hought of fine steel wires. And, when I replied, my own
voice had something of the same quality.

"Were you expecting me?" I said. He nodded, shaking my hand briefly and
quietly.

"We know all about you," he answered. I was pleased--it made things
simpler--but I wanted to ask him who I was. I didn't remember anything
up to the moment of my awakening on the other side of the hill. Instead,
I asked him:

"Shall I go aboard?" He nodded again, and waved his hand toward the
ladder. I went aboard lithely, and he followed. The girl and I glanced
at each other; I was surprised and rather disturbed by her beauty and
cleanness of body. I turned to the man, a little embarrassed, as she
manipulated some controls and set the ship in motion again.

"You'll have to forgive me," I said. "Something has happened, and I
don't know things. I've completely lost my memory."

They understood at once.

"Your name is Baret." He pronounced it oddly. "I am Edvar, and this girl
is Selda." We all looked at each other intently, and I went on
hesitantly.

"I don't know where I am. Can you tell me something about myself?" Edvar
shook his head.

"Only this," he said, "that we were notified of your presence and your
name. This city is Richmond." I glanced about quickly.

"Richmond!" I exclaimed. "Virginia?" But he shook his head.

"I don't understand you," he replied.

I went on, with a puzzled frown. "It has changed...." Both of them
looked at me curiously.

"How has it changed, Baret?" the girl, Selda, asked me. I glanced at her
absently and closed my eyes.

"Why ... I don't know," I stammered, "I don't remember." For a few
moments there was silence, except for the shouting of the wind past our
ship. Then Selda asked me another question.

"Where are you from?" I shook my head helplessly, and answered again, "I
don't know--I don't remember."

* * * * *

A moment later we dipped into the shadow of the building, which they
called Richmond. We slipped by a succession of vast and intricate
facades until we came to a court-like terrace, hundreds of feet above
the ground and sheltered on three sides by walls that leaped up toward
the sky for hundreds of feet more. The effect of height was dizzying and
magnificent.

Selda brought the ship to a quick and graceful landing. I found that we
were in a large paved court like a public square, facing the east and
the sun, which bathed it in cool bright light. It w