ught the Hunters, and lost, and fled, and were
pursued. But why do we keep running? Time after time we've been
cornered, and we've turned and fled. _Why?_ Even animals know that when
they're cornered they must turn and fight."

"We are not animals." Nehmon's voice cut the air like a whiplash.

"But we could fight."

"Animals fight. We do not. We fought once, like animals, and now we must
run from the Hunters who continue to fight like animals. So be it. Let
the Hunters fight."

Ravdin shook his head. "Do you mean that the Hunters are not men like
us?" he said. "That's what you're saying, that they are animals. All
right. We kill animals for our food, isn't that true? We kill the
tiger-beasts in the Jungle to protect ourselves, why not kill the
Hunters to protect ourselves?"

Nehmon sighed, and reached out a hand to the young man. "I'm sorry," he
said gently. "It seems logical, but it's false logic. The Hunters are
men just like you and me. Their lives are different, their culture is
different, but they are men. And human life is sacred, to us, above all
else. This is the fundamental basis of our very existence. Without it we
would be Hunters, too. If we fight, we are dead even if we live. That's
why we must run away now, and always. Because we know that we must not
kill men."

* * * * *

On the street below, the night air was suddenly full of voices,
chattering, intermingled with whispers of song and occasional brief
harmonic flutterings. The footfalls were muted on the polished pavement
as the people passed slowly, their voices carrying a hint of puzzled
uneasiness.

"The concert's over!" Ravdin walked to the window, feeling a chill pass
through him. "So soon, I wonder why?" Eagerly he searched the faces
passing in the street for Dana's face, sensing the lurking discord in
the quiet talk of the crowd. Suddenly the sound-boards in the room
tinkled a carillon of ruby tones in his ear, and she was in the room,
rushing into his arms with a happy cry, pressing her soft cheek to his
rough chin. "You're back! Oh, I'm so glad, so very glad!" She turned to
the old man. "Nehmon, what has happened? The concert was ruined tonight.
There was something in the air, everybody felt it. For some reason the
people seemed _afraid_."

Ravdin turned away from his bride. "Tell her," he said to the old man.

Dana looked at them, her gray eyes widening in horror. "The Hunters!
They've found us?"

R