The shapes,
vague though they were, could be recognized as those of Horace Perry and
Skip Handlon. And they were at strife!

All eyes were now focused on Professor Kell, who was evidently waiting
for something to happen. The two apparitions within the body-cloud were
at death grips. One had been overcome and was temporarily helpless. It
was that of Handlon. And then again the astral of Perry forcibly ousted
that of Handlon from the cloud-cyst. And at that instant Professor Kell
shut off the influence-tube.

At once a terrific metamorphosis took place. There came a sharp sound
almost like a clap of thunder, with the slight exception that this was
occasioned by exactly the reverse effect. Instead of being an
_ex_plosion it might more properly be termed an _in_plosion, for the
mist-cloud suddenly vanished. The de-cohering influence having been
removed, the cloud had condensed into the form of Perry. Apparently none
the worse, he was even now beginning to recover consciousness. The
astral of Handlon was no longer visible, though hovering in the
vicinity.

Perry's body was again his own.

* * * * *

At this time Jimmie O'Hara elected to start something new by hitting the
Professor a workmanlike blow on the back of the head with the butt of
his automatic. The next thing Bland or anyone else present knew the
unconscious body of the Professor was on the table and Jimmie was
groping for the concealed switch. At length he found it, and the green
flash of light appeared in the bulb, followed by the brilliant orange
manifestation.

"What in hell are you doing?" gasped Bland.

"De-astralizing the Professor," replied O'Hara cheerfully. "Don't you
get the idea yet? Watch!"

Fascinated, the four men saw the terrific emanation take its baleful
effect. As before, the body commenced to expand and gradually took on a
misty outline. Larger and larger it grew, until finally it had become a
vast cloud of intangible nothingness which filled the room like some
evil nebula.

A cry of consternation from the detective aroused Jimmie. Skip Handlon's
astral had appeared within the field of the nebula to fight for
possession. There ensued what was perhaps the weirdest encounter ever
witnessed. Though he was in poor physical shape, the Professor seemed to
have an extremely powerful astral; and for some time the spectators
despaired of Handlon's victory. Once the latter, evidently realizing
that the powerful