an officer stood before them.

"The slave girl, Tara, is summoned to the presence of O-Tar, the
jeddak!" he announced.

CHAPTER XIV

AT GHEK'S COMMAND

Turan the panthan chafed in his chains. Time dragged; silence and
monotony prolonged minutes into hours. Uncertainty of the fate of the
woman he loved turned each hour into an eternity of hell. He listened
impatiently for the sound of approaching footsteps that he might see
and speak to some living creature and learn, perchance, some word of
Tara of Helium. After torturing hours his ears were rewarded by the
rattle of harness and arms. Men were coming! He waited breathlessly.
Perhaps they were his executioners; but he would welcome them
notwithstanding. He would question them. But if they knew naught of
Tara he would not divulge the location of the hiding place in which he
had left her.

Now they came--a half-dozen warriors and an officer, escorting an
unarmed man; a prisoner, doubtless. Of this Turan was not left long in
doubt, since they brought the newcomer and chained him to an adjoining
ring. Immediately the panthan commenced to question the officer in
charge of the guard.

"Tell me," he demanded, "why I have been made prisoner, and if other
strangers were captured since I entered your city."

"What other prisoners?" asked the officer.

"A woman, and a man with a strange head," replied Turan.

"It is possible," said the officer; "but what were their names?"

"The woman was Tara, Princess of Helium, and the man was Ghek, a
kaldane, of Bantoom."

"These were your friends?" asked the officer.

"Yes," replied Turan.

"It is what I would know," said the officer, and with a curt command to
his men to follow him he turned and left the cell.

"Tell me of them!" cried Turan after him. "Tell me of Tara of Helium!
Is she safe?" but the man did not answer and soon the sound of their
departure died in the distance.

"Tara of Helium was safe, but a short time since," said the prisoner
chained at Turan's side.

The panthan turned toward the speaker, seeing a large man, handsome of
face and with a manner both stately and dignified. "You have seen her?"
he asked. "They captured her then? She is in danger?"

"She is being held in The Towers of Jetan as a prize for the next
games," replied the stranger.

"And who are you?" asked Turan. "And why are you here, a prisoner?"

"I am A-Kor the dwar, keeper of The Towers of Jetan," replied the
other. "I am here