ur's
face grew purple with rage.

"Obey my orders or you shall join her as a sacrifice!" he roared.

The equerry's face paled slightly and grew grim at the Viceroy's words
but no trace of fear appeared on his heavy countenance.

"Save your breath, Glavour," he said shortly, but in so quiet a voice
that no one but the Viceroy heard him. "You may be head of the Sons of
God on this planet but your power does not extend to life and death over
me, who am of the same blood that you are. I have the right to appeal to
Tubain from such a sentence. Before you strive to haul that girl away to
your already crowded seraglio against her will, listen to me. Do you
realize who she is?"

The Viceroy's face was a study. For a moment rage predominated and he
raised a mighty fist to strike Havenner down, but the equerry looked him
fearlessly in the eye. Slowly the hot rage faded and a deadly ferocity
took its place.

"You try me far, Havenner," he said in a quiet voice, yet with a hint of
steel in his tones, "yet your loyalty is above suspicion. Heard you not
the girl say she was the daughter of the Kildare of this province?"

"I heard, Your Excellency," replied the equerry, "but beyond that, she
is someone else. She is the affianced bride of Damis, the son of Hortan,
who was Viceroy before you."

"A Nepthalim!" exclaimed the Viceroy scornfully. "What matters that? Are
the desires of a half-breed bastard to stand above the wishes of the
ruler of the planet?"

"It is true that the mother of Damis was a Daughter of Man," said the
equerry quietly, "yet Hortan married her in honor. Damis is a man of
great influence and it would be well to reflect before you rob him of
his chosen bride. There is wide discontent with our rule which needs
only a leader to flare up. Remember that we are few and Jupiter is far
away."

"Havenner, you talk like a frightened woman," sneered the Viceroy. "Let
him join the ranks of the malcontents. For my part, I hope they revolt.
They need to be taught a lesson. Stand aside while I seize the maiden."

* * * * *

The equerry stood aside with a shrug of his shoulders and the Viceroy
sprang to the ground. The girl had run as rapidly as her clinging robes
would allow toward one of the beautiful buildings which lined the
thoroughfare. She had almost reached the doorway before Glavour reached
the ground and raced after her. His Jovian muscles carried his body
forward a