"The first appearances of the mist were to terrorize, and to test! This is the real thing; the mist over the whole surface of Mars, organized Martians striking under its cover!" His words came back to him from the hateful white blanket, muffled and run together into unintelligible echoes. "You failed--failed!" the echoes seemed to mutter. "Earthmen will die--Earth troops will come against the 'savages.' No justice for Mars!" Barry shook his head angrily against his imaginings. Suddenly, he stumbled and pitched forward over something at his feet. His heart sank at sight of the gruesome thing in the sand. A dead Earthman--but not unmarked as had been the earlier victims of the white mist. This man had been killed by violence, killed as he lay unconscious, overcome by the mist drug! "This is it," Barry groaned again. Another form of death was striking under the silver blanket. This man had been a murderer and exploiter, but to Earth Government he was a citizen killed by savages! Barry Williams stumbled on dazedly. There was nothing he could do! He stumbled over another body and passed on. A third form appeared in the sand at his feet. He started to turn aside, then stopped. * * * * * Quickly he bent over the figure, his hand going to the pulse. There was a heartbeat, and the chest moved slightly with breathing! This body was alive, there were no wounds. Peering into the face, Barry realized it was a Martian! A Martian overcome by the mist. After puzzling a moment, Barry laughed. Of course! All the natives couldn't have been in on the plans--not even most of them. Therefore, they'd be drugged and put to sleep like the Earthmen. Martians overcome by the means that was to free them! Barry's mind was racing. Free them! That was it! They'd be needed for the fighting. The other Martians, the organized ones under Deisanocta, would come to give immunizing injections to such of their fellows as this one Barry found on the sand! With the realization, Barry Williams threw himself down on the ground. He couldn't be far from the place they'd captured him. That meant, the vicinity of the Martian Princess' headquarters. Perhaps she herself would come, searching for her followers. She did. She came silently, short minutes later, moving like a wraith in her silver mesh costume, that somehow made her seem part of the mist. Mother of Mist. Barry remembered the title. The silver accents of her voice came clearly to his ears. She spoke in Martian. Two of her men appeared beside her. One went toward the fallen Martian, something in his hand that Barry knew would be a hypodermic syringe. The other saw Barry, started toward him. "Hold everything!" Barry leaped up. "I am no enemy." The other paused, he knew there could be only one Earthman who walked through the mist unharmed. Barry's eyes went to Deisanocta. "Princess, I must speak to you!"