they dashed, and through the far door and down the
corridor to the blank wall. Already in the rear could be heard the
sound of pursuit, the rising clamor of the mob. Ward hammered on the
wall with both fists. "Zoro! Zoro! let us in!" Now the first of the
mob had entered the corridor. "Zoro! Zoro!" Noiselessly, and just in
time, the wall parted and they sprang through, Miles half carrying the
slender form of Ah-eeda. The wall closed behind them, obliterating the
fierce cries and footbeats of their pursuers.

* * * * *

In front of them was Zoro, his hairless head projecting from the
tubular container. Ah-eeda shrank fearfully into Miles' embrace. All
the other Heads were ranged back of Zoro, but there was something odd
about them. The massive craniums lolled loosely to one side or another
and the curiously colored eyes were glazed or filmed. Zoro held his
head erect, but only with an effort, and his features were drawn and
ghastly looking.

"Yes," he said in a feeble voice, "the Heads are dying. You need not
tell me that you have failed. In the end force always fails. No longer
will the veins of the people yield their blood to us, and without
their blood we cannot live. Soon three hundred thousand years of
intelligence will be no more." His voice faltered.

Miles and Ward had learned to feel nothing but horror and detestation
of the Heads, but now in the face of their tragic end, hearing the
dying words of Zoro, awe and sympathy struggled with other emotions in
their hearts. These mighty intellects had lived before the days of the
flood; their eyes filming now in death had seen the ancient empires
of Earth rise and fall.... Sumeria, Babylon.... Stupendous thought;
and yet in the face of death a hundred thousand years of life was of
no more importance than that of a day. Suddenly Ward sprang forward
and shook the fainting Head. "Zoro! Zoro! what of us? We served you
faithfully and would now return to Earth."

* * * * *

Visibly Zoro made a great effort to reply. "Go to the crystal tube in
the laboratory beyond," he said at last. "It still works. I have told
you how to run the car. Mend the tracks. The locks open automatically
and let the car into the ocean when it strikes the switch. Your reward
is in...." The words died away. Then, with a sudden influx of
strength, the hairless head straightened, the strangely colored eyes
cleared, and in a loud voice Z