ctor. Its dull light caught the floating bundle,
neutralizing its metallic wrappings.

It swung off at a tangent. Speeding. Falling free in the dome of the
heavens. A rotating black oblong. But in a moment distance dwindled it
to a speck. A dull silver dot with the sunlight on it. A speck of
human Earth dust, falling free....

It vanished. Anita--gone.

XI

I turned from the deck. Miko was near me! So he had dared show himself
here among us! But I realized he could not be aware we knew he was the
murderer. George Prince had been asleep, had not seen Miko with Anita.
Miko, with impulsive rage had shot the girl and escaped. No doubt now
he was cursing himself for having done it. And he could very well
assume that Anita had died without regaining consciousness to tell who
had killed her.

He gazed at me now. I thought for an instant he was coming over to
talk with me. Though he probably considered he was not suspected of
the murder of Anita, he realized, of course, that his attack on me was
known. He must have wondered what action would be taken.

But he did not approach me. He moved away and went inside. Moa had
been near him; and as though by prearrangement with him she now
accosted me.

"I want to speak to you, _Set_ Haljan."

"Go ahead."

I felt an instinctive aversion to this Martian girl. Yet she was not
unattractive. Over six feet tall, straight and slim. Sleek blond hair.
Rather a handsome face; not gray, like the burly Miko, but pink and
white; stern lipped, but feminine, too. She was smiling gravely now.
Her blue eyes regarded me keenly. She said gently:

"A sad occurrence, Gregg Haljan. And mysterious. I would not question
you--"

"Is that all you have to say?" I demanded.

"No. You are a handsome man, Gregg--attractive to women--to any
Martian woman."

She said it impulsively. Admiration for me was on her face, in her
eyes--a man cannot miss it.

"Thank you."

"I mean, I would be your friend. My brother Miko is so sorry about
what happened between you and him this morning. He only wanted to talk
to you, and he came to your cubby door--"

"With a torch to break its seal," I interjected.

She waved that away. "He was afraid you would not admit him. He told
you he would not harm you."

"And so he struck me with one of your Martian paralyzing rays!"

"He is sorry...."

She seemed gauging me, trying, no doubt, to find out what reprisal
would be taken against her brother. I felt s