"

* * * * *

He slid back a panel in the wall, and Northwood peered in through a
thick pane of clear glass. The room was really an immense outdoor arena,
its only carpet the fine-bladed grass, its roof the blue sky cut in the
middle by an enormous disc from which shot the aurora of trapped
sunshine which made a golden umbrella over the valley. Through openings
in the bottom of the disc poured a fine rain of rays which fell
constantly upon groups of children, youths and young girls, all clad in
the merest scraps of clothing. Some were dancing, others were playing
games, but all seemed as supremely happy as the birds and butterflies
which fluttered about the shrubs and flowers edging the arena.

"I don't expect you to believe," said Dr. Mundson, "that the oldest
young man in there is three months old. You cannot see visible changes
in a body which grows as slowly as the human being, whose normal period
of development is twenty years or more. But I can give you visible proof
of how fast growth takes place under the full power of the Life Ray.
Plant life, which, even when left to nature, often develops from seed to
flower within a few weeks or months, can be seen making its miraculous
changes under the Life Ray. Watch those gorgeous purple flowers over
which the butterflies are hovering."

Northwood followed his pointing finger. Near the glass window through
which they looked grew an enormous bank of resplendent violet colored
flowers, which literally enshrouded the entire bush with their royal
glory. At first glance it seemed as though a violent wind were
snatching at flower and bush, but closer inspection proved that the
agitation was part of the plant itself. And then he saw that the
movements were the result of perpetual composition and growth.

* * * * *

He fastened his eyes on one huge bud. He saw it swell, burst, spread out
its passionate purple velvet, lift the broad flower face to the light
for a joyous minute. A few seconds later a butterfly lighted airily to
sample its nectar and to brush the pollen from its yellow dusted wings.
Scarcely had the winged visitor flown away than the purple petals began
to wither and fall away, leaving the seed pod on the stem. The visible
change went on in this seed pod. It turned rapidly brown, dried out, and
then sent the released seeds in a shower to the rich black earth below.
Scarcely had the seeds touched th