Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-14
THE GODS OF MARS
Sequel to Under the Moons Of Mas"

seek a new avenue Of escape. The fire
and smoke were to be feared a thousand
times more than the water, and so I seized
upon the first gallery which led out of and
up from the suffocating smoke that was
engulfng us.
Again I stood to one side while the
soldiers hastened through on the new way,
Some 1000 must have passed at a rapid
run when the stream ceased, but was not
sure that all had been rescued who had not
passed the point of origin of the flames ;
and so to assure myself that no poor devil
was left behind to die a horrible death un-
succored, ! ran quickly up the gallery
in the direction of the flames, which I
could now see burning with a dull glow
far ahead
1t was hot and sitting work. but at last
I reached n point where the fire lit up the
corridor sufficiently for me to see that no
soldier of Helium lay between me and the
conhagration-what was I'M II or upon the
far side | could not know, nor could any
man have passed through that seething
hell Of chemicals and lived TO learn.
Having satisfied my sense OF duty,
turned and ran rapidly back to the cor
ridor through which my men had passed.
To my horror. however, 1 found that my
retreat in this direction had been blocked
across the mouth Of the corridor stood n
massive steel grating that had evidently
been lowered from its resting place above
for the purpose of effectually cutting off
my escape.
That our principal movements were
known TO the First Born I could not have
doubted in view of the attack Of the fleet
upon us the day before nor could the
stopping Of the pumps of Omean at the
psychological moment have been due TO
chance. nor the starting Of chemical
combustion within the one corridor through
which we were advancing upon the Temple
of n
calculated design.
And now the dropping Of the steel gate
to pen mo effectually between fire ana
flood seemed to indicate that invisible eyes
were upon us at every moment. What
chance had then to rescue Dejah Thoris
were 1 to be compelled TO fight foes VINO
never showed Themselves?
The smoke from the fire was forcing me
further and further back down the cor
ridor toward the waters which l could hear
surging through the darkness.
with my men had gone the last torch,
nor was this corridor lighted by the radi-
ance of phosphorescent rock as were those
of the lower levels. 1t was this fact that
assured me that was not far from the
upper pits which lie directly beneath the
temple.
Finally I felt the tapping waters about
my feet. The smoke was thick behind me.
My suffering was intense.
There seemed but one thing to do and
that to choose the easier death which con-
fronted me, and l moved on down the
corridor until the cold waters of Amean
closed about me. and l swan on through
utter blackness toward-what?
To my surprise ! ran against blank
wall before l reached point where the
waters came to the roof of the corridor.
Could / he mistaken? I felt round. No. 1
had come to the main corridor and still
there was a breathing space between the
surface of the water and the rock ceiling
above.
I was positive that must soon feel the
solid floor beneath my feet again. and that
once moro my chance come to reach the
Temple of Issus and the side Of the fair
prisoner who languishcd there.
But even as hope was at its highest felt
the sudden shock of contact as my head
struck the rocks above. The worst then
had come to me I had reached one of
those rare places where a Martan tunnel
dips suddenly to a lower level. Somewhere
beyond | knew that il rose again: but of