carpeted plains were only clumps of a willowy shrub from
which hung； like grapes； clusters of white waxen blooms。
The light too had changed； gone were the dancing； sparkling
atoms and the silver had faded to a soft； almost ashen grey…
ness。 Ahead of us marched a rampart of coppery cliffs rising；
like all these mountainous walls we had seen； into the im…
mensities of haze。 Something long drifting in my subcon…
sciousness turned to startled realization。 The speed of the
shell was slackening！ The aperture containing the ionizing
mechanism was still open； I glanced within； The whirling ball
of fire was not dimmed； but its coruscations； instead of pour…
ing down through the cylinder； swirled and eddied and shot
back as though trying to re…enter their source。 Rador nodded
grimly。
〃The Shadow takes its toll；〃 he said。
We topped a riseLarry gripped my arm。
〃Look！〃 he cried； and pointed。 Far； far behind us； so far
that the road was but a glistening thread； a score of shining
points came speeding。
〃Lugur and his men；〃 said Rador。
〃Can't you step on her？〃 asked Larry。
〃Step on her？〃 repeated the green dwarf； puzzled。
〃Give her more speed； push her；〃 explained O'Keefe。
Rador looked about him。 The coppery ramparts were
close； not more than three or four miles distant； in front of
us the plain lifted in a long rolling swell； and up this the
_corial_ essayed to gowith a terrifying lessening of speed。
Faintly behind us came shootings； and we knew that Lugur
drew close。 Nor anywhere was there sign of Lakla nor her
frogmen。
Now we were half…way to the crest； the shell barely
crawled and from beneath it came a faint hissing； it quiv…
ered； and I knew that its base was no longer held above the
glassy surface but rested on it。
〃One last chance！〃 exclaimed Rador。 He pressed upon the
control lever and wrenched it from its socket。 Instantly the
sparkling ball expanded； whirling with prodigious rapidity
and sending a cascade of coruscations into the cylinder。 The
shell rose； leaped through the air； the dark crystal split
into fragments； the fiery ball dulled； diedbut upon the
impetus of that last thrust we reached the crest。 Poised there
for a moment； I caught a glimpse of the road dropping down
the side of an enormous moss…covered； bowl…shaped valley
whose sharply curved sides ended abruptly at the base of
the towering barrier。
Then down the steep； powerless to guide or to check the
shell； we plunged in a meteor rush straight for the annihilat…
ing adamantine breasts of the cliffs！
Now the quick thinking of Larry's air training came to our
aid。 As the rampart reared close he threw himself upon
Rador； hurled him and himself against the side of the flying
whorl。 Under the shock the finely balanced machine swerved
from its course。 It struck the soft； low bank of the road； shot
high in air； bounded on through the thick carpeting； whirled
like a dervish and fell upon its side。 Shot from it； we rolled
for yards； but the moss saved broken bones or serious bruise。
〃Quick！〃 cried the green dwarf。 He seized an arm； dragged
me to my feet； began running to the cliff base not a hundred
feet away。 Beside us raced O'Keefe and Olaf。 At our left was
the black road。 It stopped abruptlywas cut off by a slab
of polished crimson stone a hundred feet high； and as wide；
set within the coppery face of the barrier。 On each side of it
stood pillars； cut from the living rock and immense； almost；
as those which held the rainbow veil of the Dweller。 Across
its face weaved unnameable carvingsbut I had no time for
more than a glance。 The green dwarf gripped my arm again。
〃Quick！〃 he cried again。 〃The handmaiden has passed！〃
At the right of the Portal ran a low wall of shattered rock。
Over this we raced like rabbits。 Hidden behind it was a
narrow path。 Crouching； Rador in the lead； we sped along
it； three hundred； four hundred yards we racedand the
path ended in a _cul de sac_！ To our ears was borne a louder
shouting。
The first of the pursuing shells had swept over the lip of
the great bowl； poised for a moment as we had and then
began a cautious descent。 Within it； scanning the slopes； I
saw Lugur。
〃A little closer and I'll get him！〃 whispered Larry
viciously。 He raised his pistol。
His hand was caught in a mighty grip； Rador； eyes blaz…
ing； stood beside him。
〃No！〃 rasped the green dwarf。 He heaved a shoulder
against one of the boulders that formed the pocket。 It rocked
aside； revealing a slit。
〃In！〃 ordered he； straining against the weight of the stone。
O'Keefe slipped through。 Olaf at his back； I following。 With
a lightning leap the dwarf was beside me； the huge rock
missing him by a hair breadth as it swung into place！
We were in Cimmerian darkness。 I felt for my pocket…flash
and recalled with distress that I had left it behind with my
medicine kit when we fled from the gardens。 But Rador
seemed to need no light。
〃Grip hands！〃 he ordered。 We crept； single file； holding
to each other like children； through the black。 At last the
green dwarf paused。
〃Await me here；〃 he whispered。 〃Do not move。 And for
your livesbe silent！〃
And he was gone。
CHAPTER XXIII
Dragon Worm and Moss Death
FOR a small eternityto me at leastwe waited。 Then as
silent as ever the green dwarf returned。 〃It is well；〃 he
said； some of the strain gone from his voice。 〃Grip hands
again； and follow。〃
〃Wait a bit； Rador；〃 this was Larry。 〃Does Lugur know
this side entrance？ If he does； why not let Olaf and me go
back to the opening and pick them off as they come in？ We
could hold the lotand in the meantime you and Goodwin
could go after Lakla for help。〃
〃Lugur knows the secret of the Portalif he dare use it；〃
answered the captain； with a curious indirection。 〃And now
that they have challenged the Silent Ones I think he WILL
dare。 Also； he will find our tracksand it may be that he
knows this hidden way。〃
〃Well； for God's sake！〃 O'Keefe's appalled bewilderment
was almost ludicrous。 〃If HE knows all that； and YOU knew
all that； why didn't you let me click him when I had the chance？〃
〃_Larree_；〃 the green dwarf was oddly humble。 〃It seemed
good to me； tooat first。 And then I heard a command；
heard it clearly； to stop youthat Lugur die not now； lest a
greater vengeance fail！〃
〃Command？ From whom？〃 The Irishman's voice distilled
out of the blackness the very essence of bewilderment。
〃I thought；〃 Rador was whispering〃I thought it came
from the Silent Ones！〃
〃Superstition！〃 groaned O'Keefe in utter exasperation。
〃Always superstition！ What can you do against it！
〃Never mind； Rador。〃 His sense of humour came to his
aid。 〃It's too late now； anyway。 Where do we go from here；
old dear？〃 he laughed。
〃We tread the path of one I am not fain to meet；〃 answered
Rador。 〃But if meet we must； point the death tubes at the
pale shield he bears upon his throat and send the flame into
the flower of cold fire that is its centrenor look into his
eyes！〃
Again Larry gasped； and I with him。
〃It's getting too deep for me； Doc；〃 he muttered de…
jectedly。 〃Can you make head or tail of it？〃
〃No；〃 I answered； shortly enough； 〃but Rador fears some…
thing and that's his description of it。〃
〃Sure；〃 he replied； 〃only it's a code I don't understand。〃
I could feel his grin。 〃All right for the flower of cold fire；
Rador； and I won't look into his eyes；〃 he went on cheerfully。
〃But hadn't we better be moving？〃
〃Come！〃 said the soldier； again hand in hand we went
blindly on。
O'Keefe was muttering to himself。
〃Flower of cold fire！ Don't look into his eyes！ Some joint！
Damned superstition。〃 Then he chuckled and carolled； softly：
〃Oh； mama； pin a cold rose on me；
Two young frog…men are in love with me；
Shut my eyes so I can't see。〃
〃Sh！〃 Rador was warning； he began whispering。 〃For half
a _va_ we go along a way of death。 From its peril we pass into
another against whose dangers I can guard you。 But in part
this is in view of the roadway and it may be that Lugur will
see us。 If so； we must fight as best we can。 If we pass these
two roads safely； then is the way to the Crimson Sea clear；
nor need we fear Lugur nor any。 And there is another thing
that Lugur does not knowwhen he opens the Portal the
Silent Ones will hear and Lakla and the _Akka_ will be swift
to greet its opener。〃
〃Rador；〃 I asked； 〃how know YOU all this？〃
〃The handmaiden is my own sister's child；〃 he answered quietly。
O'Keefe drew a long breath。
〃Uncle；〃 he remarked casually in English； 〃meet the man
who's going to be your nephew！〃
cept by the avuncular title； which Rador； humorously
enough； apparently conceived to be one of respectful en…
dearment。
For me a light broke。 Plain now was the reason for his
foreknowledge of Lakla's appearance at the feast where
Larry had so narrowly escaped Yolara's spells； plain the
determining factor that had cast his lot with ours； and my
confidence； despite his discourse of mysterious perils； experi…
enced a remarkable quickening。
Speculation as to the marked differences in pigmentation
and appearance of niece and uncle was dissipated by my
consciousness that we were now moving in a dim half…light。
We were in a fairly wide tunnel。 Not far ahead the gleam
filtered； pale yellow like sunlight sifting through the leaves
of autumn poplars。 And as we drove closer to its source I
saw that it did indeed pass through a leafy screen hanging
over the passage end。 This Rador drew aside cautiously；
beckoned us and we stepped through。
It appeared to be a tunnel cut through soft green mould。
Its base was a flat strip of pathway a yard wide from whic