or their slant eyes and round heads. The characteristic of the high
cheek bones appeared to have been bred out of them, as were those of the
relatively short legs and the muddy yellow skin. To call them yellow was
more figurative than literal. Their skins were whiter than those of our
own weather-tanned forest men. Nevertheless, their pigmentation was
peculiar, and what there was of it looked more like a pale orange tint
than the ruddiness of the Caucasian. They were well formed, but rather
undersized and soft-looking, small-muscled and smooth-skinned, like
young girls. Their features were finely chiseled, eyes beady, and nose
slightly aquiline.

They were uniformed, not in close-fitting green or other shades of
protective coloring, such as the unobtrusive gray of the Jersey Beaches
or the leadened russet of the autumn uniforms of our people. Instead
they wore loose fitting jackets of some silky material, and loose knee
pants. This particular command had been equipped with form-moulded boots
of some soft material that reached above the knee under their pants.
They wore circular hats with small crowns and wide rims. Their loose
jackets were belted at the waist, and they carried for weapons each man
a knife, a short double-edged sword and what I took to be a form of
magazine rocket gun. It was a rather bulky affair, short-barrelled, and
with a pistol grip. It was obviously intended to be fired either from
the waist position or from some sort of support, like the old machine
guns. It looked, in fact, like a rather small edition of the Twentieth
Century arm.

And have I mentioned the color of their uniforms? Their circular hats
and pants were a bright yellow; their coats a flaming scarlet. What
targets they were!

I must have chuckled audibly at the thought, for their commander who was
seated on a folding stool one of his men had placed for him, glanced in
my direction, and, at his arrogant gesture of command, I was prodded to
my feet, and with my hands still bound, as they had been from the moment
I recovered consciousness, I was dragged before him.

* * * * *

Then I knew what it was about these Hans that kept me in a turmoil of
irritation. It was their sardonic, mocking, cruel smiles; smiles which
left their stamp on their faces, even in repose. Now the commander was
smiling tauntingly at me. When he spoke, it was in my own language.

"So!" he sneered. "You beasts have learned to laug