"The Robot Brains." - читать интересную книгу автора (Bounds Sidney J.)

- 6 -

Gilbert Thurston worked late in his house on the outskirts of Reading. He was sitting at his desk. On the desk there were pages of manuscript and many notebooks.

He was alone, except for his cat. His housekeeper had gone to stay with her relatives and would not be back until morning.

Thurston was pleased with his progress. The work of years was nearly over.

He felt tired, but not sleepy. He looked again at the title of his work:

A SOCIAL REVOLUTION

He was sure that the publication of his theories would bring great changes. It was an idea of which he was proud.

A sound was heard. The cat raised her head, looking at the window.

"It's nothing," said Thurston. "Go back to sleep."

He crossed the room to the little table and took a sandwich. When his paper was published, it would cause a sensation. He was certain of that.

The sound came again, this time from the back of the house. Thurston decided to pay no attention. He drank his milk and looked at the manuscript again.

The cat rose, arched her back and hissed. She was looking at the door.

Thurston took a poker from the fireplace and opened the door.

"Stay where you are," he said loudly. "I can see you."

The figure was in shadow, but Thurston noticed the gleam of metal. He raised the poker and said:

"Throw it down!"

The figure moved forward. The strange weapon pointed at him…

There was a brilliant flash of light in his face, one terrible moment of great heat, then nothing…

The murderer stepped past the headless body of Gilbert Thurston and went to the study. There he destroyed the manuscript.