Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-08

Dltctty OF legs, is q characteristic feature
of the fauna Of Mars. The highest type
of man and one other animal, the only
animal existing on Mars, alone have we'll
| formed nails, and there are absolutely no
hoofed animals in existence there.
Behind this first charging demon trailed
| 10 others, similar in all respects, but. as
learned later bearing individual characy
teristics peculiar to themselves, precisely
as no two Of us are identical, although
we are all cast in a similar mold.
This picture. or rather materialized
nightmare, which have described al
length made but one terrible and swif,
impression on me as turned to meet It.
Unarmed and naked as 1 was, the first
law of nature manifested itself in the only
possible solution of my immediate problem,
| and that was to get out of the vicinity OF
| the point of the charging spear.
Consequently, gave a very earthly and
at the same time superhuman leap TO
reach the top of the Martian incubator.
! for such had determined It must be.
My effort was crowned with a success
which appalled, me no less than II seemed
to surprise the Martian warriors, for II
landed me hundred feet from my pur-
suers. and on the opposite side of the in
closure.
/ alighted upon the soft moss easily and
| without mishap, and turning, saw my enc
! mics lined up along the further wall.
Some were surveying me with express
| sions which 1 afterward discovered
! marked extreme astonishment and the
| others were evidently satisfying them
selves that I had not molested their
| young.
They were converslng together in low
tones. and gesticulating and pointing
. toward me-
Their discovery that had not harmed
| the little Martans and that / was un-
| armed must have caused them to look
| upon me with less ferocity; but, as I
| was to learn later, the thing which
| weighed most in my favor was my ex-
| hibition of hurdllng
While the Martians are immense their
bones are very large and they are mus
| cled only in proportion to the gravita-
ton which they must overcome.
The result is that they are infinitely
| less agile and less powerful, in proportion
| to their weight, than nm Earth man, and
| l doubt that, were or of them suddenly
to be transplanted to Earth. he could lift
! his own weight from the ground in fact,
! l am sure that he could not do SO.
My feat, then. was as marvellous upon
| Mars as 1t would have been upon Earth.
and from desiring to annlhilate me they
| suddenly looked upon me wonderful
discovery, to be captured and exhibited
! among their fellows.
The respite my unexpected agility had
| given me permitted me to formulate plans
| for the immediate future and to note
more closely the appearance of the war
! riors, for I could not disassociate these
| people in my mind from those other war
| riors who only the day before, had been
| pursuing me-
I noted that each was armed with sew
| eral other weapons in addition to the
! huge spear which 1 have described.
| The weapon which caused me to de-
| eide against an attempt at escape by
| flight was what was evidently a rifle of
| some description, and which. I felt, for
| some reason, they were peculiarly effi-
Client in handling.
These rifles were of white metal
| stocked with wood, which I learned later
| was a very light and intensely hard
| growth much priced on Mars and en-
| tirely unknown to us of Earth.
The metal of the barrel is an alloy, COM
| posed principally of aluminium and steel.
which they have learned to temper TO
hardness far exceeding that of the steel
| with which we are familiar.
The weight of the rifle is comparatively
little, and with the small calibre. explo-
| slve radium projectiles which they use.
and the great length of the barrel. they
| are deadly in the extreme, and at ranges
which would be unthinkable on Earth.
The theoretic effective radius of this
weapon is 900 miles, but the best they can
| do in actual service. when equipped with
their wireless finders and sighters, is but
| a trihe over 200 miles.
This was quite far enough to imbue me
with great respect for the Marian fire.
arm, and some telepathic force must have
| warned me against attempt to escape
in broad daylight from under the muzzles
| OF 20 of these death-dealing machines
| The Martians, after converslng for a
| short time turned and rode away in the
| direction from which they had come leav-
! ing one of their number alone by the in
| closure.
When they had covered perhaps 200
| yards they halted, and turning their
mounts toward us, sat watching tine war
| rior by the inclOsure.
He was the one whose spear had so
! nearly transfxed me, and was evidently
the leader of the band, as had noted that
| they seemed to have moved to their pres
ent position at his direction.
When his force had come to a halt he
| dismounted, threw down his spear and
| small arms and came round the end of the
| incubator toward me- entirely unarmed
| and unclothed as /, except for the orna-
ments strapped upon his head limbs and
| breast
! When he was within about so feet OF
| let, and. holding it toward me in the open
| palm of his hand, addressed me in clear
resonant voice, but in a language, il is
| needless to say, could not understand
He then stopped, as though waiting for
my reply, pricking up his antennaIike ears
and cooking his strange-looking eyes still
| further toward me.
As the silence became painful 1 con-
| cluded to hazard little conversation on
my own part, as 1 had guessed that he
was making Overtures of peace The
| throwing down OF his weapons and the
| Withdrawing of his troop before his ad-
| vance toward me would have signified a
peaceful mission anywhere on Earth
why not, then on Mars?
Placing my hand over my heart, bowed
| low to the Marian, and explained to him
| that, while did not understand his Lam
| guage, his actions spoke for the peace and
| friendship that at the present moment
were most dear to my heart
or course, might have been babbling
| brook, for all the intelligence my speech
! carried to him but he understood the
action with which l Immediately followed
| my words.
stretching my hand toward him / ad-
Yanced and took the armlet from his
| open palm, clasping il about my arm