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"Where are we?" she asked "Tohat are we drifting?"

Turan shrugged his broad shoulders "The stars telltoward the northeast," he replied, "but where we are, or what lies in our path I cannot even guess A week since I could have sworn that I knehat lay behind each succeeding ridge that I approached; but now I admit in all humility that I have no conception of what lies a mile in any direction Tara of Helium, I a and the girl shtly puzzled expression on her face-there was soly familiar about that smile of his She hadof a world-but she could not place this one

"From what country are you, Turan?" she asked suddenly

"Know you not, Tara of Heliuhts beneath the banner of one master, toiance to so," she insisted "What banner, then, owns you now?"

He rose and stood before her, then, bowing low "And I am acceptable," he said, "I serve beneath the banner of the daughter of The Warlord now-and forever"

She reached forth and touched his arm with a slim brown hand "Your services are accepted," she said; "and if ever we reach Helium I promise that your reward shall be all that your heart could desire"

"I shall serve faithfully, hoping for that reward," he said; but Tara of Heliu rather that he was uess that a simple panthan aspired to her hand and heart?

The dawn found the rapidly over an unfaht and had borne theh and inhospitable No water was visible and the surface of the ground was cut by deep gorges, while nowhere was any but the etation discernible They saw no life of any nature, nor was there any indication that the country could support life For two days they drifted over this horrid wasteland They ithout food or water and suffered accordingly Ghek had te Turan's assistance in lashing it safely to the deck The less he used it the less would its vitality be spent Already it was showing the effects of privation Ghek crawled about the vessel like a great spider-over the side, down beneath the keel, and up over the opposite rail He seemed equally at home one place as another For his companions, however, the quarters were cramped, for the deck of a one-man flier is not intended for three