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How was Gahan able to enter the throne room garbed in O-Tar's trappings?" I

asked.

"It was simple--for Gahan of Gathol," replied The Warlord. "With the assistance of

I-Gos he crept into The Hall of Chiefs before the ceremony, while the throne room

and Hall of Chiefs were vacated to receive the bride. He came from the pits

through the corridor that opened behind the arras at the rear of the throne, and

passing into The Hall of Chiefs took his place upon the back of a riderless thoat,

whose warrior was in I-Gos' repair room. When O-Tar entered and came near him

Gahan fell upon him and struck him with the butt of a heavy spear. He thought

that he had killed him and was surprised when O-Tar appeared to denounce

him."

"And Ghek? What became of Ghek?" I insisted.

"After leading Val Dor and Floran to Tara's disabled flier which they repaired, he

accompanied them to Gathol from where a message was sent to me in Helium. He

then led a large party including A-Kor and U-Thor from the roof, where our ships

landed them, down a spiral runway into the palace and guided them to the

throne room. We took him back to Helium with us, where he still lives, with his

single rykor which we found all but starved to death in the pits of Manator. But

come! No more questions now."

I accompanied him to the east arcade where the red dawn was glowing beyond

the arches.

Good-bye!" he said.

I can scarce believe that it is really you," I exclaimed. "Tomorrow I will be sure

that I have dreamed all this."

He laughed and drawing his sword scratched a rude cross upon the concrete of

one of the arches.

"If you are in doubt tomorrow," he said, "come and see if you dreamed this."

A moment later he was gone.

JETAN, OR MARTIAN CHESS

For those who care for such things, and would like to try the game, I give the

rules of Jetan as they were given me by John Carter. By writing the names and

moves of the various pieces on bits of paper and pasting them on ordinary

196

The Chessmen of Mars