rimson rays flickered and played over the head of the dead man.
The skull disintegrated under the influence of the strange instrument
until the brain lay naked and exposed to the fierce glare of the Martian
sun. The Martian delicately connected two wires terminating in metal
plates to the tissue of the brain and attached the other ends of the
wires to a metal circlet which he clamped about his middle. For some
moments he remained motionless and then crawled to the body of the
second dead Earthman. One after another he examined each of the eighteen
dead bodies. When he had completed he crawled over to Damis and Turgan.

"Put these bands about your brows," he commanded in thought language as
he handed to each of them a metallic band similar to the one clasped
about him. The two Earthmen quickly adjusted the bands. "Let your minds
remain a blank and in them will be reproduced the impressions I have
gathered from the brains of your dead followers."

Damis sprang suddenly upward and smote with all of his force at the
air. Out of nothingness had materialized the form of a huge Jovian clad
in the uniform of Glavour's guards. His blow went harmless through the
thin air and the Jovian swung a massive ax. Just before the blow landed
the Jovian disappeared and a thought wave from the Martian impinged on
Damis' brain.

"Spare your energies, Nepthalim," the message said. "What you saw was
not a Jovian but was the last impression stored in the brain of the man
who met his death under a blow of the ax which seemed to be striking at
you. I am merely reproducing in you the emotions and experiences that
man felt. Had I allowed the phantom blow to land, you would now be cold
in death, so great was the strength of the impression. Now make your
mind again a blank and I will reveal to you what was in the mind of
another at the instant that his death came upon him."

* * * * *

Before the Nepthalim's startled gaze, another Jovian appeared.

"Havenner!" he cried as he recognized the principal officer of Glavour.
The equerry came forward slowly, blood dripping from a wound in his leg.
He swung his ax but it went wide of the mark. Again he struck, but two
Terrestrials attacked him from the rear and he whirled. For a moment,
Damis had a chance to watch the conflict which was raging about him.
Nine of the huge Jovians were engaged in deadly combat with a dozen of
the Terrestrials who still remained o