ife as a plant."

Suddenly the scientist threw up his hand and cried: "You see? The Mind
will be eternally enslaved as long as there is life! Oh, for the time of
deliverance!" He gazed fanatically into space, as though he dreamed
magnificently.

Hale observed him thoughtfully. When that great brain weakened, the
consequences would be frightful.

* * * * *

Sir Basil, as though he had made a sudden decision, went over to that
part of his machine which he called the molecule-disintegrator.

"Oakham!" he called out. "I have taken you partly into my confidence.
Now I want to show you something. Come here."

Hale obeyed with misgivings. The scientist pointed out the window to a
group of Indians, anxious relatives of Unani Assu.

"Watch!" he ordered.

Turning one of the projectors on the machine toward the window, he
sighted carefully and pressed a button.

Immediately one of the Indians fell to the ground and struggled. His
companions began dancing around him in evident joy. Faintly to the
laboratory came a familiar chant, which Hale recognized as Ana's death
song.

Dust to dust
Mind to Mind--
He will shed his body
As the green snake sheds his skin.

As Hale watched, the struggling Indian's body seemed to shrink, and
then, instantly, it disappeared.

"Watch them scatter the dust!" said the scientist.

One of the Indians stooped and blew upon the grass.

"What have you done!" Hale gasped. "You've killed this one. Oh, I see
now! These poor devils are totally ignorant that you are killing them
for practice. They worship you while you turn them to--silver dust!" He
turned angrily on the scientist as though he longed to strike him.

"Keep cool, young man!" Sir Basil held up his fleshless hand. "There is
no death! Change, yes; but no permanent blotting out of consciousness.
Can't you see the horror of it as nature works? When your time for
release comes, as it inevitably will, your mind-electron might find new
enslavement in a worm!"

* * * * *

Hale's reply came hotly. "If that is true, why do you murder these poor
devils deliberately!"

"My dear Oakham, perhaps you are not so brilliant as I had hoped! All
that I have done thus far is only child's play, in preparation for my
real work. Haven't you guessed by now what I am getting ready to do?"

"No; I'm a poor guesser."

The scientist made a gesture of mock despair. "Then let