LONG and loud was the applause that rose above the Field of Jetanat Manator, as The Keeper of the Towers summoned the twoPrincesses and the victorious Chief to the center of the fieldand presented to the latter the fruits of his prowess, and then,as custom demanded, the victorious players, headed by Gahan andthe two Princesses, formed in procession behind The Keeper of theTowers and were conducted to the place of victory before theroyal enclosure that they might receive the commendation of thejeddak. Those who were mounted gave up their thoats to slaves asall must be on foot for this ceremony. Directly beneath the royalenclosure are the gates to one of the tunnels that, passingbeneath the seats, give ingress or egress to or from the Field.Before this gate the party halted while O-Tar looked down uponthem from above. Val Dor and Floran, passing quietly ahead of theothers, went directly to the gates, where they were hidden fromthose who occupied the enclosure with O-Tar. The Keeper of theTowers may have noticed them, but so occupied was he with theformality of presenting the victorious Chief to the jeddak thathe paid no attention to them.

"I bring you, O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator, U-Kal of Manataj," hecried in a loud voice that might be heard by as many as possible,"victor over the Orange in the second of the Jeddak's Games ofthe four hundred and thirty-third year of O-Tar, and the slavewoman Tara and the slave woman Lan-O that you may bestow these,the stakes, upon U-Kal."

As he spoke, a little, wrinkled, old man peered over the rail ofthe enclosure down upon the three who stood directly behind TheKeeper, and strained his weak and watery eyes in an effort tosatisfy the curiosity of old age in a matter of no particularimport, for what were two slaves and a common warrior fromManataj to any who sat with O-Tar the jeddak?

"U-Kal of Manataj," said O-Tar, "you have deserved the stakes.Seldom have we looked upon more noble swordplay. And you tire ofManataj there be always here in the city of Manator a place foryou in The Jeddak's Guard."

While the jeddak was speaking the little, old man, failingclearly to discern the features of the Black Chief, reached intohis pocket-pouch and drew forth a pair of thick-lensedspectacles, which he placed upon his nose. For a moment hescrutinized Gahan closely, then he leaped to his feet andaddressing O-Tar pointed a shaking finger it Gahan. As he roseTara of Helium clutched the Black Chief's arm.

"Turan!" she whispered. "It is I-Gos, whom I thought to haveslain in the pits of O-Tar. It is I-Gos and he recognizes you andwill --"

But what I-Gos would do was already transpiring. In his falsettovoice he fairly screamed: "It is the slave Turan who stole thewoman Tara from your throne room, O-Tar. He desecrated the deadchief I-Mal and wears his harness now!"

Instantly all was pandemonium. Warriors drew their swords andleaped to their feet. Gahan's victorious players rushed forwardin a body, sweeping The Keeper of the Towers from his feet. ValDor and Floran threw open the gates beneath the royal enclosure,opening the tunnel that led to the avenue in the city beyond theTowers. Gahan, surrounded by his men, drew Tara and Lan-O intothe passageway, and at a rapid pace the party sought to reach theopposite end of the tunnel before their escape could be cut off.They were successful and when they emerged into the city the sunhad set and darkness had come, relieved only by an antiquated andineffective lighting system, which cast but a pale glow over theshadowy streets.

Now it was that Tara of Helium guessed why the Black Chief haddrawn out his duel with U-Dor and realized that he might haveslain his man at almost any moment he had elected. The whole planthat Gahan had whispered to his players before the game wasthoroughly understood. They were to make their way to The Gate ofEnemies and there offer their services to U-Thor, the great Jedof Manatos. The fact that most of them were Gatholians and thatGahan could lead rescuers to the pit where A-Kor, the son ofU-Thor's wife, was confined, convinced the Jed of Gathol thatthey would meet with no rebuff at the hands of U-Thor. But evenshould he refuse them, still were they bound together to go ontoward freedom, if necessary cutting their way through the forcesof U-Thor at The Gate of Enemies--twenty men against a smallarmy; but of such stuff are the warriors of Barsoom.

They had covered a considerable distance along the almostdeserted avenue before signs of pursuit developed and then therecame upon them suddenly from behind a dozen warriors mounted onthoats--a detachment, evidently, from The Jeddak's Guard.Instantly the avenue was a pandemonium of clashing blades,cursing warriors, and squealing thoats. In the first onslaughtlife blood was spilled upon both sides. Two of Gahan's men wentdown, and upon the enemies' side three riderless thoats attestedat least a portion of their casualties.

Gahan was engaged with a fellow who appeared to have beenselected to account for him only, since he rode straight for himand sought to cut him down without giving the slightest heed toseveral who slashed at him as he passed them. The Gatholian,practiced in the art of combating a mounted warrior from theground, sought to reach the left side of the fellow's thoat alittle to the rider's rear, the only position in which he wouldhave any advantage over his antagonist, or rather the positionthat would most greatly reduce the advantage of the mounted man,and, similarly, the Manatorian strove to thwart his design. Andso the guardsman wheeled and turned his vicious, angry mountwhile Gahan leaped in and out in an effort to reach the covetedvantage point, but always seeking some other opening in his foe'sdefense.

And while they jockeyed for position a rider swept swiftly pastthem. As he passed behind Gahan the latter heard a cry of alarm.

"Turan, they have me!" came to his ears in the voice of Tara ofHelium.

A quick glance across his shoulder showed him the gallopingthoatman in the act of dragging Tara to the withers of the beast,and then, with the fury of a demon, Gahan of Gathol leaped forhis own man, dragged him from his mount and as he fell smote hishead from his shoulders with a single cut of his keen sword.Scarce had the body touched the pavement when the Gatholian wasupon the back of the dead warrior's mount, and galloping swiftlydown the avenue after the diminishing figures of Tara and herabductor, the sounds of the fight waning in the distance as hepursued his quarry along the avenue that passes the palace ofO-Tar and leads to The Gate of Enemies.

Gahan's mount, carrying but a single rider, gained upon that ofthe Manatorian, so that as they neared the palace Gahan wasscarce a hundred yards behind, and now, to his consternation, hesaw the fellow turn into the great entrance-way. For a momentonly was he halted by the guards and then he disappeared within.Gahan was almost upon him then, but evidently he had warned theguards, for they leaped out to intercept the Gatholian. But no!the fellow could not have known that he was pursued, since he hadnot seen Gahan seize a mount, nor would he have thought thatpursuit would come so soon. If he had passed then, so could Gahanpass, for did he not wear the trappings of a Manatorian? TheGatholian thought quickly, and stopping his thoat called to theguardsmen to let him pass, "In the name of O-Tar!" They hesitateda moment.

"Aside!" cried Gahan. "Must the jeddak's messenger parley for theright to deliver his message?"

"To whom would you deliver it?" asked the padwar of the guard.

"Saw you not him who just entered?" cried Gahan, and withoutwaiting for a reply urged his thoat straight past them into thepalace, and while they were deliberating what was best to bedone, it was too late to do anything--which is not unusual.

Along the marble corridors Gahan guided his thoat, and because hehad gone that way before, rather than because he knew which wayTara had been taken, he followed the runways and passed throughthe chambers that led to the throne room of O-Tar. On the secondlevel he met a slave.

"Which way went he who carried the woman before him?" he asked.

The slave pointed toward a nearby runway that led to the thirdlevel and Gahan dashed rapidly on in pursuit. At the same momenta thoatman, riding at a furious pace, approached the palace andhalted his mount at the gate.

"Saw you aught of a warrior pursuing one who carried a womanbefore him on his thoat?" he shouted to the guard.

"He but just passed in," replied the padwar, "saying that he wasO-Tar's messenger."

"He lied," cried the newcomer. "He was Turan, the slave, whostole the woman from the throne room two days since.

Arouse the palace! He must be seized, and alive if possible. Itis O-Tar's command."

Instantly warriors were dispatched to search for the Gatholianand warn the inmates of the palace to do likewise. Owing to thegames there were comparatively few retainers in the greatbuilding, but those whom they found were immediately enlisted inthe search, so that presently at least fifty warriors wereseeking through the countless chambers and corridors of thepalace of O-Tar.

As Gahan's thoat bore him to the third Level the man glimpsed thehind quarters of another thoat disappearing at the turn of acorridor far ahead. Urging his own animal forward he racedswiftly in pursuit and making the turn discovered only an emptycorridor ahead. Along this he hurried to discover near itsfarther end a runway to the fourth level, which he followedupward. Here he saw that he had gained upon his quarry who wasjust turning through a doorway fifty yards ahead. As Gahanreached the opening he saw that the warrior had dismounted andwas dragging Tara toward a small door on the opposite side of thechamber. At the same instant the clank of harness to his rearcaused him to cast a glance behind where, along the corridor hehad just traversed, he saw three warriors approaching on foot ata run. Leaping from his thoat Gahan sprang into the chamber whereTara was struggling to free herself from the grasp of her captor,slammed the door behind him, shot the great bolt into its seat,and drawing his sword crossed the room at a run to engage theManatorian. The fellow, thus menaced, called aloud to Gahan tohalt, at the same time thrusting Tara at arm's length andthreatening her heart with the point of his short-sword.

"Stay!" he cried, "or the woman dies, for such is the command ofO-Tar, rather than that she again fall into your hands."

Gahan stopped. But a few feet separated him from Tara and hercaptor, yet he was helpless to aid her. Slowly the warrior backedtoward the open doorway behind him, dragging Tara with him. Thegirl struggled and fought, but the warrior was a powerful man andhaving seized her by the harness from behind was able to hold herin a position of helplessness.

"Save me, Turan!" she cried. "Let them not drag me to a fateworse than death. Better that I die now while my eyes behold abrave friend than later, fighting alone among enemies in defenseof my honor."

He took a step nearer. The warrior made a threatening gesturewith his sword close to the soft, smooth skin of the princess,and Gahan halted.

"I cannot, Tara of Helium," he cried. "Think not ill of me that Iam weak--that I cannot see you die. Too great is my love for you,daughter of Helium."

The Manatorian warrior, a derisive grin upon his lips, backedsteadily away. He had almost reached the doorway when Gahan sawanother warrior in the chamber toward which Tara was beingborne--a fellow who moved silently, almost stealthily, across themarble floor as he approached Tara's captor from behind. In hisright hand he grasped a long-sword.

"Two to one," thought Gahan, and a grim smile touched his lips,for he had no doubt that once they had Tara safely in theadjoining chamber the two would set upon him. If he could notsave her, he could at least die for her.

And then, suddenly, Gahan's eyes fastened with amazement upon thefigure of the warrior behind the grinning fellow who held Taraand was forcing her to the doorway. He saw the newcomer stepalmost within arm's reach of the other. He saw him stop, anexpression of malevolent hatred upon his features. He saw thegreat sword swing through the arc of a great circle, gatheringswift and terrific momentum from its own weight backed by thebrawn of the steel thews that guided it; he saw it pass throughthe feathered skull of the Manatorian, splitting his sardonicgrin in twain, and open him to the middle of his breast bone.

As the dead hand relaxed its grasp upon Tara's wrist the girlleaped forward, without a backward glance, to Gahan's side. Hisleft arm encircled her, nor did she draw away, as with readysword the Gatholian awaited Fate's next decree. Before themTara's deliverer was wiping the blood from his sword upon thehair of his victim. He was evidently a Manatorian, his trappingsthose of the Jeddak's Guard, and so his act was inexplicable toGahan and to Tara. Presently he sheathed his sword and approachedthem.

"When a man chooses to hide his identity behind an assumed name,"he said, looking straight into Gahan's eyes, "whatever friendpierces the deception were no friend if he divulged the other'ssecret."

He paused as though awaiting a reply.

"Your integrity has perceived and your lips voiced an unalterabletruth," replied Gahan, whose mind was filled with wonder if theimplication could by any possibility be true--that thisManatorian had guessed his identity.

"We are thus agreed," continued the other, "and I may tell youthat though I am here known as A-Sor, my real name is Tasor." Hepaused and watched Gahan's face intently for any sign of theeffect of this knowledge and was rewarded with a quick, thoughguarded expression of recognition.

Tasor! Friend of his youth. The son of that great Gatholian noblewho had given his life so gloriously, however futilely, in anattempt to defend Gahan's sire from the daggers of the assassins.Tasor an under-padwar in the guard of O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator!It was inconceivable--and yet it was he; there could be no doubtof it. "Tasor," Gahan repeated aloud. "But it is no Manatorianname." The statement was half interrogatory, for Gahan'scuriosity was aroused. He would know how his friend and loyalsubject had become a Manatorian. Long years had passed sinceTasor had disappeared as mysteriously as the Princess Haja andmany other of Gahan's subjects. The Jed of Gathol had longsupposed him dead.

"No," replied Tasor, "nor is it a Manatorian name. Come, while Isearch for a hiding place for you in some forgotten chamber inone of the untenanted portions of the palace, and as we go I willtell you briefly how Tasor the Gatholian became A-Sor theManatorian.

"It befell that as I rode with a dozen of my warriors along thewestern border of Gathol searching for zitidars that had strayedfrom my herds, we were set upon and surrounded by a great companyof Manatorians. They overpowered us, though not before half ournumber was slain and the balance helpless from wounds. And so Iwas brought a prisoner to Manataj, a distant city of Manator, andthere sold into slavery. A woman bought me--a princess of Manatajwhose wealth and position were unequaled in the city of herbirth. She loved me and when her husband discovered herinfatuation she beseeched me to slay him, and when I refused shehired another to do it. Then she married me; but none would haveaught to do with her in Manataj, for they suspected her guiltyknowledge of her husband's murder. And so we set out from Manatajfor Manatos accompanied by a great caravan bearing all herworldly goods and jewels and precious metals, and on the way shecaused the rumor to be spread that she and I had died. Then wecame to Manator instead, she taking a new name and I the nameA-Sor, that we might not be traced through our names. With hergreat wealth she bought me a post in The Jeddak's Guard and noneknows that I am not a Manatorian, for she is dead. She wasbeautiful, but she was a devil."

"And you never sought to return to your native city?" askedGahan.

"Never has the hope been absent from my heart, or my mind emptyof a plan," replied Tasor. "I dream of it by day and by night,but always must I return to the same conclusion--that there canbe but a single means for escape. I must wait until Fortunefavors me with a place in a raiding party to Gathol. Then, oncewithin the boundaries of my own country, they shall see me nomore."

"Perhaps your opportunity lies already within your grasp," saidGahan, "has not your fealty to your own Jed been undermined byyears of association with the men of Manator." The statement washalf challenge.

"And my Jed stood before me now," cried Tasor, "and my avowalcould be made without violating his confidence, I should cast mysword at his feet and beg the high privilege of dying for him asmy sire died for his sire."

There could be no doubt of his sincerity nor any that he wascognizant of Gahan's identity. The Jed of Gathol smiled. "And ifyour Jed were here there is little doubt but that he wouldcommand you to devote your talents and your prowess to the rescueof the Princess Tara of Helium," he said, meaningly. "And hepossessed the knowledge I have gained during my captivity hewould say to you, 'Go, Tasor, to the pit where A-kor, son of Hajaof Gathol, is confined and set him free and with him arouse theslaves from Gathol and march to The Gate of Enemies and offeryour services to U-Thor of Manataj, who is wed to Haja of Gathol,and ask of him in return that he attack the palace of O-Tar andrescue Tara of Helium and when that thing is accomplished that hefree the slaves of Gathol and furnish them with the arms and themeans to return to their own country.' That, Tasor of Gathol, iswhat Gahan your Jed would demand of you."

"And that, Turan the slave, is what I shall bend my every effortto accomplish after I have found a safe refuge for Tara of Heliumand her panthan," replied Tasor.

Gahan's glance carried to Tasor an intimation of his Jed'sgratification and filled him with a chivalrous determination todo the thing required of him, or die, for he considered that hehad received from the lips of his beloved ruler a commission thatplaced upon his shoulders a responsibility that encompassed notalone the life of Gahan and Tara but the welfare, perhaps thewhole future, of Gathol. And so he hastened them onward throughthe musty corridors of the old palace where the dust of ages layundisturbed upon the marble tiles. Now and again he tried a dooruntil he found one that was unlocked. Opening it he ushered theminto a chamber, heavy with dust. Crumbling silks and furs adornedthe walls, with ancient weapons, and great paintings whose colorswere toned by age to wondrous softness.

"This be as good as any place," he said. "No one comes here.Never have I been here before, so I know no more of the otherchambers than you; but this one, at least, I can find again whenI bring you food and drink. O-Mai the Cruel occupied this portionof the palace during his reign, five thousand years before O-Tar.In one of these apartments he was found dead, his face contortedin an expression of fear so horrible that it drove to madnessthose who looked upon it; yet there was no mark of violence uponhim Since then the quarters of O-Mai have been shunned for thelegends have it that the ghosts of Corphals pursue the spirit ofthe wicked Jeddak nightly through these chambers, shrieking andmoaning as they go. But," he added, as though to reassure himselfas well as his companions, "such things may not be countenancedby the culture of Gathol or Helium."

Gahan laughed. "And if all who looked upon him were driven mad,who then was there to perform the last rites or prepare the bodyof the Jeddak for them?"

"There was none," replied Tasor. "Where they found him they lefthim and there to this very day his mouldering bones lie hid insome forgotten chamber of this forbidden suite."

Tasor left them then assuring them that he would seek the firstopportunity to speak with A-Kor, and upon the following day hewould bring them food and drink.*

* Those who have read John Carter's description of the GreenMartians in A Princess of Mars will recall that these strangepeople could exist for considerable periods of time without foodor water, and to a lesser degree is the same true of allMartians.

After Tasor had gone Tara turned to Gahan and approaching laid ahand upon his arm. "So swiftly have events transpired since Irecognized you beneath your disguise," she said, "that I have hadno opportunity to assure you of my gratitude and the high esteemthat your valor has won for you in my consideration. Let me nowacknowledge my indebtedness; and if promises be not vain from onewhose life and liberty are in grave jeopardy, accept my assuranceof the great reward that awaits you at the hand of my father inHelium."

"I desire no reward," he replied, "other than the happiness ofknowing that the woman I love is happy."

For an instant the eyes of Tara of Helium blazed as she drewherself haughtily to her full height, and then they softened andher attitude relaxed as she shook her head sadly.

"I have it not in my heart to reprimand you, Turan," she said,"however great your fault, for you have been an honorable and aloyal friend to Tara of Helium; but you must not say what my earsmust not hear."

"You mean," he asked, "that the ears of a Princess must notlisten to words of love from a panthan?"

"It is not that, Turan," she replied; "but rather that I may

not in honor listen to words of love from another than him towhom I am betrothed--a fellow countryman, Djor Kantos."

"You mean, Tara of Helium," he cried, "that were it not for thatyou would --"

"Stop!" she commanded. "You have no right to assume aught elsethan my lips testify."

"The eyes are ofttimes more eloquent than the lips, Tara," hereplied; "and in yours I have read that which is neither hatrednor contempt for Turan the panthan, and my heart tells me thatyour lips bore false witness when they cried in anger: 'I hateyou!'"

"I do not hate you, Turan, nor yet may I love you," said thegirl, simply.

"When I broke my way out from the chamber of I-Gos I was indeedupon the verge of believing that you did hate me," he said, "foronly hatred, it seemed to me, could account for the fact that youhad gone without making an effort to liberate me; but presentlyboth my heart and my judgment told me that Tara of Helium couldnot have deserted a companion in distress, and though I still amin ignorance of the facts I know that it was beyond your power toaid me."

"It was indeed," said the girl. "Scarce had I-Gos fallen at thebite of my dagger than I heard the approach of warriors. I ranthen to hide until they had passed, thinking to return andliberate you; but in seeking to elude the party I had heard I ranfull into the arms of another. They questioned me as to yourwhereabouts, and I told them that you had gone ahead and that Iwas following you and thus I led them from you."

"I knew," was Gahan's only comment, but his heart was glad withelation, as a lover's must be who has heard from the lips of hisdivinity an avowal of interest and loyalty, however little tingedby a suggestion of warmer regard it may be. To be abused, even,by the mistress of one's heart is better than to be ignored.

As the two conversed in the ill-lit chamber, the dim bulbs ofwhich were encrusted with the accumulated dust of centuries, abent and withered figure traversed slowly the gloomy corridorswithout, his weak and watery eyes peering through thick lenses atthe signs of passage written upon the dusty floor.