Jasper. "He's Ben Cartley, the best pal a man ever had. I'm JasperJezzan. We're from the Hayko Unit."
My mouth fell open in surprise. I nearly dropped the gun I had keptconcealed in a fold of my clothing. Everyone, at some time or another,had heard of the famous Hayko Unit. The order, established since theperfection of space flying, was comprised of men pledged to keep thespace lanes and colonies safe from the lawless element.
"We'll be in the death unit when Ledageree and his men come back,"cracked Ben, chuckling at his own grim joke. "Did you plant theplatinum, or is it back there?"
"Back there," echoed Cragley dejectedly. "We haven't a chance. I thoughtmaybe we could make Deliphon with the stuff before these outlaws gotwise."
"We followed the trail easily from the air," remarked Cartley. "First,we found the space ship and the cylinder. After that, we just watchedfor the green campfire markers is all."
"Campfire markers?" questioned Cragley in excitement. "What do----"
"There comes Ledageree!" interrupted Jasper.
The brigand chieftain and his men were emerging from the bushes with thelittle boxes stacked in their arms.
"We're sunk now!" exclaimed Quentin.
Impulsively, the captain took a step in the direction of the space ship.One of the outlaws guarding us stepped forward before the captain,bringing up his pistol. An evil light shone in his eyes, the fanaticalgleam of the confirmed killer. It was the man's intention to killCragley where he stood.
* * * * *
But the act was never consummated. A blank look overspread the outlaw'sface. His face held that strange expression which is so characteristicof the electrocuted man. He tottered and fell face downward. Uttering acry of agony, another of the brigands fell, seizing frantically at ashaft which protruded from his body, a shaft of crude hammered metal.
While we all stared in surprise at the fallen men, Jasper Jezzan, quickto take stock of the situation, looked out over the high grass.
"Troglodytes!" he cried. "That's one o' their metal darts, Ben!"
Substantiating Jasper's discovery, there came a chorus of yells from allsides. Heads came into sight above the tall grass. Darts flew thick andfast, yet every one found its mark. The cave men of Venus brandishedtheir weapons preparatory to rushing in upon us in overwhelming numbers.
The outlaws blazed away at the savages, but the latter proved to bedifficult targets at which to aim. They were always on the move,running, hiding, reappearing to launch their deadly darts from anotherdirection. Ledageree dropped his armful of the precious metal andscreamed an order.
"Into the ship!"
It was then that I noticed the curious fact that none of the passengersor crew of the _C-49_ had been hit. The remaining outlaws attempted toherd us into the ship. Their numbers rapidly diminished under the hailof darts cast at them so accurately by the troglodytes. Many of the cavemen toppled over in death as the outlaws made a hit, but more came totake the places of those fallen.
"There's the white man--the renegade!" shouted Quentin.
Indeed, it was so. The troglodytes were led by the man who had brokeninto our camp on the previous night. Seizing a pistol from one of thefallen brigands, Ben hastily pointed it at the yelling cave dwellers whowere running full force in our direction, the renegade at their head.
"No. Ben, no!" cried Jasper. "They're friends!"
"It's Brady!" shouted one of the passengers of the _C-49_. "ChrisBrady!"
"Impossible!" exclaimed Cragley. "He's dead!"
"You're wrong, Cragley!" said I, also recognizing the renegade. "That isBrady!"
I heard a noise behind me. I turned and looked. Ledageree and two of hissurviving brigands were clambering aboard the space ship. The horde oftroglodytes were nearly upon us. In trepidation, I moved backward.Ledageree had gained the deck and was running in the direction of theair lock when Brady saw him, raising his pistol to fire.
From its concealment, I brought my gun into action. With hasty aim, Ipulled the trigger, cursing myself for a wide miss. I was a bundle ofnerves at the moment. Again I tried, this time drawing a fine bead.Chris Brady was clearly outlined beyond the sights of my pistol.
A split second before I squeezed the trigger, Jasper Jezzan seized myarm. The flash of power shot harmlessly into the sky. Fiercely, Ibattled with the Hayko man, raising my pistol to brain him. But Cartleywas upon me, and I went down under their combined weight. Something hitmy head. Blackness engulfed me.
When I regained consciousness, I was aware of the babble of voices. Myhead throbbed and swam dizzily. A ring of troglodytes encircled me. Iheard Chris Brady talking. Had he come back to life in some miraculousmanner? I had seen him shot and buried. His words penetrated my dazedsenses.
"When I saw that everything was stacked against me with no chances ofproving my innocence, I tried an old trick, Cragley. I was afraid you'dget wise to me, but you didn't. I fell a split second before your menfired. I watched your lips for my signal. None of the shots touched me.I played dead and was buried in the shallow grave. When you went, I dugmyself out. I came pretty near smothering."
"We buried you alive!"
"You did, and I'm thankful I was alive--and still am."
"But the troglodytes?"
"My friends," replied Brady. "I've been among them a great deal duringmy life upon Venus. I know their language and customs. They look up tome and obey my orders. We've been following you. The other night, webroke into your camp and stole food and this pistol."
"Then you're not the outlaw we supposed you to be?" Cragley was amazedbeyond words. Apologies flooded to his lips and remained unspoken. Whatapology could there be to this Innocent man he had all but sent to hisdeath?
"No--I'm not, but I knew there was no way of proving it to you," repliedBrady, "at least not until Deliphon was reached. With my friends, here,I followed your trail. We heard the sounds of fighting far ahead. Whenwe found you attacked by outlaws, I knew it was my chance to save youand prove myself."
"You have proved yourself!" exclaimed Cragley warmly. "But what aboutRaynor and Davy?"
"They thought Brady was their leader they'd been told t' watch for!"interrupted Jezzan spiritedly. "Plain as day, ain't it, Ben?" He turnedto his comrade for a confirmative nod. "There's your man!"
Jasper Jezzan pointed at me where I sat on the ground, collecting mywits. I knew that I had been caught red handed. Denials were useless.
"Ern Hantel!" exclaimed Cragley in surprise. "He's the last man I'dsuspect!"
"Just the same, he's the man you thought Brady was," persisted myprosecutor relentlessly. "He put green flares in your campfire ashes,so's we could follow you."
"How did you men come to be with the outlaws?" asked Brady, a bitconfused by the surprising revelations he had heard.
"The authorities at Deliphon have suspected this gang for quite aspell," replied Cartley. "Jasper and I joined 'em t' find out. We'remuch obliged t' you and your cave men, Brady. You got us out of a tightpinch."
Cragley confronted me. "What have you to say for yourself, Hantel?" heasked grimly.
"They've got my number right," I grumbled, rubbing an aching head. "Nouse bucking a Hayko man in a place like this." I nodded in thedirection of Jezzan and Cartley. "Ledageree was warned againststrangers."
"Then you admit Brady is innocent?" queried the captain, seeking theconfession which would irrevocably clear the accused man.
"Yes. He's innocent. Davy and Raynor never knew me. I sent myinstructions to them through Brady, leaving messages where they believedhe'd left them. When we left the earth, I recognized Davy and Raynorright off. For secrecy's sake, they weren't supposed to talk with theman they took orders from. I took advantage of this fact by placing myarticle of identification in the possession of Brady."
"The brown collars you loaned me!" exclaimed Brady, realizing the modeof his undoing.
"After I'd first stolen your collars and destroyed them," I added. "Iwas afraid of something going wrong before Ledageree and
his men pickedus up. I blew out the radium repellors of the _C-49_ and planted theevidence in Brady's room. I knew if anything happened Raynor and Davywould identify him as the man from whom they took instructions. Thatleft me a loophole."
"The case against you is completed, Hantel!" Cragley's face was sternand set. "You're the one who's going to be shot this time, and therewon't be any chance of falling before my men fire, either!"
"Just a minute," interposed