to stand by his published
word.

"We desire," he said slowly, "that you, as ambassador, return
immediately. You will have every facility to communicate with your
government, to repay the inconvenience."

The old woman stared him in the eye, then bowed silently.

Vyrtl saw that she realized what it might mean. He hoped she would not
arrange an "accident" before her ship returned.

He had Wilkins take over and check with the captain of the rocket. It
was determined that the best effort would bring the ship back to the
dome on Klo about "mid-morning." Vyrtl left orders that the woman was
to be brought before him the moment she arrived, and retired for the
night.

He found Xota sprawled confidently upon his bed, and kicked her off in
a temper. His groping had found no loose object to fling after her as
she slunk out the door, and that made his temper worse. He was a long
time getting to sleep....

* * * * *

The next morning, he pecked at his breakfast and sneered at the
artificial dawn that had been delayed for his benefit.

"Get me a lozard and a squad of guards!" he snarled to Wilkins. "I'll
have a run through the woods while I wait."

He left the guards at the fringes of his engineers' forest and rode
the eight-legged reptile recklessly among the huge trunks. Since the
builder had artfully omitted all low branches, there was little chance
of his knocking his head off.

Towards noon, he paused to rest at the little pool on the edge of the
woods. He waved to a group of guards he saw peering at him across an
open field of what looked very much like grass. One of the men ran
over.

"The Jursan envoy is back, Your Illustrious Sublimity."

Vyrtl sighed.

"Tell General Wilkins to bring her here immediately."

He turned away and sat upon a flat stone beside the pool.

After a while, he noticed that the ground was liberally supplied with
pebbles for casting into the water. He was watching the spreading
ripples about fifteen minutes later when he heard approaching voices
behind him.

A glance over his shoulder showed him Wilkins and two guards escorting
the old woman. He turned away, tossing another pebble into the pool
with a half-hearted motion of his arm.

When Wilkins coughed discreetly behind him, he told the aide and the
guards to withdraw. He listened to the footsteps until he knew they
were beyond range of ordinary conversation.

"You are the same Daphne Foster?" he