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lady whom you hoped to take as your mate."
Ur Raj's eyes went wide in astonishment. "But how in the world could you know
of
these matters?" he demanded. "You must have been very intimate with him
indeed
if he narrated to you the gist of conversations that took place years before
with a comparative stranger."
"He told neither me nor any other about your invention," I replied, "because he
promised you that he would not say anything about it until you had fully
developed it and offered it to the navy of Helium."
"But then if he did not tell you, how could you know these things?" he demanded.
"That, you may never know," I replied; "but you may rest assured that Vor Daj
never abused your confidence."
I believe that Ur Raj was a little in awe of me after that, believing that I had
some supernatural or occult powers. I used to catch him gazing at me intently as
he squatted upon the floor of his cage, doubtless trying to fathom what seemed
an inexplicable mystery to him.
The slave boy, Orm-O, became quite friendly, telling me all that he could learn
about Janai, which was little or nothing. I gathered from him that she was in no
immediate danger, as Jal Had's oldest wife had taken her under her protection.
Jal Had had several wives; and this first wife he feared above all things on
earth. She had long objected to sharing the affections of Jal Had with other
women; and she did not intend that the number should be increased, especially
by
the acquisition of so beautiful a young woman as Janai.
"It is rumored," said Orm-O. "that she will put Janai out of the way at the
first opportunity. She is hesitating now only because of the fear that Jal Had,
in his rage, would destroy her if she did so; but she may find a way to
accomplish it without bringing suspicion upon herself. In fact, she has several
times recently received Gantun Gur, the assassin of Amhor, who recently
returned
from captivity. I can tell you that I should not like to be Janai, especially if
Gantun Gur listens too long to Vanuma and accepts a commission from her."
This information caused me considerable concern for the welfare of Janai. Of
course, I felt quite certain that Gantun Gur would not kill her; but that would
not keep Vanuma from finding some other means, if she had determined to
destroy
Janai. I asked Orm-O. to warn Janai, and he said that he would if he ever had an
opportunity.
The danger threatening Janai was constantly on my mind, and my inability to aid
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her drove me almost to distraction. If there were only something that I might
do. But there was nothing. I seemed to be utterly helpless, and Janai's
situation equally hopeless.
Sometimes we had dull days at the zoo; but as a rule there was a steady stream
of people passing along the avenue between the cages, and almost always there
was a little crowd gathered in front of my cage when the avenue was not jammed
by those who came and stood looking at me for, hours at a stretch. There were
always new faces; but there were those that I had learned to recognize because
they came so often; and then one day I saw Gantun Gur in the crowd. He
shouldered his way toward me, eliciting much grumbling and some hard words;
but
when someone recognized him and his name was passed around, the spectators
gave
way before him, for no one wished to antagonize the assassin of Amhor. What a
reputation the original must have gained!
"Kaor, Tor-dur-bar," he said, coming close to the cage.
"Kaor, Gantun Gur," I replied. "It is good to see you again; and I wish that I
might speak to you privately."
"I will come back," he said, "after the visitors are expelled. You see, I am
something of a privileged character in Amhor and around the palace. No one
wishes to antagonize me, not even Jal Had."
I thought that the day would never end, that the visitors would never leave. The
hours dragged interminably; but at last the guards drove the public out, and the
carts containing food for the beasts were wheeled down the avenue. Then Orm-O
came with his hamper of scraps; but there was no sign of Gantun Gur. I wondered
if he had again deserted me, or if his boasted privilege was a myth. I was
particularly anxious to see him, because I had finally evolved a plan which I
thought might prove beneficial for Janai. I asked Orm-O for some word of her,
but he only shook his head and said that he had not seen her around the palace
for days.
"Perhaps Vanuma has had her destroyed," I suggested, fearfully.
"Perhaps," he said. "The last I heard was that she was not treating Janai so
well as she had in the beginning. Some say that she whips her every night now."
I couldn't imagine Vanuma or anyone else whipping Janai, for she was not the
type to take a whipping meekly.
It was almost dark and I had given up all hope of Gantun Gur, when I saw him
approach my cage. "Kaor, Tor-dur-bar!" he said. "I was delayed; no less a person
than Jal Had himself. He came to me in conversation."
"Whom does he wish killed now?" asked Ur Raj.
"He only wished to be certain that I was not planning on killing him," replied
Gantun Gur. "Do you know that I would rather be what I am, head of the
Assassins' Guild, than to be Prince of Amhor! My power is unlimited; everyone
fears me, for, while I am known, all my assassins are not; and even those who
might plot against me fear to do so lest my spies learn of it."
"You have come a long way from the Laboratory Building, Gantun Gur," I said,
with a smile. "But tell me, does Janai still live? Is she well? Is she safe?"
"She lives and is well, but she is not safe; she never can be safe in Amhor. At
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least her life will never be safe as long as Vanuma lives. Of course, I do not
need to tell you that, neither I nor any of my assassins will destroy Janai; but
Vanuma may find someone else to do it, or even do it herself in desperation; so
I have come to the conclusion that the best thing that I can do is to have
Vanuma assassinated."
"No, no," I objected. "The moment Vanuma were out of the way, there would be
none to protect Janai from Jal Had."
"That is right," said Gantun Gur, scratching his head. "I had not taken that
phase of the matter into consideration. As a matter of fact, it would not be so
bad for Janai, for then she would become Princess of Amhor; and from what I
have
seen of Jal Had's other wife, Janai would rule undisputed queen.
"But she does not wish to marry Jal Had," I said. "Vor Daj loves her. We must
save her for him."
"Vor Daj," said Gantun Gur, "lying as one dead in the pits beneath the
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