Tara of Helium could scarce restrain a sneer as she answered the ridiculous accusation of witchcraft.  “So ancient is the culture of my people,” she said, “that authentic history reveals no defense for that which we know existed only in the ignorant and superstitious minds of the most primitive peoples of the past.  To those who are yet so untutored as to believe in the existence of Corphals, there can be no argument that will convince them of their error—­only long ages of refinement and culture can accomplish their release from the bondage of ignorance.  I have spoken.”

“Yet you do not deny the accusation,” said O-Tar.

“It is not worthy the dignity of a denial,” she responded haughtily.

“And I were you, woman,” said a deep voice at her side, “I should, nevertheless, deny it.”

Tara of Helium turned to see the eyes of U-Thor, the great jed of Manatos, upon her.  Brave eyes they were, but neither cold nor cruel.  O-Tar rapped impatiently upon the arm of his throne.  “U-Thor forgets,” he cried, “that O-Tar is the jeddak.”

“U-Thor remembers,” replied the jed of Manatos, “that the laws of Manator permit any who may be accused to have advice and counsel before their judge.”

Tara of Helium saw that for some reason this man would have assisted her, and so she acted upon his advice.

“I deny the charge,” she said, “I am no Corphal.”

“Of that we shall learn,” snapped O-Tar.  “U-Dor, where are those who have knowledge of the powers of this woman?”

And U-Dor brought several who recounted the little that was known of the disappearance of E-Med, and others who told of the capture of Ghek and Tara, suggesting by deduction that having been found together they had sufficient in common to make it reasonably certain that one was as bad as the other, and that, therefore, it remained but to convict one of them of Corphalism to make certain the guilt of both.  And then O-Tar called for Ghek, and immediately the hideous kaldane was dragged before him by warriors who could not conceal the fear in which they held this creature.

“And you!” said O-Tar in cold accusing tones.  “Already have I been told enough of you to warrant me in passing through your heart the jeddak’s steel—­of how you stole the brains from the warrior U-Van so that he thought he saw your headless body still endowed with life; of how you caused another to believe that you had escaped, making him to see naught but an empty bench and a blank wall where you had been.”

“Ah, O-Tar, but that is as nothing!” cried a young padwar who had come in command of the escort that brought Ghek.  “The thing which he did to I-Zav, here, would prove his guilt alone.”

“What did he to the warrior I-Zav?” demanded O-Tar.  “Let I-Zav speak!”

The warrior I-Zav, a great fellow of bulging muscles and thick neck, advanced to the foot of the throne.  He was pale and still trembling visibly as from a nervous shock.