S OF MARS 182
IV. THE STRANGE BRAVERY OF MISS BLANK 192
V. ZAPHNATH, RULER OF THE KEMI 204
VI. THE IRON MEN FROM THE BLUE STAR 220
VII. PARALLEL PLANETARY LIFE 240
VIII. A PLAGIARIST OF DREAMS 249
IX. GETTING INTO THE CORNER 260
X. HUMANITY ON PTAH 275
XI. REVOLUTIONIST AND EAVESDROPPER 283
XII. THE DOCTOR DISAPPEARS 292
XIII. THE REVELATION OF HOTEP 304

INTRODUCTION

Elusive Truth

It was the Chicago _Tribune_ of June 13th, 189-, which contained this
paragraph under the head-line: "Big Broker Missing!"

"The friends of Isidor Werner, a young man prominent in Board of
Trade circles, are much concerned about him, as he has not been seen
for several days. He made his last appearance in the wheat pit as a
heavy buyer Tuesday forenoon. That afternoon he left his office at
Room 87 Board of Trade, and has not been seen since, nor can his
whereabouts be learned. He is six feet two inches high, of athletic
build, with black hair and moustache, a regular nose, and an
unpronounced Jewish appearance. His age is hardly more than
twenty-seven, but he has often made himself felt as a market force on
the Board of Trade, where he was well thought of."

But it was the _Evening Post_ of the same date which prided itself on
unearthing the real sensation. A scare-head across the top of a first
page column read:

"A PLUNGER'S LAST PLUNGE!"

"The daring young broker who held the whole wheat market in his hands
a few months ago, amassing an independent fortune in three days, but
losing most of it gamely on subsequent changes in the market, has
made his last plunge. This time he has gone into the cold, kind bosom
of Lake Michigan. Isidor Werner evened up his trades in the wheat
market last Tuesday forenoon, and then applied for his balance-sheet
at a higher clearing house! No trace of him or clue to his
whereabouts was found, until the _Evening Post_, on the principle of
setting one mystery to solve another, sent its representative to
examine a strange steel rocket, discovered half-buried in the sands
of Lake Michigan, near Berrien Springs, two days ago. Our reporter
investigated this bullet-shaped contrivance and found an opening into
it, and w