ndon her countrymen, she will
despise you for a coward. It is better that one or that many be lost
than that all be lost."

Damis bowed his head in silence. Raised by the Jovians whose only ideal
of life was their own selfish pleasure, the thought that the fate of
thousands whom he did not know and in whom he felt little interest could
be of more importance than the fate of the one whose safety meant more
than life to him was a novel one. The lifelong training he had received
from the Sons of God struggled, and struggled in vain, against the
ideals he had inherited from his Earthly mother and his loved sire. With
a face drawn with anguish, he raised his head.

* * * * *

"We will take your weapons, Martian, and with them go to Earth. If it be
His will that Lura be safe, safe shall she be although the whole force
of Jupiter threaten her. If not, His will be done. One promise I exact
of you, Turgan. When we have reached Earth and I have taught your
followers to use the Martian weapons, you will give me a crew and let me
depart to Venus to find her."

"Gladly will I promise, and if I be spared, I will go with you, Damis,"
said Turgan. "Do not think that Lura is not dear to me; she is dearer
than all else in the Universe save only the keeping bright the ideal of
loyalty that has been the guiding light of the Terrestrials for untold
ages."

"Your decision is well made, Nepthalim," said the Martian, "and word of
it shall be given to the Grand Mognac that he may know that he made no
mistake when he entrusted you with the weapons of Mars. Now for your
course. When you rise, direct your ship toward Deiphos. The Jovian fleet
is now at an ascension of forty-two degrees and at an angle of one
hundred and sixty degrees from the sun. Deiphos will hide you from their
instruments. Once you reach it, our observers will plot your course and
send you a bearing which will take you as far from the Jovian fleet as
possible. They are now passing Ceres and will soon be out of the
asteroid belt. They are larger and more powerful than the ship you are
flying and they will make better speed. However, if you use your maximum
power, you will easily arrive on your planet before them. Have you fuel
enough for your trip at full speed?"

Damis hastily inspected the fuel supply of the ship and made some rapid
calculations.

"We have enough to carry us at maximum speed to Earth and to retard us
to a saf