Scarce had the flier touched the ground when four men leaped from its deck. They ran forward toward the girl. 

 Still she made no sign of alarm, standing as though hypnotized. Or could it have been as one who awaited a welcome visitor? 

 Not until they were quite close to her did she move. Then the nearer moon, rising above the surrounding foliage, touched their faces, lighting all with the brilliancy of her silver rays. 

 Thuvia of Ptarth saw only strangers—warriors in the harness of Dusar. Now she took fright, but too late! 

 Before she could voice but a single cry, rough hands seized her. A heavy silken scarf was wound about her head. She was lifted in strong arms and borne to the deck of the flier. There was the sudden whirl of propellers, the rushing of air against her body, and, from far beneath the shouting and the challenge from the guard. 

 Racing toward the south another flier sped toward Helium. In its cabin a tall red man bent over the soft sole of an upturned sandal. With delicate instruments he measured the faint imprint of a small object which appeared there. Upon a pad beside him was the outline of a key, and here he noted the results of his measurements. 

 A smile played upon his lips as he completed his task and turned to one who waited at the opposite side of the table. 

 “The man is a genius,” he remarked. 

 “Only a genius could have evolved such a lock as this is designed to spring. Here, take the sketch, Larok, and give all thine own genius full and unfettered freedom in reproducing it in metal.” 

 The warrior-artificer bowed. “Man builds naught,” he said, “that man may not destroy.” Then he left the cabin with the sketch. 

 As dawn broke upon the lofty towers which mark the twin cities of Helium—the scarlet tower of one and the yellow tower of its sister—a flier floated lazily out of the north. 

 Upon its bow was emblazoned the signia of a lesser noble of a far city of the empire of Helium. Its leisurely approach and the evident confidence with which it moved across the city aroused no suspicion in the minds of the sleepy guard. Their round of duty nearly done, they had little thought beyond the coming of those who were to relieve them. 

 Peace reigned throughout Helium. Stagnant, emasculating peace. Helium had no 

 Prev. P 13/124 next