www.freeclassicebooks.com

A-Kor shook his head. "Long was I dwar of the Towers," he said, "and I can say to

you, stranger, that you might as well attempt to reduce Manator, single handed,

as to rescue a prisoner from The Towers of Jetan."

But I must," replied Turan.

Are you better than a good swordsman?" asked A-Kor presently.

I am accounted so," replied Turan.

Then there is a way--sst!" he was suddenly silent and pointing toward the base of

the wall at the end of the room.

Turan looked in the direction the other's forefinger indicated, to see projecting

from the mouth of an ulsio's burrow two large chelae and a pair of protruding

eyes.

Ghek!" he cried and immediately the hideous kaldane crawled out upon the floor

and approached the table. A-Kor drew back with a half-stifled ejaculation of

repulsion. "Do not fear," Turan reassured him. "It is my friend--he whom I told

you held O-Tar while Tara and I escaped."

Ghek climbed to the table top and squatted between the two warriors. "You are

safe in assuming," he said addressing A-Kor, "that Turan the panthan has no

master in all Manator where the art of sword-play is concerned. I overheard your

conversation--go on."

"You are his friend," continued A-Kor, "and so I may explain safely in your

presence the only plan I know whereby he may hope to rescue the Princess of

Helium. She is to be the stake of one of the games and it is O-Tar's desire that

she be won by slaves and common warriors, since she repulsed him. Thus would

he punish her. Not a single man, but all who survive upon the winning side are to

possess her. With money, however, one may buy off the others before the game.

That you could do, and if your side won and you survived she would become your

slave."

But how may a stranger and a hunted fugitive accomplish this?" asked Turan.

No one will recognize you. You will go tomorrow to the keeper of the Towers and

enlist in that game for which the girl is to be the stake, telling the keeper that you

are from Manataj, the farthest city of Manator. If he questions you, you may say

that you saw her when she was brought into the city after her capture. If you win

her, you will find thoats stabled at my palace and you will carry from me a token

that will place all that is mine at your disposal."

139

The Chessmen of Mars