seats, and the judge took
his place with obvious satisfaction behind the heavy wooden bench.
Finally, the prosecuting attorney appeared, flanked by two clerks, who
took their places beside him. The prosecutor eyed Zeckler with cold
malevolence, then turned and delivered a sly wink at the judge.

In a moment the room was a hubbub as it filled with the huge, bumbling,
bear-like creatures, jostling each other and fighting for seats,
growling and complaining. Two small fights broke out in the rear, but
were quickly subdued by the group of gendarmes guarding the entrance.
Finally the judge glared down at Zeckler with all three eyes, and
pounded the bench top with a wooden mallet until the roar of activity
subsided. The jurymen wriggled uncomfortably in their seats, exchanging
winks, and finally turned their attention to the front of the court.

"We are reading the case of the people of Altair I," the judge's voice
roared out, "against one Harry Zeckler--" he paused for a long,
impressive moment--"Terran." The courtroom immediately burst into an
angry growl, until the judge pounded the bench five or six times more.
"This--creature--is hereby accused of the following crimes," the judge
bellowed. "Conspiracy to overthrow the government of Altair I. Brutal
murder of seventeen law-abiding citizens of the village of Karzan at the
third hour before dawn in the second period after his arrival.
Desecration of the Temple of our beloved Goddess Zermat, Queen of the
Harvest. Conspiracy with the lesser gods to cause the unprecedented
drought in the Dermatti section of our fair globe. Obscene exposure of
his pouch-marks in a public square. Four separate and distinct charges
of jail-break and bribery--" The judge pounded the bench for
order--"Espionage with the accursed scum of Altair II in preparation for
interplanetary invasion."

The little con-man's jaw sagged lower and lower, the color draining from
his face. He turned, wide-eyed, to Meyerhoff, then back to the judge.

"The Chairman of the Jury," said the Judge succinctly, "will read the
verdict."

The little native in the front of the jury-box popped up like a puppet
on a string. "Defendant found guilty on all counts," he said.

"Defendant is guilty! The court will pronounce sentence--"

"_Now wait a minute!_" Zeckler was on his feet, wild-eyed. "What kind of
railroad job--"

The judge blinked disappointedly at Paul Meyerhoff. "Not yet?" he asked,
unhappily.

"No." Meyerh