day, my
friend, I hope to open you up with my sword," he added.

"By all means," Sime agreed pleasantly. "My time is pretty well
occupied, but there's no telling when I may meet you again, in my
business. Good day, Captain!"

Tuman stayed at the front gate with his neuro while the others
struggled through the weedy garden to the police ship in the alley,
rejoining them as they were ready to rise.

* * * * *

A crowd had gathered. If they wondered at the appearance of these
ragged, scarred and bewhiskered men; at sweat and blood-covered giant
Tolto; the obviously high-bred girl in the laboring man's garments,
they wisely refrained from comment or action, in deference to the
neuros with which the party was bristling.

Once inside and safely in the air, they had time to breathe. Murray,
with a gallantry that sat ill on the scarecrow figure he was, cleared
matters up a trifle.

"Princess Sira? As I thought. Princess, or Your Highness, to be
formal, I am your humble and disreputable servant, Lige Murray, of the
Interplanetary Flying Police. Likewise this gentleman behind the
brush--Sime Hemingway. You know Tuman? You've missed something, Your
Highness! And Tolto! Lucky man!"

Sira recovered quickly from her reaction following the fight. She
found a first-aid kit, bandaged Tolto's wounded shoulder skilfully and
quickly. She had given no sign of recognition as Sime awkwardly bowed,
during Murray's introduction, but now, as Sime held a roll of bandage
for her, she gave him a sidewise look, agleam with mischief.

"But I have decided to remit the punishment--the sentence I passed on
you, Mr. Hemingway," she said, her sweet, child-like face innocent.

"What punishment?" Sime gasped.

"Why, the punishment of death! For kissing me that night!" she
laughed, turning her back.

Murray was heading back for the government park. It was a short
distance with the police car. Soon the broad grounds, with their
scattered, magnificent buildings, lay below them. But the parks were
strangely bare of living creatures. Here and there lay the bodies of
men or women.

"Something's happened!" Murray shouted excitedly. "Look out!"

* * * * *

He swerved the ship sharply. They escaped damage as an atomic bomb,
unskilfully aimed, exploded far to one side.

"Funny thing, firing on a police car," Sime puzzled. "They might have
got news from that detachment we grounded, but