Chapter XI

THE PLOT AGAINST EARTH'S WOMEN.

We are still here in the caves at the bottom of our valley (continued the warning message from Guy Palisse). Tama and I got back safely, circling on the upper plateau, reaching the caldron rim and dropped down. Tama, with practice now, could hold me in a long descent.

She could hold him in a descent.

There seemed no pursuit. Roc's men were quiet up there on the rim. And after a time we saw the Space-ship depart.

During these last three cycles I have been absorbed in this narrative; and in preparing my cylinder for launching. My chemicals are about ready and now I am finishing these pages. A warning to you of Earth! We did not know it was to be a warning until we stood at the window of Croat's Space-ship and heard him talking to Roc.

Even then, at first. I was too amazed to grasp the full import of what they were saying. I am not overly skilled in the Mercutian language; but now Tama and I have had time to compare what we heard. Some of it we have had to infer. Croat was explaining to Roc their future plans. But we came in the middle of it, after Croat had been talking for some minutes.

Yet we learned much, and I set it here as a warning. Croat now is leader of the barbarous Cold Country government. He must have stolen the formulas of the Light Country scientific devices of former ages; for he has developed the lost death-ray projector, and the small heat-rays which at twenty paces can burn a hole through a man.

Roc for all these years, was in occasional communication with his father, spying upon the Light Country government. We think it was Roc who secured the records. And Croat built the interplanetary flying ship in the Cold Country.

I must explain that the women of the Cold Country, through long generations forced to toil under every adverse circumstance of living, have long since lost any semblance of beauty. Heavy, pallid creatures, barely able to fly; they are, besides, few in number. There is now in the Cold Country scarcely one woman to ten men. The savage race is dying out.

No doubt it was Croat's idea at first to develop lethal weapons and attack the Light Country, to capture and enslave the flying virgins. Roc's part was steadily to agitate more stringent laws regarding the clipping of the virgins' wings. He and Croat did not anticipate what immediately happened—the widespread, open revolt of the virgins.

Meanwhile I—an Earth-man—had come with tales of a greater world, with women, beautiful, who cannot fly. Curse my innocent readiness to tell Roc all I could of Earth!

And so I warn you! We got no details, as we listened there at that cabin porte. But we learned enough. Roc mentioned that he was leaving the Hill City permanently. That is good. Without him, the government there will be more conciliatory toward the insurgent girls. Indeed, it has been decided that they will return and try to make peace. We feel that the government will now realize how drastic was that last law. And there are thousands of men—fathers, brothers, and potential husbands of the girls—who now will see things in a different light.

The danger is not here—we realize that now—but on Earth. Croat's ship is leaving for Earth; it may be gone by the time I can get this cylinder launched.

How little Tama and the virgins realized that their revolt would spread to menace the women of another world! But it has.

Oh, my accursedly loose tongue! I had told Roc of my sister, and Professor White with his girls' camp in Maine. I had made maps of the earth countries for the Hill City government.

Roc had access to them. Croat has them now! From the way he talked, he will land in Maine. I think it is summer now, in Maine. Professor White's camp will be open. I warn you—we fear an attack will be made there!

You can imagine how I feel, to have unwittingly been an aid to this menace! Croat even mentioned my sister Rowena, there in the Space-ship. With diabolical cynicism he told Roc how amusing it would be if Rowena Palisse chanced to be among the captive Earth-women whose beauty he would soon be able to display to his men of the Cold Country! Just a few Earth-women this first trial trip. Then at each inferior conjunction he will make other raids.

My sister Rowena! He even calculated her age. I pray you guard her—if only this message reaches you in time!

What Tama and I will do when the virgins return to the Hill City, I do not know. If only we could help you!

One of our girls—a blue-winged child barely sixteen—heard all this from Tama; and she disappeared yesterday. We have been wondering if she flew to Croat's vehicle, possibly to hide upon it and go with it to the Earth? To warn you! Tama says, knowing the girl, that it would be just like her unselfish courage.

Tama and I may try it. I don't know. I cannot think of anything yet but the launching of the cylinder. And we must get the girls safely back to the Hill City.

The storm is really abating now. Roc's men seem to have left this vicinity. We think the Space-ship has gone.

I must stop and get the cylinder launched. If only it reaches you! We pray for that.

(End of the manuscript of Guy Palisse.)