influence tube had rendered him visible, glanced
sharply in Jimmie's direction. O'Hara was considerably puzzled at this,
but watched the progress of the struggle tensely. At length the moment
seemed to arrive which the reporter's astral had been awaiting. It
turned tail and fled away from the astral of the Professor, disappearing
beyond the outer confines of the nebula.

Jimmie suddenly divined the other's purpose and dived for the hidden
switch. As he had anticipated, Handlon had finally given up the attempt
to overcome the astral of Kell by force and had made up his mind to
accomplish his end by strategy. Almost on the instant that Jimmie's hand
closed on the switch the reporter's astral again leaped into the field
of the nebula. Fiercely it signalled to the former second story man to
shut off the current, but the admonition was unnecessary, for Jimmie had
already done so.

* * * * *

Swiftly the cloud-cyst faded. Even as the group caught a fleeting sight
of Skip Handlon, the last that mortal eyes would ever see of him as he
actually was, there came a violent disturbance at the edge of the
shrinking nebula. Would the speed of condensation of the atoms which
comprised the body of Professor Kell serve to shut out the pursuing
astral of Kell?

Even Bland held his breath!

The cloud lost its luminous quality, the action of condensation
increasing in speed. It was barely visible in the enshrouding gloom. An
astral had long since been enveloped within the rapidly accumulating
substance. Came a sudden clap of sound as before, and the final act of
resolution had been accomplished. Whether the Professor had succeeded in
regaining a position within the cloud-cyst before the crucial second
none could say.

Jimmie relighted the lantern. Apparently the effect of the love tap
administered 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 to
consciousness. At length their efforts began to bear fruit, however, and
it became expedient to remove the patient to the softer couch in the
sitting room below. As they moved forward to lay hold of the limp body a
figure 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 old
party croaked yet? Miss Manion has had a fierce time and says she won't
stay near this house another minute. I don't like this