y more. Then tie him up, well."

Joan thrust the gag into the thick gash of a mouth, choking off a
torrent of imprecations in the guttural Mercutian tongue. Then she
proceeded to truss him, expertly, efficiently.

"Good job," Hilary approved. "Now with your kind permission, Most
Viceregal Magnificence, we shall go." He bowed mockingly. "Come,
Joan."

"Not so fast, Earth slave." A cold saturnine voice resounded like the
clang of doom behind him. He whirled, shifting his gun swiftly for a
quick shot.

A little gush of heat caught his trigger hand as the index finger
contracted desperately. The smarting pain tore the pistol out of his
hand. It dropped to the floor, unheeded. Hilary found himself staring
into the gross unpleasant face of Urga, a sun-tube trained directly at
his midriff.

* * * * *

"The Earth slave who tried to slink into the building," Urga said,
surprised. "How did he get up here?"

"I don't know," the Viceroy said shortly, working the gag out of his
mouth. "Don't stand there like a fool. Untie me." Gratitude was not
among the Viceroy's virtues.

Urga's face mottled as he hastened to obey. When Artok stood finally
released, he glared heavily at Hilary and Joan. Then slowly a smile
broke over his warty features, a smile that boded unutterable things.
Hilary waited quietly, ready to seize the slightest opening; Joan
pressed wide-eyed against his shoulder.

"Know this Earth dog?" the Viceroy jerked at Hilary.

Urga's glance was puzzled. "I told you I threw him out of the
entrance, but even then I felt I had seen him before."

"You have, Cor Urga," the ruler laughed shortly. "This is the one who
is responsible for the mutterings of the slaves. He slew your comrade,
Gornu."

The captain started, peered into his captive's unflinching
countenance.

"He's disguised!" he cried. "Let me kill him, Magnificent." He
fingered his sun-tube significantly.

The Viceroy was in high good humor now.

"Not so fast. You would let him off too easy. I have a better scheme.
We shall show the mutinous dogs how we treat those who revolt against
our will."

A cruel smile broke over Urga.

"I understand, Magnificent. Make a public warning of him like that
fool Peabody. Rip out his tongue and his eyes, smash his eardrums, and
ride him from city to city, in chains."

"Exactly."

Joan shuddered, convulsively. "No, no," she cried aloud in her terror,
"don't do that. I'll tell you