ient city and
the hospitality of Manator. I have spoken." And U-Thor and John Carter
dismissed their warriors and bade them accept the hospitality of
Manator. As the room emptied Djor Kantos reached the side of Tara of
Helium. The girl's happiness at rescue had been blighted by sight of
this man whom her virtuous heart told her she had wronged. She dreaded
the ordeal that lay before her and the dishonor that she must admit
before she could hope to be freed from the understanding that had for
long existed between them. And now Djor Kantos approached and kneeling
raised her fingers to his lips.

"Beautiful daughter of Helium," he said, "how may I tell you the thing
that I must tell you--of the dishonor that I have all unwittingly done
you? I can but throw myself upon your generosity for forgiveness; but
if you demand it I can receive the dagger as honorably as did O-Tar."

"What do you mean?" asked Tara of Helium. "What are you talking
about--why speak thus in riddles to one whose heart is already
breaking?"

Her heart already breaking! The outlook was anything but promising, and
the young padwar wished that he had died before ever he had had to
speak the words he now must speak.

"Tara of Helium," he continued, "we all thought you dead. For a long
year have you been gone from Helium. I mourned you truly and then, less
than a moon since, I wed with Olvia Marthis." He stopped and looked at
her with eyes that might have said: "Now, strike me dead!"

"Oh, foolish man!" cried Tara. "Nothing you could have done could have
pleased me more. Djor Kantos, I could kiss you!"

"I do not think that Olvia Marthis would mind," he said, his face now
wreathed with smiles. As they spoke a body of men had entered the
throne room and approached the dais. They were tall men trapped in
plain harness, absolutely without ornamentation. Just as their leader
reached the dais Tara had turned to Gahan, motioning him to join them.

"Djor Kantos," she said, "I bring you Turan the panthan, whose loyalty
and bravery have won my love."

John Carter and the leader of the new come warriors, who were standing
near, looked quickly at the little group. The former smiled an
inscrutable smile, the latter addressed the Princess of Helium. "'Turan
the panthan!'" he cried. "Know you not, fair daughter of Helium, that
this man you call panthan is Gahan, Jed of Gathol?"

For just a moment Tara of Helium looked her surprise; and then she
shrugged her beau