possibility that I might influence even a minor guard by bribery; they could not be moved by an appeal to sentiment; the cold, hard logic of their reasoning left their minds impregnable fortresses of conviction that it was useless to assail.
I have said that I was hopeless, but that was not entirely true. Upon what my hope fed I do not know, but it seemed so impossible to believe that Duare was to be destroyed that my mind must in some slight measure have been stunned.
* * * * *
It was dark before Ero Shan returned. I could read neither hope nor despair in his expression as he entered the room where I had finally gone to await him. He appeared very serious and very tired.
'Well?' I demanded. 'What is the verdict?'
'I had a hard time of it,' he said. 'I had to go all the way up to the Sanjong, but at last I got permission for you to visit her.'
'Where is she? When may I see her?'
'I will take you to her now,' he replied.
After we entered his car I asked him how he had accomplished it.
'I finally took Nalte with me,' he replied. 'She knew more about you and all that you and Duare have passed through together than any one else in Havatoo. For a while I almost thought that she was going to persuade the Sanjong to reverse the verdict against Duare, and it was solely through her appeal that they at last gave their consent to this last meeting.
'I learned a great deal about you and Duare from Nalte, much more than you have ever told me; and I learned something else.'
'What was that?' I asked as he paused.
'I learned that I love Nalte,' he replied.
'And did you learn that she loves you?'
'Yes. Were it not for your unhappiness I should be quite the happiest man in Havatoo tonight. But what made you think that Nalte loved me?'
'She told me so.'
'And you did not tell me?' he asked reproachfully.
'I could not,' I replied, 'until after I knew that you loved her.'
'I suppose not. She told me that you were planning on taking her back to Andoo; but now that won't be necessary—she seems quite content to remain in Havatoo.'
We had been driving along the Korgan Lat. toward the stadium, and now Ero Shan turned into a side street and stopped before a small house.
'Here we are,' he said. 'This is the house of Hara Es, in whose charge Duare has been placed. Hara Es is expecting you. I shall wait out here. You are to be allowed to remain with Duare for five vir.'
Five vir are a little over twenty minutes of earth time. It seemed all too short, but it was better than nothing. I went to the door of the house, and in answer to my summons Hara Es admitted me.
'I have been expecting you,' she said. 'Come with me.'
She led me up to the second floor and unlocking a door, pushed it open. 'Go in,' she directed. 'In five vir I shall come for you.'
* * * * *
As I entered the room Duare rose from a couch and faced me. Hara Es closed the door and locked it. I heard her footsteps as she descended the stairs. We were alone, Duare and I, for the first time in what seemed an eternity to me.
'Why did you come here?' asked Duare in a tired voice.
'You ask me that!' I exclaimed. 'You know why I came.'
She shook her head. 'You cannot do anything for me; no one can. I supposed you would come if you could help me, but as you can't I do not know why you came.'
'If for no other reason, because I love you. Is not that reason enough?'
'Do not speak to me of love,' she said, looking at me queerly.
I determined not to make her last moments more unhappy by pressing unwelcome attention upon her. I sought to cheer her, but she said that she was not unhappy.'
'I am not afraid to die, Carson Napier,' she said. 'As it seems impossible that, living, I should ever return to Vepaja, I prefer to die. I am not happy. I can never be happy.
'Why could you never be happy?' I demanded.
'That is my secret; I shall take it to the grave with me. Let us not speak of it any more.'
'I don't wish you to die, Duare. You must not die!' I exclaimed.
'I know that you feel that way, Carson , but what are we to do about it?'
'There must be something we can do. How many are there in this house besides Hara Es and yourself?'
'There is no one.'
Suddenly a mad hope possessed me. I searched the room with my eyes. It was bare of all except absolute necessities. I saw nothing with which I might carry out my plan. Time was flying. Hara Es would soon return. My eyes fell upon the saronglike scarf that Duare wore, the common outer garment of Amtorian women.
'Let me take this,' I said, stepping to her side.
'What for?' she demanded.
'Never mind. Do as I say! We have no time to argue! Duare had long since learned to submerge her pride when my tone told her that an emergency confronted us and to obey me promptly. She did so now. Quickly she unwound the scarf from about her and handed it to me.
'Here it is,' she said. 'What are you going to do with it?'
'Wait and see. Stand over there on the right side of the room. Here comes Hara Es now; I hear her on the stairs.'
I stepped quickly to one side of the door so that I should be behind it and hidden from Hara Es as she entered. Then I waited. More than my own life lay in the balance, yet I was not nervous. My heart beat as quietly as though I were contemplating nothing more exciting than a pleasant social visit.
I heard Hara Es stop before the door. I heard the key turn in the lock. Then the door swung open and Hara Es stepped into the room. As she did so I seized her by the throat from behind and pushed the door shut with my foot.
'Don't make a sound,' I warned, 'or I shall have to kill you.'
She did not lose her poise for an instant. 'You are very foolish,' she said. 'This will not save Duare, and it will mean your death. You cannot escape from Havatoo.'
I made no reply, but worked quickly and in silence. I bound her securely with the scarf and then gagged her. When I had finished I raised her from the floor and placed her on the couch.
'I am sorry, Hara Es, for what I was compelled to do. I am going now to get rid of Ero Shan. He will know nothing of what I have done. Please be sure to inform the Sanjong that Ero Shan is in no way responsible for what has happened—or what is going to happen. I shall leave you here until I can get away from Ero Shan without arousing his suspicions.
'In the meantime, Duare, watch Hara Es closely until I return. See that she does not loosen her bonds.'
I stooped and picked the key from the floor where Hara Es had dropped it; then I quit the room, locking the door after me. A moment later I was in the car with Ero Shan.
'Let's get home as quickly as possible,' I said; then I lapsed into silence, a silence which Ero Shan, respecting what he thought to be my sorrow, did not break.
He drove rapidly, but it seemed an eternity before he steered the car into the garage at the house. There being no thieves in Havatoo, locks are unnecessary; so our garage doors stood wide open as they always were except in inclement weather. My car, facing toward the street, stood there.
'You have eaten scarcely anything all day,' said Ero Shan as we entered the house; 'suppose we have something now.'
'No, thanks,' I replied. 'I am going to my room. I could not eat now.'
He laid a hand upon my arm and pressed it gently, but he did not say anything; then he turned and left me. A wonderful friend was Ero Shan. I hated to deceive him, but I would have deceived any one to save Duare.
