rength of a man in them, dug into my shoulders.
Her gaze searched me.

"You think you love someone else? Is that it?"

That was horribly startling; but she did not mean it just that way. She
amended with caustic venom: "That little Anita Prince! You thought you
loved her! Was that it?"

"No!"

But I hardly deceived her. "Sacred to her memory! Her ratlike little
face--soft voice like a purring, sniveling cat! Is that what you're
remembering, Gregg Haljan?" she sneered.

I tried to laugh. "What nonsense!"

"Is it? Then why are you cold under my touch? Am I--a girl descended
from the Martian flame-workers--impotent now to awaken a man?"

A woman scorned! In all the Universe there could be no more dangerous an
enemy. An incredible venom shot from her eyes.

"That miserable mouselike creature! Well for her that my brother killed
her."

It struck me cold. If Anita was unmasked, beyond all the menace of
Miko's wooing, I knew that the venom of Moa's jealousy was a greater
danger.

I said sharply, "Don't be simple, Moa!" I shook off her grip. "You
imagine too much. You forget that I am a man of the Earth and you a girl
of Mars."

"Is that reason why we should not love?"

"No. But our instincts are different. Men of the Earth are born to the
chase."

* * * * *

I was smiling. With thought of Anita's danger I could find it readily in
my heart to dupe this Amazon.

"Give me time, Moa. You attract me."

"You lie!"

"Do you think so?" I gripped her arm with all the power of my fingers.
It must have hurt her, but she gave no sign; her gaze clung to me
steadily.

"I don't know what to think, Gregg Haljan...."

I held my grip. "Think what you like. Men of Earth have been known to
kill the thing they love."

"You want me to fear you?"

"Perhaps."

She smiled scornfully. "That is absurd."

I released her. I said earnestly, "I want you to realize that if you
treat me fairly, I can be of great advantage to this venture. There will
be fighting--I am fearless."

Her venomous expression was softening. "I think that is true, Gregg."

"And you need my navigating skill. Even now I should be in the turret."

I stood up. I half expected she would stop me, but she did not. I added,
"Shall we go?"

She stood beside me. Her height brought her face level with mine.

"I think you will cause no more trouble, Gregg?"

"Of course not. I am not wholly witless."

"You have been."

"W