sun emerged
from the proper latitudinal position out of the lake and blazed its
way across the heavens and set behind the silhouette of the Standard
Oil Building on the west wall of the dome in less than a minute,
denoting that the day had passed in review. At 3:43 P. M. central
standard time, the midget moon arose and sailed its course and then
set behind the darkened picture of the Straus Tower.

Then Professor Fox ran off Sunday, Monday and Tuesday for good
measure, each time with Mars heralding the dawn and the sun changing
position as it does in reality. Fifty centuries of astronomical
history can be run off in an hour by the machine. The planets are
visible during the day in the planetarium as well as night.

The Moon Weed

_By Harl Vincent_

[Illustration: _Bart hacked and hacked at the rubbery growth._]

[Sidenote: Unwittingly the traitor of the Earth, Van pits himself
against the inexorably tightening web of plant-beasts he has released
from the moon.]

Hobart Madison pursed his lips in a whistle of incredulous surprise as
he regarded the object that lay in the palm of his hand. An ordinary
pebble, it seemed to be, but a pebble in which a strange fire
smouldered and showed itself here and there through the dull surface.

"Would you mind repeating what you just said, Van?" he asked.

"You heard me the first time. I say that that's a diamond and that it
came from the moon." Carl Vanderventer glared at his friend in
resentment of his doubting tone.

"Mean to tell me you've been there? To the moon?"

"Certainly not. I'm not a Jules Verne adventurer. But I'm telling you
that stone is a diamond of the first water and that it came from the
moon. Weighs over a hundred carats, too. You can have it appraised
yourself if you think I'm kidding you."

Bart Madison laughed. "Don't get sore, Van," he said. "I'm not
doubting your word. But Lord, man--the thing's so incredible! It takes
a little time to soak in. And you say there are more?"

"Sure. This one's the largest of five I've found so far. And there's
other stuff, too. Wait till you see. Fossils, beetles and things. I
tell you, Bart, the moon was inhabited at one time. I've the evidence
and I want you to be the first to see it." The eyes of the young
scientist shone with excitement as he saw that his friend was roused
to intense interest.

"So that's what all your experimenting has been aimed at. No wonder it
cost so much."

"Yes, and you've b