us upon what diabolical errand he and his
fellows were embarked. I recall that as he talked Jane gripped me in
horror. But she managed to smile when Tako smiled at her. He was
naively earnest as he told us of his coming conquest. And Jane, with
woman's intuition knew before Don and I realized it, that it was to
herself, a beautiful girl of Earth, he was talking, seeking her
admiration for his prowess.

Tako was what in Europe of the Middle Ages would have amounted to a
feudal prince. He was one of many here in this realm; each had his
little domain, with his retainers cultivating his land, paying fees
to him so that the overlord lived in princely idleness.

* * * * *

Scattered at considerable distances, one from the other, these
rulers of their little principalities were loosely bound into a
general government; but at home each was a law unto himself. They
lived in princely fashion, these lords of the castle, as they were
called. Among the retainers, monogamy was practiced. The workers had
their little families--husband, wife and children. But for the
rulers, more than one wife was the rule. Within each castle was a
harem of beauties, drawn perforce from the common people. The most
beautiful girls of each settlement were trained from childhood to
anticipate the honor of being selected by the master for a life in
the castle.

They were connoisseurs of woman's beauty, these overlords. By the
size of his harem and the beauty and talent of its inmates was an
overlord judged by his fellows.

Out of this had grown the principal cause for war in the history of
the realm. Beautiful girls were scarce. Raids were made by one lord
upon the village and harem of another.

Then had come to Tako the discovery of the great world of our Earth,
occupying much of this same space in another state of matter.

"I discovered it," he said with his gaze upon Jane.

"How?" Don demanded.

"It came," he said, "out of our scientific method of transportation,
which very soon I will show you. We are a scientific people. Hah!"
He laughed ironically. "The workers say that we princes are
profligate--that we think only of women and music. But that is not
so. Once, many generations ago, we were a tremendous nation, and
skilled in science far beyond your own world--and with a population
a hundred times what we have now. The land everywhere must have been
rich and fertile. There were big cities--the ruins of them