t them replace all the air in the chamber with their most deadly
fumes; it would be all the same to Ghek, the kaldane, who, having no
lungs, required no air. With the rykor it might be different. Deprived
of air it would die; but if only a sufficient amount of the gas was
introduced to stupefy an ordinary creature it would have no effect upon
the rykor, who had no objective mind to overcome. So long as the excess
of carbon dioxide in the blood was not sufficient to prevent heart
action, the rykor would suffer only a diminution of vitality; but would
still respond to the exciting agency of the kaldane's brain.

Ghek caused the rykor to assume a sitting position with its back
against the wall where it might remain without direction from his
brain. Then he released his contact with its spinal cord; but remained
in position upon its shoulders, waiting and watching, for the kaldane's
curiosity was aroused. He had not long to wait before the lights were
flashed on and one of the locked doors opened to admit a half-dozen
warriors. They approached him rapidly and worked quickly. First they
removed all his weapons and then, snapping a fetter about one of the
rykor's ankles, secured him to the end of one of the chains hanging
from the walls. Next they dragged the long table to a new position and
there bolted it to the floor so that an end, instead of the middle, was
directly before the prisoner. On the table before him they set food and
water and upon the opposite end of the table they laid the key to the
fetter. Then they unlocked and opened all the doors and departed.

* * * * *

When Turan the panthan regained consciousness it was to the realization
of a sharp pain in one of his forearms. The effects of the gas departed
as rapidly as they had overcome him so that as he opened his eyes he
was in full possession of all his faculties. The lights were on again
and in their glow there was revealed to the man the figure of a giant
Martian rat crouching upon the table and gnawing upon his arm.
Snatching his arm away he reached for his short-sword, while the rat,
growling, sought to seize his arm again. It was then that Turan
discovered that his weapons had been removed--short-sword, long-sword,
dagger, and pistol. The rat charged him then and striking the creature
away with his hand the man rose and backed off, searching for something
with which to strike a harder blow. Again the rat charged and as Turan
stepped