Fingers of light reached out from the sphere. A glowing streamer touched another man. He dropped the rock he was carrying. Another man. He laid down his club.
Something rode the streamers of light. A message. It whispered to the men the light touched. Their cries ran into quick silence. They looked at each other, they looked at Garth and the girl with him. Both were leaning against the sphere. They seemed to be drawing strength from it. They were smiling.
An awed whisper ran through the men who had so recently been a mob.
"What is that thing, that ball?"
"Look at the light coming from it!"
"Say, I think we were wrong about this fellow, Garth."
"When that light touched me, I changed my mind about him."
"Let's go see what this is all about."
"Come on. Nothing is going to hurt us. I feel it."
Slowly, they approached. Anger had already left them. Now fear left them. Only awe remained.