or in the machinery, he disappeared
inside. He came out soon, flushed and evidently elated.

"Bring the stretcher, Oakham," he ordered.

Hale brought the stretcher, placing it close to the machine. Then Sir
Basil opened a metal door and gently eased out a human body.

It was Unani Assu, unconscious but alive and breathing. Hale, helping
the scientist to get the man on the stretcher, noticed that the crushed
legs were perfectly healed. Together they bore him to a long seat. The
Indian's eyes were still closed, but his even breathing indicated that
he was only sleeping.

Suddenly Hale pointed a finger and cried out. "My God, Sir Basil, look
at his hands and feet!"

* * * * *

Unani Assu, still lying like a recumbent bronze statue sculptured by a
master, was perfect from shoulder to wrist, from thigh to ankle. But,
somewhere in that diabolical machine through which he had passed, his
hands and feet had undergone a hideous metamorphism which had
transformed them from the well-formed extremities of a splendid young
Indian into the hairy paws of a giant rat!

Hale turned away his head, sick with disgust.

Sir Basil cut the silence triumphantly:

"Now he'll never again face Ana with love in his eyes!"

"What!" broke in Hale. "Did you plan this monstrous thing?"

"Of course! I told you I should forever cure him of his mad
infatuation."

"But why didn't you kill him, as you killed the others? It would have
been the most merciful way."

Sir Basil showed his teeth in his ugly smile. "A creator is never
merciful."

A quiver passed through the Indian's body and presently, he sighed
deeply and opened his eyes. He seemed dazed, puzzled. He looked from
Hale to the scientist, and turned seeking eyes to other parts of the
laboratory.

"Ana!" he called weakly. "Where is Ana?"

He pulled himself a little unsteadily to his feet--to the spatulated,
hairy _rodent_ feet that had come out of the life-machine. Staggering,
he would have fallen, had he not thrown out his arm to steady himself.
Instinctively he tried to grasp something for support, and then, for the
first time, he discovered his deformity.

* * * * *

Hale was never to forget that expression of horror and disgust that
swept over the Indian's face as he spread open his revolting extremities
and stared at them.

A sudden, wild roar of despair rang through the room. "Aimu! My hands!"

The scientis