I gasped with amazement. Surely, there must be some mistake! Released, knowing what I did about their plans, free to take steps to stamp out this menace, to——
“Stan-lee, I see you are incredulous. Nevertheless, you are to be released, immediately.” Oomlag came closer, leering into my face. “The Field General has a sense of humor, just as we all have. It is really our one weakness. He feels your presence here is undesirable, and your services are not needed after all. That leaves two alternatives—either kill you, or let you go. He has decided on the latter. Myself, I am sorry, for I have taken a liking to you.”
I was stunned. Like a fool I blurted out:
“But—but, you have shown me—how do you dare——”
“I know what you think.” Oomlag spoke suavely, mockingly. “You think that, once free, you will spread the alarm to your fellows. How ridiculous! In the first place, no one would believe you, you would be considered mad. In the second place, you humans could do nothing to hinder us if you wished. We have the power of ‘Venusite.’ I need say no more. It is one of the best jokes I ever heard! You alone of the earth inhabitants will know of our existence, and your knowledge will be useless. You can do nothing, absolutely nothing. Your friends will discover you, wandering. A word of this to anyone—well, your mind has been wandering, too!”
I was sickened by his fiendish, throaty laughter as he derided me, mocked me with this terrible truth.
Suddenly his manner changed. The leer on his face was replaced by an ugly snarl of determination. He uttered a few words in his own language, and I felt myself seized from behind. Oomlag’s ochre face came close to mine.
“Goodbye, earth creature. You go out the way you came!”
Again I felt myself blindfolded and gagged, rapidly losing consciousness under the influence of the sweetish drug . . .
The rest can be told in a few words. I regained consciousness not far from the camp-site. The sun was high in the heavens. I staggered to where I had seen the rock camouflage. It was not there—absolutely no sign of any disturbance, nothing but ordinary flat ground. Something made me think of the note I had received from the dark-haired girl. I found it where I had stuffed it in my pocket. In a hasty scrawl she had written, in charcoal, now scarcely legible: