*

Penrun knew the tragic future of these unfortunates. A few, perhaps,
would go as food for the Queen in times of famine. The remainder
would become living incubators for the larvae of the Queen which would
be planted in their living bodies by the monster attendant to eat away
the vitals until death mercifully ended the victim's life, and the
growing spider emerged to feed on a new victim, or to go its way.

A thousand helpless human beings swung in their silken hammocks
awaiting their fate. Penrun had learned about them during those two
horrible days he had been held prisoner here before he had succeeded
in raying the novice attendant and the monster guard with the pistol
from his armpit holster that the spiders had overlooked when they
captured him. He recalled again how he had dashed frantically from
hammock to hammock trying to rouse some of the Living Dead to escape
with him. Not one of them could respond.

Reports to the Interplanetary Council? He had made them, written and
oral, and had only been laughed at for a half-crazy explorer. The
Council would not even investigate.

Now Penrun did not tarry. He strode swiftly back to the far end of the
cavern.

"The girl who was just brought in, is she safe?" he asked hoarsely.

None seemed to know, but presently he knew she was still unhurt, for
he found her bound hand and foot to the rock wall with heavy silken
webs. Nearly all her clothing had been torn off her. She looked up
hopelessly. A great fear appeared in her eyes.

"You!" she gasped. "Are you responsible for this?"

"I have come for you," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone, swiftly
removing the pack from his back.

She cowered against the wall.

"You--you inhuman beast!" Her face was white with horror.

He cut the silken bonds.

* * * * *

"Don't be a fool!" he said roughly. "I have no power over these
monsters. Hurry into those clothes! Do you want to be bitten in the
small of the back and lie paralyzed for years in a hammock like these
other unfortunates, then suffer untold agony for months while spiders'
larvae eat out your vitals? Hurry, I say! We must get out of here at
once!"

He turned away. He wanted to see that old Englishman who said he had
known Shakespeare. His wish was in vain. The old man's sightless eyes
stared up at the silken roof. The long, heavy beard that lay across
the breast stirred. The beady, glittering eyes of an infant spider
peeped