tions of a
geometrically-perfect hollow lens. The two sections were then brought
together by the closing of the jaws of the mighty vise, their edges in
exact alignment. Instantly the plane and the beams of energy became
transformed into two terrific opposing tubes of force--vibrant, glowing
tubes, whose edges in contact coincided with the almost invisible seam
between the two halves of the lens.

Like a welding arc raised to the _nth_ power these two immeasurable and
irresistible forces met exactly in opposition--a meeting of such
incredible violence that seismic disturbances occurred throughout the
entire mass of that dense, violet-white star. Sunspots of unprecedented
size appeared, prominences erupted to hundreds of times their normal
distances, and although the two scientists deep in the core of the
tormented star were unaware of what was happening upon its surface,
convulsion after Titanic convulsion wracked the mighty globe, and
enormous masses of molten and gaseous material were riven from it and
hurled far out into space--masses which would in time become planets of
that youthful and turbulent luminary.

Seaton felt his air-supply grow hot. Suddenly it became icy cold, and
knowing that Rovol had energized the refrigerator system, Seaton turned
away from the fascinating welding operation for a quick look around the
laboratory. As he did so, he realized Rovol's vast knowledge and
understood the reason for the new system of relief-points and
ground-rods, as well as the necessity for the all-embracing scheme of
refrigeration.

Even through the practically opaque goggles he could see that the
laboratory was one mass of genuine lightning. Not only from the
relief-points, but from every metallic corner and protuberance the
pent-up losses from the disintegrating bar were hurling themselves upon
the flaring, blue-white, rapidly-volatilizing ground-rods; and the very
air of the room, renewed second by second though it was by the powerful
blowers, was beginning to take on the pearly luster of the
highly-ionized corona. The bar was plainly visible, a scintillating
demon of pure violet radiance, and a momentary spasm of fear seized him
as he saw how rapidly that great mass of copper was shrinking--fear that
their power would be exhausted with their task still uncompleted.

But the calculations of the aged physicist had been accurate. The lens
was completed with some hundreds of pounds of copper to spare, and that
geomet