"He said that he faced bravely the horrors of the chamber of O-Mai and saw nothing of the slave Turan.I was there, hiding behind the hangings, and I saw all that transpired.Turan had been hiding in the chamber and was even then lying upon the couch of O-Mai when O-Tar, trembling with fear, entered the room.
Turan, disturbed, arose to a sitting position at the same time voicing a piercing shriek.O-Tar screamed and swooned.""It is a lie!" cried O-Tar.
"It is not a lie and I can prove it," retorted I-Gos."Didst notice the night that he returned from the chambers of O-Mai and was boasting of his exploit, that when he would summon slaves to bring wine he reached for his dagger to strike the gong with its pommel as is always his custom? Didst note that, any of you? And that he had no dagger? O-Tar, where is the dagger that you carried into the chamber of O-Mai? You do not know; but I know.
While you lay in the swoon of terror I took it from your harness and hid it among the sleeping silks upon the couch of O-Mai.
There it is even now, and if any doubt it let them go thither and there they will find it and know the cowardice of their jeddak.""But what of this impostor?" demanded one."Shall he stand with impunity upon the throne of Manator whilst we squabble about our ruler?""It is through his bravery that you have learned the cowardice of O-Tar," replied I-Gos, "and through him you will be given a greater jeddak.""We will choose our own jeddak.Seize and slay the slave!" There were cries of approval from all parts of the room.Gahan was listening intently, as though for some hoped-for sound.He saw the warriors approaching the dais, where he now stood with drawn sword and with one arm about Tara of Helium.He wondered if his plans had miscarried after all.If they had it would mean death for him, and he knew that Tara would take her life if he fell.
Had he, then, served her so futilely after all his efforts?
Several warriors were urging the necessity for sending at once to the chamber of O-Mai to search for the dagger that would prove, if found, the cowardice of O-Tar.At last three consented to go.
"You need not fear," I-Gos assured them."There is naught there to harm you.I have been there often of late and Turan the slave has slept there for these many nights.The screams and moans that frightened you and O-Tar were voiced by Turan to drive you away from his hiding place." Shamefacedly the three left the apartment to search for O-Tar's dagger.
And now the others turned their attention once more to Gahan.
They approached the throne with bared swords, but they came slowly for they had seen this slave upon the Field of Jetan and they knew the prowess of his arm.They had reached the foot of the steps when from far above there sounded a deep boom, and another, and another, and Turan smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.Perhaps, after all, it had not come too late.The warriors stopped and listened as did the others in the chamber.
Now there broke upon their ears a loud rattle of musketry and it all came from above as though men were fighting upon the roofs of the palace.
"What is it?" they demanded, one of the other.
"A great storm has broken over Manator," said one.
"Mind not the storm until you have slain the creature who dares stand upon the throne of your jeddak," demanded O-Tar."Seize him!"Even as he ceased speaking the arras behind the throne parted and a warrior stepped forth upon the dais.An exclamation of surprise and dismay broke from the lips of the warriors of O-Tar.
"U-Thor!" they cried."What treason is this?""It is no treason," said U-Thor in his deep voice."I bring you a new jeddak for all of Manator.No lying poltroon, but a courageous man whom you all love."He stepped aside then and another emerged from the corridor hidden by the arras.It was A-Kor, and at sight of him there rose exclamations of surprise, of pleasure, and of anger, as the various factions recognized the coup d'etat that had been arranged so cunningly.Behind A-Kor came other warriors until the dais was crowded with them--all men of Manator from the city of Manatos.
O-Tar was exhorting his warriors to attack, when a bloody and disheveled padwar burst into the chamber through a side entrance.
"The city has fallen!" he cried aloud."The hordes of Manatos pour through The Gate of Enemies.The slaves from Gathol have arisen and destroyed the palace guards.Great ships are landing warriors upon the palace roof and in the Fields of Jetan.The men of Helium and Gathol are marching through Manator.They cry aloud for the Princess of Helium and swear to leave Manator a blazing funeral pyre consuming the bodies of all our people.The skies are black with ships.They come in great processions from the east and from the south."And then once more the doors from The Hall of Chiefs swung wide and the men of Manator turned to see another figure standing upon the threshold--a mighty figure of a man with white skin, and black hair, and gray eyes that glittered now like points of steel and behind him The Hall of Chiefs was filled with fighting men wearing the harness of far countries.Tara of Helium saw him and her heart leaped in exultation, for it was John Carter, Warlord of Barsoom, come at the head of a victorious host to the rescue of his daughter, and at his side was Djor Kantos to whom she had been betrothed.
The Warlord eyed the assemblage for a moment before he spoke.
"Lay down your arms, men of Manator," he said."I see my daughter and that she lives, and if no harm has befallen her no blood need be shed.Your city is filled with the fighting men of U-Thor, and those from Gathol and from Helium.The palace is in the hands of the slaves from Gathol, beside a thousand of my own warriors who fill the halls and chambers surrounding this room.The fate of your jeddak lies in your own hands.I have no wish to interfere.