witch
it on, and then we shall see what happens."

We saw, sooner than Keston expected.

Again the green beam flashed out. The great portals slowly opened.
Through them glided the three travel cars of the Supreme Council of
the aristos.

It had been almost a year since I saw them, the Over Lords of the
World, and I had forgotten their appearance. Sprawled on the glowing
silks of their cushioned couches, eyes closed in languid boredom, they
were like huge white slugs. Swollen to tremendous size by the indolent
luxuriousness of their lives, the flesh that was not concealed by the
bright hued web of their robes was pasty white, and bagged and folded
where the shrunken muscles beneath refused support. Great pouches
dropped beneath swollen eyelids. Full-lipped, sensual mouths and
pendulous cheeks merged into the great fat rolls of their chins. I
shuddered. These, _these_ were the masters for whom we slaved!

* * * * *

As we bent low the gliding cars came to rest, and a warm redolence of
sweet perfume came to me from the fans softly whirling in the canopies
over the aristos' heads. Strains of music rose and fell, and ceased as
a flat, tired voice breathed: "Rise, prolats."

I straightened up. The eyes of the Council were now opened, little
pig's eyes almost lost in the flesh about them. They glinted with a
cold, inhuman cruelty. I shuddered, and thought of the night of terror
ten years before. And suddenly I was afraid, deathly afraid.

Ladnom Atuna, head of the Council, spoke again. "We have come at your
petition. What is this matter so grave that it has led you to disturb
us at our pleasures?"

Keston bowed low. "Your Excellency, I would not have presumed to
intrude upon you for a small matter. I have so greatly ventured
because I have at length solved the final step in the mechanization
of the world. I have invented a master machine to operate the
switchboards in this hall and replace the workers thereat."

The flabby faces of the aristos betrayed not the slightest interest,
not the least surprise. Only Atuna spoke: "Interesting, if true. Can
you prove your statement?"

Keston strode to the canvas screen and pulled a cord. The great canvas
curtains rolled back. "Here is the machine, my Lords!" His face was
lit with the glow of pride of achievement. His voice had lost its
reverence. Rapidly he continued: "The head of this contrivance is a
bank of photo and sono-electric cells, ea