w of the tower, was thrown off. We entered. My mind was
alert. This man of the Little People could not again turn on that
current without going outside. Once it was on, like an invisible wall it
would prevent our escape. But now--could not Georg and I with our
superior strength overpower this smaller man?

I caught Georg's glance as our captor led us into the lower room--an
apartment cut into the half-segment of a circle. Georg, at my elbow,
whispered: "No use! Where could we go? Could not get out of the
city----"

The hearing of the Little People is sharp. Wolfgar turned his head and
smiled. "You will be quite secure here--do not think of escape." His
bronzed fingers toyed with a cone at his belt. "Do not think of it."

Soon he left us, with the parting words: "You may use the upper circle
of balcony. The current rises only from its rail." He smiled and left
us. A pleasant smile; I felt myself liking this jailer of ours.

We took a turn of the tower. There were three bedrooms; a cookery, with
food and equipment wherein evidently it was intended that Elza could
prepare our meals; and two bath-apartments, one of them fairly
luxurious, with a pool almost large enough for a little swimming; tubes
of scent for the water and the usual temperature rods.

"Well," I remarked. "Obviously we are to be comfortable." I was trying
to be cheerful, but my heart was heavy with foreboding nevertheless.
"How long do you suppose they'll keep us here, Georg? And what----"

His impatient gesture stopped me. His mind was on Elza--alone down there
in the garden with Tarrano--as was mine, though I had not wanted to
speak of her.

There was an instrument room, up the circular incline in the peak of the
tower! We heard the hum of it; and when we went up there, the first
thing we saw was a mirror tuned in readiness for us to view the garden
we had just left. This strange Tarrano, giving Georg the visible proof
that he would keep his word and not harm Elza. We could see in this
mirror the image of the scene down there--Elza and Tarrano talking. But
could not hear the words--those were denied us. We saw the culprit
brought in; the punishment with the white-hot wire-lash, and a few
moments later Elza was with us.

During the hours which followed, we made no attempt to escape. Such an
effort would have been absurd. The current controls were outside, beyond
our reach. Visibly, we were free, with open, unbarred arches and
casements. But to pas