In the palace about him seethed, all unknown to Gahan, a vast unrest.  Warriors and chieftains pursued the duties of their vocations with dour faces, and little knots of them were collecting here and there and with frowns of anger discussing some subject that was uppermost in the minds of all.  It was upon the fourth day following Tara’s incarceration in the tower that E-Thas, the major-domo of the palace and one of O-Tar’s creatures, came to his master upon some trivial errand.  O-Tar was alone in one of the smaller chambers of his personal suite when the major-domo was announced, and after the matter upon which E-Thas had come was disposed of the jeddak signed him to remain.

“From the position of an obscure warrior I have elevated you, E-Thas, to the honors of a chief.  Within the confines of the palace your word is second only to mine.  You are not loved for this, E-Thas, and should another jeddak ascend the throne of Manator what would become of you, whose enemies are among the most powerful of Manator?”

“Speak not of it, O-Tar,” begged E-Thas.  “These last few days I have thought upon it much and I would forget it; but I have sought to appease the wrath of my worst enemies.  I have been very kind and indulgent with them.”

“You, too, read the voiceless message in the air?” demanded the jeddak.

E-Thas was palpably uneasy and he did not reply.

“Why did you not come to me with your apprehensions?” demanded O-Tar.  “Be this loyalty?”

“I feared, O mighty jeddak!” replied E-Thas.  “I feared that you would not understand and that you would be angry.”

“What know you?  Speak the whole truth!” commanded O-Tar.

“There is much unrest among the chieftains and the warriors,” replied E-Thas.  “Even those who were your friends fear the power of those who speak against you.”

“What say they?” growled the jeddak.

“They say that you are afraid to enter the apartments of O-Mai in search of the slave Turan—­oh, do not be angry with me, Jeddak; it is but what they say that I repeat.  I, your loyal E-Thas, believe no such foul slander.”

“No, no; why should I fear?” demanded O-Tar.  “We do not know that he is there.  Did not my chiefs go thither and see nothing of him?”

“But they say that you did not go,” pursued E-Thas, “and that they will have none of a coward upon the throne of Manator.”

“They said that treason?” O-Tar almost shouted.

“They said that and more, great jeddak,” answered the major-domo.  “They said that not only did you fear to enter the chambers of O-Mai, but that you feared the slave Turan, and they blame you for your treatment of A-Kor, whom they all believe to have been murdered at your command.  They were fond of A-Kor and there are many now who say aloud that A-Kor would have made a wondrous jeddak.”

“They dare?” screamed O-Tar.  “They dare suggest the name of a slave’s bastard for the throne of O-Tar!”