he man wearing the metal belt,
evidently their leader, and spoke to him rapidly as she threw her arms
around his neck. He shook his head, motioning toward Seaton several
times as he spoke to her reassuringly. With his arm about her tenderly,
he led her to the door, the other women following. Crane and DuQuesne
having gone to their rooms with their attendants, the man wearing the
belt drew the blinds and turned to assist Seaton in taking off his
clothes.

"I never had a valet before, but go as far as you like if it pleases
you," remarked Seaton, as he began to throw off his clothes. A multitude
of small articles fell from their hiding-places in his garments as he
removed them. Almost stripped, Seaton stretched vigorously, the muscles
writhing and rippling in great ridges under the satin skin of his broad
back and mighty arms and shoulders as he filled his capacious lungs and
twisted about, working off the stiffness caused by the days of
comparative confinement.

The four slaves stared in open-mouthed astonishment at this display of
muscular development and conversed among themselves as they gathered up
Seaton's discarded clothing. Their leader picked up a salt-shaker, a
couple of silver knives and forks, and some other articles, and turned
to Seaton, apparently asking permission to do something with them.
Seaton nodded assent carelessly and turned to his bed. As he did so, he
heard a slight clank of arms in the hall as the guard was changed, and
lifting the blind a trifle he saw that guards were stationed outside as
well. As he went to bed, he wondered whether the guards were guards of
honor or jailers; whether he and his party were honored guests or
prisoners.

Three of the slaves, at a word from their chief, threw themselves upon
the floor and slept, but he himself did not rest. Opening the apparently
solid metal belt, he took out a great number of small tools, many tiny
instruments, and several spools of insulated wire. He then took the
articles Seaton had given him, taking great pains not to spill a single
grain of salt, and set to work. Hour after hour he labored, a strange,
exceedingly complex instrument taking form under his clever fingers.

+--------------------------------------+
| |
| _By the time you finish reading the |
| final instalment of "The Skylark of |
| Space," we are certain that you will |
| agree with us that it is one of th