Steve probed with his hands, found the wound. Blood was rushing out. He couldn't stop it and he knew it and he thought Whiting knew it too. He touched Mary's hand, and held it. Mary sobbed against him, crying softly. "You two ..." Whiting gasped. "You two ... Mary, Mary girl. Is--he--what you want?" "Yes, Dad. Oh, yes!" "You can get her out of here, Cantwell?" "I think so," Steve said. "Then go. Go while you can. I'll tell them--due south. The Earthmen are heading due south. They'll go--south. They won't find the caravan. You'll--all--get away. If it's--what you want, Mary." She leaned away from Steve, kissing her father. She asked Steve: "Isn't there anything we can do for him?" Steve shook his head. "But he's got to live long enough to tell them, to deceive them." "I'll live long enough," Whiting said, and Steve knew then that he would. "Luck to--all of you. From a--very foolish--man...." * * * * * Steve took Mary's hand and pulled her out into the hot, dark, wind-blown night. He carried the dead Kumaji's pike and they slipped across the sand to where the _thlots_ were hobbled for the night. He hardly remembered the rest of it. There was violence and death, but necessary death. He killed a man with the pike, and unhobbled one of the _thlots_. The animal screamed and two more Kumajis came sleepily through the night to see what was the matter. With the long edge of the pike's blade he decapitated one of them. He slammed the shaft of the weapon across the other's face, probably breaking his jaw. The camp was in a turmoil. In the darkness he flung Mary on the _thlot's_ bare back in front of him, and they glided off across the sand. Pursuit was disorganized--and unsuccessful. It was too dark for effective pursuit, as Steve had hoped it would be. They rode swiftly all night and continued riding with the dawn. They could have gone in any direction. The wind-driven sand would obliterate their trail. Two days later they reached the caravan. As they rode up, Mary said, "Steve, do you have to tell them?" "We can tell them this," Steve said. "Your father died a hero's death, sending the Kumajis off in the wrong direction." "And not--not what he'd planned to do at first." "No. We'll tell them that was his intention all the while. A man can make a mistake, can't he?" "I love you, Steve. I love you." Then they rode down on the caravan. Somehow Steve knew they would all reach Oasis City in safety. With Mary he would find a new world out in the vastness of space.