at thing they
call patriotism. For rulers, a good mask with which to hide their
unscrupulous schemes. That's all it is, Georg Brende. Cannot you give me
a better reason? You think perhaps I am not sincere? You think I would
not share longevity with you--that I would play you false?"

"No," Georg declared. "But my father's work was for the people. I'm not
talking patriotism--only humanitarianism. The strife, suffering in our
worlds--you would avoid it yourself--and gloat while others bore it.
You----"

"Youth!" Tarrano interrupted. "Altruism! It is very pretty in
theory--but quite nonsensical. Man lifts himself--the individual must
look out for himself--not for others. Each man to his destiny--and the
weak go down and the strong go up. It is the way of all life--animal and
human. It always has been--and it always will be. The way of the
universe. You are very young, Georg Brende."

"Perhaps," Georg said, and fell silent.

Tarrano abruptly rose to his feet. "Calm thought is better than
argument. You have imagination--you can picture what I offer. Think it
over. And if youth is your trouble----" His eyes were twinkling. "I
shall have to wait until you grow up. We have a long road to
travel--empires cannot be built in a day."

He paused before Elza with a grave, dignified bow. "Goodnight, Lady
Elza."

"Goodnight," she said.

He left us. We stood listening to his footsteps as he quietly descended
the tower incline. At his summons, the barrage was lifted. He went out.
From the balcony we saw him cross the spider bridge, with Argo at his
heels. As they vanished into the yawning mouth of an arcade beyond the
bridge, again came that rose-glow in the other tower. We saw again the
girl with flowing white hair standing there. And now she was waving us
back.

"She wants us inside, where we can't be seen," Georg murmured. We drew
back into the room, standing where we still could see the girl. I
wondered then--and we had discussed it several times these last
hours--if the interior of our tower were under observation by some
distant guard. We felt that probably it was, visibly and audibly; and we
had been very careful of what we said aloud.

But now, if we were watched, we could not help it; we would have to take
the chance. The figure of the girl showed plainly down there through the
other casement. And again, with slow-moving white arms she began to
semaphore. A queer application of the Secondary Code, which always is
us