"Yes--of course I know you are. But I--cannot see you very well--now. You look--so far away." She put her face down quite close to him. Her eyes were brimming with tears. "Oh--yes," he said. "That's better--much better. Now I can--see you--very plainly. I was thinking--I wanted to--tell you something. It--wouldn't be right to tell you--except that I'll soon--be gone where it won't make any difference." He gathered all his last remaining strength. "I--love you--Princess Maida." She forced a gentle smile through her tears. "Yes, Wolfgar." "I mean," he persisted, "not as my Princess--just as--a woman. The--woman I've always loved. That's been my secret. You see? It would--always have been--my secret--the little Mars man Wolfgar--in love with his Princess Maida. You--don't think it too impertinent of me--do you? I mean--confessing it now--just at--the end?" "No," she whispered. "No, Wolfgar." "Thank you--very much." His breath exhaled with a faint sigh. "Thank you--very much. I wanted to tell you that--before I--go. And--if you wouldn't mind--I want to--call you--just Maida." "Just Maida, Wolfgar. Yes, of course, I want you to call me that." Her voice was broken. She brushed away her tears that he might not notice them. "Yes," he agreed. His staring eyes were trying to see her. "My Maida. You're--very beautiful--my Maida. I--wonder--you see, I'm taking advantage of you--I wonder if you'd say you--love me? I'd be so happy--just to hear you say it." As I sat there behind them, I prayed then that she might say it. "I love you, Wolfgar." "Oh," he whispered. "You _did_ say it! My Maida says that she loves me!" Happiness transfigured his livid face. But his smile was whimsical still. "You're--very kind to me. Please--say it again." "I love you, Wolfgar." "Yes--that's how I always dreamed it would sound. I--love--you--Wolfgar." His voice trailed away; a film was settling over his staring eyes. Then again his lips moved. "Maida says--'I love you, Wolfgar' ... I'm--so happy...." Quite suddenly she realized that he was gone. Her pent-up emotion came with a sob. "Wolfgar! My friend--my wonderful, loyal friend--don't die, Wolfgar! Don't die!" CHAPTER XIX _Waters of Eternal Peace_ Little Wolfgar was gone. It seemed at first very strange, unreal. It lay a shadow of grief upon our spirits, for many hours a deeper shadow than all those grave events impending upon which hung the fate of three worlds. Tarrano ordered for Wolfgar a public burial of ceremony and honor in the waters of eternal peace--ordered it for that same evening. Once again Tarrano demonstrated the strangeness of his nature. His arrival to take possession of Venus had been made the occasion of a great festival. "The Water Festival," they called it, which was held only at times of universal public rejoicing. It was planned now to do honor to Tarrano--planned for this same evening. But he postponed it a night; tonight was for Wolfgar.