Transcriber’s Note:
This etext was produced from “Astounding Stories” January andFebruary, 1932. Extensive research did not uncover any evidencethat the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
The original “What has gone before” recap section from thesecond part (February edition) has been removed from thiscombined version.
The original page numbers have been kept.
Author’s archaic and variable spelling is preserved.
Author’s punctuation style is preserved.
Typographical problems have been changed and these are highlighted.
A list of changes is included at the end of the text.
The Mind Master
Beginning a Two-Part Novel
By Arthur J. Burks
“Let’s hope the horriblenightmare is over, dearest,”whispered EllenEstabrook to Lee Bentleyas their linercame crawling upthrough the Narrowsand theStatue of Libertygreeted the twowith uplifted torch beyond StatenIsland. New York’s skyline wasbeautiful through the mist andsmoke which always seemed tomask it. It was good to be homeagain.Once more Lee Bentley is caughtup in the marvelous machinationsof the mad genius Barter.
Certainly it was a far cry fromthe African jungleswhere, forthe space of aghastly nightmare,Ellen hadbeen a captive of29the apes and Bentley himself hadhad a horrible adventure. CalebBarter, a mad scientist, had druggedhim and exchanged his brain withthat of an ape, and for hoursBentley had roamed the jungleshidden in the great hairy body, theonly part of him remaining “Bentley”being the Bentley brain whichBarter had placed in the ape’s skull-pan.Bentley would never forgetthe horror of that grim awakening,in which he had found himselfwalking on bent knuckles, his voicethe fighting bellow of a giant anthropoid.
Yes, it was a far cry from theAfrican jungles to populous Manhattan.
As soon as Ellen and Lee consideredthemselves recovered fromthe shock of the experience theywould be married. They had alreadyspent two months of absolute restin England after their escape fromAfrica, but they found it had not30been enough. Their story had beentold in the press of the world andthey