rs!"

The sphere floated upward toward the hole in the roof. It circled
the factory and moved away, toward the town, where a score of
other majestic, glowing globes floated like bubbles of fire.

Norden watched, a smile cracking his jutting jaw.

There was still a whispering sound. A single shrill hiss came
from the casting room.

"Why do you claim superiority, Norden?" Taylor spoke.

The spy turned. For the first time he saw Taylor.

"_Himmel_!"

Norden's eyes looked beyond Taylor and rested on Masters, who was
emerging from the tunnel.

"Is it because you pose the doctrine of slavery and destruction?
Is it because your cultural contributions are keyed to military
conquest? Is it because of your lies and broken promises? Is it
because you are more skillful in butchery? It is because you have
refined the art of terrorism?"

Taylor was advancing, half crouching, toward Norden.

Norden's arm swished in a swift motion. He drew an automatic
pistol from his pocket and leveled it at Taylor and Masters.

"Because I am the stronger!" Norden said.

Taylor had not expected Norden to be armed. He had overlooked the
possibility that the spy might have an extra weapon hidden in the
tunnel.

CHAPTER VII

HUMANITY'S ARMY

Taylor and Masters raised their arms. They were caught.

"There is nothing you can do now to save yourself, or your
country," Norden said. "Nothing. The spheres will destroy you and
your people. They will destroy every living creature who does not
surrender to my nation. Might will come into its own."

"Are you sure the spheres are so invincible?" Taylor asked.
"Remember, they were expelled from the sun. They must have been
checked on the sun many times, otherwise they would have
destroyed the creatures who opposed them."

"They are greater than anything on the earth," Norden said.

"The spheres are not for the earth. Our battles are not theirs.
By betraying your world to these creatures, you are betraying the
whole human race."

"This is not so!" Norden said, thickly. "I know how to handle
them. Orkins told me. He said he imitated their whistle and they
spared him, while they killed the others in the plant. He didn't
realize the value of his discovery. He was too much of a coward."

Norden beckoned his prisoners to him and disarmed them. He
pointed to the door of the casting room.

"Look!"

In the center of the room was a metal pot used for small
castings. It was filled with