A great flare like a meteor - down from the darkness hurtled a great cloud of flame, past Magnus Ridolph's head, smashing into the ground at his feet in a great crush of sparks.
Magnus Ridolph relaxed - only a torch had fallen. But how close to his head! Negligence, reprehensible negligence! Or - and he looked around for his suitcases - was it negligence? The suitcases were gone. Perhaps the element of chance was lacking from the episode.
Magnus Ridolph sat back. Gone not only were the articles of the wager but also all his fresh clothes, his papers, his careful work on the contiguous-opposed programs.
King Kanditter presently stepped forward into the light, vented a short shrill scream. The banqueters immediately became quiet.
Kanditter pointed to Mellish. "This man is friend. He give good things to Kanditter, to all Men-men. He give merry-go-round, he give five-dime store, he build big water that shoot into the air - right here in Challa. Mellish is good. Tomorrow Kanditter, king of Men-men, give telex to Mellish."
Kanditter sat down, and the normal chitter and clatter was resumed. Mellish sidled on his short legs around behind the stiffly formal Magnus Ridolph.
"You see, my friend," said Mellish hoarsely, "that's how I do things. I get what I go after."
"Remarkable, remarkable."
"By the way," and Mellish pretended to be searching around Magnus Ridolph's feet. "Where are your suitcases? Don't tell me they're gone! Stolen? What a pity! But then - a mere fifty thousand munits - what's that, eh, Ridolph?"
Magnus Ridolph turned Mellish a deceptively mild glance. "You have a negligent attitude toward money."
Mellish swung his long arms vigorously, looked across the pavilion at Kanditter. "Money means very little to me, Ridolph. With the telex concession - or without it for that matter - I can arrange that things happen the way I want them to happen."
"Let us hope," said Magnus Ridolph, "that events continue to respond so facilely to your wishes. Excuse me, I think I hear the copter."
He hurried to the clearing. The pilot was climbing out of the cabin. He waved to Magnus Ridolph. "Got your package."
"Excellent." He reached in his pocket. "Ho! The blackguards have even picked my pocket!" He turned a rueful look to the pilot. "I'll pay you your fee in the morning - with a bonus. Now - would you assist me with this parcel to my room?"
"Sure thing." The pilot lifted one end of the long package, Magnus Ridolph the other, and they set off along the avenue.
Halfway they met King Kanditter, who eyed the bundle with a great deal of interest. "What that?"
"Ah," said Magnus Ridolph, "it's a wonderful new machine - very fine."
"Ch-ch-ch," said the king, gazing after them.
At his room Magnus Ridolph paused, mused a moment. "Now lastly," he said, "may I borrow your flash-lamp till tomorrow?"
The pilot handed him the article. "Just don't let those little devils snitch it."
Magnus Ridolph made a noncommittal remark, bade the pilot goodnight. Alone, he snapped loose the tapes, tore aside the fabric, pulled a can from out the case, then a large alumin box with a transparent window.
Magnus Ridolph peered within, chuckled. The box seemed full of moving flitting shapes - gauzy things only half visible. In a corner of the box lay a rough black pitted sphere, three inches in diameter. Magnus Ridolph opened the can which had come with the parcel, poured a few drops of its contents over the flash-lamp, set the lamp on his bed. Then, carrying the box outside, he sat and waited. Five - ten minutes passed.
He looked inside, nodded in satisfaction. The flash-lamp had disappeared. He returned within, rubbed his beard. Best to make sure, he thought. Looking outside, he saw the pilot lounging in front of Mellish's room, talking to Tomko. Magnus Ridolph called him over.
"Would you be kind enough to watch my box till I get back? I'll be gone only a moment."
"Take your time," said the pilot. "No hurry."
"I won't be long," said Magnus Ridolph. He poured some of the oil from the can upon his handkerchief, while the pilot watched curiously, then set off back down the street to the king's quarters.
He found Kanditter in the pavilion, quaffing the last of the wine. Magnus Ridolph made him a courteous greeting.
"How is your machine?" inquired Kanditter.
"In good condition," said Magnus Ridolph. "Already it has produced a cloth which makes all metal shine like the sun. As a sign of my friendship, I want you to have it."
Kanditter took the handkerchief gingerly. "Make shine, you say."
"Like gold," said Magnus Ridolph. "Like telex crystal."
"Ah." Kanditter turned away.
"Good night," said Magnus Ridolph, and returned to his quarters. The pilot departed and Magnus Ridolph, with a brisk rub of his hands, opened the alumin box, reached within, took the pitted black ball out, laid it on his bed. Flipping, running, flowing out of the box came two - four-six - a dozen filmy creatures, walking, gliding, flitting on gossamer legs, merging into shadows, sometimes glimpsed, for the most part barely sensed.
"Be off with you," said Magnus Ridolph. "Be off and about, my nimble little friends. You have much work to do."
Twenty minutes later a ghostly flickering shape scuttled in through the door, up upon the bed, laid a powerpack tenderly beside the rough black sphere.
"Good," said Magnus Ridolph. "Now off again - be off!"
Ellis B. Mellish was wakened the next day by an unusual hubbub from the pavilion. He raised his head from the pillow, peered out through puffed red eyes.
"Shut off that racket," he grunted.
Tomko, who slept spread-eagled across Mellish's luggage, sat up with a jerk, rose to his feet, stumbled to the door, squinted up the street.
"There's a big crowd up by the pavilion. They're yelling something or other - can't make it out."
A slender purple-brown face looked in the door. "King say come now." He waited expectantly.
Mellish made a rasping noise in his throat, turned over in his bed. "Oh - all right. I'll come." The native left. "Officious barbarians," muttered Mellish.
He rose, dressed, rinsed his face in cold water. "Confounded glad to be leaving," he told Tomko. "Just as soon live back in the Middle Ages."
Tomko expressed his sympathy, handed Mellish a fresh towel.
At last Mellish stepped out in the street, ambled up toward the palace. The crowd in the pavilion had not dwindled. Rather it seemed thicker - rows of Men-men, squatting, rocking, chattering.
Mellish paused, looked across the narrow purple-brown backs. His mouth dropped as if a weight had jerked his chin down.
Good morning, Mellish," said Magnus Ridolph.
"What are you doing there?" barked Mellish. "Where's the king?"
Magnus Ridolph puffed at his cigarette, flicked the ashes, crossed his legs. "I'm the king now - the King of Thieves."
"Are you crazy?"
"In no respect," was the reply. "I wear the coronet - ergo, I am king." He nudged with his foot a native squatting beside him. "Tell him, Kanditter."
The ex-monarch turned his head. "Magnus now king. He steal crown - he king. That is law of the Men-men. Magnus he great thief."
"Ridiculous!" stormed Mellish, taking three steps forward. "Kanditter, what about our deal?"
"You'll have to dicker with me," came Magnus Ridolph's pleasant voice. "Kanditter has been removed from the situation."
"I'll do no such thing," declared Mellish, black eyes glittering. "I made a bargain with Kanditter - "