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to know the truth and ever return to her father's court； all Dusar would
have to pay the penalty； and to have her here a prisoner amongst us would
be an admission of guilt from the consequences of which naught could
save us。 It would cost me my throne； Astok； and that I have no mind to
lose。
〃If we had her here〃 the elder man suddenly commenced to muse；
repeating the phrase again and again。 〃If we had her here； Astok；〃 he
exclaimed fiercely。 〃Ah； if we but had her here and none knew that she
was here！ Can you not guess； man？ The guilt of Dusar might be for ever
buried with her bones；〃 he concluded in a low； savage whisper。
Astok； Prince of Dusar； shuddered。
Weak he was； yes； and wicked； too； but the suggestion that his father's
words implied turned him cold with horror。
Cruel to their enemies are the men of Mars； but the word 〃enemies〃 is
commonly interpreted to mean men only。 Assassination runs riot in the
great Barsoomian cities； yet to murder a woman is a crime so unthinkable
that even the most hardened of the paid assassins would shrink from you
in horror should you suggest such a thing to him。
Nutus was apparently oblivious to his son's all…too…patent terror at his
suggestion。 Presently he continued：
〃You say that you know where the girl lies hid； since she was stolen
from your people at Aaanthor。 Should she be found by any one of the three
powers； her unsupported story would be sufficient to turn them all against
us。
〃There is but one way； Astok；〃 cried the older man。 〃You must return
at once to her hiding…place and fetch her hither in all secrecy。 And； look
you here！ Return not to Dusar without her； upon pain of death！〃
Astok； Prince of Dusar； well knew his royal father's temper。 He knew
that in the tyrant's heart there pulsed no single throb of love for any
creature。
Astok's mother had been a slave woman。 Nutus had never loved her。
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He had never loved another。 In youth he had tried to find a bride at the
courts of several of his powerful neighbours； but their women would have
none of him。
After a dozen daughters of his own nobility had sought self…
destruction rather than wed him he had given up。 And then it had been that
he had legally wed one of his slaves that he might have a son to stand
among the jeds when Nutus died and a new jeddak was chosen。
Slowly Astok withdrew from the presence of his father。 With white
face and shaking limbs he made his way to his own palace。 As he
crossed the courtyard his glance chanced to wander to the great east tower
looming high against the azure of the sky。
At sight of it beads of sweat broke out upon his brow。
Issus！ No other hand than his could be trusted to do the horrid thing。
With his own fingers he must crush the life from that perfect throat； or
plunge the silent blade into the red； red heart。
Her heart！ The heart that he had hoped would brim with love for
him！
But had it done so？ He recalled the haughty contempt with which his
protestations of love had been received。 He went cold and then hot to the
memory of it。 His compunctions cooled as the self…satisfaction of a near
revenge crowded out the finer instincts that had for a moment asserted
themselvesthe good that he had inherited from the slave woman was
once again submerged in the bad blood that had come down to him from
his royal sire； as； in the end； it always was。
A cold smile supplanted the terror that had dilated his eyes。 He
turned his steps toward the tower。 He would see her before he set out
upon the journey that was to blind his father to the fact that the girl was
already in Dusar。
Quietly he passed in through the secret way； ascending a spiral runway
to the apartment in which the Princess of Ptarth was immured。
As he entered the room he saw the girl leaning upon the sill of the east
casement； gazing out across the roof tops of Dusar toward distant Ptarth。
He hated Ptarth。 The thought of it filled him with rage。 Why not finish
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her now and have it done with？
At the sound of his step she turned quickly toward him。 Ah； how
beautiful she was！ His sudden determination faded beneath the glorious
light of her wondrous beauty。 He would wait until he had returned from
his little journey of deceptionmaybe there might be some other way then。
Some other hand to strike the blowwith that face； with those eyes before
him； he could never do it。 Of that he was positive。 He had always gloried
in the cruelty of his nature； but； Issus！ he was not that cruel。 No； another
must be foundone whom he could trust。
He was still looking at her as she stood there before him meeting his
gaze steadily and unafraid。 He felt the hot passion of his love
mounting higher and higher。
Why not sue once more？ If she would relent； all might yet be well。
Even if his father could not be persuaded； they could fly to Ptarth； laying
all the blame of the knavery and intrigue that had thrown four great
nations into war； upon the shoulders of Nutus。 And who was there that
would doubt the justice of the charge？
〃Thuvia；〃 he said； 〃I come once again； for the last time； to lay my
heart at your feet。 Ptarth and Kaol and Dusar are battling with Helium
because of you。 Wed me； Thuvia； and all may yet be as it should be。〃
The girl shook her head。
〃Wait！〃 he commanded； before she could speak。 〃Know the truth
before you speak words that may seal； not only your own fate； but that of
the thousands of warriors who battle because of you。
〃Refuse to wed me willingly； and Dusar would be laid waste should
ever the truth be known to Ptarth and Kaol and Helium。 They would raze
our cities； leaving not one stone upon another。 They would scatter our
peoples across the face of Barsoom from the frozen north to the frozen
south； hunting them down and slaying them； until this great nation