!" For a moment the girl was silent; and when she spoke
again there was a hard note in her voice.

"I let him have hopes," she said, "--deliberately. I planned to make
him trust me, and give me the run of the ship, so I could find out all
I could. So far--before you came--I saw no slightest hope of ever
escaping back to Earth; but I had at least to look for a quick, sure
way to death, in case--in case--"

"You--and us too!" exclaimed Clee impulsively. "No Earth-man--no
American, at least--is ever going to submit to slavery. If the worst
comes to the worst, we'll at least die together, Vivian!"

Jim added soberly: "And perhaps, if we do, no one from Xantra's planet
will ever again come to Earth looking for 'docile' slaves...."

* * * * *

For a moment everyone was silent, affected by the thought behind what
they had said. Then the girl's voice suggested, with a touch of Earth
formality that was almost ludicrous under the circumstances: "But you
two men have not yet introduced yourselves!"

Both Clee and Jim smiled, and told her their names, and in the slight
pause that followed Clee said awkwardly, almost shyly: "Miss Gray, we
don't know what's in store for us here, and it--it's possible that we
may never know each other any better: so would you--I mean, I wonder
would you mind if I reached out and touched you. In spite of all we
have said. I--I can hardly realize that you are there, somewhere,
before me."

Out of the nothingness came an impulsive soft hand that closed over
his. There was both a smile and something deeper in Vivian's voice as
she said, "Here," and raised his hand until it touched her brow and
the thick smooth hair of her head. Then she placed it a little lower,
over her face; and gently Clee's fingers told him what his eyes could
not read.

"In case you never see me--why, I--I'd like you to know that I'm
really, not bad looking," she said; and Clee knew she was blushing as
he smiled at the eternal feminine in her.

* * * * *

But the smile suddenly left his face. His hand had felt her give a
distinct start. Then--

"He's calling!" she gasped faintly. "Xantra's calling for me to come
to him!" Her voice, as she spoke, moved, and Clee knew she was going
towards the door.

"No!" he cried impulsively. "Don't risk it! Stay here, and we'll begin
our fight against him right now!"

"I will be safe," came Vivian's reassuring voice from