. Edison, Colonel Smith, Sydney Phillips, Aina and myself advanced at
the head of the procession, our guard following in close order behind
us. It had been evident from the moment that we entered the palace that
Aina was regarded with aversion by all of the Martians. Even the women
about the throne gazed scowlingly at her as we drew near. Apparently,
the bitterness of feeing which had led to the massacre of all of her
race had not yet vanished. And, indeed, since the fact that she remained
alive could have been known only to the Martian who had abducted her and
to his immediate companions, her reappearance with us must have been a
great surprise to all those who now looked upon her.

It was clear to me that the feeling aroused by her appearance was every
moment becoming more intense. Still, the thought of a violent outbreak
did not occur to me, because our recent triumph had seemed so complete
that I believed the Martians would be awed by our presence, and would
not undertake actually to injure the girl.

I think we all had the same impression, but as the event proved, we were
mistaken.

Suddenly one of the gigantic guards, as if actuated by a fit of
ungovernable hatred, lifted his foot and kicked Aina. With a loud shriek
she fell to the floor.

The blow was so unexpected that for a second we all stood riveted to the
spot. Then I saw Colonel Smith's face turn livid, and at the same
instant heard the whirr of his disintegrator, while Sydney Phillips,
forgetting the deadly instrument he carried in his hand, sprung madly
toward the brute who had kicked Aina, as if he intended to throttle him,
colossus that he was.

But Colonel Smith's aim, though instantaneously taken, as he had been
accustomed to shoot on the plains, was true, and Phillips, plunging
madly forward, seemed wreathed in a faint blue mist--all that the
disintegrator had left of the gigantic Martian.

Who could adequately describe the scene that followed?

I remember that the Martian emperor sprang to his feet, looking tenfold
more terrible than before. I remember that there instantly burst from
the line of guards on either side crinkling beams of death-fire that
seemed to sear the eyeballs. I saw a half a dozen of our men fall in
heaps of ashes, and even at that terrible moment I had time to wonder
that a single one of us remained alive.

Rather by instinct than in consequence of any order given, we formed
ourselves in a hollow square, with Aina lying