-Tar and whose son, A-Kor, was dwar of The
Towers of Jetan. Haja's heart is filled with loyalty for Gathol and
compassion for her sons who are here enslaved, and this latter
sentiment she has to some extent transmitted to U-Thor. Aid me,
therefore, in freeing the Princess Tara of Helium and I believe that I
can aid you and her and myself to escape the city. Bend close your
ears, slaves of O-Tar, that no cruel enemy may hear my words," and
Gahan of Gathol whispered in low tones the daring plan he had
conceived. "And now," he demanded, when he had finished, "let him who
does not dare speak now." None replied. "Is there none?"

"And it would not betray you should I cast my sword at thy feet, it had
been done ere this," said one in low tones pregnant with suppressed
feeling.

"And I!" "And I!" "And I!" chorused the others in vibrant whispers.

CHAPTER XVII

A PLAY TO THE DEATH

Clear and sweet a trumpet spoke across The Fields of Jetan. From The
High Tower its cool voice floated across the city of Manator and above
the babel of human discords rising from the crowded mass that filled
the seats of the stadium below. It called the players for the first
game, and simultaneously there fluttered to the peaks of a thousand
staffs on tower and battlement and the great wall of the stadium the
rich, gay pennons of the fighting chiefs of Manator. Thus was marked
the opening of The Jeddak's Games, the most important of the year and
second only to the Grand Decennial Games.

Gahan of Gathol watched every play with eagle eye. The match was an
unimportant one, being but to settle some petty dispute between two
chiefs, and was played with professional jetan players for points only.
No one was killed and there was but little blood spilled. It lasted
about an hour and was terminated by the chief of the losing side
deliberately permitting himself to be out-pointed, that the game might
be called a draw.

Again the trumpet sounded, this time announcing the second and last
game of the afternoon. While this was not considered an important
match, those being reserved for the fourth and fifth days of the games,
it promised to afford sufficient excitement since it was a game to the
death. The vital difference between the game played with living men and
that in which inanimate pieces are used, lies in the fact that while in
the latter the mere placing of a piece upon a square occupied by an
opponent piece terminates the move, in the form