The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-05-08
CHAPTER XXI

CHAPTER XXI
 The practical, direct mind which had made Leana Sornl distinguish ed as @ scientist, was brought into use now in her personal affairs.
 She had tried one or two round- about ways of accomplishing her end. She had tried to make Robert Hale aware of her as a woman, with all implications of companion ship and Hove" as she knew 1t. Next, more desperately, she had tried to corner their priceless sup ply of 1909 for herself, and with the power 1t entailed, force Robert, and the world in general, to her feet. But in each case contemptible, little violet-eyed stenographer had wrecked her plansl It was enough to insuriate any woman.
 Wherefore, Leana calmly plotted to attain her goal in the way that would bring most satisfaction She didn't formally recognize 1t as re- venge motive; her plan to do away with Carolyn Tyler was colder, more practical than that.
 Revenge" would have sounded Snelodramatic to Leana. But the Tyler person was in the way, and just as she would have taken pains to eliminate any obstacle in a pur- suit of science, Leana would stop ct nothing to eliminate Carolyn as an obstacle in her personal pursuit. Neither morals nor sentiment enter cd Into her calculation. She was a woman gone brilliantly mad.
 Most potent weapon at hand was the x-999 itself. Leana put down as point No. l. Only three people had actual access to the X-999, there deep in Tonto Mountain. They were Robert Hale, carolyn, and Le- ana.
 Now, out-and -out murder is both messy and dangerous. But If the objectionable Tyler girl were the victim of an accident
 From the store of materials al- ready brought here, and from her unlimited privilege of ordering thins, LeaEa constructed relative ly simple device while working six nights in the privacy of her home. In e6ect, 1t was merely compact radio receiving set, but tuned into high sensitivity and strength, More- over, 1t was so arranged that a small built-in electric generator could be set in motion by 1t, from considerable distance away. Initial impulse could be radioed from small transmitter which she built to serve this one particular need. The transmitter was easily portable.
 Entrance to the old mine shaft, deep in which the x-990 was now safely stored, was guarded in shifts by three men. These three stayed in an old refurnished shack that had once been the control station for the narrow-guage railway into the mine. It was near the track, 300 yards or so around the solid granite side of Tonto Mountain. Be- cause the track lay there on a nar- row ledge. no one could approach the actual mine tunnel entrance without being seen from this house,
 Leana Sormi had free access, hence was not interrupted when she came quietly along there one morn- ing carrying a wrapped parcel As she had done before, she stopped at the guard shack only to pick up an electric hand lantern. Complete electric lighting had been strung in, but lanterns were carried for emergency use.
 She remained in the shaft for more than an hour. Then she re- turned the lantern. If the guards noticed that she came out without her package, they had no occasion to think that fact important.
 Actually, Leana had concealed her improvised radio receiver and generator under small stones few feet from the box and the leaden insulators where the x-o00 rested,
 Then she buried insulated wires that ran from the generator di- rectly to the main box, Up to the heavy leaden cases. With extreme care, then, she lifted the lid of one leaden case, inserted an ordinary percussion cap such as workmen use constantly to explode dynamite, and left 1t there connected to her two wires.
 It was ticklish business, really, but she experienced no fear; scientist has no nerves" and cer- tainly Leana Sormi worked with calculating precision.
 She knew that the whole install lation here would not likely be seen for months even If she did nothing more about 1t. But her plans called for spectacular action within the next few hours
 Nov" she told herself with calm satisfaction. T have but to get the stupid girl in here. And that won't be hardl"
 She had decided to complete all the preparations this morning be- cause she was absetn from normal laboratory duties anyway. Another