“We will try it,” decided P’an-ku. “You, Tzien Khan, will take one of the Ultuan prisoners who resembles Ted Dustin in physical proportions and dress him in a suit of the armor we took when we captured a troop of the surface scouts of the white princess. “You, Kai Lo Khan, will go to Chu Yan, Khan of my army, inform him of our plans, and see that he has men with ray projectors suitably posted on the walls and ten men ready to accompany the prisoner to the meeting place. I will send a messenger with a note to the Princess, at once. “And, Tzien Khan. When you have prepared a prisoner to represent the young scientist of Du Gong, you may take Ted Dustin from the dungeons of eternal darkness to the torture chambers, and there inflict on him the death of the hot oil. I had thought to delay his death and prolong his torture indefinitely, but with the prospect of the honor of a visit from the fair Princess who foolishly believes she loves him, it will be better to put him permanently out of her reach at once. “Now go, both of you.” . . . . Seated on the back of her great, fighting _nak-kar_ in one of the glades of the luminous forest which surrounded the city of Peilong, Maza waited impatiently for P’an-ku reply to her message. She wore a suit and helmet of shining white armor, and a sword and red ray projector depended from the belt which encircled her slender waist. Beside her, similarly armored and mounted, was the aged Vanible Khan. Ranged before her were line after line of her foot soldiers, and more, steadily coming up from the rear, were being hurried into place by their officers as the army encircled the city. Her _nak-kar_ cavalry had deployed for attack, and the huge supply wagons, drawn by great, lumbering, wingless dragons, were rumbling into position. “P’an-ku ponders long over his reply, Your Majesty,” said Vanible Khan. “It may be that he does not intend to make one,” replied Maza. “He seems, however, to have respected my banner of truce.” “I would not rest too strongly on the belief that Ted Dustin is alive,” said Vanible Khan. “If he escaped the green rays of the defenders when he attacked the great projector it would be amazing, but if P’an-ku were to capture him and spare his life it would indeed be astounding.” “Nevertheless, I shall go on believing him alive until I have proof to the contrary,” answered Maza. “I seem to feel it, here.” She pressed her hand over her heart. Sailing gracefully over the treetops, a _nak-kar_ alighted in the glade. Its rider dismounted, rushed to where Maza sat in her saddle, made obeisance, and presented a scroll. “A message from P’an-ku,” he announced. The Princess eagerly seized and unrolled the missive, hastily scanning its contents. “He lives! Ted Dustin lives!” “And will P’an-ku surrender him without a struggle?” asked Vanible Khan. “I will read the message,” she replied.