Part 18 (1/2)

Unlike in shape, their flaolden zone, still I knew that they were even as those--ORGANS, organs of unknown senses, unknown potentialities Their nuclei I could not observe

The floating figures had drawn close to that disk and had paused

And on theof the spell that had bound us, an instantaneous withdrawal of the inhibiting force Ventnor broke into a run, holding his rifle at the alert We raced after hi, we stopped short not a dozen paces away

For Norhala had soared up toward the flaentle, unseen hands Close to it for an instant she swung I saw the exquisite body gleah bathed in soft flaher she floated, and toward the right of the zodiac Froes of three of the ovoids swirled a little cloud of tentacles, gossamer filaments of opal They whipped out a full yard fro her

For athere, her face hidden from us; then was dropped softly to her feet and stood, ar cloudily about her regal head

And up past her floated Ruth, levitated as had been she--and her face, ecstatic as though she were gazing into Paradise, yet drenched with the tranquillity of the infinite Her wide eyes stared up toward that rose of splendors through which the pulsing colors now racedpoised before it while around her head a faint aureole began to forossah clothing--perplexedly They coiled about her neck, stole through her hair, brushed shut her eyes, circled her brow, her breasts, girdled her

Weirdly was it like so, some creature of another species--puzzled by its similarity and unsimilarity with the one other creature of its kind it knew, and striving to reconcile those differences And like such a questioning brain calling upon others for counsel, it swung Ruth upward to the watching star at the right

A rifle shot rang out

Another--the reports breaking the silence like a profanation Unseen by either of us, Ventnor had slipped to one side where he could cover the core of ruby flame that must have seemed to him the heart of the Disk's rose of fire He knelt a few yards ahite lipped, eyes cold gray ice, sighting carefully for a third shot

”Don't! Martin--don't fire!” I shouted, leaping toward hiled with my own

But before we could reach hi sn the face of the Disk glided the upright body of Ruth, struck softly, stood swaying

And out of the blue-black convexity within a star point of one of the opened pyra bolt as real as any hurled by tempest, upon Ventnor

The shattered air closed behind the strealass

It struck--Norhala

It struck her It seemed to splash upon her, to run down her like water

One curling tongue writhed over her bare shoulder and leaped to the barrel of the rifle in Ventnor's hands It flashed up it and licked hih in air, exploding as it went He leaped convulsively fro, low, bitter and heartbroken Past us ran Ruth, all dreaic mask of human woe and terror She threw herself down beside her brother, felt of his heart; then raised herself upon her knees and thrust out supplicating hands to the shapes

”Don't hurt him any more! He didn't mean it!” she cried out to theht one of Norhala's hands

”Norhala--don't let them kill him Don't let them hurt him any more

Please!” she sobbed

Beside

”If they touch her I'll kill the woman! I will, by God I will!” He strode to Norhala's side

”If you want to live, call off these devils of yours” His voice was strangled

She looked at hi on the tranquil brow, in the clear, untroubled gaze Of course she could not understand his words--but it was not that which row