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As Gahan of Gathol turned his steps along the southern slopes of the hills that bound Bantoom upon the south and east, his attention was attracted toward a sht The low sun was casting long shadows It would soon be night The trees were off the path that he had chosen and he had little ain he hesitated There was so there besides boles of trees, and underbrush There were suggestions of familiar lines of the handicraft of man Gahan stopped and strained his eyes in the direction of the thing that had arrested his attention No, he must be mistaken-the branches of the trees and a low bush had taken on an unnatural se sun He turned and continued upon his way; but as he cast another side glance in the direction of the object of his interest, the sun's rays were shot back into his eyes fro the trees
Gahan shook his head and walked quickly toward theobject still lured him on and when he had co they saas naught else than the jewel-encrusted emblem upon the prow of a small flier Gahan, his hand upon his short-sword, moved silently forward, but as he neared the craft he saw that he had naught to fear, for it was deserted Then he turned his attention toward the e his face paled and his heart went cold-it was the insignia of the house of The Warlord of Barsoo led back to her prison in the valley just beyond the hills Tara of Heliu her to her fate The cold sweat stood in beads upon his brow
A hasty exa jed the whole tragic story The sa had borne Tara of Helium to this distant country Here, doubtless, she had landed in hope of obtaining food and water since, without a propellor, she could not hope to reach her native city, or any other friendly port, other than by the merest caprice of Fate The flier see propellor and the fact that it had been carefully moored in the shelter of the cluirl had expected to return to it, while the dust and leaves upon its deck spoke of the long days, and even weeks, since she had landed Mute yet eloquent proofs, these things, that Tara of Helium was a prisoner, and that she was the very prisoner whose bold dash for liberty he had so recently witnessed he now had not the slightest doubt