Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-19

/
utter silence, like some huge phantasma
goria, except when the stiffness wA.
broken by the cultural growing Of q
goaded zitidar, or the squealins Of fight
ing thoats
The green Martans converse but litti,
on the march and then only in nonosyl
lables, low, and like the faint rumbilnR oi
distant thunder
We traversed trackles waste OF moss
| which, bending to the pressure of broad
tire or padded foot rose up again behind
us, leaving no sign that we had passed
We might indeed have been the wraiths
| OF the departed dead upon the dead sea OF
that dying planet for all the sound or
sign we made In passing.
1t was the first march of a large body
/ OF men and animals l had ever witnessed,
| which raised no dust and left no spoor;
for there Is no dust upon Mars except in
the cultivated districts during the winter
months, and even then the absence of high
winds renders IL almost unnotlceabfe
We camped that night at the foot of the
| hills we had been approaching for two
days, and which marked the southern
| boundary Of this particular sea-
Our animals had been two days without
| drink, nor had they had water for nearly
| two months, not since shortly after leav.
ing Thark; but, as Tars Tarkas explained
to me, they require but little and can live
almost indefinitely upon the moss which
covers Barsoom. and which, he told me-
holds in It's tiny stems sufficient moisture
to meet the limited demands of the
animals.
After partaking of my evening meal of
cheeselike food and vegetable milk, I
sought out Sola, whom / found working
by the light of a torch upon some of Tars
Tarkas' trappngs
She looked UP at my approach her face
lighting with pleasure and with welcome.
II am glad you came" she said. DE.
jah Thoris sleeps, and I am lonely. Mine
own people do not care for me, John
Carter; am too unlike them.
ut Is sad fate, since I must live my
life among them, and I often wish that
were n true green Martian woman, with.
out love and without hope; but I have
known love- and so I am lost"
I sank down beside the industrious
woman, and for some time we sat In
friendly silence. After while we en-
tered into desultory conversation, and In
the end she opened her heart to me and
told me her story.
The tragedy and pathos of the story at
once made clear to me why IL was that
Sola was so different from the other Mar
tlan women / had known. Despite Mar
tian customs, there had been real love
between her father and mother--n clan
destine affair which had persevered for
years, to be discovered and exposed by
was at war. His identity was not learned
by the spying woman
Old Tai Hiatus, soulless and bloody.
handed villain, ordered Solas mother exc.
cuted: but the doomed woman. before her
end. succeeded In placing her young
daughter among the other common chill
dren, and the real identity of the child
never came out.
II never saw my mother after that
night" said Sola. "She was imprisoned
by Tai Hajus, and every effort. including
the most horrible and shameful torture.
was brought to bear upon her to wiring
from her dying lips the name OF my
father: but she remained steadfast and
loyal, dying amid the laughter of Tai
Hajus and his chieftains during somo
awful torture she was undergoing.
"She had told them that she had killed
me TO save me from like fate at their
hands, and that she had thrown my body
to the white apes. Sarkoja alone disbe-
levcd her, and l feel to this day that she
suspects my true origin. but does not
dare expose me because she also guessos. |
am sure, the identity of my father.
When he returned from his expedition |
and learned the story of my mothers fate. |
l was present as Tai Hajus told him; but |
never by the culver of a muscle did he |
betray thu slightest emotion; only he did |
not laugh as Tai Hajus gleefully de- |
scribed her death struggles.
cruelest of the cruel. and l am awaiting
the day whenshe shall win the goal of his
and feel the carcass of Tai
HaJus beneath his foot. for | am suro
that he but waits the opportunity to
wreak a terrible vengeance. and that his
great love is as strong In his breast nv
when II first transfigured him. nearly 10 |
years ago, as I am that we sit here upon |
the edge of a world.old ocean while sensi. |
bic people sleep, John Carter"
And your father Sola, is he with us
now?" asked.
Yes" she replied, but he does not
know me for what ! am. nor does he
know who betrayed my mother to Tai
Hajus. I alone know my fathers name.
and only / and Hajus and Sarkoja know
that II was she who carried tine tale that
brought death and torture upon her he
owed"
We sat silent for a few moments. she
wrapped In the gloomy thoughts of her
terrible past, and In pity for the poor
whom the heartless senseless
of their race had doomed TO
iveless lives of cruelty and of hate Pres-
,ntly she spoke.
John Carter. II ever real man
walked the cold, dead bosom of Barsoom.
you are one. | know that / can trust
'ou. and because the knowledge may some
lay help you, or him. or Dejah Thoris. or
myself ! am going to tell you the name
Il my father, nor place any restrictions
n conditions upon your tongue,
when the time comes speak the truth
I II seems best to you. / trust you be.
ause / know that you are not cursed
With the terrible trait OF absolute and un,
werving truthfulness that you could lie
Ike one of your Virginia gentlemen
I lie would save others from sorrow
r suffering. My fathers name is Tars
'arkas.'