near where Diane was sitting, and took one of
her hands in his.

"Diane and I plan to 'set up housekeeping,'" he told Chet, and Chet saw
him smile whimsically at the words. Housekeeping on the Dark Moon would
be primitive indeed. "We are lacking in some of the customary features
of a wedding; we seem to be just out of ministers or civil officials to
tie the knot."

"Elect me Mayor of Dianeville," Chet suggested with a grin, "and I'll
marry you--if you think those formalities are necessary here."

Diane broke in. "It's foolish of me, Chet, I know it; but don't laugh at
me." He saw her lips tremble for an instant. "You see, we're so far away
from--from everything, and it seems that that if Walter and I could just
start our lives with a really and truly marriage--oh, I know it is
foolish--"

This time Chet interrupted. "After all you have been through, and after
the bravery you've shown, I think you are entitled to a little
'foolishness.' And you _shall_ be married with as good a knot as any
minister could tie: you see, that is one of the advantages of being a
Master Pilot. My warrant permits me to perform a marriage service in any
level above the surface of the Earth. A left-over from the time when
ship's captains had the same right. And although we are grounded for
keeps, if we are not above the surface of the Earth right now I don't
know anything about altitudes. But," he added as if it were an
afterthought, "my fee, although I hate to mention it, is five dollars."

* * * * *

Harkness gravely reached into the pocket of his ragged coat and brought
out a wallet. He tendered a five dollar bill to Chet. "I think you're
robbing me," he complained, "but that's what happens when there is no
competition. And we'll start building a house to-morrow."

"Will we?" Chet inquired. "Is this the best place? For my part I would
feel safer if there were more miles between us and that pyramid. What
was down in there, God knows. But there was something back of that
hypnotized ape--something that knocked us for a crash landing with one
look from those eyes."

The night air was warm, where he lay before their huts, but a shiver of
apprehension gripped him at the thought of a mysterious Something that
was beyond the power of his imagination, and that was an enemy they
would never want to face. Something inhuman in its cold brutality, yet
superhuman too, if this mental force were an indication. A somet