the
point at which they had made their landing.

* * * * *

Then, having reached the eastbound level, he headed straight in the
direction of the palace of Fragoni.

Dirk cast a glance at the great city that lay far beneath him. High up
into the heavens it tossed the fulgurant fires that betokened its wealth
and power. And, down among those myriad lights, millions and millions of
people were restless under the danger that menaced them. It was only a
matter of moments now before their fate, and the fate of their great
metropolis, would be decided. By dawn they would be free forever from
the threat of subjugation and slavery or else they, and all that they
had toiled and striven for, would be the veriest dust of dying embers.

And whatever befell them likewise would befall the rest of the world and
every living thing that moved upon it.

Dirk was high above Fragoni's when he stopped the forward flight of the
plane and, dropping it rapidly through the misty night, brought up
easily on the landing stage. The other planes which had been there when
he and Steinholt had taken their departure were gone and Dirk felt a
sense of relief when he observed this. Inga, then, must have departed
with the other occupants of the colossal structure. Things were going
according to the plan that he had conceived. He stepped out of the
cabin, followed by Steinholt, and proceeded hastily along the terrace
and turned the corner into the garden.

Then he came to an abrupt halt because there, before him, was Zitlan,
with one of the deadly ray-tubes of the Lodorians in his hand.

* * * * *

Dirk knew immediately that something unexpected had happened and that he
was in the power of one who not only hated him but who had an unholy
desire for Inga.

He realized, too, that any show of resistance would be nothing short of
suicide, for he was well aware of the deadliness of the strange weapon
with which he and Steinholt were being menaced by the gloating
Lodorian.

"One false move and you die!" warned Zitlan. "Come forward, now, and
join those two others over whom Anteucan and Huazibar are watching."

Dirk and Steinholt promptly obeyed the command of Zitlan and walked over
to where Fragoni and Lazarre were being guarded by two of the
conquerors.

The rain had ceased to fall, but the skies were dark and overcast with
heavy clouds. There was an occasional flash of lightning, and