"Struck deaf," he thought wonderingly and opened his eyes to find himself kneeling before the table in the silence of the Krylla. The bright warmth of Abigail shone before him where she sat several inches above the table top.
"Abigail," he shouted, scrambling to his feet. His voice rang through the small cabin, and he lowered it to suit his surroundings. "Why did you bring me here?"
"You were in danger," she replied pleasantly.
"So is Crawford. I've got to help him. Take me back!" he commanded.
"He's all right. No one will be hurt tonight who doesn't want to be hurt." Her voice was sweetly matter of fact.
"I don't believe it. The Eyefers have run wild! Crawford ran right into the building. He'll be killed. Take me back!" He pounded the table with his fist.
VI
He was back. The roar of the crowd and the fire and the hideous 'poot-poot-poot' of the alarm filled his consciousness. He was stumbling forward into the pitchy blackness of the tunnel under the building. He could see a man a hundred feet ahead scrambling up to the walkway, illumined only by the glare from the tunnel mouth. Suddenly brightness bloomed beside the man and the golden form of a god cradled the man's body like a child, rose four or five feet into the air, and faded abruptly into nothingness. The tunnel was dark and empty ahead.
Herl turned and strode back toward the mouth of the tunnel. Just under the sheltering edge he paused to look out at the mob and to judge whether another part of the building were about to fall.