Helmor might be warned as before in a dream--yet to make plain to the Zollarian monarch all by which he was threatened, it would need to be an elaborate dream indeed. And to speed the blimps to Berla would necessitate a start with crews but illy trained. And even were Helmor warned, how much would it avail, when his mind was matched against that of Kalamita, unless he might be induced to act directly against her, unless she and Bandhor and Panthor were arrested and confined? And could such a warning as Croft was able to give inspire the man on Zollaria's throne to such a move--or if it did so, would it not precipitate internal troubles in Berla, perhaps as fatal to Croft's own purpose as Kalamita's schemes? Torn on the horns of such a dilemma, his spirit writhed. In the end he made his way back to the palace and into Helmor's chamber. The man would be asleep, he fancied, but once he had gained his apartments he met with a surprise. Far from sleep, Zollaria's emperor sat in consultation with Gazar, the soothsayer he had summoned to him the night of his first dream of danger, and a man Croft had once defeated on a bloody field, and learned later to know by sight at the end of the first Zollarian war as Helmon, Helmor's son. Helmor's face was dark with ill suppressed rage. "Thou sayest that Panthor, my cousin, entered the house of Bel, upon their heels. What makest thou of it, Gazar? Speak thou who for years have been to me eyes and ears." So that was it. Soothsayer Gazar might be, but he evidently combined the work of espionage with his other vocation, as it now appeared. Croft gave him full attention as he began speaking slowly. "Helmor knows the claim his cousin makes for his house in Zollarian affairs. Were Bandhor to support him it were ill indeed. And Bandhor is the brother of Kalamita--whose power would appear to have made drunk her spirit as her beauty had made drunk the hearts of men. Also there is the matter of the Tamarizian's child." "Bandhor, Kalamita, Panthor--'tis a pretty trio, my father," Helmor said. "The woman grants her favor lightly where her interest is involved--and Panthor is a man and ambitious--even as Ptah is a man, though a priest. Also has she a debt of hate to be repaid against this Mouthpiece of Zitu--whom I love not myself. Lies anything definite against them, O Gazar?" "Nay"--the old man shook his head--"naught as yet save what one may suspect--" "Then"--Helmor leaned toward him to speak in lowered tones--"what would Gazar advise?" "Look to the woman and the child. To me it is known that Bandhor has been among his guard. Let it be changed from sun to sun, O Helmor, neither captained by or including the same men twice. So it appears to me he shall be safe for the present, unless some unforseen happening transpire. Let Panthor be watched closely by trusted men--watch for a meeting between any two or all of the four we have mentioned tonight, again."