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 VOL. I, No. 3 CONTENTS MARCH, 1930

 COVER DESIGN H. W. WESSOLOWSKI _Painted in Water-colors from a Scene in "Brigands of the Moon. "_

 COLD LIGHT CAPTAIN S. P. MEEK 295 _How Could a Human Body Be Found Actually Splintered--Broken into Sharp Fragments Like a Shattered Glass! Once Again Dr. Bird Probes Deep into an Amazing Mystery. _

 BRIGANDS OF THE MOON RAY CUMMINGS 306 _Black Mutiny and Brigandage Stalk the Space-ship Planetara as She Speeds to the Moon to Pick Up a Fabulously Rich Cache of Radium-ore. _

 THE SOUL MASTER WILL SMITH AND R. J. ROBBINS 350 _Desperately O'Hara Plunged into Prof. Kell's Mysterious Mansion. For His Friend Skip Was the Victim of the Eccentric Scientist's De-astralizing Experiment, and Faced a Fate More Hideous than Death. _

 FROM THE OCEAN'S DEPTHS SEWELL PEASLEE WRIGHT 376 _Man Came from the Sea. Mercer, by His Thought-telegraph, Learns from the Weirdly Beautiful Ocean-maiden of a Branch that Returned There. _

 VANDALS OF THE STARS A. T. LOCKE 390 _A Livid Flame Flares Across Space--and Over Manhattan Hovers Teuxical, Vassal of Malfero, Lord of the Universe, Who Comes with Ten Thousand Warriors to Ravage and Subjugate One More Planet for His Master. _

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 * * * * *

Cold Light

_By Capt. S. P. Meek_

 How could a human body be found actually splintered--broken into sharp fragments like a shattered glass! Once again Dr. Bird probes deep into an amazing mystery. 

[Illustration: "_The bodies had broken into pieces, as though they hadbeen made of glass. _"]

"Confound it, Carnes, I am on my vacation!"

"I know it, Doctor, and I hate to disturb you, but I felt that I simplyhad to. I have one of the weirdest cases on my hands that I have everbeen mixed up in and I think that you'll forgive me for calling you whenI tell you about it. "

Dr. Bird groaned into the telephone transmitter. 

"I took a vacation last summer, or tried to, and you hauled me away fromthe best fishing I have found in years to help you on a case. This yearI traveled all the way from Washington to San Francisco to get away fromyou and the very day that I get here you are after me. I won't haveanything to do with it. Where are you, anyway?"

"I am at Fallon, Nevada, Doctor. I'm sorry that you won't help me outbecause the case promises to be unusually interesting. Let me at leasttell you about it. "

Dr. Bird groaned louder than ever into the telephone transmitter. 

"All right, go ahead and tell me about it if it will relieve your mind, but I have given you my final answer. I am not a bit interested in it. "

"That is quite all right, Doctor, I don't expect you to touch it. Ihope, however, that you will be able to give me an idea of where tostart. Did you ever see a man's body broken in pieces?"

"Do you mean badly smashed up?"

"No indeed, I mean just what I said, broken in pieces. Legs snapped offas though the entire flesh had become brittle. "

"No, I didn't, and neither did anyone else. "

"I have seen it, Doctor. "

"Hooey! What had you been drinking?"

Operative Carnes of the United States Secret Service chuckled softly tohimself. The voice of the famous scientist of the Bureau of Standardsplainly showed an interest which was quite at variance with his words. 

"I was quite sober, Doctor, and so was Hughes, and we both saw it. "

"Who is Hughes?"

"He is an air mail pilot, one of the crack fliers of the TranscontinentalAirmail Corporation. Let me tell you the whole thing in order. "

"All right. I have a few minutes to spare, but I'll warn you again thatI don't intend to touch the case. "

 * * * * *

"Suit yourself, Doctor. I have no authority to requisition yourservices. As you know, the T. A. C. Has been handling a great deal ofthe transcontinental air mail with a pretty clean record on accidents. The day before yesterday, a special plane left Washington to carry twopackages from there to San Francisco. One of them was a shipment ofjewels valued at a quarter of a million, consigned to a San Franciscofirm and the other was a sealed packet from the War Department. No onewas supposed to know the contents of that packet except the Chief ofStaff who delivered it to the plane personally, but rumors got out, asusual, and it was popularly supposed to contain certain essentialfeatures of the Army's war plans. This much is certain: The planecarried not only the regular T. A. C. Pilot and courier, but also anarmy courier, and it was guarded during the trip by an army plane armedwith small bombs and a machine-gun. I rode in it. My orders were simplyto guard the ship until it landed at Mills Field and then to guard thecourier from there to the Presidio of San Francisco until his packet wasdelivered personally into the hands of the Commanding General of theNinth Corps Area. 

"The trip was quiet and monotonous until after we left Salt Lake City atdawn this morning. Nothing happened until we were about a hundred mileseast of Reno. We had taken elevation to cross the Stillwater Mountainsand were skimming low over them, my plane trailing the T. A. C. Plane byabout half a mile. I was not paying any particular attention to theother ship when I suddenly felt our plane leap ahead. It was a fastDouglas and the pilot gave it the gun and made it move, I can tell you. I yelled into the speaking tube and asked what was the reason. My pilotyelled back that the plane ahead was in trouble. 

"As soon as it was called to my attention I could see myself that itwasn't acting normally. It was losing elevation and was pursuing a veryerratic course. Before we could reach it it lost flying speed and fellinto a spinning nose dive and headed for the ground. I watched, expecting every minute to see the crew make parachute jumps, but theydidn't and the plane hit the ground with a terrific crash. "

"It caught fire, of course?"

 * * * * *

"No, Doctor, that is one of the funny things about the accident. Itdidn't. It hit the ground in an open place free from brush and literallyburst into pieces, but it didn't flame up. We headed directly for thescene of the crash and we encountered another funny thing. We almostfroze to death. "

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I say. Of course, it's pretty cold at that altitude allthe time, but this cold was like nothing I had ever encountered. Itseemed to freeze the blood in our veins and it congealed frost on thewindshields and made the motor miss for a moment. It was only momentaryand it only existed directly over the wrecked plane. We went past it andswung around in a circle and came back over the wreck, but we didn'tfeel the cold again. 

"The next thing we tried to do was to find a landing place. That countryis pretty rugged and rough and there wasn't a flat place for miles thatwas large enough to land a ship on. Hughes and I talked it over andthere didn't seem to be much of anything that we could do except to goon until we found a landing place. I had had no experience in parachutejumping and I couldn't pilot the plane if Hughes jumped. We swooped downover the wreck as close as we dared and that was when we saw thecondition of the bodies. The whole plane was cracked up pretty badly, but the weird part of it was the fact that the bodies of the crew hadbroken into pieces, as though they had been made of glass. Arms and legswere detached from the torsos and lying at a distance. There was no signof blood on the ground. We saw all this with our naked eyes from closeat hand and verified it by observations through binoculars from agreater height. 

"When we had made our observations and marked the location of the wreckas closely as we could, we headed east until we found a landing placenear Fallon. Hughes dropped me here and went on to Reno, or to SanFrancisco if necessary, to report the accident and get more planes toaid in the search. I was wholly at sea, but it seemed to be in your lineand as I knew that you were at the St. Francis, I called you up. "

 * * * * *

"What are your plans?"

"I made none until I talked with you. The country where the wreckoccurred is unbelievably wild and we can't get near it with anytransportation other than burros. The only thing that I can see to do isto gather together what transportation I can and head for the wreck onfoot to rescue the packets and to bring out the bodies. Can you suggestanything better?"

"When do you expect to start?"

"As soon as I can get my pack train together. Possibly in three or fourhours. "

"Carnes, are you sure that those bodies were broken into bits? An arm ora leg might easily be torn off in a complete crash. "

"They were smashed into bits as nearly as I could tell, Doctor. Hughesis an old flier and he has seen plenty of crashes but he never sawanything like this. It beats anything that I ever saw. "

"If your observations were accurate, there could be only one cause andthat one is a patent impossibility. I haven't a bit of equipmenthere, but I expect that I can get most of the stuff I want from theUniversity of California across the bay at Berkeley. I can get aplane at Crissy Field. I'll tell you what to do, Carnes. Get your burrotrain together and start as soon as you can, but leave me half adozen burros and a guide at Fallon. I'll get up there as soon as I canand I'll try to overtake you before you get to the wreck. If I don't, don't disturb anything any more than you can help until my arrival. Doyou understand?"

"I thought that you were on your vacation, Doctor. "

"Oh shut up! Like most of my vacations, this one will have to bepostponed. I'll move as swiftly as I can and I ought to be at Fallonto-night if I'm lucky and don't run into any obstacles. Burros arefairly slow, but I'll make the best time possible. "

"I rather expected you would, Doctor. I can't get my pack train togetheruntil evening, so I'll wait for you right here. I'm mighty glad that youare going to get in on it. "

 * * * * *

Silently Carnes and Dr. Bird surveyed the wreck of the T. A. C. Plane. The observations of the secret service operative had been correct. Thebodies of the unfortunate crew had been broken into fragments. Theirlimbs had not been twisted off as a freak of the fall but had beencleanly broken off, as though the bodies had suddenly become brittle andhad shattered on their impact with the ground. Not only the bodies, butthe ship itself had been broken up. Even the clothing of the men was inpieces or had long splits in the fabric whose edges were as clean asthough they had been cut with a knife. 

Dr. Bird picked up an arm which had belonged to the pilot and examinedit. The brittleness, if it had ever existed, was gone and the arm waslimp. 

"No _rigor mortis_, " commented the Doctor. "How long ago was thewreck?"

"About seventy-two hours ago. "

"Hm-m! What about those packets that were on the plane?"

Carnes stepped forward and gingerly inspected first the body of the armycourier and then that of the courier of the T. A. C. 

"Both gone, Doctor, " he reported, straightening up. 

Dr. Bird's face fell into grim lines. 

"There is more to this case than appears on the surface, Carnes, " hesaid. "This was no ordinary wreck. Bring up that third burro; I want toexamine these fragments a little. Bill, " he went on to one of the twoguides who had accompanied them from Fallon, "you and Walter scoutaround the ground and see what you can find out. I especially wish toknow whether anyone has visited the scene of the wreck. "

 * * * * *

The guides consulted a moment and started out. Carnes drove up the burrothe Doctor had indicated and Dr. Bird unpacked it. He opened a mahogonycase and took from it a high powered microscope. Setting the instrumentup on a convenient rock, he subjected portions of the wreck, includingseveral fragments of flesh, to a careful scrutiny. When he had completedhis observations he fell into a brown study, from which he was arousedby Carnes. 

"What did you find out about the cause of the wreck, Doctor?"

"I don't know what to think. The immediate cause was that everything wasfrozen. The plane ran into a belt of cold which froze up the motor andwhich probably killed the crew instantly. It was undoubtedly theaftermath of that cold which you felt when you swooped down over thewreck. "

"It seems impossible that it could have suddenly got cold enough tofreeze everything up like that. "

"It does, and yet I am confident that that is what happened. It was noordinary cold, Carnes; it was cold of the type that infests interstellarspace; cold beyond any conception you have of cold, cold near the rangeof the absolute zero of temperature, nearly four hundred and fiftydegrees below zero on the Fahrenheit scale. At such temperatures, thingswhich are ordinarily quite flexible and elastic, such as rubber, orflesh, become as brittle as glass and would break in the manner whichthese bodies have broken. An examination of the tissues of the fleshshows that it has been submitted to some temperature that is very low inthe scale, probably below that of liquid air. Such a temperature wouldproduce instant death and the other phenomena which we can observe. "

"What could cause such a low temperature, Doctor?"

"I don't know yet, although I hope to find out before we are finished. Cold is a funny thing, Carnes. Ordinarily it is considered as simply theabsence of heat; and yet I have always held it to be a definite negativequantity. All through nature we observe that every force has itsopposite or negative force to oppose it. We have positive and negativeelectrical charges, positive and negative, or north and south, magneticpoles. We have gravity and its opposite apergy, and I believe cold isreally negative heat. "

"I never heard of anything like that, Doctor. I always thought thatthings were cold because heat was taken from them--not because cold wasadded. It sounds preposterous. "

 * * * * *

"Such is the common idea, and yet I cannot accept it, for it does notexplain all the recorded phenomena. You are familiar with a searchlight, are you not?"

"In a general way, yes. "

"A searchlight is merely a source of light, and of course, of heat, which is placed at the focus of a parabolic reflector so that all of therays emanating from the source travel in parallel lines. A searchlight, of course, gives off heat. If we place a lens of the same size as thesearchlight aperture in the path of the beam and concentrate all thelight, and heat, at one spot, the focal point of the lens, thetemperature at that point is the same as the temperature of the sourceof the light, less what has been lost by radiation. You understand that, do you not?"

"Certainly. "

"Suppose that we place at the center of the aperture of the searchlighta small opaque disc which is permeable neither to heat nor light, insuch a manner as to interrupt the central portion of the beam. As aresult, the beam will go out in the form of a hollow rod, or pipe, ofheat and light with a dark, cold core. This core will have thetemperature of the surrounding air plus the small amount which hasradiated into it from the surrounding pipe. If we now pass this beam oflight through a lens in order to concentrate the beam, both the pipe ofheat and the cold core will focus. If we place a temperature measuringdevice near the focus of the dark core, we will find that thetemperature is lower than the surrounding air. This means that we havefocused or concentrated cold. "

"That sounds impossible. But I can offer no other criticism. "

 * * * * *

"Nevertheless, it is experimentally true. It is one of the facts whichlead me to consider cold as negative heat. However, this is true ofcold, as it is of the other negative forces; they exist and manifestthemselves only in the presence of the positive forces. No one has yetconcentrated cold except in the presence of heat, as I have outlined. How this cold belt which the T. A. C. Plane encountered came to be thereis another question. The thing which we have to determine is whether itwas caused by natural or artificial forces. "

"Both of the packets which the plane carried are gone, Doctor, " observedCarnes. 

"Yes, and that seems to add weight to the possibility that the cause wasartificial, but it is far from conclusive. The packets might not havebeen on the men when the plane fell, or someone may have passed laterand taken them for safekeeping. "

The doctor's remarks were interrupted by the guides. 

"Someone has been here since the wreck, Doctor, " said Bill. "Walter andI found tracks where two men came up here and prowled around for sometime and then left by the way they came. They went off toward thenorthwest, and we followed their trail for about forty rods and thenlost it. We weren't able to pick it up again. "

"Thanks, Bill, " replied the doctor. "Well, Carnes, that seems to addmore weight to the theory that the spot of cold was made and didn't justhappen. If a prospecting party had just happened along they would eitherhave left the wreck alone or would have made some attempt to inter thebodies. That cold belt must have been produced artificially by men whoplanned to rob this plane after bringing it down and who were near athand to get their plunder. Is there any chance of following thattrail?"

"I doubt it, Doc. Walter and I scouted around quite a little, but wecouldn't pick it up again. "

"Is there any power line passing within twenty miles of here?"

"None that Walter and I know of, Doc. "

"Funny! Such a device as must have been used would need power and lotsof it for operation. Well, I'll try my luck. Carnes, help me unpack andset up the rest of my apparatus. "

 * * * * *

With the aid of the operative, Dr. Bird unpacked two of the burros andextracted from cases where they were carefully packed and padded someelaborate electrical and optical apparatus. The first was a shorttelescope of large diameter which he mounted on a base in such a mannerthat it could be elevated or depressed and rotated in any direction. Atthe focal point of the telescope was fastened a small knot of wire fromwhich one lead ran to the main piece of apparatus, which he sat on aflat rock. The other lead from the wire knot ran into a sealed containersurrounded by a water bath under which a spirit lamp burned. From thecontainer another lead led to the main apparatus. This main piececonsisted of a series of wire coils mounted on a frame and attached tothe two leads. The doctor took from a padded case a tiny magnetsuspended on a piece of wire of exceedingly small diameter which hefastened in place inside the coils. Cemented to the magnet was a tinymirror. 

"What is that apparatus?" asked Carnes as the doctor finished his set-upand surveyed it with satisfaction. 

"Merely a thermocouple attached to a D'Arsonval galvanometer, " repliedthe doctor. "This large, squat telescope catches and concentrates on thethermocouple and the galvanometer registers the temperature. "

"You're out of my depth. What is a thermocouple?"

"A juncture of two wires made of dissimilar metals, in this case ofplatinum and of platinum-iridium alloy. There is another similarjunction in this case, which is kept at a constant temperature by thewater bath. When the temperatures of the two junctions are the same, thesystem is in equilibrium. When they are at different temperatures, anelectrical potential is set up, which causes a current to flow from oneto the other through the galvanometer. The galvanometer consists of amagnet set up inside coils through which the current I spoke of flows. This current causes the magnet to rotate and by watching the mirror, therotation can be detected and measured. 

"This device is one of the most sensitive ever made, and is used tomeasure the radiation from distant stars. Currents as small as. 000000000000000000000000001 ampere have been detected and measured. This particular instrument is not that sensitive to begin with, and hasits sensitivity further reduced by having a high resistance in one ofthe leads. "

"What are you going to use it for?"

"I am going to try to locate somewhere in these hills a patch of localcold. It may not work, but I have hopes. If you will manipulate thetelescope so as to search the hills around here, I will watch thegalvanometer. "

 * * * * *

For several minutes Carnes swung the telescope around. Twice Dr. Birdstopped him and decreased the sensitiveness of his instrument byintroducing more resistance in the lines in order to keep the magnetfrom twisting clear around, due to the fluctuations in the heatsreceived on account of the varying conditions of reflection. As Carnesswung the telescope again the magnet swung around sharply, nearly to aright angle to its former position. 

"Stop!" cried the doctor. "Read your azimuth. "

Carnes read the compass bearing on the protractor attached to the framewhich supported the telescope. Dr. Bird took a pair of binoculars andlooked long and earnestly in the indicated direction. With a sigh helaid down the glasses. 

"I can't see a thing, Carnesy, " he said. "We'll have to move over to thenext crest and make a new set-up. Plant a rod on the hill so that we canget an azimuth bearing and get the airline distance with a rangefinder. "

On the hilltop which Dr. Bird had pointed out the apparatus was againset up. For several minutes Carnes swept the hills before an exclamationfrom the doctor told him to pause. He read the new azimuth, and thedoctor laid off the two readings on a sheet of paper with a protractorand made a few calculations. 

"I don't know, " he said reflectively when he had finished hiscomputations. "This darned instrument is still so sensitive that you mayhave merely focused on a deep shadow or a cold spring or something ofthat sort, but the magnet kicked clear around and it may mean that wehave located what we are looking for. It should be about two miles awayand almost due west of here. "

"There is no spring that I know of, Doc, and I think I know of everywater hole in this country, " remarked Bill. 

"There could hardly be a spring at this elevation, anyway, " replied thedoctor. "Maybe it is what we are seeking. We'll start out in thatdirection, anyway. Bill, you had better take the lead, for you know thecountry. Spread out a little so that we won't be too bunched if anythinghappens. "

 * * * * *

For three-quarters of an hour the little group of men made their waythrough the wilderness in the direction indicated by the doctor. Presently Bill, who was in the lead, held up his hand with a warninggesture. The other three closed up as rapidly as cautious progress wouldallow. 

"What is it, Bill?" asked the doctor in an undertone. 

"Slip up ahead and look over that crest. "

The doctor obeyed instructions. As he glanced over he gave vent to a lowwhistle of surprise and motioned for Carnes to join him. The operativecrawled up and glanced over the crest. In a hollow before them was acrude one-storied house, and erected on an open space before it was amassive piece of apparatus. It consisted of a number of huge metalliccylinders, from which lines ran to a silvery concave mirror mounted onan elaborate frame which would allow it to be rotated so as to point inany direction. 

"What is it?" whispered Carnes. 

"Some kind of a projector, " muttered the doctor. "I never saw one quitelike it, but it is meant to project something. I can't make out thecurve of that mirror. It isn't a parabola and it isn't an ellipse. Itmust be a high degree subcatenary or else built on a transcendentalfunction. "

He raised himself to get a clearer view, and as he did so a puff ofsmoke came from the house, to be followed in a moment by a sharp crackas a bullet flattened itself a few inches from his head. The doctortumbled back over the crest out of sight of the house. Bill and Walterhurried forward, their rifles held ready for action. 

"Get out on the flanks, men, " directed the doctor. "The man we want isin a house in that hollow. He's armed, and he means business. "

 * * * * *

Bill and Walter crawled under the shelter of the rocks to a shortdistance away and then, rifles ready, advanced to the attack. A reportcame from the hollow and a bullet whined over Bill's head. Almostinstantly a crack came from Walter's rifle and splinters flew from thebuilding in the hollow a few inches from a loophole, through whichprojected the barrel of a rifle. 

The rifle barrel swung rapidly in a circle and barked in Walter'sdirection; but as it did so, Bill's gun spoke and again splinters flewfrom the building. 

"Good work!" ejaculated Dr. Bird as he watched the slow advance of thetwo guides. "If we just had rifles we could join in the party, but it'sa little far for effective pistol work. Let's go ahead, and we may getclose enough to do a little shooting. "

Pistols in hand, Carnes and the doctor crawled over the crest and joinedthe advance. Again and again the rifle spoke from the hollow and wasanswered by the vicious barks of the rifles in the hands of the guides, Carnes and the doctor resting their pistols on rocks and sending anoccasional bullet toward the loophole. The conditions of light and themoving target were not conducive to good marksmanship on the part of thebesieged man, and none of the attackers were hit. Presently Waltersucceeded in sending a bullet through the loophole. The rifle barrelsuddenly disappeared. With a shout the four men rose from their coverand advanced toward the building at a run. 

As they did so an ominous whirring sound came from the apparatus infront of the house and a sudden chill filled the air. 

"Back!" shouted Dr. Bird. "Back below the hill if you value yourlives!"

He turned and raced at full speed toward the sheltering crest of thehill, the others following him closely. The whirring sound continued, and the concave reflector turned with a grating sound on its gears. Asthe path of its rays struck the ground the rocks became white with frostand one rock split with a sharp report, one fragment rolling down theslope, carrying others in its trail. 

 * * * * *

With panic-stricken faces the four men raced toward the shelteringcrest, but remorselessly the reflector swung around in their direction. The intense cold numbed the racing men, cutting off their breath andimpeding their efforts for speed. 

"Stop!" cried the doctor suddenly. "Fire at that reflector! It's ouronly chance!"

He set the example by turning and emptying his pistol futilely at theturning mirror. Bill, Walter and Carnes followed his example. Nearerand nearer to them came the deadly ray. Bill was the nearest to itspath, and he suddenly stiffened and fell forward, his useless gun stillgrasped in his hands. As his body struck the ground it rolled down hillfor a few feet, the deadly ray following it. His head struck a rock, andCarnes gave a cry of horror as it broke into fragments. 

Walter threw his rifle to his shoulder and fired again and again at therotating disc. The cold had became intense and he could not control theactions of his muscles and his rifle wavered about. He threw himselfflat on the ground, and, with an almost superhuman effort, steadiedhimself for a moment and fired. His aim was true, and with a terrificcrash the reflector split into a thousand fragments. Dr. Bird staggeredto his feet. 

"It's out of order for a moment!" he cried. "To the house while wecan!"

As swiftly as his numbed feet would allow him, he stumbled toward thehouse. The muzzle of the rifle again projected from the loophole andwith its crack the doctor staggered for a moment and then fell. Walter'srifle spoke again and the rifle disappeared through the loophole with aspasmodic jerk. Carnes stumbled over the doctor. 

"Are you hit badly?" he gasped through chattering teeth. 

"I'm not hit at all, " muttered the doctor. "I stumbled and fell just ashe fired. Look out! He's going to shoot again!"

The rifle barrel came slowly into view through the loophole. Walterfired, but his bullet went wild. Carnes threw himself behind a rock forprotection. 

 * * * * *

The rifle swung in Walter's direction and paused. As it did so, from thehouse came a strangled cry and a sound as of a blow. The rifle barreldisappeared, and the sounds of a struggle came from the building. 

"Come on!" cried Carnes as he rose to his feet, and made his stumblingway forward, the others following at the best speed which their numbedlimbs would allow. 

As they reached the door they were aware of a struggle which was goingon inside. With an oath the doctor threw his massive frame against thedoor. It creaked, but the solid oak of which it was composed was proofagainst the attack, and he drew back for another onslaught. From thehouse came a pistol shot, followed by a despairing cry and a gutturalshout. Reinforced by Carnes, the doctor threw his weight against thedoor again. With a rending crash it gave, and they fell sprawling intothe cabin. The doctor was the first one on his feet. 

"Who are you?" asked a voice from one corner. The doctor whirled like aflash and covered the speaker with his pistol. 

"Put them up!" he said tersely. 

"I am unarmed, " the voice replied. "Who are you?"

"We're from the United States Secret Service, " replied Carnes who hadgained his feet. "The game is up for you, and you'd better realize it. "

"Secret Service! Thank God!" cried the voice. "Get Koskoff--he has theplans. He has gone out through the tunnel!"

"Where is it?" demanded Carnes. 

"The entrance is that iron plate on the floor. "

Carnes and the doctor jumped at the plate and tried to lift it, withoutresult. There was no handle or projection on which they could takehold. 

"Not that way, " cried the voice. "That cover is fastened on the inside. Go outside the building; he'll come out about two hundred yards north. Shoot him as he appears or he'll get away. "

The three men nearly tumbled over each other to get through the doorwayinto the bitter cold outside. As they emerged from the cabin the gaze ofthe guide swept the surrounding hills. 

"There he goes!" he cried. 

"Get him!" said Carnes sharply. 

Walter ran forward a few feet and dropped prone on the ground, cuddlingthe stock of his rifle to his cheek. Two hundred yards ahead a figurewas scurrying over the rocks away from the cabin. Walter drew in hisbreath and his hand suddenly grew steady as his keen gray eyes peeredthrough the sights. Carnes and the doctor held their breath insympathy. 

 * * * * *

Suddenly the rifle spoke, and the fleeing man threw up his arms and fellforward on his face. 

"Got him, " said Walter laconically. 

"Go bring the body in, Carnes, " exclaimed the doctor. "I'll take care ofthe chap inside. "

"Did you get him?" asked the voice eagerly, as the doctor steppedinside. 

"He's dead all right, " replied the doctor grimly. "Who the devil areyou, and what are you doing here?"

"There is a light switch on the left of the door as you come in, " wasthe reply. 

Dr. Bird found the switch and snapped on a light. He turned toward thecorner from whence the voice had come and recoiled in horror. Propped inthe corner was the body of a middle-aged man, daubed and splashed withblood which ran from a wound in the side of his head. 

"Good Lord!" he ejaculated. "Let me help you. "

"There's not much use, " replied the man rather faintly. "I am about donein. This face wound doesn't amount to much, but I am shot through thebody and am bleeding internally. If you try to move me, it may easilykill me. Leave me alone until your partners come. "

The doctor drew a flask of brandy from his pocket and advanced towardthe corner. 

"Take a few drops of this, " he advised. 

With an effort the man lifted the flask to his lips and gulped down alittle of the fiery spirit. A sound of tramping feet came from theoutside and then a thud as though a body had been dropped. Carnes andWalter entered the cabin. 

"He's dead as a mackerel, " said Carnes in answer to the doctor's look. "Walter got him through the neck and broke his spinal cord. He neverknew what hit him. "

"The plans?" came in a gasping voice from the man in the corner. 

"We got them, too, " replied Carnes. "He had both packets inside hiscoat. They have been opened, but I guess they are all here. Who thedevil are you?"

"Since Koskoff is dead, and I am dying, there is no reason why Ishouldn't tell you, " was the answer. "Leave that brandy handy to keep upmy strength. I have only a short time and I can't repeat. 

 * * * * *

"As to who I am or what I was, it doesn't really matter. Koskoff knew meas John Smith, and it will pass as well as any other name. Let my paststay buried. I am, or was, a scientist of some ability; but fortunefrowned on me, and I was driven out of the world. Money wouldrehabilitate me--money will do anything nowadays--so I set out to getit. In the course of my experimental work, I had discovered that coldwas negative heat and reacted to the laws which governed heat. "

"I knew that, " cried Dr. Bird; "but I never could prove it. "

"Who are you?" demanded John Smith. 

"Dr. Bird, of the Bureau of Standards. "

"Oh, Bird. I've heard of you. You can understand me when I say that asheat, positive heat is a concomitant of ordinary light. I have foundthat cold, negative heat, is a concomitant of cold light. Is myapparatus in good shape outside?"

"The reflector is smashed. "

"I'm sorry. You would have enjoyed studying it. I presume that you sawthat it was a catenary curve?"

"I rather thought so. "

"It was, and it was also adjustable. I could vary the focal point from afew feet to several miles. With that apparatus I could throw a beam ofnegative heat with a focal point which I could adjust at will. Close tothe apparatus, I could obtain a temperature almost down to absolutezero, but at the longer ranges it wasn't so cold, due to leakage intothe atmosphere. Even at two miles I could produce a local temperature ofthree hundred degrees below zero. "

"What was the source of your cold?"

"Liquid helium. Those cylinders contain, or rather did contain, for Iexpect that Koskoff has emptied them, helium in a liquid state. "

"Where is your compressor?"

 * * * * *

"I didn't have to use one. I developed a cold light under whose rayshelium would liquefy and remain in a state of equilibrium until exposedto light rays. Those cylinders had merely enough pressure to force theliquid out to where the sun could hit it, and then it turned to a gas, dropping the temperature at the first focal point of the reflector toabsolute zero. When I had this much done, Koskoff and I packed the wholeapparatus here and were ready for work. 

"We were on the path of the transcontinental air mail, and I bided mytime until an especially valuable shipment was to be made. My plans, which worked perfectly, were to freeze the plane in midair and then robthe wreck. I heard of the jewel shipment the T. A. C. Was to carry and Iplanned to get it. When the plane came over, Koskoff and I brought itdown. The unsuspected presence of another plane upset us a little, and Istarted to bring it down. But we had been all over this country and knewthere was no place that a plane could land. I let it go on in safety. "

"Thank you, " replied Carnes with a grimace. 

"We robbed the wreck and we found two packets, one the jewels I wasafter, and the other a sealed packet, which proved to contain certainWar Department plans. That was when I learned who Koskoff was. I hadhired him in San Francisco as a good mechanic who had no principles. Hewas to get one-fourth of the loot. When we found these plans, he told mewho he was. He was really a Russian secret agent and he wanted todeliver the plans to Russia. I may be a thief and a murderer, but I amnot yet ready to betray my country, and I told him so. He offered mealmost any price for the plans; but I wouldn't listen. We had a seriousquarrel, and he overpowered me and bound me. 

 * * * * *

"We had a radio set here and he called San Francisco and sent some codemessage. I think he was waiting here for someone to come. Had wefollowed our original plans, we would have been miles from here beforeyou arrived. 

"He had me bound and helpless, as he thought, but I worked my bonds alittle loose. I didn't let him know it, for I knew that the plane I hadlet get away would guide a party here and I thought I might be able tohelp out. When you came and attacked the house, I worked at my bondsuntil they were loose enough to throw off. I saw Koskoff start my coldapparatus to working and then he quit, because he ran out of helium. When he started shooting again, I worked out of my bonds and tackledhim. 

"He was a better man than I gave him credit for, or else he suspectedme, for about the time I grabbed him he whirled and struck me over thehead with his gun barrel and tore my face open. The blow stunned me, andwhen I came to, I was thrown into this corner. I meant to have anothertry at it, but I guess you rushed him too fast. He turned and ran forthe tunnel, but as he did so, he shot me through the body. I guess Ididn't look dead enough to suit him. You gentlemen broke open the doorand came in. That's all. "

"Not by a long shot, it isn't, " exclaimed Dr. Bird. "Where is that coldlight apparatus of yours?"

"In the tunnel. "

"How do you get into it?"

"If you will open that cupboard on the wall, you'll find an open knifeswitch on the wall. Close it. "

 * * * * *

Dr. Bird found the switch and closed it. As he did so the cabin rockedon its foundations and both Carnes and Walter were thrown to the ground. The thud of a detonation deep in the earth came to their ears. 

"What was that?" cried the doctor. 

"That, " replied Smith with a wan smile, "was the detonation of twohundred pounds of T. N. T. When you dig down into the underground cavewhere we used the cold light apparatus, you will find it in fragments. It was my only child, and I'll take it with me. "

As he finished his head slumped forward on his chest. With anexclamation of dismay Dr. Bird sprang forward and tried to lift theprostrate form. 

In an agony of desire the Doctor tightened his grip on the dying man'sshoulder. But Smith collapsed into a heap. Dr. Bird bent forward andtore open his shirt and listened at his chest. Presently he straightenedup. 

"He is gone, " he said sadly, "and I guess the results of his genius havedied with him. He doesn't strike me as a man who left overmuch tochance. Carnes, is your case completed?"

"Very satisfactorily, Doctor. I have both of the lost packets. "

"All right, then, come back to the wreck and help me pack my burros. Ican make my way back to Fallon without a guide. "

"Where are you going, Doctor?"

"That, Carnes, old dear, is none of your blankety blanked business. Permit me to remind you that I am on my vacation. I haven't decided yetjust where I am going, but I can tell you one thing. It's going to besome place where you can't call me on the telephone. "

Brigands of the Moon

(The Book of Gregg Haljan)BEGINNING A FOUR-PART NOVEL

_By Ray Cummings_

 Black mutiny and brigandage stalk the Space-ship Planetara as she speeds to the Moon to pick up a fabulously rich cache of radium-ore. 

[Illustration: _I stood on the turret-balcony of the Planetara with Dr. Frank, watching the arriving passengers. _]

_Foreword by Ray Cummings_

I have been thinking that if, during one of those long winter eveningsat Valley Forge, someone had placed in George Washington's hands one ofour present day best sellers, the illustrious Father of our Countrywould have read it with considerable emotion. I do not mean what we calla story of science, or fantasy--just a novel of action, adventure andromance. The sort of thing you and I like to read, but do not findamazing in any way at all. 

But I fancy that George Washington would have found it amazing. Don'tyou? It might picture, for instance, a factory girl at a sewing machine. George Washington would be amazed at a sewing machine. And the girl, journeying in the subway to and from her work! Stealing an opportunityto telephone her lover at the noon hour; going to the movies in theevening, or listening to a radio. And there might be a climax, perhaps, with the girl and the villain in a transcontinental railway Pullman, andthe hero sending frantic telegrams, or telephoning the train, and thenchasing it in his airplane. 

George Washington would have found it amazing!

And I am wondering how you and I would feel if someone were to give usnow a book of ordinary adventure of the sort which will be published ahundred and fifty years hence. I have been trying to imagine such a bookand the nature of its contents. 

Let us imagine it together. Suppose we walk down Fifth Avenue, apleasant spring morning of May, 2080. Fifth Avenue, no doubt, will bethere. I don't know whether the New York Public Library will be there ornot. We'll assume that it is, and that it has some sort of books, printed, or in whatever fashion you care to imagine. 

The young man library attendant is surprised at our curiously antiquatedaspect. We look as though we were dressed for some historical costumeball. We talk old-fashioned English, like actors in an historical playof the 1930 period. 

But we get the book. The attendant assures us it is a good average storyof action and adventure. Nothing remarkable, but he read it himself, andfound it interesting. 

We thank him and take the book. But we find that the language in whichit is written is too strange for comfortable reading. And it names somany extraordinary things so casually! As though we knew all about them, which we certainly do not!

So we take it to the kind-hearted librarian in the language division. Hemodifies it to old-fashioned English of 1930, and he puts occasionalfootnotes to help explain some of the things we might not understand. Why he should bother to do this for us I don't know; but let us assumethat he does. 

And now we take the book home--in the pneumatic tube, or aerial movingsidewalk, or airship, or whatever it is we take to get home. 

And now that we are home, let's read the book. It ought to beinteresting. 

CHAPTER I

 _Tells of the Grantline Moon Expedition and of the Mysterious Martian Who Followed Us in the City Corridor_

One may write about oneself and still not be an egoist. Or so, at least, they tell me. My narrative went broadcast with a fair success. It waspantomimed and the public flashed me a reasonable approval. And so mydisc publishers have suggested that I record it in more permanent form. 

I introduce myself, begging grace that I intrude upon your busy minutes, with my only excuse that perhaps I may amuse you. For what thecommercial sellers of my pictured version were pleased to blare as myhandsome face, I ask your indulgence. My feminine audience of thepantomimes was undoubtedly graciously pleased at my personality andphysical aspect. That I am "tall as a Viking of old"--and "handsome as ayoung Norse God"--is very pretty talk in the selling of my product. ButI deplore its intrusion into the personality of this, my recordednarrative. And so now, for preface, to all my audience I do give earnestassurance that Gregg Haljan is no conceited zebra, handsomely striped bynature, and proud of it. Not so. I am, I do beg you to believe, a veryhumble fellow, striving for your approval, hoping only to entertainyou. 

My introduction: My name, Gregg Haljan. My age, twenty-five years. Iwas, at the time my narrative begins, Third Officer on the Space-ShipPlanetara. Our line was newly established; in 2070, to be exact, following the modern improvements of the Martel Magnetic Levitation. [1]

 * * * * *

Our ship, whose home port was Great-New York, carried mail and passengertraffic to and from both Venus and Mars. Of astronomical necessity, ourflights were irregular. This spring, with the two other planets bothclose to the earth, we were making two complete round trips. We had justarrived in Great-New York, this May evening, from Grebhar, Venus FreeState. With only five hours in port here, we were departing the samenight at the zero hour for Ferrok-Shahn, capital of the Martian Union. 

We were no sooner at the landing stage than I found a code-flashsummoning Dan Dean and me to Divisional Detective Headquarters. Dan"Snap" Dean was one of my closest friends. He was radio-helio operatorof the Planetara. A small, wiry, red-headed chap, with a quick, readylaugh and a wit that made everyone like him. 

The summons to Detective-Colonel Halsey's office surprised us. Snap eyedme. 

"You haven't been opening any treasury vaults, have you, Gregg?"

"He wants you, also, " I retorted. 

He laughed. "Well, he can roar at me like a traffic switchman and myprivate life will remain my own. "

We could not think why we should be wanted. It was the darkness ofmid-evening when we left the Planetara for Halsey's office. It was not along trip. We went direct in the upper monorail, descending into thesubterranean city at Park-Circle 30. 

 * * * * *

We had never been to Halsey's office before. We found it to be a gloomy, vaultlike place in one of the deepest corridors. The door lifted. 

"Gregg Haljan and Daniel Dean. "

The guard stood aside. "Come in. "

I own that my heart was unduly thumping as we entered. The door droppedbehind us. It was a small blue-lit apartment--a steel-lined room like avault. 

Colonel Halsey sat at his desk. And the big, heavy-set, florid CaptainCarter--our commander of the Planetara--was here. That surprised us: wehad not seen him leave the ship. 

Halsey smiled at us gravely. Captain Carter said, "Sit down, lads. "

We took the seats. There was an alarming solemnity about this. If I hadbeen guilty of anything that I could think of, it would have beenfrightening. But Halsey's first words reassured me. 

"It's about the Grantline Moon Expedition. In spite of our secrecy, thenews has gotten out. We want to know how. Can you tell us?"

Captain Carter's huge bulk--he was about as tall as I am--towered overus as we sat before Halsey's desk. "If you lads have told anyone--saidanything--let slip the slightest hint about it--"

Snap smiled with relief; but he turned solemn at once. "I haven't. Not aword!"

"Nor have I, " I declared. 

 * * * * *

The Grantline Moon Expedition! We had not thought of that as a reasonfor this summons. Johnny Grantline was a close friend to us both. He hadorganized an exploring expedition to the Moon. Uninhabited, with itsbleak, forbidding, airless, waterless surface, the Moon--even though soclose to the Earth--was seldom visited. No regular ship ever stoppedthere. A few exploring parties of recent years had come to grief. 

But there was a persistent rumor that upon the Moon, mineral riches offabulous wealth were awaiting discovery. The thing had already causedsome interplanetary complications. The aggressive Martians would be onlytoo glad to explore the Moon. But the U. S. W. [2] definitely warned themaway. The Moon was World Territory, we announced, and we would protectit as such. 

The threatened conflict between the Earth and Mars had come to nothing. There was, this year of 2079, a thorough amity between all three of theinhabited planets. It still holds, and I pray that it may always hold. 

There was, nevertheless, a realization by our government, that whateverriches might be upon the Moon should be seized at once and held by somereputable Earth Company. And when Johnny Grantline applied, with hisfather's wealth and his own scientific record of attainment, thegovernment was only too glad to grant him its writ. 

 * * * * *

The Grantline Expedition had started six months ago. The Martiangovernment had acquiesced in our ultimatum, yet brigands have been knownto be financed under cover of a governmental disavowal. And so theexpedition was kept secret. 

My words need give no offense to any Martian who comes upon them. Irefer to the history of our earth only. The Grantline Expedition was onthe Moon now. No word had come from it. One could not flash helios evenin code without letting all the universe know that explorers were on theMoon. And why they were there, anyone could easily guess. 

And now Colonel Halsey was telling us that the news was abroad! CaptainCarter eyed us closely; his flashing eyes under the white bushy browswould pry a secret from anyone. 

"You're sure? A girl of Venus, perhaps, with her cursed, seductive lure!A chance word, with you lads befuddled by alcolite?"

We assured him we had been careful. By the heavens, I know that I hadbeen. Not a whisper, even to Snap, of the name Grantline in six monthsor more. 

Captain Carter added abruptly, "We're insulated here, Halsey?"

"Yes, talk as freely as you like. An eavesdropping ray will never getinto these walls. "

 * * * * *

They questioned us. They were satisfied at last that, though the secrethad escaped, we had not done it. Hearing it discussed, it occurred to meto wonder why Carter was concerned. I was not aware that he knew ofGrantline's venture. I learned now the reason why the Planetara, uponeach of her voyages, had managed to pass fairly close to the Moon. Ithad been arranged with Grantline that if he wanted help or had anyimportant message, he was to flash it locally to our passing ship. Andthis Snap knew, and had never mentioned it, even to me. 

Halsey was saying, "Well, we can't blame you, but the secret is out. "

Snap and I regarded each other. What could anyone do? What would anyonedare do?

Captain Carter said abruptly, "Look here, lads, this is my chance now totalk plainly to you. Outside, anywhere outside these walls, aneavesdropping ray may be upon us. You know that? One may never even darewhisper since that accursed ray was developed. "

Snap opened his mouth to speak but decided against it. My heart waspounding. 

Captain Carter went on, "I know I can trust you two more than anyoneelse under me on the Planetara--"

"What do you mean by that?" I demanded. "What--"

He interrupted me. "Nothing at all but what I say. "

 * * * * *

Halsey smiled grimly. "What he means, Haljan, is that things are notalways what they seem these days. One cannot always tell a friend froman enemy. The Planetara is a public vessel. You have--how many is it, Carter?--thirty or forty passengers this trip to-night?"

"Thirty-eight, " said Carter. 

"There are thirty-eight people listed for the flight to Ferrok-Shahnto-night, " Halsey said slowly. "And some may not be what they seem. " Heraised his thin dark hand. "We have information--" He paused. "Iconfess, we know almost nothing--hardly more than enough to alarm us. "

Captain Carter interjected, "I want you and Dean to be on your guard. Once on the Planetara it is difficult for us to talk openly, but bewatchful. I will arrange for us to be doubly armed. "

Vague, perturbing words! Halsey said, "They tell me George Prince islisted for the voyage. I am suggesting, Haljan, that you keep youreye especially upon him. Your duties on the Planetara leave youcomparatively free, don't they?"

"Yes, " I agreed. With the first and second officers on duty, and thecaptain aboard, my routine was more or less that of an understudy. 

I said, "George Prince! Who is he?"

"A mechanical engineer, " said Halsey. "An under-official of theEarth Federated Radium Corporation. But he associates with badcompanions--particularly Martians. "

I had never heard of this George Prince, though I was familiar with theFederated Radium Corporation, of course. A semi-government trust, whichcontrolled virtually the entire Earth supply of radium. 

"He was in the Automotive Department, " Carter put in. "You've heard ofthe Federated Radium Motor?"

 * * * * *

We had, of course. A recent Earth invention which promised torevolutionize the automotive industry. An engine of a new type, usingradium as its fuel. 

Snap demanded, "What in the stars has this got to do with JohnnyGrantline?"

"Much, " said Halsey quietly, "or perhaps nothing. But George Prince someyears ago mixed in rather unethical transactions. We had him in custodyonce. He is known now as unusually friendly with several Martians in NewYork of bad reputation. "

"Well--" began Snap. 

"What you don't know, " Halsey went on quietly, "is that Grantlineexpects to find radium on the Moon. "

We gasped. 

"Exactly, " said Halsey. "The ill-fated Ballon Expedition thought theyhad found it on the Moon some years ago. A new type of ore, as rich inradium as our gold-bearing sands are rich in gold. Ballon's firstsamples gave uranium atoms with a fair representation of ionium andthorium. A richly radio-active ore. A lode of the pure radium is theresomewhere, without doubt. "

 * * * * *

He added vehemently, "Do you understand now why we should be suspiciousof this George Prince? He has a criminal record. He has a thoroughtechnical knowledge of radium ores. He associates with Martians of badreputation. A large Martian Company has recently developed a radiumengine to compete with our Earth motor. You know that? You know thatthere is very little radium available on Mars, and our government willnot allow our own radium supply to be exported. That Martian Companyneeds radium. It will do anything to get radium. What do you suppose itwould pay for a few tons of really rich radio-active ore--such asGrantline may have found on the Moon?"

"But, " I objected, "that is a reputable Martian company. It's backed bythe government of the Martian Union. The government of Mars would notdare--"

"Of course not!" Captain Carter exclaimed sardonically. "Not openly! Butif Martian brigands had a supply of radium--I don't imagine where itcame from would make much difference. That Martian Company would buyit. "

Halsey added, "And George Prince, my agents inform me, seems to knowthat Grantline is on the Moon. Put it all together, lads. Little sparksshow the hidden current. 

"More than that: George Prince knows that we have arranged to have thePlanetara stop at the Moon and bring back Grantline's radium-ore. Thisis your last voyage this year. You'll hear from Grantline this time, we're convinced. He'll probably give you the signal as you pass the Moonon your way out. Coming back, you'll stop at the Moon and transportwhatever radium-ore Grantline has ready. The Grantline Flyer is toosmall for ore transportation. "

 * * * * *

Halsey's voice turned grimly sarcastic. "Doesn't it seem queer thatGeorge Prince and a few of his Martian friends happen to be listed aspassengers for this voyage?"

In the silence that followed, Snap and I regarded each other. Halseyadded abruptly, "We had George Prince typed that time we arrested him four years ago. I'll show him to you. "

He snapped open an alcove, and said to his waiting attendant, "Get methe type of George Prince. "

The disc in a moment came through the pneumatic. Halsey, smiling wryly, adjusted it. 

"A nice looking fellow. Nicely spoken. Though at the time we made thishe was somewhat annoyed, naturally. He is older now. Twenty-nine, to beexact. Here he is. "

The image glowed on the grids before us. His name, George Prince, inletters illumined upon his forehead, showed for a moment and then faded. He stood smiling sourly before us as he repeated the official formula:

"My name is George Prince. I was born in Great-New York City twenty-fiveyears ago. "

 * * * * *

I gazed at this life-size, moving image of George Prince. He stoodsomber in the black detention uniform. A dark, almost a girlishlyhandsome fellow, well below medium height--the rod beside him showedfive feet four inches. Slim and slight. Long, wavy black hair, fallingabout his ears. A pale, clean-cut, really handsome face, almostbeardless. I regarded it closely. A face that would have been femininelybeautiful without its masculine touch of heavy black brows and firmlyset jaw. His voice as he spoke was low and soft; but at the end, withthe concluding words, "I am innocent!" it flashed into strongmasculinity. His eyes, shaded with long, girlish black lashes, by chancemet mine. "I am innocent. " His curving sensuous lips drew down into agrim sneer. .. . 

The type faded at its end. Halsey replaced the disc in its box and wavedthe attendant away. "Thank you. "

He turned back to Snap and me. "Well, there he is. We have nothingtangible against him now. But I'll say this: he's a clever fellow, oneto be afraid of. I would not blare it from the newscasters' microphone, but if he is hatching any plot, he has been too clever for my agents. "

We talked for another half-hour, and then Captain Carter dismissed us. We left Halsey's office with Carter's final words ringing in our ears. "Whatever comes, lads, remember I trust you. .. . "

 * * * * *

Snap and I decided to walk a portion of the way back to the ship. It wasbarely more than a mile through this subterranean corridor to where wecould get the vertical lift direct to the landing stage. 

We started off on the lower level. Once outside the insulation ofHalsey's office we did not dare talk of this thing. Not only electricalears, but every possible eavesdropping device might be upon us. Thecorridor was two hundred feet or more below the ground level. At thishour of the night this business section was comparatively deserted. Thethrough tube sounded over our heads with the passing of its occasionaltrains. The ventilators buzzed and whirred. At the cross intersections, the traffic directors dozed at their posts. It was hot and sticky downhere, and gloomy with the daylight globes extinguished, and only thenight lights to give a dim illumination. The stores and office arcadeswere all closed and deserted; only an occasional night-light burningbehind their windows. 

Our footfalls echoed on the metal grids as we hurried along. 

"Nice evening, " said Snap awkwardly. 

"Yes, " I said, "isn't it?"

I felt oppressed. As though prying eyes and ears were here. We walkedfor a time in silence, each of us busy with memory of what hadtranspired in Halsey's office. 

Suddenly Snap gripped me. "What's that?"

"Where?" I whispered. 

 * * * * *

We stopped at a corner. An entryway was here. Snap pulled me into it. Icould feel him quivering with excitement. 

"What is it?" I demanded in a whisper. 

"We're being followed. Did you hear anything?"

"No!" Yet I thought now I could hear something. Vague footfalls. Arustling. And a microscopic electrical whine, as though some device werenear us. 

Snap was fumbling in his pocket. "Wait, I've got a pair of low-scalephones. "

He put the little grids against his ears. I could hear the sharp intakeof his breath. Then he seized me, pulled me down to the metal floor ofthe entryway. 

"Back, Gregg! Get back!" I could barely hear his whisper. We crouched asfar back into the doorway as we could get. I was armed. My officialpermit for the carrying of the pencil heat-ray allowed me to have italways with me. I drew it now. But there was nothing to shoot at. I feltSnap clamping the grids on my ears. And now I heard something! Anintensification of the vague footsteps I had thought I heard before. 

There was something following us! Something out in the corridor therenow! A street light was nearby. The corridor was dim, but plainlyvisible; and to my sight it was empty. But there was something there. Something invisible! I could hear it moving. Creeping towards us. Ipulled the grids off my ears. 

Snap murmured, "You've got a local phone. "

"Yes! I'll get them to give us the street glare!"

 * * * * *

I pressed the danger signal, giving our location to the nearestoperator. In a second or two we got the light. The street in all thisneighborhood burst into a brilliant actinic glare. The thing menacingus was revealed! A figure in a black cloak, crouching thirty feet awayacross the corridor. 

Snap was on his feet. His voice rang shrilly, "There it is! Give it ashot, Gregg!"

Snap was unarmed, but he flung his hands out menacingly. The figure, which may perhaps not have been aware of our city safeguard, was takenwholly by surprise. A human figure. Seven feet tall, at the least, andtherefore, I judged, doubtless a Martian man. The black cloak coveredhis head. He took a step toward us, hesitated, and then turned inconfusion. 

Snap's shrill voice was bringing help. The whine of a street guard'salarm whistle nearby sounded. The figure was making off! My pencil-raywas in my hand and I pressed its switch. The tiny heat-ray stabbedthrough the glare, but I missed. The figure stumbled, but did not fall. I saw a bare gray arm come from the cloak, flung up to maintain itsbalance. Or perhaps my pencil-ray of heat had seared the arm. Thegray-skinned arm of a Martian. 

Snap was shouting, "Give him another!" But the figure passed beyond theactinic glare and vanished. 

We were detained in the turmoil of the corridor for ten minutes or morewith official explanations. Then a message from Halsey released us. TheMartian who had been following us in his invisible cloak was nevercaught. 

We escaped from the crowd at last and made our way back to thePlanetara, where the passengers were already assembling for the outwardMartian voyage. 

CHAPTER II

"_A Fleeting Glance_--"

I stood on the turret-balcony of the Planetara with Captain Carter andDr. Frank, the ship surgeon, watching the arriving passengers. It wasclose to the zero hour: the level of the stage was a turmoil ofconfusion. The escalators, with the last of the freight aboard, werefolded back. But the stage was jammed with the incoming passengerbaggage: the interplanetary customs and tax officials with their X-rayand Zed-ray paraphernalia and the passengers themselves, lined up forthe export inspection. 

At this height, the city lights lay spread in a glare of blue and yellowbeneath us. The individual local planes came dropping like birds to ourstage. Thirty-eight passengers for this flight to Mars, but thataccursed desire of every friend and relative to speed the departingvoyager brought a hundred or more extra people to crowd our girders andbring added difficulty to everybody. 

Carter was too absorbed in his duties to stay with us long. But here inthe turret Dr. Frank and I found ourselves at the moment with nothingmuch to do but watch. 

"Think we'll get away on time, Gregg?"

"No, " I said. "And this of all voyages--"

I checked myself, with thumping heart. My thoughts were so full of whatHalsey and Carter had told us that it was difficult to rein my tongue. Yet here in the turret, unguarded by insulation, I could say nothing. Nor would I have dared mention the Grantline Moon Expedition to Dr. Frank. I wondered what he knew of this affair. Perhaps as much asI--perhaps nothing. 

 * * * * *

He was a thin, dark, rather smallish man of fifty, this ship's surgeon, trim in his blue and white uniform. I knew him well: we had made severalflights together. An American--I fancy of Jewish ancestry. A likableman, and a skillful doctor and surgeon. He and I had always been goodfriends. 

"Crowded, " he said. "Johnson says thirty-eight. I hope they'reexperienced travelers. This pressure sickness is a rotten nuisance--keepsme dashing around all night assuring frightened women they're notgoing to die. Last voyage, coming out of the Venus atmosphere--"

He plunged into a lugubrious account of his troubles with space-sickvoyagers. But I was in no mood to listen. My gaze was down on the spiderincline, up which, over the bend of the ship's sleek, silvery body, thepassengers and their friends were coming in little groups. The upperdeck was already jammed with them. 

The Planetara, as flyers go, was not a large vessel. Cylindrical ofbody, forty feet maximum beam, and two hundred and seventy-five feet inoverall length. The passenger superstructure--no more than a hundredfeet long--was set amidships. A narrow deck, metallic-enclosed, and withlarge bulls-eye windows, encircled the superstructure. Some of thecabins opened directly onto the deck. Others had doors to the interiorcorridors. There were half a dozen small but luxurious public rooms. 

 * * * * *

The rest of the vessel was given to freight storage and the mechanismand control compartments. Forward of the passenger structure thedeck level continued under the cylindrical dome-roof to the bow. Theforward watch-tower observatory was here; officers' cabins; CaptainCarter's navigating rooms and Dr. Frank's office. Similarly, underthe stern-dome, was the stern watch-tower and a series of powercompartments. 

Above the superstructure a confusion of spider bridges, ladders andbalconies were laced like a metal network. The turret in which Dr. Frankand I now stood was perched here. Fifty feet away, like a bird's nest, Snap's instrument room stood clinging to the metal bridge. Thedome-roof, with the glassite windows rolled back now, rose in amound-peak to cover this highest middle portion of the vessel. 

Below, in the main hull, blue-lit metal corridors ran the entire lengthof the ship. Freight storage compartments; gravity control rooms; theair renewal systems; heater and ventilators and pressure mechanisms--allwere located there. And the kitchens, stewards' compartments, and theliving quarters of the crew. We carried a crew of sixteen, this voyage, exclusive of the navigating officers, and the purser, Snap Dean, and Dr. Frank. 

 * * * * *

The passengers coming aboard seemed a fair representation of what weusually had for the outward voyage to Ferrok-Shahn. Most were Earthpeople--and returning Martians. Dr. Frank pointed out one. A hugeMartian in a gray cloak. A seven-foot fellow. 

"His name is Set Miko, " Dr. Frank remarked. "Ever heard of him?"

"No, " I said. "Should I?"

"Well--" The doctor suddenly checked himself, as though he were sorry hehad spoken. 

"I never heard of him, " I repeated slowly. 

An awkward silence fell suddenly between us. 

There were a few Venus passengers. I saw one of them presently coming upthe incline, and recognized her. A girl traveling alone. We had broughther from Grebhar, last voyage but one. I remembered her. An alluringsort of girl, as most of them are. Her name was Venza. She spoke Englishwell. A singer and dancer who had been imported to Great-New York tofill some theatrical engagement. She'd made quite a hit on the GreatWhite Way. 

She came up the incline, with the carrier ahead of her. Gazing up, shesaw Dr. Frank and me at the turret window and waved her white arm ingreeting. And flashed us a smile. 

Dr. Frank laughed. "By the gods of the airways, there's Alta Venza! Yousaw that look, Gregg? That was for me, not you. "

"Reasonable enough, " I retorted. "But I doubt it--the Venza was nothingif not impartial. "

 * * * * *

I wondered what could be taking Venza now to Mars. I was glad to seeher. She was diverting. Educated. Well-traveled. Spoke English with acolloquial, theatrical manner more characteristic of Great-New York thanof Venus. And for all her light banter, I would rather put my trust inher than any Venus girl I had ever met. 

The hum of the departing siren was sounding. Friends and relatives ofthe passengers were crowding the exit incline. The deck was clearing. Ihad not seen George Prince come aboard. And then I thought I saw himdown on the landing stage, just arrived from a private tube-car. Asmall, slight figure. The customs men were around him: I could only seehis head and shoulders. Pale, girlishly handsome face; long, black hairto the base of his neck. He was bareheaded, with the hood of histraveling-cloak pushed back. 

I stared, and I saw that Dr. Frank was also gazing down. But neither ofus spoke. 

Then I said upon impulse, "Suppose we go down to the deck, Doctor?"

He acquiesced. We descended to the lower room of the turret andclambered down the spider ladder to the upper deck-level. The head ofthe arriving incline was near us. Preceded by two carriers who werelittered with hand-baggage, George Prince was coming up the incline. Hewas closer now. I recognized him from the type we had seen in Halsey'soffice. 

 * * * * *

And then, with a shock, I saw it was not so. This was a girl comingaboard. An arch-light over the incline showed her clearly when she washalf way up. A girl with her hood pushed back; her face framed in thickblack hair. I saw now it was not a man's cut of hair; but long braidscoiled up under the dangling hood. 

Dr. Frank must have remarked my amazed expression. 

"Little beauty, isn't she?"

"Who is she?"

We were standing back against the wall of the superstructure. Apassenger was near us--the Martian whom Dr. Frank had called Miko. Hewas loitering here, quite evidently watching this girl come aboard. Butas I glanced at him he looked away and casually sauntered off. 

The girl came up and reached the deck. "I am in A 22, " she told thecarrier. "My brother came aboard two hours ago. "

Dr. Frank answered my whisper. "That's Anita Prince. "

She was passing quite close to us on the deck, following the carrier, when she stumbled and very nearly fell. I was nearest to her. I leapedforward and caught her as she went down. 

"Oh!" she cried. 

With my arm about her, I raised her up and set her upon her feet again. She had twisted her ankle. She balanced herself upon it. The pain of iteased up in a moment. 

"I'm--all right--thank you!"

 * * * * *

In the dimness of the blue-lit deck, I met her eyes. I was holding herwith my encircling arm. She was small and soft against me. Her face, framed in the thick, black hair, smiled up at me. Small, ovalface--beautiful--yet firm of chin, and stamped with the mark of its ownindividuality. No empty-headed beauty, this. 

"I'm all right, thank you very much--"

I became conscious that I had not released her. I felt her hands pushingat me. And then it seemed that for an instant she yielded and wasclinging. And I met her startled, upflung gaze. Eyes like a purple nightwith the sheen of misty starlight in them. 

I heard myself murmuring, "I beg your pardon. Yes, of course!" Ireleased her. 

She thanked me again and followed the carrier along the deck. She waslimping slightly from the twisted ankle. 

An instant, while she had clung to me--and I had held her. A brief flashof something, from her eyes to mine--from mine back to hers. The poetswrite that love can be born of such a glance. The first meeting, acrossall the barriers of which love springs unsought, unbidden--defiant, sometimes. And the troubadours of old would sing: "A fleeting glance; atouch; two wildly beating hearts--and love was born. "

I think, with Anita and me, it must have been like that. .. . 

I stood gazing after her, unconscious of Dr. Frank, who was watching mewith his humorous smile. And presently, no more than a quarter beyondthe zero hour, the Planetara got away. With the dome-windows battenedtightly, we lifted from the landing stage and soared over the glowingcity. The phosphorescence of the electronic tubes was like a comet'stail behind us as we slid upward. 

At the trinight hour the heat of our atmospheric passage was over. Thepassengers had all retired. The ship was quiet, with empty decks anddim, silent corridors. Vibrationless, with the electronic engines cutoff and only the hum of the Martel magnetizers to break the unnaturalstillness. We were well beyond the earth's atmosphere, heading out inthe cone-path of the earth's shadow, in the direction of the moon. 

CHAPTER III

_In the Helio-room_

At six A. M. , earth Eastern time, which we were still carrying, SnapDean and I were alone in his instrument room, perched in the networkover the Planetara's deck. The bulge of the dome enclosed us; it roundedlike a great observatory window some twenty feet above the ceiling ofthis little metal cubby-hole. 

The Planetara was still in the earth's shadow. The firmament--blackinterstellar space with its blazing white, red and yellow stars--layspread around us. The moon, with nearly all its disc illumined, hung, agreat silver ball, over our bow quarter. Behind it, to one side, Marsfloated like the red tip of a smoldering cigarillo in the blackness. Theearth, behind our stern, was dimly, redly visible--a giant sphere, etched with the configurations of its oceans and continents. Upon onelimb a touch of the sunlight hung on the mountain-tops with a crescentred-yellow sheen. 

And then we plunged from the cone-shadow. The sun, with the leapingCorona, burst through the blackness behind us. The earth lighted into ahuge, thin crescent with hooked cusps. 

To Snap and me, the glories of the heavens were too familiar to beremarked. And upon this voyage particularly we were in no mood toconsider them. I had been in the helio-room several hours. When thePlanetara started, and my few routine duties were over, I could think ofnothing save Halsey's and Carter's admonition: "Be on your guard. Andparticularly--watch George Prince. "

I had not seen George Prince. But I had seen his sister, whom Carter andHalsey had not bothered to mention. My heart was still pounding with thememory. .. . 

 * * * * *

When the passengers had retired and the ship quieted, I prowled throughthe passenger corridors. This was about the trinight hour. [3] Hot as thecorridors of hell, with our hull and the glassite dome seething with thefriction of our atmospheric flight. But the refrigerators mitigatedthat; the ventilators blasted cold air from the renewers into everycorner of the vessel. Within an hour or two, with the cold of spacestriking us, it was hot air that was needed. 

Dr. Frank evidently was having little trouble with pressure-sickpassengers[4]--the Planetara's equalizers were fairly efficient. I didnot encounter Dr. Frank. I prowled through the silent metal lounges andpassages. I went to the door of A 22. It was on the deck-level, in atiny transverse passage just off the main lounging room. Its name-gridglowed with the letters: "_Anita Prince. _" I stood in my short whitetrousers and white silk shirt, like a cabin steward gawping. AnitaPrince! I had never heard the name until this night. But there was magicmusic in it now, as I murmured it to myself. Anita Prince. .. . 

She was here, doubtless asleep, behind this small metal door. It seemedas though that little oval grid were the gateway to a fairyland of mydreams. 

I turned away. And thought of the Grantline Moon Expedition stabbed atme. George Prince--Anita's brother--he whom I had been told to watch. This renegade--associate of dubious Martians, plotting God knows what. 

 * * * * *

I saw, upon the adjoining door, "A 20, _George Prince_. " I listened. Inthe humming stillness of the ship's interior there was no sound fromthese cabins. A 20 was without windows, I knew. But Anita's room had awindow and a door which gave upon the deck. I went through the lounge, out its arch, and walked the deck length. The deck door and window ofA 22 were closed and dark. 

The ten-foot-wide deck was dim with white starlight from the side ports. Chairs were here, but they were all empty. From the bow windows of thearching dome a flood of moonlight threw long, slanting shadows down thedeck. At the corner where the superstructure ended, I thought I saw afigure lurking as though watching me. I went that way, but it vanished. 

I turned the corner, went the width of the ship to the other side. Therewas no one in sight save the observer on his spider bridge, high in thebow network, and the second officer, on duty on the turret balconyalmost directly over me. 

As I stood and listened, I suddenly heard footsteps. From the directionof the bow a figure came. Purser Johnson. 

He greeted me. "Cooling off, Gregg?"

"Yes, " I said. 

He went past me and turned into the smoking room door nearby. 

I stood a moment at one of the deck windows, gazing at the stars; andfor no reason at all I realized I was tense. Johnson was a great one forhis regular sleep--it was wholly unlike him to be roaming about the shipat such an hour. Had he been watching me? I told myself it was nonsense. I was suspicious of everyone, everything, this voyage. 

 * * * * *

I heard another step. Captain Carter appeared from his chart-room whichstood in the center of the narrowing open deck space near the bow. Ijoined him at once. 

"Who was that?" he half-whispered. 

"Johnson. "

"Oh, yes. " He fumbled in his uniform; his gaze swept the moonlit deck. "Gregg--take this. " He handed me a small metal box. I stuffed it at onceinto my shirt. 

"An insulator, " he added, swiftly. "Snap is in his office. Take it tohim, Gregg. Stay with him--you'll have a measure of security--and youcan help him to make the photographs. " He was barely whispering. "Iwon't be with you--no use making it look as though we were doinganything unusual. If your graphs show anything--or if Snap picks up anymessage--bring it to me. " He added aloud, "Well, it will be cool enoughpresently, Gregg. "

He sauntered away toward his chart-room. 

"By heavens, what a relief!" Snap murmured as the current went on. Wehad wired his cubby with the insulator; within its barrage we could atlast talk with a degree of freedom. 

"You've seen George Prince, Gregg?"

"No. He's assigned A 20. But I saw his sister. Snap, no one evermentioned--"

Snap had heard of her, but he hadn't known that she was listed for thisvoyage. "A real beauty, so I've heard. Accursed shame for a decent girlto have a brother like that. "

I could agree with him there, but I made no comment. 

 * * * * *

It was now 6 A. M. Snap had been busy all night with routine cosmo-radiosfrom the earth, following our departure. He had a pile of them besidehim. Many were for the passengers; but anything that savored of a codewas barred. 

"Nothing queer looking?" I suggested. 

"No. Not a thing. "

We were at this time no more than some sixty-five thousand miles fromthe moon's surface. The Planetara presently would swing upon her directcourse for Mars. There was nothing which could cause passenger commentin this close passing of the moon; normally we used the satellite'sattraction to give us additional starting speed. 

It was now or never that a message would come from Grantline. He wassupposed to be upon this earthward side of the moon. While Snap hadrushed through with his routine, I had searched the moon surface withour glass, as I knew Carter was searching it--and also the observer inhis tower, very possibly. 

But there was nothing. Copernicus and Kepler lay in full sunlight. Theheights of the lunar mountains, the depths of the barren, empty seaswere etched black and white, clear and clean. Grim, forbiddingdesolation, this unchanging moon! In romance, moonlight may shimmer andsparkle to light a lover's smile; but the reality of the moon is coldand bleak. There was nothing to show my prying eyes where the intrepidGrantline might be. 

"Nothing at all, Snap. "

And Snap's helio mirrors, attuned for an hour now to pick up thefaintest signal, were motionless. 

"If he has concentrated any appreciable amount of radio-active ore, "said Snap, "we should get an impulse from its Gamma rays. "

 * * * * *

But our receiving shield was dark, untouched. We tried taking hydrogenphotographic impressions of the visible moon surface. A sequence ofthem, with stereoscopic lenses, forty-eight to the second. Ourmirror-grid gave the magnified images; the spectro-heliograph, with itswave-length selection, pictured the mountain-levels, and slowlydescended into the deepest seas. 

There was nothing. 

Yet in those moon caverns--a million million recesses amid the crags ofthat tumbled, barren surface--the pin-point of movement which might havebeen Grantline's expedition could so easily be hiding! Could he have theore insulated, fearing its Gamma rays would betray its presence tohostile watchers?

Or might disaster have come to him? Or he might not be upon thishemisphere of the moon at all. .. . 

My imagination, sharpened by fancy of a lurking menace which seemedeverywhere about the Planetara this voyage, ran rife with fears forJohnny Grantline. He had promised to communicate this voyage. It wasnow, or perhaps never. 

Six-thirty came and passed. We were well beyond the earth's shadow now. The firmament blazed with its vivid glories; the sun behind us was aball of yellow-red leaping flames. The earth hung, opened to a huge, dull-red half-sphere. 

 * * * * *

We were within some forty thousand miles of the moon. Giant whiteball--all of its disc visible to the naked eye. It poised over the bow, and presently, as the Planetara swung upon her course for Mars, itshifted sidewise. The light of it glared white and dazzling in our tinyside windows. 

Snap, with his habitual red celluloid eyeshade shoved high on hisforehead, worked over our instruments. 

"Gregg!"

The receiving shield was glowing a trifle! Gamma rays were bombardingit! It glowed, gleamed phosphorescent, and the audible recorder begansounding its tiny tinkling murmurs. 

Gamma rays! Snap sprang to the dials. The direction and strength weresoon obvious. A richly radio-active ore body, of considerable size, wasconcentrated upon this hemisphere of the moon! It was unmistakable. 

"He's got it, Gregg! He's--"

The tiny helio mirrors began quivering. Snap exclaimed triumphantly, "Here he comes! By God, the message at last! Bar off that light!"

 * * * * *

I flung on the absorbers. The moonlight bathing the little room wentinto them and darkness sprang around us. Snap fumbled at his instrumentboard. Actinic light showed dimly in the quivering, thumbnail mirrors. Two of them. They hung poised on their cobweb wires, infinitelysensitive to the infra-red light-rays Grantline was sending from themoon. The mirrors in a moment began swinging. On the scale across theroom the actinic beams from them were magnified into sweeps of light. 

The message!

Snap spelled it out, decoded it. 

"_Success! Stop for ore on your return voyage. Will give you ourlocation later. Success beyond wildest hopes--_"

The mirrors hung motionless. The shield, where the Gamma rays werebombarding, went suddenly dark. 

Snap murmured, "That's all. He's got the ore! 'Success beyond wildesthopes. ' That must mean an enormous quantity of it available!"

We were sitting in darkness, and abruptly I became aware that across ouropen window, where the insulation barrage was flung, the air was faintlyhissing. An interference there! I saw a tiny swirl of purple sparks. Someone--some hostile ray from the deck beneath us, or from the spiderbridge that led to our little room--someone out there trying to pryin!

Snap impulsively reached for the absorbers to let in the outsidelight--it was all darkness to us outside. But I checked him. 

"Wait!" I cut off our barrage, opened our door and stepped to the narrowmetal bridge. 

"Wait, Snap! You stay there. " I added aloud, "Well, Snap, I'm going tobed. Glad you've cleaned up that batch of work. "

 * * * * *

I banged the door upon him. The lacework of metal bridges and laddersseemed empty. I gazed up to the dome, and forward and aft. Twenty feetbeneath me was the metal roof of the cabin superstructure. Below it, both sides of the deck showed. All patched with moonlight. 

No one visible down there. I descended a ladder. The deck was empty. Butin the silence something was moving! Footsteps moving away from me downthe deck! I followed; and suddenly I was running. Chasing something Icould hear, but could not see. It turned into the smoking room. 

I burst in. And a real sound smothered the phantom. Johnson the purserwas sitting here alone in the dimness. He was smoking. I noticed thathis cigar held a long, frail ash. It could not have been him I waschasing. He was sitting there quite calmly. A thick-necked, heavyfellow, easily out of breath. But he was breathing calmly now. 

He sat up with amazement at my wild-eyed appearance, and the ash jarredfrom his cigar. 

"Gregg! What in the devil--"

I tried to grin. "I'm on my way to bed--worked all night helping Snapwith those damn Earth messages. "

I went past him, out the door into the main interior corridor. It wasthe only way the invisible prowler could have gone. But I was too latenow--I could hear nothing. I dashed forward into the main lounge. Itwas empty, dim and silent, a silence broken presently by a faintclick--a stateroom door hastily closing. I swung and found myself in atiny transverse passage. The twin doors of A 22 and A 20 were beforeme. 

The invisible eavesdropper had gone into one of these rooms! I listenedat each of the panels, but there was only silence within. 

The interior of the ship was suddenly singing with the steward'ssiren--the call to awaken the passengers. It startled me. I movedswiftly away. But as the siren shut off, in the silence I heard a soft, musical voice:

"Wake up, Anita--I think that's the breakfast call. "

And her answer: "All right, George. I hear it. "

CHAPTER IV

_A Burn on a Martian Arm_

I did not appear at that morning meal. I was exhausted and drugged withlack of sleep. I had a moment with Snap, to tell him what had occurred. Then I sought out Carter. He had his little chart-room insulated. And wewere cautious. I told him what Snap and I had learned: the Gamma raysfrom the moon, proving that Grantline had concentrated a considerableore-body. I also told him the message from Grantline. 

"We'll stop on the way back, as he directs, Gregg. " He bent closer tome. "At Ferrok-Shahn I'm going to bring back a cordon of InterplanetaryPolice. The secret will be out, of course, when once we stop at themoon. We have no right, even now, to be flying this vessel as unguardedas it is. "

He was very solemn. And he was grim when I told him of the invisibleeavesdropper. 

"You think he overheard Grantline's message?"

"I don't know, " I said. 

"Who was it? You seem to feel it was George Prince?"

"Yes. "

I was convinced that the prowler had gone into A 20. When I mentionedthe purser, who seemed to have been watching me earlier in the night, and again was sitting in the smoking room when the eavesdropper fledpast, Carter looked startled. 

"Johnson is all right, Gregg. "

"Is he? Does he know anything about this Grantline affair?"

"No--no, " said the captain hastily. "You haven't mentioned it, haveyou?"

"Of course I haven't. I've been wondering why Johnson didn't hear thateavesdropper. I could hear him when I was chasing him. But Johnson satperfectly unmoved and let him go by. What was he sitting there for, anyway, at that hour of the morning?"

"You're too suspicious, Gregg. Overwrought. But you're right--we can'tbe too careful. I'm going to have that Prince suite searched when Icatch it unoccupied. Passengers don't ordinarily travel with invisiblecloaks. Go to bed, Gregg--you need a rest. "

 * * * * *

I went to my cabin. It was located aft, on the stern deck-space, nearthe stern watch-tower. A small metal room, with a desk, a chair andbunk. I made sure no one was in it. I sealed the lattice grill and thedoor, set the alarm trigger against any opening of them, and went tobed. 

The siren for the mid-day meal awakened me. I had slept heavily. I feltrefreshed. And hungry. 

I found the passengers already assembled at my table when I arrived inthe dining salon. It was a low-vaulted metal room of blue and yellowtube-lights. At the sides its oval windows showed the deck, with itsports of the dome-side, through which a vista of the starry firmamentwas visible. We were well on our course to Mars. The moon had dwindledto a pin-point of light beside the crescent earth. And behind them oursun blazed, visually the largest orb in the heavens. It was somesixty-eight million miles from the earth to Mars, this voyage. A flight, under ordinary circumstances, of some ten days. 

There were five tables in the dining salon, each with eight seats. Snapand I had one of the tables. We sat at the ends, with three passengerson each of the sides. 

Snap was in his seat when I arrived. He eyed me down the length of thetable. 

"Good morning, Gregg. We missed you at breakfast. Not pressure-sick, Ihope?"

There were three passengers already seated at our table--all men. Snap, in a gay mood, introduced me. 

"This is our third officer, Gregg Haljan. Big, handsome fellow, isn'the? And as pleasant as he is good-looking. Gregg, this is Sero ObHahn. "

 * * * * *

I met the keen, dark-eyed somber gaze of a Venus man of middle age. Asmall, slim, graceful man, with sleek black hair. His pointed face, accentuated by the pointed beard, was pallid. He wore a white and purplerobe; upon his breast was a huge platinum ornament, a device like a starand cross entwined. 

"I am happy to meet you, sir. " His voice was soft and sleek. 

"Ob Hahn, " I repeated. "I should have heard of you, no doubt. But--"

A smile plucked at his thin, gray lips. "That is the error of mine, notyours. My mission is that all the universe shall hear of me. "

"He's preaching the religion of the Venus Mystics, " Snap explained. 

"And this enlightened gentleman, " said Ob Hahn ironically, "has justtermed it fetishism. The ignorance--"

"Oh, I say!" protested the man at Ob Hahn's side. "I mean, you seem tothink I intended something opprobrious. As a matter of fact--"

"We've an argument, Gregg, " laughed Snap. "This is Sir Arthur Coniston, an English gentleman, lecturer and sky-trotter--that is, he will be asky-trotter; he tells us he plans a number of voyages. "

The tall Englishman in his white linen suit bowed acknowledgment. "My compliments, Mr. Haljan. I hope you have no strong religiousconvictions, else we will make your table here very miserable!"

 * * * * *

The third passenger had evidently kept out of the argument. Snapintroduced him as Rance Rankin. An American--a quiet, blond fellow ofthirty-five or forty. 

I ordered my breakfast and let the argument go on. 

"Won't make me miserable, " said Snap. "I love an argument. You said, SirArthur?. .. 

"I mean to say, I think I said too much. Mr. Rankin, you are morediplomatic. "

Rankin laughed. "I am a magician, " he said to me. "A theatricalentertainer. I deal in tricks--how to fool an audience--" His keen, amused gaze was on Ob Hahn. "This gentleman from Venus and I have toomuch in common to argue. "

"A nasty one!" the Englishman exclaimed. "By Jove! Really, Mr. Rankin, you're a bit too cruel!"

I could see we were doomed to have turbulent meals this voyage. I liketo eat in quiet; arguing passengers always annoy me. There were stillthree seats vacant at our table; I wondered who would occupy them. Isoon learned the answer--for one seat at least. Rankin said calmly:

"Where is the little Venus girl this meal?" His glance went to the emptyseat at my right hand. "The Venza--wasn't that her name? She and I aredestined for the same theater in Ferrok-Shahn. "

So Venza was to sit beside me. It was good news. Ten days of a religiousargument three times a day would be intolerable. But the cheerful Venzawould help. 

"She never eats the mid-day meal, " said Snap. "She's on the deck, havingorange juice. I guess it's the old gag about diet, eh?"

 * * * * *

My attention wandered about the salon. Most of the seats were occupied. At the captain's table I saw the objects of my search. George Prince andhis sister sat one on each side of the captain. I saw George Prince inthe life now as a man who looked hardly twenty-five. He was at thismoment evidently in a gay mood. His clean-cut, handsome profile, withits poetic dark curls, was turned toward me. There seemed little of thevillain about him. 

And I saw Anita Prince now as a dark-haired, black eyed little beauty, in feature resembling her brother very strongly. She presently finishedher meal. She rose, with him after her. She was dressed in Earthfashion--white blouse and dark jacket, wide, knee-length trousers ofgray, with a red sash her only touch of color. She went past me, flashedme her smile and nod. 

My heart was pounding. I answered her greeting, and met George Prince'scasual gaze. He, too, smiled, as though to signify that his sister hadtold him of the service I had done her. Or was his smile an ironicalmemory of how he had eluded me this morning when I chased him?

I gazed after his small, white-suited figure as he followed Anita fromthe salon. And thinking of her, I prayed that Carter and Halsey might bewrong. Whatever plotting against the Grantline Expedition might be goingon, I hoped that George Prince was innocent of it. Yet I knew in myheart it was a futile hope. Prince had been that eavesdropper outsidethe helio-room. I could not really doubt it. But that his sister must beignorant of what he was doing, I was sure. 

 * * * * *

My attention was brought suddenly back to the reality of our table. Iheard Ob Hahn's silky voice:

"We passed quite close to the moon last night, Mr. Dean. "

"Yes, " said Snap. "We did, didn't we? Always do--it's a technicalproblem of the exigencies of interstellar navigation. Explain it tothem, Gregg--you're an expert. "

I waved it away with a laugh. There was a brief silence. I could nothelp noticing Sir Arthur Coniston's queer look, and I think I have neverseen so keen a glance as Rance Rankin shot at me. Were all these peopleaware of Grantline's treasure on the moon? It suddenly seemed so. Iwished fervently at that instant that the ten days of this voyage wereover and we were safely at Ferrok-Shahn. Captain Carter was absolutelyright. Coming back we would have a cordon of interplanetary policeaboard. 

Sir Arthur broke the awkward silence. "Magnificent sight, the moon, fromso close a viewpoint--though I was too much afraid of pressure-sicknessto be up to see it. "

 * * * * *

I had nearly finished my hasty meal when another incident shocked me. The two other passengers at our table came in and took their seats. AMartian girl and man. The girl had the seat at my left, with the manbeside her. All Martians are tall. This girl was about my ownheight--that is, six feet, two inches. The man was seven feet or more. Both wore the Martian outer robe. The girl flung hers back. Her limbswere encased in pseudo-mail. She looked, as all Martians like to look, avery warlike Amazon. But she was a pretty girl. She smiled at me with akeen-eyed, direct gaze. 

"Mr. Dean said at breakfast that you were big and handsome. You are. "

They were brother and sister, these Martians. Snap introduced them asSet Miko and Setta Moa. [5]

This Miko was, from our Earth standards, a tremendous, brawny giant. Notspindly, like most Martians, this fellow, for all his seven feet ofheight, was almost heavy-set. He wore a plaited leather jerkin beneathhis robe, and knee pants of leather out of which his lower legs showedas gray, hairy pillars of strength. He had come into the salon with aswagger, his sword-ornament clanking. 

"A pleasant voyage so far, " he said to me as he started his meal. Hisvoice had the heavy, throaty rasp characteristic of the Martian. Hespoke perfect English--both Martians and Venus people are by heritageextraordinary linguists. Miko and his sister Moa had a touch of Martianaccent, worn almost away by living for some years in Great-New York. 

The shock to me came within a few minutes. Miko, absorbed in attackinghis meal, inadvertently pushed back his robe to bare his forearm. Aninstant only, then it dropped again to his wrist. But in that instant Ihad seen, upon the gray flesh, a thin sear turned red. A very recentburn--as though a pencil-ray of heat had caught his arm. 

My mind flung back. Only last night in the City Corridor, Snap and I hadbeen followed by a Martian. I had shot at him with the heat-ray; Ithought I had hit him on the arm. Was this the mysterious Martian whohad followed us from Halsey's office?

CHAPTER V

_Venza the Venus Girl_

It was shortly after that mid-day meal when I encountered Venza sittingon the starlit deck. I had been in the bow observatory; taken my routinecastings of our position and worked them out. I was, I think, of thePlanetara's officers the most expert handler of the mathematicalmechanical calculators. The locating of our position and charting thetrajectory of our course was, under ordinary circumstances, about all Ihad to do. And it took only a few minutes each twelve hours. 

I had a moment with Carter in the isolation of his chart-room. 

"This voyage! Gregg, I'm getting like you--too fanciful. We've a normalgroup of passengers, apparently; but I don't like the look of any ofthem. That Ob Hahn, at your table--"

"Snaky-looking fellow, " I commented. "He and the Englishman are great onarguments. Did you have Prince's cabin searched?"

My breath hung on his answer. 

"Yes. Nothing unusual among his things. We searched both his room andhis sister's. "

I did not follow that up. Instead I told him about the burn on Miko'sthick gray arm. 

 * * * * *

He stared. "I wish to the Almighty we were at Ferrok-Shahn. Gregg, to-night when the passengers are asleep, come here to me. Snap will behere, and Dr. Frank. We can trust him. "

"He knows about--about the Grantline treasure?"

"Yes. And so do Balch and Blackstone. "

Balch and Blackstone were our first and second officers. 

"We'll all meet here, Gregg--say about the zero hour. We must take someprecautions. "

He suddenly felt he should say no more now. He dismissed me. 

I found Venza seated alone in a secluded corner of the starlit deck. Aporthole, with the black heavens and the blazing stars, was before her. There was an empty seat nearby. 

"Hola-lo, [6] Gregg! Sit here with me. I have been wondering when youwould come after me. "

I sat down beside her. "What are you doing--going to Mars, Venza? I'mglad to see you. "

"Many thanks. But I am glad to see you, Gregg. So handsome a man. .. . Doyou know, from Venus to the earth and I have no doubt on all of Mars, noman will please me more. "

"Glib tongue, " I laughed. "Born to flatter the male--every girl of yourworld. " And I added seriously, "You don't answer my question? Whattakes you to Mars?"

"Contract. By the stars, what else? Of course, a chance to make a voyagewith you--"

"Don't be silly, Venza. "

 * * * * *

I enjoyed her. I gazed at her small, slim figure gracefully reclining inthe deck chair. Her long, gray robe parted--by design, I have nodoubt--to display her shapely, satin-sheathed legs. Her black hair wascoiled in a heavy knot at the back of her neck; her carmined lips wereparted with a mocking, alluring smile. The exotic perfume of herenveloped me. 

She glanced at me sidewise from beneath her sweeping black lashes. 

"Be serious, " I added. 

"I am serious. Sober. Intoxicated by you, but sober. "

I said, "What sort of a contract?"

"A theater in Ferrok-Shahn. Good money, Gregg. I'm to be there a year. "She sat up to face me. "There's a fellow here on the Planetara, RanceRankin, he calls himself. At our table--a big, good-looking blondAmerican. He says he is a magician. Ever hear of him?"

"That's what he told me. No, I never heard of him. "

"Nor did I. And I thought I had heard of everyone of any importance. Heis listed for the same theater where I'm going. Nice sort of fellow. "She paused, and added suddenly, "If he's a professional entertainer, I'ma motor-oiler. "

 * * * * *

It startled me. "Why do you say that?"

Instinctively my gaze swept the deck. An Earth woman and child and asmall Venus man were in sight, but not within earshot. 

"Why do you look so furtive?" she retorted. "Gregg, there's somethingstrange about this voyage. I'm no fool, nor you, and you know it as wellas I do. "

"Rance Rankin--" I prompted. 

She leaned closer toward me. "He could fool you. But not me--I've knowntoo many real magicians. " She grinned. "I challenged him to trick me. You should have seen him trying to evade!"

"Do you know Ob Hahn?" I interrupted. 

She shook her head. "Never heard of him. But he told me plenty atbreakfast. By Satan, what a flow of words that devil-driver can muster!He and the Englishman don't mesh very well, do they?"

She stared at me. I had not answered her grin; my mind was too busy withqueer fancies. Halsey's words: "Things are not always what they seem--"Were these passengers masqueraders? Put here by George Prince? And thenI thought of Miko the Martian, and the burn upon his arm. 

"Come back, Gregg! Don't go wandering off like that!" She dropped hervoice to a whisper. "I'll be serious. I want to know what in the hell isgoing on aboard this ship. I'm a woman, and I'm curious. You tell me. "

 * * * * *

"What do you mean?" I parried. 

"I mean a lot of things. What we've just been talking about. And whatwas the excitement you were in just before breakfast this morning?"

"Excitement?"

"Gregg, you may trust me. " For the first time she was wholly serious. Her gaze made sure no one was within hearing. She put her hand on myarm. I could barely hear her whisper: "I know they might have a ray uponus--I'll be careful. "

"They?"

"Anyone. Something's going on. You know it--you are in it. I saw youthis morning, Gregg. Wild-eyed, chasing a phantom--"

"You?"

"And I heard the phantom! A man's footsteps. A magnetic reflectinginvisible cloak. You couldn't fool an audience with that--it's toocommonplace. If Rance Rankin tried--"

I gripped her. "Don't ramble, Venza! You saw me?"

"Yes. My stateroom door was open. I was sitting with a cigarillo. I sawthe purser in the smoking room. He was visible from--"

"Wait! Venza, that prowler went through the smoking room!"

"I know he did. I could hear him. "

"Did the purser hear him?"

"Of course. The purser looked up, followed the sound with his gaze. Ithought that was queer. He never made a move. And then you came alongand he acted innocent. Why? What's going on, that's what I want toknow!"

 * * * * *

I held my breath. "Venza, where did the prowler run to? Can you--"

She whispered calmly, "Into A 20. I saw the door open and close--I eventhink I could see the blurred outline of him. Those magnetic cloaks!"She added, "Why should George Prince be sneaking around with you afterhim? And the purser acting innocent? And who is this George Prince, anyway?"

The huge Martian, Miko, with his sister Moa came strolling along thedeck. They nodded as they passed us. 

I whispered, "I can't explain anything now. But you're right, Venza:there is something going on. Listen! Whatever you learn--anything youencounter which looks unusual--will you tell me? I--well, I do trustyou--really I do!--but the thing isn't mine to tell. "

The somber pools of her eyes were shining. "You are very lovable, Gregg. I won't question you. " She was trembling with excitement. "Whatever itis, I want to be in it. Here's something I can tell you now. We've twohigh-class gold-leaf gamblers aboard. Did you know that?"

"No. Who are--"

"Shac and Dud Ardley. Let me state every detective in Great-New Yorkknows them. They had a wonderful game with that Englishman, Sir ArthurConiston, this morning. Stripped him of half a pound of eight-inchleaves--a neat little stack. A crooked game, of course. Those fellowsare more nimble-fingered than Rance Rankin ever dared to be!"

 * * * * *

I sat staring at her. She was a mine of information, this girl. 

"And Gregg, I tried my charms on Shac and Dud. Nice men, but dumb. Whatever's going on, they're not in it. They wanted to know what kind ofa ship this was. Why? Because Shac has a cute little eavesdroppingmicrophone of his own. He had it working in the night last night. Heoverheard George Prince and that big giant Miko arguing about themoon!"

I gasped. "Venza, softer!"

Against all propriety of this public deck she pretended to drape herselfupon me. Her hair smothered my face as her lips almost touched my ear. 

"Something about treasure on the moon--Shac couldn't understand what. And they mentioned you. He didn't hear what they said because the purserjoined them. " Her whispered words tumbled over one another. "A hundredpounds of gold leaf--that's the purser's price. He's with them, whateverit is. He promised to do something for them. "

She stopped. "Well?" I prompted. 

"That's all. Shac's current was interrupted. "

"Tell him to try it again, Venza! I'll talk with him. No! I'd better lethim alone. Can you get him to keep his mouth shut?"

"I think he might do anything I told him. He's a man. "

"Find out what you can. "

She sat away from me suddenly. "There's Anita and George Prince. "

 * * * * *

They came to the corner of the deck, but turned back. Venza caught mylook. And understood it. 

"So you love Anita Prince so much as that, Gregg?" Venza was smiling. "Iwish you--I wish some man handsome as you would gaze after me likethat. "

She turned solemn. "You may be interested to know that she loves you. Icould see it. I knew it when I mentioned you to her this morning. "

"Me? Why, we've hardly spoken!"

"Is it necessary? I never heard that it was. "

I could not see Venza's face; she stood up suddenly. And when I rosebeside her, she whispered, "We should not be seen talking so long. I'll find out what I can. "

I stared after her slight robed figure as she turned into the loungearchway and vanished. 

CHAPTER VI

_A Traitor, and a Passing Asteroid_

Captain Carter was grim. "So they've bought him off, have they? Go bringhim in here, Gregg. We'll have it out with him now. "

Snap, Dr. Frank, Balch, our first officer, and I were in the captain'schart-room. It was 4 P. M. --our Earth starting time. We were sixteenhours upon our voyage. 

I found Johnson in his office in the lounge. "Captain wants to see you. Close up. "

He closed his window upon an American woman passenger who was demandingdetails of Martian currency, and followed me forward. "What is it, Gregg?"

"I don't know. "

Captain Carter banged the slide upon us. The chart-room was insulated. The hum of the current was obvious. Johnson noticed it. He started atthe hostile faces of the surgeon and Balch. And he tried to bluster. 

"What is this? Something wrong?"

Carter wasted no words. "We have information, Johnson--there's someunder cover plot here aboard. I want to know what it is. Suppose youtell us frankly. "

 * * * * *

The purser looked blank. "What do you mean? We've gamblers aboard, ifthat's--"

"To hell with that, " growled Balch. "You had a secret interview withthat Martian, Set Miko, and with George Prince!"

Johnson scowled from under his heavy brows, and then raised them insurprise. 

"Did I? You mean changing their money? I don't like your tone, Balch. I'm not your under-officer!"

"But you're under me, " roared the captain. "By God, I'm master here!"

"Well, I'm not disputing that, " said the purser mildly. "This fellowBalch--"

"We're in no mood for argument, " Dr. Frank cut in. "Clouding theissue. "

"I won't let it be clouded, " the captain exclaimed. I had never seenCarter so choleric. He was evidently under a tremendous strain. Headded, "Johnson, you've been acting suspiciously. I don't give a damn whetherI've proof of it or not--I say it. Did you, or did you not meet GeorgePrince and that Martian last night?"

"No, I did not. And I don't mind telling you, Captain Carter, that yourtone also is offensive!"

"Is it?" Carter suddenly seized him. They were both big men. Johnson'sheavy face went purplish red. 

"Take your hands!--" They were struggling. Carter's hands were fumblingat the purser's pockets. I leaped, flung an arm around Johnson's neck, pinning him. 

"Easy there! We've got you, Johnson!"

 * * * * *

Snap tried to help me. "Go on, bang him on the head, Gregg. Now's yourchance!"

We searched him. A heat-ray cylinder--that was legitimate. But we founda small battery and eavesdropping microphone similar to the one Venzahad mentioned that Shac the gambler was carrying. 

"What are you doing with that?" the captain demanded. 

"None of your business! Is it criminal? Carter, I'll have the Lineofficials dismiss you for this! Take your hands off me, all of you!"

"Look at this!" exclaimed Dr. Frank. 

From Johnson's breast pocket the surgeon drew a folded document. It wasthe scale drawing of the Planetara's interior corridors, the lowercontrol rooms and mechanisms. It was always kept in Johnson's safe. Andwith it, another document: the ship's clearance papers--the secret codepass-words for this voyage, to be used if we should be challenged by anyinterplanetary police ship. 

Snap gasped. "My God, that was in my helio-room strong box! I'm the onlyone on this vessel except the captain who's entitled to know thosepass-words!"

Out of the silence, Balch demanded, "Well, what about it, Johnson?"

The purser was still defiant. "I won't answer your questions, Balch. Atthe proper time, I'll explain--Gregg Haljan, you're choking me!"

 * * * * *

I eased up. But I shook him. "You'd better talk. "

He was exasperatingly silent. 

"Enough!" exploded Carter. "He can explain when we get to port. Meanwhile I'll put him where he'll do no more damage. Gregg, lock him inthe cage. "

We ignored his violent protestations. The cage--in the old days ofsea-vessels on Earth, they called it the brig--was the ship's jail. Asteel-lined, windowless room located under the deck in the peak of thebow. I dragged the struggling Johnson there, with the amazed watcherlooking down from the observatory window at our lunging, starlit forms. 

"Shut up, Johnson! If you know what's good for you--"

He was making a fearful commotion. Behind us, where the deck narrowed atthe superstructure, half a dozen passengers were gazing in surprise. 

"I'll have you thrown out of the Service, Gregg Haljan!"

I shut him up finally. And flung him down the ladder into the cage andsealed the deck trap-door upon him. I was headed back for the chart-roomwhen from the observatory came the lookout's voice. 

"An asteroid, Haljan! Officer Blackstone wants you. "

I hurried to the turret bridge. An asteroid was in sight. We hadattained nearly our maximum speed now. An asteroid was approaching, sodangerously close that our trajectory would have to be altered. I heardBlackstone's signals ringing in the control rooms; and met Carter as heran to the bridge with me. 

"That scoundrel! We'll get more out of him, Gregg. By God, I'll put thechemicals on him--torture him, illegal or not!"

 * * * * *

We had no time for further discussion. The asteroid was rapidlyapproaching. Already, under the glass, it was a magnificent sight. I hadnever seen this tiny world before--asteroids are not numerous betweenthe Earth and Mars, or in toward Venus. I never expected to see this oneagain. How little of the future can we humans fathom, for all ourscience! If I could only have looked into the future, even for a fewshort hours! How different then would have been the outcome of thistragic voyage!

The asteroid came rushing at us. Its orbital velocity, I later computed, was some twenty-two miles a second. Our own, at the present maximum, wasa fraction over seventy-seven. The asteroid had for some time been underobservation by the lookout. He gave his warning only when it seemed thatour trajectory should be altered to avoid a dangerously close passing. 

At the combined speeds of nearly a hundred miles a second the asteroidswept into view. With the naked eye, at first it was a tiny speck ofstar-dust, unnoticed in the gem-strewn black velvet of Space. A speck. Then a gleaming dot, silver white, with the light of our Sun upon it. 

Five minutes. The dot grew to a disc. Expanding. A full moon, silver-white. Brightest world in the firmament--the light from it bathedthe Planetara, illumined the deck, painting everything with silver. 

I stood with Carter and Blackstone on the turret bridge. It was obviousthat unless we altered our course, the asteroid would pass too close forsafety. Already we were feeling its attraction; from the control roomscame the report that our trajectory was disturbed by this new mass sonear. 

"Better make your calculations now, Gregg, " Blackstone suggested. 

 * * * * *

I cast up the rough elements from the observational instruments in theturret. It took me some ten or fifteen minutes. When I had us upon ournew course, with the attractive and repulsive plates in the Planetara'shull set in their altered combinations, I went out to the bridge again. 

The asteroid hung over our bow quarter. No more than twenty or thirtythousand miles away. A giant ball now, filling all that quadrant of theheavens. The configurations of its mountains--its land and waterareas--were plainly visible. Its axial rotation was apparent. 

"Perfectly habitable, " Blackstone said. "But I've searched all over thishemisphere with the glass. No sign of human life--certainly nothingcivilized--nothing in the fashion of cities. "

A fair little world, by the look of it. A tiny globe: Blackstone hadfigured it at some eight hundred miles in diameter. There seemed anormal atmosphere. We could see areas where the surface was obscured byclouds. And oceans, and land masses. Polar icecaps. Lush vegetation atits equator. 

Blackstone had roughly cast its orbital elements. A narrow ellipse. Nowonder we had never encountered this fair little world before. It hadcome from the outer region beyond Neptune. At perihelion it would reachinside Mercury, round the Sun, and head outward again. 

 * * * * *

We swept past the asteroid at a distance of some six thousand miles. Close enough, in very truth--a minute of flight at our combined speedstotaling a hundred miles a second. I had descended to the passengerdeck, where I stood alone at a window, gazing. 

The passengers were all gathered to view the passing little world. Isaw, not far from me, Anita, standing with her brother; and the giantfigure of Miko with them. 

Half an hour since, first with the naked eye, this wandering littleworld had shown itself; it swam slowly past, began to dwindle behind us. A huge half moon. A thinner, smaller quadrant. A tiny crescent, like asilver bar-pin to adorn some lady's breast. And then it was a dot, apoint of light indistinguishable among the myriad others hovering inthis great black void. 

The incident of the passing of the asteroid was over. I turned from thedeck window. My heart leaped. The moment for which all day I had beensubconsciously longing was at hand. Anita was sitting in a deck chair, momentarily alone. Her gaze was on me as I looked her way, and shesmiled an invitation for me to join her. 

CHAPTER VII

_Unspoken Love_

Unspoken love! I think if I had yielded to the impulse of my heart, Iwould have poured out all those protestations of a lover's ecstasy, incongruous here upon this starlit public deck, to a girl I hardly knew. I think, too, she might have received them with a tender acquiescence. The starlight was mirrored in her dark eyes. Misty eyes, with greatreaches of unfathomable space in their depths. Yet I felt theirtenderness. 

Unfathomable strangeness of love! Who am I to write of it, with all thepoets of all the ages striving to express the unexpressible? A bond, strangely fashioned by nature, between me and this little dark-hairedEarth beauty. As though marked by the stars we were destined to belovers. .. . 

Thus ran the romance of my unspoken thoughts. But I was sitting quietlyin the deck chair, striving to regard her gentle beauty impersonally. And saying:

"But Miss Prince, why are you and your brother going to Ferrok-Shahn?His business--"

Even as I voiced it, I hated myself for such a question. So nimble isthe human mind that mingled with my rhapsodies of love was my need forinformation of George Prince. .. . 

"Oh, " she said, "this is pleasure, not business, for George. " It seemedto me that a shadow crossed her expressive face. But it was gone in aninstant, and she smiled. "We have always wanted to travel. We are alonein the world, you know--our parents died when we were children. "

 * * * * *

I filled in her pause. "You will like Mars--so many interesting thingsto see. "

She nodded. "Yes, I understand so. Our Earth is so much the same allover, cast all in one mould. "

"But a hundred or two hundred years ago it was not, Miss Prince. I haveread how the picturesque Orient, differing from--well, Great-New York, or London, for instance--"

"Transportation did that, " she interrupted eagerly. "Made everything thesame--the people all look alike--dress alike. "

We discussed it. She had an alert, eager mind, childlike with itscuriosity, yet strangely matured. And her manner was naïvely earnest. Yet this was no clinging vine, this little Anita Prince. There was afirmness, a hint of masculine strength in her chin, and in her manner. 

"If I were a man, what wonders I could achieve in this marvelous age!"Her sense of humor made her laugh at herself. "Easy for a girl to saythat, " she added. 

"You have greater wonders to achieve, Miss Prince, " I said impulsively. 

"Yes? What are they?" She had a very frank and level gaze, devoid ofcoquetry. 

My heart was pounding. "The wonders of the next generation. A littleson, cast in your own gentle image--"

What madness, this clumsy brash talk! I choked it off. 

 * * * * *

But she took no offense. The dark rose-petals of her cheeks were mantleddeeper red, but she laughed. 

"That is true. " She turned abruptly serious. "I should not laugh. Thewonders of the next generation--conquering humans marching on. .. . " Hervoice trailed away. My hand went to her arm. Strange tingling somethingwhich poets call love! It burned and surged from my trembling fingersinto the flesh of her forearm. 

The starlight glowed in her eyes. She seemed to be gazing, not at thesilver-lit deck, but away into distant reaches of the future. And shemurmured:

"A little son, cast in my own gentle image. But with the strength of hisfather. .. . "

Our moment. Just a breathless moment given us as we sat there with myhand burning her arm, as though we both might be seeing ourselves joinedin a new individual--a little son, cast in his mother's gentle image andwith the strength of his father. Our moment, and then it was over. Astep sounded. I sat back. The giant gray figure of Miko came past, hisgreat cloak swaying, with his clanking sword-ornament beneath it. Hisbullet head, with its close-clipped hair, was hatless. He gazed at us, swaggered past, and turned the deck corner. 

Our moment was gone. Anita said conventionally, "It has been pleasant totalk with you, Mr. Haljan. "

"But we'll have many more, " I said. "Ten days--"

"You think we'll reach Ferrok-Shahn on schedule?"

"Yes. I think so. .. . As I was saying, Miss Prince, you'll enjoy Mars. Astrange, aggressively forward-looking people. "

 * * * * *

An oppression seemed on her. She stirred in her chair. 

"Yes, they are, " she said vaguely. "My brother and I know many Martiansin Great-New York. " She checked herself abruptly. Was she sorry she hadsaid that? It seemed so. 

Miko was coming back. He stopped this time before us. 

"Your brother would see you, Anita. He sent me to bring you to hisroom. "

The glance he shot me had a touch of insolence. I stood up, and hetowered a head over me. 

Anita said, "Oh yes. I'll come. "

I bowed. "I will see you again, Miss Prince. I thank you for a pleasanthalf-hour. "

The Martian led her away. Her little figure was like a child with agiant. It seemed, as they passed the length of the deck with me staringafter them, that he took her arm roughly. And that she shrank from himin fear. 

And they did not go inside. As though to show me that he had merelytaken her from me, he stopped at a distant deck window and stood talkingto her. Once he picked her up as one would pick up a child to show itsome distant object through the window. 

"A little son with the strength of his father. .. . " Her words echoed inmy mind. Was Anita afraid of this Martian's wooing? Yet held to him bysome power he might have over her brother? The vagrant thought struckme. 

Was it that?

CHAPTER VIII

_A Scream in the Night_

We kept, on the Planetara, always the time and routine of our port ofdeparture. The rest of that afternoon and evening were a blank ofconfusion to me. Anita's words; the touch of my hand upon her arm; thatvast realm of what might be for us, like a glimpse of a magic land ofhappiness which I had seen in her eyes, and perhaps she had seen inmine--all this surged within me. 

I wandered about the vessel. I was not hungry. I did not go to thedining salon for dinner. I carried Johnson food and water to his cage;and sat, with my heat-cylinder upon him, listening to his threats ofwhat would happen when he could complain to the Line's higherofficials. 

But what was Johnson doing carrying a plan of the ship's control roomsin his pockets? And worse: How had he dared open Snap's box in thehelio-room and abstract the code pass-words for this voyage? Withoutthem we would be an outlawed vessel, subject to arrest if any patrolhailed us. Had Johnson been planning to sell those pass-words to Miko? Ithought so. I tried to get the confession out of him, but could not. 

I had a brief consultation with Captain Carter. He was genuinelyapprehensive now. The Planetara carried no long-range guns, and very fewside-arms. A half-dozen of the heat-ray hand projectors; a fewold-fashioned weapons of explosion-rifles and automatic revolvers. Andhand projectors with the new Benson curve-light. We had models of thisfor curved vision, so that one might see around a corner, so to speak. And with them, we could project the heat-ray in a curve as well. 

 * * * * *

The weapons were all in Carter's chart-room, save the few we officersalways carried. Carter was apprehensive, but of what he could not say. He had not thought that our plan to stop at the Moon for treasure couldaffect this outward voyage. Any danger would be upon the way back, whenthe Planetara would be adequately guarded with long-range electronicguns, and manned with police-soldiers. 

But now we were practically defenseless. .. . 

I had a moment with Venza, but she had nothing new to communicate tome. 

And for half an hour I chatted with George Prince. He seemed a gay, pleasant young man. I could almost have fancied I liked him. Or was itbecause he was Anita's brother? He told me how he looked forward totraveling with her on Mars. No, he had never been there before, hesaid. 

He had a measure of Anita's earnest naïve personality. Or was he a veryclever scoundrel, with irony lurking in his soft voice, and a chucklethat he could so befool me?

"We'll talk again, Haljan. You interest me--I've enjoyed it. "

He sauntered away from me, joining the saturnine Ob Hahn, with whompresently I heard him discussing religion. 

The arrest of Johnson had caused considerable comment among thepassengers. A few had seen me drag him forward to the cage. The incidenthad been the subject of passenger discussion all afternoon. CaptainCarter had posted a notice to the effect that Johnson's accounts hadbeen found in serious error, and that Dr. Frank for this voyage wouldact in his stead. 

 * * * * *

It was near midnight when Snap and I closed and sealed the helio-roomand started for the chart-room, where we were to meet with CaptainCarter and the other officers. The passengers had nearly all retired. Agame was in progress in the smoking room, but the deck was almostdeserted. 

Snap and I were passing along one of the interior corridors. Thestateroom doors, with the illumined names of the passengers, were allclosed. The metal grid of the floor echoed our footsteps. Snap was inadvance of me. His body suddenly rose in the air. He went like a balloonto the ceiling, struck it gently, and all in a heap came floating downand landed on the floor!

"What in the infernal!--"

He was laughing as he picked himself up. But it was a brief laugh. Weknew what had happened: the artificial gravity-controls in the base ofthe ship, which by magnetic force gave us normality aboard, were beingtampered with! For just this instant, this particular small section ofthis corridor had been cut off. The slight bulk of the Planetara, floating in space, had no appreciable gravity pull on Snap's body, andthe impulse of his step as he came to the unmagnetized area of thecorridor had thrown him to the ceiling. The area was normal now. Snapand I tested it gingerly. 

He gripped me. "That never went wrong by accident, Gregg! Someone downthere--"

 * * * * *

We rushed to the nearest descending ladder. In the deserted lower roomthe bank of dials stood neglected. A score of dials and switches werehere, governing the magnetism of different areas of the ship. Thereshould have been a night operator, but he was gone. 

Then we saw him lying nearby, sprawled face down on the floor! In thesilence and dim lurid glow of the fluorescent tubes, we stood holdingour breaths, peering and listening. No one here. 

The guard was not dead. He lay unconscious from a blow on the head. Abrawny fellow. We had him revived in a few moments. A broadcast flash ofthe call-buzz brought Dr. Frank in haste from the chart-room. 

"What's the matter?"

We pointed at the unconscious man. "Someone was here, " I said hastily. "Experimenting with the magnetic switches. Evidently unfamiliar withthem--pulling one or another to test their workings and so see thereactions on the dials. "

We told him what had happened to Snap in the upper corridor. 

Dr. Frank revived the guard in a moment. He was no worse off for theepisode, save a lump on his head, and a nasty headache. 

But he had little to tell us. He had heard a step. Saw nothing--andthen had been struck on the head, by some invisible assailant. 

 * * * * *

We left him nursing his head, sitting belligerent at his post. Armed nowwith my heat-ray cylinder which I loaned him. 

"Strange doings this voyage, " he told us. "All the crew knows it--allbeen talkin' about it. I stick it out now, but when we get back home I'mdone with this star travelin'. I belong on the sea anyway. A good oldfreighter is all right for me. "

We hurried back to the upper level. We would indeed have to plansomething at this chart-room conference. This was the first tangibleattack our adversaries had made. 

We were on the passenger deck headed for the chart-room when all threeof us stopped short, frozen with horror. Through the silent passengerquarters a scream rang out! A girl's shuddering, gasping scream. Terrorin it. Horror. Or a scream of agony. In the silence of the dullyvibrating ship it was utterly horrible. It lasted an instant--a singlelong scream; then was abruptly stilled. 

And with blood pounding my temples and rushing like ice through myveins, I recognized it. 

Anita!

CHAPTER IX

_The Murder in A 22_

"Good God, what was that?" Dr. Frank's face had gone white in thestarlight. Snap stood like a statue of horror. 

The deck here was patched as always, silver radiance from the deckports. The empty deck chairs stood about. The scream was stilled, butnow we heard a commotion inside--the rasp of opening cabin doors;questions from frightened passengers; the scurry of feet. 

I found my voice. "Anita! Anita Prince!"

"Come on!" shouted Snap. "Was it the Prince girl? I thought so too! Inher stateroom, A 22!" He was dashing for the lounge archway. 

Dr. Frank and I followed. I realized that we passed the deck door andwindow of A 22. But they were dark, and evidently sealed on the inside. The dim lounge was in a turmoil; passengers standing at their cabindoors. I heard Sir Arthur Coniston:

"I say, what was that?"

"Over there, " said another man. "Come back inside, Martha. " He shovedhis wife back. "Mr. Haljan!" He plucked at me as I went past. 

I shouted, "Go back to your rooms! We want order here--keep back!"

We came to the twin doors of A 22 and A 20. Both were closed. Dr. Frankwas in advance of Snap and me. He paused at the sound of CaptainCarter's voice behind us. 

"Was it from in there? Wait a moment!"

Carter dashed up; he had a large heat-ray projector in his hand. Heshoved us aside. "Let me in first. Is the door sealed? Gregg, keep thosepassengers back!"

 * * * * *

The door was not sealed. Carter burst into the room. I heard him gasp, "Good God!"

Snap and I shoved back three or four crowding passengers, and in thatinstant Dr. Frank had been in the room and out again. 

"There's been an accident! Get back, Gregg! Snap, help him keep thecrowd away. " He shoved me forcibly. 

From within, Carter was shouting, "Keep them out! Where are you, Frank?Come back here! Send a flash for Balch--I want Balch!"

Dr. Frank went back into the room and banged the cabin door upon Snapand me. I was unarmed--I had loaned my cylinder to the guard in thelower corridor. Weapon in hand, Snap forced the panic-strickenpassengers back to their rooms. 

"It's all right! An accident! Miss Prince is hurt. "

Snap reassured them glibly; but he knew no more about it than I. Moa, with a night-robe drawn tight around her thin, tall figure, edged up tome. 

"What has happened, Set Haljan?"

I gazed around for her brother Miko, but did not see him. 

"An accident, " I said shortly. "Go back to your room. Captain'sorders. "

She eyed me and then retreated. Snap was threatening everybody with hiscylinder. Balch dashed up. "What in the hell? Where's Carter?"

"In there. " I pounded on A 22. It opened cautiously. I could see onlyCarter, but I heard the murmuring voice of Dr. Frank through theinterior connecting door to A 20. 

 * * * * *

The captain rasped, "Get out, Haljan! Oh, is that you, Balch? Come in. "He admitted the older officer and slammed the door again upon me. Andimmediately reopened it. 

"Gregg, keep the passengers quiet. Tell them everything's all right. Miss Prince got frightened, that's all. Then go up to the turret. TellBlackstone what's happened. "

"But I don't know what's happened, " I protested miserably. 

Carter was grim and white. He whispered, "I think it may turn out to bemurder, Gregg! No, not dead yet--Dr. Frank is trying--Don't stand therelike an ass, man! Get to the turret! Verify our trajectory--no--wait--"

The captain was almost incoherent. "Wait a minute, I don't mean that!Tell Snap to watch his helio-room. Gregg, you and Blackstone stay in thechart-room. Arm yourselves and guard our weapons. By God, this murderer, whoever he is--"

I stammered, "If--if she dies--will you flash us word?"

He stared at me strangely. "I'll be there presently, Gregg. "

He slammed the door upon me. 

I followed his orders, but it was like a dream of horror. The turmoil ofthe ship gradually quieted. Snap went to the helio-room; Blackstone andI sat in the tiny steel chart-room. How much time passed, I do notknow. I was confused. Anita hurt! She might die. .. . Murdered. .. . Butwhy? By whom? Had George Prince been in his own room when the attackcame? I thought now I recalled hearing the low murmur of his voice inthere with Dr. Frank and Carter. 

Where was Miko? It stabbed at me. I had not seen him among thepassengers in the lounge. 

 * * * * *

Carter came into the chart-room. "Gregg, you get to bed--you look like aghost!"

"But--"

"She's not dead--she may live. Dr. Frank and her brother are with her. They're doing all they can. " He told us what had happened. Anita andGeorge Prince had both been asleep, each in their respective rooms. Someone unknown had opened Anita's corridor door. 

"Wasn't it sealed?" I demanded. 

"Yes. But the intruder opened it. "

"Burst it? I didn't think it was broken. "

"It wasn't broken. The assailant opened it somehow, and assaulted MissPrince--shot her in the chest with a heat-ray. Her left lung. "

"She is conscious?" Balch demanded. 

"Yes. But she did not see who did it. Nor did Prince. Her screamawakened him, but the intruder evidently fled out the corridor door ofA 22, the way he entered. "

I stood weak and shaken at the chart-room entrance. "A little son, castin the gentle image of his mother. But with the strength of hisfather. .. . " But Anita--dying, perhaps; and all my dreams were fadinginto a memory of what might have been. 

"You go to bed, Gregg--we don't need you. "

I was glad enough to get away. I would lie down for an hour, and then goto Anita's stateroom. I'd demand that Dr. Frank let me see her, if onlyfor a moment. 

 * * * * *

I went to the stern deck-space where my cubby was located. My mind wasconfused, but some instinct within me made me verify the seals of mydoor and window. They were intact. I entered cautiously, switched on thedimmer of the tube-lights, and searched the room. It had only a bunk, mytiny desk, a chair and clothes robe. 

There was no evidence of any intruder here. I set my door and windowalarm. Then I audiphoned to the helio-room. 

"Snap?"

"Yes. "

I told him about Anita. Carter cut in on us from the chart-room. "Stopthat, you fools!"

We cut off. Fully dressed, I flung myself on my bed. Anita mightdie. .. . 

I must have fallen into a tortured sleep. I was awakened by the sound ofmy alarm buzzer. Someone was tampering with my door! Then the buzzerceased; the marauder outside must have found a way of silencing it. Butit had done its work--awakened me. 

I had switched off the light; my cubby was Stygian dark. A heat-cylinderwas in the bunk-bracket over my head; I searched for it, pried it loosesoftly. 

I was fully awake. Alert. I could hear a faint sizzling--someone outsidetrying to unseal the door. In the darkness, cylinder in hand, I creptfrom the bunk. Crouched at the door. This time I would capture or killthis night prowler. 

 * * * * *

The sizzling was faintly audible. My door-seal was breaking. Uponimpulse I reached for the door, jerked it open. 

No one there! The starlit segment of deck was empty. But I had leaped, and I struck a solid body, crouching in the doorway. A giant man. Miko!

His electronized metallic robe burned my hands. I lunged against him--Iwas almost as surprised as he. I shot, but the stab of heat evidentlymissed him. 

The shock of my encounter close-circuited his robe; he materialized inthe starlight. A brief, savage encounter. He struck the weapon from myhand. He had dropped his hydrogen torch, and tried to grip me. But Itwisted away from his hold. 

"So it's you!"

"Be quiet, Gregg Haljan! I only want to talk. "

Without warning, a stab of radiance shot from a weapon in his hand. Itcaught me. Ran like ice through my veins. Seized and numbed my limbs. 

I fell helpless to the deck. Nerves and muscles paralyzed. My tongue wasthick and inert. I could not speak, nor move. But I could see Mikobending over me. And hear him:

"I don't want to kill you, Haljan. We need you. "

He gathered me up like a bundle in his huge arms; carried me swiftlyacross the deserted deck. 

Snap's helio-room in the network under the dome was diagonally overhead. A white actinic light shot from it--caught us, bathed us. Snap had beenawake; had heard the slight commotion of our encounter. 

His voice rang shrilly: "Stop! I'll shoot!" His warning siren rang outto arouse the ship. His spotlight clung to us. 

Miko ran with me a few steps. Then he cursed and dropped me, fled away. I fell like a sack of carbide to the deck. My senses faded intoblackness. .. . 

 * * * * *

"He's all right now. "

I was in the chart-room, with Captain Carter, Snap and Dr. Frank bendingover me. The surgeon said, "Can you speak now, Gregg?"

I tried it. My tongue was thick, but it would move. "Yes. "

I was soon revived. I sat up, with Dr. Frank vigorously rubbing me. 

"I'm all right. " I told them what had happened. 

Captain Carter said abruptly, "Yes, we know that. And it was Miko alsowho killed Anita Prince. She told us before she died. "

"Died!. .. " I leaped to my feet. "She . .. Died. .. . "

"Yes, Gregg. An hour ago, Miko got into her stateroom and tried to forcehis love on her. She repulsed him--he killed her. "

It struck me blank. And then with a rush came the thought, "He says Mikokilled her. .. . "

I heard myself stammering, "Why--why we must get him!" I gathered mywits; a surge of hate swept me; a wild desire for vengeance. 

"Why, by God, where is he? Why don't you go get him? I'll get him--I'llkill him, I tell you!"

"Easy, Gregg!" Dr. Frank gripped me. 

The captain said gently, "We know how you feel, Gregg. She told usbefore she died. "

"I'll bring him in here to you! But I'll kill him, I tell you!"

"No you won't, lad. You're hysterical now. We don't want him killed, notattacked even. Not yet. We'll explain later. "

They sat me down, calming me. 

Anita dead. The door of the shining garden was closed. A brief glimpse, given to me and to her of what might have been. And now she wasdead. .. . 

CHAPTER X

_A Speck of Human Earth-dust, Falling Free. .. . _

I had not been able at first to understand why Captain Carter wantedMiko left at liberty. Within me there was that cry of vengeance, asthough to strike Miko down would somehow lessen my own grief atAnita's loss. Whatever Carter's purpose, Snap had not known it. ButBalch and Dr. Frank were in the captain's confidence--all three ofthem working on some plan of action. Snap and I argued it, and thoughtwe could fathom it; and in spite of my desire to kill Miko, the thinglooked reasonable. 

It was obvious that at least two of our passengers were plotting withMiko and George Prince; trying during this voyage to learn what theycould about Grantline's activities on the Moon; scheming doubtless toseize the treasure when the Planetara stopped at the Moon on the returnvoyage. I thought I could name those masquerading passengers. Ob Hahn, supposedly a Venus Mystic. And Rance Rankin, who called himself anAmerican magician. Those two, Snap and I agreed, seemed most suspicious. And there was the purser. 

With my hysteria still on me, I sat for a time on the deck outside thechart-room with Snap. Then Carter summoned us back, and we sat listeningwhile he, Balch and Dr. Frank went on with their conference. Listeningto them I could not but agree that our best plan was to secure evidencewhich would incriminate all who were concerned in the plot. Miko, wewere convinced, had been the Martian who followed Snap and me fromHalsey's office in Great-New York. George Prince had doubtless been theinvisible eavesdropper outside the helio-room. He knew, and had told theothers, that Grantline had found radium-ore on the Moon--that thePlanetara would stop there on the way home. 

 * * * * *

But we could not incarcerate George Prince for being an eavesdropper. Nor had we the faintest tangible evidence against Ob Hahn or RanceRankin. And even the purser would probably be released by theInterplanetary Court of Ferrok-Shahn when it heard our evidence. 

There was only Miko. We could arrest him for the murder of Anita. Butthe others would be put on their guard. It was Carter's idea to let Mikoremain at liberty for a time and see if we could not identify andincriminate his fellows. The murder of Anita obviously had nothing to dowith any plot against the Grantline Moon treasure. 

"Why, " exclaimed Balch, "there might be--probably are--huge Martianinterests concerned in this thing. These men here aboard are onlyemissaries, making this voyage to learn what they can. When they get toFerrok-Shahn they'll make their report, and then we'll have a realdanger on our hands. Why, an outlaw ship could be launched fromFerrok-Shahn that would beat us back to the Moon--and Grantline isentirely without warning of any danger!"

It seemed obvious. Unscrupulous, moneyed criminals in Ferrok-Shahn wouldbe dangerous indeed, once these details of Grantline were given them. And so now it was decided that in the remaining nine days of our outwardvoyage, we would attempt to secure enough evidence to arrest all theseplotters. 

"I'll have them all in the cage when we land, " Carter declared grimly. "They'll make no report to their principals. The thing will end, bestamped out!"

Ah, the futile plans of men!

 * * * * *

Yet we thought it practical. We were all doubly armed now. Explosivebullet-projectors and the heat-ray cylinders. And we had severaleavesdropping microphones which we planned to use whenever occasionoffered. 

It was now, Earth Eastern Time, A. M. Twenty-eight hours only of thiseventful voyage were passed. The Planetara was some six million milesfrom the Earth; it blazed behind us, a tremendous giant. 

The body of Anita was being made ready for burial. George Prince wasstill in his stateroom. Glutz, effeminate little hairdresser, who waxedrich acting as beauty doctor for the women passengers, and who in hisyouth had been an undertaker, had gone with Dr. Frank to prepare thebody. 

Gruesome details. I tried not to think of them. I sat, numbed, in thechart-room. 

An astronomical burial--there was little precedent for it. I draggedmyself to the stern deck-space where, at five A. M. , the ceremony tookplace. Most of the passengers were asleep, unaware of all this--whichwas why Carter hastened it. 

We were a solemn little group, gathered there in the checkered starlightwith the great vault of the heavens around us. A dismantled electronicprojector--necessary when a long-range gun was mounted--had been riggedup in one of the deck ports. 

They brought out the body. I stood apart, gazing reluctantly at thesmall bundle, wrapped like a mummy in a dark metallic screen-cloth. Apatch of black silk rested over her face. 

 * * * * *

Four cabin stewards carried her. And beside her walked George Prince. Along black robe covered him, but his head was bare. And suddenly hereminded me of the ancient play-character of Hamlet. His black, wavyhair; his finely chiseled, pallid face, set now in a stern, patriciancast. And staring, I realized that however much of a villain this mannot yet thirty might be, at this instant, walking beside the body of hisdead sister, he was stricken with grief. He loved that sister with whomhe had lived since childhood; and to see him now, with his set whiteface, no one could doubt it. 

The little procession stopped in a patch of starlight by the port. Theyrested the body on a bank of chairs. The black-robed Chaplain, rousedfrom his bed and still trembling from excitement of this sudden, inexplicable death on board, said a brief, solemn little prayer. Anappeal: That the Almighty Ruler of all these blazing worlds might guardthe soul of this gentle girl whose mortal remains were now to bereturned to Him. 

Ah, if ever God seemed hovering close, it was now at this instant, onthis starlit deck floating in the black void of space. 

Then Carter for just a moment removed the black shroud from her face. Isaw her brother gaze silently; saw him stoop and implant a kiss--andturn away. I did not want to look, but I found myself moving slowlyforward. 

 * * * * *

She lay, so beautiful. Her face, white and calm and peaceful in death. My sight blurred. Words seemed to echo: "A little son, cast in thegentle image of his mother. .. . "

"Easy, Gregg!" Snap was whispering to me. He had his arm around me. "Come on away!"

They tied the shroud over her face. I did not see them as they put herbody in the tube, sent it through the exhaust-chamber, and dropped it. 

But a moment later I saw it--a small black oblong bundle--hoveringbeside us. It was perhaps a hundred feet away, circling us. Held by thePlanetara's bulk, it had momentarily become our satellite. It swungaround us like a moon. Gruesome satellite, by nature's laws forever tofollow us. 

Then from another tube at the bow, Blackstone operated a smallZed-co-ray projector. Its dull light caught the floating bundle, neutralizing its metallic wrappings. 

It swung off at a tangent. Speeding. Falling free in the dome of theheavens. A rotating black oblong. But in a moment distance dwindled itto a speck. A dull silver dot with the sunlight on it. A speck of humanEarth-dust, falling free. .. . 

It vanished. Anita--gone. In my heart was an echo of the prayer that theAlmighty might watch over her and guard her always. .. . 

CHAPTER XI

_The Electrical Eavesdropper_

I turned from the deck. Miko was near me! So he had dared to showhimself here among us! But I realized that he could not be aware we knewhe was the murderer. George Prince had been asleep, had not seen Mikowith Anita. Miko, with impulsive rage, had shot the girl and escaped. Nodoubt now he was cursing himself for having done it. And he could verywell assume that Anita had died without regaining consciousness to tellwho had killed her. 

He gazed at me now, here on the deck. I thought for an instant he wascoming over to talk to me. Though he probably considered he was notsuspected of the murder of Anita, he realized, of course, that hisattack on me was known; he must have wondered what action Captain Carterwould take. 

But he did not approach me; he moved away, and went inside. Moa had beennear him; and as though by pre-arrangement with him she now accostedme. 

"I want to speak to you, Set Haljan. "

"Go ahead. "

I felt an instinctive aversion for this Martian girl. Yet she was notunattractive. Over six feet tall, straight and slim. Sleek blond hair. Rather a handsome face. Not gray, like the burly Miko, but pink andwhite. Stern-lipped, yet feminine, too. She was smiling gravely now. Herblue eyes regarded me keenly. She said gently:

"A sad occurrence, Gregg Haljan. And mysterious. I would not questionyou--"

"Is that all you have to say?" I demanded, when she paused. 

"No. You are a handsome man, Gregg--attractive to women--to any Martianwoman. "

 * * * * *

She said it impulsively. Admiration for me was on her face, in hereyes--a man cannot miss it. 

"Thank you. "

"I mean, I would be your friend. My brother Miko is so sorry about whathappened between you and him this morning. He only wanted to talk toyou, and he came to your cubby door--"

"With a torch to break its seal, " I interjected. 

She waved that away. "He was afraid you would not admit him. He told youhe would not hurt you. "

"And so he struck me with one of your cursed Martian paralyzing rays!"

"He is sorry. .. . "

She seemed gauging me, trying, no doubt, to find out what reprisal wouldbe taken against her brother. I felt sure that Moa was as active as aman in any plan that was under way to capture the Grantline treasure. Miko, with his ungovernable temper, was doing things that put theirplans in jeopardy. 

I demanded abruptly, "What did your brother want to talk to me about?"

"Me, " she said surprisingly. "I sent him. A Martian girl goes after whatshe wants. Did you know that?"

She swung on her heel and left me. I puzzled over it. Was that why Mikohad struck me down, and was carrying me off? Was my accursed masculinebeauty so attractive to this Martian girl? I did not think so. I couldnot believe that all these incidents were so unrelated to what I knewwas the main undercurrent. They wanted me, had tried to capture me. Forsomething else than because Moa liked my looks. .. . 

 * * * * *

Dr. Frank found me mooning alone. 

"Go to bed, Gregg! You look awful. "

"I don't want to go to bed. "

"Where's Snap?"

"I don't know. He was here a while ago. " I had not seen him since theburial of Anita. 

"The captain wants him. " The surgeon left me. 

Within an hour the morning siren would arouse the passengers. I wasseated in a secluded corner of the deck, when George Prince came along. He went past me, a slight, somber, dark-robed figure. He had on high, thick boots. A hood was over his head, but as he saw me he pushed itback and dropped down beside me. 

But for a moment he did not speak. His face showed pallid in the pallidstar-gleams. 

"She said you loved her. " His soft voice was throaty with emotion. 

"Yes. " I said it almost against my will. There seemed a bond springingbetween this bereaved brother and me. He added, so softly I couldbarely hear him, "That makes you, I think, almost my friend. And youthought you were my enemy. "

I held my answer. An incautious tongue running under emotion is adangerous thing. And I was sure of nothing. 

 * * * * *

He went on, "Almost my friend. Because--we both loved her, and she lovedus both. " He was hardly more than whispering. "And there is aboard--onewhom we both hate. "

"Miko!" It burst from me. 

"Yes. But do not say it. "

Another silence fell between us. He brushed back the black curls fromhis forehead. And his dark eyes searched mine. 

"Have you an eavesdropping microphone, Haljan?"

I hesitated. "Yes. "

"I was thinking. .. . " He leaned closer toward me. "If, in half an hour, you could use it upon Miko's cabin--I would rather tell you than thecaptain or anyone else. The cabin will be insulated, but I shall find away of cutting off that insulation so that you may hear. "

So George Prince had turned with us! The shock of his sister'sdeath--himself allied to her murderer!--had been too much for him. Hewas with us!

Yet his help must be given secretly. Miko would kill him in an instantif it became known. 

He had been watchful of the deck. He stood up now. 

"I think that is all. "

As he turned away, I murmured, "But I do thank you. .. . "

 * * * * *

The name Set Miko glowed upon the small metal door. It was in atransverse corridor similar to A 22. The corridor was forward of thelounge: it opened off the small circular library. 

The library was unoccupied and unlighted, dim with only the reflectedlights from the nearby passages. I crouched behind a cylinder-case. Thedoor of Miko's room was in sight, being some thirty feet away from me. 

I waited perhaps five minutes. No one entered. Then I realizedthat doubtless the conspirators were already there. I set my tinyeavesdropper on the library floor beside me; connected its littlebattery; focused its projector. Was Miko's room insulated? I could nottell. There was a small ventilating grid above the door. Across itsopening, if the room were insulated, a blue sheen of radiancewould be showing. And there would be a faint hum. But from thisdistance I could not see or hear such details, and I was afraid toapproach closer. Once in the transverse corridor, I would have noplace to hide, no way of escape; if anyone approached Miko's door, Iwould be discovered. 

I threw the current into my little apparatus. I prayed, if it metinterference, that the slight sound would pass unnoticed. George Princehad said he would make opportunity to disconnect the room's insulation. He had evidently done so. I picked up the interior sounds at once; myheadphone vibrated with them. And with trembling fingers on the littledial between my knees as I crouched in the darkness behind thecylinder-case, I synchronized. 

"Johnson is a fool. " It was Miko's voice. "We must have the pass-words. "

"He got them from the helio-room. " A man's voice; I puzzled over it atfirst, then recognized it. Rance Rankin. 

 * * * * *

Miko said, "He is a fool. Walking around this ship as though withletters blazoned on his forehead--'Watch me--I need watching--' Hah! Nowonder they apprehended him!"

Was George Prince in there? Rankin's voice said: "He would have turnedthe papers over to us. I would not blame him too much. What harm--"

"Oh, I'll release him, " Miko declared. "What harm? That braying ass didus plenty of harm. He has lost the pass-words. Better he had left themin the helio-room. "

Moa was in the room. Her voice said: "We've got to have them. ThePlanetara, upon such an important voyage as this, may be watched. How dowe know--"

"It is, no doubt, " Rankin said quietly. "We ought to have thepass-words. When we are in control of this ship. .. . "

It sent a shiver through me. Were they planning to try and seize thePlanetara? Now? It seemed so. 

"Johnson undoubtedly memorized them, " Moa was saying. "When we get himout--"

"Hahn is to do that, at the signal. " Miko added, "George could do itbetter, perhaps. "

And then I heard George Prince for the first time. He murmured, "I willtry. "

"No need, " said Miko. "I praise where praise is deserved. And I havelittle praise for you now, George!"

I could not see what happened. A look, perhaps, which Prince could notavoid giving this man he had come to hate. Miko doubtless saw it, andthe Martian's hot anger leaped. 

Rankin said hurriedly, "Stop that!"

And Moa: "Let him alone! Sit down, you fool!"

 * * * * *

I could hear the sound of a scuffle. A blow--a cry, half suppressed, from George Prince. 

Then Miko: "I will not hurt him. Craven coward! Look at him! Hatingme--frightened!"

I could fancy George Prince sitting there with murder in his heart, andMiko taunting him:

"Hates me now, because I shot his sister!"

Moa: "Hush!"

"I will not! Why should I not say it? I will tell you something else, George Prince. It was not Anita I shot at, but you! I meant nothing forher, but love. If you had not interfered--"

This was different from what we had figured. George Prince had come infrom his own room, had tried to rescue his sister, and in the scuffle, Anita had taken the shot intended for George. 

"I did not even know I had hit her, " Miko was saying. "Not until I heardshe was dead. " He added sardonically, "I hoped it was you I had hit, George. And I will tell you this: You hate me no more than I hate you. If it were not for your knowledge of radium ores--"

"Is this to be a personal wrangle?" Rankin interrupted. "I thought wewere here to plan--"

"It is planned, " Miko said shortly. "I give orders, I do not plan. I amwaiting now for the moment--"

 * * * * *

He checked himself. Moa said, "Does Rankin understand that no harm is tocome to Gregg Haljan?"

"Yes, " said Rankin. "And Dean. We need them, of course. But you cannotmake Dean send messages if he refuses, nor make Haljan navigate. "

"I know enough to check on them, " Miko said grimly. "They will not foolme. And they will obey me, have no fear. A little touch of sulphuric--"His laugh was gruesome. "It makes the most stubborn very willing. "

"I wish, " said Moa, "we had Haljan safely hidden. If he is hurt--killed--"

So that was why Miko had tried to capture me? To keep me safe so that Imight navigate the ship. 

It occurred to me that I should get Carter at once. A plot to seize thePlanetara? But when?

I froze with startled horror. 

The diaphragms at my ears rang with Miko's words: "I have set the timefor now! In two minutes--"

It seemed to startle both Rankin and George Prince almost as much as I. Both exclaimed:

"No!"

"No? Why not? Everyone is at his post!"

Prince repeated: "No!"

And Rankin: "But can we trust them? The stewards--the crew?"

"Eight of them are our own men! You didn't know that, Rankin? They'vebeen aboard the Planetara for several voyages. Oh, this is noquickly-planned affair, even though we let you in on it so recently. Youand Johnson. By God!"

 * * * * *

I crouched tense. There was a commotion in the stateroom. Miko haddiscovered that his insulation was cut off! He had evidently leaped tohis feet; I heard a chair overturn. And the Martian's roar: "It's off!Did you do that, Prince? By God, if I thought--"

My apparatus went suddenly dead as Miko flung on his insulation. I lostmy wits in the confusion; I should have instantly taken off myvibrations. There was interference; it showed in the dark space of theventilator grid over Miko's doorway; a snapping in the air there, aswirl of sparks. 

I heard with my unaided ears Miko's roar over his insulation: "By God, they're listening!"

The scream of a hand-siren sounded from his stateroom. It rang over theship. His signal! I heard it answered from some distant point. And thena shot; a commotion in the lower corridors. .. . 

The attack upon the Planetara had started!

I was on my feet. The shouts of startled passengers sounded, a turmoilbeginning everywhere. 

I stood momentarily transfixed. The door of Miko's stateroom burst open. He stood there, with Moa, Rankin and George Prince crowding behind him. 

He saw me. "You, Gregg Haljan!"

He came leaping at me. 

CHAPTER XII

_The Weightless Combat_

I was taken wholly by surprise. There was an instant when I stoodnumbed, fumbling for a weapon at my belt, undecided whether to run orstand my ground. Miko was no more than twenty feet from me. He checkedhis forward rush. The light from an overhead tube was on him; I saw inhis hand the cylinder projector of his paralyzing ray. 

I plucked my heat-cylinder from my belt, and fired without taking aim. My tiny heat-beam flashed. I must have grazed Miko's hand. His roar ofanger and pain rang out over the turmoil. He dropped his weapon; thenstooped to pick it up. But Moa forestalled him. She leaped and seizedit. 

"Careful! Fool--you promised not to hurt him!"

A confusion of swift action. Rankin had turned and darted away. I sawGeorge Prince stumbling half in front of the struggling Miko and Moa. And I heard footsteps beside me; a hand gripped me, jerked at me. 

Over the turmoil Prince's voice sounded: "Gregg--Haljan!"

I recall I had the impression that Prince was frightened; he had halffallen in front of Miko. And there was Miko's voice:

"Let go of me!"

And Moa: "Come!"

It was Balch gripping me. "Gregg! This way--run! Get out of here! He'llkill you with that ray--"

Miko's ray flashed, but George Prince had knocked at his arm. I did notdare fire again. Prince was in the way. Balch, who was unarmed, shovedme violently back. 

"Gregg--the chart-room!"

 * * * * *

I turned and ran, with Balch after me. Prince had fallen, or been felledby Miko. A flash followed me. Miko's weapon, but again it missed. He didnot pursue me; he ran the other way, through the port-side door of thelibrary. 

Balch and I found ourselves in the lounge. Shouting, frightenedpassengers were everywhere. The place was in wild confusion, the wholeship ringing now with shouts. 

"To the chart-room, Gregg!"

I called to the passengers: "Get back to your rooms!"

I followed Balch. We ran through the archway to the deck. In thestarlight I saw figures scurrying aft, but none were near us. The deckforward was dim with heavy shadows. The oval window and door of thechart-room were blue-yellow from the tube-lights inside. No one seemedon the deck there; and then, as we approached, I saw, further forward inthe bow, the trap-door to the cage standing open. Johnson had beenreleased. 

From one of the chart-room windows a heat-ray sizzled. It barely missedus. Balch shouted, "Carter--don't!"

The captain called, "Oh--you, Balch--and Haljan--"

He came out on the deck as we rushed up. His left arm was danglinglimp. 

"God--this--" He got no further. From the turret overhead a tinysearch-beam came down and disclosed us. Blackstone was supposed to be onduty up there, with a course-master at the controls. But, glancing up, Isaw, illumined by the turret lights, the figures of Ob Hahn in hispurple-white robe, and Johnson the purser. And on the turret balcony, two fallen men--Blackstone and the course-master. 

 * * * * *

Johnson was training the spotlight on us. And Hahn fired a Martian ray. It struck Balch beside me. He dropped. 

Carter was shouting, "Inside! Gregg, get inside!"

I stopped to raise up Balch. Another beam came down. A heat-ray thistime. It caught the fallen Balch full in the chest, piercing himthrough. The smell of his burning flesh rose to sicken me. He was dead. I dropped his body. Carter shoved me into the chart-room. 

In the small, steel-lined room, Carter and I slid the door closed. Wewere alone here. The thing had come so quickly it had taken CaptainCarter, like us all, wholly unawares. We had anticipated spyingeavesdroppers, but not this open brigandage. No more than a minute ortwo had passed since Miko's siren in his stateroom had given the signalfor the attack. Carter had been in the chart-room. Blackstone was in theturret. At the outbreak of confusion, Carter dashed out to see Hahnreleasing Johnson from the cage. From the forward chart-room window nowI could see where Hahn with a torch had broken the cage-seal. The torchlay on the deck. There had been an exchange of shots; Carter's arm wasparalyzed; Johnson and Hahn had escaped. 

Carter was as confused as I. There had simultaneously been an encounterup in the turret. Blackstone and the course-master were killed. Thelookout had been shot from his post in the forward observatory. His bodydangled now, twisted half in and half out of his window. 

 * * * * *

We could see several of Miko's men--erstwhile members of our crew andsteward-corps--scurrying from the turret along the upper bridges towardthe dark and silent helio-room. Snap was up there. But was he? Thehelio-room glowed suddenly with dim light, but there was no evidence ofa fight there. The fighting seemed mostly below the deck, down in thehull-corridors. A blended horror of sounds came up to us. Screams, shouts, and the hissing and snapping of ray weapons. Our crew--such ofthem as were loyal--were making a stand down below. But it was brief. Within a minute it died away. The passengers, amidships in thesuperstructure, were still shouting. Then above them Miko's roarsounded. 

"Be quiet! Go in your rooms--you will not be harmed. "

The brigands in these few minutes were in control of the ship. All butthis little chart-room, where, with most of the ship's weapons, Carterand I were intrenched. 

"God, Gregg, that this should come upon us!"

Carter was fumbling with the chart-room weapons. "Here, Gregg, help me. What have you got? Heat-ray? That's all I had ready. "

It struck me then as I helped him make the connections that Carter inthis crisis was at best an inefficient commander. His red face had gonesplotchy purple; his hands were trembling. Skilled as captain of apeaceful liner, he was at a loss now. Nor could I blame him. It is easyto say we might have taken warning, done this or that, and cometriumphant through this attack. But only the fool looks backward andsays, "I would have done better. "

 * * * * *

I tried to summon my wits. The ship was lost to us, unless Carter and Icould do something. Our futile weapons! They were all here--four orfive heat-ray hand projectors that could send a pencil-ray a hundredfeet or so. I shot one diagonally up at the turret where Johnson wasleering down at our rear window, but he saw my gesture and dropped backout of sight. The heat-beam flashed harmlessly up and struck the turretroof. Then across the turret window came a sheen of radiance--anelectro-barrage. And behind it, Hahn's suave, evil face appeared. Heshouted down:

"We have orders to spare you, Gregg Haljan--or you would have beenkilled long ago!"

My answering shot hit his barrage with a shower of sparks, behind whichhe stood unmoved. 

Carter handed me another weapon. "Gregg, try this. "

I levelled the old explosive bullet projector; Carter crouched besideme. But before I could press the trigger, from somewhere down thestarlit deck an electro-beam hit me. The little rifle exploded, burstits breech. I sank back to the floor, tingling from the shock of thehostile current. My hands were blackened from the exploding powder. 

Carter seized me. "No use! Hurt?"

"No. "

 * * * * *

The stars through the dome-windows were swinging. A long swing--theshadows and starlit patches on the deck were all shifting. The Planetarawas turning. The heavens revolved in a great round sweep of movement, then settled as we took our new course. Hahn at the turret controls hadswung us. The earth and the sun showed over our bow quarter. Thesunlight mingled red-yellow with the brilliant starlight. Hahn's signalswere sounding; I heard them answered from the mechanism rooms downbelow. Brigands there--in full control. The gravity plates were beingset to the new positions; we were on our new course. Headed a point ortwo off the Earth-line. Not headed for the moon? I wondered. 

Carter and I were planning nothing. What was there to plan? We wereunder observation. A Martian paralyzing ray--or electronic beam, farmore deadly than our own puny police weapons--would have struck us theinstant we tried to leave the chart-room. 

My swift-running thoughts were interrupted by a shout from down thedeck. At a corner of the cabin superstructure some fifty feet from ourwindows the figure of Miko appeared. A barrage-radiance hung around himlike a shimmering mantle. His voice sounded:

"Gregg Haljan, do you yield?"

Carter leaped up from where he and I were crouching. Against all reasonof safety he leaned from the low window, waving his hamlike fist. 

"Yield? No! I am in command here, you pirate! Brigand--murderer!"

 * * * * *

I pushed him back. "Careful!"

He was spluttering, and over it Miko's sardonic laugh sounded. "Verywell--but you will talk? Shall we argue about it?"

I stood up. "What do you want to say, Miko?"

Behind him the tall, thin figure of his sister showed. She was pluckingat him. He turned violently. 

"I won't hurt him! Gregg Haljan--is this a truce? You will not shoot?"He was shielding Moa. 

"No, " I called. "For a moment, no. A truce. What is it you want tosay?"

I could hear the babble of passengers who were herded in the cabin withbrigands guarding them. George Prince, bareheaded, but shrouded in hiscloak, showed in a patch of light behind Moa. He looked my way and thenretreated into the lounge archway. 

Miko called, "You must yield. We want you, Haljan. "

"No doubt, " I jeered. 

"Alive. It is easy to kill you. "

 * * * * *

I could not doubt that. Carter and I were little more than rats in atrap, here in the chart-room. But Miko wanted to take me alive: that wasnot so simple. He added persuasively:

"We want you to help us navigate. Will you?"

"No. "

"Will you help us, Captain Carter? Tell your cub, this Haljan, to yield. You are fools. We understand that Haljan has been handling the ship'smathematics. Him we need most. "

Carter roared: "Get back from there! This is no truce!"

I shoved aside his levelled bullet-projector. "Wait a minute!" I calledto Miko. "Navigate--where?"

"Oh, " he retorted, "that is our business, not yours. When you lay downyour weapons and come out of there, I will give you the course. "

"Back to the earth?" I suggested. 

I could fancy him grinning behind the sheen of his barrage at myquestion. 

"The earth? Yes--shall we go there? Give me your orders, Gregg Haljan. Of course I will obey them. "

His sardonic words were interrupted. And I realized that all this parleywas a ruse of Miko's to take me alive. He had made a gesture. Hahn, watching from the turret window, doubtless flashed a signal down to thehull-corridors. The magnetizer control under the chart-room wasaltered, our artificial gravity cut off. I felt the sudden lightness; Igripped the window casement and clung. Carter was startled intoincautious movement. It flung him out into the center of the chart-room, his arms and legs grotesquely flailing. 

 * * * * *

And across the chart-room, in the opposite window, I felt rather thansaw the shape of something. A figure--almost invisible, but notquite--was trying to climb in! I flung the empty rifle I was holding. Ithit something solid in the window; in a flare of sparks a black-hoodedfigure materialized. A man climbing in! His weapon spat. There was atiny electronic flash, deadly silent. The intruder had shot at Carter;struck him. Carter gave one queer scream. He had floated to the floor;his convulsive movement when he was hit hurled him to the ceiling. Hisbody struck, twitched; bounced back and sank inert on the floor-gridalmost at my feet. 

I clung to the casement. Across the space of the weightless room thehooded intruder was also clinging. His hood fell back. It was Johnson. He leered at me. 

"Killed him, the bully! Well, he deserved it. Now for you, Mr. ThirdOfficer Haljan!"

But he did not dare fire at me--Miko had forbidden it. I saw him reachunder his robe, doubtless for a low-powered paralyzing ray such as Mikoalready had used on me. But he never got it out. I had no weapon withinreach. I leaned into the room, still holding the casement, and doubledmy legs under me. I kicked out from the window. 

The force catapulted me across the space of the room like a volplane. Istruck the purser. We gripped. Our locked, struggling bodies bounced outinto the room. We struck the floor, surged up like balloons to theceiling, struck it with a flailing arm or a leg and floated back. 

 * * * * *

Grotesque, abnormal combat! Like fighting in weightless water. Johnsonclutched his weapon, but I twisted his wrist, held his arm outstretchedso that he could not aim it. I was aware of Miko's voice shouting on thedeck outside. 

Johnson's left hand was gouging at my face, his fingers plucking at myeyes. We lunged down to the floor, then up again, close to the ceiling. 

I twisted his wrists. He dropped the weapon and it sank away. I tried toreach it, but could not. Then I had him by the throat. I was strongerthan he, and more agile. I tried choking him, his thick bull-neck withinmy fingers. He kicked, scrambled, tore and gouged at me. Tried to shout, but it ended in a gurgle. And then, as he felt his breath stopped, hishands came up in an effort to tear mine loose. 

We sank again to the floor. We were momentarily upright. I felt my feettouch. I bent my knees. We sank further. 

And then I kicked violently upward. Our locked bodies shot to theceiling. Johnson's head was above me. It struck the steel roof of thechart-room. A violent blow. I felt him go suddenly limp. I cast him off, and, doubling my body, I kicked at the ceiling. It sent me diagonallydownward to the window, where I clung and regained stability. 

And I saw Miko standing on the deck with a weapon levelled at me!

CHAPTER XIII

_The Torture_

"Haljan! Yield or I'll fire! Moa, give me the smaller one. Thiscursed--"

He had in his hand too large a projector. Its ray would kill me. If hewanted to take me alive, he would not fire. I chanced it. 

"No!"

I tried to draw myself beneath the window. An automatic bullet projectorwas on the floor where Carter had dropped it. I pulled myself down. Miko did not fire. I reached the revolver. The dead bodies of thecaptain and purser had drifted together on the floor in the center ofthe room. 

I hitched myself back to the window. With upraised weapon I gazedcautiously out. Miko had disappeared. The deck within my line of visionwas empty. 

But was it? Something told me to beware. I clung to the casement, readyupon the instant to shove myself down. There was a movement in a shadowalong the deck. Then a figure rose up. 

"Don't fire, Haljan!"

The sharp command, half appeal, stopped the pressure of my finger on thetrigger of the automatic. It was the tall lanky Englishman, Sir ArthurConiston, as he called himself. So he too was one of Miko's band! Thelight through a dome-window fell full on him. 

"If you fire, Haljan, and kill me--Miko will kill you then, surely. "

From where he had been crouching he could not command my window. Butnow, upon the heels of his placating words, he abruptly shot. Thelow-powered ray, had it struck, would have felled me without killing. But it went over my head as I dropped. Its aura made my senses reel. 

Coniston shouted, "Haljan!"

 * * * * *

I did not answer. I wondered if he would dare approach to see if I hadbeen hit. A minute passed. Then another. I thought I heard Miko's voiceon the deck outside. But it was an aerial, microscopic whisper closebeside me. 

"We see you, Haljan! You must yield!"

Their eavesdropping vibrations, with audible projection, were upon me. Iretorted aloud. 

"Come and get me! You cannot take me alive. "

I do protest if this action of mine in the chart-room may seem bravado. I had no wish to die. There was within me a very healthy desire forlife. But I felt, by holding out, that some chance might come wherewithI might turn events against these brigands. Yet reason told me it washopeless. Our loyal members of the crew were killed, no doubt. CaptainCarter and Balch were killed. The lookouts and Course-masters also. AndBlackstone. 

There remained only Dr. Frank and Snap. Their fate I did not yet know. And there was George Prince. He, perhaps, would help me if he could. But, at best, he was a dubious ally. 

"You are very foolish, Haljan, " murmured the projection of Miko's voice. And then I heard Coniston:

"See here, why would not a hundred pounds of gold-leaf tempt you? Thecode-words which were taken from Johnson--I mean to say, why not tell uswhere they are?"

So that was one of the brigands new difficulties! Snap had taken thecode-word sheet, that time we sealed the purser in the cage. 

I said, "You'll never find them. And when a police ship sights us, whatwill you do then?"

The chances of a police ship were slim indeed, but the brigandsevidently did not know that. I wondered again what had become of Snap. Was he captured--or still holding them off?

I was watching my windows; for at any moment, under cover of this talk, I might be assailed. 

 * * * * *

Gravity came suddenly to the room. Miko's voice said. "We mean well byyou, Haljan. There is your normality. Join us. We need you to chart ourcourse. "

"And a hundred pounds of gold-leaf, " urged Coniston. "Or more. Why, thistreasure--"

I could hear an oath from Miko. And then his ironic voice: "We will notbother you, Haljan. There is no hurry. You will be hungry in good time. And sleepy. Then we will come and get you. And a little acid will makeyou think differently about helping us. .. . "

His vibrations died away. The pull of gravity in the room was normal. Iwas alone in the dim silence, with the bodies of Carter and Johnsonlying huddled on the grid. I bent to examine them. Both were dead. 

My isolation was no ruse this time. The outlaws made no further attack. Half an hour passed. The deck outside, what I could see of it, wasvacant. Balch lay dead close outside the chart-room door. The bodies ofBlackstone and the Course-master had been removed from the turretwindow. A forward lookout--one of Miko's men--was on duty in the nearbytower. Hahn was at the turret controls. The ship was under orderlyhandling, heading back upon a new course. For the Earth? Or the Moon? Itdid not seem so. 

I found, in the chart-room, a Benson curve-light projector which poorCaptain Carter had very nearly assembled. I worked on it, trained itthrough my rear window, along the empty deck; bent it into the loungearchway. Upon my grid the image of the lounge interior presentlyfocused. The passengers in the lounge were huddled in a group. Disheveled, frightened, with Moa standing watching them. Stewards wereserving them with a meal. 

 * * * * *

Upon a bench, bodies were lying. Some were dead. I saw Rance Rankin. Others were evidently only injured. Dr. Frank was moving among them, attending them. Venza was there, unharmed. And I saw the gamblers, Shacand Dud, sitting white-faced, whispering together. And Glutz's littlebe-ribboned, be-curled figure on a stool. 

George Prince was there, standing against the walls shrouded in hismourning cloak, watching the scene with alert, roving eyes. And by theopposite doorway, the huge towering figure of Miko stood on guard. ButSnap was missing. 

A brief glimpse. Miko saw my Benson-light. I could have equipped aheat-ray, and fired along the curved Benson-light into that lounge. ButMiko gave me no time. 

He slid the lounge door closed, and Moa leaped to close the one on myside. My light was cut off; my grid showed only the blank deck anddoor. 

Another interval. I had made plans. Futile plans! I could get into theturret perhaps, and kill Hahn. I had the invisible cloak which Johnsonwas wearing. I took it from his body. Its mechanism could be repaired. Why, with it I could creep about the ship, kill these brigands one byone perhaps. George Prince would be with me. The brigands who had beenposing as the stewards and crew-members were unable to navigate; theywould obey my orders. There were only Miko, Coniston and Hahn to kill. 

Futile plans! From my window I could gaze up to the helio-room. And nowabruptly I heard Snap's voice:

"No! I tell you--no!"

And Miko: "Very well. We will try this. "

So Snap was captured, but not killed. Relief swept me. He was in thehelio-room, and Miko was with him. But my relief was short-lived. 

 * * * * *

After a brief interval there came a moan from Snap. It floated down fromthe silence overhead. It made me shudder. 

My Benson-beam shot into the helio window. It showed me Snap lying thereon the floor. He was bound with wire. His torso had been stripped. Hislivid face was ghastly plain in my light. 

Miko was bending over him. Miko with a heat-cylinder no longer than afinger. Its needle-beam played upon Snap's naked chest. I could see thegruesome little trail of smoke rising; and as Snap twisted and jerked, there on his flesh was the red and blistered trail of the violet-hotray. 

"Now will you tell?"

"No!"

Miko laughed. "No? Then I shall write my name a little deeper. .. . "

A black scar now--a trail etched in the quivering flesh. 

"Oh!--" Snap's face went white as chalk as he pressed his lipstogether. 

"Or a little acid? This fire-writing does not really hurt? Tell me whatyou did with those code-words!"

"No!"

In his absorption Miko did not notice my light. Nor did I have the witto try and fire along it. I was trembling. Snap under torture!

As the beam went deeper, Snap suddenly screamed. But he ended, "No! Iwill send--no message for you--"

It had been only a moment. In the chart-room window beside me again afigure appeared! No image. A solid, living person, undisguised by anycloak of invisibility. George Prince had chanced my fire and had creptup upon me. 

"Haljan! Don't attack me. "

 * * * * *

I dropped my light connections. As impulsively I stood up, I saw throughthe window the figure of Coniston on the deck watching the result ofPrince's venture. 

"Haljan--yield. "

Prince no more than whispered it. He stood outside on the deck; the lowwindow casement touched his waist. He leaned over it. 

"He's torturing Snap! Call out that you will yield. "

The thought had already been in my mind. Another scream from Snapchilled me with horror. I shouted, "Miko! Stop!"

I rushed to the window and Prince gripped me. 

"Louder!"

I called louder. "_Miko!_ Stop!" My upflung voice mingled with Snap'sagony of protest. Then Miko heard me. His head and shoulders showed upthere at the helio-room oval. 

"You, Haljan?"

Prince shouted, "I have made him yield. He will obey you if you stopthat torture. "

I think that poor Snap must have fainted. He was silent. I called, "Stop! I will do what you command. "

Miko jeered, "That is good. A bargain, if you and Dean obey me. Disarmhim, Prince, and bring him out. "

 * * * * *

Miko moved back into the helio-room. On the deck Coniston was advancing, but cautiously, mistrustful of me. 

"Gregg. "

George Prince flung a leg over the casement and leaped lightly into thedim chart-room. His small slender figure stood beside me, clung to me. 

"Gregg. "

A moment, while we stood there together. No ray was upon us. Conistoncould not see us, nor could he hear our whispers. 

"Gregg. "

A different voice; its throaty, husky quality gone. A soft pleading. "Gregg--

"Gregg, don't you know me? Gregg, dear. .. . "

Why, what was this? Not George Prince? A masquerader, yet so like GeorgePrince. 

"Gregg, don't you know me?"

Clinging to me. A soft touch upon my arm. Fingers, clinging. A surge ofwarm, tingling current was flowing between us. 

My sweep of instant thoughts. A speck of human Earth-dust, falling free. That was George Prince, who had been killed. George Prince's body, disguised by the scheming Carter and Dr. Frank, buried in the guise ofhis sister. And this black-robed figure who was trying to help us--

"Anita! Dear God! Anita, darling! Anita!"

"Gregg, dear one!"

"Anita! Dear God!"

 * * * * *

My arms went around her, my lips pressed hers, and felt her tremulous, eager answer. 

"Gregg, dear. "

"Anita, you!"

The form of Coniston showed at our window. She cast me off. She said, with her throaty swagger of assumed masculinity:

"I have him, Sir Arthur. He will obey us. "

I sensed her warning glance. She shoved me toward the window. She saidironically, "Have no fear, Haljan. You will not be tortured, you andDean, if you obey our commands. "

Coniston gripped me. "You fool! You caused us a lot of trouble, didn'tyou? Move along there!"

He jerked me roughly through the window. Marched me the length of thedeck. Out to the stern-space; opened the door of my cubby; flung me inand sealed the door upon me. 

"Miko will come presently. "

I stood in the darkness of my tiny room, listening to his retreatingfootsteps. But my mind was not on him. .. . 

All the Universe in that instant had changed for me. Anita was alive!

(_To be continued_)

FOOTNOTES:

 [1] As early as 1910 it was discovered that an object magnetized under certain conditions was subject to a loss of weight, its gravity partially nullified. The Martel discovery undoubtedly followed that method. 

 [2] "United States of the World, " which came into being in 2057 upon the centenary of the Yellow War. 

 [3] Trinight Hour, i. E. , 3 A. M. 

 [4] Pressure sickness. Caused by the difficulty of maintaining a constantly normal air pressure within the vessel owing to the sudden, extreme changes from heat to cold. 

 [5] "Set and Setta, " the Martian equivalent of Mr. And Miss. 

 [6] A Venus form of jocular, intimate greeting. 

 * * * * *

 _REMEMBER_ ASTOUNDING STORIES _Appears on Newsstands_ THE FIRST THURSDAY IN EACH MONTH

 * * * * *

_In the Next Issue_

 MONSTERS of MOYEN

 _A Complete Novelet of a Half-God Half-Beast's Extraordinary Attempt to Dominate the Earth_ _By_ Arthur J. Burks

 _A Large Instalment of_

 BRIGANDS of the MOON

 _The Splendid Interplanetary Novel_ _By_ Ray Cummings

 The RAY of MADNESS

 _The Account of Another of Dr. Bird's Amazing Exploits_ _By_ Captain S. P. Meek

 --_And Many Other Stories by Your Favorite Authors!_

 * * * * *

The Soul Master

_By Will Smith and R. J. Robbins_

 Desperately O'Hara plunged into Prof. Kell's mysterious mansion. For his friend Skip was the victim of the eccentric scientist's de-astralizing experiment, and faced a fate more hideous than death. 

[Illustration: _A terrific force was emanating from that devilish globeabove. _]

The train was slowing down for Keegan. A whistle from the locomotiveahead had warned the two alert young men in the smoker to that effect, and they arose to leave the train. Both were neatly and quietly dressed. One carried a medium-sized camera with the necessary tripod andaccessory satchel. The other carried no impediments of any sort. Bothwere smoking cigars, evidently not of expensive variety, judging by theunaromatic atmosphere thereabouts. 

"Can't see what Bland shipped us up to this one-horse dump for, "grumbled Skip Handlon, the one who carried the camera. He was theslighter of the two and perhaps half a head shorter than the other. "Doyou know anything about it?"

"Not much, " confessed the other as they alighted from the smoker. "All Ican tell you is that Bland sent for me early this morning, told me toget a story out of this Professor Kell and to drag you along. After weget there you are to do as judgment dictates. But I remember that theChief was specific as regards one thing. You are to get the proff's mug. Don't forget. The old fellow may growl and show fight, but it's up toyou to deliver the goods--or, in this case, get them. Don't depend on mefor help. I expect to have troubles of my own. " Thus gloomed HoracePerry, star reporter for the Journal. 

"This Keegan place"--Handlon was using his eyes swiftly andcomprehensively--"isn't worth much. Can't see how it manages to evenrate a name. Some dump, all right!"

"You said a couple mouthfuls. "

"How's the train service, if any?"

"Rotten. Two trains a day. " The other was anything but enthusiastic. "We've a nice long wait for the next one, you can bet. Now, just add tothat a rough reception after we reach the old lion's lair and you get anice idea of what Bland expects from his men. "

 * * * * *

Handlon made a wry face at this. "The bird who first applied the words'Hard Boiled' to the Chief's monniker knew something. "

"You don't know the half of it, " retorted Perry encouragingly. "Justwait and see what a beaut of a fit he can throw for _your_ benefit ifyou fail to do your stuff--and I don't mean maybe. "

Old Man Bland owned the Journal, hired and fired his crew and did hisown editing, with the help of as capable an office gang as could begotten together. It is quite possible that "Hard Boiled" Bland demandedmore from his men than any other editor ever has before or since. Nevertheless he got results, and none of his experienced underlings everkicked, for the pay was right. If a hapless scribe had the temerity toenter the editorial sanctum with a negative report, the almostinvariable reply had been a glare and a peremptory order, "Get thecopy. "

And get it they did. If a person refused an interview these cleverfellows generally succeeded in getting their information from the nextmost reliable source, and it arrived in print just the same. 

Of such a breed was Perry. Handlon, being a more recent acquisition tothe staff, was not yet especially aggressive in his work. On thisaccount the former took keen zest in scaring him into displaying a bitmore sand. 

 * * * * *

The train had disappeared around a bend and the two reporters feltthemselves marooned. Keegan, without question, was a most forlornlooking spot. A dismal shanty, much the worse for weather, stood besidethe track. In front, a few rotting planks proclaimed that once upon atime the place had boasted a real freight platform. Probably, back insome long-forgotten age, a station agent had also held forth in therickety shanty. A sign hung on each end of the crumbling structure onwhich could still be deciphered the legend "KEEGAN. " On the oppositeside of the track was an old, disused siding. The only other feature ofinterest thereabouts was a well traveled country road which crossed thetracks near the shanty, wound sinuously over a rock-strewn hill andbecame lost in the mares of an upland forest. 

There being no signboard of any kind to indicate their destination, thetwo, after a moment's hesitation, started off briskly in a chancedirection. The air was hot and sultry, and in the open spaces the sunbeat down mercilessly upon the two hapless ones. As they proceeded intothe depths of the forest they were shielded somewhat from the worst ofthe heat. Gradually upon their city-bred nostrils there stole the odorof conifers, accompanied by a myriad of other forest odors. Both sniffedthe air appreciatively. 

"This is sure the life, " remarked Perry. "If I weren't so darn thirstynow. .. . " He became lost in mournful thought. 

 * * * * *

A considerable time passed. The newspaper men trudged wearily alonguntil finally another bend brought them to the beginning of a steepdescent. The forest had thinned out to nothing. 

"Seems to me I smell smoke, " blurted out Handlon suddenly. "Must be thatwe are approaching the old party's lair. Remember? Bland said thathe--"

"Uh huh!" the other grunted, almost inaudibly. Now that they seemed tobe arriving at their destination something had occurred to him. He hadfished from his pocket a sheaf of clippings and was perusing themintently. "Bland said, 'Get the copy', " he muttered irrelevantly andhalf to himself. 

The clippings all related directly to Professor Kell or to happeningslocal to Keegan. Some were of peculiar interest. The first one washeadlined thus:

 MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF ROBERT MANION AND DAUGHTER STILL UNSOLVED

The piece contained a description of the missing man, a fairlyprosperous banker who had been seen four days previously driving throughKeegan in a small roadster, and one of the girl, who was in the car withhim. It told that the banker and his daughter were last seen by a farmernamed Willetts who lived in a shack on the East Keegan road, fleeingbefore a bad thunder storm. He believed the pair were trying to make theKell mansion ahead of the rain. Nothing more of the Manions or their carhad been seen, and their personal effects remained at their hotel in anearby village unclaimed. The heavy rain had of course effectuallyobliterated all wheel tracks. 

Another clipping was fairly lengthy, but Perry glanced only at theheadlines:

 KELL STILL CARRYING ON HIS STRANGE EXPERIMENTS

 Has Long Been Known to Have Fantastic Theories. Refuses to Divulge Exact Methods Employed, or Nature of Results

Still another appeared to be an excerpt from an article in anagricultural paper. It read:

 A prize bull belonging to Alton Shepard, a Keegan cattle breeder, has created considerable sensation by running amuck in a most peculiar manner. While seemingly more intelligent than heretofore, it has developed characteristics known to be utterly alien to this type of animal. 

 Perhaps the most noteworthy feature of the case is the refusal of the animal to eat its accustomed food. Instead it now consumes enormous quantities of meat. The terrific bellow of the animal's voice has also undergone a marked change, now resembling nothing earthly, although some have remarked that it could be likened to the bay of an enormous hound. Some of its later actions have seemingly added further canine attributes, which make the matter all the more mystifying. Veterinaries are asking why this animal should chase automobiles, and why it should carry bones in its mouth and try to bury them!

The last one read in part:

 Professor Kell has been questioned by authorities at Keegan relative to the disappearance there last Tuesday of Robert Manion and his daughter. Kell seemed unable to furnish clues of any value, but officials are not entirely satisfied with the man's attitude toward the questions. 

Somewhat bewildered by these apparently unrelated items, the reporterremained lost in thought for quite a space, the while he endeavored tomap out his course of action when he should meet the redoubtableProfessor. That many of the weird occurrences could be traced in someway to the latter's door had evidently occurred to Bland. Furthermore, the Old Man relied implicitly upon Perry to get results. 

It must be said that for once the star reporter was not overlyenthusiastic with the assignment. Certain rumors aside from theclippings in his hand had produced in his mind a feeling of uneasiness. So far as his personal preference was concerned he would have been wellsatisfied if some cub reporter had been given the job. Try as he would, however, he could offer no tangible reason for the sudden wariness. 

He was aroused from his absorption by his companion. 

"Thought I smelled smoke a while back, and I was right. That's thehouse up in the edge of the pines. Deep grounds in front and all gone toseed; fits the description exactly. Thank Heaven we struck off from thestation in the right direction. This stroll has been long enough. Comeout of it and let's get this job finished. "

Suiting the action to the words Handlon started off at a brisk pace downthe hill, followed at a more moderate rate by Perry. At length they camewithin full sight of the grounds. Extending for a considerable distancebefore them and enclosing a large tract of land now well covered withlush grass, was a formidable looking wall. In former days a gloriousmantle of ivy had covered the rough stones; but now there was littleleft, and what there was looked pitifully decrepit. They continued theirprogress along this barrier, finally coming upon a huge iron gate nowmuch the worse for rust. It stood wide open. 

 * * * * *

The road up to the house had long since become overgrown with rank grassand weeds. Faintly traceable through the mass of green could be seen arough footpath which the two followed carefully. They met no one. Asthey approached the night of black pines the mass of the old mansionbegan to loom up before them, grim and forbidding. 

Instinctively both shivered. The silence of the place was complete andof an uncannily tangible quality. Nervously they looked about them. 

"How do you like it, Skip?" The words from Perry's previously silentlips broke upon the stillness like a thunderclap. The other started. 

"I should hate to die in it, " Handlon answered solemnly. "I'll bet theold joint is haunted. Nobody but a lunatic would ever live in it. "

"I get a good deal the same impression myself, " said Perry. "I don'twonder that Bland sent two of us to cover the job. "

As he spoke he mounted a flight of steps to a tumbledown veranda. Therewas no sign of a door bell on the weather-beaten portal, but an ancientknocker of bronze hanging forlornly before him seemed to suggest a meansof attracting attention. He raised it and rapped smartly. 

 * * * * *

No answer. 

Possessing all the attributes of the conventional reporter and a fewadditional ones, Perry did not allow himself to become disheartened, butmerely repeated his summons, this time with more vim. 

"Well, Horace, " grinned Handlon, "it does look as if we were not so verywelcome here. However, seems to me if you were to pick up that piece ofdead limb and do some real knocking with it. .. . The dear Professor maybe deaf, you know, or maybe he's--"

"Skip, my boy, I don't know as we ought to go in right now after all. Doyou realize it will soon be dark?"

"To tell you the truth, Horace, I'm not stuck on this assignment either. And I feel that after dark I should like it even less, somehow. But, gee, the Old Man. .. . "

"Oh, I'm not thinking of quitting on the job. We don't do that on theJournal. " Perry smiled paternally at the photographer. Could it be hehad purposely raised the other's hopes in order to chaff him some more?"But I was thinking that it might be a good idea to look about theoutbuildings a bit while we have a little daylight. Eh?"

Handlon looked disappointed, but nodded gamely. He delayed only longenough to deposit his camera and traps behind a grossly overgrownhydrangea by the steps, then, with a resigned air, declared himselfready to follow wherever the other might lead. 

Perry elected to explore the barn first. This was a depressing old pile, unpainted in years, with what had once been stout doors now swinging andbumping in the light breeze. As the two men drew nearer, thisbreeze--which seemed to sigh through the place at will--brought foulodors that told them the place was at least not tenantless. In sometrepidation they stepped inside and stood blinking in the halfdarkness. 

"Pretty Polly!"

"Good God! What was that?" Handlon whispered. He knew it was no parrot'svoice. This was a far deeper sound than that, a sound louder thananything a parrot's throat could produce. It came from the direction ofa ruinous stall over near a cobwebbed window. As Perry started fearfullytoward this, there issued from it a curious scraping sound, followed bya fall that shook the floor, and a threshing as of hoofs. Now the greatvoice could be heard again, this time uttering what sounded strangelylike oaths roared out in a foreign tongue. Yet when the newspaper menreached the stall they found it occupied only by a large mule. 

 * * * * *

The animal was lying on its side, its feet scraping feebly against theside of the stall. The heaving, foam-flecked body was a mass of hideousbruises, some of which were bleeding profusely. The creature seemed tobe in the last stage of exhaustion, lying with lips drawn back and eyesclosed. Beneath it and scattered all over the stall floor was a thicklayer of some whitish seeds. 

"That's--why that's sunflower seed, Horace!" Handlon almost whimpered. "And look! Look in that crib! It's full of the same stuff! Where's thehay, Horace? Does this thing--"

He was interrupted by a mighty movement of the beast--a threshing thatnearly blinded the men in the cloud of bloodstained seeds it raised. With something between a curse and a sob, the mule lunged at its crib asif attempting to get bodily into it. But no: it was only trying to perchon its edge! Now it had succeeded. The ungainly beast hung there asecond, two, three. From its uplifted throat issued that usuallyinnocuous phrase, a phrase now a thing of delirious horror:

"Pretty Polly!"

With a crash the tortured creature fell to the floor, to lie theregasping and moaning. 

Skip Handlon left that barn. Perry retained just enough wit to do whathe should have done the instant he first saw the animal. He whipped outhis automatic and fired one merciful shot. Then he too started for theoutside. He arrived in the yard perhaps ten seconds behind Handlon. 

"Good Heavens, Perry, " gibbered Handlon. "I'm not going to stay aroundthis place another minute. Just let me find where I left that sufferingcamera, that's all I ask. "

"Easy now. " Perry laid a hand on his companion's shoulder. "I guesswe're up against something pretty fierce here, but we're going to see itthrough, and you know it. So let's cut out the flight talk and go raisethe Professor. "

Handlon tried earnestly to don a look of determination. If Perry was seton staying here the least he could do was stay with him. However, couldPerry have foreseen the events which were to entangle them, he probablywould have led the race to the gate. As it was, he grasped a stick andmarched bravely up toward the front door. 

 * * * * *

A sudden commotion behind him caused him to wheel sharply around. Simultaneously a yell burst from Handlon. 

"Look out, Horace!"

What he saw almost froze the blood in his veins. From a tumbledown coachhouse had issued an enormous wolf-hound which was now almost upon then, eyes flaming, fangs gleaming horribly. 

So unexpected was the attack that both men stood rooted in their tracks. The next moment the charging brute was upon them, and had bowledHandlon off his equilibrium as if he were a child. The unfortunatephotographer made a desperate attempt to prevent injury to his preciouscamera, which he had but a moment earlier succeeded in retrieving, andin doing so fell rather violently to the ground. Every moment heexpected to feel the powerful jaws crunch his throat, and he made noeffort to rise. For several seconds he remained thus, until he couldendure the suspense no longer. He glanced around only to see Perry, staring open-mouthed at the animal which had so frightened them. Apparently it had forgotten the presence of the two men. 

Handlon regained his feet rather awkwardly, the while keeping a watchfuleye on the beast, of whose uncertain temper he was by now fully aware. In an undertone he addressed his companion. 

"What do you make of it?" he wanted to know. "Did the critter biteyou?"

"No. That's the queer part of it. Neither did he bite you, if you wereto think it over a minute. Just put his nose down and _rammed_ you, headon. "

The photographer was flabbergasted. Involuntarily his gaze stole againin the direction of the offending brute. 

"What on earth--" he began. "Is he sharpening his teeth on a rockpreparatory to another attack upon us? Or--What the deuce _is_ hedoing?"

"If you ask me, " came astonishingly from the watchful Perry, "he'seating grass, which is my idea of something damn foolish for a perfectlynormal hound, genus lupo, to be--Look out!"

 * * * * *

The animal, as if suddenly remembering the presence of the men, suddenlycharged at them again, head down, eyes blazing. As before, it made noeffort to bite. Though both men were somewhat disconcerted by the greatbrute they held their ground, and when it presented the opportunity theolder reporter planted a terrific kick to the flank which sent theanimal whimpering back to its shed behind. 

"Score one, " breathed Handlon. "If we--" At a sudden grating soundoverhead, he stopped. 

Both turned to face the threatening muzzle of an ancient blunderbuss. Behind it was an irate countenance, nearly covered by an unclipped beardof a dirty gray color. In the eyes now glaring at them malevolentlythrough heavily concaved spectacles they read hate unutterable. Thebarrel of the blunderbuss swung slightly as it covered alternately oneand the other. Both sensed that the finger even now tightening on thetrigger would not hesitate unduly. Being more or less hardened torebuffs of all kinds in the pursuance of their calling, the reportersdid not hesitate in stating their purpose. 

"What?" yelled the old man. "You dare to invade my grounds and disturbme at my labors for such a reason? Reporters! My scientific researchwork is not for publicity, sirs; and futhermore I want it understoodthat I am not to be dragged from my laboratory again for the purpose ofentertaining you or any others of your ilk. Get away!"

Without further ado the window was slammed down, a shutter closed on theinside, and once more the silence of the dead descended upon the spot. The two men grinned ruefully at each other, Handlon finally breaking thestillness. 

"My idea of the world's original one-sided conversation. We simplydidn't talk--and yet we're supposed to be reporters. You've got to handit to the Proff, Horace, for the beautiful rock-crusher he just handedus. "

"You didn't think we had anything easy, did you?" said Perry irritably. "He'll change his tune presently, when--"

 * * * * *

Handlon's jaw dropped. "You don't mean you're going to take any morechances! Would you rouse him again after the way he treated us withthat gun? Besides, the train. .. . "

Perry bent a scathing glance at his companion. "What on earth has thetrain to do with our getting the Professor's confession of crime orwhatever he has to offer? You evidently don't know Bland--much. I deducethat a lot of my sweetness has been wasted on the desert air. Once more, let me assure you that if you propose to go back without the Proff's mugon one of those plates you might as well mail your resignation from_here_. Get me?"

The other wilted. 

"I wonder, " Perry ruminated as he stared in the direction of the shedwherein the canine monstrosity had disappeared. "Do you suppose that youcan get a snap of the old boy's mug if I can get him to the windowagain? If you can do that, just leave the rest to me. I've handled thesecrusty birds before. What say?"

"Go as far as you like. " The photographer was once more grinning as heunslung his camera and carefully adjusted a plate in place. Everythingat last to his satisfaction he gripped flash pan and bulb. 

"I'm going to make some racket now, " announced Perry grimly. "If Kellshows up, work fast. He may shoot at you, but don't get excited. It'salmost dark, so his aim _might_ be poor. "

At this suggestion his companion showed signs of panic, but the otheraffected not to notice this. There came a deafening hullaballoo as Perrybeat a terrific tattoo on the ancient door. Followed a deep silence, while Perry leaped back to stand in front of Skip and his camera. Afterperhaps a full minute's wait he once more opened up his bombardment, tojump quickly back to the camera as before. This time he had bettersuccess. The window was again opened and the muzzle of the blunderbussput in its appearance. Handlon stood close behind Perry as he silentlyswung the camera into a more favorable position for action. The face atthe window was purple with wrath. 

"You damned pests! Leave my grounds at once or I shall call my hound andset him upon you. And when--"

 * * * * *

Crack! Flash! Click! Perry had made a sudden sidewise movement asHandlon went into action. 

"Much obliged, Professor, " said Perry politely. "Your pose with that oldcannon is going to be very effective from the front page. The write-upwill doubtless be interesting too. Probably the story won't be quite soaccurate as it would be had you told it to us yourself; but we shall getas many of the details from the natives hereabouts as we can. Good-dayto you, sir!"

Motioning to the other he turned on his heel and started down thedriveway. It was an old trick, and for a long moment of suspense healmost feared that it would fail. Another moment--

"Wait!" The quavering voice of the irascible old villain had lost someof its malice. "Come back here a minute. "

With simulated reluctance the two slowly retraced their steps. "Is theresomething else, sir?"

"Perhaps. .. . " The old man hesitated, as if pondering upon his words. "Perhaps if you care to step in I can be of assistance to you after all. It occurs to me that possibly I have been too abrupt with you. "

"I am very glad that you have decided to cooperate with us, ProfessorKell, " answered the reporter heartily, as they ascended the steps. Theold man's head disappeared from the window and shortly the sound offootsteps inside told of his approach. Finally the oaken door swungopen, and they were silently ushered into the musty smelling hallway. Though outwardly accepting the Professor's suddenly pacific attitude, Perry made up his mind to be on his guard. 

 * * * * *

As they entered what had evidently been the parlor in bygone days, anoppressive, heavy odor smote their nostrils, telling of age-old carpetsand of draperies allowed to decay unnoticed. On the walls hung severalantique prints, a poorly executed crayon portrait of a person doubtlessan ancestor of the present Kell, and one or two paintings done in oil, now badly cracked and stained. Everything gave the impression of an eralong since departed, and the two men felt vaguely out of place. Theirhost led them to a pair of dilapidated chairs, which they acceptedgratefully. The ride to Keegan after a hard day's work had not tended toimprove their spirits. 

"Now to business. " Perry went straight to the point, desiring to get theinterview over as soon as possible. "We have heard indirectly of varioushappenings in this vicinity which many think have some connection withyour scientific experiments. Any statement you may care to make to us inregard to these happenings will be greatly appreciated by my paper. Inasmuch as what little has already been printed is probably of anerroneous nature, we believe it will be in your own best interest togive us as complete data as possible. " Here he became slightlyhistrionic. "Of course we do not allow ourselves to take the storiestold by the local inhabitants too literally, as such persons are tooliable to exaggerate, but we must assume that some of these stories havepartial basis in fact. Any information relative to your scientific work, incidentally, will make good copy for us also. "

Perry gazed steadily at the patriarch as he spoke. For a moment, acrafty expression passed over the old man's face, but as suddenly itdisappeared. Evidently he had arrived at a decision. 

"Come with me, " he wheezed. 

 * * * * *

The two newspaper men exchanged swift glances, the same thought in themind of each. Were they about to be led into a trap? If the old man'sshady reputation was at all deserved they would do well to be wary. Perry thought swiftly of the clippings he had read and of what gossip hehad heard, then glanced once more in the direction of Handlon. Thatworthy was smiling meaningly and had already arisen to follow theProfessor. Reluctantly Perry got to his feet and the three proceeded toclimb a rickety stairway to the third floor. The guide turned at thehead of the stairs and entered a long dark corridor. Here the floor wascovered with a thick carpet which, as they trod upon it, gave forth notthe slightest sound. 

The hall gave upon several rooms, all dark and gloomy and giving thesame dismal impression of long disuse. How could the savant endure sucha depressing abode! The accumulation of dust and cobwebs in these longforgotten chambers, the general evidence of decay--all told of possiblehorrors ahead. They became wary. 

But they were not wary enough!

The uncouth figure ahead of them had stopped and was fumbling with thelock of an ancient door. Instinctively Perry noted that it was of greatthickness and of heavy oak. Now the Professor had it open and wasmotioning for them to enter. Handlon started forward eagerly, buthurriedly drew back as he felt the grip of the other reporter's hand onhis arm. 

"Get back, you fool!" The words were hissed into the ear of theincautious one. Then, to the Professor, Perry observed: "If you have noobjection we would prefer that you precede us. "

A look of insane fury leaped to the face of the old man, lingered but aninstant and was gone. Though the expression was but momentary, both menhad seen, and seeing had realized their danger. 

 * * * * *

They followed him into the chamber, which was soon illumined fitfully bya smoky kerosene lamp. Both took a rapid survey of the place. Conceivably it might have been the scene of scientific experiments, butits aspect surely belied such a supposition. The average imaginationwould instantly pronounce it the abode of a maniac, or the lair of analchemist. Again, that it might be the laboratory of an extremelyslovenly veterinary was suggested by the several filthy cages to be seenresting against the wall. All of these were unoccupied except one in adark corner, from which issued a sound of contented purring, evidentlytelling of some well-satisfied cat. 

The air was close and foul, being heavy with the odor of musty, decayingdrugs. In every possible niche and cranny the omnipresent dust hadsettled in a uniform sheen of gray which showed but few signs of recentdisturbance. 

"Here, gentlemen, " their host was saying, "is where I carry on my work. It is rather gloomy here after dark, but then I do not spend much timehere during the night. I have decided to acquaint you with some of thedetails of one or two of my experiments. Doubtless you will find theminteresting. "

While speaking he had, mechanically it seemed, reached for a glasshumidor in which were perhaps a dozen cigars. Silently he selected oneand extended the rest to the two visitors. 

After all three had puffed for a moment at the weeds, the old man beganto talk, rapidly it seemed to them. Perry from time to time took notes, as the old man proceeded, an expression of utter amazement graduallyoverspreading his face. Handlon pulled away contentedly at his cigar, and on his features there grew an almost ludicrous expression ofwell-being. Was the simple photographer so completely at ease that hehad at length forsaken all thought of possible danger?

As Professor Kell talked on he seemed to warm to his subject. At the endof five minutes he began uncovering a peculiar apparatus which hadrested beneath the massive old table before which they were sitting. Thetwo men caught the flash of light on glass, and a jumble of coiled wiresbecame visible. 

 * * * * *

Was the air in the laboratory getting unbearably close? Or was the queerleaden feeling that had taken possession of Perry's lungs but anindication of his overpowering weariness? He felt a steadily increasingirritation, as if for some strange reason he suddenly resented the wordsof their host, which seemed to be pouring out in an endless stream. Thecigar had, paradoxically, an oddly soothing quality, and he puffed awayin silence. 

Why had the room suddenly taken on so hazy an aspect? Why did Handlongrin in that idiotic manner? And the Professor . .. He was gettingfarther and farther away . .. That perfecto . .. Or was it an El Cabbajo?What was the old archfiend doing to him anyhow?. .. Why was he laughingand leering at them so horribly?. .. Confound it all . .. That cigar . .. Where was it?. .. Just one more puff. .. . 

Blindly he groped for the missing weed, becoming aware of a cackle ofamusement nearby. Professor Kell was standing near the spot where he hadfallen and now began prodding him contemptuously with his toe. 

"Fools!" he was saying. "You thought to interfere with my program. Butyou are in my power and you have no hope of escape. I am unexpectedlyprovided with more subjects for my experiments. You will. .. . " His wordsbecame hazy and unintelligible, for the hapless reporter was driftingoff into a numb oblivion. He had long since lost the power to move amuscle. Out of the corner of an eye, just before he lost consciousnessaltogether, he perceived Handlon lying upon the floor still puffing atthe fateful drugged cigar. 

 * * * * *

Eons passed. 

To the reporter came a vision of a throbbing, glaring inferno, whereinhe was shaken and tossed by terrific forces. His very vital essenceseemed to respond to a mighty vibration. Now he was but a part of someterrific chaos. Dimly he became aware of another being with whom he mustcontend. Now he was in a death struggle, and to his horror he foundhimself being slowly but surely overpowered. A demoniac grin played uponthe features of the other as he forced the reporter to his knees. It wasHandlon. .. . Once more he was sinking into soft oblivion, the while ahorrid miasma assailed his nostrils. He was nothing. .. . 

 * * * * *

Slowly, and with infinite effort, Perry felt himself returning toconsciousness, though he had no clear conception of his surroundings. His brain was as yet but a whirling vortex of confused sounds, colorsand--yes, odors. A temporary rift came in the mental cloud whichfettered his faculties, and things began to take definite shape. Hebecame aware that he was lying upon his back at some elevation from thefloor. Again the cloudy incubus closed in and he knew no more. 

When he finally recovered the use of his faculties it was to discoverhimself the possessor of a violent headache. The pain came in suchfearsome throbs that it was well nigh unendurable. The lamp stillsputtered dimly where the professor had left it. At the moment it was onthe point of going out altogether. The reporter noticed this, and overhim stole a sense of panic. What if the light should fail altogether, leaving him lying in the dark in this frightful place! Still dizzy andsick, he managed to rise upon his elbows enough to complete a survey ofthe room. He was still in the laboratory of Professor Kell, but thatworthy had disappeared. Of Handlon there was no sign. The mysteriousapparatus, of which he now had but a vague remembrance, also hadvanished. 

His thoughts became confused again, and wearily he passed a hand overhis brow in the effort to collect all of his faculties. The lamp beganto sputter, arousing him to action. Desperately he fought against thebenumbing sensation that was even again stealing over him. Gradually hegained the ascendancy. He struggled dizzily to his feet and took a fewtentative steps. 

Where was Handlon? He decided his friend had probably recovered from thedrug first and was gone, possibly to get a doctor for him, Perry. However, he must make some search to determine if Skip had really leftthe premises. 

As he walked through the open door the lamp in his hand gave a lastdespairing flicker and went out. From there he was forced to grope hisway down the dark hall to the stairs. Just how he reached the lowerfloor he was never able to remember, for as yet all the effect of thepowerful drug had not worn off. He had a dim recollection of beingthankful to the ancestor of Kell who had provided such thick carpets inthese halls. Thanks to them his footsteps had been noiseless, at anyrate. 

What was Kell's real object in giving them those drugged cigars? hewondered. How long had they been under the influence of the lethalstuff? Surely several hours. Upon glancing through a hall window hefound that outside was the blackness of midnight. 

 * * * * *

Cautiously he explored the desolate chambers on the ground floor: thekitchen--where it could be plainly seen that cooking of a sort had beendone--the barn, and woodshed. Not a living thing could he find, not eventhe huge wolf-hound which had attacked them in so strange a manner thatafternoon. 

By now he was quite frankly worried on Handlon's account. At thatmoment, could he have known the actual fate that had overtaken hiscompanion, it is quite probable he would have gone mad. He stumbledback and into the dark front hall, shouting his friend's name. Theresponse was a hollow echo, and once or twice he thought he heard theghost of a mocking chuckle. 

At length he gave up the search and started for the door, intent nowonly upon flight from the accursed place. He would report the wholething to the office and let Bland do what he pleased about it. DoubtlessHandlon had already left. Then he stumbled over Handlon's camera. Evidently the Professor had neglected to take possession of it. Thatmust be rescued, at all costs. He picked it up and felt the exposedplate still inside. He started again for the door. 

What little light there was faded out and he felt stealing over him ahorrid sensation of weakness. Again came a period of agony during whichhe felt the grip of unseen forces. Once more it seemed that he wasengaged in mortal strife with Skip Handlon. Malevolently Handlon glaredat him as he endeavored with all his strength to overcome Perry. Thistime, however, the latter seemed to have more strength and resisted theattack for what must have been hours. Finally the other drew awaybaffled. 

At this the mental incubus surrounding Perry's faculties broke. Dimly hebecame aware of a grinding noise nearby and a constant lurching of hisbody. At length his vision cleared sufficiently to enable him todiscover the cause of the peculiar sensations. 

He was in a railroad coach!

 * * * * *

He took a rapid glance around and noted a drummer sitting in the seatacross the aisle, staring curiously at him. With an effort Perry assumedan inscrutable expression and determined to stare the other out ofcountenance. Reluctantly the man glanced away, and after a moment, underPerry's stony gaze, he suddenly arose and chose a new seat in front ofthe car. Perry took to the solace of a cigarette and stared out at theflying telegraph poles. From time to time he noted familiar landmarks. The train had evidently left Keegan far behind and was already nearlyinto the home town. 

For the balance of the ride the reporter experienced pure nightmare. Thepeculiar sensations of dizziness, accompanied by frightful periods ofinsensibility, kept recurring, now, however, not lasting more than tenor fifteen minutes at a time. At such times as he was conscious he foundopportunity to wonder in an abstracted sort of way how he had evermanaged to get on the train and pay his fare, which must have been acash one, without arousing the conductor's suspicions. Discovery of arebate in his pocket proved that he must have done so, however. Thebusiness of leaving the train and getting to the office has always beenan unknown chapter in Perry's life. 

He came out of one of his mental fogs to find himself seated in theprivate editorial sanctum of the Journal. Evidently he had just arrived. Bland, a thick-set man with the jaw of a bulldog, was eyeing himintently. 

"Well! Any report to make?" The question was crisp. 

The reporter passed a hand across his perspiring forehead. "Yes, I guessso. I--er--that is--you see--"

"Where's Handlon? What happened to you? You act as if you were drunk. "Bland was not in an amiable mood. 

"Search me, " Perry managed to respond. "If Skip isn't here old man Kellmust have done for him. I came back alone. "

"You wha-a-t?" the irate editor fairly roared, half rising from hischair. "Tell me exactly what happened and get ready to go back there onthe next train. Or--no, on second thoughts you'd better go to bed. Youlook all used up. Handlon may be dead or dying at this minute. That Kellcould do anything. " He pressed the button on his desk. 

"Johnny, " he said to the office boy, "get O'Hara in here on the doublequick and tell him to bring along his hat and coat. "

 * * * * *

He turned again to Perry, who was gazing nervously at the door. "Nowtell me everything that happened and make it fast, " he ordered. 

The reporter complied, omitting nothing except the little matter of hismental lapses at the house of Professor Kell and later on the train. Theincident of the drugged cigars seemed to interest the Old Man hugely, and Perry did not forget to play up Handlon's exploits in getting thepicture of the Professor. All through the recital he was in a sweat forfear that he might have a recurrence of one of his brain spells and thatBland would become cognizant of it. When would the Chief finish and lethim escape from the office? Desperately he fought to prevent the numbingsensation from overcoming him. All that kept him from finally fleeingthe place in panic was the entrance of Jimmie O'Hara. 

Slight, wiry and efficient looking, this individual was a specimen ofthe perfect Journal reporter. This is saying a good deal, for the newscrew and editorial force of the paper were a carefully selected body ofmen indeed. Bland never hired a man unless experience had endowed himwith some unusual qualification. Most of them could write up a storywith realistic exactitude, being able in most cases to supply detailsgleaned from actual experience in one walk of life or another. 

 * * * * *

Of this redoubtable crew probably the queerest was Jimmie O'Hara. Jimmiehad just finished a sentence in the "pen" for safe-cracking at the timehe landed the job with the Journal. Theoretically all men should haveshunned him on account of his jailbird taint. Not so Bland. The Chiefwas independent in his ideas on the eternal fitness of things andallowed none of the ordinary conventions of humanity to influence hisdecisions. So Jimmie became one of the staff and worked hard to justifyBland in hiring him. His former profession gave him valuable sidelightsupon crime stories of all kinds, and he was almost invariably picked asthe man to write these up for the columns. 

"Jimmie, " said the Chief, "we have need of an experienced strong-arm manand all around second story worker. You are the only man on the forcewho fills the bill for this job. Perry here has just returned fromKeegan, where I sent him to interview Professor Kell. Skip Handlon wentwith him, but failed to return. We want to know what happened to Skip. That is your job. _Get Handlon!_ If he is dead let me know by longdistance phone and I'll have a couple of headquarters men down there ina hurry. Get a good fast car and don't waste any time. That's all. "

O'Hara stopped long enough to get the location of Professor Kell's placefixed in his mind, then abruptly departed. Bland gazed after himmusingly. 

"The Professor will have some job to put anything over on that bird, " hesaid grimly. "Personally, I'm sorry for the old soul. "

 * * * * *

After leaving the Journal office Jimmie proceeded directly to a certainstable where he kept his private car. It was a long, low speedster witha powerful engine, and capable of eating up distance. It was the work ofa minute to touch the starter and back out of the yard. 

For the next hour he held the wheel grimly while the car roared over theseventy-odd miles to Keegan. Would he be in time? At last a sign posttold him that he was within five miles of the railroad crossing atKeegan. Now the headlights were picking out the black outlines of thefreight shed, and the next moment he had swept over the tracks. Theluminous dial on his wrist watch notified him that he had been on theroad but little over an hour, but his spirits somehow refused to revivewith the knowledge. 

About a mile beyond the station he drove the car into a dark wood roadand parked it, turning off all lights. The rest of the way to theProfessor's mansion he did on foot. Rather than approach from the frontof the grounds he nimbly climbed a stone wall and, crossing a field ortwo, entered the stretch of woods which extended just behind themansion. His pocket flashlight here came into use, and once or twice hegave a reassuring pat to a rear pocket where bulged a heavy Coltautomatic. 

 * * * * *

What was that? He had approached very close to the rear of the housenow. No lights were visible as yet, but unless he was greatly mistakenhe had heard a muffled scream. He stopped in his tracks and listenedintently. Again it came, this time with a blood-curdling cadence endingin what he would have sworn was a choking sob. 

The little job of getting the old-fashioned rear window open was a merenothing to the experienced O'Hara, and in a moment he was inside thehouse. His feet struck soft carpet. Catlike, he stepped to one side inorder to prevent any hidden eyes from perceiving his form silhouetted inthe dim light of the open window. He dared not use his flashlight forfear that the circle of light would betray his position, thus making himan excellent target for possible bullets. Following the wall closely hemanaged to circle the room without mishap. His searching fingers finallycame in contact with a door frame, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Here there was nothing to bar his progress except some moth-eatenportieres. These he brushed aside. 

The room which he now entered was probably the same into which theProfessor had ushered Handlon and Perry the day before. There beingstill no sign of life about, the reporter decided to throw caution tothe winds. He brought his flash into play. Quickly casting the powerfulbeam around the chamber he examined the place with an all-searchingglance. 

 * * * * *

Nothing. 

With a stifled oath he turned his attention to the other rooms in theimmediate vicinity. The brilliant light revealed not the slightest traceof a person, living or dead. The sound must have come from the secondstory or from the cellar. He decided on the upper floor. 

Feverish with impatience because of the valuable time he had alreadylost, he bounded up the heavily carpeted stairs two at a time. Now tohis keen ears came certain faint sounds which told him that he was onthe right track. Before him extended a long, dusty hall, terminating ina single heavy door. Several other doors opened at intervals along thecorridor. One or two of these were open, and he threw the beam from hisflash hastily into one after another of them. He saw only dusty andmildewed chamber furnishings of an ancient massive style. 

Suddenly he pricked up his ears. 

The door ahead of him was creaking slowly open. Instantly he extinguishedhis torch and leaped into the nearest room. Whoever was opening that enddoor was carrying a lamp. What if the Professor had accomplices whomight discover him and overpower him by force of numbers! O'Hara drew theautomatic from his pocket, deriving a comforting assurance from thefeel of the cold steel. Here was something no man could resist could hebut get it into action. The light was now nearly abreast of his door, andfor a sickening instant he thought the prowler was coming into the room. He held his breath. Now the lamp was at the open door, and now it wasquickly withdrawn. After a breathless second he tip-toed forward andpeered cautiously down the hallway. 

About here it was that James O'Hara began to realize that this wasgoing to be a horrible night indeed. He had wondered why the progress ofthe light had been so deathly slow. Now he knew why, by reason of whathe saw--and what he saw made him feel rather sick. The man with thelantern was quite plainly Professor Kell, bent nearly double with theweight of a grotesquely big thing on his back, a thing that flung a dim, contorted shadow on the ceiling. And that thing was a dead man. 

 * * * * *

A corpse it was--the attitude proved that. With a numb relief O'Hararealized it was not the body of Skip Handlon. This had been a muchlarger man than Skip, and the clothing was different from anythingHandlon had worn. 

The light was now disappearing down the stairway. For a moment O'Harafelt undecided as to his next move. Should he follow Kell and hisburden, or should he not take advantage of this fine opportunity tocontinue his search of the upper story? That scream still rang in hisears; there had been a very evident feminine quality in it, and theremembrance of that fact reproached him. Had he been guilty of mincingdaintily about in this old house while a woman was being done to deathunder his nose, when a little bolder action on his part might have savedher?

Stepping once more into the hall he advanced to the door just closedbehind the Professor and tried it, only to find it locked. Out of apocket came several articles best known to the "profession"--a piece ofstiff wire, a skeleton key and other paraphernalia calculated to reducethe obstinate mechanism to submission. For a minute, two, three, heworked at the ancient lock; then, without a creak, the door swung open. A touch of oil to the hinges had insured their silence. Jimmie O'Harabelieved in being artistic in his work, especially when it came to finepoints, and he was. 

 * * * * *

He found himself in the same room where the drugged cigars had beenproved the undoing of Handlon and Perry. In order not to alarm theProfessor unduly by chance noises and perhaps invite a surprise attackupon himself, O'Hara closed the laboratory door behind him and let thelock spring again. Hastily he made search of the place. No trace of themissing reporter could he find, except two half-consumed cigars in acorner whence the Professor had impatiently kicked them. 

On the big table in the center of the room, however, was an object whichexcited his interest. It was apparently nothing more or less than agiant Crookes tube, connected in some way with a complicated mechanismcontained in a wooden cabinet under the table. Probably this apparatuswas concerned in the Professor's weird experiments which had so arousedthe countryside. He studied it curiously, his eyes for the moment closedin thought, until a slight sound somewhere near at hand caused him toopen them wide. Was the Kell returning?

Quickly he extinguished the lamp and glided to a nearby door, thinkingto secrete himself here, and take Kell by surprise. To his consternationthe door swung inward at a touch. He prepared instinctively for battleagainst any foe who might present himself. For a moment he held himselftaut; then, nothing of an alarming nature having happened, he drew aswift breath of relief and flashed on his light. He gave vent to a lowexclamation. The swiftly darting shaft from the torch had revealed thefigure of a girl, bound and gagged. 

 * * * * *

The girl lay trembling on a wretched bed in a corner of the dilapidatedold chamber. O'Hara crossed the room and bent over her. Still wary of atrap he glanced back in the direction of the laboratory door: all safethere. Jimmie made haste to remove the cruel gag from her mouth. 

"Courage, " he whispered. "Half a minute and you will be free. "

He produced a knife with a suspiciously long blade and cut her bonds. Hethen assisted her to her feet, where she reeled dizzily. Realizing theneed for fast action he made her sit down while he massaged the bruisedarms and ankles, which were badly swollen from the tight ropes. The girlhad apparently been in the grip of such terrible fright that she hadtemporarily lost her power of speech. Mentally he chalked up anotherscore against the Professor as the girl made several ineffectualattempts to speak. 

"Easy, kid, " Jimmie whispered. "Just sit tight, and when you feel ableyou can tell me all about it. I'm going to get him good for this, youcan bank on that. "

She thanked him with a faint smile, and of a sudden she found hervoice. 

"Who are you? Where is father? Oh, tell me, please! I am afraid thathorrible man has murdered him. Are you a servant here? Oh, I don't knowwhom to trust. "

"My name is Jimmie O'Hara, " replied the reporter briefly; "and I hopeyou won't worry about me. I am gunning for the Proff myself. Tell me asquickly as you can what you know about him. " He still kept an eye on thedoor of the adjoining laboratory. Any moment he expected to hear thesound of the old man's approach. The room would make an ideal place toambush the maniac, he had swiftly decided. 

"I am Norma Manion. Please don't delay, but see if you can locatefather. " The girl's voice was agonized. "I heard him groan a half-hourago, and a little later came a terrific crash. Oh, I'm afraid he'sdead!"

 * * * * *

Reluctantly Jimmie gave up the idea of ambushing the Professor. 

"Wait here, " he commanded curtly. "If you hear a shot join me as soon asyou can. I want to take him alive if I can, but. .. . " With this partinghint he disappeared through the door into the laboratory. Down thecarpeted hall he crept to the stairway. Here he stopped and listened, but to his sensitive ears came no sound from below. 

"Must have gone down the cellar with the body, " he muttered. "Here goesfor a general exploration. "

With more boldness than the occasion perhaps really justified hedescended the stairs and proceeded to examine the ground floor roomsminutely. The first was the room through which he had made entrance tothe house. It proved to be but a storeroom containing nothing ofinterest, and he soon decided to waste no more time on it. 

The adjoining chamber, however, yielded some surprising finds. He hadpushed back a dusty portiere to find himself in what could benothing less than the Professor's sleeping chamber. At present thebed was unoccupied, though it showed signs of recent use. Theelectric torch played swiftly over every possible corner which couldconstitute a hiding place for an assassin, revealing nothing. Nowthe ever-searching ray fell upon an old-fashioned dresser, on whichwas piled a miscellaneous array of articles. Here were combs, brushes, a wig, a huge magnifying glass, and a gold watch. With a barelysuppressed exclamation, Jimmie pounced upon the gold timepiece. 

Handlon's! So well did he know the particular design of his watch thathe could have recognized it in the dark by sense of touch alone. So theold man was not averse to robbery among his other activities! The formertwo-story man thought fast. Handlon had probably been done in, and thebody had been disposed of in some weird manner. The only thing thatremained to be done, since the unlucky photographer was evidently pasthuman help, was to cut short the Professor's list of murders. 

 * * * * *

With the intention of missing no essential detail O'Hara swept the rayof the searchlight around the chamber once more, but discovered no moreof importance. Deciding that the sleeping chamber could yield no furtherclue he shut off the tell-tale ray and stepped noiselessly back into thenext room. Here he groped his way around until he encountered a door, which stood open. A moment's cautious exploration with an outstretchedfoot revealed the top step of a descending staircase. No faintestglimmer of light was visible, but muffled sounds proceeding from thedepths told him that someone was below. 

With infinite care, feeling his way gingerly over the rickety old stepsand fearful that an unexpected creak from one of the ancient boardswould at any moment prove his undoing, he commenced the descent. Once aboard did groan softly, causing him to stop in his tracks and stand withbated breath. He listened for sign of a movement below, while his heartloudly told off a dozen strokes. Stealthily he continued his progress, until finally soft earth under his feet told him he had reached thecellar bottom. 

Now his straining eyes perceived a tiny bit of light, and simultaneouslyhe became conscious of a deathly stench. The damp earth padding hisfootsteps, he advanced swiftly toward the source of light, which nowseemed to lie in stripes across his line of vision. He soon saw that thestairs gave upon a small boarded-off section of the cellar proper, andlight was seeping between the boards. Ah, and here was a rickety door, fortuitously equipped with a large knot-hole. O'Hara applied an eye tothis--and what he saw nearly ruined even his cast iron nerve. 

 * * * * *

The Professor was working beside a heavy wooden cask, from which issuedthe horrible stench. From time to time a sodden thud told that he washacking something to pieces with an ax. Now and then he would strainmightily at a dark and bulky thing which lay on the floor, a thing thatrequired considerable strength to lift. It seemed to be getting lighterafter each spasm of frenzied chopping. For a second Kell's shadowwavered away from the thing, and the enervated newspaper man saw itplainly. His senses almost left him as he realized that he waswitnessing the dismemberment of a human body. 

As he hacked the fragments of tissue from the torso the fiend carefullydeposited each in the huge cask. At such times a faint boiling sound washeard, and there arose an effluvium that bade fair to overcome even themonster engaged in the foul work. At last the limbs and head had beenentirely removed. The Professor evidently decided that the trunk shouldbe left whole, and he put his entire strength into the job of getting itinto the cask. It was almost more than he could negotiate, but finally adull splash told that he had succeeded. 

At this moment Jimmie O'Hara came out of his trance. The horribleproceeding had left him faint and shaken, and he wished heartily that hecould leave the disgusting place as fast as his legs could carry him. But there was still work to be done and he resolved to get it over. 

The lantern! First he must put that out of commission. The maniac wouldthen be at his mercy. Slowly, steadily he stole through the doorway, hiseyes glued to the Professor's back. Now he was within a yard of thelantern, and he drew back his foot for the kick. 

Next moment Jimmie found himself gazing into the glaring eyes of hisintended victim. Instinctively he struck out with the clubbed automatic, but the blow must have fallen short, or else the Professor had developedan uncanny agility. Now to his horror he saw the flashing blade of thebloodstained ax raised on high. He had no time to dodge the blow. Hepressed the trigger of the Colt from the position in which he held it. 

 * * * * *

The bullet grazed the upraised arm. The ax fell toward O'Hara fromfingers lacking strength to retain it, and he grasped it by the handlein midair. The next moment the assassin collected his wits and sprang athim. Silently, the breath of both coming in gasps, the two men strove, each clawing desperately at the other's throat. The reporter fought withthe knowledge that should he lose he would never again see the light ofday, the other with the fear of the justice that would deal with him. 

The maniac hugged his arms tightly about Jimmie, pinioning him sotightly that the reporter could not use his gun. At length theirconvulsive movements brought the men close to the lantern, and the nextinstant the cellar was plunged in darkness. A second later the Professortripped over some hidden obstruction and fell, dragging his opponentwith him to the earthen floor. To Jimmie's surprise there was no furthermovement from the body beneath him. Could the old villain be playingpossum? He cautiously shifted his hold and grasped the hidden throat. Hepressed the Professor's windpipe for a moment, but there was noanswering struggle. Slowly the truth dawned upon him. The heavy fall tothe floor had rendered the older man insensible. 

He must work fast. Reaching into his pocket he brought out the everhandy electric torch and flashed it over the features of his prisoner. Kell was breathing heavily. With dexterous hands O'Hara swiftly wentthrough the old man's pockets, removing all which might tend to makethat worthy dangerous--an ugly looking pistol of large caliber, ablackjack similar to his own and a small bottle. 

The latter item Jimmie examined curiously, finally uncorking it andinhaling the contents. He inhaled, not wisely but too well. The fumesfrom the vial were nigh overpowering, and he reeled back nauseated. Thecork he hastily replaced. Just what the nature of the powerful stuffwas he never attempted to discover. One acquaintance was enough. 

 * * * * *

He staggered to his feet and got the lantern lighted, then sat, gun inhand, waiting for his prisoner's return to his senses. This was becomingincreasingly imminent, judging by certain changes in the Professor'srespiration. Finally there came a series of shuddering movements as theman attempted to raise his battered body. 

"Get up, you damned butcher, " ordered Jimmie, "and march upstairs. Andjust remember that I've got you covered; don't make any false moves. " Heprodded the prostrate form of the by now glaring fiend before him. Thestench of the place was nearly overcoming him, and again he felt anoverwhelming desire to dash madly from that den of evil, and once morebreathe God's fresh air. Under the stimulus of several shoves theProfessor finally won to his feet and stumbled up the stairs. Jimmie wastaking no chances and kept the automatic sharply digging into the ribsof his prisoner. The fight, however, seemed temporarily to have been alltaken out of the old man, and he made no resistance as the reporterdrove him on up to the laboratory. 

The room he found exactly as he left it. At a word from him Norma Manioncame from her hiding place in the horrible room where she had been keptprisoner. 

With an hysterical scream she fell limply to the floor. The sight of herfather's murderer had proved too much for her. Forgetting his prisonerfor the moment Jimmie sprang to the girl's side. 

Kell chose this moment to make a dash for freedom. His footsteps, however, were not as noiseless as he had intended, and O'Hara whirledjust in time to see his quarry about to throw open the hall door. Jimmiedove for his gun, only to encounter the Professor's mysterious vial, which, though forgotten, still lay in his pocket. With no time tothink, he acted purely upon instinct. His arm drew back and the bottleflew straight for the Professor's head. 

 * * * * *

By a miracle the missile missed its mark. Came a shivering crash, as thebottle struck a stud in the massive door. Of a sudden recalling theterrific potency of the contents of that particular bottle, Jimmiegasped in dismay. Norma Manion's safety drove every other thought fromhis mind. At any cost he must remove her from the proximity of thoselethal fumes. 

Hastily and without a backward glance, he gathered the girl into hisarms and dashed into the room where he had first found her. Ascertainingthat she had but swooned he placed her gently on the bed. In someperplexity as to his next move he stared at the beautiful face now sowan and white. Queer that he hadn't noticed the fact before--she wasbeautiful. He even took a second look, then noting a continued absenceof all sound from the laboratory decided to investigate. 

Gingerly he pushed open the door, sniffing the air cautiously as headvanced. To his nostrils gradually came a slight scent, which thoughalmost imperceptible made his senses reel. As he approached the halldoor he found the atmosphere heavy with the soporific vapors from thebroken vial, and he staggered drunkenly. 

He gave a start of surprise. On the floor, lying in a grotesque huddlewhich suggested a most unpleasant possibility, was the inert body ofProfessor Kell. 

 * * * * *

Jimmie bent over the body and put an experienced ear to the heart. Yes, there as a faint beat--very faint. Even as he listened he perceived aslight increase in the respiration. Now the breath began coming ingreat, choking gasps, only to die suddenly to next to nothing. At lastwith a rueful sigh Jimmie reached to his hip and produced the privateO'Hara flagon. He stooped over the Professor's form once more and bydint of much prying at clenched jaws managed to force a sizeable chargeof fiery liquid down the old man's throat. Jimmie had just begun toentertain a strong hope that this latter effort would bring theProfessor to life, when his keen ear detected signs of a commotionbelow. 

He sprang from his position over the slowly reviving Kell and leaped toa vantage point beside the door. A blackjack miraculously appeared fromsome hidden part of his anatomy and the ever-dependable Colt also becamein evidence. Now came the banging of a door, muffled voices, a crash asof a chair overturned in the dark. Up rolled a horrible oath, and thesame was rendered in a voice to Jimmie sweetly familiar. Came the soundof footsteps on the stairway and several persons coming along the hall. 

"Where in hell is Jimmie?" roared a wicked voice. "If he's met with anymonkey business in this hell-hole I'll see that the damned place burnsto the ground before I leave it!"

 * * * * *

Delightedly Jimmie jerked open the door. 

"Still alive, Chief, " he chirped as the Old Man strode into thelaboratory. Bland was followed by Perry, who seemed to be in a sort ofdaze. Bringing up the rear were a pair of plainclothesmen whom Jimmieknew very well--almost too well. One of these gentlemen bore a lanternwhich reminded Jimmie strongly of some he had seen that night guardingan open ditch in the public highway. 

The Professor had fully regained consciousness and was struggling to hisfeet. As for Norma Manion, she had suddenly appeared, leaning weaklyagainst the door casing, and was surveying the group in great alarm. 

After being assured by O'Hara that they were her friends she smiledwanly. To Bland and the others she was, of course, an unexpected factorin the weird night's doings, and for several moments they regarded hercuriously. 

At length Jimmie, sensing the question in the Old Man's eyes, elected tooffer a few words of explanation. 

"Miss Manion has just been through a terrible experience, " he said. "She and her father have been for some time at the mercy of thismonster"--indicating Kell--"and her nerves are completely shattered. We'd better get her out of this as quickly as we can. "

"Mike!" Hard Boiled Bland glared at one of the officers. "Don't standthere with your teeth in your gums like that. Take this girl out to mycar and let her lie down. She needs a stimulant, too. If you search mycar and find any red liquor in the left back door pocket, I don't know athing about it. And stay with her so she won't be afraid to go tosleep. "

She smiled in silent gratitude and allowed the plainclothesman to leadher away from that chamber of horror. 

 * * * * *

The reporter lost no time in telling Bland of his failure to find SkipHandlon. He went on to acquaint his Chief with the facts of all that hadoccured while he had been at the Professor's house. 

The fiery old fellow listened grimly. When Jimmie came to the story ofthe corpse and the cask the editor breathed one word, "Manion!"

Jimmie nodded sadly. All eyes turned to the dejected huddle on the floorthat was Professor Kell. Finally Bland could wait no longer, but fixed aterrible eye on the murderer and demanded harshly, "Where's Handlon?"

Now the Professor burst into a fit of insane laughter, laughter thatcurdled the blood of the listeners. 

"You ask me that! It's almost too good. Hee-hee! You sent your twoprecious reporters out to my house to pry into my secrets, and thoughtto display my name all over your yellow sheet; but you forgot that youwere dealing with Professor Anton Kell, didn't you?" The last he fairlyshrieked. "A lot of people have tried to intrude upon me before, butnone ever escaped me!"

"We know that, " cut in Jimmie, for he was getting impatient and the oldman's boastings seemed out of place. "You are slated for the ropeanyway, after what I discovered down cellar. " He jerked his eyes in thedirection of the door significantly. "Now we propose to find Handlon, and the better it will be for you if you tell us what you have done withhim. Otherwise. .. . "

"You can go to hell!" screamed the maniac. "If you are so clever, findout for yourselves. He isn't so far away that you couldn't touch him byreaching out your hand. In fact, he's been with you quite a while. Hee-hee-hee! Well, if you must know--there he is!" With an insanechuckle he pointed at Horace Perry. And Perry did a strange thing. 

"Yes, you fiend, here I am!" Whose voice was that? Was it Perryspeaking, or was it Skip Handlon? Most assuredly Perry stood beforethem, but the voice, in a subtle manner, reminded the group strongly ofpoor old Skip. 

 * * * * *

As he spoke Perry had launched himself at the Professor's throat and hadto be restrained by the others. Savagely he fought them but slowly andsurely they overcame his struggles and placed him, writhing, in achair. 

Of a sudden Bland leaned forward and scrutinized Perry's face sharply. Had the reporter gone insane too? The pupils of the eyes had taken on asort of queer contraction, a fixed quality that was almost ludicrous. Helooked like a man under hypnosis. He had gone limp in their grasp, butnow suddenly he stiffened. The eyes underwent another startling change, this time glowing undoubtedly with the look of reason. Bland wasmystified and waited for Perry to explain his queer conduct. The latterseemed finally to come to. Simultaneously he realized that his peculiarlapse from consciousness had been observed by the others. 

"Guess I may as well admit it, " he said with a wry smile. "Ever since Icame back from my assignment with Kell I have had a hell of a time. Halfthe time I have been in a daze and have not had the least idea what Iwas doing. Funny part of it is that I have seemed to keep right on doingthings even while I was out of my head. " He told briefly of the visionshe had had in which he had seemed to contend with his brother reporter, the horrid sensations as he felt himself overcome, the black oblivion inwhich he then found himself, and the mysterious manner in which he hadleft Keegan on that ill-fated assignment. 

"What have you done to Handlon?" Jimmie's voice cut in. He was standingover the form of the maniac, rigid and menacing. "You have exactly twominutes to go. "

"Find out for yourself!" snarled the bruised and battered fiend. 

"I will, " was the answer, and on the instant a horrible shriek rent theair. Jimmie had quickly grasped both of the Professor's arms at thewrists and was slowly twisting them in a grip of iron. Kell's face wentwhite, the lips writhed back over toothless gums, the eyes closed in thesupreme effort to withstand the excruciating pain. Then--

"Enough, enough!" he screamed. 

 * * * * *

O'Hara eased the pressure slightly but retained his hold upon theclawlike hands. "Talk fast, " he ordered. 

The old man struggled futilely in the grasp of the powerful reporter, finally glancing in the direction of the others. Would they show signsof pity? Surely not Hard Boiled Bland. The Chief was watching thestruggles of the victim through a cloud of tobacco smoke which he wasslowly exhaling through his nose. The plainclothesman displayed no signof interest at all. The game was up!

"Very well, " he said sullenly. "Handlon and Perry are both occupying thesame body. "

"Wh-a-a-t?" roared Bland. "Jimmie, I guess you'll have to put the screwsto him some more. He's trying to make fools of us at the last minute!"

"No, no!" screamed the Professor. "What I say is true. I have beenworking for years on my system of de-astralization. This last year I atlength perfected my electric de-astralizer, which amplifies and exertsthe fifth influence of de-cohesion. "

The whole party began to look uneasy and gazed apprehensively at thehuge Crookes tube which still stood in its supporting frame on thetable. 

"I have been forced to experiment on animals for the most part, " theProfessor continued. "I succeeded in de-astralizing a dog and a bull andcaused them to exchange bodies. The bodies continued to function. I wasenthusiastic. Other experiments took place of which I will not tell you. Finally I began to long for a human subject on which to try my fifthinfluence. "

"Just get down to cases, if you don't mind, Kell. " The Chief wantedaction. "Suppose you tell us just what you did to Handlon and where wecan find him. I may as well mention that your life depends upon it. Ifwe find that you have done for him, something worse than death mayhappen to you. " The tone was menacing. Although Handlon was acomparatively late acquisition to the old Chief's staff, still he hadbeen loyal to the paper. 

"When your two damned reporters entered my driveway, " Kell resumed. "Isaw them coming through a powerful glass which I always have on hand. Ihad no desire to see them, but they forced themselves upon me. At last Idetermined that they should furnish material for my experiments. 

 * * * * *

"If your men had looked into the grove behind the barn they would havefound the automobile which furnished two more subjects I was keeping onhand in a room upstairs. Old Manion and his daughter gave me quite a bitof trouble, but I kept them drugged most of the time. He broke out ofthe room to-night though, and I had to kill him. It was self defense, "he added slyly. 

"Anyway, I found it was possible to make two astrals exchange bodies. But I also wanted to see if it were possible to cause two astrals tooccupy the same body at the same time, and if so what the result wouldbe. I found out. It was rare sport to watch your star reporter leave myhouse. He was damned glad to leave, I believe. .. . " Again came the insanecackle. 

"Guess we have to believe him whether we want to or not. " The detectivecame to life. "How about making him release Handlon's--what d'ye callit?--astral--from Perry's body?"

"Just a moment. " The voice now was unmistakably Handlon's, though it wasissuing from the throat of Perry. "In the minute I have in consciousnesslet me suggest that before you do any more de-astralizing you _locate mybody_. Until then, if I am released from this one I am a dead man. "

The words struck the group dumb. Where _was_ Handlon's body? Could theProfessor produce it?

That worthy looked rather haunted at that moment, and they began to seethe fear of death coming upon him. 

"Mercy, mercy!" he begged as the four men started to advance upon him. "As soon as I had de-astralized Handlon I destroyed his body in mypickling barrel down cellar. But there is another way. .. . " He paused, uncertain as to how his next words would be received. "Go out and getthe Manion girl. She can be de-astralized and friend Handlon can haveher body. "

 * * * * *

At this suggestion, advanced so naïvely, the four men recoiled inhorror. It was entirely too much even for Hard Boiled Bland, and hecould hardly restrain himself from applying the editorial fist to theleering face before him. Undoubtedly Professor Kell was hopelesslyinsane, and for that reason he held himself in leash. 

"Kell, you are slated to pull off one more stunt, " Jimmie addressed thecringing heap. "You know what it is. Get busy. And just remember that Iam standing over here"--he indicated a corner well separated from therest--"with this cannon aimed in your direction. If things aren't justaccording to Hoyle, you get plugged. Get me?"

"What about it, men?" Bland spoke up. "Is it going to be treatingHandlon right to de-astralize him now? It will be his last chance tohave a body on this earth. "

"Unfortunately that body never belonged to Handlon, " said O'Hara. "HenceI fail to see why Perry should be discommoded for the balance of hislife with a companion astral. Perry is clearly entitled to his own body, free and unhampered. Friend Skip is out of luck, unless--Well, I don'tmind telling you, Kell, that you just gave me an idea. Snap into itnow!"

The Professor dragged himself to his feet and under the menace of theautomatic fumbled under the table until he had located the intricateapparatus before mentioned. 

"Now if Mr. Perry--or Handlon--will kindly recline at full length onthis table, " he said with an obscene leer, "the experiment will begin. "

"Just remember, Kell, this is no experiment, " advised Bland, fixing theProfessor with an ugly eye. "You do as you're told. "

The other made no reply, but threw a hidden switch. Perry, lying flat onhis back on the ancient table, suddenly found himself being bathed bywhat seemed to be a ray of light, and yet was not a ray of light. Whatwas it? It was surely not visible, yet it was tangible. A terrific forcewas emanating from that devilish globe above him, drawing him out ofhimself--or--no--was he expanding? Again his ears became filled withconfused, horrible sounds, the outlines of the room faded from sight, he felt a strange sense of inflation . .. Of lightness. .. . Oblivion!

 * * * * *

From where the others sat a gasp of wonder went up. At the first contactof the switch there had been a momentary flash of greenish light withinthe bulb, and then a swift transition to a beautiful orange. It had thenfaded altogether, leaving the glass apparently inert and inactive. 

But it was not so! The form lying beneath the bulb was evidently beingracked with untold tortures. The face became a thing of horror. Now ithad twisted into a grotesque semblance of Handlon's--now it againresembled Perry's. The Professor quietly increased the pressure of thecurrent. From the bulb emanated a steel gray exhalation of what must betermed light, and yet so real it was seemingly material. Assuredly itwas not a ray of light as we understand light. It came in great beatingthrobs, in which the actual vibrations were entirely visible. Under eachimpact the body of Perry seemed to change, slowly at first, then withincreasing speed. The body was now swelled to enormous size. Blandreached forward to touch it. 

"This de-cohering influence, " the Professor was murmuring, almostraptly, "causes the atoms that go to make a living body repel oneanother. When the body is sufficiently nebulized, the soul--Back! Back, you fool!" he suddenly shrieked, grasping Bland by the arm. "Do you wantto kill him?"

Bland hurriedly retreated, convinced perforce that Kell's alarm wasgenuine. The editorial fingers had penetrated the subject's garmentswithout resistance and sank into the body as easily as if it were somuch soft soap!

 * * * * *

The body continued to expand until at length even the hard-headedplainclothesman realized that it had been reduced to a mere vapor. Within this horrid vaporized body, which nearly filled the room andwhich had now lost all semblance to a man, could be discerned two faintshapes. Swiftly the Professor extinguished the lantern. The shapes, vague though they were, could be recognized as those of Horace Perry andSkip Handlon. And they were at strife!

All eyes were now focused on Professor Kell, who was evidently waitingfor something to happen. The two apparitions within the body-cloud wereat death grips. One had been overcome and was temporarily helpless. Itwas that of Handlon. And then again the astral of Perry forcibly oustedthat of Handlon from the cloud-cyst. And at that instant Professor Kellshut off the influence-tube. 

At once a terrific metamorphosis took place. There came a sharp soundalmost like a clap of thunder, with the slight exception that this wasoccasioned by exactly the reverse effect. Instead of being an_ex_plosion it might more properly be termed an _in_plosion, for themist-cloud suddenly vanished. The de-cohering influence having beenremoved, the cloud had condensed into the form of Perry. Apparently nonethe worse, he was even now beginning to recover consciousness. Theastral of Handlon was no longer visible, though hovering in thevicinity. 

Perry's body was again his own. 

 * * * * *

At this time Jimmie O'Hara elected to start something new by hitting theProfessor a workmanlike blow on the back of the head with the butt ofhis automatic. The next thing Bland or anyone else present knew theunconscious body of the Professor was on the table and Jimmie wasgroping for the concealed switch. At length he found it, and the greenflash of light appeared in the bulb, followed by the brilliant orangemanifestation. 

"What in hell are you doing?" gasped Bland. 

"De-astralizing the Professor, " replied O'Hara cheerfully. "Don't youget the idea yet? Watch!"

Fascinated, the four men saw the terrific emanation take its balefuleffect. As before, the body commenced to expand and gradually took on amisty outline. Larger and larger it grew, until finally it had become avast cloud of intangible nothingness which filled the room like someevil nebula. 

A cry of consternation from the detective aroused Jimmie. Skip Handlon'sastral had appeared within the field of the nebula to fight forpossession. There ensued what was perhaps the weirdest encounter everwitnessed. Though he was in poor physical shape, the Professor seemed tohave an extremely powerful astral; and for some time the spectatorsdespaired of Handlon's victory. Once the latter, evidently realizingthat the powerful influence tube had rendered him visible, glancedsharply in Jimmie's direction. O'Hara was considerably puzzled at this, but watched the progress of the struggle tensely. At length the momentseemed to arrive which the reporter's astral had been awaiting. Itturned tail and fled away from the astral of the Professor, disappearingbeyond the outer confines of the nebula. 

Jimmie suddenly divined the other's purpose and dived for the hiddenswitch. As he had anticipated, Handlon had finally given up the attemptto overcome the astral of Kell by force and had made up his mind toaccomplish his end by strategy. Almost on the instant that Jimmie's handclosed on the switch the reporter's astral again leaped into the fieldof the nebula. Fiercely it signalled to the former second story man toshut off the current, but the admonition was unnecessary, for Jimmie hadalready done so. 

 * * * * *

Swiftly the cloud-cyst faded. Even as the group caught a fleeting sightof Skip Handlon, the last that mortal eyes would ever see of him as heactually was, there came a violent disturbance at the edge of theshrinking nebula. Would the speed of condensation of the atoms whichcomprised the body of Professor Kell serve to shut out the pursuingastral of Kell?

Even Bland held his breath!

The cloud lost its luminous quality, the action of condensationincreasing in speed. It was barely visible in the enshrouding gloom. Anastral had long since been enveloped within the rapidly accumulatingsubstance. Came a sudden clap of sound as before, and the final act ofresolution had been accomplished. Whether the Professor had succeeded inregaining a position within the cloud-cyst before the crucial secondnone could say. 

Jimmie relighted the lantern. Apparently the effect of the love tapadministered by his automatic was more or less of a lasting character, and the men were put to some ado to restore the body of Kell toconsciousness. At length their efforts began to bear fruit, however, andit became expedient to remove the patient to the softer couch in thesitting room below. As they moved forward to lay hold of the limp body afigure appeared in the doorway to the hall. It was the plainclothesman, Riley. 

"How about getting under way for town, " he wanted to know. "Is the oldparty croaked yet? Miss Manion has had a fierce time and says she won'tstay near this house another minute. I don't like this place myselfeither. Do you know I just got kicked by a poll parrot? Let's get awayfrom here. "

"Hold on, Riley, what are you talking about?" growled Bland. "Kicked bya poll parrot! You're--"

"That's all right, Chief, " broke in the now thoroughly cheerful Perry. "That jackass I shot could probably have told us all about it. Ipositively know the beast could talk. "

"Humph!" snorted Bland, "Well, if a donkey can talk, and a bull canbite, and a hound can hook, why shouldn't a parrot--Judas Priest, I'mgetting as crazy as the rest of you! Hurry up and get Kell downstairs sowe can see who he is. There I go again! Oh, go lie down, Riley. "

"But look, Bland, look!" Riley was pointing a demoralized finger at acage in the corner. He tugged frantically at Bland's coat sleeve. "Seewhat's in there, won't you? I--well, I did find some liquor in your car, and Miss Manion made me take some. I--I didn't know it would do this tome. Look in there; please, Mr. Bland!"

 * * * * *

Bland gave Riley a dark look, but nevertheless he reached for O'Hara'sflashlight. In the cage two yellow eyes blinked sleepily out at him. Perry began to laugh. 

"Why, there's nothing in there but a cat. Skip and I heard it purringwhen we first came in here this afternoon. Guess Riley--"

"Great God, Jimmie, give me your gun!" Hard Boiled Bland for the momentfailed to merit his sobriquet. The torch in his hand threw a tremblingbeam full into the cage. "It's a snake! And--there! It's doing itagain!"

A snake it was, indubitably, a huge black specimen with bright yellowstripes. Bland's frenzied yell seemed not to have excited it at all, fornow the sleek fellow had arched its body neatly and was calmly lickingits sides with a long forked tongue. After a moment it halted theoperation long enough to rub its jaw against a bar of its cage, and gavevent to a sociable mew!

Even this could not dash the spirits of Horace Perry. He laugheddelightedly again as he laid Bland by the arm. 

"That creature is perfectly harmless, Chief, " he told the editor. "Somewhere I suppose there's a mighty dangerous kitty cat at large, butthere's no sense in taking it out on this poor reptile. Let's live andlet live. "

With a show of reluctance Bland returned Jimmie's automatic, then strodeover to where lay the form of Kell. Perry and O'Hara lingered by thecage long enough to arrange a plan to let the snake out doors as soon asopportunity offered, after which they joined their Chief. Riley wentout to resume his vigil in Bland's car, while his fellow sleuth preparedto light the way downstairs. Under his guidance the sick man was carriedbelow without mishap. 

Downstairs the now conscious form of the venerable Professor was laidout on the ancient sofa until his senses could clear a bit. Presentlythe eyelids fluttered open and a feeble voice asked, "Where the deuce amI, and how did all you guys get here?"

 * * * * *

A joyous gasp went up. That voice! Although uttered in somewhat the samevocal quality as Kell's the intonation and accents had strangelyaltered. O'Hara leaned eagerly over the figure on the couch. Thequestion he asked was startling in its incongruity:

"How are you feeling, _Skip_!"

"Rotten, " was the reply from the lips of Kell. "What hit me such a crackon the dome? I feel as if I had been dragged through a knot-hole. Lemmeup. "

"Stay still, " commanded O'Hara, kindly but firmly. "You aren't fit tomove yet. You are going on a long ride and will need your strength. Don't talk, either. "

A half-hour later they left the house. In the front yard the editorcalled a hasty conclave which included the entire party. Hard BoiledBland has never been known to talk so much at a stretch, before orsince. 

"Before we start back, " he began, "we had better come to an understanding. In the first place--Skip, come over here a minute. "

Norma Manion uttered an involuntary cry of fear as the aged form of Kellpassed by her. Skip's instant response to his name had, of course, beenperfectly natural to him. But it had an odd effect on the others. 

"Miss Manion, and gentlemen, " Bland went on, with a bow of mockceremony, "I want you to meet Mister--er, Mister--oh hell, call himSaunders. This is Mr. Kenneth Saunders, ladies and gentlemen. When hegets a shave and has his new face patched up I believe you will like hisappearance much more than you do now. 

"Seriously though, folks, I hope that with a little fixing up thegentleman will hardly resemble Professor Anton Kell. Kell is dead. Obviously, however, this gentleman can hardly continue his existence asSkip Handlon. Hence--well, hence Mr. Saunders. And don't forget thename. 

"Now another little matter. This house has proven a curse to humanity. What has transpired here need never be known. Would it not be the wiserto eliminate all traces of to-night's happenings? There is a way. " Helooked significantly at the others. 

 * * * * *

"You mean--" began Perry. 

"That we destroy all traces of Professor Kell's villainy. Although he isno more, still someone might notice that _his body actively remains_. And no one wants to do any explaining. "

"It's the only way we can protect Handlon, " one of the sleuthsruminated, half to himself. "No judge would ever believe a word aboutthis de-astralization business. The chances are we would all go to thebooby hatch and Handlon would go to prison for Kell's crimes. "

"There were four of us that witnessed the fact of the--the soultransfusion, though, " Perry objected. "Wouldn't that be enough to clearSkip? Besides, wouldn't it be possible for us to lead a jury out hereand duplicate the experiment?"

"Too much undesirable publicity, " growled Bland, who for once in hislife had found reason to keep something good out of the headlines. "Whatdo you say, people?"

"I move we move, " from the detective who had had the uncomfortable jobof attending to Norma Manion. 

"Gentleman, I believe we understand each other, " said Jimmie quietly. "Now I am going into the barn"--significantly--"to see if everything'sall right. While I am there something _might_ happen. You understand?"

The others nodded silent assent. 

 * * * * *

In the snug seat of Jimmie's speedster Norma Manion shivered as shefollowed the direction indicated by her companion's finger. It was thatdarkest hour which comes just before the dawn. 

To the westward could be perceived a dull, red glow, which, even as theywatched with fascinated eyes, developed into an intense glare. Graduallythe fading stars became eclipsed in the greater glory. 

Three cars, motors throbbing as if eager to be gone, stood a space aparton the main road. The car behind O'Hara's was the Manion machine, nowoccupied by Bland and Riley. The remaining one was a touring car andcontained the balance of the party. Perry was at the wheel, and besidehim sat the Handlon-Kell-Saunders combination. 

"Thus passes a den of horror, " whispered Jimmie to his companion. 

"It is the funeral pyre of my father, " the girl answered simply. She hadlong since recovered from her initial outburst of grief at her loss, andnow watched the progress of the conflagration dry-eyed. At length Jimmieslipped an arm protectingly about the trembling shoulders. 

"You have seen enough, " he said. As the three cars raced from the sceneof the holocaust, faint streamers in the east told of the rising orb ofday. 

"Good-by, Keegan, forever, " murmured Norma. 

"Amen, " O'Hara devoutedly agreed. 

From the Ocean's Depths

_By Sewell Peaslee Wright_

 Man came from the sea. Mercer, by his thought-telegraph, learns from the weirdly beautiful ocean-maiden of a branch that returned there. 

[Illustration: _Her head was a little to one side, in the attitude of onewho listens intently. _]

From somewhere out on the black, heaving Atlantic, the rapid, muffledpopping of a speed-boat's exhaust drifted clearly through the night. 

I dropped my book and stretched, leaning back more comfortably in mychair. There was real romance and adventure! Rum-runners, seeking outtheir hidden port with their cargo of contraband from Cuba. Headingfearlessly through the darkness, fighting the high seas, still runningafter the storm of a day or so before, daring a thousand dangers for thesake of the straw-packed bottles they carried. Sea-bronzed men, withhard, flat muscles and fearless eyes; ready guns slapping their thighsas they--

Absorbed in my mental picture of these modern free-booters, the suddenalarm of the telephone startled me like an unexpected shot fired besidemy ear. Brushing the cigarette ashes from my smoking-jacket, I crossedthe room and snatched up the receiver. 

"Hello!" I snapped ungraciously into the mouthpiece. It was after elevenby the ship's clock on the mantel, and if--

"Taylor?" The voice--Warren Mercer's familiar voice--rattled on withoutwaiting for a reply. "Get in your car and come down here as fast aspossible. Come just as you are, and--"

 * * * * *

"What's the matter?" I managed to interrupt him. "Burglars?" I had neverheard Mercer speak in that high-pitched, excited voice before; his usualspeech was slow and thoughtful, almost didactic. 

"Please, Taylor, don't waste time questioning me. If it weren't urgent, I wouldn't be calling you, you know. Will you come?"

"You bet!" I said quickly, feeling rather a fool for ragging him when hewas in such deadly earnest. "Have--"

The receiver snapped and crackled; Mercer had hung up the instant he hadmy assurance that I would come. Usually the very soul of courtesy andconsideration, that act alone would have convinced me that there was anurgent need for my presence at The Monstrosity. That was Mercer's ownname for the impressive pile that was at once his residence and hislaboratory. 

I threw off the smoking-jacket and pulled on a woolen golfing sweater, for the wind was brisk and sharpish. In two minutes I was backing thecar out of the garage; a moment later I was off the gravelled drive andtearing down the concrete with the accelerator all the way down, and theblack wind shrieking around the windshield of my little roadster. 

My own shack was out of the city limits--a little place I keep to livein when the urge to go fishing seizes me, which is generally about twicea year. Mercer picked the place up for me at a song. 

The Monstrosity was some four miles further out from town, and off thehighway perhaps a half-mile more. 

I made the four miles in just a shade over that many minutes, andclamped on the brakes as I saw the entrance to the little drive that ledtoward the sea, and Mercer's estate. 

 * * * * *

With gravel rattling on my fenders, I turned off the concrete and sweptbetween the two massive, stuccoed pillars that guarded the drive. Bothof them bore corroded bronze plates, "The Billows, " the name given TheMonstrosity by the original owner, a newly-rich munitions manufacturer. 

The structure itself loomed up before me in a few seconds, a ramblingaffair with square-shouldered balconies and a great deal of wrought-ironwork, after the most flamboyant Spanish pattern. It was ablaze withlight. Apparently every bulb in the place was burning. 

Just a few yards beyond the surf boomed hollowly on the smooth, shadyshore, littered now, I knew, by the pitiful spoils of the storm. 

As I clamped on my brakes, a swift shadow passed two of the lowerwindows. Before I could leap from the car, the broad front door, withits rounded top and circular, grilled window, was flung wide, and Mercercame running to meet me. 

He was wearing a bathrobe, hastily flung on over a damp bathing suit, his bare legs terminating in a pair of disreputable slippers. 

"Fine, Taylor!" he greeted me. "I suppose you're wondering what it's allabout. I don't blame you. But come in, come in! Just wait till you seeher!"

"Her?" I asked, startled. "You're not in love, by any chance, andbringing me down here like this merely to back up your own opinion ofthem eyes and them lips, Mercer?"

 * * * * *

He laughed excitedly. 

"You'll see, you'll see! No, I'm not in love. And I want you to help, and not admire. There are only Carson and myself here, you know, and thejob's too big for the two of us. " He hurried me across the broadconcrete porch and into the house. "Throw the cap anywhere and comeon!"

Too much amazed to comment further, I followed my friend. This was aWarren Mercer I did not know. Usually his clean-cut, olive-tinted facewas a polite mask that seldom showed even the slightest trace ofemotion. His eyes, dark and large, smiled easily, and shone withinterest, but his almost beautiful mouth, beneath the long slimmustache, always closely cropped, seldom smiled with his eyes. 

But it was his present excited speech that amazed me most. Mercer, during all the years I had known him, had never been moved before tosuch tempestuous outbursts of enthusiasm. It was his habit to speakslowly and thoughtfully, in his low, musical voice; even in the midst ofour hottest arguments, and we had had many of them, his voice had neverlost its calm, unhurried gentleness. 

To my surprise, instead of leading the way to the really comfortable, although rather gaudy living room, Mercer turned to the left, towardswhat had been the billiard room, and was now his laboratory. 

The laboratory, brilliantly illuminated, was littered, as usual, withapparatus of every description. Along one wall were the retorts, scales, racks, hoods and elaborate set-ups, like the articulated glass andrubber bones of some weird prehistoric monster, that demonstratedMercer's taste for this branch of science. On the other side of the rooma corresponding workbench was littered with a tangle of coils, transformers, meters, tools and instruments, and at the end of theroom, behind high black control panels, with gleaming bus-bars andstaring, gaping meters, a pair of generators hummed softly. The otherend of the room was nearly all glass, and opened onto the patio and theswimming pool. 

 * * * * *

Mercer paused a moment, with his hand on the knob of the door, a strangelight in his dark eyes. 

"Now you'll see why I called you here, " he said tensely. "You can judgefor yourself whether the trip was worth while. Here she is!"

With a gesture he flung open the door, and I stared, following hisglance, down at the great tiled swimming pool. 

It is difficult for me to describe the scene. The patio was not large, but it was beautifully done. Flowers and shrubs, even a few small palms, grew in profusion in the enclosure, while above, through the movableglass roof--made in sections to disappear in fine weather--was the emptyblackness of the sky. 

None of the lights provided for the illumination of the covered patiowas turned on, but all the windows surrounding the patio were aglow, andI could see the pool quite clearly. 

The pool--and its occupant. 

 * * * * *

We were standing at one side of the pool, near the center. Directlyopposite us, seated on the bottom of the pool, was a human figure, nudesave for a great mass of tawny hair that fell about her like a silkenmantle. The strangely graceful figure of a girl, one leg stretched outstraight before her, the other drawn up and clasped by the interlockedfingers of her hands. Even in the soft light I could see her perfectly, through the clear water, her pale body outlined sharply against the jadegreen tiles. 

I tore myself away from the staring, curious eyes of the figure. 

"In God's name, Mercer, what is it? Porcelain?" I asked hoarsely. Thething had an indescribably eery effect. 

He laughed wildly. 

"Porcelain? Watch . .. _look_!"

My eyes followed his pointing finger. The figure was moving. Gracefullyit arose to its full height. The great cloud of corn-colored hairfloated down about it, falling below the knees. Slowly, with a grace ofmovement comparable only with the slow soaring of a gull, she cametoward me, walking on the bottom of the pool through the clear water asthough she floated in air. 

 * * * * *

Fascinated, I watched her. Her eyes, startlingly large and dark in thestrangely white face, were fixed on mine. There was nothing sinister inthe gaze, yet I felt my body shaking as though in the grip of a terriblefear. I tried to look away, and found myself unable to move. I feltMercer's tense, sudden grip upon my arm, but I did not, could not, lookat him. 

"She--she's smiling!" I heard him exclaim. He laughed, an excited, high-pitched laugh that irritated me in some subtle way. 

She was smiling, and looking up into my eyes. She was very close now, within a few feet of us. She came still closer, until she was at my veryfeet as I stood on the raised ledge that ran around the edge of thepool, her head thrown back, staring straight up at me through thewater. 

I could see her teeth, very white between her coral-pink lips, and herbosom rising and falling beneath the veil of pale gold hair. She wasbreathing _water_!

Mercer literally jerked me away from the edge of the pool. 

"What do you think of her, Taylor?" he asked, his dark eyes dancing withexcitement. 

"Tell me about it, " I said, shaking my head dazedly. "She is nothuman?"

"I don't know. I think so. As human as you or I. I'll tell you all Iknow, and then you can judge for yourself. I think we'll know in a fewminutes, if my plans work out. But first slip on a bathing suit. "

I didn't argue the matter. I let Mercer lead me away without a word. Andwhile I was changing, he told me all he knew of the strange creature inthe pool. 

 * * * * *

"Late this afternoon I decided to go for a little walk along the beach, "Mercer began. "I had been working like the devil since early in themorning, running some tests on what you call my thought-telegraph. Ifelt the need of some fresh sea air. 

"I walked along briskly for perhaps five minutes, keeping just out ofreach of the rollers and the spray. The shore was littered with allsorts of flotsam and jetsam washed up by the big storm, and I was justthinking that I would have to have a man with a truck come and clean upthe shore in front of the place, when, in a little sandy pool, Isaw--_her_. 

 * * * * *

"She was laying face down in the water, motionless, her head towards thesea, one arm stretched out before her, and her long hair wrapped aroundher like a half-transparent cloak. 

"I ran up and lifted her from the water. Her body was cold, and deathlywhite, although her lips were faintly pink, and her heart was beating, faintly but steadily. 

"Like most people in an emergency. I forgot all I ever knew about firstaid. All I could think of was to give her a drink, and of course Ididn't have a flask on my person. So I picked her up in my arms andbrought her to the house as quickly as I could. She seemed to bereviving, for she was struggling and gasping when I got here with her. 

"I placed her on the bed in the guest room and poured her a stiff drinkof Scotch--half a tumblerful, I believe. Lifting up her head, I placedthe glass to her lips. She looked up me, blinking, and took the liquorin a single draught. She did not seem to drink it, but sucked it out ofthe glass in a single amazing gulp--that's the only word for it. Thenext instant she was off the bed, her face a perfect mask of hate andagony. 

"She came at me, hands clutching and clawing, making odd murmuring ormewing sounds in her throat. It was then that I noticed for the firsttime that her hands were webbed!"

 * * * * *

"Webbed?" I asked, startled. 

"Webbed, " nodded Mercer solemnly. "As are her feet. But listen, Taylor. I was amazed, and not a little rattled when she came for me. I ranthrough the French windows out into the patio. For a moment she ranafter me, rather awkwardly and heavily, but swiftly, nevertheless. Thenshe saw the pool. 

"Apparently forgetting that I existed, she leaped into the water, and asI approached a moment later I could see her breathing deeply andgratefully, a smile of relief upon her features, as she lay upon thebottom of the pool. Breathing, Taylor, on the bottom of the pool! Undereight feet of water!"

"And then what, Mercer?" I reminded him, as he paused, apparently lostin thought. 

"I tried to find out more about her. I put on my bathing suit and divedinto the pool. Well, she came at me like a shark, quick as a flash, herteeth showing, her hands tearing like claws through the water. I turned, but not quickly enough to entirely escape. See?" Mercer threw back thedressing robe, and I saw a ragged tear in his bathing suit on his leftside, near the waist. Through the rent three deep, jagged scratches wereclearly visible. 

 * * * * *

"She managed to claw me, just once, " Mercer resumed, wrapping the robeabout him again. "Then I got out and called on Carson for help. I puthim into a bathing suit, and we both endeavored to corner her. Carsongot two bad scratches, and one rather serious bite that I have bandaged. I have a number of lacerations, but I didn't fare so badly as Carsonbecause I am faster in the water than he is. 

"The harder we tried, the more determined I became. She would sit there, calm and placid, until one of us entered the water. Then she became averitable fury. It was maddening. 

"At last I thought of you. I phoned, and here we are!"

"But, Mercer, it's a nightmare!" I protested. We moved out of the room. "Nothing human can live under water and breathe water, as she does!"

Mercer paused a moment, staring at me oddly. 

"The human race, " he said gravely, "came up out of sea. The human raceas we know it. Some may have gone back. " He turned and walked awayagain, and I hurried after him. 

"What do you mean. Mercer? 'Some may have gone back?' I don't get it. "

Mercer shook his head, but made no other reply until we stood again onthe edge of the pool. 

The girl was standing where we had left her, and as she looked up intomy face, she smiled again, and made a quick gesture with one hand. Itseemed to me that she invited me to join her. 

 * * * * *

"I believe she likes you, Taylor, " said Mercer thoughtfully. "You'relight, light skin, light hair. Carson and I are both very dark, almostswarthy. And in that white bathing suit--yes, I believe she's taken afancy to you!"

Mercer's eyes were dancing. 

"If she has, " he went on, "it'll make our work very easy. "

"What work?" I asked suspiciously. Mercer, always an indefatigableexperimenter, was never above using his friends in the benefit ofscience. And some of his experiments in the past had been rather trying, not to say exciting. 

"I think I have what you call my thought-telegraph perfected, experimentally, " he explained rapidly. "I fell asleep working on it atthree o'clock, or thereabouts, this morning, and some tests with Carsonseem to indicate that it is a success. I should have called youto-morrow, for further test. Nearly five years of damned hard work to asuccessful conclusion, Taylor, and then this mermaid comes along andmakes my experiment appear about as important as one of those breakersrolling in out there!"

"And what do you plan to do now?" I asked eagerly, glancing down at thebeautiful pale face that glimmered up at me through the clear water ofthe pool. 

 * * * * *

"Why, try it on her!" exclaimed Mercer with mounting enthusiasm. "Don'tyou see, Taylor? If it will work on her, and we can direct her thoughts, we can find out her history, the history of her people! We'll add a pageto scientific history--a whole big chapter!--that will make us famous. Man this is so big it's swept me off my feet! Look!" And he held out athin, aristocratic brown hand before my eyes, a hand that shook withnervous excitement. 

"I don't blame you, " I said quickly. "I'm no savant, and still I seewhat an amazing thing this is. Let's get busy. What can I do?"

Mercer reached around the door into the laboratory and pressed abutton. 

"For Carson, " he explained. "We'll need his help. In the meantime, we'lllook over the set-up. The apparatus is strewn all over the place. "

He had not exaggerated. The set-up consisted of a whole bank of tubes, each one in its own shielding copper box. On a much-drilled horizontalpanel, propped up on insulators, were half a score of delicate meters ofone kind and another, with thin black fingers that pulsed and trembled. Behind the panel was a tall cylinder wound with shining copper wire, andbeside it another panel, upright, fairly bristling with knobs, contactpoints, potentiometers, rheostats and switches. On the end of the tablenearest the door was still another panel, the smallest of the lot, bearing only a series of jacks along one side, and in the center aswitch with four contact points. A heavy, snaky cable led from thispanel to the maze of apparatus further on. 

 * * * * *

"This is the control panel, " explained Mercer. "The whole affair, youunderstand, is in laboratory form. Nothing assembled. Put the differentantennae plug into these jacks. Like this. "

He picked up a weird, hastily built contrivance composed of twosemi-circular pieces of spring brass, crossed at right angles. On allfour ends were bright silvery electrodes, three of them circular inshape, one of them elongated and slightly curved. With a quick, nervousgesture, Mercer fitted the thing to his head, so that the elongatedelectrode pressed against the back of his neck, extending a few inchesdown his spine. The other three circular electrodes rested on hisforehead and either side of his head. From the center of the contrivanceran a heavy insulated cord, some ten feet in length, ending in a simpleswitchboard plug, which Mercer fitted into the uppermost of the threejacks. 

"Now, " he directed, "you put on this one"--he adjusted a secondcontrivance upon my head, smiling as I shrank from the contact of thecold metal on my skin--"and think!"

He moved the switch from the position marked "Off" to the second contactpoint, watching me intently, his dark eyes gleaming. 

Carson entered, and Mercer gestured to him to wait. Very nice old chap, Carson, impressive even in his bathing suit. Mercer was mighty lucky tohave a man like Carson. .. . 

 * * * * *

Something seemed to tick suddenly, somewhere deep in my consciousness. 

"Yes, that's very true: Carson is a most decent sort of chap. " The wordswere not spoken. I did not _hear_ them, I _knew_ them. What--I glancedat Mercer, and he laughed aloud with pleasure and excitement. 

"It worked!" he cried. "I received your thought regarding Carson, andthen turned the switch so that you received my thought. And you did!"

Rather gingerly I removed the thing from my head and laid it on thetable. 

"It's wizardry, Mercer! If it will work as well on _her_. .. . "

"It will, I know it will!--if we can get her to wear one of these, "replied Mercer confidently. "I have only three of them; I had plannedsome three-cornered experiments with you, Carson, and myself. We'llleave Carson out of to-night's experiment, however, for we'll need himto operate this switch. You see, as it is now wired only one persontransmits thoughts at a time. The other two receive. When the switch ison the first contact, Number One sends, and Numbers Two and Threereceive. When the switch is on Number Two, then he sends thoughts, andNumbers One and Three receive them. And so on. I'll lengthen these leadsso that we can run them out into the pool, and then we'll be ready. Somehow we must induce her to wear one of these things, even if we haveto use force. I'm sure the three of us can handle her. "

"We should be able to, " I smiled. She was such a slim, graceful, almostdelicate little thing; the thought that three strong men might not beable to control her seemed almost amusing. 

"You haven't seen her in action yet, " said Mercer grimly, glancing upfrom his work of lengthening the cords that led from the antennae to thecontrol panel. "And what's more, I hope you don't. "

 * * * * *

I watched him in silence as he spliced and securely taped the lastconnection. 

"All set, " he nodded. "Carson, will you operate the switch for us? Ibelieve everything is functioning properly. " He surveyed the panel ofinstruments hastily, assuring himself that every reading was correct. Then, with all three of the devices he called antennae in his hand, their leads plugged into the control panel, he led the way to the sideof the pool. 

The girl was strolling around the edge of the pool, feeling the smoothtile sides with her hands as we came into view, but as soon as she sawus she shot through the water to where we were standing. 

It was the first time I had seen her move in this fashion. She seemed topropel herself with a sudden mighty thrust of her feet against thebottom; she darted through the water with the speed of an arrow, yetstopped as gently as though she had merely floated there. 

As she looked up, her eyes unmistakably sought mine, and her smileseemed warm and inviting. She made again that strange little gesture ofinvitation. 

With an effort I glanced at Mercer. There was something devilishlyfascinating about the girl's great, dark, searching eyes. 

"I'm going in, " I said hoarsely. "Hand me one of your head-set thingswhen I reach for it. " Before he could protest, I dived into the pool. 

 * * * * *

I headed directly towards the heavy bronze ladder that led to the bottomof the pool. I had two reasons in mind. I would need something to keepme under water, with my lungs full of air, and I could get out quicklyif it were necessary. I had not forgotten the livid, jagged furrows inMercer's side. 

Quickly as I shot to the ladder she was there before me, a dim, waveringwhite shape, waiting. 

I paused, holding to a rung of the ladder with one hand. She camecloser, walking with the airy grace I had noted before, and my heartpounded against my ribs as she raised one long, slim arm towards me. 

The hand dropped gently on my shoulder, pressed it as though in tokenof friendship. Perhaps, I thought quickly, this was, with her, a sign ofgreeting. I lifted my own arm and returned the salutation, if salutationit were, aware of a strange rising and falling sound, as of a distanthumming, in my ears. 

The sound ceased suddenly, on a rising note, as though of inquiry, andit dawned on me that I had heard the speech of this strange creature. Before I could think of a course of action, my aching lungs reminded meof the need of air, and I released my hold on the ladder and let my bodyrise to the surface. 

 * * * * *

As my head broke the water, a hand, cold and strong as steel, closedaround my ankle. I looked down. The girl was watching me, and there wasno smile on her face now. 

"All right!" I shouted across the pool to Mercer, who was watchinganxiously. Then, filling my lungs with air again, I pulled myself, bymeans of the ladder, to the bottom of the pool. The restraining hand wasremoved instantly. 

The strange creature thrust her face close to mine as my feet touchedbottom, and for the first time I saw her features distinctly. 

She was beautiful, but in a weird, unearthly sort of way. As I hadalready noticed, her eyes were of unusual size, and I saw now that theywere an intense shade of blue, with a pupil of extraordinary proportion. Her nose was well shaped, but the nostrils were slightly flattened, andthe orifices were rather more elongated than I had ever seen before. Themouth was utterly fascinating, and her teeth, revealed by her engagingsmile, were as perfect as it would be possible to imagine. 

The great mane of hair which enveloped her was, as I have said, tawny inhue, and almost translucent, like the stems of some seaweeds I haveseen. And as she raised one slim white hand to brush back some wispsthat floated by her face, I saw distinctly the webs between herfingers. They were barely noticeable, for they were as transparent asthe fins of a fish, but they were there, extending nearly to the lastjoint of each finger. 

 * * * * *

As her face came close to my own, I became aware of the humming, crooning sound I had heard before, louder this time. I could see, fromthe movement of her throat, that I had been correct in assuming that shewas attempting to speak with me. I smiled back at her and shook my head. She seemed to understand, for the sound ceased, and she studied me witha little thoughtful frown, as though trying to figure out some othermethod of communication. 

I pointed upward, for I was feeling the need for fresh air again, andslowly mounted the ladder. This time she did not grasp me, but watchedme intently, as though understanding what I did, and the reasons forit. 

"Bring one of your gadgets over here, Mercer, " I called across the pool. "I think I'm making progress. "

"Good boy!" he cried, and came running with two of the antennae, thelong insulated cords trailing behind him. Through the water the girlwatched him, evident dislike in her eyes. She glanced at me with suddensuspicion as Mercer handed me the two instruments, but made no hostilemove. 

"You won't be able to stay in the water with her, " explained Mercerrapidly. "The salt water would short the antennae, you see. Try to gether to wear one, and then you get your head out of water, and don yours. And remember, she won't be able to communicate with us by words--we'llhave to get her to convey her thoughts by means of mental pictures. I'lltry to impress that on her. Understand?"

 * * * * *

I nodded, and picked up one of the instruments. "Fire when ready, Gridley, " I commented, and sank again to the bottom of the pool. 

I touched the girl's head with one finger, and then pointed to my ownhead, trying to convey to her that she could get her thoughts to me. Then I held up the antennae and placed it on my own head to show that itcould not harm her. 

My next move was to offer her the instrument, moving slowly, and smilingreassuringly--no mean feat under water. 

She hesitated a moment, and then, her eyes fixed on mine, she slowlyfixed the instrument over her own head as she had seen me adjust it uponmy own. 

I smiled and nodded, and pressed her shoulder in token of friendlygreeting. Then, gesturing toward my own head again, and pointing upward. I climbed the ladder. 

"All right, Mercer, " I shouted. "Start at once, before she growsrestless!"

"I've already started!" he called back, and I hurriedly donned my owninstrument. 

Bearing in mind what Mercer had said, I descended the ladder but a fewrungs, so that my head remained out of water, and smiled down at thegirl, touching the instrument on my head, and then pointing to hers. 

I could sense Mercer's thoughts now. He was picturing himself walkinglong the shore, with the stormy ocean in the background. Ahead of him Isaw the white body lying face downward in the pool. I saw him run up tothe pool and lift the slim, pale figure in his arms. 

 * * * * *

Let me make it clear, at this point, that when I say that I sawthese things, I mean only that mental images of them penetrated myconsciousness. I visualized them just as I could close my eyes andvisualize, for example, the fireplace in the living room of my ownhome. 

I looked down at the girl. She was frowning, and her eyes were verywide. Her head was a little on one side, in the attitude of one wholistens intently. 

Slowly and carefully Mercer thought out the whole story of hisexperiences with the girl until she had plunged into the pool. Then Isaw again the beach, with the girl's figure in the pool. The picturegrew hazy; I realized Mercer was trying to picture the bottom of thesea. Then he pictured again the girl lying in the pool, and once againthe sea. I was aware of the soft little tick in the center of my brainthat announced that the switch had been moved to another contact point. 

I glanced down at her. She was staring up at me with her great, curiouseyes, and I sensed, through the medium of the instrument I wore, thatshe was thinking of me. I saw my own features, idealized, glowing with astrange beauty that was certainly none of my own. I realized that I sawmyself, in short, as she saw me. I smiled back at her, and shook myhead. 

 * * * * *

A strange, dim whirl of pictures swept through my consciousness. I wason the bottom of the ocean. Shadowy shapes swept by silently, and fromabove, a dim bluish light filtered down on a scene such as mortal eyeshave never seen. 

All around were strange structures of jagged coral, roughly circular asto base, and rounded on top, resembling very much the igloos of theEskimos. The structures varied greatly in size, and seemed to bearranged in some sort of regular order, like houses along a narrowstreet. Around many of them grew clusters of strange and colorfulseaweeds that waved their banners gently, as though some imperceptiblecurrent dallied with them in passing. 

Here and there figures moved, slim white figures that strolled along thenarrow street, or at times shot overhead like veritable torpedoes. 

There were both men and women moving there. The men were broader ofshoulder, and their hair, which they wore to their knees, was somewhatdarker in color than that of the women. Both sexes were slim, and therewas a remarkable uniformity of size and appearance. 

None of the strange beings wore garments of any kind, nor were theynecessary. The clinging tresses were cinctured at the waist with a sortof cord of twisted orange-colored material, and some of the youngerwomen wore bands of the same material around their brows. 

 * * * * *

Nearest of all the figures was the girl who was visualizing all this forus. She was walking slowly away from the cluster of coral structures. Once or twice she paused, and seemed to hold conversation with others ofthe strange people, but each time she moved on. 

The coral structures grew smaller and poorer. Finally the girl trodalone on the floor of the ocean, between great growths of kelp andseaweeds, with dim, looming masses of faintly tinted coral everywhere. Once she passed close to a tilted, ragged hulk of some ancient vessel, its naked ribs packed with drifted sand. 

Sauntering dreamily, she moved away from the ancient derelict. Suddenlya dim shadow swept across the sand at her feet, and she arrowed from thespot like a white, slim meteor. But behind her darted a black andswifter shadow--a shark!

Like a flash she turned and faced the monster. Something she had drawnfrom her girdle shone palely in her hand. It was a knife of whettedstone or bone. 

Darting swiftly downward her feet spurned the yellow sand, and she shotat her enemy with amazing speed. The long blade swept in an arc, rippedthe pale belly of the monster just as he turned to dart away. 

 * * * * *

A great cloud of blood dyed the water. The white figure of the girl shotonward through the scarlet flood. 

Blinded, she did not see that the jutting ribs of the ancient ship werein her path. I seemed to see her crash, head on, into one of themassive timbers, and I cried out involuntarily, and glanced down at thegirl in the water at my feet. 

Her eyes were glowing. She knew that I had understood. 

Hazily, then, I seemed to visualize her body floating limply in thewater. It was all very vague and indistinct, and I understood that thiswas not what she had seen, but what she thought had happened. Theimpressions grew wilder, swirled, grew gray and indistinct. Then I had aview of Mercer's face, so terribly distorted it was barely recognizable. Then a kaleidoscopic maze of inchoate scenes, shot through with flashesof vivid, agonizing colors. The girl was thinking of her suffering, taken out of her native element. In trying to save her, Mercer hadalmost killed her. That, no doubt, was why she hated him. 

My own face appeared next, almost godlike in its kindliness and itsimagined beauty, and I noticed now that she was thinking of me with myyellow hair grown long, my nostrils elongated like her own--adjusted toher own ideas of what a man should be. 

 * * * * *

I flung the instrument from my head and dropped to the bottom of thepool. I gripped both her shoulders, gently, to express my thanks andfriendship. 

My heart was pounding. There was a strange fascination about this girlfrom the depths of the sea, a subtle appeal that was answered from somedeep subterranean cavern of my being. I forgot, for the moment, who andwhat I was. I remembered only that a note had been sounded that awoke anecho of a long-forgotten instinct. 

I think I kissed her. I know her arms were about me, and that I pressedher close, so that our faces almost met. Her great, weirdly blue eyesseemed to bore into my brain. I could feel them throbbing there. .. . 

I forgot time and space. I saw only that pale, smiling face and thosegreat dark eyes. Then, strangling, I tore myself from her embrace andshot to the surface. 

Coughing, I cleared my lungs of the water I had inhaled. I was weak andshaking when I finished, but my head was clear. The grip of the strangefantasy that had gripped me was shaken off. 

Mercer was bending over me; speaking softly. 

"I was watching, old man, " he said gently. "I can imagine what happened. A momentary, psychic fusing of an ancient, long since broken link. You, together with all mankind, came up out of the sea. But there is noretracing the way. "

 * * * * *

I nodded, my head bowed on my streaming chest. 

"Sorry, Mercer, " I muttered. "Something got into me. Those big eyes ofhers seemed to tug at threads of memory . .. Buried. .. . I can't describeit. .. . "

He slapped me on my naked shoulder, a blow that stung, as he hadintended it to. It helped jerk me back to the normal. 

"You've got your feet on the ground again, Taylor, " he commentedsoothingly. "I think there's no danger of you losing your grip on terrafirma again. Shall we carry on?"

"There's more you'd like to learn? That you think she can give us?" Iasked hesitantly. 

"I believe, " replied Mercer, "that she can give us the history of herpeople, if we can only make her understand what we wish. God! If we onlycould!" The name of the Deity was a prayer as Mercer uttered it. 

"We can try, old-timer, " I said, a bit shakenly. 

Mercer hurried back to the other side of the pool, and I adjusted myhead-set again, smiling down at the girl. If only Mercer could make herunderstand, and if only she knew what we wanted to learn!

I was conscious of the little click that told me the switch had beenmoved. Mercer was ready to get his message to her. 

Fixing my eyes on the girl pleadingly, I settled myself by the edge ofthe pool to await the second and more momentous part of our experiment. 

 * * * * *

The vision was vague, for Mercer was picturing his thoughts withdifficulty. But I seemed to see again the floor of the ocean, with thevague light filtering down from above, and soft, monstrous growthswaving their branches lazily in the flood. 

From the left came a band of men and women, looking around as though insearch of some particular spot. They stopped, and one of the older menpointed, the others gathering around him as though in council. 

Then the band set to work. Coral growth were dragged to the spot. Thefoundation for one of the semi-circular houses was laid. The sceneswirled and cleared again. The house was completed. Several other houseswere in process of building. 

Slowly and deliberately, the scene moved. The houses were left behind. Before my consciousness now was only a vague and shadowy expanse ofocean floor, and in the sand dim imprints that marked where the strangepeople had trod, the vague footprints disappearing in the gloom in thedirection from which the little weary band had come. To me, at least, itwas quite clear that Mercer was asking whence they came. Would it be asclear to the girl? The switch clicked, and for a moment I was sureMercer had not been able to make his question clear to her. 

 * * * * *

The scene was the interior of one of the coral houses. There werepersons there, seated on stone or coral chairs, padded with marinegrowths. One of the occupants of the room was a very old man; his facewas wrinkled, and his hair was silvery. With him were a man and a woman, and a little girl. Somehow I seemed to recognize the child as the girlin the pool. 

The three of them were watching the old man. While his lips did notmove, I could see his throat muscles twitching as the girl's had donewhen she made the murmuring sound I had guessed was her form of speech. 

The scene faded. For perhaps thirty seconds I was aware of nothing morethan a dim gray mist that seemed to swirl in stately circles. Then, gradually, it cleared somewhat. I sensed the fact that what I saw nowwas what the old man was telling, and that the majestic, swirling mistwas the turning back of time. 

Here was no ocean bottom, but land, rich tropical jungle. Strange exotictrees and dense growths of rank undergrowth choked the earth. The treeswere oddly like undersea growths, which puzzled me for an instant. ThenI recalled that the girl could interpret the old man's words only interms of that which she had seen and understood. This was the way shevisualized the scene. 

 * * * * *

There was a gray haze of mist everywhere. The leaves were glisteningwith condensed moisture; swift drops fell incessantly to the soakingground below. 

Into the scene roamed a pitiful band of people. Men with massive frames, sunken in with starvation, women tottering with weakness. The mencarried great clubs, some tipped with rudely shaped stone heads, andboth men and women clothed only in short kittles of skin. 

They searched ceaselessly for something, and I guessed that somethingwas food. Now and then one or the other of the little band tore up aroot and bit at it, and those that did so soon doubled into a twitchingknot of suffering and dropped behind. 

At last they came to the edge of the sea. A few yards away the water waslost in the dense steaming miasma that hemmed them in on all sides. With glad expressions on their faces, the party ran down to the edge ofthe water and gathered up great masses of clams and crabs. At first theyate the food raw, tearing the flesh from the shells. Then they made whatI understood was a fire, although the girl was able to visualize it onlyas a bright red spot that flickered. 

The scene faded, and there was only the slowly swirling mist that Iunderstood indicated the passing of centuries. Then the scene clearedagain. 

 * * * * *

I saw that same shore line, but the people had vanished. There was onlythe thick, steamy mist, the tropic jungle crowding down to the shore, and the waves rolling in monotonously from the waste of gray oceanbeyond the curtain of fog. 

Suddenly, from out of the sea, appeared a series of human heads, andthen a band of men and women that waded ashore and seated themselvesupon the beach, gazing restlessly out across the sea. 

This was not the same band I had seen at first. These were a slimmerrace, and whereas the first band had been exceedingly swarthy, thesewere very fair. 

They did not stay long on shore, for they were restless and ill at ease. It seemed to me they came there only from force of habit, as though theyobeyed some inner urge they did not understand. In a few seconds theyrose and ran into the water, plunged into it as though they welcomed itsembrace, and disappeared. Then again the vision was swallowed up by theswirling mists of time. 

 * * * * *

When the scene cleared again, it showed the bottom of the sea. A groupof perhaps a hundred pale creatures moved along the dim floor of theocean. Ahead I could see the dim outlines of one of their strangecities. The band approached, seemed to talk with those there, and movedon. 

I saw them capture and kill fish for food, saw them carve the thick, spongy hearts from certain giant growths and eat them. I saw a pair ofkiller sharks swoop down on the band, and the quick, deadly accuracywith which both men and woman met the attack. One man, older than therest, was injured before the sharks were vanquished, and when theirefforts to staunch his wounds proved unavailing, they left him there andmoved on. And as they left I saw a dim, crawling shape move closer, throw out a long, whiplike tentacle, and wrap the body in a hungryembrace. 

They came to and passed other communities of beings like themselves, anda city of their own, in much the way that Mercer had visualized it. 

Fading, the scene changed to the interior of the coral house again. Theold man finished his story, and moved off into a cubicle in the rear ofthe place. Dimly, I could see there a low couch, piled high with softmarine growths. Then the scene shifted once more. 

A man and a woman hurried up and down the narrow streets of the strangecity the girl had pictured when she showed us how she had met with theshark, and struck her head, so that for a long period she lostconsciousness and was washed ashore. 

 * * * * *

Others, after a time, joined them in their search, which spread out tothe floor of the ocean, away from the dwellings. One party came to thegaunt skeleton of the ancient wreck, and found the scattered, fresh-picked bones of the shark the girl had killed. The man and thewoman came up, and I looked closely into their faces. The woman'sfeatures were torn with grief; the man's lips were set tight withsuffering. Here, it was easy to guess, were the mother and the father ofthe girl. 

A milling mass of white forms shot through the water in every direction, searching. It seemed that they were about to give up the search whensuddenly, from out of the watery gloom, there shot a slim whitefigure--the girl!

Straight to the mother and father she came, gripping the shoulder ofeach with frantic joy. They returned the caress, the crowd gatheredaround them, listening to her story as they moved slowly, happily, towards the distant city. 

Instead of a picture, I was conscious then of a sound, like a singlepleading word repeated softly, as though someone said "Please! Please!Please!" over and over again. The sound was not at all like the Englishword. It was a soft, musical beat, like the distant stroke of a mellowgong, but it had all the pleading quality of the word it seemed to bringto mind. 

I looked down into the pool. The girl had mounted the ladder until herface was just below the surface of the water. Her eyes met mine and Iknew that I had not misunderstood. 

I threw off the instrument on my head, and dropped down beside her. Withboth hands I grasped her shoulders, and, smiling, I nodded my headvigorously. 

She understood, I know she did. I read it in her face. When I climbedthe ladder again, she looked after me, smiling confidently. 

Although I had not spoken to her, she had read and accepted thepromise. 

 * * * * *

Mercer stared at me silently, grimly, as I told him what I wished. Whatever eloquence I may have, I used on him, and I saw his cold, scientific mind waver before the warmth of my appeal. 

"We have no right to keep her from her people, " I concluded. "You sawher mother and father, saw their suffering, and the joy her return wouldbring. You will, Mercer--you will return her to the sea?"

For a long time, Mercer did not reply. Then he lifted his dark eyes tomine, and smiled, rather wearily. 

"It is the only thing we can do, Taylor, " he said quietly. "She is not ascientific specimen; she is, in her way, as human as you or I. Shewould probably die, away from her own kind, living under conditionsforeign to her. And you promised her, Taylor, whether you spoke yourpromise or not. " His smile deepened a bit. "We cannot let her receivetoo bad an opinion of her cousins who live above the surface of thesea!"

 * * * * *

And so, just as the dawn was breaking, we took her to the shore. Icarried her, unresisting, trustful, in my arms, while Mercer bore a hugebasin of water, in which her head was submerged, so that she might notsuffer. 

Still in our bathing suits we waded out into the ocean, until the wavessplashed against our faces. Then I lowered her into the sea. Crouchingthere, so that the water was just above the tawny glory of her hair, shegazed up at us. Two slim white hands reached towards us, and with oneaccord, Mercer and I bent towards her. She gripped both our shoulderswith a gentle pressure, smiling at us. 

Then she did a strange thing. She pointed, under the water, out towardsthe depths and with a broad, sweeping motion of her arm, indicated theshore, as though to say that she intended to return. With a last swift, smiling glance up into my face, she turned. There was a flash of whitethrough the water. She was gone. .. . 

Silently, through the silence and beauty of the dawn, we made our wayback to the house. 

 * * * * *

As we passed through the laboratory, Mercer glanced out at the emptypool. 

"Man came up from the sea, " he said slowly, "and some men went back toit. They were forced back to the teeming source from whence they came, for lack of food. You saw that, Taylor--saw her forebears becomeamphibians, like the now extinct Dipneusta and Ganoideii, or the stillexisting Neoceratodus, Polypterus and Amia. Then their lungs became, ineffect, gills, and they lost their power of breathing atmospheric air, and could use only air dissolved in water. 

"A whole people there beneath the waves that land-man never dreamedof--except, perhaps, the sailors of olden days, with their tales ofmermaids, which we are accustomed to laugh at in our wisdom!"

"But why were no bodies ever washed ashore?" I asked. "I would think--"

"You saw why, " interrupted Mercer grimly. "The ocean teems with hungrylife. Death is the signal for a feast. It was little more than a miraclethat her body came ashore, a miracle due perhaps to the storm which sentthe hungry monsters to the greater depths. And even had a body comeashore it would have been buried as that of some unknown, unfortunatehuman. The differences between these people and ourselves would not benoticeable to a casual observer. 

"No, Taylor, we have been party to what was close to a miracle. And weare the only witnesses to it, you and Carson and myself. And"--he sigheddeeply--"it is over. "

I did not reply. I was thinking of the girl's odd gesture, at parting, and I wondered if it were indeed a finished chapter. 

Vandals of the Stars

_By A. T. Locke_

 A livid flame flares across Space--and over Manhattan hovers Teuxical, vassal of Malfero, Lord of the Universe, who comes with ten thousand warriors to ravage and subjugate one more planet for his master. 

[Illustration: _Many planes and Zeppelins were circling around themysterious visitant. _]

It came suddenly, without warning, and it brought consternation to thepeople of the world. 

A filament of flame darted down the dark skies one moonless night andthose who saw it believed, at first, that it was a meteor. Instead ofstreaking away into oblivion, however, it became larger and larger, until it seemed as though some vagrant, blazing star was about to plungeinto the earth and annihilate the planet and every vestige of life uponit. But then it drew slowly to a stop high up in the atmosphere, whereit remained motionless, glowing white and incandescent against theStygian background of the overcast skies. 

In shape it resembled a Zeppelin, but its dimensions very apparentlyexceeded by far those of any flying craft that ever had been fabricatedby the hand of man. 

As it hung poised high up in the air it gradually lost its dazzling glowand became scarlet instead of white. Then, as it continued to cool, thecolor swiftly drained from it and, in a few minutes, it shone only withthe dull and ugly crimson of an expiring ember. In a half-hour after itfirst had appeared its effulgence had vanished completely and it wasbarely visible to the millions who were staring up toward it from theearth. 

It seemed to be suspended directly above Manhattan, and the inhabitantsof New York were thrown into a feverish excitement by the strange andunprecedented phenomenon. 

 * * * * *

For it scarcely had come to a stop, and certainly it had not been poisedaloft for more than a few minutes, when most of those who had notactually witnessed its sensational appearance were apprised of theinexplicable occurrence by the radiovision, which were scatteredthroughout the vast metropolis. In theaters and restaurants and othergathering places, as well as in millions of homes, a voice from theWorldwide Broadcasting Tower announced the weird visitant. And itsimage, as it glowed in the night, was everywhere transmitted to thepublic. 

Only a short time after it first had been observed people were throngingroof-tops, terraces, and streets, and gazing with awe and wonder at thegreat luminous object that was floating high above them. 

There were those who thought that the world was coming to an end, andthey either were dumb with fright or strident with hysteria. People withmore judgment, and a smattering of scientific knowledge, dismissed thething as some harmless meteorological manifestation that, whileinteresting, was not necessarily dangerous. And there were many, inclined to incredulity and skepticism, who believed that they werewitnessing a hoax or an advertising scheme of some new sort. 

But as the moments went by the world commenced to become stirred andalarmed by the reports which came over the radiovisors. 

For powerful planes and metal-shelled Zeppelins had climbed swiftlyaloft to investigate the incomprehensible Thing that was poised highabove Manhattan, and almost unbelievable reports were being sentearthward. 

 * * * * *

Dirk Vanderpool had been sitting alone on the broad terrace of hisapartment that occupied the upper stories of the great Gotham GardensBuilding when he saw that streak of fire slip down against the darknessof the night. 

For a moment he, too, had believed that he was watching a meteor, but, when he saw it come to a slow stop and hang stationary in the heavens, he rose to his feet with an exclamation of surprise. 

For a while he gazed upward with an expression of astonishment on hisface and then he turned as he heard someone walking softly in hisdirection. It was Barstowe, his valet, and the eyes of the man werealive with fear. 

"What is that thing, Mr. Vanderpool?" he asked in a voice that trembledwith alarm. Barstowe was a man of middle age, diminutive in size, and hehad the appearance of being nearly petrified with terror. "They aresaying over the televisor that--"

"What are they saying about it?" asked Dirk somewhat impatiently. 

"That no one can explain what it is, " continued Barstowe. "It must besomething terrible, Mr. Vanderpool. "

"Wheel out the luciscope, " ordered Dirk. 

 * * * * *

Barstowe disappeared into the apartment and returned with a cabinet thatwas mounted on small, rubber-tired wheels. The top of it was formed of ametallic frame in which a heavy, circular, concave glass was fitted. Theframe was hinged in front so that it could be raised from the rear andadjusted to any angle necessary to catch the light rays from any distantobject. Within the cabinet the rays passed through an electrical devicethat amplified them millions of times, thus giving a clear, telescopicvision of the object on which the luciscope was focused. 

This instrument, years before, had supplanted entirely the old-fashionedtelescopes which not only had been immense and unwieldly but which alsohad a very limited range of vision. 

Dirk adjusted the light-converger so that it caught the rays that werebeing emanated by the weird and shimmering mass that was suspendedalmost directly above the lofty terrace on which he was standing. 

Then he switched on the current and glanced into the eye-piece of theapparatus. For several moments he remained silent, studying the imagethat was etched so vividly on the ground-glass within the luciscope. 

"It is a queer thing, there is no doubt about that, " he confessed whenfinally he raised his head. "It resembles a gigantic Zeppelin in shapebut it does not seem to have any undercarriage or, as far as I can see, any indication of propellers or portholes. I would say, though, Barstowe, that it might be a ship from some other planet if it wasn'tfor the fact that it seems to be in an almost molten state. "

 * * * * *

Dirk again looked into the luciscope and then he made a few adjustmentswith a thumb-screw that projected from the side of the apparatus. 

"It is up about forty thousand feet, " he told Barstowe, "and it must bemore than a half-mile in length. Probably, " he added, "it is a planetaryfragment of some odd composition that is less responsive to gravitationthan the materials with which we are familiar. You will find, Barstowe, that there is nothing about it that science will not be able to explain. That will be all now, " he concluded. 

Barstowe walked over the terrace and disappeared into the apartment. Dirk, left alone, wheeled the luciscope over by the chair in which hehad been sitting and near which a radiovisor was standing. 

He switched on the latter and listened to the low but very distinctvoice of the news-dispatcher. 

"--and planes and Zeppelins now are starting up to investigate thestrange phenomenon--"

Again Dirk placed an eye to the lens of the luciscope and once more theThing leaped into his vision. The powerful machine brought it so closeto him that he could see the heat waves quiver up from it. 

The light that it radiated illuminated the night for thousands of feetand Dirk could see, by means of that crimson glare, that many planes andZeppelins were circling around the mysterious visitant. None of them, however, approached the alien freak, the heat apparently being toointense to permit close inspection. 

 * * * * *

Dirk himself was tempted for a moment to jump into a plane and go up andtake a look at the fiery mass. 

But, after a moment's consideration, he decided, that it would be farmore interesting and comfortable to remain right where he was and listento the reports which were being sent down from above. 

"--thus far there seems to be no cause for alarm, and people are advisedto remain calm--careful observations of the luminous monster are beingmade and further reports concerning it will be broadcast--"

Dirk Vanderpool rose to his feet, walked to the coping of the terraceand peered into the magnascope that was set into the wall. 

He saw that the street, far below him, was jammed with struggling peopleand the device through which he was looking brought their faces beforehim in strong relief. Dirk was deeply interested and, at the same time, gravely concerned as he studied the upturned countenances in the mob. 

Fear, despair, reckless abandon, mirth, doubt, religious ecstasy and allthe other nuances in the gamut of human emotions and passions werereflected in those distorted visages which were gazing skyward. 

 * * * * *

The silvery humming of a bell diverted his attention from the scene ofcongestion below him and, turning away, he walked across the terrace andinto the great living room of his luxurious abode. 

Stepping to the televisor, he turned a tiny switch, and the face of agirl appeared in the glass panel that was framed above the sound-box. Hesmiled as he lifted the receiver and placed it to his ear. 

"What is the matter, Inga?" he asked. "You look as if you wereexpecting--well, almost anything disastrous. "

"Oh, Dirk, what is that thing?" the girl asked. "I really am frightened!"

He could see by the expression in her blue eyes that she, too, wasbecoming a victim of the hysteria that was taking possession of manypeople. 

"I wouldn't be alarmed, Inga, " he replied reassuringly. "I don't knowwhat it is, and no one else seems to be able to explain it. "

"But it is frightful and uncanny, Dirk, " the girl insisted, "and I amsure that something terrible is going to happen. I wish, " she pleaded, "that you would come over and stay with me for a little while. I am allalone and--"

"All right, Inga, " he told her. "I will be with you in a few minutes. "

He hung up the receiver of the televisor and clicked off the switch. Theimage of the golden-haired girl to whom he had been speaking slowlyfaded from the glass. 

 * * * * *

Attiring himself for a short sixty-mile hop down Long Island, Dirkpassed out to the landing stage and, stepping into the cabin of hisplane, he threw in the helicopter lever. The machine rose straight intothe air for a couple of hundred feet and then Dirk headed it westward towhere the nearest ascension beam sent its red light towering toward thestars. It marked a vertical air-lane that led upward to the horizontallanes of flight. 

Northbound ships flew between two and four thousand feet; southboundplanes between five and seven thousand feet; those eastbound confinedthemselves to the level between nine and eleven thousand feet, while thewestbound flyers monopolized the air between twelve and fourteenthousand feet. 

All planes flying parallel to the earth were careful to avoid those redbeacons which marked ascension routes, and the shafts of green lightdown which descending planes dropped to the earth or into lower levelsof travel. 

When Dirk's altimeter indicated seventy-five hundred feet he turned thenose of his ship eastward and adjusted his rheostat until his motors, fed by wireless current, were revolving at top speed. 

The great canyons of Manhattan, linked by arches and highways whichjoined and passed through various levels of the stupendous structures ofsteelite and quartzite, passed swiftly beneath him; and, after passingfor a few minutes over the deserted surface of Long Island, he completedhis sixty-mile flight and brought his ship to a rest on a landing stagethat was far up on the side of a vast pile that rose up close to theshore of the Sound. 

 * * * * *

As soon as he stepped from the door of the cabin he was joined by a girlwho, apparently, had been lingering there, awaiting his arrival. 

She was perhaps twenty years old, and she had the golden hair, the lightcomplexion, and the blue eyes which still were characteristic of thewomen of northern Europe. 

The slender lines of her exquisite figure and the supple grace which shedisplayed when she moved toward Dirk were evidence, however, of theLatin blood which was in her veins. 

For Inga Fragoni, the daughter and heiress of Orlando Fragoni, seemed tobe a culmination of all of the desirable qualities of the women of thesouth and those of the north. 

The terrace on which Dirk had landed was illuminated by lights whichsimulated sunshine, and their soft bright glow revealed the violet hueof her eyes and the shimmering gloss of her silken hair. She wore asleeveless, light blue tunic which was gathered around her waist with abejeweled girdle. 

On her tiny feet she wore sandals which were spun of webby filaments ofgold and platinum. 

"Dirk, I am so glad that you are here!" she exclaimed. "I felt so muchalone when I called you up. Dad is locked in the observatory withProfessor Nachbaren and three or four other men and the servants--well, they all are so terrified that it simply alarms me to have themaround. "

"But that is Stanton's plane there, isn't it?" asked Dirk, indicating apowerful looking machine that stood on the terrace. 

 * * * * *

"Yes, Dirk, " the girl replied. "He arrived here three or four minutesbefore you did. I thought, at first, that it was you coming. And Dirk, "she continued, with a note of excitement in her voice, "he flew up tolook at that thing, and I know that he is as frightened about it as Iam. "

Dirk grunted, but he gave no expression of the dislike and distrust thatStanton aroused in him. The latter, he knew, was very much inclined tolook with favor on Inga, and his presumption annoyed Dirk because, whilehe and the girl had not declared their intention of living together, they were very much in love with each other. 

"You will want to hear him tell about it, I know, Dirk, " the girl said. "I left Stanton up on the garden terrace when I saw you coming down. Come; we will go and join him. "

Dirk and Inga strolled slowly along paths which were lined with exoticshrubbery and plants. Here and there a fountain tossed its glitteringspray high into the air while birds, invisible in the feathery foliage, warbled and thrilled entrancingly. Soft music, transmitted from theauditoriums below, blended so harmoniously with the atmosphere of theterraces that it seemed to mingle with and be a part of the drifting, subtle scents of the abundant flowers which bloomed on every side. 

For these upper terraces of Fragoni's palace were enclosed, duringinclement weather, with great glass plates which, at the touch of abutton, automatically appeared or disappeared. 

Winding their way easily upward, Dirk and Inga came finally to asecluded terrace which overlooked the Sound. Here they saw Stanton, whowas unaware of their approach, looking skyward at the dim and sinistershape which was outlined against the sky. Stanton's brow was contractedand his expression was filled with apprehension. He started suddenlywhen he became conscious of the presence of Dirk and the lovely daughterof Fragoni. 

He rose to his feet, a short man in his forties, stocky in build andsomewhat swarthy in complexion. He contrasted very unfavorably withDirk, who was tall and well-built and who had abundant blond hair andsteady steel-blue eyes. 

"What do you make of that thing, Vanderpool?" he asked, almost ignoringthe presence of Inga. 

"I don't know enough about it yet to be able to express an opinion, "Dirk replied. "We will find out about it soon enough, " he added, "so whyworry about it in the meantime?"

"It is well enough to affect such an attitude, " said Stanton, with atouch of sarcasm in his voice, "but let me tell you, Vanderpool, thatthere is good reason to worry about it. "

 * * * * *

Dirk frowned at the statement as he saw a shadow pass over the fair faceof Inga. 

"That thing up there, " continued Stanton, with conviction in his voice, "is not a natural phenomenon. I flew fairly close to it in my plane andI know what I am speaking about. That thing is some sort of a monster, Vanderpool, that is made of metal or of some composition that is anunearthly equivalent of metal. It is a diabolical creation of some sortthat has come from out of the fathomless depths of the universe. " Heshuddered at the fantasy that his feverish imagination was creating. "Itis metal, I tell you, " he continued, "but it is metal that is endowedwith some sort of intelligence. I was up there, " he breathed swiftly, "and I saw it hanging there in the sky, quivering with heat and life. "

"You are nervous, Stanton, " said Vanderpool coolly. "Get a grip onyourself, man, and look at the thing reasonably. If that thing hasintelligence, " he added, "we will find some way to slay it. "

"Slay it!" exclaimed Stanton. "How can you expect to slay a mad creationthat can leap through space, from world to world, like a wasp goesdarting from flower to flower? How can you kill a thing which not onlydefies absolute zero but also the immeasurable heat which its frictionwith the atmosphere generated when it plunged toward the earth? How canyou kill a thing that seems to have brains and nerves and bones andflesh of some strange substance that is harder and tougher than anyearthly compound we have discovered?"

 * * * * *

He stopped speaking for a moment. They listened to the voice that wasbroadcasting from the Worldwide Tower. 

"--our planes have approached to within a few thousand feet of itand are playing their searchlights over the surface of the leviathan. It is not a meteorite of any kind that scientists have heretoforeexamined--its surface is smooth and unpitted and shows no apparenteffect of the tremendous heat to which it was subjected during its dropthrough the atmosphere. It seems to be immune to gravity--its weightmust be tremendous, and it is fully three-quarters of a mile long andbetween seven and eight hundred feet in diameter at its widest part, butit lies motionless--motionless--at about forty thousand feet. "

"It doesn't appear now as if it would prove very dangerous, " remarkedDirk. 

"--and people are warned again to maintain their composure and to go totheir homes and remain there for their own protection and the protectionof others. Riots and serious disturbances are reported from cities inall parts of the world--mobs are swarming the streets of Manhattan andthe other boroughs of New York, and the police are finding it difficultto restrain the frenzied populations in other centers. .. . "

 * * * * *

There was a pause, then, of some moments, and then the voice of thebroadcaster, vibrant with excitement, was heard again. 

"--a plane has made a landing on the surface of the monstrosity, which, it seems, has not only lost its heat but is becoming decidedly cold--"

A servant appeared from among the shrubbery and paused before Dirk. 

"There is a call for you, Mr. Vanderpool, " he said respectfully. 

Dirk excused himself and, entering the sumptuous apartment that openedfrom the terrace, went to the televisor. He saw the face of Sears, thechief secretary of Fragoni, in the glass panel. 

"There will be a meeting of the council at nine o'clock in the morning, Mr. Vanderpool, " came the voice over the wire. 

"Thank you, Sears, " replied Dirk. "It happens that Stanton is here atthe present time. Shall I notify him of the conclave?"

"If you will, please, " Sears responded. "By the way, Mr. Vanderpool, isthere anything wrong at your apartment? I tried to call you there beforeI located you here and I failed to get any response. "

"I guess that all of my servants have run out from under cover becauseof their fear of that thing in the sky, " Dirk responded. "Do you knowanything about it, Sears?" he asked. 

"It will be discussed at the meeting to-morrow morning, " replied Searsshortly. "Good night, Mr. Vanderpool. "

 * * * * *

Dirk, upon returning to the terrace, saw that both Stanton and Inga weresilently and fearfully looking up into the night. 

"A meeting of the council at nine o'clock in the morning, Stanton, " Dirksaid abruptly. "I told Sears I would notify you. "

"I thought that we would be called together very soon, " said Stanton. "It's concerning that damn thing up there. "

"Perhaps, " agreed Dirk carelessly. "Well, " he added, "I believe that Iwill hop home and get some sleep. "

"Sleep!" exclaimed Stanton. "Sleep? On a night like this?"

"Oh, Dirk, " pleaded Inga, "stay here with me, won't you? I am not goingto bed because I just know that I wouldn't be able to close my eyes. "

"Let him go, Inga, if he wants to sleep, " urged Stanton. "I will stayhere and keep watch with you. "

"--and if order is not restored in the streets of Manhattan within thecourse of a short time, the authorities will resort to morphite gas toquell the turbulence and rioting--"

"The streets must be frightfully congested, " said Inga. "It is the firstoccasion in a long time that the police have had to threaten the use ofmorphite. "

"--we do not want to alarm people unnecessarily but we have to report, "came the hurried voice of the broadcaster, "that the monstrous mass thathas been hanging above the city just made a sudden drop of five thousandfeet and again came to a stop. It is now a little more than six milesover Manhattan and--again it has dropped. This time it fell like aplummet for twelve thousand feet. It is now about twenty thousand feet, some four miles, above Manhattan and--"

 * * * * *

A cry of alarm came from the lips of Inga as she gazed upward and sawthat gigantic, ominous-appearing object loom dim and vast in thedarkness above them. 

She went to Dirk and threw her arms around him, as if she were clingingto him for protection. 

"Don't leave me, Dirk, " she whispered. "I can just feel that somethingterrible is going to happen, and I want you with me!"

"I'll stay with you, of course, " whispered Dirk. Something of thatfeeling of dread and apprehension which so fully possessed his twocompanions entered into his mind. "Don't tremble so, Inga, " he pleaded. "It is a strange thing, but we will know more about it in the morning. Be calm until then, my dear, if you can. "

He looked over the shoulder of the girl, whose face was buried againsthis breast, and he saw a hundred great red and green shafts of lightshooting up into the air. Fleeting shadows seemed to pass swiftly up anddown them, and he knew that thousands of planes were abroad, some ofthem seeking the heights and others dropping down. 

The great towers of Long Island were all aglow, and it was apparent thatfew people were sleeping that night. The scarlet sky over Manhattanindicated that the center of the metropolis, too, was alive to themenace of the weird visitant that now was so plainly visible. 

All night long they remained on the terrace. Dirk and Inga seated closetogether and Stanton, at a distance, brooding alone over the disasterwhich he felt was impending. 

The illuminated dial of the great clock that was a part of thebeacon-tower on the Metropole Landing Field told of the slow passing ofthe hours. 

All night long they listened to the reports that came through theradiovisor and watched that immobile, threatening monster of metal. 

But it remained static during the rest of the night. And, with thecoming of a gray and sunless dawn, it still hung there, motionless, silent and sinister. 

 * * * * *

The next morning the President of the United States of the World, fromthe capitol at The Hague, issued a proclamation of martial law, tobecome effective at once in all parts of the world. 

The edict forbade people to leave their homes, and it was vigorouslyexecuted, wherever the police themselves were not in a state ofdemoralization. 

At about the same time a special meeting of the Supreme Congress wascalled, the body to remain in session until some solution of the mysteryhad been arrived at. 

At the same time that martial law was declared, however, and the specialassemblage of lawmakers convened, a statement was issued in which anattempt was made to eliminate from the minds of the people the idea thatthe undefinable object above the metropolis was at all dangerous. 

It was, indeed, suggested that it very probably was some sort of newdevice which had been constructed on the earth and which was beingintroduced to the people of the world in a somewhat sensational mannerby the person or persons who were responsible for it. 

The fears of the populace were, to some extent, allayed by this means, and some degree of order restored. 

 * * * * *

At nine o'clock Dirk Vanderpool was shown into the council chamber inthe palace of Orlando Fragoni, and he was closely followed by Stanton. Fragoni was already there, and he greeted the two men with a countenancethat was serene but that, nevertheless, revealed indications of concern. He was a man past middle age, tall and strikingly handsome inappearance. His eyes were dark and penetrating and his forehead, highand wide, was crowned by an abundance of snow-white hair. His voice, while pleasing to the ear, was vibrant with life and energy, and hespoke with the incisive directness of one accustomed to command. 

For Orlando Fragoni, as nearly as any one man might be, was the ruler ofthe world. 

It was in the early part of the twentieth century that wealth hadcommenced to concentrate into a relatively few hands. This was followedby a period in which vast mergers and consolidations had been effectedas a result of the financial power and genius for organization which afew men possessed. A confederation of the countries of the world wasbrought about by industrial kings who had learned, in one devastatingwar, that militarism, while it might bring riches to a few, was, in thefinal analysis, destructive and wasteful. 

Mankind the world over, relieved of the menace of war, made moreprogress in a decade than they had made in any previous century, but allthe time the invisible concentration of power and money continued. 

And, in 1975, the affairs of the world were controlled by five men, ofwhom Orlando Fragoni was the most powerful and most important. 

 * * * * *

His grandfather had been a small banker, and out of his obscuretransactions the great House of Fragoni had arisen. The money power ofthe world was now controlled by Orlando Fragoni. Dirk Vanderpool, partlyas a result of a vast inheritance and partly through his own ability anduntiring industry, dominated the transportation facilities of the world. Planes and Zeppelins, railroad equipment and ships, were built in hisplants and operated by the many organizations which he controlled. 

Stanton had inherited the agricultural activities of the world and, inaddition to this, he was the sovereign of distribution. He owned immenseacreages in all of the continents; he not only cultivated every knownvariety of produce, but also handled the sale of his products throughhis own great chains of stores. His father had been one of the greatgeniuses of the preceding generation, but Stanton, while inheriting thecommercial empire which he had ruled, had not inherited much of theability which had gone into the establishment of it. 

There were two other members of that invisible council of Five, thevery existence of which was not even suspected by the general populaceof the world. 

Sigmund Lazarre was the world's mightiest builder, and millions of greatstructures, which were built of material from his own mines, were underhis control. It was Lazarre, too, who owned the theaters and otheramusement centers in which millions upon millions of people soughtrelaxation every day. The creation and application of electrical powermade up the domain of Wilhelm Steinholt, who also owned the factoriesthat made the machinery of the world. 

Absolute control of all of the necessities and luxuries of life, infact, were in the hands of the five men, who used their vast powerwisely and beneficently. 

Ostensibly the peoples of the world ruled themselves by means of ademocratic form of government. 

In reality their lives were directed by a few men whose power and wealthwere entirely unsuspected by any but those who were close to them. 

 * * * * *

The council room in which Fragoni had received Dirk and Stanton waslofty and sumptuously appointed. 

The rugs which covered the floor were soft to the tread, and the wallsand ceiling were adorned with a series of murals which represented thevarious heavenly constellations. 

At the far end of the chamber there was a staircase, and Dirk was amongthose who knew that it led up to the great observatory in which Fragoniand certain of his scientific associates spent so much of their time atnight. 

For men had commenced to talk about the conquest of the stars, and itwas generally believed that it would not be many years more before a waywould be found to traverse the interplanetary spaces. 

"We are rather fortunate, my friends, " Fragoni said to his twoassociates, "to have been the witnesses of the event that transpiredlast night. "

"Fortunate!" exclaimed Stanton. "Then you know that the thing isharmless?"

A little smile lit the benign and scholarly countenance of Fragoni as hecalmly regarded Stanton. 

"We know very little about it, " he replied after a brief pause, "and, ifour surmises are correct, it may be very far from harmless. It isintensely interesting, nevertheless, " he continued, "because that thing, as you term it, unquestionably is directed by intelligence. Without theslightest doubt the people of the earth are about to behold a form oflife from some far-away planet. What that form will be, " he added, withan almost imperceptible shrug of his shoulders, "it is impossible toforecast. "

"But it was so hot, " commenced Stanton, "that--"

"True, " agreed Fragoni, "but it also is large and it may be that onlythe outer shell of it was effected by friction with the atmosphere thatsurrounds the earth. Nachbaren, " he continued, "is certain that there isintelligent life within it; and Nachbaren, " he added dryly, "is usuallyright. "

 * * * * *

While Fragoni had been speaking, two more men had quietly joined them. 

"Good morning, Lazarre, " Fragoni said, addressing a short, swarthy manwho, very apparently, was of Jewish extraction. 

"Good morning, " the other replied in a soft and mellifluous voice. "Itseems, " he continued, with a twinkle in his eyes, "as if some of mypretty buildings may be toppled over soon. "

"Maybe, " agreed Fragoni. "And maybe, " he added more seriously, "muchmore than your buildings will be toppled over, Lazarre. "

"That thing, then, is. .. ?" questioned the heavy-set, slow-speaking, blue-eyed Teuton who had come into the room with Lazarre. 

"We do not know, Steinholt, " admitted Fragoni, "but our knowledgeundoubtedly will be increased considerably within the next few hours. And now, " he said, "we will consider the problem at hand. "

"--the object which has created such unrest is slowly rising. It is nowsome twenty-five thousand feet above Manhattan. It is--"

The voice from the radiovisor attracted the attention of the five men, and, with one accord, they rushed to the terrace and looked towardManhattan. They saw the great leviathan high in the air for a moment, and then, suddenly, it seemed to vanish from sight. 

"It's gone!" exclaimed Stanton, with a sigh of relief. "It must havebeen some odd atmospheric freak, that's all. "

They searched the skies through the luciscope that was on the terrace, but failed to detect any trace of the monster. 

 * * * * *

"That seems to simplify matters, " remarked Fragoni as they again walkedback into the great conference room. But here, once more, they heard thevoice from the Worldwide Tower. 

"--we are advised by Chicago that the thing, dull-red with heat, ishovering only a couple of thousand feet over the city. Thousands in thestreets are being killed by the heat it is radiating--panic reigns, despite a rigorous enforcement of martial law. The strange object justrose suddenly to a high altitude and disappeared--"

"It's another one of those damned things, " asserted Stanton. "Thatcouldn't go a thousand miles a minute!"

"It can go faster than that, if I am not mistaken, " said Fragoni. And itpresently appeared that he was right, for in a couple of minutes theradiovisor transmitted the news that it was over San Francisco, where itremained for only a few seconds. It was not more than a minute laterthat word came from Shanghai that it had passed slowly over that city. Then again it was poised high over Manhattan, crimson with heat. 

"Is there any possible defense against it, Steinholt?" Fragoni asked. The Teuton shook his head with an air of finality. 

"None, " he said, "as far as I can determine now. We can create anddirect artificial lightning that would reduce this building to a mass ofpowdered stone and fused metal in a fraction of a second. But I amcertain that it wouldn't leave as much as a scratch on that monster upthere. We might try the Z-Rays on it, but an intelligence that coulddevise such a craft would undoubtedly have the wisdom to protect itagainst such an elementary menace as rays. Even the mightiest explosivesthat we have wouldn't send a tremor through that mighty mass. "

 * * * * *

"Why not await developments?" asked Dirk. "We do not even know thenature of the thing we are trying to combat. "

"It's solid metal, " insisted Stanton tenaciously. "It's a metal bodywith a metal brain. "

"Don't be ridiculous, " said Steinholt. "It seems quite apparent that thecraft has come from another planet, and, if I am not greatly mistaken, there are intelligent creatures inside it. "

"In any event, " said Dirk, "it seems impractical to make any plans untilwe know more about it. I suggest that we empower Fragoni to act for therest of us in this matter. "

"That is very agreeable to me, " said Steinholt. "A crisis very possiblymay arise in which the quick judgment of one man may be necessary toavert the danger that always is inherent in delay. "

"You hold my proxy, " Lazarre said to Fragoni, "and I assume that Stantonis agreeable to this procedure. "

"--the thing is moving very slowly eastward in the direction of LongIsland Sound. It is, at the same time, losing altitude. Its movementsare being carefully watched. As yet we see no cause for immediatealarm--people are advised to remain calm--"

"Yes, I am agreeable, " said Stanton nervously and hastily. "If there arethings in it with which we can compromise, I would suggest that we donot offend them. "

"I am, then, empowered to act for all of you, " said Fragoni, ignoringthe suggestion of Stanton. 

 * * * * *

He rose from his chair and walked out on the terrace. The othersfollowed after him. 

Looking westward, they saw the mammoth craft descending slowly in theirdirection. 

Its vast dimensions became more and more apparent as, spellbound, theywatched it approach closer and closer to them. 

The thing in the sky was now not more than three thousand feet abovethem and only a few miles to the westward. 

The observers on the terrace regarded it for a moment in silence as itdrifted forward and downward. 

"It's colossal!" Steinholt then exclaimed, lost in scientific admirationof the mammoth craft. "Magnificent! Superb!"

"But it's coming right toward us!" cried Stanton. 

"What makes it move, I wonder?" asked Dirk. "And how in the world is itcontrolled?"

"It surely is not of this world, " said Fragoni quietly. "That giganticthing has come to us from somewhere out of the infinite and terribledepths of space. "

 * * * * *

Another minute elapsed while they watched it, speechless with wonder. 

"Do you know, " Lazarre then said calmly, "I believe that it is going toland in the waters of the Sound. It appears so to me, anyway. "

It was nearly opposite them by this time, and not more than a thousandfeet above the water. A few planes which, very apparently, were beingflown by intrepid and fearless flyers, were hovering close around it. 

Then finally it came to rest, as Lazarre had predicted, in the watersome two miles off shore, and it was obscured by a great cloud of vaporfor several minutes. 

"Steam, " asserted Steinholt. "That trip around the world, which it madein a few minutes, generated considerable frictional heat in the shell. "

"Come, " said Fragoni, "we'll fly out and look the thing over. "

Around the corner of the building, on the level of the terrace, therewas a landing stage which was occupied by a number of planes of varioussizes. 

Dirk entered the door of a small twenty passenger speedster, and theothers filed in after him. 

"Ready?" he asked, after he had seated himself at the controls. 

"Ready!" replied Fragoni. 

The plane rose straight up into the air and then darted gracefully outover the Sound. 

 * * * * *

Dirk swooped straight down at the leviathan which lay so quietly on thesurface of the Sound and then slowly circled around it. No sign of anaperture of any sort could be seen in the craft. Then he dropped theplane lightly on the water, close to the metallic monster, which toweredfully four hundred feet above them, despite the fact that more than halfof it was submerged. 

"It must be hollow, " remarked Steinholt, "or it wouldn't be so far outof the water. In fact, it most certainly would sink, if it was solid. "

At the touch of a lever which lay under one of Dirk's hands the planerose straight out of the water, and he maneuvered it directly over thetop of the strange enigma. Then he touched a button and the pontoonswere drawn up into the undercarriage of the craft. 

"Shall I make a landing on it?" he asked, turning his head andaddressing Fragoni. 

The latter nodded his head, and Dirk dropped the ship gently onto thesmooth surface of the monster, the pneumatic gearing completelyabsorbing the shock of the landing. 

Dirk relinquished the controls and, opening the door of the cabin, hestepped out onto the rough and pitted substance of which the leviathanwas compounded. He stood there while the others came out after him. 

A large area on the top of the monster was perfectly flat and, within avery few moments, Dirk discovered that it was decidedly warm. He hadbrought the plane down close to the middle of the length of the strangecraft in the belief that there, if anywhere, some indication of anentrance might be found. 

 * * * * *

The voice of Steinholt, tense with suppressed excitement, appraised himthat his surmise had been correct. 

"There is a manhole of some sort, " the electrical wizard exclaimed. "Andlook, it is turning!"

They saw, not far ahead of them, a circular twelve-foot section of thedeck slowly revolving, and, even as they watched, it commenced to riseslowly upward as the threads with which it was provided turned graduallyaround. 

Almost involuntarily they retreated a few feet and stood there, spellbound, as they stared at the massive, revolving section of thedeck. 

It continued to turn until fully ten feet of the mobile cylinder hadbeen exposed. Then the bottom of it appeared. Even then it continued torevolve and rise on a comparatively small shaft which supported it and, at the same time, thrust it upward. Dirk and his companions kept theireyes on the rim of the well which had been exposed, and awaited theappearance of something, they knew not what. When the top of the greatcylinder was fully twelve feet above the deck of the craft it slowlyceased to revolve. 

Moment succeeded moment as the members of the little group rigidly andalmost breathlessly awaited developments. 

Then Dirk, with an impatient ejaculation, stepped forward toward theyawning hole and cautiously peered over the edge of it. 

He stood there for a moment, as if transfixed, and then, with anexclamation of horror, retreated swiftly to where his friends werestanding. 

 * * * * *

"What is it?" gasped Steinholt. "What did you see when--"

But the words died on his lips for, swarming swiftly over every side ofthe well, there poured an array of erect, piercing-eyed beings, who hadall the characteristics of humans. They were clad in tight-fittingattire of thin and pliant metal which, with the exception of theirfaces, shielded them from head to foot. On their heads they woreclose-fitting helmets, apparently equipped with visors which could bedrawn down to cover their unprepossessing features. 

Each one of them carried a tube which bore a striking resemblance to aportable electric flashlight. 

Swiftly they advanced, in ranks of eight, toward Dirk and his companionswho, gripped with amazement, held their positions. 

The first line came to a halt not more than four feet from the littlegroup on the deck. The other lines halted, too, and formed a greatplatoon. Then a shrill whistle sounded and the formation parted in themiddle, leaving an open path that led backward to the entrance, to thewell. 

A moment later the watchers saw the regal figure of a man emerge fromthe orifice and, after a moment's pause, advance slowly in theirdirection with a stately stride. 

He was tall and muscular and blond and his attire, golden in texture, glittered with sparkling gems. 

As he approached them he raised his right hand and, inasmuch as hiscountenance was calm and benign, his gesture appeared to be one ofpeace and good-will. 

 * * * * *

Following close behind him there was a younger man who, very apparently, was of the same lineage. His expression, however, was petulant andhaughty and it contained more than a suggestion of rapacity and evil. 

Behind him there were others of the same fair type, all of themsumptuously and ornately attired. 

Fragoni stepped forward, himself a dignified and striking figure, as theleader of the strange adventurers came forth from the lane that had beenformed by his immobile guard of warriors. 

The two men confronted each other, one whose power and wealth gave him adominate position on earth, and the other a personage from some domainthat was remote in the abyss of space. 

Fragoni bowed and spoke a few friendly words of welcome and thestranger, to the utter amazement of the banker and his associates, responded in an English that was rather peculiar in accent but that theycould understand without any difficulty. 

"From what part of the world do you come, " asked the astounded Fragoni, "that you speak our language?"

"We come from no part of this world, " replied the stranger. "The empireof my ruler is infinitely far away. But language, my friend, is not athing of accident. Life grows out of the substance of the universe andlanguage comes out of life. The speech of mankind, in your state ofdevelopment, varies but little throughout all space and I have heardyour English, as you call it, spoken among those who dwell in many, manyworlds. "

"And your world?" asked Steinholt with avid curiosity. "Tell us of theplanet from which you come. "

 * * * * *

But Fragoni, smiling at the eagerness of Steinholt, interposed with akindly but arresting gesture. 

"My name is Fragoni, " he said to the stranger, "and I would have youpartake, of my hospitality and refresh yourself after your long journey. These, " he added, "are my friends, Steinholt, Vanderpool and Lazarre. "

"I am Teuxical, vassal of his Supreme Highness, Malfero of Lodore, " theother replied. "This is my son, Zitlan, " he continued, indicating theyoung man behind him, "and the others are my high captains, Anteucan, Orzitza and Huazibar. More of my officers are below together with tenthousand armed and armored men such as you see before you. "

If the last part of the statement was intended as a threat or a warning, the expression on Fragoni's face gave no indication that he was aware ofit. 

"You carry a large crew, sir, " Fragoni replied, "but we gladly will makeprovisions for all of your men. As for yourself, your son, and yourcaptains, if you will come with me. .. . "

He nodded in the direction of the plane which rested on the greatinterplanetary vessel and started to walk slowly in the direction of it. The leader of the skymen walked by his side and the other men fromLodore followed close after them. 

Dirk, Steinholt and Lazarre brought up the rear, while the soldiersremained motionless in their serried array. 

 * * * * *

Innumerable planes were circling overhead and hundreds of them hadlanded on the water in the vicinity. Dirk saw that the wanderers fromthe stars regarded them curiously as if they never before had seenaircraft of that particular type. 

When the cabin door of the plane was thrown open, Teuxical turned to oneof his captains. 

"Remain here, Anteucan, with the soldiers, " he commanded, "and await ourreturn. "

Teuxical then entered the plane with his men and Fragoni, Steinholt andLazarre followed after them. Then Dirk took his seat at the controls. 

"These are strange craft you use, " he heard Teuxical say. "I have seenthem in only one of the multitude of other worlds on which I have set myfeet, worlds which all pay tribute to Malfero of Lodore. It is safer andswifter to ride the magnetic currents than it is to ride the unstablecurrents of the air. "

Dirk caught the significance of the reference to tribute and he admiredthe clever diplomacy of Teuxical while, at the same time, he wondered ifthe earth and all of those who dwelt upon it were doomed to fall underthe sway of some remote and unseen despot. 

He also realized that the Lodorians had, in some way, devised a craftthat rode the great magnetic streams which flowed through the universein much the same way that men, in ships, navigated the streams of theearth. 

He threw on the helicopter switch and the plane rose swiftly into theair, the myriad other flying craft which were circling nearby keeping ata safe distance from it. 

"Land on the grand terrace, " Fragoni directed. The flight was short andrapid and it was only a matter of seconds before Dirk brought the planedown on the landing stage which they had left only a scant half-hourbefore. 

He opened the cabin door and stepped out of the plane and the othersfiled out after him. 

 * * * * *

Fragoni led the way along the stage, walking and chatting with Teuxical, and Dirk, following after the others, was the last to turn a corner thatbrought him a sweeping view of the magnificent terrace that fronted theprivate apartments of the banker and his daughter. 

And, when he did, he saw that Inga was standing there, superblybeautiful, with Stanton a few paces behind her. 

Her lovely eyes were alive with awe and wonder and her slender whitehands were crossed over her heart. 

And Dirk saw, too, that Zitlan, son of Teuxical, had paused and wasstanding quite still, with his unwavering and insolent eyes fixed onthe girl. Resentment, and a touch of apprehension, agitated Dirk when hesaw the expression on the face of the young Lodorian. 

There was admiration in that disagreeable countenance, but it wasblended with arrogance, haughtiness and ill-concealed desire. 

Dirk went quickly to Inga, standing between the girl and the one fromLodore who was staring at her so brazenly. 

"What does it all mean, Dirk?" she asked in a low voice. "Those strangepeople, where are they from?"

Stanton had come quickly forward and had joined Inga and Dirk. 

"They are from some far-off world, Inga, " he explained, "that we knownothing about as yet. "

"But what do they want?" she persisted. "What do they intend to do? Isaw those horrible creatures through the magnascope when they cameswarming out of the inside of that thing on the water and I thought, atfirst, that they were going to kill you all. "

"No, they seem to come in peace, " Dirk replied. "Teuxical, their leader, seems to be gracious and kindly. "

 * * * * *

"We are all doomed, " asserted Stanton, "unless something happens. Theycan crumble our cities with heat and bury us under the ruins of them. "

"Keep your silence!" breathed Dirk, quietly but tensely. "We will find away to destroy those creatures if it becomes necessary. "

"That man who keeps staring at me, who is he?" asked Inga in a voicethat betrayed her nervousness. 

Dirk turned and saw that Zitlan was still standing where he had pausedand that he still was looking with searching eyes in the direction ofthe girl. 

He returned the insolent gaze of the young Lodorian with an impatientand threatening stare and the countenance of Zitlan at once becamestern and menacing. He came striding in the direction of Inga, Dirk andStanton and paused within a few feet of them, his rapacious eyes stillfixed on the girl. 

"My lady, " he said, "your beauty pleases me. I have walked on manyworlds but never before have I seen one as lovely as yourself. Of thespoils of this world, all that I crave possession of is you. When wereturn to Lodore, " he added with an air of finality, "I will take youwith me and place you with my other women in the Seraglio of theStars. "

Dirk swiftly stepped close to Zitlan and the latter quickly clasped atube that hung at his side, a tube of the sort that the soldiers hadcarried. 

"Your words and your manner are insolent, " asserted Dirk angrily, "and Iwarn you now to cease making yourself offensive. "

"Dog!" exclaimed Zitlan fiercely, leveling the metal tube, "I'll--"

But the left fist of Dirk cut short his threat as it made a suddenimpact with his chin, and the Lodorian went crashing backward into someexotic shrubbery with a look of surprise on his countenance. 

Then Dirk heard an odd hissing and crackling sound, and he felt himselfbecoming dizzy and weak. 

Darkness seemed to sweep in upon him; he felt that he was droppingswiftly through space, and then he lost consciousness. 

 * * * * *

A vague and shadowy figure was standing close by his side and peeringdown into his face. After a while he realized that it was Steinholt. 

"Steinholt!" he gasped. "Why--why am I here--in Fragoni's? I must havehad a dream--and yet. .. . "

He furrowed his brow in thought and, gradually, he commenced to rememberwhat had happened. 

"It was no dream, " said the scientist softly. "Do you remember thetrouble that you had with Zitlan?"

"Yes, " replied Dirk. "I remember that he was insolent to Inga and that Ilost my temper and struck him. But what happened to me? I don't recallthat anybody hit me. I did hear sort of a peculiar sound just before Istarted to pass out, but--"

"Teuxical took a shot at you, " said Steinholt, "and you have beenunconscious for over thirty-six hours. "

"Took a shot at me!" exclaimed Dirk. "What did he shoot me with?"

"That is what we all would like to know, " said Steinholt. "He leveledone of those damn tubes at you and pressed a button on it. There was ahissing sound, a flash of light, and you got groggy, and went out. Hepotted Zitlan, too, " continued Steinholt, "and he apologized for thetrouble that his son was responsible for. Do you know, " he added, "Isort of like the old man. "

 * * * * *

Lazarre, with a sympathetic smile on his face, entered the room at thatmoment and overheard the conversation. 

"Old man is right, " he remarked, with a little note of awe in his voice. "Teuxical admits that he is three thousand years old and that he has atleast two thousand more ahead of him. That Lodore must be a queerworld, " he commented, shaking his grizzly head. 

"It is not so queer when you take everything into consideration, " saidSteinholt. "It seems quite natural when Teuxical explains it. Lodore itseems, is something like a hundred thousand times as big as thisminiature world we live on. It took Lodore infinitely longer to solidifyfrom a gaseous state than it took this world, and its entire evolutionhas been relatively slower than ours. Therefore, according to Teuxical, the people up there live longer and, incidentally, know infinitely morethan we do. "

 * * * * *

"What time is it now?" asked Dirk, after a moment of thought. 

"It is just about twelve o'clock at night, " Steinholt informed him. 

"Have these Lodorians made any demands yet?" Dirk asked. "Does anybodyknow what they are going to do or what they want?"

"They are liable to do almost anything, " said Lazarre, "and it looks asthough they will be able to get anything that they want. Teuxical, as Iunderstand it, just gave you a slight shock with his death-ray device. If he had pulled the trigger all the way you would have become just alittle pile of dust that the first breeze would have blown away. "

"Our own death-rays are somewhat similar, " said Steinholt, "but they arenot a hundredth as powerful. And they won't work on the Lodorians, either, " he added, "because those metal sheaths that they wear make themimmune to all kinds of destructive rays. "

 * * * * *

"It appears, " remarked Lazarre morosely, "as if this little world ofours is going to be taken for a ride. And it's too bad, considering thatit's the only world we've got. There has been no formal presentation ofdemands yet, but it seems to be sort of understood that the earth isgoing to become a tributary of Lodore. It is a good thing, " he added, "that Teuxical, and not Zitlan, is the boss of that outfit. I don't likethe looks of that young fellow. He's only twelve hundred years old andhe is sort of hot-blooded, I guess. "

"I was talking with Anteucan, " said Steinholt, "and he told me that theLodorians usually make heavy levies on worlds which they discover anddominate. As soon as Teuxical returns to Lodore and announces a newdiscovery a fleet of those damned monsters is sent out to mop up the newplanet. That Malfero, who is the emperor of Lodore, is considerable of amonarch, and it seems that he has a passion for piling up wealth. Goldand platinum are as precious on Lodore as they are here and he alsolikes pretty stones. "

"And what is worse, " added Steinholt, "is his practice of enslavingentire populations and making toilers or warriors out of them. Thosesoldiers on the ship are not Lodorians. Millions of them were seized onsome planet and converted into troops. It was a strange conversion, too, " said Steinholt with a shudder. "Their brains were operated on andmost of their faculties removed. They have no sense of fear, noconsciences, no power of reasoning. They respond only to certain signalson a whistle and their only definite and active impulse is that ofmurder and destruction. "

"There is nothing to do, " said Dirk positively, "but to kill all ofthese interlopers, if we hope to save our world from being desolated. "

 * * * * *

The three men looked at each other in silence for a moment and thenDirk, somewhat weakly, rose into a sitting position in the bed which hehad been occupying. 

"But how, " asked Steinholt, "can we kill them? We might, of course, getrid of a few of them, but that simply would lead to our destruction bythose who were left. "

"There must be some way, " asserted Dirk, "and it is up to us to think ofit without delay. If we let those Lodorians get a foothold on the worldall will be lost. "

"The old man seems to be reasonable enough, " said Lazarre. "He doesn'tseem inclined to be destructive. "

"We must not trust him or any of the others, " said Dirk imperatively. "We must rid the earth of every one of them. And the sooner we strikethe better!"

"It had best be soon if it is to be at all, " said Steinholt. "Fragonihas arranged to have Teuxical appear before the Congress, and themeeting has been called for to-night when, I imagine, certain specificdemands will be made upon us. We all will go to The Hague together onthe ship of the Lodorians. "

"And we leave?" questioned Dirk. 

"The meeting is set for ten P. M. , New York time, " said Lazarre. "Wewill start east at about four o'clock in the morning, I guess, becauseit will only take a minute or so to arrive at our destination. "

"Is Fragoni going?" asked Dirk. 

"Naturally, " replied Lazarre. 

"And Inga?"

"I believe so, " Lazarre told him. "Fragoni was both afraid to take herand to leave her behind, but finally he decided that he wanted her withhim in case of trouble. "

 * * * * *

"And are they--the Lodorians--still here?" queried Dirk. 

"Yes, " responded Lazarre. "Teuxical returned to his ship last night withZitlan and his other followers, but they came back late this afternoon, and they are still here. Zitlan seemed to be all right this afternoon, too. They must have used some means of bringing him out of the daze thathe was in. We did everything we could to revive you, but none of ourmeasures were effective. "

"I'm all right now, " asserted Dirk, as he finished attiring himself. "Iwant to see Fragoni at once. "

"We'll go out on the terrace then, " said Steinholt. "They are all outthere. "

Dirk, with his two companions, strolled out through the maze of roomsand corridors that led to the garden which hung so high above the cityand the Sound below it. 

The first thing that Dirk saw, when he passed out onto the terrace, wasthe white tunic of Inga, who was leaning against a coping and talkingwith Zitlan. 

The latter was pointing skyward and, very apparently, he was telling herof worlds which circled high among the stars. 

As if she were suddenly aware of his presence, Inga turned and saw Dirkand he realized, by the expression on her face, that she was distraughtand nervous. She came toward him quickly, after a few words to Zitlan, and the face of the latter darkened. There was hatred in his expressionas he stared malevolently at Dirk. 

 * * * * *

Steinholt and Lazarre passed along and joined Fragoni and Teuxical, whowere the center of a group that had formed in another part of theterrace. 

"Oh, Dirk, " said Inga, "I am so afraid of that frightful Zitlan. He hasbeen telling me again that he is going to take me back to his own worldwith him and it makes me shudder to think of it. He is so strange andqueer and his eyes are so terrible. He can't be as young as he looks, because he speaks of years like we speak of minutes. I will die if Iever find myself in that monster's power! He has been telling me of allthe creatures he has slain on the worlds on which he has landed, and Itell you, Dirk, that he is cruel and ruthless and horrible. "

"He will never have you!" swore Dirk. "And if I hear of any more of hisinsolence, I will throw him headlong from this terrace. "

"Please, Dirk, " she begged, "don't do anything--not yet. He is utterlyunscrupulous, Dirk. He told me that, even now, he is plotting againstsome Malfero who rules Lodore like a god, and that he is planning toseize the throne of the planet. He wants to make me the queen of thatfearful world when he becomes king. He boasted that, if I were on thethrone, millions of people from other worlds would be sacrificed in myhonor in the temples of Lodore. " Her voice trembled and her eyes wereterror-stricken as she continued. "They tear out the hearts of livingvictims, " she whispered, "and burn them on their high and mammothpyramids. "

 * * * * *

Rage took possession of Dirk and, casting a glance at Zitlan, he sawthat the Lodorian was smiling insolently at him. 

"I'll kill that beast, if it's the last thing that I do!" he exclaimedto Inga. 

"Dirk, Dirk, " she implored, "don't even look at him. He is proud andimpetuous, and he will kill you in defiance of his own father. "

"We will find some way to rid the world of the scourge that hasdescended upon it, " asserted Dirk confidently, "and he will die with therest of that monstrous crew. "

"I am going in, Dirk, " Inga said. "Please, " she begged, "don't doanything rash. If--something--should happen to you, I would lose all thehope that I have and I would, I think, kill myself. "

"Don't lose hope, my dear, " said Dirk reassuringly. "I believe that Iknow of a way to destroy the plague that menaces us. "

He pressed her hand and, after she left him, he walked over and joinedthe other men on the terrace. Zitlan, coming from the terrace wall, stretched out in a chair not far from Dirk. 

Teuxical regarded the latter with a countenance that was calm andamicable. "I am sorry, my young friend, " he apologized, "that I had tointervene between you and my son. " He paused a moment and sat insilence, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Ah, " he then said, "whatdisasters have arisen out of the desire of men for women. In mywanderings over the starlit worlds, I have seen. .. . " He ceased speaking, brooded for a moment, and then shook his head slowly. "But you cannotsay that I was not just, " he continued, addressing Dirk. "I punishedZitlan for his presumption. Fragoni tells me that the woman has pledgedherself to you. Let her pledge be kept!" he exclaimed sternly, lookingstraight at Zitlan. 

"We are the conquerors, " asserted the latter boldly, "and to us shouldbelong the spoils of our daring!"

"Silence!" thundered Teuxical. "My own son, above all others, shall beobedient to my commands! Or, like others have done, he shall die becauseof insubordination!"

 * * * * *

Zitlan, a defiant expression on his face, ceased to speak, but Dirkcould see that he was livid with suppressed rage. 

"As I was saying, " Teuxical remarked, turning to Fragoni, "I am gettingold and long have I been weary of conquest. I have seen your world andit pleases me. It is a tiny and peaceful place, far removed from thestrife and turbulence of the restless centers of the universe. So it ismy will to leave you unscathed and return to Lodore for a brief time toask of the mighty Malfero the grant of this little provincial land. Andthen, with his permission, I will return here and rule it with wisdomand benevolence. 

"I will bring to you much knowledge, and peace will be to the people ofthis earth and peace will be to me. "

"It is well, " replied Fragoni. "No world, I am certain, could hope for awiser and more just ruler than yourself, and our Congress surely willreceive you with acclaim. "

Teuxical bowed in recognition of the compliment, and his countenanceindicated that he was gratified. 

"We will go, now, back to our vessel, " he said, addressing the otherLodorians. "We will return for you at the appointed hour and conduct youto our ship, " he added, speaking to Fragoni. 

"We will be ready, " Fragoni replied. 

 * * * * *

Zitlan had arisen with the rest of them and Dirk, with a look ofcontempt and amusement in his eyes, regarded him casually. 

"May I have the honor of conducting our guests back to their ship in aplane?" Stanton requested of Fragoni. 

The latter nodded and Stanton walked across the terrace in the directionof the landing stage. 

Zitlan, as he followed after the others, passed close to Dirk and, pausing for a moment, fixed his hateful eyes on him. 

"You dog, " he whispered malignantly, "remember what I tell you! Thetime will come when I will cast you to the carnaphlocti in the dark andicy caverns of sunless Tiganda. You will die, " he swore, "the death of amillion agonies!"

For a moment Dirk felt an almost irresistible impulse to hurl himself onthe Lodorian and slay him. 

He managed to maintain his control, however, and only regarded Zitlanwith disdain as the latter turned and went on his way. 

In another moment the plane, containing Stanton and the Lodorians, washigh up in the darkness. 

Dirk glanced at the great clock that gleamed atop of the beacon-tower onthe Metropole Landing Field. 

The hour was close to twelve-thirty A. M. 

 * * * * *

A moment of silence on the terrace followed the departure of the planethat bore the Lodorians back to their craft. 

For an hour the clouds had been gathering in the sky and now a fine, cold rain commenced to fall. 

A peal of thunder echoed above them after a sharp flash of lightning hadstreaked across the black night above them. 

A servant appeared from the entrance to the apartment and pressed abutton close to the door. 

Protective plates of glass noiselessly enveloped the terrace, shelteringthose upon it from the inclement weather. 

"It is well, " remarked Fragoni, breaking the silence, "that we werefound by a leader like Teuxical. Our tribute will not be unbearable, andhe will bestow many benefits upon us. "

"But surely, " protested Dirk, "you do not intend to surrender without astruggle! Nothing but disaster, " he asserted earnestly, "will come uponthe earth if you do. Teuxical may be honest and just but, after all, heneither is immortal nor all-powerful, and something may happen to him atany moment. And there are those like Zitlan who would turn the worldover to ravage and rape, and then convert it into a blazing pyre, ifthey had their way. These vandals, " he insisted, "must be slain one andall, or, mark my words, our world will be laid waste. "

 * * * * *

Dirk spoke with such a sense of conviction that his words held hislisteners spellbound. 

"Who is Teuxical, " he asked, "but the vassal of a monarch whosecorsairs, very apparently, are carrying on a war of conquest in theuniverse? It will be disastrous, I say, to place any dependence in thegood will of this one Lodorian. If he, or any of his men, return to thatfar-off planet where they dwell word will be carried there of theexistence of our world. But who can say that Teuxical ever will returnhere again? It may be the whim of his ruler to refuse his request, orany one of a thousand other events might arise to thwart his desire tolive among us. No, " concluded Dirk passionately, "it never will do tolet that great engine of destruction rise into the skies again!"

"He is right!" asserted Steinholt positively. "It will be far better toannihilate these raiders, if such a thing can be accomplished!"

Lazarre was rather inclined to take sides with Fragoni. 

"But how, " he demanded, "can such destruction be brought about? We knownothing of the capabilities of that monster that is lying down there inthe Sound. It is undoubtedly equipped with the deadliest of devices andthey all will be turned upon us if we fail in an effort to destroy thething and those who have come from space upon it. If there was a way tosmite them suddenly, to bring death to the Lodorians and to thoseswarming, mindless, murderous minions who act in obedience to them, Iwould favor doing it. 

"But, as it is, " he concluded, "it seems like inviting disaster even tothink of such an attempt, much less to try it. "

"It can be done, though, " asserted Dirk, "or there is at least afighting chance of accomplishing it. The electrosceotan--" He paused, and looked questioningly at Steinholt. "The top of that monster is openand. .. . "

 * * * * *

The Teuton furrowed his brow and considered the proposition for amoment. 

"Yes, " he said, nodding his head, "it might be done. " Again he silentlygave the subject his thought. "It is well worth trying, " he assertedwith an air of decision. "But we will have to make haste, " he warned, "if the thing is to be done before the flight to The Hague. "

"So be it, " said Fragoni. "We will apply ourselves to the task at hand. I, too, " he confessed, "had rather see these vandals destroyed like somuch vermin rather than have them carry the news of the existence ofthis earth back into those strange worlds in the depth of space. I willonly regret the passing of Teuxical, who could have taught us muchwisdom. And now, " he continued briskly, "I will place myself under yourorders, Dirk. You are the one who suggested this plan and upon you willfall the responsibility of executing it. And, if it succeeds, " he added, "the glory will be yours. "

"I care little for the glory, " replied Dirk, "but I gladly accept theduties and the responsibilities. These, " he said to Fragoni, "are myinstructions to you. Inasmuch as Teuxical and his captains will returnhere at about four o'clock in the morning to convey us back to theircraft, it will be necessary to have this building emptied of itsinhabitants by that time. Let all of those who dwell here depart fromit, a few at a time, so as not to excite suspicion. Inga, above allothers, must leave and retreat to a place of safety. Then, as the hourapproaches for the arrival of the Lodorians, we will escape by planefrom one of the rear terraces. They will land in search of usand--well, then they will feel the force of our power. "

"I will follow your orders explicitly, " promised Fragoni. "I wonder, " headded, "where Stanton is? He should be advised of what we are going toattempt. "

"He will return in due time, " replied Dirk. "And, if not, it will be theworse for him. Lazarre will remain here with you, " he then told Fragoni, "and Steinholt and I will now go about our part of the task at hand. "

 * * * * *

Dirk, followed by Steinholt, hurried across the terrace and, leaving theshelter of its quartzite plates, sought the landing stage. 

The rain still was falling and the heavens were congested with dark andheavy clouds. 

Dirk, selecting one of the smaller planes, entered the cabin andSteinholt, following after him, closed the door and threw on thelights. 

Swiftly they shot straight up into the air, Dirk ignoring all of therules of flight in his haste to be under way. Once in the westboundlane, he headed his plane toward Manhattan and threw his rheostat wideopen. In a few minutes they were skimming over the great city and pastthe three-thousand-foot steel tower of the Worldwide BroadcastingStation. 

For fifteen minutes more he kept the plane on a straight course andthen, bringing it to a quick stop, he let it drop like a plummet towardthe earth. 

It landed, among many other planes, on the transparent, quartzite roofof a vast building and, looking down into the interior, they could seeseveral rows of great dynamos. Some of them were turning, and thehumming that they made could be heard plainly. 

 * * * * *

Dirk and Steinholt ran rapidly across the roof until they came to asuperstructure, which they entered. There was a shaft inside. Dirkpressed a button, and an elevator shot up and stopped at the door, which automatically flashed open. 

He closed it after he and his companion had entered the cage and, dropping rapidly downward, they came to a stop in a lighted chamber thatwas far below the surface of the ground. 

A stoop-shouldered old man greeted them, an expression of surprise onhis face. 

"Gentlemen!" he exclaimed. "What is--"

"Power, Gaeble!" commanded Steinholt tensely. "Power! Let every dynamorun its swiftest. To-night we have to use for the electrosceotan!"

"But I thought it was peace that those from the stars desired, " said theold electrician. "Through my radiovisor I heard--"

"That was sent out, " explained Steinholt, "to relieve the fears of thepeople and to keep them in order. "

Swiftly the distorted figure of the old man sped to a great switchboard, where he pressed button after button. 

The very ground commenced to vibrate around them and the massivestructure seemed to be alive with straining power. 

Then Steinholt, going to a corner of the intricate board, adjusted a fewlevers, while his gnomelike companion watched him carefully. 

"And now, Gaeble, " the scientist said impressively, "these are yourorders. At precisely the hour of four o'clock in the morning make oneconnection with this switch. "

 * * * * *

He indicated, with a stubby finger, the lever to be operated. 

"Keep the circuit closed for just four seconds, " he added slowly, "andthen break it. Do you understand, Gaeble?" he demanded. 

"I do, " replied the old man. 

"Then, " continued Steinholt, "after you break that connection youquickly will close this next circuit. Keep it closed for four secondsand then, after opening it for one second, close it again for fourseconds. Repeat the procedure twice more, Gaeble, after that, and thenawait my further instructions. Is everything clear?" he asked. 

"It is, sir, " the old man replied. "I will follow your ordersimplicitly. "

"There is one thing more, " Steinholt said. "Get the Worldwide Tower onthe televisor and warn them of what is to happen. "

"I will do that immediately, " Gaeble replied. 

Dirk and Steinholt shot up to the roof again and the building over whichthey walked seemed to be quivering with life. 

They could see that all of the mammoth dynamos beneath them wererevolving and the humming which they had heard before had changed intoan ugly, vibrant roar. 

 * * * * *

Again they took flight and, reaching Manhattan, they continued north andeast to the shore of Long Island Sound. 

Long before the old East River had been filled in and the space which ithad occupied reclaimed for building purposes. All indications of itsformer bed had been obliterated by mammoth terraced structures. 

When they reached their destination on the shore of the Sound a smallsubmarine, which Dirk had ordered by radio, was awaiting them. 

"Submerge and proceed up the Sound, " Dirk ordered the officer, "and takeus directly under the craft of the Lodorians. "

In a few minutes they were skimming over the surface of the water and, when a sufficient depth had been gained, the tiny boat disappearedbeneath the rain-rippled sea. 

Dirk sat at a port and watched the aquatic life as it was illuminated bythe powerful aquamarine searchlights. 

Progress under the water was comparatively slow, as mankind had made butlittle progress in underwater navigation. Air liners long before hadalmost superseded travel by land and sea and the abolition of warfarehad swept all of the old navies from the ocean. 

It was more than an hour before the officer in charge of the boatannounced that the mammoth hull of the monster that was lying on theSound was visible directly above them. 

Both Dirk and Steinholt donned diving apparatus, and the formercarefully adjusted the mechanism that was contained in a metallic boxabout two feet square. 

 * * * * *

Then they stepped up into a chamber in the conning tower of the boatand, after a door slipped shut beneath them, water slowly commenced topour into the compartment. 

When it was full a sliding door that was in front of them slowly openedand they passed out onto the deck of the underwater craft. 

Steinholt had been provided with some welding apparatus and, in a fewminutes, the box which Dirk had carried was attached securely to thebottom of the craft of the Lodorians. 

They then reentered the submarine by reversing the process which hadattended their exit. Very soon they were in the cabin of the boatagain. 

"If everything goes well, " said Dirk, "those damned Lodorians will neverknow what struck them. "

"I only hope, " said Steinholt, "that we don't destroy that leviathanaltogether. We might solve the secret of it and then we, too, could rideout into the heart of the universe. "

"It is impossible to imagine what will happen, " Dirk replied, "untilafter we launch our attack. "

Both of the men were silent during the return trip of the small underseacraft, which emerged at its dock a little before three-thirty in themorning. 

"We'll have to hurry, " urged Dirk nervously, "because we will need alittle time to make preparations after we get back to Fragoni's. "

They entered their plane and Dirk shot it swiftly up into the night, following the red shaft of light that rose almost directly from thepoint at which they had made their landing. 

 * * * * *

Then, having reached the eastbound level, he headed straight in thedirection of the palace of Fragoni. 

Dirk cast a glance at the great city that lay far beneath him. High upinto the heavens it tossed the fulgurant fires that betokened its wealthand power. And, down among those myriad lights, millions and millions ofpeople were restless under the danger that menaced them. It was only amatter of moments now before their fate, and the fate of their greatmetropolis, would be decided. By dawn they would be free forever fromthe threat of subjugation and slavery or else they, and all that theyhad toiled and striven for, would be the veriest dust of dying embers. 

And whatever befell them likewise would befall the rest of the world andevery living thing that moved upon it. 

Dirk was high above Fragoni's when he stopped the forward flight of theplane and, dropping it rapidly through the misty night, brought upeasily on the landing stage. The other planes which had been there whenhe and Steinholt had taken their departure were gone and Dirk felt asense of relief when he observed this. Inga, then, must have departedwith the other occupants of the colossal structure. Things were goingaccording to the plan that he had conceived. He stepped out of thecabin, followed by Steinholt, and proceeded hastily along the terraceand turned the corner into the garden. 

Then he came to an abrupt halt because there, before him, was Zitlan, with one of the deadly ray-tubes of the Lodorians in his hand. 

 * * * * *

Dirk knew immediately that something unexpected had happened and that hewas in the power of one who not only hated him but who had an unholydesire for Inga. 

He realized, too, that any show of resistance would be nothing short ofsuicide, for he was well aware of the deadliness of the strange weaponwith which he and Steinholt were being menaced by the gloatingLodorian. 

"One false move and you die!" warned Zitlan. "Come forward, now, andjoin those two others over whom Anteucan and Huazibar are watching. "

Dirk and Steinholt promptly obeyed the command of Zitlan and walked overto where Fragoni and Lazarre were being guarded by two of theconquerors. 

The rain had ceased to fall, but the skies were dark and overcast withheavy clouds. There was an occasional flash of lightning, and thunderrolled and echoed through the night. 

The terrace, however, was brightly illuminated and every detail of thescene around him was visible to Dirk. 

He saw Stanton, on another part of the terrace, standing among someLodorians he had not seen before. Stanton, apparently, was not beingtreated as a prisoner and Dirk wondered, rather vaguely, why this was. 

"What happened?" Dirk asked Fragoni quietly. 

"According to what I have heard, " the latter replied, "Zitlan murderedhis father in a fit of rage, and has taken over the command of the ship. Many of the Lodorians are his adherents and even those who do not favorhim are so terrified that they will be obedient to his wishes. "

"And Inga?" questioned Dirk. 

"She is inside the apartment, " said Fragoni, a note of desperation inhis voice. "Zitlan surprised us completely and he and his men had uscovered before we realized that Teuxical was not among them. "

 * * * * *

Zitlan, in the meantime, had entered the suite of Fragoni and he nowcame out, Inga walking before him. 

She was silent and proudly erect but there was a pallor in her face thatindicated her realization of the danger that she was threatened with. 

When Dirk saw her she gave him a brave smile, which he answered with aglance of reassurance. 

He could see the great clock in the Metropole Tower, and he noticed, with a feeling of grave apprehension, that it was twenty minutes to fouro'clock. 

There were only a few minutes more in which to make a desperate andapparently a hopeless effort to save Inga, his friends and himself froma catastrophe which he had been instrumental in contriving. 

Then Zitlan stood before him, haughty and arrogant, his loweringcountenance ugly with hatred. 

"So, dog, " he said, "you who dared to defy Zitlan now stand before him acaptive!"

Neither Dirk nor any one of the three others who were guarded with himreplied to the utterance. 

"You and that woman of yours, " continued the Lodorian insolently, "bothare my prisoners to do with as I please. Your fate, " he continued, "Ialready have planned for you and I assure you that it will not be aspleasurable as the one to which she is destined. You will find thatTigana, on which you and those with you will be cast, is a world ofterror such as you never could dream of. Even the monsters which crawlthrough the deliriums of the mind are not as horrible as those whichinfest the mad and haunted world of which I speak. "

 * * * * *

He paused a moment, a cruel smile on his face, as if he wished the fullimport of his words to sear themselves into the minds of the doomedmen. 

"But the woman, " he added, "will return to Lodore with me and be thequeen of all women. And soon, " he said savagely, "she may be queen ofall Lodore, of the worlds which pay tribute to Lodore, and of otherworlds which I will conquer and ravage. My father stood in my way and hedied at my own hands. So will others perish who thwart my ambition, andI will become supreme in the universe!"

A feeling of reckless fury possessed Dirk as he listened to the words ofZitlan and he felt an almost irresistible desire to drive a fist squarebetween the mad, glittering eyes of the Lodorian. 

He glanced at the great clock, however, and he saw that the time to acthad not yet come. At the last moment he would make one desperate attemptto frustrate the evil designs of Zitlan. If it failed--well, all wouldbe lost. But it was a far better thing to die resisting the despicableZitlan and his minions than it would be to live and to know that, without a struggle, he had abandoned to degradation the girl he loved. 

"This world of yours will be my world, " he heard Zitlan boast, "and thespoils from it will add to my riches. This one here, " he continued, indicating Stanton, "has offered to show me where all of the treasuresof the earth may be found. And, as a reward, he will return to Lodorewith me and there be elevated to a high position. "

 * * * * *

That, then, was why Stanton was not under guard like the rest of them. 

"Our good friend, Stanton, " said Lazarre, "seems to have becomesomething of a Judas. "

"And let his name be forever cursed, like the name of Judas, " saidDirk. 

"Silence!" thundered the Lodorian. "I, Zitlan, am speaking. " He paused amoment. "When I garner up the treasures of this world in the way ofprecious stones and metals I also shall gather more priceless loot inthe way of women. And then, having taken all that I desire, I will laywaste to this earth so that those who survive will fear the name ofZitlan and will grovel before him like a god when once again he appearsto them. "

While Zitlan had been speaking, Dirk had been studying the opponentswith whom he soon had to clash. 

The two Lodorians who were standing guard over himself and hiscompanions were close to his left side. Zitlan was directly in front ofhim, and there were seven of his minions clustered behind him. 

Again Dirk glanced at the great dial of the clock, and he saw that itwas seven minutes of four. 

The moment had come to act if action was to prove of any avail. 

"I will--"

But the words of Zitlan were interrupted by Dirk, who suddenly made amighty sweep with his left arm and knocked the deadly tubes from thehands of Anteucan and Huazibar. Startled by the assault, they wentreeling backward. At almost the same instant Dirk leaped forward and, seizing Zitlan, hurled him among those Lodorians who had been massedbehind him. Then he threw himself violently into the tangled mass, hisfists driving in and out with deadly strength!

 * * * * *

Out of the corner of one eye he saw Inga pass the melee and dart swiftlyto the corner of the terrace. Instead of passing around to the landingstage, however, she lingered there and watched the combat. 

Dirk, as he fought, became conscious that Steinholt and Fragoni were athis side, battling with him against his enemies. He saw, too, thatStanton had retired to the far end of the terrace and that he waswatching the struggle with frightened eyes. 

"We must reach the plane and get away, " gasped Dirk. "In another threeminutes--"

He felled a Lodorian who, having lost his tube, was about to grapplewith him. He saw Steinholt send another one of their opponents reelingbackward. 

"Fragoni!" he exclaimed. "The plane! Get in with Inga! We will come!"

Even as he spoke his fists were flailing back and forth between each oneof his staccato commands. 

He saw beneath him a hand reaching toward a tube, and he kicked theinstrument of death. It hurtled over in the direction of Stanton andlanded close to his feet. Stanton might have picked it up and been inpossession of the means of aiding his old friends or his new allies. Buthe shrunk away, panic-stricken, from the thing that lay so close to hisreach. 

A Lodorian leaped upon Dirk's back in an effort to bring him to theground, but he stooped swiftly forward and his assailant was catapultedover his head into those who were in front of him. 

 * * * * *

He caught a flash of the contorted face of Zitlan flying through theair, and saw him land with a crash on the terrace, and lie therewrithing in pain. 

"Steinholt, Lazarre!" he said convulsively. "We've got to strike oncemore! And then--run!"

He plunged into their enemies with every bit of energy that he had left, and saw two of them toppling down. Then, like a flash, he turned toLazarre, who was trying to fight off three of the Lodorians. Seizing oneof them by the waist, Dirk hurled him backward and he disposed ofanother one in the same manner. His sheer desperation seemed to havegiven him unbounded strength and power. 

Lazarre sent his third opponent down with a blow under the chin andthen, with Dirk at his side, they turned to the assistance ofSteinholt. 

With one mad rush they crashed into a group of Lodorians and sent themreeling away like so many nine-pins. 

"Now! To the plane!" exclaimed Dirk, taking to his heels across theterrace. Steinholt and Lazarre followed after him and, turning thecorner, they saw that the ship was in place and that Fragoni wasanxiously waiting by the door of the cabin. Inga, Dirk knew, already wasinside and safe. He stood aside while Steinholt and Lazarre leaped in. During the momentary wait he caught a glimpse of the great clock. Itwas one minute to four. Dirk jumping into the plane and switched on thehelicopter without even waiting to close the cabin door. 

 * * * * *

The ship shot skyward like a rocket. When it reached an altitude ofthirty-five hundred feet, he turned it north and raced at top speed inthat direction. 

It was miles away from the palace of Fragoni in less than thirtyseconds. Dirk then stopped the plane and held it poised in the air withthe helicopter. 

The skies were turgid and black and the massed clouds, reflecting thelights of the great city below them, were permeated with an ugly, feverish, red glow. 

From where they were hanging in midair, the occupants of the plane couldplainly see the sparkling palace of Fragoni towering high up into thedarkness of the night. 

The lights of the magnificent mansion were reflected far out into theSound where, looming in the golden ripples, lay the sinister monsterfrom the terrible depths of unfathomable space. 

Dirk took a watch from his pocket and, after glancing at it, he hastilyreplaced it. 

"Two seconds more, " he said, "and--"

 * * * * *

A sharp and dazzling bolt of greenish fire came hurling suddenly out ofthe west and, with a thunderous concussion, seemed to fasten itself onthe crest of Fragoni's palace. 

It trembled and quivered, as if endowed with some uncanny life andpower, as it remained there against the darkness, throwing a weird, green tinge over the water and up into the skies. 

Blue waves of light could be seen pulsing and racing along the terriblebeam and there, where it had fastened itself, they seemed to disappearin the vast and crumbling structure. 

For four seconds that destructive streak of light, one end of which waslost back in the mists that concealed Manhattan, tore at the proudpile. 

And, as the stone crumbled and the steelite fused under the mightyassault, an ominous roar swept through the night. The air was soviolently agitated that the plane, miles away, tossed up and down like atiny boat on a stormy sea. 

Then suddenly the bolt was gone, but its livid image still burned in theeyes of those who had been watching it. 

Once more, it came hurling out of the west and, like the fang of somegreat and deadly serpent, darted into the monster that lay in the watersof the Sound. 

Dirk and his companions could see plainly, by the light of the boltitself, that it had crashed into the well from which the Lodorians firsthad appeared, and that it was beating and hammering its way into thevery vitals of the craft. 

 * * * * *

Dazzling, blinding fire seemed to pour from the aperture through whichthe bolt had passed. The clamor that arose was deafening. 

Then again the streak of fires was withdrawn, leaving the nightintensely black until, in a moment more, it came thundering out of thewest again and, with an impact that made the land and the sea and thevery heavens tremble, hurled its way into the depths of the doomedleviathan. 

Twice again it fell, a fiery scimitar out of the darkness, and twiceagain it careened at the vitals of the stricken monster. 

Then, after the assault was over, the ship still floated on the surfaceof the Sound and its shell, as far as Dirk and the others could judge, still was unscathed. 

"We will soon know our fate, " remarked Steinholt calmly. "If that didn'tkill those beasts we might as well give up our ghosts. "

"I'll drop the plane a little lower and a little nearer to the ship, "said Dirk. "I don't believe that any life is surviving in that thing. "

"My beautiful palace is nothing but dust, " sighed Fragoni, mournfully. "And all my beautiful treasures, too. "

"And that beautiful Zitlan, " Lazarre reminded him, "and his beautifulboy friends, they are all dust too, thank God!"

"It was a queer fate that Stanton met, " suggested Dirk. "He thought thathe would save his life by going over to our enemies, and, instead ofthat, he lost it. "

 * * * * *

"Poor Stanton, " said Steinholt. "He was born that way, I suppose, and I, for one, am ready to forgive and forget him. And now, " continued theTeuton, "I hope that we didn't do too much damage to that little boat ofthe Lodorians. If we could get just a little peep at the inside of it wemight learn the secret of its contrivance. And then, my friends, wecould do a little journeying ourselves. "

"Have you any theory regarding it?" asked Fragoni. 

"Teuxical intimated that it rode the magnetic currents which, of course, flow through all the suns and planets in the universe, " repliedSteinholt. "We have been working along that line ourselves, of course, and it probably won't be very long anyway before we have the solution ofinterplanetary travel. "

"Those Lodorians would have solved it for us if it hadn't been forthat artificial lightning, " said Lazarre. "That's powerful stuff, Steinholt. "

"Yes, with that three-thousand-foot Worldwide Tower to hurl it from, "agreed Steinholt, "we can get fair range with it. If the Lodorianshadn't left the well of their ship open, though, the lightning wouldn'thave done us much good. I was afraid, too, for a time, that we mighthave trouble in welding that automatic wireless circuit box to thebottom of the ship. "

Dirk, in the meantime, had brought the plane down to within a half-mileof the leviathan, and he was holding it poised there. 

"It seems to me, " he said, after scrutinizing the monster for a coupleof minutes, "that it is moving in the water. It is!" he exclaimed. "Steinholt! Look!"

 * * * * *

Only a comparatively short time had elapsed since the last bolt oflightning had vanished back into the darkness. 

"It is still rocking with the force of the shock that we gave it, "asserted Steinholt. "You would be rocking, too, if you had been tickledby a bolt like that one. "

"It is rising, I tell you!" said Dirk. "The front end of it is slowlygetting higher in the water!"

"You're right, Dirk, " said Fragoni, excitement straining his voice. "Look! It just dropped back into the water!"

Then, as they watched, the movements of the leviathan became more andmore agitated, until it was churning up the waves around it like awounded and agonized monster of the sea. 

Suddenly the front end tilted upward and the monster rose clear of thewater. It shot straight up into the air at a speed so terrific that theycould scarcely follow it. 

"It's gone!" gasped Fragoni. "Those brainless, mindless automatons musthave survived!"

"No, " remarked Steinholt thoughtfully. "I don't believe that there isany life left on that thing. No one had closed the well when it rose, and it would mean death to go out into space with the ship in thatcondition. "

"Then what made it go up?" demanded Lazarre. "Can the damn thing runitself, Steinholt?"

"I imagine, " recalled the Teuton, "that our bolts killed every livingthing that was on the craft but that, at the same time, they set themechanism of the monster into action. Ah, " he moaned, "but that is toobad. We could have learned much by an examination of the interior ofthat liner of the air. "

 * * * * *

A cry from Inga startled them and they saw that she was looking skyward, with terror in her eyes. 

They followed her gaze and there, streaking through the black clouds, they saw a long trail of white fire. 

"It's that thing!" exclaimed Fragoni. "I tell you that those upon itstill live and that they are about to wreak vengeance upon us. "

"No, " said Steinholt positively. "You are wrong, Fragoni. What ishappening may be almost as disastrous, though, " he admitted. "Thatleviathan is in its death agonies; it is a metal monster gone mad, andnone can say what will happen before it expires. "

"The place for us, " asserted Dirk hurriedly, "is in the Worldwide Tower. There we can keep track of what is transpiring and try to decide what todo. "

The others agreed with him and, seeking the westward level of flight, hesped the plane in the direction of the mammoth pyramid from which thenews of the world was broadcast. 

They reached the vast structure in a few minutes, and, after droppingthe plane on a landing stage, they went into the operating room. 

Here they learned quickly that the craft of the Lodorians was doingincalculable damage, and that it was throwing the population of theworld into an unprecedented panic. 

It was, apparently, following an erratic, uncertain orbit that took itfar out into space and then back quite close to the surface of the earthagain. 

 * * * * *

It had passed through the very heart of Chicago within a few yards ofthe ground, and it had cut and burned a swath more than a mile widethrough the buildings of that metropolis. 

Other cities in America had felt the devastating effects of itsirresistible and molten heat and, within a short time, thousands ofpeople had been slain by it. 

Time and again, from the terrace of the great tower, Dirk and hiscompanions saw the skies above them light up as that terrible, blazing, projectile which, uncontrolled, went hurtling on its way through thenight. 

For three hours it careened on its mad course and hysteria reignedthroughout the cities of the whole civilized world. 

But then a report came from a rocket-liner that had left Berlin en routefor San Francisco. 

"Either a great meteor or that leviathan of the Lodorians just sweptdown past us in mid-Atlantic and plunged into the sea. Apparently it hasexploded, for it has thrown a great column of water for miles up intothe air. We are stopping and standing by, although the heat is intenseand clouds of steam are rising from the sea. "

As the minutes passed by after the report from the rocket-ship had beenreceived, the disappearance from the sky of the flaming craft from spaceseemed to confirm the belief that it had been swallowed by the ocean. This was accepted as a certainty by eight o'clock in the morning. 

"Ah, " sighed Steinholt, "if only it had crashed on land somewhere. Ifthere only was enough of it left for us to--"

"Enough of any damn contraption of that kind, " swore Lazarre fervently, "is altogether too much. I hope, for one, that its fragments arescattered so far that we never can put them together again. "

 * * * * *

Dirk and Inga leaned against one of the parapets that evening on agardened terrace of his own great mansion in Manhattan. 

Their little party had gone there after leaving the Worldwide Tower inthe morning. 

After resting during the day, Lazarre and Fragoni were somewheretogether, discussing the plans for a new palace to take the place of theone that was destroyed so that Zitlan and his minions might die in itsruins. 

Steinholt, elsewhere, was delving into oceanography and submarineengineering, in an attempt to learn whether or not it would be feasibleto fish for the remains of the lost ship of Lodore. 

"It seems like a dream, doesn't it, Dirk?" the girl remarked. "It isdifficult to believe that we actually have seen and talked with peoplefrom some far-away world. "

Together they looked up into the crystalline skies, where mazes ofshining stars gave testimony to the countless worlds which were wheelingaround them. 

"And just to think, Dirk, " Inga continued proudly, "that it was you whosaved this world and all of its people from that horrible Zitlan and hishorde. "

"I saved you, " he told her gravely and tenderly, "and that somehow meansmore to me than saving all of this world and all of the other worldswhich are rolling through the uncharted ways of time and space. "

 * * * * *

 COMING-- Murder Madness _An Extraordinary Novel_

 _By_ MURRAY LEINSTER

 * * * * *

Transcriber Notes

Typographical inconsistencies have been changed and are listed below. 

Hyphenation standardized. 

Archaic and variable spelling is preserved. 

Authors' punctuation style is preserved. 

Passages in italics indicated by _underscores_. 

Passages in bold indicated by =equal signs=. 

Transcriber Changes

The following changes were made to the original text:

 Page 298: Changed =work= to =wreck= (wish to know whether anyone has visited the scene of the =wreck=)

 Page 299: Changed =focussed= to =focused= (This means that we have =focused= or concentrated cold)

 Page 317: Added beginning quotes (Its name-grid glowed with the letters: ="_Anita Prince. _"=)

 Page 321: Changed =eavesdroopper= to =eavesdropper= (sitting in the smoking room when the =eavesdropper= fled past)

 Page 321: Changed =pressure-cick= to =pressure-sick= (We missed you at breakfast. Not =pressure-sick=, I hope?)

 Page 323: Changed =linquists= to =linguists= (people are by heritage extraordinary =linguists=)

 Page 324: Added end quote (Did you have Prince's cabin =searched?"=)

 Page 328: Changed =elipse= to =ellipse= (Blackstone had roughly cast its orbital elements)

 Page 339: Changed =focussed= to =focused= (connected its little battery; =focused= its projector)

 Page 339: Changed =syncronized= to =synchronized= (as I crouched in the darkness behind the cylinder-case, I =synchronized=)

 Page 340: Removed extra quote after leaped (Miko doubtless saw it, and the Martian's hot anger =leaped=)

 Page 344: Changed =Mika= to =Miko= ("Wait a minute!" I called to =Miko=. "Navigate--where?")

 Page 344: Changed =catapaulted= to =catapulted= (The force =catapulted= me across the space of the room like a volplane)

 Page 345: Changed =Halian= to =Haljan= ("If you fire, =Haljan=, and kill me--Miko will kill you then, surely. ")

 Page 346: Changed =focussed= to =focused= (the image of the lounge interior presently =focused=)

 Page 357: Changed =terriffic= to =terrific= (Perry beat a =terrific= tattoo on the ancient door)

 Page 362: Removed comma (for the news crew and editorial force of the =paper= were a carefully selected body of men indeed)

 Page 367: Changed =villian= to =villain= (Could the old =villain= be playing possum?)

 Page 367: Removed 'the' (With dexterous =hands O'Hara= swiftly went through the old man's pockets)

 Page 367: Changed =similiar= to =similar= (an ugly looking pistol of large caliber, a blackjack =similar= to his own and a small bottle)

 Page 369: Changed =and= to =any= (If you search my car and find =any= red liquor in the left back door pocket, I don't know a thing about it)

 Page 372: Changed =Hanlon= to =Handlon= (could be recognized as those of Horace Perry and Skip =Handlon=)

 Page 372: Changed =focussed= to =focused= (All eyes were now =focused= on Professor Kell)

 Page 373: Changed =Kel= to =Kell= (Hurry up and get =Kell= downstairs so we can see who he is)

 Page 374: Changed =Rotton= to =Rotten= ("=Rotten=, " was the reply from the lips of Kell)

 Page 393: Changed =ecstacy= to =ecstasy= (Fear, despair, reckless abandon, mirth, doubt, religious =ecstasy= and all the other nuances in the gamut of human emotions)

 Page 394: Changed =scandals= to =sandals= (On her tiny feet she wore =sandals= which were spun of webby filaments)

 Page 395: Changed =knew= to =know= (fairly close to it in my plane and I =know= what I am speaking about)

 Page 397: Changed =Igna= to =Inga= (Dirk and =Inga= seated close together and Stanton, at a distance)

 Page 397: Changed =part= to =parts= (a proclamation of martial law, to become effective at once in all =parts= of the world)

 Page 399: Changed =melifluous= to =mellifluous= ("Good morning, " the other replied in a soft and =mellifluous= voice)

 Page 401: Changed =Steinhold= to =Steinholt= ("It's colossal!" =Steinholt= then exclaimed, lost in scientific admiration)

 Page 412: Changed =fulgerant= to =fulgurant= (High up into the heavens it tossed the =fulgurant= fires that betokened its wealth and power)

 Page 412: Changed =head= to =hand= (with one of the deadly ray-tubes of the Lodorians in his =hand=)

 Page 413: Changed =Lizarre= to =Lazarre= (walked over to where Fragoni and =Lazarre= were being guarded by two of the conquerors)

 Page 413: Changed =Igna= to =Inga= ("And =Inga=?" questioned Dirk. )

 Page 414: Changed =stacatto= to =staccato= (flailing back and forth between each one of his =staccato= commands. )

 Page 417: Removed extra quote before =There= ("is in the Worldwide Tower. =There= we can keep track of what is transpiring and try to decide what to do. ")

 Page 417: Changed =irresisible= to =irresistible= (Other cities in America had felt the devastating effects of its =irresistible= and molten heat)