name?"

The stranger smiled, which made his face very handsome. "I'm Gangnet. I
know most things."

"Haven't you a greeting for me too--Gangnet?" asked Krag, thrusting his
forbidding features almost into the other's face.

"I know you, Krag. There are few places where you are welcome."

"And I know you, Gangnet--you man-woman.... Well, we are here together,
and you must make what you can of it. We are going down to the Ocean."

The smile faded from Gangnet's face. "I can't drive you away, Krag--but
I can make you the unwelcome third."

Krag threw back his head, and gave a loud, grating laugh. "That bargain
suits me all right. As long as I have the substance, you may have the
shadow, and much good may it do you."

"Now that it's all arranged so satisfactorily," said Maskull, with a
hard smile, "permit me to say that I don't desire any society at all
at present.... You take too much for granted, Krag. You have played the
false friend once already.... I presume I'm a free agent?"

"To be a free man, one must have a universe of one's own," said Krag,
with a jeering look. "What do you say, Gangnet--is this a free world?"

"Freedom from pain and ugliness should be every man's privilege,"
returned Gangnet tranquilly. "Maskull is quite within his rights, and if
you'll engage to leave him I'll do the same."

"Maskull can change face as often as he likes, but he won't get rid of
me so easily. Be easy on that point, Maskull."

"It doesn't matter," muttered Maskull. "Let everyone join in the
procession. In a few hours I shall finally be free, anyhow, if what they
say is true."

"I'll lead the way," said Gangnet. "You don't know this country, of
course, Maskull. When we get to the flat lands some miles farther down,
we shall be able to travel by water, but at present we must walk, I
fear."

"Yes, you fear--you fear!" broke out Krag, in a highpitched, scraping
voice. "You eternal loller!"

Maskull kept looking from one to the other in amazement. There seemed to
be a determined hostility between the two, which indicated an intimate
previous acquaintance.

They set off through a wood, keeping close to its border, so that for a
mile or more they were within sight of the long, narrow lake that flowed
beside it. The trees were low and thin; their dolm-coloured leaves were
all folded. There was no underbrush--they walked on clean, brown
earth, A distant waterfall sounded. They were in shade, but the air was
pleasantly wa