of different colors, whereas in the world of
the Golden City all mankind was one race; that Tommy's declaration
that he came from another group of dimensions had been debated and, on
re-examination of Jacaro's Tube, accepted, and that there was keen
argument going on as to the measures to be taken concerning it.

* * * * *

These things Tommy had learned, and he and Evelyn went to their second
interrogation by the city's Council armed with written vocabularies of
nearly a thousand words, which they had sorted out and made ready for
use. But they were still ignorant of the weapons the Golden City might
use against Earth.

The Council meeting took place in the same hall, with its alternating
black-and-gold flooring and the saffron-red lighting panels casting a
soft light everywhere. This was a scheduled meeting, foreseen and
arranged for. The twelve chairs above the heavy table were all
occupied from the first. But Tommy realized that the table had been
intended to seat a large number of councilors. There were guards
stationed formally behind the chairs. There were spectators, auditors
of the deliberations of the Council. They were dressed in a myriad
colors, and they talked quietly among themselves; but it seemed to
Tommy that nowhere had he seen weariness, as an ingrained expression,
upon so many faces.

Tommy and Evelyn were led to the foot of the Council table. The
bearded old man in blue began the questioning. As Keeper of
Foodstuffs--according to Aten--he was a sort of presiding officer.

Tommy answered the questions crisply. He had known what they would be,
and he had developed a vocabulary to answer them. He told them of
Earth, of Professor Denham, of his and the professor's experiments. He
outlined the first experiment with the Fifth-Dimension catapult and
the result of it--when the Golden City had sent the Death Mist to wipe
out a band of Ragged Men who had captured a citizen, and after him
Evelyn and her father.

* * * * *

This they remembered. Nods went around the table. Tommy told them of
Jacaro, stressing the fact that Jacaro was an outlaw, a criminal upon
Earth. He explained the theft of the model Tube, and how it was that
their first contact with Earth had been with the dregs of Earth
humanity. On behalf of his countrymen he offered reparation for all
the damage Jacaro and his men had done. He proposed a peaceful
commerce between worl