"Where is that?" asked Skor. "In Vepaja," explained Duare. "I never heard of that country," said Skor. "Where is it?" "You never heard of Vepaja!" exclaimed Duare incredulously. "Why, all the present country of Thora was called Vepaja until the Thorists rose and took it and drove the remnants of the ruling class to the island that is now all that remains of ancient Vepaja." "Oh, yes, I had heard of that," admitted Skor; "but it was a long time ago and in distant Trabol." "Is this not Trabol?" asked Duare. "No," replied Skor; "this is Strabol." "But Strabol is the hot country," argued Duare. "No one can live in Strabol." "You are in Strabol now. It is hot here during a portion of the year, but not so hot as to be unendurable." * * * * * I was interested. If what Skor said were true, we had crossed the equator and were now in the northern hemisphere of Venus. The Vepajans had told me that Strabol was uninhabitable--a steaming jungle reeking with heat and moisture and inhabited only by fierce and terrible beasts and reptiles. The entire northern hemisphere was a _terra incognita_ to the men of the southern hemisphere, and for that reason I had been anxious to explore it. With the responsibility of Duare on my shoulders I could not do much exploring, but I might learn something from Skor; so I asked him of the country farther north. "It is no good," he snapped. "It is the land of fools. They frown upon true science and progress. They drove me out; they would have killed me. I came here and established the kingdom of Morov. That was many years ago--perhaps a hundred years. I have never returned since to the country of my birth; but sometimes their people come here," and he laughed unpleasantly. Just then a woman came from the building, evidently in response to Skor's summons. She was middle aged. Her skin was the same repulsive hue as that of the men I had seen, and it was very dirty. Her mouth hung open and her tongue protruded; it was dry and swollen. Her eyes were glazed and staring. She moved with a slow, awkward shuffle. And now, behind her, came two men. They were much as she; there was something indescribably revolting about all three. "Take these away!" snapped Skor with a wave of the hand toward the soiled dishes. "And bring food." The three gathered up the dishes and shuffled away. None of them spoke. The look of horror in Duare's eyes could not have gone unnoticed by Skor. "You do not like my retainers?" demanded Skor testily. "But I said nothing," objected Duare. "I saw it in your face." Suddenly Skor broke into laughter. There was no mirth in it, nor was there laughter in his eyes but another expression, a terrible glint that passed as quickly as it had come. "They are excellent servants," he said in normal tones; "they do not talk too much, and _they do whatever I tell them to do_."