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All were lighted, though usually quite dimly, with radium bulbs. For a long time
he saw no signs of life other than an occasional ulsio, then quite suddenly he
came face to face with a warrior at one of the numerous crossings. The fellow
looked at him, nodded, and passed on. Turan breathed a sigh of relief as he
realized that his disguise was effective, but he was caught in the middle of it by a
hail from the warrior who had stopped and turned toward him. The panthan was
glad that a sword hung at his side, and glad too that they were buried in the dim
recesses of the pits and that there would be but a single antagonist, for time was
precious.
"
"
Heard you any word of the other?" called the warrior to him.
No," replied Turan, who had not the faintest idea to whom or what the fellow
referred.
"
He cannot escape," continued the warrior. "The woman ran directly into our
arms, but she swore that she knew not where her companion might be found."
"
They took her back to O-Tar?" asked Turan, for now he knew whom the other
meant, and he would know more.
"
They took her back to The Towers of Jetan," replied the warrior. "Tomorrow the
games commence and doubtless she will be played for, though I doubt if any
wants her, beautiful as she is. She fears not even O-Tar. By Cluros! but she
would make a hard slave to subdue--a regular she-banth she is. Not for me," and
he continued on his way shaking his head.
Turan hurried on searching for an avenue that led to the level of the streets above
when suddenly he came to the open doorway of a small chamber in which sat a
man who was chained to the wall. Turan voiced a low exclamation of surprise and
pleasure as he recognized that the man was A-Kor, and that he had stumbled by
accident upon the very cell in which he had been imprisoned. A-Kor looked at
him questioningly. It was evident that he did not recognize his fellow prisoner.
Turan crossed to the table and leaning close to the other whispered to him.
"I am Turan the panthan," he said, "who was chained beside you."
A-Kor looked at him closely. "Your own mother would never know you!" he said;
"but tell me, what has transpired since they took you away?"
Turan recounted his experiences in the throne room of O-Tar and in the pits
beneath, "and now," he continued, "I must find these Towers of Jetan and see
what may be done toward liberating the Princess of Helium."
138
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