nother goggled figure lying huddled.
That was Wilks, no doubt. Coniston had doubtless caught him there,
surprised him, killed him.

My attention, as I stood gazing, went down to the camp-buildings.
Another figure was outside! It bounded along the ledge, reached the
foot of the ascending staircase at the top of which I was standing.
With agile leaps, it came mounting at me!

Another brigand! Miko? No, it was not large enough to be Miko, not
nearly large enough. I was still confused. I thought of Hahn. But that
was absurd. Hahn was in the wreck of the _Planetara_. One of the
stewards then....

The figure came up the staircase recklessly, to assail me. I took a
step backward, bracing myself to receive this new antagonist.

And then I saw Miko! Unquestionably he: for there was no mistaking
his giant figure. He was down on the camp-ledge, running toward the
foot of the staircase, coming up to help this other man in advance of
him.

I thought of my revolver. I turned to try and find it. I was aware
that the first of my assailants was at the stairhead. I could not
locate at once where the revolver had fallen. I would be caught,
leaped upon from behind. Should I run?

I swung back to see what the oncoming brigand was doing. He had
reached the summit. His arms went up, legs bent under him. With a
sailing leap he launched for me. I could have bounded way, but with a
last look to locate the revolver, I braced myself for the shock.

The figure hit me. It was small and light in my clutching arms. I
recall I saw that Miko was half-way up the staircase. I gripped my
assailant. The audiphone contact brought a voice.

"Gregg! Is it you?"

It was Anita clutching at me!

CHAPTER XXVI

_At Bay_

"Gregg, you're safe!"

She had heard the camp corridors resounding with the shouts that Wilks
and Haljan were fighting. She had come upon a suit and helmet by the
manual emergency lock, had run out through the lock, confused, with
her only idea to stop Wilks and me from fighting. Then she had seen
one of us killed. Impulsive, barely knowing what she was doing, she
mounted the stairs, frantic to find if I were alive.

"Anita!"

Miko was coming! She had not seen him: for she had no thought of
brigands--only the belief that either Wilks or I had been killed.

But now, as for an instant we stood together on the rocks near the
observation platform, I could see the towering figure of Miko nearing
the top of the stairs.

"Anita,