"I know that you are right," she replied a little wearily, "but it is my duty to try; and I may never cease to seek to return, to the end of my life, no matter how remote I may know the chance of success may be." "Isn't that being a little unreasonable, Duare?" "You do not understand, Carson Napier. If I had a brother or sister it might make a difference; but I have neither, and my father and I are the last of our line. It is not for myself nor for my father that I must return but for my country--the royal line of the jongs of Vepaja must not be broken, and there is none to perpetuate it but myself." "And if we do return--what then?" "When I am twenty I shall marry a noble selected by my father, and after my father dies I shall be vadjong, or queen, until my oldest son is twenty; then he will be jong." "But with the longevity serum that your scientists have perfected your father will never die; so why return?" "I hope he will not die, but there are accidents and battles and assassins. Oh, why discuss it! The royal line must be preserved!" "And what of me, if we reach Vepaja?" I asked. "What do you mean?" "Will there be a chance for me?" "I do not understand." "If your father consents, will you marry me?" I blurted. * * * * * Duare flushed. "How many times must I tell you that you may not speak of such serious things to me?" "I can't help it, Duare; I love you. I care nothing for customs nor jongs nor dynasties. I shall tell your father that I love you, and I shall tell him that you love me." "I do not love you; you have no right to say that. It is sinful and wicked. Because once I was weak and lost my head and said a thing I did not mean you have no right to constantly throw it in my face." Now that was just like a woman. I had been fighting every impulse to keep from speaking of love during all the time we had been together. I couldn't recall but one other instance when I had lost control of myself, yet she accused me of constantly throwing in her face the one admission of love that she had made. "Well," I said, sullenly, "I shall do what I said I'd do, if I ever see your father again." "And do you know what he will do?" "If he's the right kind of a father he'll say, 'Bless you, my children.'" "He is a jong before he is a father, and he will have you destroyed. Even if you do not make any such mad admission to him, I shall have to use all of my powers of persuasion to save you from death." "Why should he kill me?" "No man who has spoken, without royal permission, to a janjong, or princess, is ordinarily permitted to live. That you may be with me alone for months and possibly years before we return to Vepaja will but tend to exaggerate the seriousness of the situation. I shall plead your service to me; that you risked your life innumerable times to preserve mine; and that I think will have sufficient weight to save you from death; but, of course, you will be banished from Vepaja."