Everyone stared at the Martian. "Well?" thundered the Commissioner. "Natal wanted to quit. Bemmelman had tried to sell him out." Cosmo subtly reminded the Martian of the planter's treachery. "He came to me." "Why to you?" the Commissioner wanted to know. "He knew I was trying to prove Bemmelman murdered my father and mother and stole my plantation." Cosmo shrugged, added in a pointed tone. "I told him that if he would--ah--share his information with you, Commissioner, that the two of you could split the fifty thousand monad reward. I'd be satisfied with regaining my plantation." The fat Commissioner's eyes shone with cupidity. He and the astounded Martian exchanged glances. Bemmelman, who hadn't missed this by-play, roared and half flung himself from the sofa. "He's trying to frame me!" * * * * * The Commissioner regarded Bemmelman with a frown. Then he turned away, asked in a changed voice: "Will Natal go on the witness stand?" "Go ahead, Natal," said Cosmo. Natal ran the tip of his tongue over his thin lips. He gave Bemmelman a venomous glance, said: "He's the Renegade all right. We holed up in the Cloud Mountains. Bemmelman gave us our orders, for the most part, over a special frequency radio phone. He never let anyone here on the plantation guess he was the Renegade. He played a dual role." "A Jekyll and Hyde role," interposed Cosmo smoothly. "Lies! Lies!" shouted Bemmelman. The Commissioner ignored him, kept his eyes on Natal. "You can show us the hideout?" "Certainly." "What about the other men." "They escaped," Cosmo interposed, quickly. "Um," said the Commissioner. He didn't appear anxious to pursue that line. "Natal's not the only witness," said Cosmo. He pointed at Mia. "The Renegade kidnapped Miss MacIver. She tried to reach you by telecast." "She did!" The Commissioner enthusiastically smacked his right fist in his left palm. "By heaven, she did! But when my men got there, he'd gotten away with her." "I don't think she'll object to taking the witness stand either," said Cosmo in a thoughtful voice. "After all, Bemmelman murdered her father." "No." Mia's voice was so low that the Commissioner had to bend forward to hear her. "No. I won't mind being a witness. Bemmelman kidnapped me." "I didn't kidnap her. I rescued her from the Renegade." The sweat was pouring from the planter's forehead. The girl's head jerked up. She said in a ringing voice, "Then how do you explain this?" and exposed the brand on her shoulder. The Commissioner's eyes started from their sockets. "You might call the head overseer and check on Bemmelman's movements," suggested Cosmo. The Commissioner nodded. Llana switched on the telecast. "Rabaul," she said, "the Commissioner wants you in the office." "Right," came the voice of the Martian. "There's the safe, too," said Cosmo. The Commissioner heaved himself from his chair, waddled across to Bemmelman. "What's the combination, Hal?"