But as we rowed from the island, Dianne's fear did not lessen. She said, "We've done the best we could. If they are here--" She did not finish. She added, "You haven't told any one--no one--I mean the authorities--knows about me?" "No, Dianne." "Because, what I want you to do--you and father--it must be secret. And Togaro, he will prevent your doing it if he can." Strange words! She would not add to them. She sat silent and tense as we rowed across the sunlit channel, and brought her home, where father was waiting for us. * * * * * "I'll tell them," said father. "Come in lads. We must be brief, Dianne. "You're right that haste is necessary." Father had been with Dianne and her strange girl companion for perhaps half an hour. He called us in at last. He sat with his arm about Dianne. I could see at once that he was tense and grim; and the apprehension characteristic of Dianne lay now upon him also. His quick glances about the room--as though he were trying to see the unseeable. This thing uncanny--I saw too, that the room's windows were carefully closed; and the heavy shades drawn, so that for all the daylight outside, a lighted lamp was needed. Father told us sharply to close the door after us. He said, as we sat down: "I was right to insist upon talking to Dianne alone. There are things I could understand better than you--we have no time for discussion." I burst out: "Are you going to keep on treating us like children?" "No. Frank. You have a right to know these strange things Dianne has told me. But we have no time for argument." His voice was low. He spoke swiftly, with what seemed a surreptitious haste. The girl Ahlma sat apart. Her gaze roved the room, especially the floor. She said abruptly, "Dianne, can we not close up the bottom of that door?" There was perhaps a quarter of an inch space between the bottom of the door and the sill. Father got up and kicked a rug against the door. He turned up the wick of the lamp so that the room was brighter. "Will that do?" "Yes," said Dianne. "That's better." Drake and I stared at each other. Drake wet his lips, but did not speak. This thing was ghastly. Father said abruptly, "Dianne was born, not in this world of ours, but in a world infinitely small. A world within an atom of rock, there on Bird's Nest Island--a world of humans like ourselves. "Like us? Why, you can see for yourselves! Dianne was born a princess of the civilization on one of the globes whirling in the limitless space within that atom. "I confuse you, lads? I am talking of infinite smallness. There is no limit to smallness. We know that. But I can't go into such a subject now." "Afterward, you can tell them," said Dianne with her gentle smile. "All I have told you--time then, father." "You still call me father?" he said. "So strange, these things." Drake said, "Dianne was brought here when she was a baby. Why?"