The big machines in the corner indicated material inventions; but the shining globe brought thoughts of the supernatural. Harry had heard that bright objects, particularly spheres, of crystal or polished metal, could be used to induce hypnosis.
Was this huge ball the object that had attracted those spectral forms to the tower of the house on Death Island?
HARRY’S tense mind was too strained to reject the theory. Fantastic though it seemed, he was ready to believe it. For as he looked at the bright metal, he felt a strange influence creep over him.
He seemed to forget where he was; to have no further thought of his surroundings. He was in a dream world, and his imagination wandered.
There was no repetition of the tapping. Harry had forgotten it. His brain was centered on the shining sphere. He stepped a few paces closer. He wondered what would happen if he stayed here looking at the mystic globe.
For an instant, he was tempted to go away. Yet the lure held him. Again he moved closer. The great ball, flashing its sparkling light, was almost within his reach.
Harry hesitated as he slowly extended his arms. He wanted to touch that brilliant surface — to learn if it were really simple metal.
But before his fingers had reached the silver globe, Harry was jerked suddenly backward. His arms were pinned behind him. He was twisted to the floor by a powerful man who had caught him unawares. A hand was clapped to his mouth.
The young man had no chance against his captor. He had been taken totally unawares; and his mind had been so occupied with other thoughts that he did not realize what had happened.
It seemed like the fraction of a second to Harry Vincent. One instant he was reaching for the shining sphere; the next, he was lying on his back, staring upward into a bearded face.