y
part of the Earth's atmosphere the entire atmospheric envelope of the
planet remains charged with the paralyzing radioactive influence.

"Earth's inhabitants are not dead. They are merely stupefied. If the
green rays were to cease now, most of the victims of the Green
Sickness would quickly recover with little permanent injury. But,
Bruce, if that evil green moon blazes on for twenty-four hours more,
the brain powers of Earth's millions will be forever shattered. So
weakened will they be by then that recovery will be impossible even
with the rays shut off, and the entire planet will be populated only
by mindless imbeciles, readily available material for the myriads of
monstrous hybrids that the invaders will create to serve them.

* * * * *

"To-night you saw the hybrid that the invaders sent to recapture Ruth and
me. It was a fit specimen of the grisly magic which those devils from
outer space work with their uncanny surgery and growth-stimulating
radioactive rays. The basic element of that monster was an ordinary
tarantula spider, with its growth incredibly increased in a few short
hours of intensive ray treatment in the Centaurian's camp. The half-head
grafted to it was that of a human being. They always graft the brain
cavity of a mammal to a hybrid--half heads of burros, horses, or even
dogs, but preferably those of human beings. I think that they prefer to
use as great a brain power as possible.

"The hybrids are controlled through the small opalescent globes on
their heads, globes that are in direct tune with a huge master globe
of opalescent fire in the invaders' camp. When Ruth attacked you after
you placed the opal head-piece upon her head, she was for the moment
merely another of the invaders' servants blindly obeying the broadcast
command to kill. The white globes that Ruth and I wore when we escaped
from the camp were identical with those worn by the invaders
themselves, being nothing more than harmless insulators against the
effect of the green moonlight."

A sudden spasm of pain convulsed Crawford's face. Dixon sprang forward
to aid him, but the old man rallied with an effort and weakly waved
Dixon back.

"I'm all right, Bruce," he gasped. "My strength is nearly exhausted,
that is all. Like a garrulous old fool I've worn myself out talking
about everything but the one important subject. Bruce, have you
developed that new and infinitely powerful explosive you were wo