Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-18

make, for. in, fact, I was so wild will
anger that ! could scarcely refrain from
drawing my pistol and shooting him dowr
| for the brute he was but he stood wait
Ing with drawn long-sword. and my only
choice was TO draw my own and NEE
him In fair fight with his choice OF
weapons or n lesser one
This latter alternative is always per.
| missible; therefore / could have used my
| short-sword, my dagger, my hatchet OF
my fists, had l wished, and been entirely
within my rights; but I could not use fire.
arms or spear while he held only his
long-sword
! chose the same weapon he had drawn.
because I knew he prided himself upon
MS ability with II and l wished II I
Worsted him at all, to do IL with his own
weapon
The fight that followed was a long one.
ana delayed the resumption of the march
for an hour
The entire community surrounded us,
leaving clear space about one hundred
rect in diameter for our battle
Had first attempted to rush me down
as bull might wolf but I was much
100 quick for him; and each time |
sldestepped his rushes he would go
lunging past me- only to receive a nick
from my sword upon his arm or back.
tie was soon streaming blood from
hait dozen minor wounds, but I could
not obtain an opening to deliver an eff
fective thrust. Then he changed his tao
tlcs, and, fighting warily and with ex-
treme dexterity. he tried TO do by sci
ence what he was unable to do by brute
strength
We clrcled for some time without doing
much damage on either side; the long
straight needle.llke swords flashing In the
sunlight, and ringing out upon the still
ness as they crashed together with each
parry.
Finally Zad, realizing that he was trinR
more than l. evidently decided to close i'm
ana end the battle In final blaze of
glory for himself just as he rushed me a
blihding flash of light struck full In my
eyes, so that could not see his approach
and could only leap blindly to one side in
an effort to escape the mighty blade that
1t seemed / could already feel in my vitals.
was only partially successful. as a
sharp pain in my left shoulder attested:
but in the sweep of my glance as sought
to again locate my adversary, a sight met
my astonished gaze which paid me we'll
for the wound the temporary blindness
had caused me
There. upon Dejah Thoris chariot
stood three figures. for the purpose. ev.
IDENTIFY, OF witnessing the encounter above
the heads Of the intervening Tharks
There were Dejah Thoris, Sola, and Sar.
koja; and as my feeting glance swept over
them little tableau was presented which
will stand craven in my memory to the
day of my death
AS 1 looked Dejah Thorls turned upon
Sarkoja with the fury of young tigress
and struck something from her upraised
hand; something which tashed I'm the sun
light as 1t spun to the ground.
Then | knew what had blinded me at
that crucial moment of the fight. and how
Sarkoja had found a way TO kill me with.
out herself delivering the final thrust An
other thing | saw, too, which almost lost
my life for me then and there, for it took
my mind for the fraction of an instant
entirely from my antagonist.
AS Dejah Thoris struck the tiny mirror
from her hand. Sarkoja, her face lvid
with hatred and bafiled rage, whipped out
her dagger and aimed terrific blow at
Dejah Thoris; and then Sola, our dear and
faithful Sola, sprang between them: the
last l saw was the great knife descend
ing upon her shielding breast.
My enemy had recovered from his
thrust, and was making 1t extremely inter
esting for me, so | reluctantly gave my
attention to the work in hand but my mind
was not upon the battle.
We rushed each other furiously time
after time. till suddenly, feeling the sharp
point of his sword at my breast in
thrust | could neither parry nor escape, |
threw myself upon him with outstretched
sword and with all the weight of my body.
determined that 1 should not die alone If
could prevent it.
went black before me- my head whirled
in dizziness, and my knees gave beneath
me-
NvJTL-T TnNtrDDnTIv