a six-foot wall. Behind us there was a wide gateway through which our
airplane had just come and across which workmen were dropping bars
made of some material like cement. Before us, dotting this acre or so
of plateau, were small, domed structures made of the same cement-like
material. In the center of the plateau rose a larger domed building
with a segment of its roof open to the stars and through this opening
I could see the shadowy suggestion of a great lamp. There was the
source of that powerful magnetic ray!

Foulet and Brice scrambled out and stood beside me. They said never a
word, but I knew that every sense was alert.

"If you will follow me," that same cold, expressionless voice
murmured. I turned to look at the man. He was not bad looking, clean
shaven, well tailored. He swung his eyes to meet my gaze and as he did
so that same chill fled along my spine. His eyes--what was the matter
with them? They were dark--brown or black--and as shiny as shoe
buttons. But there was no gleam of expression in them. Their shine was
the glitter of polished glass.

Without a word we followed him across the small cleared space where
our airplane stood, past a row of the small, domed structures to a low
door cut in the white wall of the great central building. At the
doorway he turned.

"I am taking you to the Master," he said; then, over his shoulder he
added. "There is no means of escape--we are two thousand feet above
the earth!" And he laughed--a quick, short cackle of crazy laughter. I
felt the breath catch in my throat and the short hairs prickle at my
neck. Foulet gripped my arm. Through my coat I could feel the chill of
his fingers, but his grasp steadied me.

We walked on, following our guide. Down a narrow passageway, through a
low arched door into a small room, evidently an ante-chamber to a
larger room beyond. Without a word our guide left us, passing through
another door which he closed after him.

Brice and Foulet and I exchanged looks, but we were silent. It might
be we were watched. It might be that the very walls had ears. We could
trust nothing.

Our guide returned. "The Master," he said and flung open a wide door.

* * * * *

We found ourselves in a large room filled with paraphernalia of all
sorts: wires, lights, laboratory tables cluttered with test tubes and
apparatus--and in the midst of this ordered chaos stood a man, his
gleaming eyes watching us fixedly.

At