them. They
felt an uneasy desire to get within comfortable constricting walls.

They found the ship without difficulty.

"Well, whoever it was has lammed," Sime concluded. "Tolto, you climb
on top of that rock. Watch me. If you see anybody after me, let 'em
have it. I'm going to see if I can scare up a desert hog somewhere."

Neither had stirred from his place, however, before they were suddenly
stricken to the ground. They felt the familiar sensation of cold and
suffocation--the paralysis caused by a diffused beam from a
neuro-pistol. Tolto was a little slower to fall, but he only lasted a
second longer. They knew that someone was taking the weapons out of
their helpless hands. Then life returned.

"Get up," said a languid voice back of them, "and let's have a look at
the looks of ye."

CHAPTER VII

_The Flight of a Princess_

The province of Hanlon, Prince Joro's hereditary domain, began about
fifty miles west of South Tarog. It was a region of thorn forests,
yielding a wood highly valued for ship-building, and the canal was
lined with shipyards, most of which belonged to the prince. The
so-called republic had been established before Joro was born, but the
reigning family of Hanlon had always been richly endowed with
astuteness. Deprived of their feudal holdings by a coup of state, they
had won back nearly all they had lost in the fields of finance and
trade. Joro was a monarchist for sentimental reasons, not for the
profits that might accrue to him.

It was the purity of Joro's devotion to his ideal that made him so
dangerous to all who might oppose him. Lesser men might be bribed,
frightened, distracted. Not Joro: he believed that the monarchy would
soothe the rumblings of internal dissension that continually disturbed
the peace and tranquillity of Mars. He drove forward to that
consummation with a steadfastness and singleness of purpose such as
have carried other fanatics to glory or to the grave. And in addition
to his zeal he carried into the struggle his exceptional ability, a
knowledge of government and of people.

* * * * *

He had need for all of his rare skill now. It had been an easy matter
to carry forcibly the Princess Sira to his palace in Hanlon. Tolto was
safely out of the way; Mellie had been dismissed. As for the other
palace servants, they had been silenced with bribery or the stiletto.

But Sira had remained adamant, and Joro, abstractedly toying