ld see Evelyn down
below, a tiny speck of khaki amid the rainbow-colored robes of the
other women. This had been a savage expedition, to rescue or to
avenge. It had deteriorated into a bargain. Tommy heard, dully,
amounts of unfamiliar weights and measures of foodstuffs he did not
recognize. He heard the time and place of payment named: the gate of
Yugna, the third dawn hence. He hardly looked up as at some signal one
of their own ornithopters slid below and the three ambassadors of Rahn
prepared to go over the side. But Jacaro snarled out of one corner of
his mouth.

"These guys are takin' each other's words. Maybe that's all right, but
I'm warnin' you, if there's any double-crossin'...."

He was gone. The Keeper of Foodstuffs touched Tommy's shoulder.

"Our flier," he said slowly, "will make sure our women are as yet
unharmed. We are to deliver the foods at our own city gate, and after
the women have been returned. Rahn dares not keep them or harm them.
We of Yugna keep our word. Even in Rahn they know it."

"But they won't keep theirs," said Tommy heavily. "Not with a man of
Earth to lead them."

* * * * *

He watched with his heart in his mouth as the ornithopter alighted
near the assembled women of Yugna. As the three ambassadors climbed
out, he could hear the faint murmur of voices. The men of Yugna, under
truce, called across the landing stage to the women of their own city,
and the women replied to them. Then the crew of the one grounded
freighter arrived on the landing stage and the flapping flier rose
slowly and rejoined the fleet. Its crew shouted a shamefaced
reassurance to the flagship.

"I suppose," said Tommy bitterly, "we'd better go back--if you're sure
the women are safe."

"I am sure," said the old man unhappily, "or I had not agreed to pay
half the foodstuffs in Yugna for their return."

He withdrew into a troubled silence as the fleet swept far from
triumphantly for him. Denham had not spoken at all, though his eyes
had blazed savagely upon the men of Rahn. Now he spoke,
dry-throatedly:

"Tommy--Evelyn--"

"She is all right so far," said Tommy bitterly. "She's to be ransomed
by foodstuffs, paid at the gates of Yugna. And Jacaro bragged he's
running Rahn--and they've got gas masks. We'd better be ready for
trouble after the women are returned."

Denham nodded grimly. Tommy reached out and took one of the black
tablets from the man beside him. He began t