han of Gathol cut his
foe to ribbons and then struck him down with a blow that cleft him to
the chin.

In twenty minutes the sun would set. But what of that?

CHAPTER XVIII

A TASK FOR LOYALTY

Long and loud was the applause that rose above the Field of Jetan at
Manator, as The Keeper of the Towers summoned the two Princesses and
the victorious Chief to the center of the field and presented to the
latter the fruits of his prowess, and then, as custom demanded, the
victorious players, headed by Gahan and the two Princesses, formed in
procession behind The Keeper of the Towers and were conducted to the
place of victory before the royal enclosure that they might receive the
commendation of the jeddak. Those who were mounted gave up their thoats
to slaves as all must be on foot for this ceremony. Directly beneath
the royal enclosure are the gates to one of the tunnels that, passing
beneath the seats, give ingress or egress to or from the Field. Before
this gate the party halted while O-Tar looked down upon them from
above. Val Dor and Floran, passing quietly ahead of the others, went
directly to the gates, where they were hidden from those who occupied
the enclosure with O-Tar. The Keeper of the Towers may have noticed
them, but so occupied was he with the formality of presenting the
victorious Chief to the jeddak that he paid no attention to them.

"I bring you, O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator, U-Kal of Manataj," he cried in
a loud voice that might be heard by as many as possible, "victor over
the Orange in the second of the Jeddak's Games of the four hundred and
thirty-third year of O-Tar, and the slave woman Tara and the slave
woman Lan-O that you may bestow these, the stakes, upon U-Kal."

As he spoke, a little, wrinkled, old man peered over the rail of the
enclosure down upon the three who stood directly behind The Keeper, and
strained his weak and watery eyes in an effort to satisfy the curiosity
of old age in a matter of no particular import, for what were two
slaves and a common warrior from Manataj to any who sat with O-Tar the
jeddak?

"U-Kal of Manataj," said O-Tar, "you have deserved the stakes. Seldom
have we looked upon more noble swordplay. And you tire of Manataj there
be always here in the city of Manator a place for you in The Jeddak's
Guard."

While the jeddak was speaking the little, old man, failing clearly to
discern the features of the Black Chief, reached into his pocket-pouch
and drew forth