ill.
Already there are those who murmur that truly the Heads are gods and
have called up demons from the underworld, as they threatened they
would, to smite them with thunder until once more they yield blood in
the temple. But I know that without blood the Heads must die
miserably and the people be freed from their vampire existence. It is
true that I too shall die, but that is nothing. I die gladly.
Therefore, to keep the people from sacrificing blood, to show them
that you are mortal and the Heads powerless to save the demons they
have raised, you must be slain in front of the great palace.

"Yes; you, too, must die for the people!"

* * * * *

Bound and helpless, lying on their backs and staring into the gloom of
the small chamber into which they had been thrown, Miles and Ward had
time to ponder their desperate situation. Spiro was delaying their
death until the workers of Apex would have time to gather and witness
it. At first they had struggled to loosen their bonds, but such
efforts served only to tighten them. Then they had tried the trick of
rolling together so that the fingers of one might endeavor to undo the
knots securing the other. On a memorable occasion in Turkey they had
freed themselves in this manner. But the attempts proved fruitless
now. The floor of the chamber was smooth, nor could they find any
rough projection on which to saw the cords.

Exhausted, they finally desisted. The same thought was in both minds:
Were they doomed to die in this strange world, fated never to see
Earth again? Well, a soldier of fortune must expect to meet with
reverses. Still, it was a tough break. After a long silence Ward said,
"How were we to know that the heads lived on the blood of the people?"

"Would it have made any difference if we had known?" asked Miles.

"Perhaps not." Ward tried to shrug his shoulders. "After all, we have
fought to maintain systems not much better. There is little
difference, save in degree, between draining the life-blood of a race
and robbing it of the fruits of its labor."

"But sometimes we fought to liberate people," protested Miles.

"Yes, I like to think of that. It's good to have something to our
credit when we cash in. And it looks," he said pessimistically, "as if
our time to do so has come."

* * * * *

They ceased talking. Time passed cheerlessly. Finally both of them
fell into a heavy slumber from which th