| 193 | 194 | 195 | 196 | 197 |
| 1 | 50 | 99 | 149 | 198 |
|
www.freeclassicebooks.com
"Tara of Helium," he continued, "we all thought you dead. For a long year have
you been gone from Helium. I mourned you truly and then, less than a moon
since, I wed with Olvia Marthis." He stopped and looked at her with eyes that
might have said: "Now, strike me dead!"
"Oh, foolish man!" cried Tara. "Nothing you could have done could have pleased
me more. Djor Kantos, I could kiss you!"
"I do not think that Olvia Marthis would mind," he said, his face now wreathed
with smiles. As they spoke a body of men had entered the throne room and
approached the dais. They were tall men trapped in plain harness, absolutely
without ornamentation. Just as their leader reached the dais Tara had turned to
Gahan, motioning him to join them.
"
Djor Kantos," she said, "I bring you Turan the panthan, whose loyalty and
bravery have won my love."
John Carter and the leader of the new come warriors, who were standing near,
looked quickly at the little group. The former smiled an inscrutable smile, the
latter addressed the Princess of Helium. "'Turan the panthan!'" he cried. "Know
you not, fair daughter of Helium, that this man you call panthan is Gahan, Jed of
Gathol?"
For just a moment Tara of Helium looked her surprise; and then she shrugged
her beautiful shoulders as she turned her head to cast her eyes over one of them
at Gahan of Gathol.
"Jed or panthan," she said; "what difference does it make what one's slave has
been?" and she laughed roguishly into the smiling face of her lover.
*
* * * *
His story finished, John Carter rose from the chair opposite me, stretching his
giant frame like some great forest-bred lion.
"
You must go?" I cried, for I hated to see him leave and it seemed that he had
been with me but a moment.
"The sky is already red beyond those beautiful hills of yours," he replied, "and it
will soon be day."
"
Just one question before you go," I begged.
Well?" he assented, good-naturedly.
"
195
Page
Quick Jump
|