“If you will persist in a reward, sire, then let it be in _tynir_, the yellow metal which we call gold, and which is so plentiful here but so rare on our planet--or in _rahmobis_, gems of great value among our people, who know them as diamonds.” “It shall be as you desire,” answered Hakon. “You shall have as much of both as can be carried in the _Sphere_.” Even as Robert spoke he saw the happiness fade from Zola’s countenance. A look of gentle, pathetic reproach came into her eyes. She looked away as if to hide it from him. It flashed to Robert’s mind that perhaps, after all, they might not be able to return to the Earth. Would they find the _Sphere_ intact? He thrilled guiltily, realizing that the answer to this question might yet make the princess his. Slowly the procession threaded its way back through the cheering populace toward the palace. Robert, astride Hakon’s mount, rode beside Professor Palmer, while Zola and her father followed in one of the luxurious motor carriages. Her strange quiet disturbed her father. “My daughter is not contented?” he ventured anxiously. “I am but fatigued,” she replied, forcing a smile. “Ah, of course you are, my dear. You must place yourself in the care of my physicians immediately upon our arrival at the palace.” Nevertheless, he hazarded a shrewd guess as to the real cause of her lassitude. As for Zola, her heart was heavy. Did Robert care more for precious metals and gems than for her? She would gladly have gone to the utmost ends of the universe with him unhesitatingly, with implicit trusting, yet he seemed already to have forgotten his recent avowal of love. He had even avoided her eye guiltily. 23 Ahead, Professor Palmer was listening sadly to Robert’s tale of Taggert’s death. “Poor lad. We must carry his story back to his paper and the world. He forfeited his life for it. It is little enough.” “Little enough,” Robert agreed. He thought of the sad message he would bear to the girl who would be waiting for Taggert. They rode on in silence. At Robert’s suggestion upon their arrival at the palace, Hakon promptly issued orders for the _Sphere_ to be sought out and brought back. A huge conveyance and two-score men were dispatched for this purpose. Preparations were already under way for a great feasting to commence that night. An abundance of every kind of food produced by the little planet was prepared by skilled cooks. Every delicacy known to the Martians was procured for the occasion--even meat of the rare _mihida_. The _mihida_ was the only animal still raised for food on Mars, on the pitifully small acreages of available pasturage irrigated from the ducts of precious water. None but the richest could enjoy this one available meat; and even those but occasionally. Many casks of _irel_, an excellent, mildly intoxicating vintage made from a fruit similar to our grape, were iced and tapped in readiness for the approaching festivities.