ing　stars　that　bathed　her　in　violet　radiance。　Beneath　their　upper　tips　I　saw　the　blasting　ovals　glitter　menacingly。
  The　girl　glared　at　usmore　brilliant　grew　the　glittering　ovals　as　though　their　lightnings　trembled　on　their　lips。
  〃Ruth！〃　called　Ventnor　softly。
  A　shadow　softened　the　intolerable；　hard　brilliancy　of　the　brown　eyes。　In　them　something　struggled　to　arise；　fighting　its　way　to　the　surface　like　some　drowning　human　thing。
  It　sank　backupon　her　face　dropped　a　cloud　of　heartbreak；　appalling　woe；　the　despair　of　a　soul　that；　having　withdrawn　all　faith　in　its　own　kind　to　rest　all　faith；　as　it　thought；　on　angelssees　that　faith　betrayed。
  There　stared　upon　us　a　stripped　spirit；　naked　and　hopeless　and　terrible。
  Despairing；　raging；　she　screamed　once　more。　The　central　globe　swam　to　her；　it　raised　her　upon　its　back；　glided　to　the　doorway。　Upon　it　she　stood　poised　like　some　youthful；　anguished　Victorya　Victory　who　faced　and　knew　she　faced　destroying　defeat；　poised　upon　that　enigmatic　orb　on　bare　slender　feet；　one　sweet　breast　bare；　hands　upraised；　virginally　archaic；　nothing　about　her　of　the　Ruth　we　knew。
  〃Ruth！〃　cried　Drake；　despair　as　great　as　that　upon　her　face　was　in　his　voice。　He　sprang　before　the　globe　that　held　her；　barred　its　way。
  For　an　instant　the　Thing　pausedand　in　that　instant　the　human　soul　of　the　girl　rushed　back。
  〃No！〃　she　cried。　〃No！〃
  A　weird　call　issued　from　the　white　lipsstumbling；　uncertain；　as　though　she　who　sent　it　forth　herself　wondered　whence　it　sprang。　Abruptly　the　angry　stars　closed。　The　three　globes　spundoubting；　puzzled！　Again　she　called　now　a　tremulous；　halting　cadence。　She　was　lifted；　dropped　gently　to　her　feet。
  For　an　instant　the　globes　and　pyramids　whirled　and　danced　before　herthen　sped　away　through　the　portal。
  Ruth　swayed；　sobbing。　Then　as　though　drawn；　she　ran　to　the　doorway；　fled　through　it。　As　one　we　sprang　after　her。　Rods　ahead　her　white　body　flashed；　speeding　toward　the　Pit。　Like　fleet…footed　Atalanta　she　fledand　far；　far　behind　us　was　the　blue　bower；　the　misty　barrier　of　the　veils　close；　when　Drake　with　a　last　desperate　burst　reached　her　side；　gripped　her。　Down　the　two　fell；　rolling　upon　the　smooth　roadway。　Silently　she　fought；　biting；　tearing　at　Drake；　struggling　to　escape。
  〃Quick！〃　gasped　Ventnor；　stretching　out　to　me　an　arm。　〃Cut　off　the　sleeve。　Quick！〃
  Unquestioningly；　I　drew　my　knife；　ripped　the　garment　at　the　shoulder。　He　snatched　the　sleeve；　knelt　at　Ruth's　head；　rapidly　he　crumpled　an　end；　thrust　it　roughly　into　her　mouth；　tied　it　fast；　gagging　her。
  〃Hold　her！〃　he　ordered　Drake；　and　with　a　sob　of　relief　sprang　up。　The　girl's　eyes　blazed　at　him；　filled　with　hate。
  〃Cut　that　other　sleeve；〃　he　said；　and　when　I　had　done　so；　he　knelt　again；　pinned　Ruth　down　with　a　knee　at　her　throat；　turned　her　over　and　knotted　her　hands　behind　her。　She　ceased　struggling；　gently　now　he　drew　up　the　curly　head；　swung　her　upon　her　back。
  〃Hold　her　feet。〃　He　nodded　to　Drake；　who　caught　the　slender　bare　ankles　in　his　hands。
  She　lay　there；　helpless；　being　unable　to　use　her　hands　or　feet。
  〃Too　little　Ruth；　and　too　much　Norhala；〃　said　Ventnor；　looking　up　at　me。　〃If　she'd　only　thought　to　cry　out！　She　could　have　brought　a　regiment　of　those　Things　down　to　blast　us。　And　wouldif　she　HAD　thought。　You　don't　think　THAT　is　Ruth；　do　you？〃
  He　pointed　to　the　pallid　face　glaring　at　him；　the　eyes　from　which　cold　fires　flamed。
  〃No；　you　don't！〃　He　caught　Drake　by　the　shoulder；　sent　him　spinning　a　dozen　feet　away。　〃Damn　it；　Drake　don't　you　understand！〃
  For　suddenly　Ruth's　eyes　softened；　she　had　turned　them　on　Dick　pitifully；　appealinglyand　he　had　loosed　her　ankles；　had　leaned　forward　as　though　to　draw　away　the　band　that　covered　her　lips。
  〃Your　gun；〃　whispered　Ventnor　to　me；　before　I　had　moved　he　had　snatched　the　automatic　from　my　holster；　had　covered　Drake　with　it。
  〃Drake；〃　he　said；　〃stand　where　you　are。　If　you　take　another　step　toward　this　girl　I'll　shoot　youby　God；　I　will！〃
  Drake　halted；　shocked　amazement　in　his　face；　I　myself　felt　resentful；　wondering　at　his　outburst。
  〃But　it's　hurting　her；〃　he　muttered；　Ruth's　eyes；　soft　and　pleading；　still　dwelt　upon　him。
  〃Hurting　her！〃　exclaimed　Ventnor。　〃Manshe's　my　sister！　I　know　what　I'm　doing。　Can't　you　see？　Can't　you　see　how　little　of　Ruth　is　in　that　body　therehow　little　of　the　girl　you　love？　How　or　why　I　don't　knowbut　that　it　is　so　I　DO　know。　Drakehave　you　forgotten　how　Norhala　beguiled　Cherkis？　I　want　my　sister　back。　I'm　helping　her　to　get　back。　Now　let　be。　I　know　what　I'm　doing。　Look　at　her！〃
  We　looked。　In　the　face　that　glared　up　at　Ventnor　was　nothing　of　Rutheven　as　he　had　said。　There　was　the　same　cold；　awesome　wrath　that　had　rested　upon　Norhala's　as　she　watched　Cherkis　weep　over　the　eating　up　of　his　city。　Swiftly　came　a　changelike　the　sudden　smoothing　out　of　the　rushing　waves　of　a　hill…locked；　wind…lashed　lake。
  The　face　was　again　Ruth's　faceand　Ruth's　alone；　the　eyes　were　Ruth's　eyessupplicating；　adjuring。
  〃Ruth！〃　Ventnor　cried。　〃While　you　can　hearam　I　not　right？〃
  She　nodded　vigorously；　sternly；　she　was　lost；　hidden　once　more。
  〃You　see。〃　He　turned　to　us　grimly。
  A　shattering　shaft　of　light　flashed　upon　the　veils；　almost　pierced　them。　An　avalanche　of　sound　passed　high　above　us。　Yet　now　I　noted　that　where　we　stood　the　clamor　was　lessened；　muffled。　Of　course；　it　came　to　me；　it　was　the　veils。
  I　wondered　whyfor　whatever　the　quality　of　the　radiant　mists；　their　purpose　certainly　had　to　do　with　concentration　of　the　magnetic　flux。　The　deadening　of　the　noise　must　be　accidental；　could　have　nothing　to　do　with　their　actual　use；　for　sound　is　an　air　vibration　solely。　No　it　must　be　a　secondary　effect。　The　Metal　Monster　was　as　heedless　of　clamor　as　it　was　of　heat　or　cold
  〃We've　got　to　see；〃　Ventnor　broke　the　chain　of　thought。　〃We've　got　to　get　through　and　see　what's　happening。　Win　or　losewe've　got　to　KNOW。〃
  〃Cut　off　your　sleeve；　as　I　did；〃　he　motioned　to　Drake。　〃Tie　her　ankles。　We'll　carry　her。〃
  Quickly　it　was　done。　Ruth's　light　body　swinging　between　brother　and　lover；　we　moved　forward　into　the　mists；　we　crept　cautiously　through　their　dead　silences。
  Passed　out　and　fell　back　into　them　from　a　searing　chaos　of　light；　chaotic　tumult。
  From　the　slackened　grip　of　Ventnor　and　Drake　the　body　of　Ruth　dropped　while　we　three　stood　blinded；　deafened；　fighting　for　recovery。　Ruth　twisted；　rolled　toward　the　brink；　Ventnor　threw　himself　upon　her；　held　her　fast。
  Dragging　her；　crawling　on　our　knees；　we　crept　forward；　we　stopped　when　the　thinning　of　the　mists　permitted　us　to　see　through　them　yet　still　interposed　a　curtaining　which；　though　tenuous；　dimmed　the　intolerable　brilliancy　that　filled　the　Pit；　muffled　its　din　to　a　degree　we　could　bear。
  I　peered　through　themand　nerve　and　muscle　were　locked　in　the　grip　of　a　paralyzing　awe。　I　felt　then　as　one　would　feel　set　close　to　warring　regiments　of　stars；　made　witness　to　the　death…throes　of　a　universe；　or　swept　through　space　and　held　above　the　whirling　coils　of　Andromeda's　nebula　to　watch　its　birth　agonies　of　nascent　suns。
  These　are　no　figures　of　speech；　no　hyperbolesspeck　as　our　whole　planet　would　be　in　Andromeda's　vast　loom；　pinprick　as　was　the　Pit　to　the　cyclone　craters　of　our　own　sun；　within　the　cliff…cupped　walls　of　the　valley　was　a　tangible；　struggling　living　force　akin　to　that　which　dwells　within　the　nebula　and　the　star；　a　cosmic　spirit　transcending　all　dimensions　and　thrusting　its　confines　out　into　the　infinite；　a　sentient　emanation　of　the　infinite　itself。
  Nor　was　its　voice　less　unearthly。　It　used　the　shell　of　the　earth　valley　for　its　trumpetings；　its　clangorsbut　as　one　hears　in　the　murmurings　of　the　fluted　conch　the　great　voice　of　ocean；　its　whispering　and　its　roarings；　so　here　in　the　clamorous　shell　of　the　Pit　echoed　the　tremendous　voices　of　that　illimitable　sea　which　laps　the　shores　of　the　countless　suns。
  I　looked　upon　a　mighty　whirlpool　miles　and　miles　wide。　It　whirled　with　surges　whose　racing　crests　were　smiting　incandescences；　it　was　threaded　with　a　spindrift　of　lightnings；　it　was　trodden　by　dervish　mists　of　molten　flame　thrust　through　with　forests　of　lances　of　living　light。　It　cast　a　cadent　spray　high　to　the　heavens。
  Over　it　the　heavens　glittered　as　though　they　were　a　shield　held　by　fearful　gods。　Through　the　maelstrom　staggered　a　mountainous　bulk；　a　gleaming　leviathan　of　pale　blue　metal　caught　in　the　swirling　tide　of　some　incredible　volcano；　a　huge　ark　of　metal　breasting　a　deluge　of　flame。
  And　the　drumming　we　heard　as　of　hollow　beaten　metal　worlds；　the　shouting　tempests　of　cannonading　stars；　was　the　breaking　of　these　incandescent　crests；　the　falling　of　the　lightning　spindrift；　the　rhythmic　impact　of　the　lanced　rays　upon　the　glimmering　mountain　that　reeled　and　trembled　as　they　struck　it。
  The　reeling　mountain；　the　struggling　leviathan；　was　the　City！
  It　was　the　mass　of　the　Metal　Monster　itself；　guarded　by；　stormed　by；　its　own　legions　that　though　separate　from　it　were　still　as　much　of　it　as　were　the　cells　that　formed　the　skin　of　its　walls；　its　carapace。
  It　was　the　Metal　Monster　tearing；　rending；　fighting　for；　battling　againstitself。
  Mile　high　as　when　I　had　first　beheld　it　was　the　inexplicable　body　that　held　the　great　heart　of　the　co