asked
neither where he had been. He could scarcely keep his hands off the
boy.

"You do not know, John Carter," he said to me, "how we of Helium love
this son of yours. It is as though all the great love we bore his
noble father and his poor mother had been centred in him. When it
became known that he was lost, ten million people wept."

"What mean you, Kantos Kan," I whispered, "by 'his poor mother'?" for
the words had seemed to carry a sinister meaning which I could not
fathom.

He drew me to one side.

"For a year," he said, "Ever since Carthoris disappeared, Dejah Thoris
has grieved and mourned for her lost boy. The blow of years ago, when
you did not return from the atmosphere plant, was lessened to some
extent by the duties of motherhood, for your son broke his white shell
that very night."

"That she suffered terribly then, all Helium knew, for did not all
Helium suffer with her the loss of her lord! But with the boy gone
there was nothing left, and after expedition upon expedition returned
with the same hopeless tale of no clue as to his whereabouts, our
beloved Princess drooped lower and lower, until all who saw her felt
that it could be but a matter of days ere she went to join her loved
ones within the precincts of the Valley Dor.

"As a last resort, Mors Kajak, her father, and Tardos Mors, her
grandfather, took command of two mighty expeditions, and a month ago
sailed away to explore every inch of ground in the northern hemisphere
of Barsoom. For two weeks no word has come back from them, but rumours
were rife that they had met with a terrible disaster and that all were
dead.

"About this time Zat Arras renewed his importunities for her hand in
marriage. He has been for ever after her since you disappeared. She
hated him and feared him, but with both her father and grandfather
gone, Zat Arras was very powerful, for he is still Jed of Zodanga, to
which position, you will remember, Tardos Mors appointed him after you
had refused the honour.

"He had a secret audience with her six days ago. What took place none
knows, but the next day Dejah Thoris had disappeared, and with her had
gone a dozen of her household guard and body servants, including Sola
the green woman--Tars Tarkas' daughter, you recall. No word left they
of their intentions, but it is always thus with those who go upon the
voluntary pilgrimage from which none returns. We cannot think aught
than that Dejah Thoris has sought