l another year, and after that
come back to Sant with other truths? Come, waste no time, but choose the
heavier stone for me, for I am stronger than Tydomin."

Maskull lifted one of the rocks, and stepped out four full paces.
Spadevil confronted him, erect, and waited tranquilly.

The huge stone hurtled through the air. Its flight looked like a dark
shadow. It struck Spadevil full in the face, crushing his features, and
breaking his neck. He died instantaneously.

Tydomin looked away from the fallen man.

"Be very quick, Maskull, and don't let me keep him waiting."

He panted, and raised the second stone. She placed herself in front of
Spadevil's body, and stood there, unsmiling and cold.

The blow caught her between breast and chin, and she fell. Maskull went
to her, and, kneeling on the ground, half-raised her in his arms. There
she breathed out her last sighs.

After that, he laid her down again, and rested heavily on his hands,
while he peered into the dead face. The transition from its heroic,
spiritual expression to the vulgar and grinning mask of Crystalman came
like a flash; but he saw it.

He stood up in the darkness, and pulled Catice toward him.

"Is that the true likeness of Shaping?"

"It is Shaping stripped of illusion."

"How comes this horrible world to exist?"

Catice did not answer.

"Who is Surtur?"

"You will get nearer to him tomorrow; but not here."

"I am wading through too much blood," said Maskull. "Nothing good can
come of it."

"Do not fear change and destruction; but laughter and joy."

Maskull meditated.

"Tell me, Catice. If I had elected to follow Spadevil, would you really
have accepted his faith?"

"He was a great-souled man," replied Catice. "I see that the pride of
our men is only another sprouting-out of pleasure. Tomorrow I too shall
leave Sant, to reflect on all this."

Maskull shuddered. "Then these two deaths were not a necessity, but a
crime!"

"His part was played and henceforward the woman would have dragged down
his ideas, with her soft love and loyalty. Regret nothing, stranger, but
go away at once out of the land."

"Tonight? Where shall I go?"

"To Wombflash, where you will meet the deepest minds. I will put you on
the way."

He linked his arm in Maskull's, and they walked away into the night.
For a mile or more they skirted the edge of the precipice. The wind was
searching, and drove grit into their faces. Through the rifts of the
clouds, s