Gatholian whispered her
dear name. The girl stirred, but did not awaken. Again he called, but
this time louder. Tara sat up and looked about and at the same instant
a huge eunuch leaped to his feet from where he had been lying on the
floor close by that side of the dais farthest from Gahan.
Simultaneously the brilliant light of Thuria flashed full upon the
window where Gahan clung silhouetting him plainly to the two within.

Both sprang to their feet. The eunuch drew his sword and leaped for the
window where the helpless Gahan would have fallen an easy victim to a
single thrust of the murderous weapon the fellow bore, had not Tara of
Helium leaped upon her guard dragging him back. At the same time she
drew the slim dagger from its hiding place in her harness and even as
the eunuch sought to hurl her aside its keen point found his heart.
Without a sound he died and lunged forward to the floor. Then Tara ran
to the window.

"Turan, my chief!" she cried. "What awful risk is this you take to seek
me here, where even your brave heart is powerless to aid me."

"Be not so sure of that, heart of my heart," he replied. "While I bring
but words to my love, they be the forerunner of deeds, I hope, that
will give her back to me forever. I feared that you might destroy
yourself, Tara of Helium, to escape the dishonor that O-Tar would do
you, and so I came to give you new hope and to beg that you live for me
through whatever may transpire, in the knowledge that there is yet a
way and that if all goes well we shall be freed at last. Look for me in
the throne room of O-Tar the night that he would wed you. And now, how
may we dispose of this fellow?" He pointed to the dead eunuch upon the
floor.

"We need not concern ourselves about that," she replied. "None dares
harm me for fear of the wrath of O-Tar--otherwise I should have been
dead so soon as ever I entered this portion of the palace, for the
women hate me. O-Tar alone may punish me, and what cares O-Tar for the
life of a eunuch? No, fear not upon this score."

Their hands were clasped between the bars and now Gahan drew her nearer
to him.

"One kiss," he said, "before I go, my princess," and the proud daughter
of Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium, and The Warlord of Barsoom
whispered: "My chieftain!" and pressed her lips to the lips of Turan,
the common panthan.

CHAPTER XXII

AT THE MOMENT OF MARRIAGE

The silence of the tomb lay heavy about him as O-Tar, Jeddak of