nts. They
greeted Tarrano humbly; escorted him away.

Other attendants. Natives of the city, in the flowing, bright-colored
robes we had seen everywhere. A group of them--laughing young
girls--descended upon us.

"The Princess Maida bids you welcome."

They hurried us into the building. I was surprised. Tarrano had
seemingly ignored us. It was quite as though we were honored guests,
arriving in the Central State when Maida was its ruler.

Led by the girls, we passed upward into the building past splashing
fountains, cascades of perfumed water with tubes of silver light
gleaming in its midst; and were thrust at last into a room.

The girls withdrew. Across the floor-polished stone, with heavy woven
rugs upon it--Georg and the Princess Maida advanced upon us.

Our greetings were brief. I could have talked to them both for a day,
questioning them; and they, no doubt, had as much to ask of us. But they
were solemn, grave and anxious.

"Not now, Jac," Georg said to check me. "Elza dear--I have been so
worried over you."

"But----" I demanded.

"Jac--the situation here--our own cause--the safety of our Earth
itself--this Tarrano--"

But Maida stopped him. "The very air has ears. Not now." Her glance
turned to Wolfgar; her slim hands went out to greet him. "Wolfgar, my
friend. It is good to see you here."

Wolfgar knelt before her, gazed for one instant into her eyes, and then
with head bowed, brushed the hem of her robe to his face.

She laughed gently. "Stand up, Wolfgar. I would not be the Princess
Maida to you now. Only--your friend. Your grateful friend."

There was a sudden soundless flash. From across the room a beam of
violet flame darted at us. It struck just between Maida and Wolfgar, as
he rose from his knee. Both of them involuntarily stepped backward,
apart from each other. And between them, breast high, the flame hung
level across the room. Maida was on one side of it; all the rest of us,
on the other.

I turned. At the door, Argo had appeared. From a black object in his
hand, the beam was streaming. He rested the black thing on a wall ledge
so that the beam hung level.

"Stand where you are, all of you." He started toward Maida, behind the
beam from the rest of us.

Georg made as though to leap forward, but Wolfgar restrained him. "Wait!
You don't understand--that's death!"

I saw now that the violet light had encircled us. Only Maida and Argo
were outside it. He was approaching her, with