wers disappeared through the
back door of the room. An outer door clanged noisily, and the Very Young
Man and Aura were left alone in the house.

Reoh murdered, Loto stolen! The Very Young Man thought of Lylda and
wondered if anything could have happened to her. "Did they speak of your
sister?" he asked.

"Targo said--he--he would put her to death," Aura answered with a
shudder. "He said--she killed his brother to-day." She turned to the
Very Young Man impulsively, putting her little hands up on his
shoulders. "Oh, my friend," she exclaimed. "You can do something to save
my family? Targo is so strong, so cruel. My father----" She stopped, and
choked back a sob.

"Did they say where Lylda was now?"

"They did not know. She grew very big and went away."

"Where is your brother and my two friends?"

"Targo said they were here when he--he took Loto. Now they have gone
home. He was afraid of them--now--because they have the drugs."

"To-morrow they are going to send a messenger from Orlog to demand the
drugs?"

"He said to-morrow. Oh, you will do something for us? You can save
Loto?"

The Very Young Man was beginning to formulate a plan. "And to-night," he
asked, "from what they said--are you sure they will not hurt Loto?"

"They said no. But he is so little--so----" The girl burst into tears,
and at every sob the Very Young Man's heart leaped in his breast. He
wanted to comfort her, but he could think of no word to say; he wanted
to help her--to do the best thing in what he saw was a grave crisis.
What he should have done was to have taken her back to the Chemist and
his friends, and then with them planned the rescue of Loto. But with the
girl's hands upon his shoulders, and her sorrowful little tear-stained
face looking up to his, he did not think of that. He thought only of her
and her pathetic appeal. "You will do something, my friend? You can save
Loto?" He could save Loto! With the power of the drugs he could do
anything!

The Very Young Man made a sudden decision. "I don't know the way to
Orlog; you do?" he asked abruptly.

"Oh yes, I know it well."

"We will go to Orlog, you and I--now, and rescue Loto. You will not be
afraid?"

The girl's eyes looked into his with a clear, steady gaze. The Very
Young Man stared down into their depths with his heart pounding. "I
shall not be afraid--with you," said the girl softly.

The Very Young Man drew a long breath. He knew he must think it all out
carefully