"The governor will see you at once, I'm sure," he told them. They waited in a small, sumptuously furnished anteroom, while he went to summon Hakon.
A few minutes later Hakon stepped into the room. He wore a long, loose garment which he had thrown over his sleeping clothes. His face was pitifully haggard. He seemed to have aged terribly since they had seen him last. A faint, sad smile softened his features as his eyes fell upon them.
"Ah, my young friends, I am glad to see you safely back and out of the enemy's clutches. First, I want to thank you with my whole heart for the timely aid of the Sphere, which really turned the tide of the battle in our favor at a most critical time. Now I am grieved to hear that, through no fault of yours, it has fallen into the hands of the enemy. But, I, too, have a sorrow. My beloved daughter has been tricked into captivity."
"A captive!" gasped Robert, clutching at his heart. His Zola a prisoner of that ogre, Kharnov!
"Here is an ultimatum just received from the beast," resumed Hakon, dully, handing Robert a folded document.
Robert unfolded the paper.
"Your daughter will come to no harm provided you capitulate by noon tomorrow," it read in effect.
"The dog!" cried Robert. "How did he contrive to get her into his possession?"
"This was found in her room," said Hakon, handing him a small crumpled piece of paper.
To his surprize it had his name at the bottom, although it was written in Martian. Zola did not understand his own tongue. On the paper was written: "I am a prisoner. Unless you come to intercede for me with the emperor, I shall be put to death at dawn. Robert."
Surely love is blind! Else she would have known that he could not have written such a wantonly selfish plea.
"This is a false message, of course," said Robert, wondering whether Hakon believed him the author of such a note.
"I know it, my boy."
"We must strike quickly," said Robert. "Let me lead an attack at once. Nothing short of a complete routing of their entire army will satisfy me."
Hakon smiled at his fierce enthusiasm.
"Even now an attack on a tremendous scale is organized," he said. "It will take place just before dawn at a signal to be given all divisions simultaneously. You may direct the center."
"Say, where do I come in?" broke in Taggert.
"Come along with me, old man. We'll scrap together."
"Fair enough. We'll knock his Nib's royal block off."
Sleep that night was out of the question. As dawn approached, Robert absorbed the details of the gigantic offensive at a conference with several of the leaders. Everyone was on the alert. The governor's daughter was a great favorite and greatly admired for her character and beauty. Every man knew of her danger and, with such an incentive to success, they would be all but invincible.
When finally the signal for the general advance came over the wires, the big army started forward in three giant columns, cautiously at first until their attack should have been observed. The absence of aircraft—because of the thin Martian atmosphere which made them impracticable—made it possible for them to make considerable progress before the enemy was aware of their supposed victims' offensive.
