“I know naught of Helium and O-Tar is our warlord,” replied E-Med; “but I do know that I would examine more closely the prize that I shall play for and win.  I would test the lips of her who is to be my slave after the next games; nor is it well, woman, to drive me too far to anger.”  His eyes narrowed as he spoke, his visage taking on the semblance of that of a snarling beast.  “If you doubt the truth of my words ask Lan-O, the slave girl.”

“He speaks truly, O woman of Helium,” interjected Lan-O.  “Try not the temper of E-Med, if you value your life.”

But Tara of Helium made no reply.  Already had she spoken.  She stood in silence now facing the burly warrior who approached her.  He came close and then quite suddenly he seized her and, bending, tried to draw her lips to his.

Lan-O saw the woman from Helium half turn, and with a quick movement jerk her right hand from where it had lain upon her breast.  She saw the hand shoot from beneath the arm of E-Med and rise behind his shoulder and she saw in the hand a long, slim blade.  The lips of the warrior were drawing closer to those of the woman, but they never touched them, for suddenly the man straightened, stiffly, a shriek upon his lips, and then he crumpled like an empty fur and lay, a shrunken heap, upon the floor.  Tara of Helium stooped and wiped her blade upon his harness.

Lan-O, wide-eyed, looked with horror upon the corpse.  “For this we shall both die,” she cried.

“And who would live a slave in Manator?” asked Tara of Helium.

“I am not so brave as thou,” said the slave girl, “and life is sweet and there is always hope.”

“Life is sweet,” agreed Tara of Helium, “but honor is sacred.  But do not fear.  When they come I shall tell them the truth—­that you had no hand in this and no opportunity to prevent it.”

For a moment the slave girl seemed to be thinking deeply.  Suddenly her eyes lighted.  “There is a way, perhaps,” she said, “to turn suspicion from us.  He has the key to this chamber upon him.  Let us open the door and drag him out—­maybe we shall find a place to hide him.”

“Good!” exclaimed Tara of Helium, and the two immediately set about the matter Lan-O had suggested.  Quickly they found the key and unlatched the door and then, between them, they half carried, half dragged, the corpse of E-Med from the room and down the stairway to the next level where Lan-O said there were vacant chambers.  The first door they tried was unlatched, and through this the two bore their grisly burden into a small room lighted by a single window.  The apartment bore evidence of having been utilized as a living-room rather than as a cell, being furnished with a degree of comfort and even luxury.  The walls were paneled to a height of about seven feet from the floor, while the plaster above and the ceiling were decorated with faded paintings of another day.