eak the engagement. But so long as that was what she
wanted, I certainly wasn't going to beg her to change her mind."

Val stood up to go. "If you don't mind, I would rather you said nothing
to Princess Lyla about this visit tonight. I'm afraid my misplaced surge
of chivalry would make me look like a fool to her."

Then, as an afterthought, Val added, "Mr. Rockford had further business
in the city."

* * * * *
* * * *

It was late when Narf finally left Lyla's part of the cabin. He went to
the cabin occupied by Val and Sonig, aroused Sonig, and the two of them
went to the helicopter field. Hunter heard the helicopter leaving for
the city a few minutes later. Val's cabin remained dark and after a
while, the light in Lyla's cabin went out.

He went to bed, but not to sleep. Over and over, a lonely little
Princess Lyla clung to him for comfort, crying, while he held her close.
He twisted and turned restlessly as he thought of the hours she had sat
alone and unloved while Narf poured out his hatred and fury on her.

There was a yearning for her, a desire to hold her and always protect
her, that would not let him sleep. And he realized the reason why.

He thought miserably, _I'm in love with her_!

* * * * *

Rockford was in bed, snoring loudly, with six empty beer cans on the
floor beside him, when Hunter got up. He went outside and found Alonzo
waiting for him.

"They got it awr pranned to kirr you for sure today, Rootenant."

"How?" he asked.

"Rast night, Rord Narf and Sonig go to the city and Rord Narf, he hire
four bad-rooking men with brasters, and Sonig hire four more that are
his countrymen, and they bring these men back and now they are hiding in
the woods. And they awrso bring back movie cameras with terescope
renses. And Rord Narf raff and say he wirr marry Princess Ryra today
before your dead body is even coor."

"Oh?" Hunter said. He thought of the snoring Rockford and his words of
two days before: _If you manage to live that long._ How, he wondered,
could the lazy old drunkard have made such an accurate guess?

"And then," Alonzo said, "Rord Narf wake up Princess Ryra--onry I know
she wasn't asreep--and he terr her he ruv her and have awready made awr
the arrangement for them to get married today, right after runch. And he
terr her she is right about the Space Guard and she wirr have until
runch to tawrk