«Where are we?» she asked. «Toward what are we drifting?»
Turan shrugged his broad shoulders. «The stars tell me that we are drifting toward the northeast,» he replied, «but where we are, or what lies in our path I cannot even guess. A week since I could have sworn that I knew what lay behind each succeeding ridge that I approached; but now I admit in all humility that I have no conception of what lies a mile in any direction. Tara of Helium, I am lost, and that is all that I can tell you.»
He was smiling and the girl smiled back at him. There was a slightly puzzled expression on her face-there was something tantalizingly familiar about that smile of his. She had met many a panthan-they came and went, following the fighting of a world-but she could not place this one.
«From what country are you, Turan?» she asked suddenly.
«Know you not, Tara of Helium,» he countered, «that a panthan has no country? Today he fights beneath the banner of one master, tomorrow beneath that of another.»
«But you must own allegiance to some country when you are not fighting,» she insisted. «What banner, then, owns you now?»
He rose and stood before her, then, bowing low. «And I am acceptable,» he said, «I serve beneath the banner of the daughter of The Warlord now-and forever.»
She reached forth and touched his arm with a slim brown hand. «Your services are accepted,» she said; «and if ever we reach Helium I promise that your reward shall be all that your heart could desire.»
«I shall serve faithfully, hoping for that reward,» he said; but Tara of Helium did not guess what was in his mind, thinking rather that he was mercenary. For how could the proud daughter of The Warlord guess that a simple panthan aspired to her hand and heart?
The dawn found them moving rapidly over an unfamiliar landscape. The wind had increased during the night and had borne them far from Bantoom. The country below them was rough and inhospitable. No water was visible and the surface of the ground was cut by deep gorges, while nowhere was any but the most meager vegetation discernible. They saw no life of any nature, nor was there any indication that the country could support life. For two days they drifted over this horrid wasteland. They were without food or water and suffered accordingly. Ghek had temporarily abandoned his rykor after enlisting Turan's assistance in lashing it safely to the deck. The less he used it the less would its vitality be spent. Already it was showing the effects of privation. Ghek crawled about the vessel like a great spider-over the side, down beneath the keel, and up over the opposite rail. He seemed equally at home one place as another. For his companions, however, the quarters were cramped, for the deck of a one-man flier is not intended for three.
Turan sought always ahead for signs of water. Water they must have, or that water-giving plant which makes life possible upon many of the seemingly arid areas of Mars; but there was neither the one nor the other for these two days and now the third night was upon them. The girl did not complain, but Turan knew that she must be suffering and his heart was heavy within him. Ghek suffered least of all, and he explained to them that his kind could exist for long periods without food or water. Turan almost cursed him as he saw the form of Tara of Helium slowly wasting away before his eyes, while the hideous kaldane seemed as full of vitality as ever.
«There are circumstances,» remarked Ghek, «under which a gross and material body is less desirable than a highly developed brain.»
Turan looked at him, but said nothing. Tara of Helium smiled faintly. «One cannot blame him,» she said, «were we not a bit boastful in the pride of our superiority? When our stomachs were filled,» she added.
«Perhaps there is something to be said for their system,» Turan admitted. «If we could but lay aside our stomachs when they cried for food and water I have no doubt but that we should do so.»
«I should never miss mine now,» assented Tara; «it is mighty poor company.»
A new day had dawned, revealing a less desolate country and renewing again the hope that had been low within them. Suddenly Turan leaned forward, pointing ahead.
«Look, Tara of Helium!» he cried. «A city! As I am Ga-as I am Turan the panthan, a city.»
Far in the distance the domes and walls and slender towers of a city shone in the rising sun. Quickly the man seized the control and the ship dropped rapidly behind a low range of intervening hills, for well Turan knew that they must not be seen until they could discover whether friend or foe inhabited the strange city. Chances were that they were far from the abode of friends and so must the panthan move with the utmost caution; but there was a city and where a city was, was water, even though it were a deserted city, and food if it were inhabited.
To the red man food and water, even in the citadel of an enemy, meant food and drink for Tara of Helium. He would accept it from friends or he would take it from enemies. Just so long as it was there he would have it-and there was shown the egotism of the fighting man, though Turan did not see it, nor Tara who came from a long line of fighting men; but Ghek might have smiled had he known how.
Turan permitted the flier to drift closer behind the screening hills, and then when he could advance no farther without fear of discovery, he dropped the craft gently to ground in a little ravine, and leaping over the side made her fast to a stout tree. For several moments they discussed their plans-whether it would be best to wait where they were until darkness hid their movements and then approach the city in search of food and water, or approach it now, taking advantage of what cover they could, until they could glean something of the nature of its inhabitants.
It was Turan's plan which finally prevailed. They would approach as close as safety dictated in the hope of finding water outside the city; food, too, perhaps. If they did not they could at least reconnoiter the ground by daylight, and then when night came Turan could quickly come close to the city and in comparative safety prosecute his search for food and drink.
Following the ravine upward they finally topped the summit of the ridge, from which they had an excellent view of that part of the city which lay nearest them, though themselves hidden by the brush behind which they crouched. Ghek had resumed his rykor, which had suffered less than either Tara or Turan through their enforced fast.
The first glance at the city, now much closer than when they had first discovered it, revealed the fact that it was inhabited. Banners and pennons broke from many a staff. People were moving about the gate before them. The high white walls were paced by sentinels at far intervals. Upon the roofs of higher buildings the women could be seen airing the sleeping silks and furs. Turan watched it all in silence for some time.
«I do not know them,» he said at last. «I cannot guess what city this may be. But it is an ancient city. Its people have no fliers and no firearms. It must be old indeed.»
«How do you know they have not these things?» asked the girl.
«There are no landing-stages upon the roofs-not one that can be seen from here; while were we looking similarly at Helium we would see hundreds. And they have no firearms because their defenses are all built to withstand the attack of spear and arrow, with spear and arrow. They are an ancient people.»
«If they are ancient perhaps they are friendly,» suggested the girl. «Did we not learn as children in the history of our planet that it was once peopled by a friendly, peace-loving race?»
«But I fear they are not as ancient as that,» replied Turan, laughing. «It has been long ages since the men of Barsoom loved peace.»
«My father loves peace,» returned the girl.