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Gatholian may read what I have written to Floran. He will transmit it to you. Can
I trust you?"
"I may never return to Bantoom," replied Ghek. "Therefore I have but two friends
in all Barsoom. What better may I do than serve them faithfully? You may trust
me, Gatholian, who with a woman of your kind has taught me that there be finer
and nobler things than perfect mentality uninfluenced by the unreasoning
tuitions of the heart. I go."
*
* * * *
As O-Tar pointed to the little doorway all eyes turned in the direction he indicated
and surprise was writ large upon the faces of the warriors when they recognized
the two who had entered the banquet hall. There was I-Gos, and he dragged
behind him one who was gagged and whose hands were fastened behind with a
ribbon of tough silk. It was the slave girl. I-Gos' cackling laughter rose above the
silence of the room.
"
Ey, ey!" he shrilled. "What the young warriors of O-Tar cannot do, old I-Gos does
alone."
"
Only a Corphal may capture a Corphal," growled one of the chiefs who had fled
from the chambers of O-Mai.
I-Gos laughed. "Terror turned your heart to water," he replied; "and shame your
tongue to libel. This be no Corphal, but only a woman of Helium; her companion
a warrior who can match blades with the best of you and cut your putrid hearts.
Not so in the days of I-Gos' youth. Ah, then were there men in Manator. Well do I
recall that day that I--"
"Peace, doddering fool!" commanded O-Tar. "Where is the man?"
"Where I found the woman--in the death chamber of O-Mai. Let your wise and
brave chieftains go thither and fetch him. I am an old man, and could bring but
one."
"You have done well, I-Gos," O-Tar hastened to assure him, for when he learned
that Gahan might still be in the haunted chambers he wished to appease the
wrath of I-Gos, knowing well the vitriolic tongue and temper of the ancient one.
"You think she is no Corphal, then, I-Gos?" he asked, wishing to carry the subject
from the man who was still at large.
"No more than you," replied the ancient taxidermist.
174
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