d and water diet!" he barked. "Maybe that'll bring him around to
reason!"

But even as Dan, bound and handcuffed, was being dragged off, he had
grim satisfaction in reflecting that his persecutors could not guess the
real purpose of his radio.

* * * * *

By the first of September, the earth was farther off its course than
ever. Eleven million, twelve million, thirteen million miles! And every
day the distance widened. Would its orbit, like that of a periodic
comet, be lengthened into a long ellipse, taking it into the unthinkable
cold beyond Jupiter or Saturn?

This was the question in every one's mind, when on September 2 a
full-page advertisement appeared in America's leading papers: "$50,000
Reward! For invention to counteract the Cosmic Deflector! All reasonable
propositions given immediate personal attention. Hogarth, Wiley and
Malvine."

It was on the never-to-be-forgotten third of September that the
advertisers received their first applicant for the award. It was a young
woman, of sad and earnest appearance; and the clerk who questioned her,
perceiving that she had extraordinary information to offer, lost no time
about summoning Hogarth.

"My name is Landers--Mary Landers," she introduced herself. "I was a
laboratory assistant of Daniel Holcomb when he invented telurox. I have
been trying to increase its power, and have had remarkable success. In
fact, I come to claim that fifty thousand."

Hogarth gasped.

The caller went on to explain how, as a result of a long series of
computations, she had mixed a small quantity of a certain bismuth salt
with the telurox; and how this had increased its activity by more than
fifty per cent. Fortunately, a huge Deflector had already been set up in
the laboratory, for experimental purposes.

"Have you taken any observations today?" she finished. "If so, perhaps
you've noticed that the earth is fifty thousand miles nearer the sun
than yesterday."

"By glory!" exclaimed Hogarth. "That's just what Lasson Observatory
reported, but I thought those fellows were all soused. Let's see! Got a
model machine to show me?"

"Everything's over at Merlin University. If you'll just step into your
car, we'll be there in twenty minutes."

"You bet I will!" agreed Hogarth eagerly, as he reached for his hat. "No
harm looking at it!"

The young woman started toward the door; then turned back, as if on an
after-thought. "Oh, by the way, don't your pa