f the palace. Ko-tan must make
way for Mo-sar, for Ko-tan has defied your high priest. Go then,
Pan-sat, and summon Mo-sar secretly to the temple, and you others go to
the city and prepare the faithful warriors that they may be in
readiness when the time comes."

For another hour they discussed the details of the coup d'etat that was
to overthrow the government of Pal-ul-don. One knew a slave who, as
the signal sounded from the temple gong, would thrust a knife into the
heart of Ko-tan, for the price of liberty. Another held personal
knowledge of an officer of the palace that he could use to compel the
latter to admit a number of Lu-don's warriors to various parts of the
palace. With Mo-sar as the cat's paw, the plan seemed scarce possible
of failure and so they separated, going upon their immediate errands to
palace and to city.

As Pan-sat entered the palace grounds he was aware of a sudden
commotion in the direction of the pal-e-don-so and a few minutes later
Lu-don was surprised to see him return to the apartments of the high
priest, breathless and excited.

"What now, Pan-sat?" cried Lu-don. "Are you pursued by demons?"

"O master, our time has come and gone while we sat here planning.
Ko-tan is already dead and Mo-sar fled. His friends are fighting with
the warriors of the palace but they have no head, while Ja-don leads
the others. I could learn but little from frightened slaves who had
fled at the outburst of the quarrel. One told me that Bu-lot had slain
the king and that he had seen Mo-sar and the assassin hurrying from the
palace."

"Ja-don," muttered the high priest. "The fools will make him king if we
do not act and act quickly. Get into the city, Pan-sat--let your feet
fly and raise the cry that Ja-don has killed the king and is seeking to
wrest the throne from O-lo-a. Spread the word as you know best how to
spread it that Ja-don has threatened to destroy the priests and hurl
the altars of the temple into Jad-ben-lul. Rouse the warriors of the
city and urge them to attack at once. Lead them into the temple by the
secret way that only the priests know and from here we may spew them
out upon the palace before they learn the truth. Go, Pan-sat,
immediately--delay not an instant."

"But stay," he called as the under priest turned to leave the
apartment; "saw or heard you anything of the strange white woman that
Ja-don stole from the Temple of the Gryf where we have had her
imprisoned?"

"Only that