"All right," he called aloud, "you have won! You have defeated us here, but in defeat we can laugh, for this will be your last victory! You will get to Earth but there you will meet your end!" Jim felt the power of the thing reaching out in a fierce resentment, but he continued tauntingly. "You will see that the Earthian mind does not fear you, they will seek you out. We have weapons to combat you that the Martians know nothing of--you will not last long on Earth! If Bhruulo alone kept you here in thrall, Earthman can do that and much more--" Jim had other words to say, mocking words, but he did not get a chance. The Dim-Ing lashed out with a terrible, unsuspected force. For a single second, all of M'Tonak was livid under a garish unbearable green, as the men were beaten down to their knees in a huddled miserable group. Buildings blurred and wavered and seemed to topple. The Earthmen's consciousness dangled by a thread. "That is only a tiny sample of my power," the thought came lashing at them. "That is to teach you not to drive me to anger again." The men rose painfully to their feet, clinging together. But Jim was exultant now. He could not have told why, but he felt that in that one supreme burst of anger the Dim-Ing had expended most of its power, and that is what he had been counting on! "Your Earthian minds are stubborn, very stubborn. But I like that. I think I shall like Earth. Tell me more about the weapons you have there, the scientific devices you will use to combat me." What about Spurlin? Had he failed? That single, surface car was their only escape from here! It seemed hours since Spurlin had raced across the plaza toward it. "We're lost, Jim," Conley whispered wearily. "We're beaten...." * * * * * "Oh, no we're not!" For suddenly, strangely, the Dim-Ing did not grasp their minds any more! It was slipping away, and they felt strangely free and buoyant. But why? Why should it withdraw in its moment of triumph, just as it was learning what it wanted to know about Earth? In an awful moment of panic Jim thought: "Did it read in my mind something about Kaarji--does it know what Kaarji is doing?" Simultaneously, there came a shout from Spurlin across the way, and it was a triumphant cry. "Hurry up, you men! We've got these motors going, but Lord knows--" Spurlin's welcome voice! Jim found himself pounding across the plaza, behind the others. As in a dream he could hear the smooth threnody of the motors. And for one last time he felt the mental power of the Dim-Ing reaching out, but it was half-hearted and uncertain, it wavered a little and seemed vaguely bewildered. Jim even paused in his stride and looked back defiantly. He felt it trying once more to grasp his mind, then it fell away disheartened. Not until then did the truth burst upon Jim, and he realized what was happening!