same Danny
O'Rourke, red-haired, smiling, and debonair was listed on the Air Fire
Force of the United States with the highest rating that the A. F. F.
has to give its pilots. But Danny would have grinned at such a
suggestion and would have countered with a denial that he was better
qualified than "the rest of the boys."

But Danny was there; he had been talking at length with the Director
General on the technical differences of the hot and cold nitrogen
blasts for controlling fires on a wide front when suddenly the big man
was brought in.

* * * * *

The great figure stooped almost double to enter the room, and Danny
ran a hand through his shock of red hair and stared open-mouthed at
the giant when he straightened again and towered above the guard of
Red soldiers who had brought him into the high-ceiled room.

He was clothed in a single garment of glinting blue that wrapped him
about and fell in heavy folds to the floor. Danny felt the resemblance
to the shimmering blue of steel that has passed through fire, and his
eyes held to that garment in fascination until his gaze went on and up
to the face.

The man's face was red, as if the flesh had been burned; here was one
man Danny could not classify. He had met the people of many lands but
never had he seen one like this.

In one quick staring glance, Danny caught a picture of heavy jaws--a
flashing of yellow teeth when the mouth opened to emit guttural,
unrecognizable words--nostrils that ran crosswise of the face in a
nose broad and flat! The forehead above was low and sloping. From the
straggling yellow hair it slanted down to brows that overhung
deep-sunk and cavernous eyes.... And when Danny O'Rourke's own curious
eyes met those of the stranger, they were held in a grip that was
almost hypnotic.

"Like a dirty, crawlin' snake's!" he was telling himself over and
over. "Heaven help us if that boy ever gets rough. Who he is or what
he is, I don't know, but if I was the Director, I'd treat him nice
till I found out."

Danny and the Director were standing side by side. The giant figure
fixed a cold stare on Danny and barked short sentences that seemed to
the listener to be an explanation.

But Danny motioned helplessly to the official at his side. "Maybe you
can savvy that," he suggested; "it's new talk to me."

The newcomer repeated the guttural sounds. Upon the Director's face
was a frown of suspicion and puzzled wonder; the D