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As they sat silent for a moment, enjoying almost with awe the beauties of the scene, and listening to the soft voice of Lylda singing to herself in the garden, the Very Young Man suddenly thought of the one thing lacking to make his enjoyment perfect. "I wish I had a cigarette," he remarked wistfully.
Lylda had left the city; the last they had seen of her, she was striding rapidly away, over the country towards Orlog. The street and field before the house now was nearly deserted. "She had to do it, of course," the Chemist continued, "but to kill Targo's brother " "I wonder," began the Big Business Man thoughtfully. "It seems to me this disturbance is becoming far more serious than we think.
Lylda and I stood hand in hand in the shadow of the doorway, out of sight of the crowd, but with it and the entire courtyard plainly in our view.
Without a trace of embarrassment the girl smiled and with a pretty little bending of her head, held down her hand to the astonished Banker, who sat speechless upon his mattress. Loto pushed forward. "That's mamita over there," he said, pointing. "Her name is Lylda; she's Aura's sister." The Banker recovered his wits. "Well, and who are you, little man?" he asked with a smile.
"She did it how wonderfully she did it," the Very Young Man murmured in admiration. "We can handle them now," answered the Chemist. "But each time it is harder. Let us get Lylda and go home, gentlemen. I want to tell you all about it." He turned to leave the balcony. "Who was the man? What was he tried for?" the Very Young Man demanded.
It is I, and you, gentlemen, who are facing the problem of saving this nation." The Very Young Man's face was flushed, and his eyes sparkled with excitement. "We can do anything we like," he said. "We have the power." "Ay, that is it," said Lylda. "The power we have. But my friend, we cannot use it. Not for strife, for death; we cannot."
"Nothing is secret here," the Chemist answered. "By all means, we will go to the court first, if you wish; Lylda should be through very shortly." The court of Arite stood about a mile away near the lake shore. As they left the house and passed through the city streets the respect accorded the Chemist became increasingly apparent.
As Lylda began visibly to increase in size, the boy uttered a startled cry. Meeting his mother's steady gaze he shut his lips tight, and stood rigid, watching her with wide, horrified eyes. Lylda had grown nearly twice her normal size before she spoke. Then, smiling down at the men, she said evenly, "From the roof, perhaps, you will watch."
In three swift steps Lylda was across the garden, with one foot over the wall into the street. Reaching down she caught the man between her huge fingers, and held him high over her head an instant so that all might see. The big crowd was silent with terror; the man high in the air over their heads screamed horribly.
When I had finished, and waited for her decision, she reached slowly out and clutched my shoulders, awkwardly making as if to kiss me. In an instant she was in my arms, with a low, happy little cry." "The clattering fall of rain brought us to ourselves. Rising to her feet, Lylda pulled me over to the window-opening, and together we stood and looked out into the night.
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