"Yes," continued the Speaker, something catching in his voice, "he was changed in such a way that the terrific amount of moisture in the atmosphere of the Earth could be taken care of by his body. In order to make that possible, _his twelve-foot body was given a capacity for water proportionately three times greater than that of any Terrestrial_! "Gentlemen," said the Speaker, while an air of startled tenseness grew in the tiered seats, "Olduk died of thirst." He was silent. He said strainedly, "I wanted to know if my action of deceit met with your approval. I require a standing vote." The Japanese Governor rose slowly. He had to. He sent a look at the Spanish Governor. The Spanish Governor kept his seat. The Japanese Governor stood alone, like a monument to the thoughtless guilt of the others. * * * * * The Speaker sat that night before his desk, drinking a glass of water. He said to the shadows, "I drink with you, Olduk!" He slowly wrote out a treasury requisition, and in the space marked REASON FOR APPLICATION wrote: "For the free transportation of a gift of ten million gallons of water to the Martians, as a gesture of friendship from Earth." End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Tantalus Death, by Ross Rocklynne