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222 of men, and, like the coward that he was, with him to fear was to hate. If he could have de­stroyed Zoanthrohago he would gladly have done so; but he could not afford to do this, since from this greatest of walmaks came whatever show of scientific ability the king could make, as well as all the many notable inventions for the safeguard­ing of the royal person.

"I would sit at the royal council," said Zoan­throhago, simply.

The king fidgeted. Of all the nobles of Veltopismakus here was the very last he would wish to see numbered among the royal councilors, whom he had chosen with especial reference to the obtuseness of their minds.

"There are no vacancies," he said, at last.

"The ruler of all men might easily make a vacancy," suggested Zoanthrohago, "or create a new post—Assistant Chief of Chiefs, for ex­ample, so that when Gofoloso was absent there would be one to take his place. Otherwise I should not have to attend upon your council meet­ings, but devote my time to the perfection of our discoveries and inventions."

Here was a way out and Elkomoelhago seized it. He had no objection to Zoanthrohago being a royal councilor and thus escaping the burden­some income-tax, which the makers of the tax had been careful to see proved no burden to them­selves, and he knew that probably that was the