he verge of the ledge they pushed Nak's warriors. Leaping upon
the dwarfs, smiting them with spear and club, with teeth and spur, the
_Akka_ fought like devils. Quivering under the ray, they leaped and
dragged down and slew.

Now there was but one long line of the frog-men at the very edge of
the cliff.

And ever the clouds of dancing, diamonded atoms grew thicker over them
all!

That last thin line of the _Akka_ was going; yet they fought to the
last, and none toppled over the lip without at least one of the
armoured Murians in his arms.

My gaze dropped to the foot of the cliffs. Stretched along their
length was a wide ribbon of beauty--a shimmering multitude of
gleaming, pulsing, prismatic moons; glowing, glowing ever brighter,
ever more wondrous--the gigantic Medusae globes feasting on dwarf and
frog-man alike!

Across the waters, faintly, came a triumphant shouting from Lugur's
and Yolara's men!

Was the ruddy light of the place lessening, growing paler, changing to
a faint rose? There was an exclamation from Larry; something like hope
relaxed the drawn muscles of his face. He pointed to the aureate dome
wherein sat the Three--and then I saw!

Out of it, through the long transverse slit through which the Silent
Ones kept their watch on cavern, bridge, and abyss, a torrent of the
opalescent light was pouring. It cascaded like a waterfall, and as it
flowed it spread whirling out, in columns and eddies, clouds and wisps
of misty, curdled coruscations. It hung like a veil over all the
islands, filtering everywhere, driving back the crimson light as
though possessed of impenetrable substance--and still it cast not the
faintest shadowing upon our vision.

"Good God!" breathed Larry. "Look!"

The radiance was marching--_marching_--down the colossal bridge. It
moved swiftly, in some unthinkable way _intelligently_. It swathed the
_Akka_, and closer, ever closer it swept toward the approach upon
which Yolara's men had now gained foothold.

From their ranks came flash after flash of the green ray--aimed at
the abode! But as the light sped and struck the opalescence it was
blotted out! The shimmering mists seemed to enfold, to dissipate it.

Lakla drew a deep breath.

"The Silent Ones forgive me for doubting them," she whispered; and
again hope blossomed on her face even as it did on Larry's.

The frog-men were gaining. Clothed in the armour of that mist, they
pressed back from the bridge-head the invader