He could even fumble at the meaning of the Greek. It would be peculiar--but magic. He could read it as 'perhaps' a modern English-speaking person can read Chaucer. Not clearly, and fumblingly, but grasping the meaning dimly. And this ancient alchemist would believe what he read! It would seem to him pure prophecy. And he would be right!"

Ghalil's expression was triumphant.

"Consider! He would have not only past history but future history in his hands! He would use the information! His prophecies would be right! Perhaps he could even grasp a little of the French! And what happens when superstitious men find that a soothsayer is invariably right? They guide themselves by him! He would grow rich! He would grow powerful! His sons would be noblemen, and they would inherit his secret knowledge of the future! Always they would know what was next to come in the history of Byzantium and--perhaps even elsewhere! And men, knowing their correctness, would be guided by them! They would make the prophecies come to pass! Perhaps Nostradamus compiled his rhymes after spelling through a crumbling book of paper--they had no paper in Byzantium or later in Europe itself!--and startlingly foretold the facts narrated in a book our friend Duval sent back to ancient Istanbul!"

Then Ghalil sat down on the foot of the cot, almost calmly.

"Knowledge of the future, in a superstitious age, would make the future. This event, Mr. Mannard, did not come about to save your life, but to direct the history of the world through the Dark Ages to the coming of today. And that is surely significant enough to justify what has happened!"

Mannard shook his head.

"You're saying now," he said flatly, "that if Tommy doesn't write down what you showed me, all this won't happen because Duval won't find the writing. If he doesn't find the writing, the books won't go back to the past. All history will be different. My great-grandfather and yours, maybe, will never be born and we won't be here. No! That's nonsense!"

Coghlan looked at the book in Laurie's hand. He took it from her. "This is exactly like Duval's book," he said.

"It is the same book," said Ghalil, with confidence. "And I think you know what you will do."

"I'm not sure," said Coghlan. He frowned. "I don't know."

Laurie said urgently:

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