The Chessmen of Mars

Eight zodes later he would set—a trifle over nineteen and a half Earth hours—and during that time Thuria, his vivacious mate, would have circled the planet twice and be more than half way around on her third trip. At the recurring thought, Tara of Helium could feel her whole body burning with scarlet shame and then she went suddenly white and cold with rage; whereupon she turned her flier about so abruptly that she was all but torn from her lashings upon the flat, narrow deck. Through the mercy of O-Tar they shall be permitted to win their freedom upon the Field of Jetan, in the coming games." Still ashen was the face of the jeddak as Ghek was led away and his appearance was that of a man who had been snatched from the brink of eternity Surrounded by the power of O-Tar with never a friend among them, her position seemed at last without vestige of hope.