Croft smiled. "Kyphallos was placed under arrest and tried with speed," he replied. "He was sentenced to exile in that Zollaria he had tried to aid in her plans. He went forth in a rather boastful fashion and appeared at the capital, Berla, itself. But neither Helmor nor the tawny Kalamita would have aught to do with him since he could be of no further use to them. Only then I think did Kyphallos realize his true position, because then he drew himself up before Kalamita and asked her, for all time, to say he was nothing to her." She replied with a sneering laugh. Kyphallos gave her one look, drew his sword, held it before his breast, and fell upon it and died. "And the maid?" I asked. "Pardon me, Croft, but I'm human! And like all human beings I recognize love as the main-spring of existence." He laughed. "As it is--love, Murray, is life--the cause of all being. The maid is mine, or shall be so, soon as I return." "You're going back?" I said. He gave me a glance. "Of course. I ask nothing better. God, man, don't you understand that she waits for me--there? Oh, yes, I've seen her since Zollaria was beaten! I've held her in my arms--felt her lips. The wedding-day is set. It is to be in Himyra, with Magur as the priest. Man, can't you understand?" "What?" I inquired. His laugh came again. But it was nervous. "You rather force me to blow my own horn. Murray, I'm Tamarizia today. When we returned to Zitra victors and learned that Robur had driven the Mazzerians like chaff before the wind, and that Milidhur, outside of a skirmish or two, had found nothing to do, Tamhys gave me new rank. He named me Prince of Zitra, a title never known in Tamarizia before, but next in importance to the imperial throne. Man, I could have been emperor had I wished since Tamhys's term expired one week after we got back." "Could have been?" I said. "Yes." He smiled. "But--I didn't take it. Do you know what I did?" "Hardly." I shook my head. "You might deduce it," he returned. "Murray, Tamarizia is a republic now. She was ready for it. She had come nearly to it before I arrived. There was no reason why she should not set up a true democracy. When they offered me the crown I replied with a request. I called for a council of the states. I put the thing squarely before them. They hailed the suggestion with acclaim. My word was law, Murray--law. "Last night when you called me back and I returned, do you know what was being done? Certainly not. But--we were completing the draft of the republican constitution. Nothing less. When I returned I found them clustered about me--those nobles of the nation. They thought me in a faint, all save Jadgor and Lakkon and Robur, of course. I caught their eyes and knew they understood. But I said nothing, and we finished the draft last night.