“What I have done is to prevent age itself.  This lad is a hundred and twenty-two years old, mentally, and still only twelve years old, as to body!

“In short, I offer you the fountain of youth itself!”

The speaker paused.  There was no comment.  Evidently all had been as greatly impressed as the explorers.  Then the voice of the man Savarona finished, very deliberately: 

“I regret to say that my treatment, despite all that I have been able to do, cannot be adapted to the female constitution.  It would be fatal to any but males.  I repeat—­I can offer eternal youth, absolutely, but only to new-born males!”

This time there was a definite response.  From the telephone came a confused murmuring, at which Van Emmon’s face lighted up with delight.  The murmuring had an angry sound!

“This is outrageous!” a loud contralto voice was raised above the rest.  “You are unethical, Savarona, to announce such a thing before adapting it to both sexes!”

The high-pitched voice replied shortly, and with more than a hint of malice:  “If a woman had discovered this, instead of me, I dare say you would have no objections!”

The murmuring grew louder, angrier, more confused.  The four from the earth looked at each other in some slight uneasiness.  At the same time they noted that Estra, his eyes tightly closed and his fists clenched in the intensity of his concentration, suddenly gave a sigh of relief.  Next second he began to speak into the telephone, in a voice so loud as to silence all the clamor.

“Savarona, and the people of Venus!  Listen!

“The prophets were right when they said today would witness many great things!  I have just learned of another experiment which transcends even that of Savarona!”

An instant’s pause; then:  “First let me remind you that we have been doing all we could to elevate our spiritual selves.  We are daily trying to eliminate all that is animal, all that is gross and bemeaning in us, even to the extent of reducing the flavors of our foods to the lowest tolerable point.  And despite all this, we have not been able to get rid of sex jealousy!

“We still have the beast within us!  No matter how pure our love may be, it is always tainted with rivalry!  Always the husband and wife are held down by this mutual envy, forever dragging at their heels, constantly holding them back from the lofty heights of spiritual power to which they aspire!”

He paused, and Savarona’s voice broke in, triumphantly:  “You are right, Estra!  You are right, except you did not mention that this jealousy becomes less and less as one grows older!

“Now, my discovery will put an end to your beast, Estra!  My experiments took this lad before he had become a man, and allowed his brain to develop, while his body stopped growing!  He is a man in mentality, and an innocent boy in body!

“Estra, I have done the thing you wish!  This boy will never know jealousy, because he will never know love!”