Al Reynolds

“ The biggest men in science—men who had respected Marsten as a scientific mind until he went off the deep end, they thought—were going to appear, allow him to use them in his experiment to prove his theories. ”

“ I managed to get three of the nine scientists to be with me when I went to the office at the university and opened the safe and took out that sealed envelope next morning. De Vaca, a small nervous man with constant flighty gestures, Morrison, biology professor, a solemn, bald little man, and Billingsley who had a jaw like a prizefighter, and was big and gruff, but brilliant.
They, too, were worried about Marsten's disappearance, considering his state of mind. Now we all wanted to know what that envelope contained. Maybe its contents would assist us in helping Marsten—if we found him. ”

“ It doesn't satisfy the scientific mind. Its "scientific validity," based on averages greater than those of "chance," are not adequate for the scientific method. Too many variables. But Marsten had told me he had gone much further than Rhine or his disciples. And now he'd ask me to be here for the culmination of his ten years of work.
"My theories will now be proven," he'd written me. "I want you to see the proof I shall offer on the opening of new worlds of the human mind...." ”

“ To me, the results did not seem the complete failure Marsten thought them. But of course Marsten had wanted to hit it one hundred percent. Nothing less would have satisfied a scientific mind like his in such an experiment.
The acrostic: S-D-K-D-O-A-S-G-X formed by the words apparently received by the Professors in that locked room was merely a jumble of letters, spelling out nothing of any meaning.
Finally, we parted to go our separate ways. I took the envelope and cards and went home. The others, with cars, would search for Marsten. I'd forgotten my work, my thesis, everything. ”

“ In reviewing the results of these tests, it often happens that participants, extra-ordinarily gifted with what is called 'psychic ability,' have long runs of picking exact cards. But these runs are sometimes on the cards—before the one that is being turned, or on the one after the one turned.
In other words, if cards A-B-C-D-E-F-G have been turned, many times the participant will call B when C is turned, C when D is turned, E when F is turned, and so forth. There are various theories for the cause of this factor. It is a factor that comes up time and again. Marsten knew that. ”

“ The scientific world depends on its open mind, within the bounds of its own techniques. But the unknown worlds of the human mind are sometimes very hard to fit into the rigid scientific disciplines and methodologies. ”

“ If anything, they're probably stronger."
He managed a thin laugh. "Well," he said. "Tonight will prove something, anyway."
I remember the greetings when the other scientists arrived, the slightly embarrassed attempts at conviviality. Within half an hour all of the nine men arrived and were seated before Marsten's table. All his former co-professors at the University where Marsten no longer taught. I could see that Marsten was obsessed almost as much with proving that these men's lack of faith in him was wrong, as he was in proving his own theories right. ”

“ I said, "My God!" Then, "Will you pick me up?"
He said, "Yes. Maybe you can talk him out of it. You were close to him. We've sent the emergency squads over. Never know when they'll jump when they're like that. ”