r daughter," cried Heracles in parting, "and woe
to him who says them nay!"

With this parting shot, the arch-priest turned and, scarlet faced,
stalked from the council room, while Altorius threw back his head and
roared with laughter.

"Come, oh ye Heroes, ye princes and captains! Come, let us make
festival before these mighty wanderers go their way!"

Roar upon roar of enthusiasm echoed through the marble throne room,
and Nelson would have felt wholly at ease had not that little knot of
priests remained gathered like ill-omened carrion crows about the
door. Muttering among themselves, they were watching him with a
curious intentness that aroused deep misgivings in the American's
mind, and it was with something like a sigh that he joined the
procession forming to proceed to the triumphal feast on which the
wealth and luxury of the whole empire of Atlans had been lavished.

(_To be continued._)

[Illustration: Advertisement.]

The Pirate Planet

_By Charles W. Diffin_

CONCLUSION

CHAPTER XVII

[Illustration: _He shot feet first into the waiting heads._]

[Sidenote: From Earth and sub-Venus converge a titanic offensive of
justice on the unspeakable man-things of Torg.]

The little ship that Captain Blake had thrown with reckless speed
through the skies over Washington, D. C., made history that day in the
records of the earth. None, now, could doubt that here, at last, was
the answer that the world had hoped for until hope had died.
Unbelievable in its field of action, incredible in its wild speed, but
real, nevertheless!--the countries of the earth were frantic in their
acclaim. Only the men who formed the International Board of Defense
failed to join in the enthusiasm. They sat by day and night in earnest
conference on ways and means.

This little ship--so wonderful, and so inadequate! It was only a
promise of what might come. There must be new designs made; men must
learn to dream in new terms and set down their dreams in cold lines
and figures on drafting boards. A cruiser of space must be designed,
to mount heavy guns, carry great loads, absorb the stresses that must
come to such a structure in flight and in battle. And above all, it
must take the thrust of this driving force--new and tremendous--of
which men knew so little as yet. And then many like it must be built.

The fuel must be prepared, and this, alone, meant new and different
machinery, which itself must be designed before the ma