"A man came to my room to kill me, but I killed him instead."
"How did he enter your room?" demanded Nemone.
"Where was Gemnon? Did he admit the fellow?"
"Of course not," replied Tarzan. "Gemnon was asleep in his own room. The man who would have killed me was lowered from the window of the apartment above mine and entered through my window. There was a long rope tied about his body."
"How did you know he came to kill you? Did he attack you?"
"Valthor, the Athnean, was sleeping in my bed; I was sleeping on the floor. The man did not see me, for the room was dark. He went to the bed where he thought I was sleeping. I awoke as he stood over Valthor, his sword raised in his hand ready to strike. Then I killed him and threw his body out of the window."
"Did you recognize him? Had you ever seen him before?" asked the queen.
"I did not recognize him."
There was a noise at the entrance to the audience chamber that caused Nemone to glance up. Four slaves bore a stretcher into the room and laid it at the foot of the throne; on it was the corpse of a man.
"Is this the fellow who attempted your life?" demanded Nemone.
"It is," replied Tarzan.
She turned suddenly upon Erot. "Did you ever see this man before?" she demanded.
Erot arose. He was white and trembled a little. "But, your majesty, he is only a common warrior," he countered.
I may have seen him often, yet have forgotten him; that would not be strange, I see so many of them."
"And you," the queen addressed a young noble standing near, "have you ever seen this man before?"
Often," replied the noble. "He was a member of the palace guard and in my company."
"How long has he been attached to the palace?" demanded Nemone. "Not a month, your majesty."
"And before that? Do you know anything about his prior service?"
"He was attached to the retinue of a noble, your replied the young officer hesitantly."
"What noble?" demanded Nemone.
"Erot," replied the witness in a low voice.
The queen looke dlong and searchingly at Erot. "You have a short memory," she said presently, an undisguised sneer in her voice.
Erot was pale and shaken. He looked long at the face of the dead man before he spoke again. "I do recall him now, your majesty, but he does not look the same. Death has changed him; that is why I did not recognize him immediately."
"You are lying," snapped Nemone. "There are some things about this affair that I do not understand. What part you have had in it, I do not know, but I am sure that you had some part, and I am going to find out what.
In the meantime you are banished from the palace. There may be others," she looked meaningly at Tomos, "but I shall find them all out, and when I do it will be the lion pit for the lot!"
Rising, she descended from the throne, and all knelt save Tarzan. As she passed him on her way from the chamber, she paused and looked long and searchingly into his eyes. "Be careful," she whispered; "your life is in danger. I dare not see you for a while, for there is one so desperate that not even I could protect you should you visit my apartments again. Tell Gemnon to quit the palace and take you to his father's house. You will be safer there, but even then far from safe. In a few days I shall have removed the obstacles that stand between us. Until then, Tarzan, good-bye!"
The ape-man bowed, and the queen of Cathne passed on out of the audience chamber. The nobles rose. They drew away from Erot and clustered about Tarzan. In disgust the ape-man drew away. "Come, Gemnon," he said. "There is nothing to keep us here longer."
Xerstle blocked their way as they were leaving the chamber. "Everything is ready for the grand hunt!" he exclaimed, rubbing his palms together genially. "I thought this tiresome audience would prevent our starting today, but it is still early. The lions and the quarry are awaiting us at the edge of the forest. Get your weapon, and join me in the avenue."
Gemnon hesitated. "Who are hunting with you?" he asked.
"Just you and Tarzan and Pindes," explained Xerstle, "a small and select company that ensures a good hunt."
"We will come," said the ape-man.
As the two returned to their quarters to get their weapons, Gemnon appeared worried. "I am not sure that it is wise to go," he said.
"And why not?" inquired Tarzan.
"This may be another trap for you."
The ape-man shrugged. "It is quite possible, but I cannot remain cooped up in hiding. I should like to see what a grand hunt is; I have heard the term often since I came to Cathne. Who is Pindes? I do not recall him."
"He was an officer of the guard when Erot became the queen's favourite, but through Erot he was dismissed. He is not a bad fellow but weak and easily influenced; however he must hate Erot, and so I think you have nothing to fear from him."
"I have nothing to fear from anyone," Tarzan assured "Perhaps "you think not, but be on guard."
"I am always on guard; had I not been I should have been dead long ago."
"Your self-complacency may be your undoing," growled Gemnon testily.
Tarzan laughed. "I appreciate both danger and my own limitations, but I cannot let fear rob me of my liberty and pleasures of life. Fear is to be more dreaded than death. You are afraid, Erot is afraid, Nemone is afraid; and are all unhappy. Were I afraid, I should be unhappy but no safer. I prefer to be simply cautious.
And by the way, way, speaking of caution, Nemone instructed Me to tell you to take me from the palace and keep me in your father's house. She says the palace is no safe place for me. I really think that it is M'duze who is after me."
"M'duze and Erot and Tomos," said Gemnnon; "there is a triumvirate of greed and malice and duplicity that I should hate to have upon my trail."
At his quarters, Gemnon gave orders that his and Tarzan's belongings be moved to the house of his father while the two men were hunting; then they went to the avenue where they found Xerstle and Pindes awaiting them. The latter was a man of about thirty, rather good looking but with a weak face and eyes that invariably dropped from a direct gaze. He met Tarzan with great cordiality, and as the four men walked along the main avenue of the city toward the eastern gate he was most affable.
Beyond the eastern gate an open parklike plain stretched for a short distance to the forest. Near the gate four stalwart slaves held two lions in leash, while a fifth man, naked but for a dirty loin-cloth, squatted upon the ground a short distance away.
As the four hunters approached the party, Xerstle explained to Tarzan that the leashed beasts were his hunting lions, and as the ape-man's observant eyes ran over the five men who were to accompany them on the hunt he recognized the stalwart black seated upon the ground apart as the man he had seen upon the auction block in the market-place. Xerstle approached the fellow and spoke briefly with him, evidently giving him orders.
When Xerstle had finished, the black started off at a trot across the plain in the direction of the forest. Everyone watched his progress.
"Why is he running ahead?" asked Tarzan. "He will frighten away the quarry."
Pindes laughed. "He is the quarry."
"You mean "demanded Tarzan with a scowl.
"That this is a grand hunt," cried Xerstle, "where we hunt man, the grandest quarry."
"What happens if you do not get him? Is he free then?"
"I should say not; not if we can capture him again cried Xerstle. "Slaves cost too much money to be lightly thrown away like that."
When the native reached the forest, Xerstle spoke a word of command to the keepers and they unleashed the two great beasts. The lions bounded away in pursuit of the quarry.
Halfway to the forest the lions settled down to a slower gait, and the hunters commenced gradually to overhaul them. Xerstle and Pindes appeared excited, far more excited than the circumstances of the hunt warranted; Gemnon was silent and thoughtful; Tarzan was disgusted and bored. But before they reached the forest his interest was aroused, for a plan had occurred to him whereby he might derive some pleasure from the day's sport.