was dead--and the Gate to that grim
planet was now irrevocably closed!

"Blair, do you feel it too, that eery feeling of countless eyes still
watching us from Xoran?" There was frank awe in Leah's half-whispered
question. "You know Arlok said that they had watched us for centuries
from their side of the barrier. I'm sure they're watching us now. Will
they send another Opener of Gates to take up the work where Arlok
failed?"

Gordon took Leah into his arms. "I don't know, dear," he admitted
gravely. "They may send another messenger, but I doubt it. This world
of ours has had its warning, and it will heed it. The watchers on
Xoran must know that in the five hundred and forty years it would take
their next messenger to get here, the Earth will have had more than
enough time to prepare an adequate defense for even Xoran's menace. I
doubt if there will ever again be an attempt made to open the Gate to
Xoran."

[Illustration: _The great ship tore apart._]

The Eye of Allah

_By C. D. Willard_

On the fatal seventh of September a certain Secret Service man
sat in the President's chair and--looked back into the Eye of
Allah.

Blinky Collins' part in this matter was very brief. Blinky lasted just
long enough to make a great discovery, to brag about it as was
Blinky's way, and then pass on to find his reward in whatever
hereafter is set apart for weak-minded crooks whose heads are not hard
enough to withstand the crushing impact of a lead-filled pacifier.

The photograph studio of Blinky Collins was on the third floor of a
disreputable building in an equally unsavory part of Chicago. There
were no tinted pictures of beautiful blondes nor of stern,
square-jawed men of affairs in Blinky's reception room. His clients,
who came furtively there, were strongly opposed to having their
pictures taken--they came for other purposes. For the photographic
work of Mr. Collins was strictly commercial--and peculiar. There were
fingerprints to be photographed and identified for purpose of private
revenge, photographs of people to be merged and repictured in
compromising closeness for reasons of blackmail. And even X-Ray
photography was included in the scope of his work.

* * * * *

The great discovery came when a box was brought to the dingy room and
Mr. Collins was asked to show what was inside it without the bother
and inconvenience of disturbing lock and seals. The X-Ray machin