floor；　and　this　I　followed　downward　for　several　stories　until
  I　reached　the　doorway　of　a　large　apartment　in　which　were　a
  number　of　guardsmen。　　The　walls　of　this　room　were　hung　with
  transparent　tapestries　behind　which　I　secreted　myself　without
  being　apprehended。
  The　conversation　of　the　guardsmen　was　general；　and
  awakened　no　interest　in　me　until　an　officer　entered　the　room
  and　ordered　four　of　the　men　to　relieve　the　detail　who　were
  guarding　the　Princess　of　Helium。　　Now；　I　knew；　my　troubles
  would　commence　in　earnest　and　indeed　they　were　upon
  me　all　too　soon；　for　it　seemed　that　the　squad　had　scarcely
  left　the　guardroom　before　one　of　their　number　burst　in
  again　breathlessly；　crying　that　they　had　found　their　four
  comrades　butchered　in　the　antechamber。
  In　a　moment　the　entire　palace　was　alive　with　people。
  Guardsmen；　officers；　courtiers；　servants；　and　slaves　ran
  helter…skelter　through　the　corridors　and　apartments　carrying
  messages　and　orders；　and　searching　for　signs　of　the　assassin。
  This　was　my　opportunity　and　slim　as　it　appeared　I　grasped　it；
  for　as　a　number　of　soldiers　came　hurrying　past　my　hiding　place
  I　fell　in　behind　them　and　followed　through　the　mazes　of　the
  palace　until；　in　passing　through　a　great　hall；　I　saw　the　blessed
  light　of　day　coming　in　through　a　series　of　larger　windows。
  Here　I　left　my　guides；　and；　slipping　to　the　nearest　window；
  sought　for　an　avenue　of　escape。　　The　windows　opened
  upon　a　great　balcony　which　overlooked　one　of　the　broad
  avenues　of　Zodanga。　　The　ground　was　about　thirty　feet　below；
  and　at　a　like　distance　from　the　building　was　a　wall　fully
  twenty　feet　high；　constructed　of　polished　glass　about　a　foot
  in　thickness。　　To　a　red　Martian　escape　by　this　path　would　have
  appeared　impossible；　but　to　me；　with　my　earthly　strength
  and　agility；　it　seemed　already　accomplished。　　My　only　fear
  was　in　being　detected　before　darkness　fell；　for　I　could　not
  make　the　leap　in　broad　daylight　while　the　court　below　and
  the　avenue　beyond　were　crowded　with　Zodangans。
  Accordingly　I　searched　for　a　hiding　place　and　finally　found
  one　by　accident；　inside　a　huge　hanging　ornament　which
  swung　from　the　ceiling　of　the　hall；　and　about　ten　feet　from
  the　floor。　　Into　the　capacious　bowl…like　vase　I　sprang　with
  ease；　and　scarcely　had　I　settled　down　within　it　than　I　heard
  a　number　of　people　enter　the　apartment。　　The　group　stopped
  beneath　my　hiding　place　and　I　could　plainly　overhear　their
  every　word。
  〃It　is　the　work　of　Heliumites；〃　said　one　of　the　men。
  〃Yes；　O　Jeddak；　but　how　had　they　access　to　the　palace？　　I
  could　believe　that　even　with　the　diligent　care　of　your
  guardsmen　a　single　enemy　might　reach　the　inner　chambers；
  but　how　a　force　of　six　or　eight　fighting　men　could　have
  done　so　unobserved　is　beyond　me。　　We　shall　soon　know；　however；
  for　here　comes　the　royal　psychologist。〃
  Another　man　now　joined　the　group；　and；　after　making　his
  formal　greetings　to　his　ruler；　said：
  〃O　mighty　Jeddak；　it　is　a　strange　tale　I　read　in　the　dead
  minds　of　your　faithful　guardsmen。　　They　were　felled　not　by　a
  number　of　fighting　men；　but　by　a　single　opponent。〃
  He　paused　to　let　the　full　weight　of　this　announcement
  impress　his　hearers；　and　that　his　statement　was　scarcely
  credited　was　evidenced　by　the　impatient　exclamation　of
  incredulity　which　escaped　the　lips　of　Than　Kosis。
  〃What　manner　of　weird　tale　are　you　bringing　me；　Notan？〃　he　cried。
  〃It　is　the　truth；　my　Jeddak；〃　replied　the　psychologist。
  〃In　fact　the　impressions　were　strongly　marked　on　the　brain
  of　each　of　the　four　guardsmen。　　Their　antagonist　was　a　very
  tall　man；　wearing　the　metal　of　one　of　your　own　guardsmen；
  and　his　fighting　ability　was　little　short　of　marvelous　for　he
  fought　fair　against　the　entire　four　and　vanquished　them　by
  his　surpassing　skill　and　superhuman　strength　and　endurance。
  Though　he　wore　the　metal　of　Zodanga；　my　Jeddak；　such　a
  man　was　never　seen　before　in　this　or　any　other　country　upon
  Barsoom。
  〃The　mind　of　the　Princess　of　Helium　whom　I　have　examined
  and　questioned　was　a　blank　to　me；　she　has　perfect
  control；　and　I　could　not　read　one　iota　of　it。　　She　said　that
  she　witnessed　a　portion　of　the　encounter；　and　that　when　she
  looked　there　was　but　one　man　engaged　with　the　guardsmen；
  a　man　whom　she　did　not　recognize　as　ever　having　seen。〃
  〃Where　is　my　erstwhile　savior？〃　spoke　another　of　the
  party；　and　I　recognized　the　voice　of　the　cousin　of　Than　Kosis；
  whom　I　had　rescued　from　the　green　warriors。　　〃By　the　metal
  of　my　first　ancestor；〃　he　went　on；　〃but　the　description　fits
  him　to　perfection；　especially　as　to　his　fighting　ability。〃
  〃Where　is　this　man？〃　cried　Than　Kosis。　　〃Have　him　brought
  to　me　at　once。　　What　know　you　of　him；　cousin？　　It　seemed
  strange　to　me　now　that　I　think　upon　it　that　there　should
  have　been　such　a　fighting　man　in　Zodanga；　of　whose　name；
  even；　we　were　ignorant　before　today。　　And　his　name　too；
  John　Carter；　who　ever　heard　of　such　a　name　upon　Barsoom！〃
  Word　was　soon　brought　that　I　was　nowhere　to　be　found；
  either　in　the　palace　or　at　my　former　quarters　in　the
  barracks　of　the　air…scout　squadron。　　Kantos　Kan；　they　had
  found　and　questioned；　but　he　knew　nothing　of　my　whereabouts；
  and　as　to　my　past；　he　had　told　them　he　knew　as　little；　since　he
  had　but　recently　met　me　during　our　captivity　among　the　Warhoons。
  〃Keep　your　eyes　on　this　other　one；〃　commanded　Than　Kosis。
  〃He　also　is　a　stranger　and　likely　as　not　they　both　hail
  from　Helium；　and　where　one　is　we　shall　sooner　or　later
  find　the　other。　　Quadruple　the　air　patrol；　and　let　every　man
  who　leaves　the　city　by　air　or　ground　be　subjected　to　the
  closest　scrutiny。〃
  Another　messenger　now　entered　with　word　that　I　was　still
  within　the　palace　walls。
  〃The　likeness　of　every　person　who　has　entered　or　left　the
  palace　grounds　today　has　been　carefully　examined；〃　concluded
  the　fellow；　〃and　not　one　approaches　the　likeness　of　this　new
  padwar　of　the　guards；　other　than　that　which　was　recorded　of
  him　at　the　time　he　entered。〃
  〃Then　we　will　have　him　shortly；〃　commented　Than　Kosis
  contentedly；　〃and　in　the　meanwhile　we　will　repair　to　the
  apartments　of　the　Princess　of　Helium　and　question　her　in
  regard　to　the　affair。　　She　may　know　more　than　she　cared　to
  divulge　to　you；　Notan。　　Come。〃
  They　left　the　hall；　and；　as　darkness　had　fallen　without；　I
  slipped　lightly　from　my　hiding　place　and　hastened　to　the
  balcony。　　Few　were　in　sight；　and　choosing　a　moment　when
  none　seemed　near　I　sprang　quickly　to　the　top　of　the　glass
  wall　and　from　there　to　the　avenue　beyond　the　palace　grounds。
  CHAPTER　XXIII
  LOST　IN　THE　SKY
  Without　effort　at　concealment　I　hastened　to　the　vicinity　of
  our　quarters；　where　I　felt　sure　I　should　find　Kantos　Kan。　　As
  I　neared　the　building　I　became　more　careful；　as　I　judged；
  and　rightly；　that　the　place　would　be　guarded。　　Several　men　in
  civilian　metal　loitered　near　the　front　entrance　and　in　the
  rear　were　others。　　My　only　means　of　reaching；　unseen；　the
  upper　story　where　our　apartments　were　situated　was　through
  an　adjoining　building；　and　after　considerable　maneuvering　I
  managed　to　attain　the　roof　of　a　shop　several　doors　away。
  Leaping　from　roof　to　roof；　I　soon　reached　an　open　window
  in　the　building　where　I　hoped　to　find　the　Heliumite；　and　in
  another　moment　I　stood　in　the　room　before　him。　　He　was
  alone　and　showed　no　surprise　at　my　coming；　saying　he　had
  expected　me　much　earlier；　as　my　tour　of　duty　must　have
  ended　some　time　since。
  I　saw　that　he　knew　nothing　of　the　events　of　the　day　at
  the　palace；　and　when　I　had　enlightened　him　he　was　all
  excitement。　　The　news　that　Dejah　Thoris　had　promised　her
  hand　to　Sab　Than　filled　him　with　dismay。
  〃It　cannot　be；〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃It　is　impossible！　　Why　no
  man　in　all　Helium　but　would　prefer　death　to　the　selling　of
  our　loved　princess　to　the　ruling　house　of　Zodanga。　　She　must
  have　lost　her　mind　to　have　assented　to　such　an　atrocious
  bargain。　　You；　who　do　not　know　how　we　of　Helium　love
  the　members　of　our　ruling　house；　cannot　appreciate　the
  horror　with　which　I　contemplate　such　an　unholy　alliance。〃
  〃What　can　be　done；　John　Carter？〃　he　continued。　　〃You　are
  a　resourceful　man。　　Can　you　not　think　of　some　way　to　save
  Helium　from　this　disgrace？〃
  〃If　I　can　come　within　sword's　reach　of　Sab　Than；〃　I　answered；
  〃I　can　solve　the　difficulty　in　so　far　as　Helium　is　concerned；
  but　for　personal　reasons　I　would　prefer　that　another　struck
  the　blow　that　frees　Dejah　Thoris。〃
  Kantos　Kan　eyed　me　narrowly　before　he　spoke。
  〃You　love　her！〃　he　said。　　〃Does　she　know　it？〃
  〃She　knows　it；　Kantos　Kan；　and　repulses　me　only　because
  she　is　promised　to　Sab　Than。〃
  The　splendid　fellow　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　grasping　me
  by　the　shoulder　raised　his　sword　on　high；　exclaiming：
  〃And　had　the　choice　been　left　to　me　I　could　not　have
  chosen　a　more　fitting　mate　for　the　first　princess　of　Barsoom。
  Here　is　my　hand　upon