The slope of hillside rising abruptly behind us held another house just above the level of the rooftop we were on. As I sat there looking idly about I thought I saw a figure lurking near this higher building. I called Miela's attention to it—the obscure figure of a man standing against a huge palm trunk.
As we watched the figure stepped into plainer view. I saw then it was a man, evidently looking down at us. I stood up. There was no one else in sight except a woman on the roof of the other house holding an infant.
Something about the man's figure seemed vaguely familiar; my heart leaped suddenly.
"Miela," I whispered, "surely that—that is no one of your world."
Her hand clutched my arm tightly as the man stepped forward again and waved at us. I crossed the rooftop, Miela following. At my sudden motion the man hesitated, then seemed about to run. I hardly know what thoughts impelled me, but suddenly I shouted: "Wait!"
At the sound of my voice he whirled around, stopped dead an instant, and then, with an answering call, came running down the hillside.
"The earth‑man!" cried Miela. "The earth‑man of Tao it must be."
We hurried down through the house and arrived at its back entrance. Coming toward us at a run across the garden was the man—unmistakably one of my own world.
My hurried glance showed me he was younger than I—a short, stocky, red‑headed chap, dressed in dirty white duck trousers and a torn white linen shirt.
He came on at full speed.