Page 152 (1/1)
"When a man chooses to hide his identity behind an assuht into Gahan's eyes, "whatever friend pierces the deception were no friend if he divulged the other's secret"
He paused as though awaiting a reply
"Your integrity has perceived and your lips voiced an unalterable truth," replied Gahan, whose mind was filled onder if the implication could by any possibility be true-that this Manatorian had guessed his identity
"We are thus agreed," continued the other, "and I h I am here known as A-Sor, my real name is Tasor" He paused and watched Gahan's face intently for any sign of the effect of this knowledge and was rewarded with a quick, though guarded expression of recognition
Tasor! Friend of his youth The son of that great Gatholian noble who had given his life so gloriously, however futilely, in an atteers of the assassins Tasor an under-padwar in the guard of O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator! It was inconceivable-and yet it was he; there could be no doubt of it "Tasor," Gahan repeated aloud "But it is no Manatorian naatory, for Gahan's curiosity was aroused He would kno his friend and loyal subject had beco years had passed since Tasor had disappeared as mysteriously as the Princess Haja andsupposed him dead
"No," replied Tasor, "nor is it a Manatorian na place for you in sootten chamber in one of the untenanted portions of the palace, and as we go I will tell you briefly how Tasor the Gatholian became A-Sor the Manatorian
"It befell that as I rode with a dozen offor zitidars that had strayed froreat coh not before half our number was slain and the balance helpless froht a prisoner to Manataj, a distant city of Manator, and there sold into slavery A woht me-a princess of Manataj whose wealth and position were unequaled in the city of her birth She loved me and when her husband discovered her infatuation she beseeched me to slay him, and when I refused she hired another to do it Then she ht to do with her in Manataj, for they suspected her guilty knowledge of her husband's murder And so we set out fro all her worldly goods and jewels and precious metals, and on the way she caused the rumor to be spread that she and I had died Then we ca a new nah our naht me a post in The Jeddak's Guard and none knows that I am not a Manatorian, for she is dead She was beautiful, but she was a devil"