The sleigh came to a clashing, jingling halt; the train plowed into the depot buried in vast clouds of snowy steam. But when they had taken the places reserved for them, and the train was moving swifter and more swiftly toward New York, fear suddenly overwhelmed Victor Cleves, and his face grew grey with the menacing tumult of his thoughts. The girl seemed to comprehend him, too, and her own features became still and serious as she leaned forward in her chair. “It is in God’s hands, Heart of the World,” she said in a low voice. “We are one, thou and I,—or nearly so. Nothing can harm my soul.” “No.... But the danger—to your life——” “I fear no Yezidee.” “The beast will surely try to kill you. And what can I do? You say my pistol is useless.” “Yes.... But I want you near me.” “Do you imagine I’d leave you for a second? Good God,” he added in a strangled voice, “isn’t there any way I can kill this wild beast? With my naked hands——?” “You must leave him to me, Victor.” “And you believe you can slay him? _Do_ you?” She remained silent for a long while, bent forward in her armchair, and her hands clasped tightly on her knees. “My husband,” she said at last, “what your astronomers have but just begun to suspect is true, and has long, long been known to the Sheiks-el-Djebel. “For, near to this world we live in, are other worlds—planets that do not reflect light. And there is a dark world called Yrimid, close to the earth—a planet wrapped in darkness—a black star.... And upon it Erlik dwells.... And it is peopled by demons.... And from it comes sickness and evil——” She moistened her lips; sat for a while gazing vaguely straight before her. “From this black planet comes all evil upon earth,” she resumed in a hushed voice. “For it is very near to the earth. It is not a hundred miles away. All strange phenomena for which our scientists can not account are due to this invisible planet,—all new and sudden pestilences; all convulsions of nature; the newly noticed radio disturbances; the new, so-called inter-planetary signals—all—all have their hidden causes within that black and demon-haunted planet long known to the Yezidees, and by them called Yrimid, or Erlik’s World. And—it is to this black planet that I shall send Sanang, Slayer of Souls. I shall tear him from this earth, though he cling to it with every claw; and I shall fling his soul into darkness—out across the gulf—drive his soul forth—hurl it toward Erlik like a swift rocket charred and falling from the sky into endless night. “So shall I strive to deal with Prince Sanang, Sorcerer of Mount Alamout, the last of the Assassins, Sheik-el-Djebel, and Slayer of Souls.... May God remember him in hell.” Already their train was rolling into the great terminal. Recklow was awaiting them. He took Tressa’s hands in his and gazed earnestly into her face. “Have you come to show us how to conclude this murderous business?” he asked grimly.