aching its climax in the palace of Carthoris. Word had come of the abduction of Thuvia of Ptarth from her father's court, and with it

dos Mors, Jeddak of Helium; Mors Kajak, his son, Jed of Lesser

ter. "That you are innocent of the charge that has been placed against

as by your words assure him that his suspicions are groundless. Bear with you the authority of the Warlord of Barsoom, and of the Jeddak of He

t need to urge upon you

uncil chamber, and ha

the departure of their master. Several worked about the swift f

ned on guard. The setting sun hung low above the

n a thin scar from temple to mouth, approached his companion. His gaze was

craft is tha

ack turned toward the giant than the short-sword of the latter was

uickly the murderer dragged the corpse into the black s

stination compass. For a moment he studied the construction of the mechanism beneath. Then he returned the dial to its p

rough the dial from the external pointer-now the latter might be moved to any point upon the dia

ertain point. Afterward he removed the cover of this dial also, and w

mpass was as efficient as before; but, as a matter of fact, the moving of the pointers upon the dials resulted now in no cor

an from temple to mouth aroused the suggestion of an unpleasant memory within him. He wondered where Saran Tal had found the man- then the matter faded from his thoughts, and in another moment th

Ptarthian; but almost simultaneously with the report of the abduction had come news of the

ris, for on the very night that Thuvia wa

is companions as he unlocked the mechanism of the comp

e engine purred in answer to the touch of his finger upon a second button, the propellers whirred as his hand drew back the speed

rapping his sleeping silks and furs about him, stre

ot come at once

of Thuvia of Ptarth, words that had half assured him that she loved him; for when he ha

ction. It might, of course, mean that she did not love Kulan Tit

there that the other

her words that she loved him, but none either in any act of hers. No, the fact was, she did no

tely with despair and rage, Carthoris at last d

. His flier was rushing swiftly above a barren, ochre

om its deck, stretching out into what had once been a mighty ocean, and circling back once more to enclose the forgotten harbour of

s; the whole sad city taking on the semblance of scattered mounds of dead men's sun-bleache

now its speed was diminishi

hundred yards of the ground it came to rest, floating gently in the l

to see the teeming metropolis of Ptarth. Beside

itudes surged through its broad avenues. No signs of life broke the dead monotony of its deserted roof t

challenge. Silent and empty lay the great

ad hap

ter was set upon Ptarth. Could the creature of his g

im the truth, or at least a part of it-the steel projection that communicated the movem

ve done the

thing now was to learn in what portion of the world he

ded well, thought Carthoris, as he unlocked the cover of the second,

d as in the other, but the controlling mechanism had

uth-west of Helium, and at a considerable distance from the twi

being dragged across the plaza by a huge green warrior-one of those fierc

g for the control board, he sent his cra

f the once scarlet-gorgeous plaza. At the same instant a dozen red warriors leaped from the entranc

he falling flier, and in the single swift glan