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"And now, I am firmly convinced, he has seized upon irl Tara as a pretext for ridding himself of ested Turan

"I have thought of that," mused A-Kor; "but how much better off would I be? In the eyes of the Gatholians I would be, not a Gatholian; but a stranger and doubtless they would accord ers"

"Could you convince them that you are the son of the Princess Haja your welcome would be assured," said Turan; "while on the other hand you could purchase your freedom and citizenship with a brief period of labor in the dias?" asked A-Kor "I thought you were from Helium"

"I am a panthan," replied Turan, "and I have servedthem Gathol"

"It is what the slaves frohtfully, "and my mother, before O-Tar sent her to live at Manatos I think hethe slaves from Gathol and their descendants, who nuhout the land of Manator"

"Are these slaves organized?" asked Turan

A-Kor looked straight into the eyes of the panthan for a long moment before he replied "You are a man of honor," he said; "I read it in your face, and I am seldom mistaken in my estimate of a man; but-" and he leaned closer to the other-"even the walls have ears," he whispered, and Turan's question was answered

It was later in the evening that warriors came and unlocked the fetter from Turan's ankle and led him away to appear before O-Tar, the jeddak They conducted hi streets and broad avenues; but always from the balconies there looked down upon them in endless ranks the silent people of the city The palace itself was filled with life and activity Mounted warriors galloped through the corridors and up and down the runways connecting adjacent floors It seemed that no one walked within the palace other than a few slaves Squealing, fighting thoats were stabled in nificent halls while their riders, if not upon soures carved fronificence of the interior architecture of the palace, the lavish expenditure of precious jewels and eous mural decorations which depicted almost exclusively ht upon jetan boards of heroic size The capitals of s of the corridors and chaht into forestion of the ga the same path that Tara of Helium had been led Turan was conducted toward the throne room of O-Tar the jeddak, and when he entered the Hall of Chiefs his interest turned to wonder and admiration as he viewed the ranks of statuesque thoatht, had he seen upon Barsooures or thoats so perfectly trained to perfection of immobility as these Not a muscle quivered, not a tail lashed, and the riders were as ht to the front, the great spears inclined at the sa man with awe and reverence Nor did it fail in its effect upon Turan as they conducted hireat doors until he should be summoned into the presence of the ruler of Manator