Astounding Stories of Super-Science, August 1930

Sarka was now conscious of the fact that the heat of their prison-house--whose character they did not as yet know--was becoming almost unbearable. They were alone, too, for the Gnomes had not entered the door of triangle. Sarka partially removed his life mask, and testing the atmosphere of the place, found it capable of being breathed without the mask. He signalled mentally to Jaska to remove her mask, and when the girl had done so he took her in his arms and kissed her on the lips. She accepted his caress, but did not return it, and her eyes still peered deeply into his. "Well, beloved," he said. "I am terribly sorry. But I did not want you to come because I was afraid that something of this sort would happen." She did not answer. "What is it, Jaska?" he said at last. "What did you think of that woman?" she asked softly. "Beautiful!" he said enthusiastically. "Fearfully beautiful! But did you see her eyes? She had no more mercy in her heart than if she were made of stone! And she hated us both the moment she saw us!" "And you, Sarka--did you hate her, too?" Sarka stared at her, not comprehending. "I feel," he said, "that if we are ever to escape her, we must kill her, or render her incapable of retaining us!" Then, of her own accord, Jaska placed her arms around Sarka, and gave him her lips. Her new behavior was as incomprehensible to Sarka as her former enigmatic expression had been. Wise in the ways of science was Sarka, but he knew nothing of women!