“It is even as I said,” he cried.  “He was not here when I brought his food.”

“But he is here now,” said the officer grimly, “and his fetter is locked about his ankle.  Look! it has not been opened—­but where is the key?  It should be upon the table at the end opposite him.  Where is the key, creature?” he shouted at Ghek.

“How should I, a prisoner, know better than my jailer the whereabouts of the key to my fetters?” he retorted.

“But it lay here,” cried the officer, pointing to the other end of the table.

“Did you see it?” asked Ghek.

The officer hesitated.  “No but it must have been there,” he parried.

“Did you see the key lying there?” asked Ghek, pointing to another warrior.

The fellow shook his head negatively.  “And you? and you?” continued the kaldane addressing the others.

They both admitted that they never had seen the key.  “And if it had been there how could I have reached it?” he continued.

“No, he could not have reached it,” admitted the officer; “but there shall be no more of this!  I-Zav, you will remain here on guard with this prisoner until you are relieved.”

I-Zav looked anything but happy as this intelligence was transmitted to him, and he eyed Ghek suspiciously as the dwar and the other warriors turned and left him to his unhappy lot.

CHAPTER XIII

A DESPERATE DEED

E-Med crossed the tower chamber toward Tara of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O.  He seized the former roughly by a shoulder.  “Stand!” he commanded.  Tara struck his hand from her and rising, backed away.

“Lay not your hand upon the person of a princess of Helium, beast!” she warned.

E-Med laughed.  “Think you that I play at jetan for you without first knowing something of the stake for which I play?” he demanded.  “Come here!”

The girl drew herself to her full height, folding her arms across her breast, nor did E-Med note that the slim fingers of her right hand were inserted beneath the broad leather strap of her harness where it passed over her left shoulder.

“And O-Tar learns of this you shall rue it, E-Med,” cried the slave girl; “there be no law in Manator that gives you this girl before you shall have won her fairly.”

“What cares O-Tar for her fate?” replied E-Med.  “Have I not heard?  Did she not flout the great jeddak, heaping abuse upon him?  By my first ancestor, I think O-Tar might make a jed of the man who subdued her,” and again he advanced toward Tara.

“Wait!” said the girl in low, even tone.  “Perhaps you know not what you do.  Sacred to the people of Helium are the persons of the women of Helium.  For the honor of the humblest of them would the great jeddak himself unsheathe his sword.  The greatest nations of Barsoom have trembled to the thunders of war in defense of the person of Dejah Thoris, my mother.  We are but mortal and so may die; but we may not be defiled.  You may play at jetan for a princess of Helium, but though you may win the match, never may you claim the reward.  If thou wouldst possess a dead body press me too far, but know, man of Manator, that the blood of The Warlord flows not in the veins of Tara of Helium for naught.  I have spoken.”