o brutal-looking men straightened up from
their task and saluted Balcom with great deference. Then they resumed
their tasks as electricians.

"Want to see her work, sir?" one of the pair asked.

Stepping around a partition that separated the knife-switch from the
room in which stood the electric chair, Balcom watched.

The chair was of practically the same construction as the chairs used in
prisons for the supreme penalty, with electrodes to connect at the head,
arms, and legs of the man to be electrocuted.

"Stand back, sir," called one of the men as he shot the switch home.

Instantly a snapping sound was heard as the current surged through, and
the crackling sound such as the now familiar wireless makes as the long
sparks leap from pole to pole. It was Force.

A satisfied look came into Balcom's eyes and he warmly congratulated the
mad inventor, who followed him to the door and watched him as he mounted
the stairs to depart with his son.

Soon after the departure Doctor Q went to a strange-looking instrument
that seemed to have many of the characteristics of the periscope. He
pulled a lever, a panel opened, and immediately the space directly in
front of his street door was revealed to him. He stood there, watching
intently, much as a spider watches for a fly.

Soon Locke and Eva showed in the panel above. He next pressed a button
and saw the two enter. Then he went to a huge divan on the other side of
the room and whipped off a covering that was concealing some gigantic
thing beneath.

It was the Automaton, prostrate, at full length, without motion. At
least it seemed so.

The madman glanced around, and then glided into an inner room from the
larger one. He was just in time, for a moment later Locke and Eva
entered.

They, too, glanced around fearfully. They saw the dread form of the
Automaton and, although it did not move, Locke would have admitted he
was ready to beat a retreat.

It was uncanny, weird. In the dim light the monster seemed to assume
gigantic proportions. But he lay so still that their jangling nerves
became quieted. They even approached him, Locke with automatic in hand
in case the iron terror were shamming. But there was no sign of life--or
whatever it was that animated this thing.

Locke, handing his gun to Eva, determined to investigate further. He
went to the inner door and listened. But he could hear no sound. He
turned the knob and entered. He was amazed at what he saw. But, as