rogressed, suddenly were bundled together, and he was alert and keenly
attentive.

"Or call them what you will," went on the girl in a low-pitched
monotone. "I call them dragons, because the dragon is a filthy,
wretched symbol."

"You have some knowledge of my encounters with--dragons?" put in Peter
as casually as he was able.

"I profess to know nothing of your encounters with anybody," replied
the girl quietly and patiently. "I base my conclusions only on what I
have seen. This morning I saw you throw a Chinese coolie into the
harbor at Batavia. It happens that I have seen that coolie before, and
it also happens that I know a little--do not ask me what I know, for I
will never tell you--a little about the company that coolie keeps."

"I guess you are getting a little beyond my depth," stated Peter
uncomfortably. "Would you mind sort of summing up what you've just
said?"

"I mean, I want to try to persuade you that the life you have been
living is wrong. At the same time, I want you to help me, as only you
can help me, in putting a life of wretchedness behind me. It is asking
a great deal, a very great deal, but in return I will give you more
than you will ever realize, more than you can realize, for you cannot
realize the danger that surrounds your every movement, and will
continue to surround you until they--_they_--are assured that you have
decided to forget them."

Peter shook his head, forgetting to wonder what an officer might think
upon finding the door locked. Would the jovial little captain be quite
so jovial viewing these incriminating circumstances? Not likely. But
Peter had dismissed the fat captain from his mind, together with all
other alien thoughts, as he concentrated upon the amazing words of this
exceedingly amazing and beautiful girl. She was looking down at the
chevron of gold sparks on his sleeve.

"I can tell you but one more thing of consequence," she continued. "It
is this: Together we can stand; divided we will fall, just as surely as
the sun follows its track in the heavens. I have a plan that will
offend you--perhaps offend you terribly--but there is no other way.
When _they_ know that we have decided to forget them, we can breathe
easily. Our secrets, grown stale, are not harmful to them."

"I am always open to any reasonable inducement," Peter said dryly.

The eyes meeting his were quite wild.

"How would you like to go to some lovely little place to have money, to