then, in his mind, for he knew that all streams go to
the sea."

"Perhaps he had a ship-of-the-sky there at the beach," Nrana said
worriedly. "All Earthlings come from the sky. The Father-of-Us told us
that."

"Perhaps he will come back to us," said Alwa. His old eyes misted.

* * * * *

Mr. Smith was coming back all right, and sooner than they had dared to
hope. As soon in fact, as he could make the trip to the shack and
return. He came back dressed in clothing very different from the garb
the other white man had worn. Shining leather boots and the uniform of
the Galactic Guard, and a wide leather belt with a holster for his
needle gun.

But the gun was in his hand when, at dusk, he strode into the compound.

He said, "I am Number One, the Lord of all the Solar System, and your
ruler. Who was chief among you?"

Alwa had been in his hut, but he heard the words and came out. He
understood the words, but not their meaning. He said, "Earthling, we
welcome you back. I am the chief."

"You were the chief. Now you will serve me. I am the chief."

Alwa's old eyes were bewildered at the strangeness of this. He said, "I
will serve you, yes. All of us. But it is not fitting that an Earthling
should be chief among--"

The whisper of the needle gun. Alwa's wrinkled hands went to his scrawny
neck where, just off the center, was a sudden tiny pin prick of a hole.
A faint trickle of red coursed over the dark blue of his skin. The old
man's knees gave way under him as the rage of the poisoned needle dart
struck him, and he fell. Others started toward him.

"Back," said Mr. Smith. "Let him die slowly that you may all see what
happens to--"

But one of the chief's wives, one who did not understand the speech of
Earth, was already lifting Alwa's head. The needle gun whispered again,
and she fell forward across him.

"I am Number One," said Mr. Smith, "and Lord of all the planets. All who
oppose me, die by--"

And then, suddenly all of them were running toward him. His finger
pressed the trigger and four of them died before the avalanche of their
bodies bore him down and overwhelmed him. Nrana had been first in that
rush, and Nrana died.

The others tied the Earthling up and threw him into one of the huts. And
then, while the women began wailing for the dead, the men made council.

They elected Kallana chief and he stood before them and said, "The
Father-of-Us, the Mister Gerhardt, deceiv