tta. And then a fear for me rushed over her. A
realization, forgotten in the stress of this conflict with her
father, now swept over her. They were planning harm to me.

"No, do not bind me."

* * * * *

A sudden caution came to her. She was making it worse for me. Already
she had done me immense harm.

She said suddenly, "Do what you like with me. I was wrong. I have no
interest in that American. It is you, Greko, I--I love."

Spawn did not heed her. Perona insisted, "I would tie her with care."

He helped Spawn rope her ankles, and then her wrists, crossed behind
her.

"A little gag, Spawn? She might cry out: we want no interference
to-night." He was ready with a large silken handkerchief. They thrust
it into her mouth and tied it behind her neck.

"There," growled Spawn. "You will and you won't: we shall see about
that. Lie still, Jetta. If I have need to come again to you--"

They left her. And this time she heard them less clearly. But there
were fragments:

Perona: "I will meet him again. After dark, to-night. Yes, he expects
me. For his money, Spawn, his pay in advance. This De Boer works not
for nothing."

Spawn: "You will arrange about your police on the streets? He can get
here to my house safely?"

"Oh yes, at the tri-evening hour, certainly before midnight, before
the attack on the mine. You must stay here, Spawn. Pretend to be
asleep: it will lure the fool Americano out in to the moonlight."

* * * * *

Jetta could piece it together fairly well. They would have De Boer
come and abduct me. Not tell him I was a government agent, with the
micro-safety alarm which they suspected I carried, but just tell De
Boer that I was a rich American, who could be abducted and held for a
big ransom.

Perona's voice rose with a fragment: "If he springs his alarm, here in
the moonlight, you can be here, Spawn, and pretend to try and rescue
him. A radio-image of that flashed to Hanley's office will exonerate
us of suspicion."

Perona would promise De Boer that the Nareda government would pay the
ransom quickly, collecting it later from the United States.

Spawn said, "You think De Boer will believe that?"

"Why should he not? I am skilful at persuasion, no? Let him find out
later that the United States Government trackers are after him!"
Perona cackled at the thought of it. "What of that? Let him kill this
Grant. All the better."

Spawn sai