I held the thing up and pointed it toward the huge royal palms, aiming at
their graceful fronds high over the heads of the people. My hand pressed
the knob; the little cylinder seemed to thrill in my grasp. A tiny beam of
light shot out-quite plainly visible--a green, shading into red. It struck
the palm branches, and silently yet rapidly, as though they were under
some giant blow-torch, they shriveled, crackled, and burst into flame.

Miela's fingers bit into my arm. "Enough, Alan! Stop!"

My thumb yielded to the upward pressure of the tiny knob against it, and
abruptly the light vanished. A narrow swath had been cut through the
palms--a furrow of death plowed by the pressure of my thumb against a bit
of metal!

The crowd had frozen into the immobility of terror. Now, as the dreaded
ray vanished as suddenly as it had sprung forth, they turned with cries of
fright to escape. No one had been hurt. I shuddered as I realized now that
many girls had been in the air, and through no thought or skill of mine
had they escaped.

"Speak to them, Alan," Miela cried. "There must be no panic. Here must
they stay and listen to what you have to say. Speak to them; stop them
now."

I handed her the cylinder, lest the diabolical thing spit forth again its
fire from my unskillful fingers, and leaped to the top of the parapet.

"Stop!" I shouted at the top of my voice. "Stop--all of you! At once!"

I waved my arms violently: I knew my words meant nothing, but my voice
carried far. The excitement continued. But a few stopped and stared at me;
then others, and gradually there was less confusion.

Miela turned and shouted something to the girls on the rooftop. Instantly
they spread their wings and flew, down, circling close over the heads of
the people.

"Wait, Alan. A moment now and there will be quiet. The girls are telling
them not to fear, but to wait and listen to what you have to say."

Miela stood now upon the parapet top, with the little prince between us.
She had concealed the tiny metal cylinder in her belt; her open palms were
flung out before her, and her wings, spread and flapping slowly, raised
her on tiptoe. Every line of her graceful body was tense; her attitude
bespoke power, dominance, authority. And then she began to talk in a voice
vibrant with emotion. Once she laid her hand lightly upon the curly head
of the little boy, and a tremulous, uncertain cheer answered her from
below.

"I have told them of the kin