the crowd, but still I saw no sign of
his leadership. Had he seen the failure of his plan and, fearing the
results of his regicide, fled the vicinity? I hoped so fervently.

As I showed myself at the parapet a great shout arose. Some of the men--I
knew at once it was those who had heard I possessed the
light-ray--scattered in terror at my appearance. I determined then, if no
issue were raised that would demand my using this supposed weapon, I could
continue to command the situation.

I stood there a moment looking down. At the edge of the crowd I saw a few
figures whom I took to be members of the city's police. They were standing
idle, taking no part in what was going on. There seemed nothing I could do
until Miela returned. If only I could speak to the crowd! I wondered if I
dared descend among them and disperse the mob of peons. I went to the head
of the stairway. Three or four of the king's councilors were standing
there.

There was no one on the stairs; evidently every one living in the castle
was now on its roof--some thirty of them altogether. The crowd outside
quite evidently had no present intention of entering the building. The mob
of peons Baar had gathered were greatly in the minority now, and I felt
that matters were steadily improving. I wondered where Miela was, and then
while I was standing there I saw her coming up the stairs, a man following
close behind her.

I think I have never been so glad to see any one as I was to see her at
this moment. Her face was grave; her demeanor calm, as before.

"He is here," she said as she came to the head of the stairs. "This is
Fuero, Alan, leader of the men of science, who have the ray."

As he came out onto the roof I saw this man was easily the most dominant
personality I had so far encountered on Mercury. He was tall for his race,
although several inches shorter than I, a man of sixty, perhaps, with
iron-gray hair falling long about his ears.

He wore sandals and a pair of the usual knee-length, wide-cut trousers.
But what distinguished him in his dress was a broad panel of heavy silk,
hanging from neck to knee, both in back and front, with an opening at the
top through which his head was thrust. This silken panel was some eighteen
inches wide, light gray in color, and richly embroidered in gold in
various designs. It hung free, except for a slight fastening at the waist
line. Beneath it the man's naked torso--and his bare arms--showed
powerfully muscled.