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women's quarters of the palace. Conduct her thither, E-Thas, with a suitable
guard of honor and see to it that slaves and eunuchs be placed at her disposal,
who shall attend upon all her wants and guard her carefully from harm."
*
About 8:30 P. M. Earth Time.
Now E-Thas knew that the real meaning concealed in these fine words was that
he should conduct the prisoner under a strong guard to the women's quarters
and confine her there in the tower for seven days, placing about her trustworthy
guards who would prevent her escape or frustrate any attempted rescue.
As Tara was departing from the chamber with E-Thas and the guard, O-Tar
leaned close to her ear and whispered: "Consider well during these seven days the
high honor I have offered you, and--its sole alternative." As though she had not
heard him the girl passed out of the banquet hall, her head high and her eyes
straight to the front.
After Ghek had left him Gahan roamed the pits and the ancient corridors of the
deserted portions of the palace seeking some clue to the whereabouts or the fate
of Tara of Helium. He utilized the spiral runway in passing from level to level until
he knew every foot of it from the pits to the summit of the high tower, and into
what apartments it opened at the various levels as well as the ingenious and
hidden mechanism that operated the locks of the cleverly concealed doors leading
to it. For food he drew upon the stores he found in the pits and when he slept he
lay upon the royal couch of O-Mai in the forbidden chamber sharing the dais with
the dead foot of the ancient jeddak.
In the palace about him seethed, all unknown to Gahan, a vast unrest. Warriors
and chieftains pursued the duties of their vocations with dour faces, and little
knots of them were collecting here and there and with frowns of anger discussing
some subject that was uppermost in the minds of all. It was upon the fourth day
following Tara's incarceration in the tower that E-Thas, the major-domo of the
palace and one of O-Tar's creatures, came to his master upon some trivial errand.
O-Tar was alone in one of the smaller chambers of his personal suite when the
major-domo was announced, and after the matter upon which E-Thas had come
was disposed of the jeddak signed him to remain.
"From the position of an obscure warrior I have elevated you, E-Thas, to the
honors of a chief. Within the confines of the palace your word is second only to
mine. You are not loved for this, E-Thas, and should another jeddak ascend the
throne of Manator what would become of you, whose enemies are among the
most powerful of Manator?"
176
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