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at the zeppelin father macphail had rallied the soldiers。 several men stood guard； looking out into the sleet…filled dark with rifles at the ready； while others opened the wooden crate containing the bomb and made it ready for the cable。 mrs。 coulter could see it clearly in the wash of the floodlights； streaming with rain； an ungainly mass of machinery and wiring slightly tilted on the rocky ground。 she heard a high…tension crackle and hum from the lights； whose cables swung in the wind； scattering the rain and throwing shadows up over the rocks and down again； like a grotesque jump rope。
mrs。 coulter was horribly familiar with one part of the structure： the mesh cages； the silver blade above。
they stood at one end of the apparatus。 the rest of it was strange to her； she could see no principle behind the coils； the jars； the banks of insulators； the lattice of tubing。 nevertheless； somewhere in all that plexity was the little lock of hair on which everything depended。
to her left the slope fell away into the dark； and far below was a glimmer of white and a thunder of water from the cataract of saint…jean…les…eaux。
there came a cry。 a soldier dropped his rifle and stumbled forward； falling to the ground； kicking and thrashing and groaning with pain。 in response the president looked up to the sky； put his hands to his mouth； and uttered a piercing yell。
what was he doing？
a moment later mrs。 coulter found out。 of all unlikely things； a witch flew down and landed beside the president as he shouted above the wind：
〃search nearby！ there is a creature of some kind helping the woman。 its attacked several of my men already。 you can see through the dark。 find it and kill it！〃
〃there is something ing；〃 said the witch in a tone that carried clearly to mrs。 coulters shelter。 〃i can see it in the north。〃
〃never mind that。 find the creature and destroy it；〃 said the president。 〃it cant be far away。 and look for the woman； too。”
the witch sprang into the air again。
suddenly the monkey seized mrs。 coulters hand and pointed。
there was lord roke； lying in the open on a patch of moss。 how could they not have seen him？ but something had happened； for he wasnt moving。
〃go and bring him back；〃 she said； and the monkey； crouching low； darted from one rock to another； making for the little patch of green among the rocks。 his golden fur was soon darkened by the rain and plastered close to his body； making him smaller and less easy to see； but all the same he was horribly conspicuous。
father macphail； meanwhile； had turned to the bomb again。 the engineers from the generating station had brought their cable right down to it； and the technicians were busy securing the clamps and making ready the terminals。
mrs。 coulter wondered what he intended to do； now that his victim had escaped。 then the president turned to look over his shoulder； and she saw his expression。 it was so fixed and intense that he looked more like a mask than a man。 his lips were moving in prayer； his eyes were turned up wide open as the rain beat into them； and altogether he looked like some gloomy spanish painting of a saint in the ecstasy of martyrdom。 mrs。 coulter felt a sudden bolt of fear； because she knew exactly what he intended： he was going to sacrifice himself。 the bomb would work whether or not she was part of it。
darting from rock to rock； the golden monkey reached lord roke。
〃my left leg is broken；〃 said the gallivespian calmly。 〃the last man stepped on me。 listen carefully。。。”
as the monkey lifted him away from the lights； lord roke explained exactly where the resonating chamber was and how to open it。 they were practically under the eyes of the soldiers； but step by step； from shadow to shadow； the daemon crept with his little burden。
mrs。 coulter； watching and biting her lip； heard a rush of air and felt a heavy knock； not to her body； but to the tree。 an arrow stuck there quivering less than a hands breadth from her left arm。 at once she rolled away； before the witch could shoot another； and tumbled down the slope toward the monkey。
and then everything was happening at once； too quickly： there was a burst of gunfire； and a cloud of acrid smoke billowed across the slope； though she saw no flames。 the golden monkey； seeing mrs。 coulter attacked； set lord roke down and sprang to her defense； just as the witch flew down； knife at the ready。 lord roke pushed himself back against the nearest rock； and mrs。 coulter grappled directly with the witch。
they wrestled furiously among the rocks； while the golden monkey set about tearing all the needles from the witchs cloud…pine branch。
meanwhile； the president was thrusting his lizard daemon into the smaller of the silver mesh cages。 she writhed and screamed and kicked and bit； but he struck her off his hand and slammed the door shut quickly。 the technicians were making the final adjustments； checking their meters and gauges。
out of nowhere a seagull flew down with a wild cry and seized the gallivespian in his claw。 it was the witchs daemon。 lord roke fought hard； but the bird had him too tightly； and then the witch tore herself from mrs。 coulters grasp； snatched the tattered pine branch； and leapt into the air to join her daemon。
mrs。 coulter hurled herself toward the bomb； feeling the smoke attack her nose and throat like claws： tear gas。 the soldiers； most of them； had fallen or stumbled away choking （and where had the gas e from？ she wondered）； but now； as the wind dispersed it； they were beginning to gather themselves again。 the great ribbed belly of the zeppelin bulked over the bomb； straining at its cables in the wind； its silver sides running with moisture。
but then a sound from high above made mrs。 coulters ears ring： a scream so high and horrified that even the golden monkey clutched her in fear。 and a second later； pitching down in a swirl of white limbs； black silk； and green twigs； the witch fell right at the feet of father macphail； her bones crunching audibly on the rock。
mrs。 coulter darted forward to see if lord roke had survived the fall。 but the gallivespian was dead。 his right spur was deep in the witchs neck。
the witch herself