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Solemn with awe he went with his companions slowly down the incline.

CHAPTER III

Realm of Mystery

“We wish nothing of you,” the man said, “save that you accept from us what we have to offer. You are hungry. You will let us bring you food.”

It was a simple rustic room to which they had been brought–a room in a house seemingly of plaited straw. Crude furnishings were here–table and chairs of Earth fashion, padded with stuffed mats. Woven matting was on the floor. Through a broad latticed window the faint rose-light outside–like a soft pastel twilight–filtered in, tinting the room with a gentle glow. Thin drapes at the window stirred in a breath of breeze–a warm wind from the hills, scented with the vivid blooms which were everywhere.

It had been a brief walk from the space-globe. Lee had seen what seemed a little village stretching off among the trees. There had been people crowding to see the strangers–men, women and children, in simple crude peasant garb–brief garments that revealed their pink-white bodies. They babbled with strange unintelligible words, crowding forward until the robed men from the globe shoved them away.

It was a pastoral, peaceful scene–a little country-side drowsing in the warm rosy twilight. Out by the river there were fields where men stood at their simple agricultural implements–stood at rest, staring curiously at the commotion in the village.

And still Lee’s captors would say nothing, merely drew them forward, into this room. Then all of them left, save one. He had doffed his robe now. He was an old man, with long grey-white hair to the base of his neck. He stood smiling. His voice, with the English words queerly pronounced, was gentle, but with a firm finality of command.

“My name is Arkoh,” he said. “I am to see that you are made comfortable. This house is yours. There are several rooms, so that you may do in them as you wish.”

“Thank you,” Lee said. “But you can certainly understand–I have asked many questions and never had any answers. If you wish to talk to me alone–“

“That will come presently. There is no reason for you to be worried–“

“We’re not worried,” Franklin burst out. “We’re fed up with this highhanded stuff. You’ll answer questions now. What I demand to know is why–“

“Take it easy,” Lee warned.

Franklin had jumped to his feet. He flung off Lee’s hand. “Don’t make me laugh. I know you’re one of them–everything about you is a fake. You got us into this–“

“So? You would bring strife here from your Earth?” Arkoh’s voice cut in, like a knife-blade cleaving through Franklin’s bluster. “That is not permissible. Please do not make it necessary that there should be violence here.” He stood motionless. But before his gaze Franklin relaxed into an incoherent muttering.

“Thank you,” Arkoh said. “I shall send you the food.” He turned and left the room.

* * * * *

Vivian collapsed into a chair. She was trembling. “Well–my Gawd–what is all this? Lee–that old man with his gentle voice–he looked like if you crossed him you’d be dead. Not that he’d hurt you–it would be–would be something else–“

“You talk like an ass,” Franklin said. “You’ve gone crazy–and I don’t blame you–this damned weird thing. For all that old man’s smooth talk, we’re just prisoners here. Look outside that window–“

It was a little garden, drowsing in the twilight. A man stood watching the window. And as Lee went to the lattice, he could see others, like guards outside.

The man who brought their simple food was a stalwart fellow in a draped garment of brown plaited fibre. His black hair hung thick about his ears. He laid out the food in silence.

“What’s your name?” Franklin demanded.

“I am Groff.”