that he was positive.  Perhaps it was the thing that had stolen Tara.  Perhaps Tara herself, still in the clutches of some nameless horror, was just ahead of him.  He quickened his pace—­it became almost a run at the thought of the danger that threatened the woman he loved, and then he collided with a wooden door that swung open to the impact.  Before him was a lighted corridor.  On either side were chambers.  He had advanced but a short distance from the bottom of the spiral when he recognized that he was in the pits below the palace.  A moment later he heard behind him the shuffling sound that had attracted his attention in the spiral runway.  Wheeling about he saw the author of the sound emerging from a doorway he had just passed.  It was Ghek the kaldane.

“Ghek!” exclaimed Gahan.  “It was you in the runway?  Have you seen Tara of Helium?”

“It was I in the spiral,” replied the kaldane; “but I have not seen Tara of Helium.  I have been searching for her.  Where is she?”

“I do not know,” replied the Gatholian; “but we must find her and take her from this place.”

“We may find her,” said Ghek; “but I doubt our ability to take her away.  It is not so easy to leave Manator as it is to enter it.  I may come and go at will, through the ancient burrows of the ulsios; but you are too large for that and your lungs need more air than may be found in some of the deeper runways.”

“But U-Thor!” exclaimed Gahan.  “Have you heard aught of him or his intentions?”

“I have heard much,” replied Ghek.  “He camps at The Gate of Enemies.  That spot he holds and his warriors lie just beyond The Gate; but he has not sufficient force to enter the city and take the palace.  An hour since and you might have made your way to him; but now every avenue is strongly guarded since O-Tar learned that A-Kor had escaped to U-Thor.”

“A-Kor has escaped and joined U-Thor!” exclaimed Gahan.

“But little more than an hour since.  I was with him when a warrior came—­a man whose name is Tasor—­who brought a message from you.  It was decided that Tasor should accompany A-Kor in an attempt to reach the camp of U-Thor, the great jed of Manatos, and exact from him the assurances you required.  Then U-Thor was to return and take food to you and the Princess of Helium.  I accompanied them.  We won through easily and found U-Thor more than willing to respect your every wish, but when Tasor would have returned to you the way was blocked by the warriors of O-Tar.  Then it was that I volunteered to come to you and report and find food and drink and then go forth among the Gatholian slaves of Manator and prepare them for their part in the plan that U-Thor and Tasor conceived.”

“And what was this plan?”