him of an April day, it was so
fresh, nervous, and girlish. "I can now understand your language. It was
strange at first. In the future I'll speak to you with my mouth."

"This is extraordinary! What is this organ?" he asked, touching his
forehead.

"It is named the 'breve.' By means of it we read one another's thoughts.
Still, speech is better, for then the heart can be read too."

He smiled. "They say that speech is given us to deceive others."

"One can deceive with thought, too. But I'm thinking of the best, not
the worst."

"Have you seen my friends?"

She scrutinised him quietly, before answering. "Did you not come alone?"

"I came with two other men, in a machine. I must have lost consciousness
on arrival, and I haven't seen them since."

"That's very strange! No, I haven't seen them. They can't be here, or we
would have known it. My husband and I--"

"What is your name, and your husband's name?"

"Mine is Joiwind--my husband's is Panawe. We live a very long way from
here; still, it came to us both last night that you were lying here
insensible. We almost quarrelled about which of us should come to
you, but in the end I won." Here she laughed. "I won, because I am the
stronger-hearted of the two; he is the purer in perception."

"Thanks, Joiwind!" said Maskull simply.

The colors chased each other rapidly beneath her skin. "Oh, why do you
say that? What pleasure is greater than loving-kindness? I rejoiced at
the opportunity.... But now we must exchange blood."

"What is this?" he demanded, rather puzzled.

"It must be so. Your blood is far too thick and heavy for our world.
Until you have an infusion of mine, you will never get up."

Maskull flushed. "I feel like a complete ignoramus here.... Won't it
hurt you?"

"If your blood pains you, I suppose it will pain me. But we will share
the pain."

"This is a new kind of hospitality to me," he muttered.

"Wouldn't you do the same for me?" asked Joiwind, half smiling, half
agitated.

"I can't answer for any of my actions in this world. I scarcely know
where I am.... Why, yes--of course I would, Joiwind."

While they were talking it had become full day. The mists had
rolled away from the ground, and only the upper atmosphere remained
fog-charged. The desert of scarlet sand stretched in all directions,
except one, where there was a sort of little oasis--some low hills,
clothed sparsely with little purple trees from base to summit. It was
about