"No," said Cosmo, "he couldn't. Land here is entailed. It stays in the same family from generation to generation. Mu is one of the few countries on Venus where Terrans have been able to settle at all. Bemmelman's only chance was to have my people murdered and forge notes." "Does he know who you are?" Cosmo nodded. "He's tried to have me assassinated several times," he said indifferently. Mia swallowed. "You--you said I was in danger." "Doesn't it strike you there's a great deal of similarity between your case and mine. Your father has been murdered, supposedly by the Renegade. It looks like Bemmelman is getting ready to expand." "He--he wouldn't kill me!" said Mia indignantly. "Would he?" "No," said Cosmo, a smile quirking the corners of his wide, grim-lipped mouth. His lean, narrow jaw and thin, hooked nose gave him a saturnine cast. "But I wouldn't put it past him to kidnap you. Remember the Blue Venus. I happen to know Bemmelman's been anxious to repeat that experiment, but a beautiful Terran girl is hard to get." She shivered slightly, said: "That's preposterous! He wouldn't dare! Would he?" But Cosmo had leaped to his feet. "There's a plane coming!" he said in an edgy voice. A surface flying car flashed to the edge of the patio, stopped, settled to the ground. The extreme altitude of the bullet-shaped vehicle was under three hundred feet, Cosmo knew. But even that height was impractical for flight on Venus, roofed as the planet was by the low, swirling cloud blanket. As a rule, the planes barely skimmed the surface. A door in the monoloid hull swung open. A heavy set man got out. "Why it's Hal Bemmelman," exclaimed Mia. "What does he want?" "Speak of the devil," drawled Cosmo. * * * * * Bemmelman strode across the patio, his eyes on Cosmo, said in a disagreeable voice: "If it isn't the fortieth-century troubadour." Cosmo's features set blankly. He didn't reply. "Mia." Bemmelman took both the girl's hands in his big paws. "I've bad news. Yes sir, very bad news. Three of my serfs ganged my second overseer, chopped him to pieces with grass knives." "What?" Mia's eyes dilated in horror. "They got him from behind, I guess. Then they broke into the arsenal. They're armed, Mia, and heading this way. I dropped everything to fly over and warn you." "Coming this way?" Mia firmly disengaged her hands. "But why?" "They're trying to reach the Cloud Mountains and join the Renegade. Your place lies directly between mine and the mountains." "The Renegade!" Mia's level gray eyes frosted with hate. "The rurals can't catch him. He makes monkeys out of the Security Patrol. What is he? A wizard?" "You've heard the news?" Bemmelman interrupted. "The Renegade was at my place last night. I've been worried about you, Mia, alone here on the edge of the mountains. Yes sir, I came to take you to my plantation until we have these murderous serfs behind bars." "But I'm quite safe. I--I...."