He was talking mainly to father, but his gaze seemed involuntarily swinging to Hulda. "At our border they are not checking the Brauns out as they should. Or at leas' not sending the reports back to us. All night--none have come. I have sen' messengers to see what is wrong--" Father turned to us. "You understand? The authorities have grown suddenly lax--" "I'll tell you why," said Freddie. "They're satisfied, since Graff is going to attack earth, that they have no immediate cause to fear him, or his people. Maybe, too, they think that when he comes back, laden with spoils, Garla will benefit--" "That is it," Kean interrupted. "He tells our people that--exactly that. It is not our gov'ment which is tempt' into greed--it is the people--" Father said: "Well, the authorities are making a mistake, Kean. This Graff--you believe it as well as I do--is playing a double game. You know he means no good to Garla. The insect workers--you say there are a great many of them missing?" "Yes, I am order to-day a checking of them. Many--a thousan' as you say it--seem gone--" "Gone?" I echoed. "What does that mean? Gone where?" Kean waved his slim white hand. "Over the border? Per'aps--I do not know. It is ver' strange--" "Smuggling them out!" said father to us. "You understand? There are no insect workers in the Braun city. Graff is here, talking--blandly protesting friendship, with his insidious lures of gain from his earth conquest--and all the while he's secretly smuggling out our insects--" Kean had turned away momentarily to Hulda. "My trial, it finish last night. They gave the verdic' jus' now--I am said, innocent." Hulda's face brightened; she took his hands. "Oh, Kean, I'm so glad. Father, the verdict has cleared him!" "Yes," he said quietly. "Thank you, Hulda." I whispered to Dan: "Father said you'd have to ask Hulda why Kean brought his captives to Garla instead of delivering them up to the Brauns. I can tell you why." It was obvious, seeing Kean's earnest, flushed face as Hulda congratulated him. "Why?" demanded Dan. "Because he's fascinated by her. Look at him--" "Oh, he is?" Dan's expression was a study. "He is, is he?" And then he laughed. "Well, you can't blame him, can you?" "No," I said, "you can't." Kean left presently; and Dan made a studied, but very graceful attempt to be friendly. Both Hulda and Kean knew what he meant. Kean's handclasp was firm and cordial; his gaze into Dan's eyes was unfaltering. He carried himself then--and indeed, always--with a very manly dignity worthy of any one's admiration. When he was gone, Hulda turned to Dan, flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Dan, you're a darling." * * * * *