m, of blue-white osmium. Many
of them. Thousands of pounds, Thad knew. He trembled at thought of
their value. Almost beyond calculation.

Then he saw the coffer, lying beyond the piled, gleaming ingots--a
huge box, eight feet long; made of some crystal that glittered with
snowy whiteness, filled with sparkling, iridescent gleams, and inlaid
with strange designs, apparently in vermilion enamel.

With a little cry, he ran toward the chest, moving awkwardly in the
loose, deflated fabric of the Osprey suit.

* * * * *

Beside the coffer, on the floor of the hold, was literally a mountain
of flame--blazing gems, heaped as if they had been carelessly dumped
from it; cut diamonds, incredibly gigantic; monster emeralds,
sapphires, rubies; and strange stones, that Thad did not recognize.

And Thad gasped with horror, when he looked at the designs of the
vermilion inlay, in the white, gleaming crystal. Weird forms. Shapes
of creatures somewhat like gigantic spiders, and more unlike them.
Demoniac things, wickedly fanged, jaws slavering. Executed with
masterly skill, that made them seem living, menacing, secretly
gloating!

Thad stared at them for long minutes, fascinated almost hypnotically.
Three times he approached the chest, to lift the lid and find what it
held. And three times the unutterable horror of those crimson images
thrust him back, shuddering.

"Nothing but pictures," he muttered hoarsely.

A fourth time he advanced, trembling, and seized the lid of the
coffer. Heavy, massive, it was fashioned also of glistening white
crystal, and inlaid in crimson with weirdly hideous figures. Great
hinges of white platinum held it on the farther side; it was fastened
with a simple, heavy hasp of the precious metal.

Hands quivering, Thad snapped back the hasp, lifted the lid.

New treasure in the chest would not have surprised him. He was
prepared to meet dazzling wonders of gems or priceless metal. Nor
would he have been astonished at some weird creature such as one of
those whose likenesses were inlaid in the crystal.

But what he saw made him drop the massive lid.

A woman lay in the chest--motionless, in white.

* * * * *

In a moment he raised the lid again; examined the still form more
closely. The woman had been young. The features were regular, good to
look upon. The eyes were closed; the white face appeared very
peaceful.

Save for the extrem