are perfectly helpless. Unlike you of the
Fenachrone, however, men of my race do not always kill strangers at
sight, merely because they are strangers. I will spare your life, if you
can give me anything of enough value to me to make extra time and
trouble worth while."

"You read my mind while I could not resist your childish efforts. I will
have no traffic whatever with you who have destroyed my vessel. If you
have mentality enough to understand any portion of my mind--which I
doubt--you already know the fate in store for you. Do with me what you
will." This from the stranger.

* * * * *

DuQuesne pondered long before he replied; considering whether it was to
his advantage to inform this stranger of the facts. Finally he decided.

"Sir, neither I nor this vessel had anything to do with the destruction
of your warship. Our detectors discovered you floating in empty space;
we stopped and rescued you from death. We have seen nothing else, save
what we saw pictured in your own brain. I know that, in common with all
of your race, you possess neither conscience nor honor, as we understand
the terms. An automatic liar by instinct and training whenever you think
lies will best serve your purpose, you may yet have intelligence enough
to recognize simple truth when you hear it. You already have observed
that we are of the same race as those who destroyed your vessel, and
have assumed that we are with them. In that you are wrong. It is true
that I am acquainted with those others, but they are my enemies. I am
here to kill them, not to aid them. You have already helped me in one
way--I know as much as does my enemy concerning the impenetrable shield
of force. If I will return you unharmed to your own planet, will you
assist me in stealing one of your ships of space, so that I may destroy
that Earth-vessel?"

The Fenachrone, paying no attention to DuQuesne's barbed comments
concerning his honor and veracity, did not hesitate an instant in his
reply.

"I will not. We supermen of the Fenachrone will allow no vessel of ours,
with its secrets unknown to any others of the Universe, to fall into the
hands of any of the lesser breeds of men."

"Well, you didn't try to lie that time, anyway," said DuQuesne, "but
think a minute. Seaton, my enemy, already has one of your vessels--don't
think he is too much of a fool to put it back together and to learn its
every secret. Then, too, remember that I have