cularly keen on night travel in these parts
after what's just happened. Are you?"

"Anything else but," she assured him, fervently. "I'd lots rather stay
hungry until tomorrow."

"No need of that--I've brought along enough supper for both of us. I'm
hungry as a wolf, too, now that I have time to think of it. We'll eat
and den up somewhere--or climb a tree. Those wampuses probably can't
climb trees!"

"There's a nice little cave back there about a hundred meters. We'll
pretend it's the Ritz," and they soon had a merry fire blazing in front
of the retreat. There they ate of the provisions Stevens had brought.
Then, while the man rolled up boulders before the narrow entrance of
the cave, Nadia gathered leaves and made a soft bed upon its warm,
dry floor.

"Good night, lover," and the girl, untroubled and secure now that
Stevens was at her side, was almost instantly asleep; but the man was
not sleepy. He thought of the power plant, even now sending its terrific
stream of energy into his accumulators. He thought of the ultra
radio--where could he get all the materials needed? He thought of his
friends, wondering whether or not they would receive his message. He
thought of Breckenridge and the other human beings who had been aboard
the _Arcturus_, wondering poignantly as to their fate. He thought of
Newton and of his own people, who had certainly given them up for dead
long since.

But above all he thought of the beautiful, steel-true companion lying
there asleep at his mailed feet, and he gazed down at her, his heart in
his eyes. The firelight shone through the chinks between the boulders,
casting a flickering ruddy light throughout the little cavern. Nadia lay
there her head pillowed upon one strong, brown little hand. Her lips
were red and sweetly curved, her cheek was smooth and firm as so much
brown velvet. She was literally aglow with sheer beauty and with perfect
health; and the man reflected, as he studied her hungrily, that this
wild life certainly had agreed with her--she was becoming more
surpassingly beautiful with every passing day.

"You little trump--you wonderful, lovely, square little brick!" he
breathed silently, and bent over to touch her cheek lightly with his
lips. Slight as the caress was, it disturbed her, and even in her sleep
her subconscious mind sent out an exploring hand, to touch her Steve and
thus be reassured. He pressed her hand and she settled back comfortably,
with a long, deep breath