ty--a radiating force the
essence of which paradoxically was the unforceful gentleness of him. The
Almighty--as we each of us in our hearts must envisage our God--is just,
but gentle, humane in His justness. And with all the genius in the
universe--the war-like power--the weapons--the cohorts--all the
wonderful armament of war--you cannot transgress the Will of the
Almighty. Against all human logic of what should be victory--you will
meet defeat....

The thoughts fled through my mind and vanished into the realities of the
present. Rhaalton was saying:

"We will be ready within another time of sleep. Jac Hallen, you wish, I
suppose, to go out with our forces?"

"Oh yes," I said.

He smiled. "The eagerness of youth for danger! And yet is very
necessary--very laudable--"

He passed a hand across his forehead with a weary gesture--a gesture
which seemed to me despondent. Could this be our vaunted leader? My
heart sank.

He added abruptly: "We shall conquer this Tarrano--but at what cost!"
His smile was wistful. "We must choose the lesser evil."

Still gently, almost sorrowfully, but with a directness and clarity of
thought which amazed me, he plunged into a detailed account of what
Georg was to do in command of our forces. My own part in it, already
planned by him in detail. Maida's part. Elza's. The division of _Rhaal_
maidens.

Girlhood in war! It seemed very strange. Yet the _Rhaal_ maidens were
going as a matter of course, since there were some activities for which
they were more fitted than the men. With all the _Rhaal_ maidens going,
Elza and Maida would not stay behind. And though Maida--a wife--was
objected to by Rhaalton, he had yielded finally to her pleading.

I will not now detail our plans or our armament. We had, in general, one
thousand unmarried men, in five divisions of two hundred each. They were
largely _Rhaals_, with the few Earth men previously sent us; fifty
perhaps of the most loyal _slaans_; and a scattering of the other races
of the Venus Central State. A few--thirty perhaps--of the Little People
of Mars. In addition, another hundred men, individually in charge of the
larger apparatus and the vehicles. And the division of two hundred
girls.

Our journey to the Cold Country was to be made on flying platforms and
vehicles of various sizes; some large to carry fifty passengers or more;
others so small that only one person could be carried. These latter, the
girls were to use. I call them