Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-01

1 hhOW hVNf Etpned <NOobhs tte was
here even as you entered. am not his
keeper Go find him."
The black grumbied something that ]
| could not understand, and then heard hin,
unlocking the door into one of the other
| cells on the farther side. Listening in
tently 1 caught the sound as the door
| closed behind him. Then 1 sprang once
| more to the top of the partition and dropped
into my own cell beside the astonshed
| xodar.
do you see now how we will escape7'
1 asked him in q whisper.
Il see how you may" he replied, but /
| am no wiser than before as to how I am
| to pass these wallis Certain Il is that I
cannot bounce over them as you do"
We heard the guard moving about from
cell to cell, and finally, his rounds COM
pleted, he again entered ours. When his
| eyes fell upon me they fairly buged from
| his head.
by the she'll of my first ancestor I" he
| roared. where have you been7"
II have been In prison since you put me
here yesterday" 1 answered. II was in
this room when you entered You had
better look to your eyesght."
He glared at me in mingled rage and
relief.
Come" he said ',Isstis commands your
presence"
He conducted me outside the prison, leay-
ing xodar behind. There we found sew
eral other guards. and with them was the
red Martlan youth who occupied another
cell upon Shador
The Journey had taken to the Temple OF
1ssus on the preceding day was repeated.
The guards kept the red boy and myself
separated so that we had no opportunity
to continue the conversation that had been
interrupted the previous night.
The youths face had haunted me- Where
had seen him before? There was some-
thing strangely familiar in every line of
him-in his carriage, his manner of speak,
Ing, his gestures. 1 could have sworn that
l knew him, and yet 1 knew, too that 1
had never seen him before.
When we reached the gardens OF Iss,is
we were led away from the temple instead
of toward It. The way wound through en-
chanted parks to mighty wall that tower
ed hundred feet in air
Massive gates gave egress upon small
plain, surrounded by the same gorgeous
forests that had seen at the foot of the
Golden Cliffs.
Crowds of blacks were strollng in the
same direction that our guards were lead
ing UP, and with them mingled my old
friends the plant men and great white apes
The brutal beasts moved among the
crowd as pet dogs might. II they were in
the way the blacks pushed them roughly
to one side, or whacked them with the fiat
of sword, and the animals skunk away
as in great fear.
Presently we came upon our destination
further edge of the plain, and about half
mile beyond the garden walls.
Through massive arched gateway the
blacks poured in to take their seats, while
our guards led us to a smaller entrance near
one end of the structure.
Through this we passed into an inclosurs
beneath the seats where we found Il number
of other prisoners herded together under
guard Some of them were in irons, but for
the most part they seemed sufficiently awed
Aff Intr -sNn
any possibility of attempted escape.
During the trip from Shador 1 had had
no opportunity to talk with my fellow
prisoner. but now that we were safely within
the barred paddock our guards abated their
watchfuness, with the result that found
myself able to approach the red Martian
youth for whom 1 felt such strange at
traction.
What is the object of this assembly,"
1 asked him. Are we to fight for the edi- |
ficaton of the First Born, or Is II something |
worse than that?"
ut is a part of the monthly rites of |
Issus," he replied, Sin which black men |
wash the sins from their souls in the blood |
of men from the outer world IT. per-
chance the black is killed, II is evidence of |
his dsloyalty to issus-the objectionable |
sin.
IF he lives through the contest he is
held acquitted of the charge that forced the
sentence of the rites, as 1t is called upon
him.
"1he forms of combat vary. A number
g us may be pitted together against an
equal number, twice the number of
blacks; or sngly we may be sent forth to
face wild beasts or some famous black
And if we are victorious" I asked,
what then-freedom?"
He laughed.
Freedom, forsooth. The only freedom
'or us is death. None who enter the do
mains OF the First Born ever leaves. 1t we
prove able fighters we are permitted to fight
'ften. If we are not mighty lighters"
he shrugged his shoulders Sooner or
ater we die in the arena"
And you have fought often?" asked.
Very often" he replied. "It is my
'nly pleasure Some hundred black devils
lave accounted for during nearly year
II the rites or Issus. My mother would be
'ery proud could she know how we'll have
maintained the traditions OF my fathers
Your father must have been a mighty
Warrior" said, II have known most of
he warriors of Barsoom in my time doubt
ess knew him, Who was her"
MY father was"
Come, calots!' cried the rough voice
Z guard, ITO the slaughter with you"
Roughly we were hustled to the steep In
line that led to the chambers far below
'hich let out upon the arena
The amphitheatre like all had ever seen
pom Bansoom, was built in large excava-
on. Only the highest seats which formed
he low wall surrounding the pit were
bove the level OF the ground. The arena
self was far below the surface.
Just beneath the lowest tier of seats
'ere series of barred cages on a level
18th the surface OF the arena. Into these
% were herdsd. But unfortunately my
outhful friend was not OF those who oc-
upled a cage with me.
Directly opposite my cage was the throne
Issus. Here the horrid creature squatted,
lrrounded by a hundred slave maIdens,
parking In Jeweled trappinss. Brilliant
oths of many hues and strange patterns
'rmed the soft cushion covering OF the dala
pom which they reclined about her.
on four sides OF the throne and several
Jet below II stood three solid ranks of [
savily armed soldlery. elbow to elbow
/ front of these were the high digntaries
this mock MISUNDERSTANDING blacks be-
scked with precious stones upon their :
the insignia Of their rank set Ia
relets OF gold. Z
On both sides OF the throne stretched a =
lid mass OF humanity fRom top to bottom :
the amphitheatre. There were as many y
oman as men, and each was clothed in the
ondrously wrought harness OF his station =
I'd his house. =
With each black was from one to three :