helped him on--for Jim
was following suit!

Again and again, with greatest mental effort, they made steps toward
the footprints, which, remaining side by side and motionless, gave
them increasing hope of stealing up unobserved. When they were only
three feet away Clee motioned to Jim, and with a tremendous effort of
will they jumped at the space where their enemy should be.

They hit him hard, and bore him heavily to the floor. By the feel, he
was a man such as they! Clee's blood leaped with the lust for
revenge, and blanking his mind against strong urges to cease his
attack he rained savage blows at the place he was holding.

But almost at once they had evidence that their opponent was not such
a man as they. A terrific pain stabbed suddenly through them, and they
doubled up on the floor, writhing in agony. It was as if every nerve
in their bodies had turned into white-hot wire, and was searing
through their flesh. Again and again came the terrible stabs of
pain--and their source seemed to be the mysterious lumps at the back
of their necks!

* * * * *

At last they ceased coming, and Jim and Clee stretched out on the
floor all but unconscious from the terrific shocks of fiery agony.
They were completely helpless; further thoughts of resistance were
unthinkable. But they were not left lying long. There came a
telepathic compulsion to stand up; and they found themselves obeying,
in spite of the shrieking protest of their every nerve.

Twitching, stumbling, they were made to do servile things--to kneel on
the floor; get up again; turn round and round; bow low, then stretch
backwards. And out of the air around them came shocking blows which
landed on their faces, necks and chests; feet which kicked out at
their shins; and they had to stand there and take it, helpless to
resist.

Then Clee, as the nearer of the two men, was pushed over to the
work-table, where an oval head-piece of finely-woven wire was fitted
over his head. Another very large one, standing next to it, and
connected to it by wires which led to a small instrument panel nearby,
lifted into the air until it must have settled about the head of their
persecutor. A dial on the panel turned slowly. And gradually the
helmet resting in the air dissolved into nothingness before their
eyes.

A slight nausea swept over Clee as it did so, and in the midst of it
he felt a series of sharp, staccato thoughts--thoughts which did not