"One who has been drawn into the conspiracy with Gemnon and Thudos by the beauty of Doria, the daughter of Thudos."
"Whom do you mean? Speak out! I know you have something unpleasant in your mind that you are suffering to tell me, hoping that it will make me unhappy."
"Oh, majesty, you wrong me!" cried Tomos. "My only thoughts are for the happiness of my beloved Queen."
"Your words stink with falseness," sneered Nemone. "But get to the point; I have other matters to occupy my time."
"I but hesitated to name the other for fear of wounding your majesty," said Tomos oilily; "but if you insist it is the stranger called Tarzan."
Nemone sat up very straight. "What fabric of lies is this you and M'duze are weaving?" she demanded.
"It is no lie, majesty. Tarzan and Gemnon were seen coming from the house of Thudos late at night. Erot had followed them there; he saw them go in; they were there a long while; hiding in the shadows across the avenue, he saw them come out. He says that they were quarrelling over Doria, and he believes that it was Gemnon who sought the life of Tarzan because of jealousy."
Nemone sat straight and stiff upon her couch; her face was pale and tense with fury. "Some one shall die for this," she said in a low voice. "Go!"
Tomos backed from the room. He was elated until he had time to reflect more fully upon her words; then he reflected that Nemone had not stated explicitly who should die. He had assumed that she meant Tarzan, because it was Tarzan whom he wished to die; but it presently occurred to him that she might have meant another, and he was less elated.
It was almost noon when Tarzan and Gemnon returned to the city, and time for the latter to conduct Tarzan to his audience with Nemone. With a guard of warriors they went to the palace, where the ape-man was immediately admitted alone into the presence of the Queen.