f Five, the
very existence of which was not even suspected by the general populace
of the world.

Sigmund Lazarre was the world's mightiest builder, and millions of great
structures, which were built of material from his own mines, were under
his control. It was Lazarre, too, who owned the theaters and other
amusement centers in which millions upon millions of people sought
relaxation every day. The creation and application of electrical power
made up the domain of Wilhelm Steinholt, who also owned the factories
that made the machinery of the world.

Absolute control of all of the necessities and luxuries of life, in
fact, were in the hands of the five men, who used their vast power
wisely and beneficently.

Ostensibly the peoples of the world ruled themselves by means of a
democratic form of government.

In reality their lives were directed by a few men whose power and wealth
were entirely unsuspected by any but those who were close to them.

* * * * *

The council room in which Fragoni had received Dirk and Stanton was
lofty and sumptuously appointed.

The rugs which covered the floor were soft to the tread, and the walls
and ceiling were adorned with a series of murals which represented the
various heavenly constellations.

At the far end of the chamber there was a staircase, and Dirk was among
those who knew that it led up to the great observatory in which Fragoni
and certain of his scientific associates spent so much of their time at
night.

For men had commenced to talk about the conquest of the stars, and it
was generally believed that it would not be many years more before a way
would be found to traverse the interplanetary spaces.

"We are rather fortunate, my friends," Fragoni said to his two
associates, "to have been the witnesses of the event that transpired
last night."

"Fortunate!" exclaimed Stanton. "Then you know that the thing is
harmless?"

A little smile lit the benign and scholarly countenance of Fragoni as he
calmly regarded Stanton.

"We know very little about it," he replied after a brief pause, "and, if
our surmises are correct, it may be very far from harmless. It is
intensely interesting, nevertheless," he continued, "because that thing,
as you term it, unquestionably is directed by intelligence. Without the
slightest doubt the people of the earth are about to behold a form of
life from some far-away planet. What that form will be," he added, wi