LEAVE

"Before I could conquer that amaze he had caught me. Then you

came."

Graydon looked where she had pointed. Upon the ground lay three slender, shining spears.

Their slim shafts were of gold; the arrow-shaped heads of two of them were of fine opal. The

third—the third was a single emerald, translucent and flawless, all of six inches long and

three at its widest, ground to keenest point and cutting edge.

There it lay, a priceless jewel tipping a spear of gold—and a swift panic shook Graydon. He

had forgotten Soames and Dancret. Suppose they should return while this girl was there. This

girl with her ornaments of gold, her gem-tipped spears—and her beauty!

"Suarra," he said, "you must go, and go quickly. This man and I are not all. There are two

more, and even now they may be close. Take your spears, and go quickly. Else I may not be

able to save you."

"You think I am—"

"I tell you to go," he interrupted. "Whoever you are, whatever you are, go now and keep

away from this place. Tomorrow I will try to lead them away. If you have people to fight for

you—well, let them come and fight if you so desire. But take your spears and go."

She crossed to the little knoll and picked up the spears. She held one out to him, the one that

bore the emerald point.

"This," she said, "to remember—Suarra."

"No," he thrust it back. "Go!"

If the others saw that jewel, never, he knew, would he be able to start them on the back

trail—if they could find it. Starrett had seen it, of course, but he might be able to convince

them that Starrett's story was only a drunken dream.

The girl studied him—a quickened interest in her eyes. She slipped the bracelets from her

arms, held them out to him with the three spears.

"Will you take these—and leave your comrades?" she asked. "Here are gold and gems. They

are treasure. They are what you have been seeking. Take them. Take them and go, leaving

that man here. Consent—and I will show you a way out of this forbidden land."

Graydon hesitated. The emerald alone was worth a fortune. What loyalty did he owe the

three, after all? And Starrett had brought this thing upon himself. Nevertheless—they were

his comrades. Open-eyed he had gone into this venture with them. He had a vision of himself

skulking away with the glittering booty, creeping off to safety while he left the three

unwarned, unprepared, to meet—what?

He did not like that picture.

"No," he said. "These men are of my race, my comrades. Whatever is to come—I will meet it

with them and help them fight it."

"Yet you would have fought them for my sake—indeed, did fight," she said. "Why then do

you cling to them when you can save yourself, and go free, with treasure? And why, if you

will not do this, do you let me go, knowing that if you kept me prisoner, or—killed me, I

could not bring my people down upon you?"

Graydon laughed