He turned to Deisanocta. Her face was radiant, but the grey depths of her lovely eyes clouded as they fixed on his seared shoulder. "Barry--" "Never mind me," he ordered brusquely. "Get to that radio we brought. Tell your _men_ to let loose the mist again and attack at once!" Craig Grey's pain-twisted face went paler. "The mist! You can't--I destroyed--" "That's what you were supposed to think, Grey," Barry snapped. "But you'll see that silver lining shining through the cloud you brought to Mars. Then we'll put the mist drug and Deisanocta's hypnotism to work on your rotten mind. We'll get enough details on your fraud to convince any government! "Now come on, get outside! Your men'll fall like sheep without leadership. I'll have the Princess speed things up by offering amnesty to those that surrender without resistance." Craig Grey went slowly through the passage, down the ramp of the old spaceship. * * * * * Twelve miles above the surface of the red planet Mars, hovered the fleet of Earth transports. The Federal troops who'd made the trip from Earth were never to land. For Mars was a free planet, and Earth Government had commanded its forces to respect the sovereignty of Deisanocta, Queen of Mars. From below, a steady stream of smaller ships was flowing up to the transports, and back downward for another load. "Can't figure it out," said a puzzled soldier. "We came to fight Martians--maybe take some Martian prisoners; and we're going home loaded with Earthmen who are prisoners." "There aren't any Martians," explained his irate Sergeant, "They're really Earthmen. And these prisoners have been treating them like Martians--or--or--" "Never mind!" ordered his superior. "Anyway the ether between here and Earth's been burning. Faces--pictures of documents, a confession, and all sorts of stuff have been radiographed to the old home planet. And we've got our orders." The Sergeant was on firmer ground now. "Here comes the guy I wouldn't want to be--Craig Grey! After the stuff he's admitted, three times his money wouldn't keep him from the gas chambers!" As the last of the Earth ships blasted homeward, Deisanocta, Queen of Mars, turned to Barry Williams, acting Terrestrial Ambassador. Affairs of Government weighed heavily on her, and Barry's training had been of invaluable help. She fixed her tired eyes on him, and they glowed softly as she spoke. "And what will you do, Barry Williams, after the Permanent Ambassador has been appointed and sent here?" His blue eyes met her gaze. "Read my mind, Deisanocta. This time my will is not opposed to it. The answer is there." She came closer. "I will not use science to find that answer, Barry. It is in your eyes and on your lips, but you must speak. "There are some things a woman, even a Queen, wants to learn only from the lips of the man she loves." End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mists of Mars, by George A. Whittington