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Then it was that they heard footsteps outside their cell and a moment later a key turned in the lock and the door opened A warrior faced them

"Hast seen E-Med the dwar?" he asked

"Yes," replied Tara, "he was here solanced quickly about the bare chaly first at Tara of Heliuirl, Lan-O The puzzled expression upon his face increased He scratched his head "It is strange," he said "A score of h there is but a single exit, and that well guarded, no man has seen him pass out"

Tara of Helium hid a yaith the back of a shapely hand "The Princess of Heliury, fellow," she drawled; "tell your master that she would eat"

It was an hour later that food was brought, an officer and several warriors acco the bearer The forn that aught amiss had occurred there The wound that had sent E-Med the dwar to his ancestors had not bled, fortunately for Tara of Heliu upon Tara, "you were the last to see E-Med the dwar Answer me now and answer me truthfully Did you see him leave this rooo from here?"

"How should I know? Think you that I can pass through a locked door of skeel?" the girl's tone was scornful

"Of that we do not know," said the officer "Strange things have happened in the cell of your coh a locked door of skeel as easily as he perforly more impossible feats"

"Whom do you mean," she cried; "Turan the panthan? He lives, then? Tellwhich calls itself Ghek the kaldane," replied the officer

"But Turan! Tell ht of him?" Tara's tone was insistent and she leaned a little forward toward the officer, her lips slightly parted in expectancy

Into the eyes of the slave girl, Lan-O, atching her, there crept a soft light of understanding; but the officer ignored Tara's question-as the fate of another slave to hirowled, "and if E-Med be not found soon O-Tar himself may take a hand in this I warn you, wo the spirits of the wicked dead gains evilcalled Ghek to be, that lest you return E-Med, O-Tar will have no mercy on you"