"It is over. Your friend has vanished ... disappeared into whatever
hell awaits rebels." The Overlord smiled. "It was a most interesting
exhibition ... most. Through the glazed pane we saw him standing,
panic-stricken, frozen with terror. Then the current was turned on.
Before our eyes, he vanished as a mist--"
"I don't believe it!" growled Shaughnessey. "Morris was afraid of
nothing; man, beast, nor devil--"
"And ... _and we_?" broke in Fred Meacher fearfully.
"Go free," said Black Garroway, "as I promised. But have a care! If
ever I hear a word of complaint or suspicion raised against any of you
again, you will share his fate. It is only through my graciousness you
live."
"We understand," said Neil evenly. "Come, friends."
He led the way from the cell as a guard unlocked the door. When the
four had almost reached the end of the prison corridor, Garroway called
after them.
"Oh ... one thing more! I almost forgot to thank you, Meacher!"
Shaughnessey said, "Huh? What's that? Why? What's he got to thank _you_
for, Fred?"
Meacher's pale eyes rolled, suddenly panicked.
"Me? I ... I don't know what he's talking about--"
Black Garroway's heavy laughter filled the hall.
"What? Oh, come now, Meacher! Of course you do. I appreciate the
information you gave me on Morris. The reward I promised you will be
waiting at the State Hall tomorrow. A thousand credits, wasn't it?
Well, come and claim it--" He chuckled stridently--"if you can."
Before the quick suspicion rising in the eyes of the comrades he had
betrayed, Meacher quailed. He tugged free of Shaughnessey's hand and
scampered to the protection of Garroway's guard. His voice bleated
shrill remonstrance.
"Sire ... you should not have told them! I served you faithfully and
well ... wormed my way into their inner council! Were it not for me you
would never have known--"
Black Garroway avoided the informer's frenzied clawing. His voice was
hard, mocking, contemptuous.
"Fool! You brought me no information worth hearing! Through my own
efforts I discovered Townsend's instrument and solved its secret. You
are a dolt, a stupid bungler! I need no such aides."
"But I told you Morris held the Secret--"
"Bah! There is no longer a secret to be held."
"But there is, Sire! Before he died, Morris told it to--"
Hardesty interrupted coldly, "Am I to understand, Garroway, that this
man is no longer under your protection?"
Garroway shrugged.
"I have washed my hands of him," he said carelessly. "Come, guards!"
He turned away as Meacher screamed, vainly struggled to escape the
vengeful trio closing in on him.
"Take him, Vurrth!" ordered Hardesty succinctly.
The great Venusian's hands closed briefly around the traitor's throat,
stifling his garbled cries. With revealing ease he lifted the Earthman,
held him dangling like a sack of meal in midair, and looked at Hardesty
for orders.
"Put him down," commanded Neil. "We will settle our differences
elsewhere."
Vurrth grunted, and obediently loosed his grip. The body, of Fred
Meacher slumped to the floor awkwardly ... and lay still. Brian
Shaughnessey bent over the crumpled figure. He glared up angrily at his
comrade.
"Confound you, Vurrth! He's dead!"
Vurrth grinned slowly.
"Sor-ree," he said. "Maybe hold too tight?"
One of the guards, glancing back, muttered a word to his captain who,
in turn, passed the message to the Overlord. A thin smile touched
Garroway's lips, but he did not turn his head. The incident was, his
attitude intimated as he led his entourage from the hall, a matter in
which he took no concern whatsoever....