"

"He is sorry...."

She seemed gauging me, trying, no doubt, to find out what reprisal would
be taken against her brother. I felt sure that Moa was as active as a
man in any plan that was under way to capture the Grantline treasure.
Miko, with his ungovernable temper, was doing things that put their
plans in jeopardy.

I demanded abruptly, "What did your brother want to talk to me about?"

"Me," she said surprisingly. "I sent him. A Martian girl goes after what
she wants. Did you know that?"

She swung on her heel and left me. I puzzled over it. Was that why Miko
had struck me down, and was carrying me off? Was my accursed masculine
beauty so attractive to this Martian girl? I did not think so. I could
not believe that all these incidents were so unrelated to what I knew
was the main undercurrent. They wanted me, had tried to capture me. For
something else than because Moa liked my looks....

* * * * *

Dr. Frank found me mooning alone.

"Go to bed, Gregg! You look awful."

"I don't want to go to bed."

"Where's Snap?"

"I don't know. He was here a while ago." I had not seen him since the
burial of Anita.

"The captain wants him." The surgeon left me.

Within an hour the morning siren would arouse the passengers. I was
seated in a secluded corner of the deck, when George Prince came along.
He went past me, a slight, somber, dark-robed figure. He had on high,
thick boots. A hood was over his head, but as he saw me he pushed it
back and dropped down beside me.

But for a moment he did not speak. His face showed pallid in the pallid
star-gleams.

"She said you loved her." His soft voice was throaty with emotion.

"Yes." I said it almost against my will. There seemed a bond springing
between this bereaved brother and me. He added, so softly I could
barely hear him, "That makes you, I think, almost my friend. And you
thought you were my enemy."

I held my answer. An incautious tongue running under emotion is a
dangerous thing. And I was sure of nothing.

* * * * *

He went on, "Almost my friend. Because--we both loved her, and she loved
us both." He was hardly more than whispering. "And there is aboard--one
whom we both hate."

"Miko!" It burst from me.

"Yes. But do not say it."

Another silence fell between us. He brushed back the black curls from
his forehead. And his dark eyes searched mine.

"Have you an eavesdropping microph