| 109 | 110 | 111 | 112 | 113 |
| 1 | 50 | 99 | 149 | 198 |
|
www.freeclassicebooks.com
projected a half-inch beyond the others. There was a possible explanation which
piqued her curiosity, and acting upon its suggestion she seized upon the
projecting edge and pulled outward. Slowly the panel swung toward her, revealing
a dark aperture in the wall behind.
"Look, Lan-O!" she cried. "See what I have found--a hole in which we may hide
the thing upon the floor."
Lan-O joined her and together the two investigated the dark aperture, finding a
small platform from which a narrow runway led downward into Stygian darkness.
Thick dust covered the floor within the doorway, indicating that a great period of
time had elapsed since human foot had trod it--a secret way, doubtless, unknown
to living Manatorians. Here they dragged the corpse of E-Med, leaving it upon the
platform, and as they left the dark and forbidden closet Lan-O would have
slammed to the panel had not Tara prevented.
"
"
"
Wait!" she said, and fell to examining the door frame and the stile.
Hurry!" whispered the slave girl. "If they come we are lost."
It may serve us well to know how to open this place again," replied Tara of
Helium, and then suddenly she pressed a foot against a section of the carved
base at the right of the open panel. "Ah!" she breathed, a note of satisfaction in
her tone, and closed the panel until it fitted snugly in its place. "Come!" she said
and turned toward the outer doorway of the chamber.
They reached their own cell without detection, and closing the door Tara locked it
from the inside and placed the key in a secret pocket in her harness.
"Let them come," she said. "Let them question us! What could two poor prisoners
know of the whereabouts of their noble jailer? I ask you, Lan-O, what could
they?"
"Nothing," admitted Lan-O, smiling with her companion.
"
Tell me of these men of Manator," said Tara presently. "Are they all like E-Med,
or are some of them like A-Kor, who seemed a brave and chivalrous character?"
"They are not unlike the peoples of other countries," replied Lan-O. "There be
among them both good and bad. They are brave warriors and mighty. Among
themselves they are not without chivalry and honor, but in their dealings with
strangers they know but one law--the law of might. The weak and unfortunate of
other lands fill them with contempt and arouse all that is worst in their natures,
which doubtless accounts for their treatment of us, their slaves."
111
Page
Quick Jump
|