og!"

Wiley chuckled; and the hands of all three conspirators shot out in
agreement.

* * * * *

Dan's face was pale after his long confinement. His cheeks were sunken,
and had the smoldering look of deep suffering. But there was scorn in
his manner as he faced his persecutors.

"Yes, that's the story," Wiley was reiterating. "Guess we're not quite
on to the ropes. If you'll work a little at the Deflector--"

Dan glared at his tormentors, his eyes kindled with a fierce blue
glitter. His chin was outthrust, but his manner was quiet as he replied,
after a moment's hesitation, "Show me to the laboratory!"

Wiley arose, and prepared to lead the way.

"We'll give you one week!" he stipulated. "Exactly one week! By then,
we'll expect you to show results!"

After being escorted blindfolded to a secret laboratory, Dan labored
incessantly. He would pretend to obey the Triumvirs, while actually
doing all he could to oppose them! But in the beginning, he had to
confess to himself, his position looked nearly hopeless. Eagerly he
searched for some possible means of escape--some way of signalling the
outside world. But two armed guards stood watching just beyond the only
door.

His most pressing thought was to get word to his wife--not only to
relieve her terrible anxiety, but to plot with her his escape. He had,
naturally, been denied access to a telephone; yet he would not let this
balk him. Deftly making use of the electrical gear and headphones of a
half dismantled shortwave radio receiver which he had found in the
laboratory, he set about to tap the wires in a remote corner where, he
noted, a telephone connection had formerly been. Meanwhile he was
careful to keep as wide a distance as possible between him and the
guards.

To prevent them from hearing his voice when he had tapped the wire, he
set a particularly noisy motor in operation close to the door. Then,
trembling with eagerness, he spoke through his improvised speaking
apparatus. To his delight, he heard an answering, "Number, please!" His
tones were jerky with excitement as he gave his home number. But, a
moment later, his joy froze within him.

Across the wire there came a sickening, "The line has been disconnected,
sir!" And in response to his quavering inquiry, all he could get was,
"No, sir, they mentioned no other number to call."

He was just about to give another number--that of a friend who might be
able to supply in