ll of its distended body ... noisome ... the revulsion, the nausea of
it all but overcame me.

At last the thing lay still; and from the wet, sticky foulness of it I
rose and stood shuddering. Elza lay on the ground; but she had risen
upon one elbow and I saw that she was unharmed save for the shock of
terror through which she had passed--a mitigated shock with the
knowledge now that I was with her, and that I too was uninjured.

The infant thing had vanished. I hastened forward.

"Elza! Elza, dear--"

Joy lighted her face.

"Jac!"

I would have lifted her up; but the consciousness of my own
foulness--the yellow-white slime streaked with red which smeared my
arms, splattered my clothing--gave me pause. In the growing light,
beyond the clearing, I caught the silver sheen of water. Without a word
I ran for it; a shimmering pool the existence of which no doubt had
drawn these grewsome beings of the forest into its vicinity. To the
cleansing water I ran, plunged in, purged myself of that horrible
foulness which human senses could not endure.

When I returned, Elza was upon her feet. Recovered at last she flung
herself into my arms. Impulsive; seeking protection as she clung to me;
fear; the let-down of overwrought nerves as she stood and clung and
sobbed upon my shoulder.

It was all of that; but oh! it was more than that as well. My Elza,
raising her tear-stained face and kissing me. Murmuring, "Jac, I love
you!" Murmuring her love: "Jac dear, you're safe! I've wanted so long to
be with you again--I've been so frightened--so frightened--"

Giving me back my kisses unreserved; holding me with eager
arms ... Tarrano? The memory of him came to me. How foolish my fears,
my jealousy! That man of genius ... conqueror of worlds ...

But my Elza loved _me_!...

CHAPTER XXXI

_Industriana_

It must have been two days later when at last we were rescued by the
_Rhaal_ patrol and taken to Industriana. Back there in the forest I had
suddenly remembered that the mate to the thing I had killed would
doubtless be lurking in the vicinity. We fled. Subsisting on what food
of the wilds we could find, at last we were picked up and taken to the
City of Work.

The Great City had been destroyed. Wanton capital of the Central State,
we learned now that it lay dead. To outward aspect, unharmed. Fair,
serene, alluring as ever it lay there on its shimmering waters; but the
life within it, was dead. Refugees--a quarter perh