." He stood motionless. But before his gaze Franklin
relaxed into an incoherent muttering.

"Thank you," Arkoh said. "I shall send you the food." He turned and left
the room.

* * * * *

Vivian collapsed into a chair. She was trembling. "Well--my Gawd--what
is all this? Lee--that old man with his gentle voice--he looked like if
you crossed him you'd be dead. Not that he'd hurt you--it would
be--would be something else--"

"You talk like an ass," Franklin said. "You've gone crazy--and I don't
blame you--this damned weird thing. For all that old man's smooth talk,
we're just prisoners here. Look outside that window--"

It was a little garden, drowsing in the twilight. A man stood watching
the window. And as Lee went to the lattice, he could see others, like
guards outside.

The man who brought their simple food was a stalwart fellow in a draped
garment of brown plaited fibre. His black hair hung thick about his
ears. He laid out the food in silence.

"What's _your_ name?" Franklin demanded.

"I am Groff."

"And you won't talk either, I suppose? Look here, I can make it worth
your while to talk."

"Everyone has all he needs here. There is nothing that you need give
us."

"Isn't there? You just give me a chance and I'll show you. No one has
all he needs--or all he wants."

Groff did not answer. But as he finished placing the food, and left the
room, it seemed to Lee that he shot a queer look back at Franklin. A
look so utterly incongruous that it was startling. Franklin saw it and
chuckled.

"Well, at least there's one person here who's not so damn weird that it
gives you the creeps."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Lee said. With sudden
impulse he lowered his voice. "Franklin, listen--there are a few things
that perhaps I can tell you. Things that I can guess--that Vivian
senses--"

"I don't want to hear your explanation. It would be just a lot of damn
lies anyway."

"All right. Perhaps it would. We'll soon know, I imagine."

"Let's eat," Vivian said. "I'm hungry, even if I am scared."

To Lee it seemed that the weird mystery here was crowding upon them. As
though, here in this dim room, momentous things were waiting to reveal
themselves. A strange emotion was upon Lee Anthony. A sort of tense
eagerness. Certainly it was not fear. Certainly it seemed impossible
that there could be anything here of which he should be afraid. Again
his mind went back to ol