As Thuvia of Ptarth saw Carthoris depart from the presenceof Tario, leaving her alone with the man, a sudden qualmof terror seized her.

There was an air of mystery pervading the stately chamber.Its furnishings and appointments bespoke wealth and culture,and carried the suggestion that the room was often the sceneof royal functions which filled it to its capacity.

And yet nowhere about her, in antechamber or corridor,was there sign of any other being than herselfand the recumbent figure of Tario, the jeddak, whowatched her through half-closed eyes from the gorgeoustrappings of his regal couch.

For a time after the departure of Jav and Carthoris theman eyed her intently. Then he spoke.

"Come nearer," he said, and, as she approached: "Whose creature are you? Who has dared materializehis imaginings of woman? It is contrary to the customsand the royal edicts of Lothar. Tell me, woman, fromwhose brain have you sprung? Jav's? No, do not deny it.I know that it could be no other than that envious realist.He seeks to tempt me. He would see me fall beneaththe spell of your charms, and then he, your master,would direct my destiny and--my end. I see it all!I see it all!"

The blood of indignation and anger had been rising toThuvia's face. Her chin was up, a haughty curve uponher perfect lips.

"I know naught," she cried, "of what you are prating!I am Thuvia, Princess of Ptarth. I am no man's`creature.' Never before to-day did I lay eyes upon himyou call Jav, nor upon your ridiculous city, of whicheven the greatest nations of Barsoom have never dreamed.

"My charms are not for you, nor such as you. Theyare not for sale or barter, even though the price were areal throne. And as for using them to win your worsethan futile power--" She ended her sentence with a shrugof her shapely shoulders, and a little scornful laugh.

When she had finished Tario was sitting upon the edgeof his couch, his feet upon the floor. He was leaningforward with eyes no longer half closed, but wide witha startled expression in them.

He did not seem to note the LESE MAJESTE of herwords and manner. There was evidently something morestartling and compelling about her speech than that.

Slowly he came to his feet.

"By the fangs of Komal!" he muttered. "But you are REAL!A REAL woman! No dream! No vain and foolish figment of the mind!"

He took a step toward her, with hands outstretched.

"Come!" he whispered. "Come, woman! For countlessages have I dreamed that some day you would come.And now that you are here I can scarce believe thetestimony of my eyes. Even now, knowing that youare real, I still half dread that you may be a lie."

Thuvia shrank back. She thought the man mad.Her hand stole to the jewelled hilt of her dagger.The man saw the move, and stopped. A cunningexpression entered his eyes. Then they becameat once dreamy and penetrating as they fairlybored into the girl's brain.

Thuvia suddenly felt a change coming over her. What thecause of it she did not guess; but somehow the man beforeher began to assume a new relationship within her heart.

No longer was he a strange and mysterious enemy, but anold and trusted friend. Her hand slipped from thedagger's hilt. Tario came closer. He spoke gentle,friendly words, and she answered him in a voice thatseemed hers and yet another's.

He was beside her now. His hand was up her shoulder. His eyes were down-bent toward hers. She looked up intohis face. His gaze seemed to bore straight through herto some hidden spring of sentiment within her.

Her lips parted in sudden awe and wonder at the strangerevealment of her inner self that was being laid barebefore her consciousness. She had known Tario for ever.He was more than friend to her. She moved a littlecloser to him. In one swift flood of light she knewthe truth. She loved Tario, Jeddak of Lothar!She had always loved him.

The man, seeing the success of his strategy, could notrestrain a faint smile of satisfaction. Whether there wassomething in the expression of his face, or whether fromCarthoris of Helium in a far chamber of the palace camea more powerful suggestion, who may say? But somethingthere was that suddenly dispelled the strange, hypnoticinfluence of the man.

As though a mask had been torn from her eyes,Thuvia suddenly saw Tario as she had formerly seenhim, and, accustomed as she was to the strangemanifestations of highly developed mentality which arecommon upon Barsoom, she quickly guessed enough of thetruth to know that she was in grave danger.

Quickly she took a step backward, tearing herself fromhis grasp. But the momentary contact had aroused withinTario all the long-buried passions of his loveless existence.

With a muffled cry he sprang upon her, throwing hisarms about her and attempting to drag her lips to his.

"Woman!" he cried. "Lovely woman! Tario would makeyou queen of Lothar. Listen to me! Listen to the loveof the last jeddaks of Barsoom."

Thuvia struggled to free herself from his embrace.

"Stop, creature!" she cried. "Stop! I do not love you.Stop, or I shall scream for help!"

Tario laughed in her face.

"`Scream for help,'" he mimicked. "And who within the hallsof Lothar is there who might come in answer to your call?Who would dare enter the presence of Tario, unsummoned?"

"There is one," she replied, "who would come, and, coming,dare to cut you down upon your own throne, if he thoughtthat you had offered affront to Thuvia of Ptarth!"

"Who, Jav?" asked Tario.

"Not Jav, nor any other soft-skinned Lotharian," she replied;"but a real man, a real warrior--Carthoris of Helium!"

Again the man laughed at her.

"You forget the bowmen," he reminded her. "What couldyour red warrior accomplish against my fearless legions?"

Again he caught her roughly to him, dragging hertowards his couch.

"If you will not be my queen," he said, "you shall be my slave."

"Neither!" cried the girl.

As she spoke the single word there was a quick moveof her right hand; Tario, releasing her, staggered back,both hands pressed to his side. At the same instantthe room filled with bowmen, and then the jeddak ofLothar sank senseless to the marble floor.

At the instant that he lost consciousness the bowmenwere about to release their arrows into Thuvia's heart.Involuntarily she gave a single cry for help, though sheknew that not even Carthoris of Helium could save her now.

Then she closed her eyes and waited for the end. Noslender shafts pierced her tender side. She raised herlids to see what stayed the hand of her executioners.

The room was empty save for herself and the stillform of the jeddak of Lothar lying at her feet, a littlepool of crimson staining the white marble of the floorbeside him. Tario was unconscious.

Thuvia was amazed. Where were the bowmen? Why hadthey not loosed their shafts? What could it all mean?

An instant before the room had been mysteriously filledwith armed men, evidently called to protect their jeddak;yet now, with the evidence of her deed plain before them,they had vanished as mysteriously as they had come,leaving her alone with the body of their ruler,into whose side she had slipped her long, keen blade.

The girl glanced apprehensively about, first for signs ofthe return of the bowmen, and then for some means of escape.

The wall behind the dais was pierced by two smalldoorways, hidden by heavy hangings. Thuvia was runningquickly towards one of these when she heard the clank ofa warrior's metal at the end of the apartment behind her.

Ah, if she had but an instant more of time she couldhave reached that screening arras and, perchance,have found some avenue of escape behind it; but nowit was too late--she had been discovered!

With a feeling that was akin to apathy she turned tomeet her fate, and there, before her, running swiftlyacross the broad chamber to her side, was Carthoris, hisnaked long-sword gleaming in his hand.

For days she had doubted his intentions of the Heliumite.She had thought him a party to her abduction. Since Fatehad thrown them together she had scarce favoured him withmore than the most perfunctory replies to his remarks,unless at such times as the weird and uncanny happeningsat Lothar had surprised her out of her reserve.

She knew that Carthoris of Helium would fight for her;but whether to save her for himself or another, she was in doubt.

He knew that she was promised to Kulan Tith, Jeddak of Kaol,but if he had been instrumental in her abduction,his motives could not be prompted by loyalty to his friend,or regard for her honour.

And yet, as she saw him coming across the marblefloor of the audience chamber of Tario of Lothar,his fine eyes filled with apprehension for her safety,his splendid figure personifying all that is finest in the fightingmen of martial Mars, she could not believe that any faintesttrace of perfidy lurked beneath so glorious an exterior.

Never, she thought, in all her life had the sight of anyman been so welcome to her. It was with difficulty thatshe refrained from rushing forward to meet him.

She knew that he loved her; but, in time, she recalledthat she was promised to Kulan Tith. Not even might shetrust herself to show too great gratitude to the Heliumite,lest he misunderstand.

Carthoris was by her side now. His quick glance hadtaken in the scene within the room--the still figure ofthe jeddak sprawled upon the floor--the girl hasteningtoward a shrouded exit.

"Did he harm you, Thuvia?" he asked.

She held up her crimsoned blade that he might see it.

"No," she said, "he did not harm me."

A grim smile lighted Carthoris' face.

"Praised be our first ancestor!" he murmured."And now let us see if we may not make good ourescape from this accursed city before the Lothariansdiscover that their jeddak is no more."

With the firm authority that sat so well upon him inwhose veins flowed the blood of John Carter of Virginiaand Dejah Thoris of Helium, he grasped her hand and,turning back across the hall, strode toward the greatdoorway through which Jav had brought them into thepresence of the jeddak earlier in the day.

They had almost reached the threshold when a figure spranginto the apartment through another entrance. It was Jav.He, too, took in the scene within at a glance.

Carthoris turned to face him, his sword ready in his hand,and his great body shielding the slender figure of the girl.

"Come, Jav of Lothar!" he cried. "Let us face theissue at once, for only one of us may leave this chamberalive with Thuvia of Ptarth." Then, seeing that the manwore no sword, he exclaimed: "Bring on your bowmen,then, or come with us as my prisoner until we havesafely passed the outer portals of thy ghostly city."

"You have killed Tario!" exclaimed Jav, ignoring theother's challenge. "You have killed Tario! I see his bloodupon the floor--real blood--real death. Tario was, afterall, as real as I. Yet he was an etherealist. He wouldnot materialize his sustenance. Can it be that they areright? Well, we, too, are right. And all these ages wehave been quarrelling--each saying that the other was wrong!

"However, he is dead now. Of that I am glad. Now shall Javcome into his own. Now shall Jav be Jeddak of Lothar!"

As he finished, Tario opened his eyes and then quickly sat up.

"Traitor! Assassin!" he screamed, and then: "Kadar!Kadar!" which is the Barsoomian for guard.

Jav went sickly white. He fell upon his belly, wrigglingtoward Tario.

"Oh, my Jeddak, my Jeddak!" he whimpered. "Jav had nohand in this. Jav, your faithful Jav, but just thisinstant entered the apartment to find you lying proneupon the floor and these two strangers about to leave. Howit happened I know not. Believe me, most glorious Jeddak!"

"Cease, knave!" cried Tario. "I heard your words:`However, he is dead now. Of that I am glad. Now shallJav come into his own. Now shall Jav be Jeddak of Lothar.'

"At last, traitor, I have found you out. Your ownwords have condemned you as surely as the acts ofthese red creatures have sealed their fates--unless--"He paused. "Unless the woman--"

But he got no further. Carthoris guessed what hewould have said, and before the words could be utteredhe had sprung forward and struck the man across themouth with his open palm.

Tario frothed in rage and mortification.

"And should you again affront the Princess of Ptarth,"warned the Heliumite, "I shall forget that you wear nosword--not for ever may I control my itching sword hand."

Tario shrank back toward the little doorways behindthe dais. He was trying to speak, but so hideously werethe muscles of his face working that he could utter noword for several minutes. At last he managed toarticulate intelligibly.

"Die!" he shrieked. "Die!" and then he turned towardthe exit at his back.

Jav leaped forward, screaming in terror.

"Have pity, Tario! Have pity! Remember the long agesthat I have served you faithfully. Remember all that Ihave done for Lothar. Do not condemn me now to thedeath hideous. Save me! Save me!"

But Tario only laughed a mocking laugh and continuedto back toward the hangings that hid the little doorway.

Jav turned toward Carthoris.

"Stop him!" he screamed. "Stop him! If you love life,let him not leave this room," and as he spoke he leapedin pursuit of his jeddak.

Carthoris followed Jav's example, but the "last ofthe jeddaks of Barsoom" was too quick for them.By the time they reached the arras behind whichhe had disappeared, they found a heavy stone doorblocking their further progress.

Jav sank to the floor in a spasm of terror.

"Come, man!" cried Carthoris. "We are not dead yet.Let us hasten to the avenues and make an attempt toleave the city. We are still alive, and while we live wemay yet endeavour to direct our own destinies. Of whatavail, to sink spineless to the floor? Come, be a man!"

Jav but shook his head.

"Did you not hear him call the guards?" he moaned."Ah, if we could have but intercepted him! Then theremight have been hope; but, alas, he was too quick for us."

"Well, well," exclaimed Carthoris impatiently. "Whatif he did call the guards? There will be time enough toworry about that after they come--at present I see noindication that they have any idea of over-exertingthemselves to obey their jeddak's summons."

Jav shook his head mournfully.

"You do not understand," he said. "The guards havealready come--and gone. They have done their work andwe are lost. Look to the various exits."

Carthoris and Thuvia turned their eyes in the directionof the several doorways which pierced the walls of thegreat chamber. Each was tightly closed by huge stone doors.

"Well?" asked Carthoris.

"We are to die the death," whispered Jav faintly.

Further than that he would not say. He just sat uponthe edge of the jeddak's couch and waited.

Carthoris moved to Thuvia's side, and, standing therewith naked sword, he let his brave eyes roam ceaselesslyabout the great chamber, that no foe might spring uponthem unseen.

For what seemed hours no sound broke the silence oftheir living tomb. No sign gave their executioners ofthe time or manner of their death. The suspense wasterrible. Even Carthoris of Helium began to feel theterrible strain upon his nerves. If he could but knowhow and whence the hand of death was to strike, he couldmeet it unafraid, but to suffer longer the hideous tensionof this blighting ignorance of the plans of their assassinswas telling upon him grievously.

Thuvia of Ptarth drew quite close to him. She feltsafer with the feel of his arm against hers, and withthe contact of her the man took a new grip upon himself. With his old-time smile he turned toward her.

"It would seem that they are trying to frighten us to death,"he said, laughing; "and, shame be upon me that I shouldconfess it, I think they were close to accomplishingtheir designs upon me."

She was about to make some reply when a fearfulshriek broke from the lips of the Lotharian.

"The end is coming!" he cried. "The end is coming!The floor! The floor! Oh, Komal, be merciful!"

Thuvia and Carthoris did not need to look at thefloor to be aware of the strange movement that wastaking place.

Slowly the marble flagging was sinking in all directionstoward the centre. At first the movement, being gradual,was scarce noticeable; but presently the angle of thefloor became such that one might stand easily only bybending one knee considerably.

Jav was shrieking still, and clawing at the royal couchthat had already commenced to slide toward the centreof the room, where both Thuvia and Carthoris suddenlynoted a small orifice which grew in diameter as thefloor assumed more closely a funnel-like contour.

Now it became more and more difficult to cling tothe dizzy inclination of the smooth and polished marble.

Carthoris tried to support Thuvia, but himself commencedto slide and slip toward the ever-enlarging aperture.

Better to cling to the smooth stone he kicked off hissandals of zitidar hide and with his bare feet bracedhimself against the sickening tilt, at the same timethrowing his arms supportingly about the girl.

In her terror her own hands clasped about the man's neck.Her cheek was close to his. Death, unseen and of unknown form,seemed close upon them, and because unseen and unknowableinfinitely more terrifying.

"Courage, my princess," he whispered.

She looked up into his face to see smiling lips above hersand brave eyes, untouched by terror, drinking deeply of her own.

Then the floor sagged and tilted more swiftly. There was asudden slipping rush as they were precipitated toward the aperture.

Jav's screams rose weird and horrible in their ears,and then the three found themselves piled upon theroyal couch of Tario, which had stuck within theaperture at the base of the marble funnel.

For a moment they breathed more freely, but presentlythey discovered that the aperture was continuingto enlarge. The couch slipped downward. Jav shriekedagain. There was a sickening sensation as they felt alllet go beneath them, as they fell through darkness toan unknown death.