第60章

"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 Ibeen 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.

"Let my first ancestor be my witness, O-Tar, that I speak the truth," he began."I was left to guard this creature, who sat upon a bench, shackled to the wall.I stood by the open doorway at the opposite side of the chamber.He could not reach me, yet, O-Tar, may Iss engulf me if he did not drag me to him helpless as an unhatched egg.He dragged me to him, greatest of jeddaks, with his eyes! With his eyes he seized upon my eyes and dragged me to him and he made me lay my swords and dagger upon the table and back off into a corner, and still keeping his eyes upon my eyes his head quitted his body and crawling upon six short legs it descended to the floor and backed part way into the hole of an ulsio, but not so far that the eyes were not still upon me and then it returned with the key to its fetter and after resuming its place upon its own shoulders it unlocked the fetter and again dragged me across the room and made me to sit upon the bench where it had been and there it fastened the fetter about my ankle, and I could do naught for the power of its eyes and the fact that it wore my two swords and my dagger.And then the head disappeared down the hole of the ulsio with the key, and when it returned, it resumed its body and stood guard over me at the doorway until the padwar came to fetch it hither.""It is enough!" said O-Tar, sternly."Both shall receive thejeddak's steel," and rising from his throne he drew his long sword and descended the marble steps toward them, while two brawny warriors seized Tara by either arm and two seized Ghek, holding them facing the naked blade of the jeddak.

"Hold, just O-Tar!" cried U-Dor."There be yet another to be judged.Let us confront him who calls himself Turan with these his fellows before they die.""Good!" exclaimed O-Tar, pausing half way down the steps."Fetch Turan, the slave!"When Turan had been brought into the chamber he was placed a little to Tara's left and a step nearer the throne.O-Tar eyed him menacingly.

"You are Turan," he asked, "friend and companion of these?"The panthan was about to reply when Tara of Helium spoke."I know not this fellow," she said."Who dares say that he be a friend and companion of the Princess Tara of Helium?"Turan and Ghek looked at her in surprise, but at Turan she did not look, and to Ghek she passed a quick glance of warning, as to say: "Hold thy peace."The panthan tried not to fathom her purpose for the head is useless when the heart usurps its functions, and Turan knew only that the woman he loved had denied him, and though he tried not even to think it his foolish heart urged but a single explanation--that she refused to recognize him lest she be involved in his difficulties.

O-Tar looked first at one and then at another of them; but none of them spoke.

"Were they not captured together?" he asked of U-Dor.

"No," replied the dwar."He who is called Turan was found seeking entrance to the city and was enticed to the pits.The following morning I discovered the other two upon the hill beyond The Gate of Enemies.""But they are friends and companions," said a young padwar, "for this Turan inquired of me concerning these two, calling them by name and saying that they were his friends.""It is enough," stated O-Tar, "all three shall die," and he took another step downward from the throne.