y of a people to the long
line of illustrious jeddaks from which he has sprung. He is a jealous
man and has found the means of disposing of most of those whose blood
might entitle them to a claim upon the throne, and whose place in the
affections of the people endowed them with any political significance.
The fact that I was the son of a slave relegated me to a position of
minor importance in the consideration of O-Tar, yet I am still the son
of a jeddak and might sit upon the throne of Manator with as perfect
congruity as O-Tar himself. Combined with this is the fact that of
recent years the people, and especially many of the younger warriors,
have evinced a growing affection for me, which I attribute to certain
virtues of character and training derived from my mother, but which
O-Tar assumes to be the result of an ambition upon my part to occupy
the throne of Manator.

"And now, I am firmly convinced, he has seized upon my criticism of his
treatment of the slave girl Tara as a pretext for ridding himself of
me."

"But if you could escape and reach Gathol," suggested Turan.

"I have thought of that," mused A-Kor; "but how much better off would I
be? In the eyes of the Gatholians I would be, not a Gatholian; but a
stranger and doubtless they would accord me the same treatment that we
of Manator accord strangers."

"Could you convince them that you are the son of the Princess Haja your
welcome would be assured," said Turan; "while on the other hand you
could purchase your freedom and citizenship with a brief period of
labor in the diamond mines."

"How know you all these things?" asked A-Kor. "I thought you were from
Helium."

"I am a panthan," replied Turan, "and I have served many countries,
among them Gathol."

"It is what the slaves from Gathol have told me," said A-Kor,
thoughtfully, "and my mother, before O-Tar sent her to live at Manatos.
I think he must have feared her power and influence among the slaves
from Gathol and their descendants, who number perhaps a million people
throughout the land of Manator."

"Are these slaves organized?" asked Turan.

A-Kor looked straight into the eyes of the panthan for a long moment
before he replied. "You are a man of honor," he said; "I read it in
your face, and I am seldom mistaken in my estimate of a man; but--" and
he leaned closer to the other--"even the walls have ears," he
whispered, and Turan's question was answered.

It was later in the evening that war