Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-14
UNDER THE MOONS OF MARS

/ finger but as their sentiments are mostly
atrophied It would have required a serious
injury to have aroused such passions in
them.
Soa, let me add was an exception. 1
never have seen her perform n cruel or
uncouth act, or fail in uniform hndliness
and good nature She was, indeed, as her
fellow Martian had aid of her, an atav.
ism-a dear and precious reversion to
a former type of loved and loving an.
cestor
Seeing that the prisoner seemed the
centre of attraction | halted to witness
what was taking place.
/ had not long to wait, for presently
Loruuas ~tomel and his retinue of chief.
tains approached the building and, signing
the guards to follow with the prisoner,
entered the audience chamber.
Realizing that | was a somewhat tav.
ored character, and also convinced that
the warricrs did not know Of my knowledge
of their language, as l had pleaded with
Sola to keep this secret on the grounds
that | did not wish TO be forced to talk
with the men until had perfectly mas.
tered the Martian tongue I chanced an
attempt to enter the audience chamber
and listen TO the proceedings.
The council squatted upon the steps OF
the rostrum. while below them stood the
prisoner and her guards | saw that one
of the women was Sarkoja. and thus un.
derstood how she had been present at the
hearing of the preceding day the results
Of which she had reported to the occu-
pants of our dormltory last night.
Her attitude toward the captive was
most harsh and brutal When she held her
she sank her rudimentary nails into the
poor girls flesh, or twisted her arm in
most painful manner. When II was neces-
sary to move from one spot to another she
either jerked her roughly or pushed her
headlong before her.
She seemed to be venting upon this
poor defenseless creature all the hatred
cruelty, ferocity. and spite of her 900
years. backed by unguessable ages of
fierce and brutal ancestors
The other woman was less cruel because
she was entirely Indifferent II the pris.
oner had been left to her alone, and for.
tunately she was at night, she would have
received no harsh treatment nor, by the
same token, would she have received any
attention at all.
AS Lorduas Ptomel raised his eyes to
address the prisoner they fell on me and
he turned to Tars Tarkas with word and
gesture of impatience Tars Tarkas made
some reply which | could not catch. but
which caused Lorquas Ptomel to smile;
after which they paid no further attention
to me.
what is your name?" asked Lorquas
Ptomel, addressing the prisoner.
"Dejah Thoris, daughter of Mors Kajak
of Helium."
"And the nature OF your expedition"
he continued.
"Tt was purely scientific research
party sent out by my fathers father. the
Jeddak of Helium, to rechart the air cur
rents and to take atmospheric density
tests replied the fair prisoner in a low,
well.modulated voice
I'VE were unprepared for battle" she
continued, "as we were on peaceful mis-
sion, as our banners and the colors of our
craft denoted The work we were doing
was as much in your interest as in ours,
for you know fun we'll that were It not for
our labors and the fruits of our scientific
operations there would not be enough air
or water on Mars to support a single
human life.
For ages we have maintained the sup.
ply of both at virtually the same point
without an appreciable loss, and we have
done this in the face of the brutal and ig
norant interference of you green men,
''Why will you not learn to live in
amity with your fellows? Must you ever