g's death, Alan," she said a moment later,
"and that here is their little king standing before them; And now, of
you--what shall I say?"

"Tell them that until the king is older, I--the man from earth--shall rule
them as regent. Tell them if they obey me all will be well, for I shall
rule them wisely."

I stood while Miela translated this amid dead silence from the crowd. As
she finished I raised myself to full height and stared down at them
threateningly.

"But if there is trouble--if any one defies my authority--then, Miela,
tell them I shall use the light-ray, for I shall brook no interference."

The silence from below continued.

I spread my hands out before me and smiled.

"But there will be no trouble. I am with the Light Country, heart and
soul. Its interests are my interests, for I have married one of its women,
and now I too am one of its people.

"Tao shall be overthrown--tell them that, Miela. The Twilight People never
again shall threaten our cities. If more land is wanted by our people of
the Light Country, tell them they shall have it. All the land they desire
shall be theirs. For when Tao is vanquished I shall build great cars such
as he is building, and all who wish may go to my earth peacefully, and we
will make them welcome as I have been made welcome here."

A cheer arose as Miela translated this; and now for the first time I heard
no cries of dissent.

"Say to them again I shall rule them wisely. Say I shall look to them--all
of them, rich and poor alike--for help in what we have to do. All must
help me, for I am only one, and I need them all. When this work we have to
do is over, when our nation is freed forever from this menace from across
the sea, tell them that then I will give my every thought to the details
of their welfare. All that they wish--if it lays in my power--shall be
done."

A girl alighted for an instant on the parapet near me; another, darted
downward in her flight, evidently to avoid the disrespect of passing
directly in front of me. The thought flashed through my mind that I might
mention the virgins and promise them reversal of the law they so abhorred,
but I felt it would be impolitic to raise that question at such a time as
this.

"Tell them now to leave the grounds, quietly," I concluded. "When I wish
them again they will be sent for. All that I do will be known through
public proclamation."

I lifted the little prince in my arms, and then, with the cheers of th