up to the front entrance-port and held the tip to it.
Blue light sparkled fantastically, revealing his impassive face,
outlining his crouching body. Then, quite suddenly, the port appeared to
melt inward, and he disappeared into the blackness of the interior.

Presently there came a stir of movement, a whisper, a rustle from
inside. A challenge, shouts volleying forth, a scream, another, and the
peculiar rattling sound that comes from a dying man's throat. Then again
silence.

Five shadows melted from the front entrance-port. They were carrying
something black and still and heavy between them.

The errand was done....

CHAPTER VII

_The Coming of Leithgow_

Hawk Carse awoke to the touch of a hand on his brow. He came very slowly
to full consciousness. His pain was great.

His whole body was sore: every joint, every muscle in it ached; his
brain was feverish, pumping turmoil. When he at length opened his eyes
he found Friday's face bent close down, tender anxiety written large
over it.

"You all right, suh? How do you feel now?"

A harsh sound came from the Hawk's throat. He pressed a hand to his
throbbing temple and tried to collect his senses. Sitting up helped; he
glanced around. They were back in the same cell, and they were alone.
Then, shortly, he asked:

"Did I tell him?"

"About Mr. M. S., suh?"

"Of course, I can't quite remember--a bit blurred----"

"I guess you did, suh," Friday answered mournfully. "I didn't hear you,
but Ku Sui said you told him where Master Leithgow is. But dog-gone--you
couldn't help it!"

Carse forgot his pain as his brain straightened these words out into
their overwhelming consequence, and something of its old familiar mold,
hard and graven, emotionless, came back to his face. His eyes were bleak
as he murmured:

"I couldn't help it--no. I really don't think it was possible. But I
could have refused to get into the machine. I thought I could resist it.
I took that risk, and failed." He stopped short. His body twitched with
uncontrolled emotion, and in decency the negro turned his back on his
master's anguish. A broken whisper reached him: "I have betrayed
Leithgow."

* * * * *

For a short while neither man moved, or made any sound. Friday was a
little afraid; he guessed what must be going on in Carse's mind, and had
no idea what to expect. But the Hawk's next move was quite disciplined;
he was himself again.

He