"Is it? Then why are you cold under my touch? Am I, a girl descended
from the Martian flame-workers, impotent to awaken a man?"
A woman scorned! In all the universe there could be no more dangerous
an enemy. An incredible venom shot from her eyes.
"That miserable mouselike creature! Well for her that my brother
killed her."
It struck me cold. If Anita were unmasked, beyond all the menace of
Miko's wooing, I knew that the venom of Moa's jealousy was a greater
danger.
I said sharply, "Don't be simple, Moa!" I shook off her grip. "You
imagine too much. You forget that I am a man of Earth and you a girl
of Mars."
"Is that reason why we should not love?"
"No. But our instincts are different. Men of Earth are born to the
chase."
I was smiling. With thought of Anita's danger I could find it readily
in my heart to dupe this Amazon.
"Give me time, Moa. You attract me."
"You lie!"
"Do you think so?" I gripped her arm with all the power of my fingers.
It must have hurt her but she gave no sign; her gaze clung to me
steadily.
"I don't know what to think, Gregg Haljan...."
I held my grip. "Think what you like. Men of Earth have been known to
kill the thing they love."
"You want me to fear you?"
"Perhaps."