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"You see, A-Kor," cried U-Dor, "the tongue that she has. Even so and worse spoke

she to O-Tar the jeddak."

I see," replied A-Kor, whom Tara saw was with difficulty restraining a smile.

Come, then, with me, woman," he said, "and we shall find a safe place within

The Towers of Jetan--but stay! what ails thee?"

The girl had staggered and would have fallen had not the man caught her in his

arms. She seemed to gather herself then and bravely sought to stand erect

without support. A-Kor glanced at U-Dor. "Knew you the woman was ill?" he

asked.

"Possibly it is lack of food," replied the other. "She mentioned, I believe, that she

and her companions had not eaten for several days."

Brave are the warriors of O-Tar," sneered A-Kor; "lavish their hospitality. U-Dor,

whose riches are uncounted, and the brave O-Tar, whose squealing thoats are

stabled within marble halls and fed from troughs of gold, can spare no crust to

feed a starving girl."

The black haired U-Dor scowled. "Thy tongue will yet pierce thy heart, son of a

slave!" he cried. "Once too often mayst thus try the patience of the just O-Tar.

Hereafter guard thy speech as well as thy towers."

Think not to taunt me with my mother's state," said A-Kor. "'Tis the blood of the

slave woman that fills my veins with pride, and my only shame is that I am also

the son of thy jeddak."

"And O-Tar heard this?" queried U-Dor.

O-Tar has already heard it from my own lips," replied A-Kor; "this, and more."

He turned upon his heel, a supporting arm still around the waist of Tara of

Helium and thus he half led, half carried her into The Towers of Jetan, while U-

Dor wheeled his thoat and galloped back in the direction of the palace.

Within the main entrance to The Tower of Jetan lolled a half-dozen warriors. To

one of these spoke A-Kor, keeper of the towers. "Fetch Lan-O, the slave girl, and

bid her bring food and drink to the upper level of the Thurian tower," then he

lifted the half-fainting girl in his arms and bore her along the spiral, inclined

runway that led upward within the tower.

Somewhere in the long ascent Tara lost consciousness. When it returned she

found herself in a large, circular chamber, the stone walls of which were pierced

by windows at regular intervals about the entire circumference of the room. She

The Chessmen of Mars