2
EFRACTION 99 X. THE TWILIGHT OF SPACE 108 XI. TELLING THE TIME BY GEOGRAPHY 117 XII. SPACE FEVER 126 XIII. THE MYSTERY OF A MINUS WEIGHT 141
BOOK II. OTHER WORLD LIFE
I. WHY MARS GIVES A RED LIGHT 157 II. THE TERROR BIRDS 170 III. TWO OF US AGAINST THE ARMIES 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, a