“It shall not be!” I roared to myself, as I strode about my compartment, gnawing at my hands in my misery.  And in just such a fit of helpless anger the great idea came to me.

No sooner conceived than put into practice.  I will not go closely into details; I will relate just the outstanding facts.  What I did was to select a very tall mountain, located almost on the equator, and proclaimed my intention to erect a monument to Jon upon its summit.  I caused vast quanities of materials to be brought to the place; and for a year a hundred thousand men labored to put the pieces together.

When they had finished, they had made a mammoth tower partly of wood and partly of alloy.  It was made in sections so that it might be placed, piece upon piece, one above another high into the sky.

It was an enormous task.  When it was complete, I had a tower as high as the mountain itself erected upon its summit.

And next I caused section after section of the long, iron, pole-to-pole rod, which had tricked Klow, to be hauled up into the tower.  I was only careful to begin the process from the top and work downward.  I gave word that the last three sections be inserted at midday at a given day.

And at that hour I was safe inside a non-magnetic room.

I know right well when the deed was done.  There was a most terrific earthquake.  All about me, though I could see nothing at all, I could hear buildings falling.  The din was appalling.

At the same time the air was fairly shattered with the rattle of the lightning.  Never have I heard the like before.  The rod had loosed the wrath of the forces above our air!

And as suddenly the whole deafening storm ended.  Perchance the rod was destroyed by the lightning; I never went to see.  For I know, the electricity split the very ground apart.  But I gazed out of a window in the top of my palace, and saw that I had succeeded.

Not a soul but myself remained alive.

None but buildings made of the alloy were standing.  Not only man, but most of his works had perished in that awful blast.  I, alone, remained!

I, Strokor, am the survivor!  I, the greatest man; it were but fit that I should be the last!  No man shall come after me, to honor me or not as he chooses.  I, and no other, shall be, the last man!

And when Ave returns—­as she must, though it be ages hence—­when she comes, she shall find me waiting.  I, Strokor, the mighty and wise, shall be here when she returns.  I shall wait for her forever; here I shall always stay.  The stars may move from their places, but I shall not go!  For it is my intention to make use of another secret Maka taught me.  In brief—­[Footnote:  The record ends here.  It may be that Strokor left the machine for some trivial reason, and forgot to finish his story.  At all events, it is necessary to refer to the further discoveries of the expedition in order to learn the outcome of it all.]