We turned on her; she was smiling a faint, quizzical smile. "I was sleeping, as I said. The insect guards caught a man who leaped for my window. A Braun--I had never seen him before. They would have torn him--but I made them stop. I tell them, bring him in. And when they did, I sen' them, the guards, outside, for I wish to speak to him alone." Hulda exclaimed: "Zetta, you did not!" "I did," she returned calmly. "The insects wanted to attack him--so I force them away. I thought then he was from Graff--I thought he want to carry me off--steal me for Graff. I was not afraid of him--" Her smile broadened. "Especially with my guards jus' outside. So I stood agains' the wall, with him across the room, to talk to him." "But why?" father demanded. "Child, why would you do a thing like this?" "I think to find out if really he was from Graff; and if so, then I wanted to send a message. If Graff would give up his attack upon the earth, I would marry him as he wants. That was my message." She said it so calmly! I could picture her standing there in her room, trying to bargain herself for the safety of another world. There was not one of us who could find a word to comment. I saw the tears spring to Hulda's eyes. * * * * * Zetta went on unmoved, heedless of our expressions. "I tell the Braun this. But he was not--that seems sure--he was not sen' by Graff. He stood of a sudden with a knife--a long knife of the kind we use in Garla to cut the pods. He jump for me--he would kill me. It was then I screamed. In the room I avoided him for a moment--and then my guards came in." She gestured. "The res' you know--and there you have now the truth--all of it." Hulda took Zetta in her arms. "You strange little thing Zetta, you mustn't do anything like this--" Father said: "If Graff had got your message, he would trick you. Zetta, promise me you won't try that again. Will you promise?" She eyed him. "I think perhaps I may not get the chance." Kean said: "He tried--that Braun--to murder her. He was from Brea--not from Graff." "Yes," said Zetta. "I think that is so." "I'm going before the Council at noon," said father. "I'll have this out with them--Zetta, if you're going to force me, I'll put you under guard so you won't be able to do anything foolish--Kean, I want you to tell the Council I'm bringing my son, and two young friends. Earthmen--they must hear us now--" "Yes," said Kean solemnly. "The people are excited, interest' that men of earth are here. But most interest' in Graff. He promises big things for Garla--" Kean was very solemn. "The gov'ment is making mistake. There are too many Brauns here. At the border--I tell them jus' now that out of our border something mus' be wrong."