"You may go," he said to those who had brought me, and when only his
two companions and ourselves were left in the chamber, he spoke to me
again in a voice of ice--very slowly and deliberately, with many
pauses, as though he would choose his words cautiously.

"John Carter," he said, "by the edict of custom, by the law of our
religion, and by the verdict of an impartial court, you are condemned
to die. The people cannot save you--I alone may accomplish that. You
are absolutely in my power to do with as I wish--I may kill you, or I
may free you, and should I elect to kill you, none would be the wiser.

"Should you go free in Helium for a year, in accordance with the
conditions of your reprieve, there is little fear that the people would
ever insist upon the execution of the sentence imposed upon you.

"You may go free within two minutes, upon one condition. Tardos Mors
will never return to Helium. Neither will Mors Kajak, nor Dejah
Thoris. Helium must select a new Jeddak within the year. Zat Arras
would be Jeddak of Helium. Say that you will espouse my cause. This
is the price of your freedom. I am done."

I knew it was within the scope of Zat Arras' cruel heart to destroy me,
and if I were dead I could see little reason to doubt that he might
easily become Jeddak of Helium. Free, I could prosecute the search for
Dejah Thoris. Were I dead, my brave comrades might not be able to
carry out our plans. So, by refusing to accede to his request, it was
quite probable that not only would I not prevent him from becoming
Jeddak of Helium, but that I would be the means of sealing Dejah
Thoris' fate--of consigning her, through my refusal, to the horrors of
the arena of Issus.

For a moment I was perplexed, but for a moment only. The proud
daughter of a thousand Jeddaks would choose death to a dishonorable
alliance such as this, nor could John Carter do less for Helium than
his Princess would do.

Then I turned to Zat Arras.

"There can be no alliance," I said, "between a traitor to Helium and a
prince of the House of Tardos Mors. I do not believe, Zat Arras, that
the great Jeddak is dead."

Zat Arras shrugged his shoulders.

"It will not be long, John Carter," he said, "that your opinions will
be of interest even to yourself, so make the best of them while you
can. Zat Arras will permit you in due time to reflect further upon the
magnanimous offer he has made you. Into the silence and darkness of
the pits