shed ahead,
curious and a little frightened. I had read in the American newspapers
the accounts of "disk ships" and knew they would not be able to get
close to it, and I wanted to watch Hank. I let them get out of sight,
then turned back to camp. Quietly, I was nearing our camp, when the
scream of a woman in pain came to me!

It was the answer to all my apprehensions about the ugly Barto, a sudden
materialization of the vague distrust I had felt all along! I broke into
a run, crashing through the young, white birches and larches, to the
clearing.

A chuckle reached me, a gloating heavy laugh of triumph.

Barto had the girl prone, one arm bent near to breaking, her knees
caught beneath his weight. I caught him by the shoulders, heaved
backward, sent him sprawling across the young grass. He sat up, glared
for an instant, then went for his gun. Before it came out of the
holster, my foot caught him beside the jaw. He was too big for any
other method I might have chosen to be effective. The kick stretched him
unconscious; my heel had struck the button.

I turned, to see the girl disappearing among the brush. She had darted
away instantly she was free. That she would bring her people down on us
I had no doubt. I did doubt their ability to hurt us. Unless she
belonged to a band of Manchurian bandits hanging out here in the
wilderness, they would not have arms. In the case she was of the
bandits, we might be wiped out in our sleep.

I bent over Jake, hoping I had not broken his neck. He looked as though
he would be out for some time. I picked up his heavy .45, shoved it in
my belt. I wished Hank and Frans would return soon. The four of us might
be able to handle her people.

I turned--and _she_ stood there, looking at me!

* * *

That such as she existed among the usually ugly Koreans and Manchurians
was impossible! I gasped a little in unbelief. Her clothing was like
nothing on this earth.

Soft green leather was clasped low on her hips with a narrow gold band,
set with jewels. It was a skirt, I suppose, but it hung with a diagonal
hem-line running from hip to knee, it was beaded in an intricate
pattern, not Oriental, somehow reminding me of American Indian bead
work.

On her feet leather sandals, laced like the ancient Greek sandal nearly
to the knee. In her hand a bow of horn, small and powerful. Around her
shoulders a short leather cape similarly beaded and fringed. Around her
brows a jewele