his ancient religion.

Matai Shang was wise enough to seem to accept the mandate of his
follower, and promised to bring the two slave women to the audience
chamber on the morrow.

"It is almost morning now," he said, "and I should dislike to break
in upon the slumber of my daughter, or I would have them fetched
at once that you might see that the Prince of Helium is mistaken,"
and he emphasized the last word in an effort to affront me so
subtlety that I could not take open offense.

I was about to object to any delay, and demand that the Princess
of Helium be brought to me forthwith, when Thuvan Dihn made such
insistence seem unnecessary.

"I should like to see my daughter at once," he said, "but if Kulan
Tith will give me his assurance that none will be permitted to
leave the palace this night, and that no harm shall befall either
Dejah Thoris or Thuvia of Ptarth between now and the moment they
are brought into our presence in this chamber at daylight I shall
not insist."

"None shall leave the palace tonight," replied the Jeddak of Kaol,
"and Matai Shang will give us assurance that no harm will come to
the two women?"

The thern assented with a nod. A few moments later Kulan Tith
indicated that the audience was at an end, and at Thuvan Dihn's
invitation I accompanied the Jeddak of Ptarth to his own apartments,
where we sat until daylight, while he listened to the account of
my experiences upon his planet and to all that had befallen his
daughter during the time that we had been together.

I found the father of Thuvia a man after my own heart, and that
night saw the beginning of a friendship which has grown until it
is second only to that which obtains between Tars Tarkas, the green
Jeddak of Thark, and myself.

The first burst of Mars's sudden dawn brought messengers from Kulan
Tith, summoning us to the audience chamber where Thuvan Dihn was
to receive his daughter after years of separation, and I was to
be reunited with the glorious daughter of Helium after an almost
unbroken separation of twelve years.

My heart pounded within my bosom until I looked about me in
embarrassment, so sure was I that all within the room must hear.
My arms ached to enfold once more the divine form of her whose
eternal youth and undying beauty were but outward manifestations
of a perfect soul.

At last the messenger despatched to fetch Matai Shang returned. I
craned my neck to catch the first glimpse of those who should