e newspapers, of course, want interviews with the leading
Martians, and the others want to know what there is to be done in the
way of trade. Anyhow, it would be a feather in Uncle Sam's cap if he
made the first Reciprocity Treaty with another world."

"And then proceeded to corner the commerce of the Solar System," laughed
Redgrave. "Well, we'll see what can be done. Although I think, as an
Englishman, I ought to look after the Open Door."

"So that the Germans could get in before you, eh? That's just like you
dear, good-natured English. But look," she went on, pointing downwards,
"they're signalling again, all at once this time."

Half a dozen beams shone out together from the principal newspaper
offices of New York. Then simultaneously they began the dotting and
dashing again. Redgrave took them down in pencil, and when the
signalling had stopped he read off:

"No war. Dual Alliance climbs down. Don't like idea of _Astronef_.
Cables just received. Goodbye, and good luck! Come back soon, and safe!"

"What? We have stopped the war!" exclaimed Zaidie, clasping his arm.
"Well, thank God for that. How could we begin our voyage better? You
remember what we were saying the other day, Lenox. If that's only true,
my father somewhere knows now what a blessing he has given his brother
men! We've stopped a war which might have deluged the world in blood.
We've saved perhaps hundreds of thousands of lives, and kept sorrow from
thousands of homes. Lenox, when we get back, you and the States and the
British Government will have to build a fleet of these ships, and then
the Anglo-Saxon race must say to the rest of the world----"

"The millennium has come and its presiding goddess is Zaidie Redgrave.
If you don't stop fighting, disband your armies and turn your fleets
into liners and cargo boats, she'll proceed to sink your ships and
decimate your armies until you learn sense. Is that what you mean,
dear?" laughed Redgrave, as he slipped his left hand round her waist and
laid his right on the searchlight-switch to reply to the message.

"Don't be ridiculous, Lenox. Still, I suppose that is something like it.
They wouldn't deserve anything else if they were fools enough to go on
fighting after they knew we could wipe them out."

"Exactly. I perfectly agree with your Ladyship, but still sufficient
unto the day is the Armageddon thereof. Now I suppose we'd better say
goodbye and be off."

"And what a goodbye," whispered Zaidie,