n left in the Twilight Country
completely dumfounded Miela and me. "Something was wrong," Mercer had
said. And then they had insisted on staying there, and had sent the girls
back to tell me to come over.

We could make nothing of it, nor did the half hour of argument into which
we immediately plunged further enlighten us. That flaw in our plans which
had dawned on Mercer so suddenly and clearly certainly never occurred to
us, for all it was seemingly so obvious.

We were interrupted--having reached no conclusion whatever except that we
would go over that evening as Mercer had directed--by the arrival of the
police chief to see me. He was a little man, curiously thin and wizened
for a Mercutian, with wide pantaloons, a shirt, short jacket and little
triangular cocked hat. His face seemed pointed, like a ferret. His
movements were rapid, his roving glance peculiarly alert.

He bowed before me obsequiously. He would obey me to the letter, I could
see that at once from his manner; though, had I impressed him as being
like my predecessor, I did not doubt but that he would do as he pleased
upon occasion.

I toyed with the little light-ray cylinder in my hand quite casually
through the brief interview, and I saw he was thoroughly impressed, for he
seemed unable to take his eyes from it.

"Where are your men just now?" I asked.

He raised his hands deprecatingly and poured out a flood of words to Miela
when my question was translated to him.

"He himself was sleeping," she said to me when he had paused for breath.
"His third watch was on patrol about the city. Then from the castle came
the king's guards, fleeing in haste. Those of the police they met they
told that evil men were in the castle with the light-ray, and all who
represented the city's authority would be killed."

"That was a lie," I interrupted. "There was no light-ray here then."

Miela nodded. "It was what Baar's men had told them to say, I think."

"And then what happened to the police?"

"Then they left their posts about the city. Some fled; others went back
and reported what they had heard."

"And it never occurred to any of them to come up here and try to stop the
disturbance? Curious policemen, these!"

"It is too deadly--the light-ray," said Miela. "They were afraid. And then
the alarm bell began ringing. They sent for Ano, here, to ask him what
they should do. And then you sent for him. He has his men at the police
building, in waiting. And