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from the rear with the majority of their numbers, while the balance will assault

the palace. They hope thus to divert so many from The Gate that U-Thor will have

little difficulty in forcing an entrance to the city."

Perhaps they will succeed," commented Gahan; "but the warriors of O-Tar are

many, and those who fight in defense of their homes and their jeddak have

always an advantage. Ah, Ghek, would that we had the great warships of Gathol

or of Helium to pour their merciless fire into the streets of Manator while U-Thor

marched to the palace over the corpses of the slain." He paused, deep in thought,

and then turned his gaze again upon the kaldane. "Heard you aught of the party

that escaped with me from The Field of Jetan--of Floran, Val Dor, and the others?

What of them?"

Ten of these won through to U-Thor at The Gate of Enemies and were well

received by him. Eight fell in the fighting upon the way. Val Dor and Floran live, I

believe, for I am sure that I heard U-Thor address two warriors by these names."

Good!" exclaimed Gahan. "Go then, through the burrows of the ulsios, to The

Gate of Enemies and carry to Floran the message that I shall write in his own

language. Come, while I write the message."

In a nearby room they found a bench and table and there Gahan sat and wrote in

the strange, stenographic characters of Martian script a message to Floran of

Gathol. "Why," he asked, when he had finished it, "did you search for Tara

through the spiral runway where we nearly met?"

Tasor told me where you were to be found, and as I have explored the greater

part of the palace by means of the ulsio runways and the darker and less

frequented passages I knew precisely where you were and how to reach you. This

secret spiral ascends from the pits to the roof of the loftiest of the palace towers.

It has secret openings at every level; but there is no living Manatorian, I believe,

who knows of its existence. At least never have I met one within it and I have

used it many times. Thrice have I been in the chamber where O-Mai lies, though I

knew nothing of his identity or the story of his death until Tasor told it to us in

the camp of U-Thor."

You know the palace thoroughly then?" Gahan interrupted.

Better than O-Tar himself or any of his servants."

Good! And you would serve the Princess Tara, Ghek, you may serve her best by

accompanying Floran and following his instructions. I will write them here at the

close of my message to him, for the walls have ears, Ghek, while none but a

173

The Chessmen of Mars