Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-11

hand-light to illumine the way, escorted
me through seemingly interminable tun-
nels, down, ever down, beneath the city OF
Helium.
At length they halted within fair
sized chamber. There were rings set In
the rocky walls. To them chains were
fastened and at the ends of many of the
chains were human skeletons.
One Of these they kicked aside and un-
locking the huge paddock that had held
chain about what had once been human
ankle, they snapped the iron band about
my own leg. Then they left me, taking
the light with them.
Utter darkness prevailed For few
minutes / could hear the clanking of ac-
countrements, but even this grew fainter
and fainter until at last the silence was as
complete as the darkness.
How long 1 stood listening in the dark
ness 1 do not know, but the silence was
unbroken, and at last I sank TO the hard
floor of my prison, where, leaning my head
against the stony wall, slept.
1t must have been several hours later
that awakened to find a young man stand
Ing before me-
In one hand he bore light in the other
receptacle containing a gruel-lii.e mix
ture-the common prison faro of Barsoom.
"zat Arras sends you greetings" said
the young man, land commands me to in
the plot to make you Jeddak of Hellum, he
is, however, not inclined to withdraw the
offer which he has made you. To gain your
freedom you have but to request me to ad-
vso Eat Arras that you accept the terms of
his proposition"
1 but shook my head. The youth said no
more. and, after placing the food upon the
floor at my side, returned UP the corridor,
taking the light with him.
Twice a day for many days this youth
came to my cell with food and ever the
same greetings from Eat Arras. For long
time tried to engage him in conversation
upon other matters, but he would not talk,
and so, at length, I deslsted.
For months 1 sought to devise methods
to inform Carthorls of my whereabouts.
For months I scraped and scraped upon
a single link of the massive chain which
held me, hoping eventually to wear It
through, that l might follow the youth
back through the winding tunnels to a
point where 1 could make n break for
liberty.
was beside myself with anxiety for
knowledge of the progress Of the expedition
which was to rescue Dejah Thorls.
felt that Carthoris would not let the
matter drop. were he free to act but in so
far as knew he, Also might be prisoner
in Eat Arras' pits.
That Eat Arras' spy had overheard our
conversation relative to tho selection of a
new Jeuuak Knew ana scarcely halt
dozen minutes prior we had discussed the
details of the plan to rescue Dejah Thors.
The chances were that that matter, too,
was well known to him. Carthoris, Kantos
Kan, Tars Tarkas, Hor Vastus and Xodar
might even now be the victims of Eat Ar
ras' assassins, or else mis- prisoners.
determined to make at least ono more
effort to learn something, and to this end I
adopted strategy when next the youth came
to my cell.
l had noticed that he was n handsome
fellow, about the size and age of Carthoris.
And l had also noticed that his shabby
trappings but lily comported with his dignf-
fled and noble bearing.
II was with these observations as a basis
that l opened my negotiations with him
upon his next regular visit to my prison.
You have been very kind to me during
my Imprisonment here" said to him, "and
as 1 feel that 1 have Mt best but n very
short time to live. wish. ere 1t is too late,
to furnish substantial testimony of NV an.