dden expression of dismay
which clouded his features. "Earth, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Jupiter--all
are under the rule of the Sons of God," he cried.

"And to any of them, Glavour's ship may have fled," replied the Kildare.
"Before we start in pursuit, it is best to find, if we can, in what
direction the ship went."

* * * * *

Frantically, Damis strove to muster his thoughts and hurl a question at
the two Martians who stood beside the transporter cylinders. Before the
thought had been fully formed, an answer reached him.

"I have been inquiring, Nepthalim, why, when our observers saw that the
ship contained Jovians, they were not destroyed. One of the observers
who watched them tells me that their ship landed between your ship and
the only instruments of destruction which could be brought to bear on
them. The Jovians poured out and attacked your crew who were all out of
the ship. They were so mingled that it would have been impossible to
destroy them without encompassing the destruction of your men as well
and we could not blast their ship into nothingness without also
destroying yours. When they rose again they carried one of your crew a
prisoner and so they were not blasted out of the heavens. They took a
course which carried them behind Phobus where they were shielded. When
next seen, they were headed away from your planet."

"If Glavour came to Mars, Lura is dead by now," said Turgan sorrowfully,
tears coursing down his cheeks. "Glavour is not one to await the
fulfillment of his desires and Lura had her dagger. Her soul is now with
Him whom we are taught to glorify. His will be done!"

"If it be His will," replied Damis. "Don't give up, Turgan, we may save
her yet." He turned to the Martians and formed a thought message in his
mind.

"Has your science any way of telling us who was in command of the Jovian
ship?" he asked.

"Were your men who lie dead familiar with the features of the Jovian
Viceroy?"

"Yes, all of them."

"Then we will search the brains of the dead. The pictures that are in
the living brain fade rapidly when death comes, but the last impression
of these men was a powerful one of fighting and hatred and some traces
may remain. I will search."

* * * * *

The huge slug crawled over the ground to the body of the nearest dead
Terrestrial. In one of his many hands he carried a shiny metal tube from
which c