h echoes that jostled and muttered like alien,
menacing things which had no right here--and yet, were here.

"You saw him--lying there?" Lee prompted.

"Yes. His throat, with red blood running out of it where they had cut
him--and he was dying--he died while I stood there--"

The first murder. A thing so unnatural. Old Anthony stared for an
instant mute at the girl who now had covered her face with her hands as
she trembled against Lee.

"Killed him?" Lee murmured.

On Anthony's face there was wonderment--disillusion, and then
bitterness. "So? This is what comes to us, from Earth?"

Lying so helpless, old Anthony could only murmur that now Lee must do
what he could.

"Your own judgement, my son--do what you can to meet this." The sunken,
burning eyes of the old man flashed. "If there must be violence here,
let it be so. Violence for that which is right."

"Grandfather--yes! That miserable cowardly murderer--"

To meet force, with force. Surely, even in a world of ideals, there is
no other way.

With his fists clenched, Lee ran from the cave-room. Frightened women
scattered before him at its entrance. Where had Franklin gone? That
fellow Groff, and two or three of the guards had gone with him. Cynicism
swept Lee; he remembered the look Groff had flung at Franklin. Even here
in this realm--because it was peopled by humans--evil passions could
brood. Groff indeed must have been planning something, and he had seen
in Franklin a ready helper--a man from Earth, whom Groff very well may
have thought would be more resourceful, more experienced in the ways of
violence than himself.

This realm where everyone had all of happiness that he could want! Human
perfection of existence. A savage laugh of irony was within Lee as he
thought of it. No one had ever held out the offer of more than
perfection to these people. But Franklin evidently had done it--playing
upon the evil which must lie within every living thing, no matter how
latent it may be. Awakening in those guards the passion of
cupidity--desire for something better than they had now.

* * * * *

What had happened to Vivian? Out in the rose-light dimness, a little way
down the path, Lee found himself staring off toward the forest where the
village lay nestled. Voices of the frightened people came wafting
through the night silence.

"Lee--Lee--"

It was Aura behind him, running after him. "Lee--wait--I belong with
you. You kno