ries and closed the gaping wound by filling it
with a plastic compound and drawing the edges together with clamps.
You were anaesthetized and some ray machine was used to heal the
shoulder. This required but ten hours and they now say that your arm
is as good as ever. How does it feel?"

"Perfectly natural. In fact I feel better than I have in a month."
Tommy observed that the nurse had left the room and he jumped from his
bed and capered like a school boy.

This drew no sign of merriment from Frank, and Tommy scrutinized him
once more in consternation. "And you," he said, "what is wrong with
you?"

"Don't worry about me," replied Frank impatiently. Then, irrelevantly,
he said "Leland's dead."

"Should be. I knew we shouldn't have started out to help him. But,
Frank, I'm concerned about you. You look badly." Tommy was getting
into his clothes as he spoke.

"Forget it, Tommy. You've been sleeping for two days, you know--part
of the cure--and I haven't had much rest during that time. That is
all."

"It's that Phaestra woman," Tommy accused him.

"Well, perhaps. But I'll get over it, I suppose. Tommy, I love her.
But there's no chance for me. Haven't seen her since the row in the
palace. Her council surrounds her continually and I have been advised
to-day that we are to be returned as quickly as you are up and around.
That means immediately now."

"Good. The sooner the better. And you just forget about this queen as
soon as you are able. She's a peach, of course, but not for you.
There's lots more back in little old New York." But Frank had no reply
to this sally.

* * * * *

There came a knock at the door and Tommy called, "Come in."

"I see you have fully recovered," said the smiling Theronian who
entered at the bidding, "and we are overjoyed to know this. You have
the gratitude of the entire realm for your part in the saving of our
empress from the bullets of the madman."

"I?"

"Yes. You and your friend. And now, may I ask, are you ready to return
to your own land?"

Tommy stared. "Sure thing," he said, "or rather, I will be in a few
minutes."

"Thank you. We shall await you in the transmitting room." The
Theronian bowed and was gone.

"Well, I like that," said Tommy. "He hands me an undeserved compliment
and then asks how soon we can beat it. A 'here's your hat, what's your
hurry' sort of thing."

"It's me they're anxious to be rid of," remarked Frank, shrugging