noon
A half-hour later I rode out of the city gate with the column that accompanied Kulan Tith upon the way to meet his friend and ally . Though my eyes and ears had been wide open during my audience with the jeddak and my various passages through the palace , I had seen or heard nothing of Dejah Thoris or Thuvia of Ptarth . That they must be somewhere within the great rambling edifice I was positive , and I should have given much to have found a way to remain behind during Kulan Tith 's absence , that I might search for them . Toward noon we came in touch with the head of the column we had set out to meet . It was a gorgeous train that accompanied the visiting jeddak , and for miles it stretched along the wide , white road to Kaol . Mounted troops , their trappings of jewel and metal-incrusted leather glistening in the sunlight , formed the vanguard of the body , and then came a thousand gorgeous chariots drawn by huge zitidars . These low , commodious wagons moved two abreast , and on either side of them marched solid ranks of mounted warriors , for in the chariots were the women and children of the royal court .