other　thousands　of　prisoners　who　do　the　bidding　of　their　stern
  masters　in　Kadabra。
  Thuvan　Dihn　and　I　discussed　our　plans　as　we　sat　together　among
  our　sleeping　silks　and　furs　that　night　in　the　midst　of　the　hundreds
  of　yellow　men　who　occupied　the　apartment　with　us。　　We　spoke　in　low
  whispers；　but；　as　that　is　only　what　courtesy　demands　in　a　public
  sleeping　place；　we　roused　no　suspicion。
  At　last；　determining　that　all　must　be　but　idle　speculation　until
  after　we　had　had　a　chance　to　explore　the　city　and　attempt　to　put
  into　execution　the　plan　Talu　had　suggested；　we　bade　each　other
  good　night　and　turned　to　sleep。
  After　breakfasting　the　following　morning　we　set　out　to　see　Kadabra；
  and　as；　through　the　generosity　of　the　prince　of　Marentina；　we　were
  well　supplied　with　the　funds　current　in　Okar　we　purchased　a　handsome
  ground　flier。　　Having　learned　to　drive　them　while　in　Marentina；
  we　spent　a　delightful　and　profitable　day　exploring　the　city；
  and　late　in　the　afternoon　at　the　hour　Talu　told　us　we　would
  find　government　officials　in　their　offices；　we　stopped　before
  a　magnificent　building　on　the　plaza　opposite　the　royal
  grounds　and　the　palace。
  Here　we　walked　boldly　in　past　the　armed　guard　at　the　door；　to
  be　met　by　a　red　slave　within　who　asked　our　wishes。
  〃Tell　Sorav；　your　master；　that　two　warriors　from　Illall　wish
  to　take　service　in　the　palace　guard；〃　I　said。
  Sorav；　Talu　had　told　us；　was　the　commander　of　the　forces　of
  the　palace；　and　as　men　from　the　further　cities　of　Okarand
  especially　Illallwere　less　likely　to　be　tainted　with　the　germ　of
  intrigue　which　had　for　years　infected　the　household　of　Salensus　Oll；
  he　was　sure　that　we　would　be　welcomed　and　few　questions　asked　us。
  He　had　primed　us　with　such　general　information　as　he　thought　would　be
  necessary　for　us　to　pass　muster　before　Sorav；　after　which　we　would
  have　to　undergo　a　further　examination　before　Salensus　Oll　that　he
  might　determine　our　physical　fitness　and　our　ability　as　warriors。
  The　little　experience　we　had　had　with　the　strange　hooked　sword
  of　the　yellow　man　and　his　cuplike　shield　made　it　seem　rather
  unlikely　that　either　of　us　could　pass　this　final　test；　but　there
  was　the　chance　that　we　might　be　quartered　in　the　palace　of　Salensus
  Oll　for　several　days　after　being　accepted　by　Sorav　before　the
  Jeddak　of　Jeddaks　would　find　time　to　put　us　to　the　final　test。
  After　a　wait　of　several　minutes　in　an　ante…chamber　we　were　summoned
  into　the　private　office　of　Sorav；　where　we　were　courteously　greeted
  by　this　ferocious…appearing；　black…bearded　officer。　　He　asked　us　our
  names　and　stations　in　our　own　city；　and　having　received　replies　that
  were　evidently　satisfactory　to　him；　he　put　certain　questions　to　us
  that　Talu　had　foreseen　and　prepared　us　for。
  The　interview　could　not　have　lasted　over　ten　minutes　when
  Sorav　summoned　an　aid　whom　he　instructed　to　record　us　properly；
  and　then　escort　us　to　the　quarters　in　the　palace　which　are　set
  aside　for　aspirants　to　membership　in　the　palace　guard。
  The　aid　took　us　to　his　own　office　first；　where　he　measured
  and　weighed　and　photographed　us　simultaneously　with　a　machine
  ingeniously　devised　for　that　purpose；　five　copies　being
  instantly　reproduced　in　five　different　offices　of　the　government；
  two　of　which　are　located　in　other　cities　miles　distant。
  Then　he　led　us　through　the　palace　grounds　to　the　main　guardroom
  of　the　palace；　there　turning　us　over　to　the　officer　in　charge。
  This　individual　again　questioned　us　briefly；　and　finally
  despatched　a　soldier　to　guide　us　to　our　quarters。　　These　we　found
  located　upon　the　second　floor　of　the　palace　in　a　semi…detached
  tower　at　the　rear　of　the　edifice。
  When　we　asked　our　guide　why　we　were　quartered　so　far　from　the
  guardroom　he　replied　that　the　custom　of　the　older　members　of　the
  guard　of　picking　quarrels　with　aspirants　to　try　their　metal　had
  resulted　in　so　many　deaths　that　it　was　found　difficult　to　maintain
  the　guard　at　its　full　strength　while　this　custom　prevailed。
  Salensus　Oll　had；　therefore；　set　apart　these　quarters　for　aspirants；
  and　here　they　were　securely　locked　against　the　danger　of　attack
  by　members　of　the　guard。
  This　unwelcome　information　put　a　sudden　check　to　all　our　well…
  laid　plans；　for　it　meant　that　we　should　virtually　be　prisoners　in
  the　palace　of　Salensus　Oll　until　the　time　that　he　should　see　fit
  to　give　us　the　final　examination　for　efficiency。
  As　it　was　this　interval　upon　which　we　had　banked　to　accomplish
  so　much　in　our　search　for　Dejah　Thoris　and　Thuvia　of　Ptarth；　our
  chagrin　was　unbounded　when　we　heard　the　great　lock　click　behind　our
  guide　as　he　had　quitted　us　after　ushering　us　into　the　chambers　we
  were　to　occupy。
  With　a　wry　face　I　turned　to　Thuvan　Dihn。　　My　companion　but　shook
  his　head　disconsolately　and　walked　to　one　of　the　windows　upon
  the　far　side　of　the　apartment。
  Scarcely　had　he　gazed　beyond　them　than　he　called　to　me　in　a
  tone　of　suppressed　excitement　and　surprise。　　In　an　instant　I
  was　by　his　side。
  〃Look！〃　said　Thuvan　Dihn；　pointing　toward　the　courtyard　below。
  As　my　eyes　followed　the　direction　indicated　I　saw　two　women
  pacing　back　and　forth　in　an　enclosed　garden。
  At　the　same　moment　I　recognized　themthey　were　Dejah　Thoris
  and　Thuvia　of　Ptarth！
  There　were　they　whom　I　had　trailed　from　one　pole　to　another；
  the　length　of　a　world。　　Only　ten　feet　of　space　and　a　few　metal　bars
  separated　me　from　them。
  With　a　cry　I　attracted　their　attention；　and　as　Dejah　Thoris
  looked　up　full　into　my　eyes　I　made　the　sign　of　love　that　the
  men　of　Barsoom　make　to　their　women。
  To　my　astonishment　and　horror　her　head　went　high；　and　as　a
  look　of　utter　contempt　touched　her　finely　chiseled　features　she
  turned　her　back　full　upon　me。　　My　body　is　covered　with　the　scars　of
  a　thousand　conflicts；　but　never　in　all　my　long　life　have　I　suffered
  such　anguish　from　a　wound；　for　this　time　the　steel　of　a　woman's
  look　had　entered　my　heart。
  With　a　groan　I　turned　away　and　buried　my　face　in　my　arms。　　I
  heard　Thuvan　Dihn　call　aloud　to　Thuvia；　but　an　instant　later　his
  exclamation　of　surprise　betokened　that　he；　too；　had　been　repulsed
  by　his　own　daughter。
  〃They　will　not　even　listen；〃　he　cried　to　me。　　〃They　have　put
  their　hands　over　their　ears　and　walked　to　the　farther　end　of　the
  garden。　　Ever　heard　you　of　such　mad　work；　John　Carter？　　The　two
  must　be　bewitched。〃
  Presently　I　mustered　the　courage　to　return　to　the　window；　for
  even　though　she　spurned　me　I　loved　her；　and　could　not　keep　my　eyes
  from　feasting　upon　her　divine　face　and　figure；　but　when　she　saw　me
  looking　she　again　turned　away。
  I　was　at　my　wit's　end　to　account　for　her　strange　actions；　and
  that　Thuvia；　too；　had　turned　against　her　father　seemed　incredible。
  Could　it　be　that　my　incomparable　princess　still　clung　to　the
  hideous　faith　from　which　I　had　rescued　her　world？　　Could　it　be　that
  she　looked　upon　me　with　loathing　and　contempt　because　I　had
  returned　from　the　Valley　Dor；　or　because　I　had　desecrated　the
  temples　and　persons　of　the　Holy　Therns？
  To　naught　else　could　I　ascribe　her　strange　deportment；　yet　it
  seemed　far　from　possible　that　such　could　be　the　case；　for　the　love
  of　Dejah　Thoris　for　John　Carter　had　been　a　great　and　wondrous　love
  far　above　racial　distinctions；　creed；　or　religion。
  As　I　gazed　ruefully　at　the　back　of　her　haughty；　royal　head　a
  gate　at　the　opposite　end　of　the　garden　opened　and　a　man　entered。
  As　he　did　so　he　turned　and　slipped　something　into　the　hand　of　the
  yellow　guardsman　beyond　the　gate；　nor　was　the　distance　too　great
  that　I　might　not　see　that　money　had　passed　between　them。
  Instantly　I　knew　that　this　newcomer　had　bribed　his　way　within
  the　garden。　　Then　he　turned　in　the　direction　of　the　two　women；
  and　I　saw　that　he　was　none　other　than　Thurid；　the　black　dator
  of　the　First　Born。
  He　approached　quite　close　to　them　before　he　spoke；　and　as　they
  turned　at　the　sound　of　his　voice　I　saw　Dejah　Thoris　shrink　from　him。
  There　was　a　nasty　leer　upon　his　face　as　he　stepped　close　to　her　and
  spoke　again。　　I　could　not　hear　his　words；　but　her　answer　came　clearly。
  〃The　granddaughter　of　Tardos　Mors　can　always　die；〃　she　said；
  〃but　she　could　never　live　at　the　price　you　name。〃
  Then　I　saw　the　black　scoundrel　go　upon　his　knees　beside　her；
  fairly　groveling　in　the　dirt；　pleading　with　her。　　Only　part　of　what
  he　said　came　to　me；　for　though　he　was　evidently　laboring　under　the
  stress　of　passion　and　excitement；　it　was　equally　apparent　that　he
  did　not　dare　raise　his　voice　for　fear　of　detection。
  〃I　would　save　you　from　Matai　Shang；〃　I　heard　him　say。　　〃You　know
  the　fate　that　awaits　you　at　his　hands。　　Would　you　not　choose
  me　rather　than　the　other？〃
  〃I　would　choose　neither；〃　replied　Dejah　Thoris；　〃even　were　I
  free　to　choose；　as　you　know　well　I　am　not。〃
  〃You　ARE　free！〃　he　cried。　　〃John　Carter；　Prince　of　Helium；　is　dead。〃
  〃I　know　better