emost among them stood a tall, heavy individual who regarded Kent and
Liggett with the cold, suspicious eyes of an animal.

"My comrade and fellow-ruler here, Wald Jandron," said Krell. To Jandron
he explained rapidly. "The whole crew of the _Pallas_ is alive, and they
say if they can find fuel in the wreck-pack their ship can get out of
here."

"Good," grunted Jandron. "The sooner they can do it, the better it will
be for us."

Kent saw Liggett flush angrily, but he ignored Jandron and spoke to
Krell. "You said one of your passengers had escaped the explosion?"

To Kent's amazement a girl stepped from behind the group of men, a slim
girl with pale face and steady, dark eyes. "I'm the passenger," she told
him. "My name's Marta Mallen."

Kent and Liggett stared, astounded. "Good Lord!" Kent exclaimed. "A girl
like you on this ship!"

"Miss Mallen happened to be on the upper-deck at the time of the
explosion and, so, escaped when the other passengers were killed," Krell
explained smoothly. "Isn't that so, Miss Mallen?"

The girl's eyes had not left Kent's, but at Krell's words she nodded.
"Yes, that is so," she said mechanically.

Kent collected his whirling thoughts. "But wouldn't you rather go back
to the _Pallas_ with us?" he asked. "I'm sure you'd be more comfortable
there."

"She doesn't go," grunted Jandron. Kent turned in quick wrath toward
him, but Krell intervened.

"Jandron only means that Miss Mallen is much more comfortable on this
passenger-ship than she'd be in your freighter." He shot a glance at the
girl as he spoke, and Kent saw her wince.

"I'm afraid that's so," she said; "but I thank you for the offer, Mr.
Kent."

Kent could have sworn that there was an appeal in her eyes, and he stood
for a moment, indecisive, Jandron's stare upon him. After a moment's
thought he turned to Krell.

"You were going to show me the damage the exploding tubes did," he said,
and Krell nodded quickly.

"Of course; you can see from the head of the stair back in the
after-deck."

He led the way along a corridor, Jandron and the girl and two of the
men coming with them. Kent's thoughts were still chaotic as he walked
between Krell and Liggett. What was this girl doing amid the men of the
_Martian Queen_? What had her eyes tried to tell him?

Liggett nudged his side in the dim corridor, and Kent, looking down, saw
dark splotches on its metal floor. Blood-stains! His suspicions
strengthened. They might be fr