y that I exposed you at The Fields of Jetan. I am sorry
that I dragged the girl Tara back to O-Tar. I would make amends. I
would be your friend. Here is my sword at your feet," and drawing his
weapon I-Gos cast it to the floor in front of Gahan.

The Gatholian knew that scarce the most abandoned of knaves would
repudiate this solemn pledge, and so he stooped, and picking up the old
man's sword returned it to him, hilt first, in acceptance of his
friendship.

"Where is the Princess Tara of Helium?" asked Gahan. "Is she safe?"

"She is confined in the tower of the women's quarters awaiting the
ceremony that is to make her Jeddara of Manator," replied I-Gos.

"This thing dared think that Tara of Helium would mate with him?"
growled Gahan. "I will make short work of him if he is not already dead
from fright," and he stepped toward the fallen O-Tar to run his sword
through the jeddak's heart.

"No!" cried I-Gos. "Slay him not and pray that he be not dead if you
would save your princess."

"How is that?" asked Gahan.

"If word of O-Tar's death reached the quarters of the women the
Princess Tara would be lost. They know O-Tar's intention of taking her
to wife and making her Jeddara of Manator, so you may rest assured that
they all hate her with the hate of jealous women. Only O-Tar's power
protects her now from harm. Should O-Tar die they would turn her over
to the warriors and the male slaves, for there would be none to avenge
her."

Gahan sheathed his sword. "Your point is well taken; but what shall we
do with him?"

"Leave him where he lies," counseled I-Gos. "He is not dead. When he
revives he will return to his quarters with a fine tale of his bravery
and there will be none to impugn his boasts--none but I-Gos. Come! he
may revive at any moment and he must not find us here."

I-Gos crossed to the body of his jeddak, knelt beside it for an
instant, and then returned past the couch to Gahan. The two quit the
chamber of O-Mai and took their way toward the spiral runway. Here
I-Gos led Gahan to a higher level and out upon the roof of that portion
of the palace from where he pointed to a high tower quite close by.
"There," he said, "lies the Princess of Helium, and quite safe she will
be until the time of the ceremony."

"Safe, possibly, from other hands, but not from her own," said Gahan.
"She will never become Jeddara of Manator--first will she destroy
herself."

"She would do that?" asked I-Gos.

"She will