Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-02
AT THE EARTHSORE
BY EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS AUTHOR osrADzAuu


to me. 1 know now that you meant nj
affront to Dian the Beautiful.
"She is not of my tribe; but her mother
| Is my sister. She does not know H. He-
mother was stolen by Dians father, who
| came with many others of the tribe oil
Amoz to battle with us for our women
| the most beautiful women of PelIcidar
| Then was her father king of Amoz and
| her mother was daughter of the king OF
| Sari-to whose power l, his son, have
| succeeded.
| "Dian is the daughter of kings, though
her father Is no longer kin since the
sadok tossed him and Jubal the Ugly One
wrested his kingshlp from him. Because
of her lineage the wrong you did her was
| greatly magnified In the eyes of all who
saw It. She will never forgive you"
1 asked Ghak II there was not some way
| In which / could release the girl from
the bondage and ignominy l had unwlt-
tingly placed upon her.
IF ever you find her, yes" he answered.
Merely to raise her hand aoove her head
and drop II In the presence of others Ia
sufficient to release her; but how may you
ever find her who are doomed to a life of
. slavery yourself in the buried city of Phu-
tra2"
rs there no escape7" l asked.
"Hooja the Sly One escaped and took
the others with him." replied Ghak. But
there are no more darn places on the way
to Phutra, and once there 1t is not so
easy-the MahHrs are very wise. Even
II one escaped from Phutra, there are the
thipdars-they would find you, and then
~ The Hairy One shuddered. mo,
you will never escape the Mahars."
1T was cheerrul prospect. l asked
Perry what he thought about Il; but he
only shrugged his shoulders and continued
a prayer he had been at for some time
He was wont to say that the only re-
deeming feature of our captivity was the
ample time 1t gave him for the improvisa-
tion of prayers. 1t was becoming an OBJ
session with him.
The Sagoths had begun to take notice
of his habit of declaiming throughout en-
tire marches. One of them asked him
what he was suying-to whom he was
talking. The question gave me an idea,
so answered quickly, before Perry could
say anything.
DO not interrupt him." I said. HE Is
very holy man in the world from which
we come. He Is speaking to the spirits
which you cannot see. DO not interrupt
him or they will spring out of the air
upon you and rend you limb from limb
like that" and l jumped toward the great
brute with a loud "Boov' that sent him
stumbling backward.
/ took a long chance, I realize; but II
we could make any capital out of Perry's
harmless mania, l wanted to make 1t
while the making was prime. 1t worked
splendidly The Sagoths treated us both
with marked respect during the balance
of the journey. and then passed the word
along to their masters, the Mahars
Two marches after this episode we came
to the city of Phutra. The entrance to
It was marked by two lofty towers of
granite which guarded a flight OF steps
leading to the buried city.
Sagoths were on guard here, as we'll as
at a hundred or more other towers scat
tered about over a large plain.
As we descended the broad staircase
which led to the main avenue of Phutra
caught my first sight Of the dominant
race of the lnnc- world.
Involuntarily 1 shrank back as one of
the creatures approached to inspect u.s.
A more hideous thing II would be i'm
possible to imagine
The all-powerful Mahars OF Pellucidar
are great reptiles, some six or eight feet
in length, with long, narrow heads and
great round eyes. Their beaklike mouths
are lined with sharp, white fangs, and the
backs of their huge lizard bodies are SER