of atoms. And atoms? An atom is a ring of electrons, which are particles of negative, disembodied electricity, revolving at enormously high speeds around a central nucleus. Am I clear?" Loto's gaze rested on the Banker, who nodded somewhat dubiously. "Then," Loto went on, "we have resolved all matter to one common entity, that central nucleus of positive electricity which is sometimes called the proton. All this is now generally known and accepted. But of what substance, what character, is the proton? For years now, the theory has been fairly accepted that the proton is merely a vortex, or whirlpool. And the electron is conceived to be something very similar. Do you grasp the significance of that? It robs matter of what I, personally, always instinctively feel is its chief characteristic--substance. We delve into matter, resolving its complexities to find one basic substance, and we find not substance but a whirlpool--electrical, doubtless--in space!" "That makes you rather gasp!" the Big Business Man exclaimed, gazing about the table. "It is quite correct," affirmed Rogers. "It transforms our conception of substance to motion. Of what? Motion of something intangible--the ether, let us say. Or space itself."