tearing off his
clothes as he ran.

This, then, was _pain_. There was a shrill screaming in his ears that
must have been the sound of his own voice.

When he could no longer run, he crawled. Naked, now, and with only a few
_kifs_ still clinging to him. And the blind tangent of his flight had
taken him well out of the path of the advancing army.

But stark fear and the memory of unendurable pain drove him on. His
knees raw now, he could no longer crawl. But he got himself erect again
on trembling legs, and staggered on. Catching hold of a tree and pushing
himself away from it to catch the next.

Falling, rising, falling again. His throat raw from the screaming
invective of his hate. Bushes and the rough bark of trees tore his
flesh.

* * * * *

Into the village compound just before dawn, staggered a man, a naked
terrestrial. He looked about with dull eyes that seemed to see nothing
and understand nothing.

The females and young ran before him, even the males retreated.

He stood there, swaying, and the incredulous eyes of the natives widened
as they saw the condition of his body, and the blankness of his eyes.

When he made no hostile move, they came closer again, formed a
wondering, chattering circle about him, these Venusian humanoids. Some
ran to bring the chief and the chief's son, who knew everything.

The mad, naked human opened his lips as though he were going to speak,
but instead, he fell. He fell, as a dead man falls. But when they turned
him over in the dust, they saw that his chest still rose and fell in
labored breathing.

And then came Alwa, the aged chieftain, and Nrana, his son. Alwa gave
quick, excited orders. Two of the men carried Mr. Smith into the chief's
hut, and the wives of the chief and the chief's son took over the
Earthling's care, and rubbed him with a soothing and healing salve.

But for days and nights he lay without moving and without speaking or
opening his eyes, and they did not know whether he would live or die.

Then, at last, he opened his eyes. And he talked, although they could
make out nothing of the things he said.

Nrana came and listened, for Nrana of all of them spoke and understood
best the Earthling's language, for he had been the special protege of
the Terran missionary who had lived with them for a while.

Nrana listened, but he shook his head. "The words," he said, "the words
are of the Terran tongue, but I make nothing of th