Even as he ceased speaking the arras behind the throne parted and a warrior stepped forth upon the dais.  An exclamation of surprise and dismay broke from the lips of the warriors of O-Tar.  “U-Thor!” they cried.  “What treason is this?”

“It is no treason,” said U-Thor in his deep voice.  “I bring you a new jeddak for all of Manator.  No lying poltroon, but a courageous man whom you all love.”

He stepped aside then and another emerged from the corridor hidden by the arras.  It was A-Kor, and at sight of him there rose exclamations of surprise, of pleasure, and of anger, as the various factions recognized the coup d’etat that had been arranged so cunningly.  Behind A-Kor came other warriors until the dais was crowded with them—­all men of Manator from the city of Manatos.

O-Tar was exhorting his warriors to attack, when a bloody and disheveled padwar burst into the chamber through a side entrance.  “The city has fallen!” he cried aloud.  “The hordes of Manatos pour through The Gate of Enemies.  The slaves from Gathol have arisen and destroyed the palace guards.  Great ships are landing warriors upon the palace roof and in the Fields of Jetan.  The men of Helium and Gathol are marching through Manator.  They cry aloud for the Princess of Helium and swear to leave Manator a blazing funeral pyre consuming the bodies of all our people.  The skies are black with ships.  They come in great processions from the east and from the south.”

And then once more the doors from The Hall of Chiefs swung wide and the men of Manator turned to see another figure standing upon the threshold—­a mighty figure of a man with white skin, and black hair, and gray eyes that glittered now like points of steel and behind him The Hall of Chiefs was filled with fighting men wearing the harness of far countries.  Tara of Helium saw him and her heart leaped in exultation, for it was John Carter, Warlord of Barsoom, come at the head of a victorious host to the rescue of his daughter, and at his side was Djor Kantos to whom she had been betrothed.

The Warlord eyed the assemblage for a moment before he spoke.  “Lay down your arms, men of Manator,” he said.  “I see my daughter and that she lives, and if no harm has befallen her no blood need be shed.  Your city is filled with the fighting men of U-Thor, and those from Gathol and from Helium.  The palace is in the hands of the slaves from Gathol, beside a thousand of my own warriors who fill the halls and chambers surrounding this room.  The fate of your jeddak lies in your own hands.  I have no wish to interfere.  I come only for my daughter and to free the slaves from Gathol.  I have spoken!” and without waiting for a reply and as though the room had been filled with his own people rather than a hostile band he strode up the broad main aisle toward Tara of Helium.

The chiefs of Manator were stunned.  They looked to O-Tar; but he could only gaze helplessly about him as the enemy entered from The Hall of Chiefs and circled the throne room until they had surrounded the entire company.  And then a dwar of the army of Helium entered.