Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-17
THE GODS OF MARS.
Sequel to Under the Moons Of Mars"

not before 1 saw the black and ugly
scowl she turned upon Dejah Thorie
Thereafter she stood a little way apeft
but not so far as / should have desIreds
for l had many little condolences to Inn
part to my long-lost love.
For few minutes we stood thus talking
in low tones Ever smaller and smaller
grew the opening. In short time now
It would be too small even to permit the
slender form of my princess to pass
Why did not Xodar haste. Above, we
could hear the faint echoes of a great
tumult II was the multitude Of black
and red and green men fighting their way
through the fire from the burning Temple
Of Issus
A draft from above brought the fumes
Of smoke to our nostrils, AS we stood watt
Ing for Xodar the smoke became thicker
and thicker.
Presently we heard shouting NJ the far
end of the corridor and hurrying feet
Come back, John Carter, come back -
cried voice. Even the pits are burning.
In moment dozen men broke through
the now binding smoke TO my side There
was Carthors and Kantos Kan and Hor
Nastus and Nodar with few more who had
followed me to the temple court.
There Is no hope John Carter" cried
XodaT. THE keeper Of the keys is dead,
and his keys are not upon his carcass. Our
only hope is to quench this conhagration
and trust TO fate that a year will find your
princess alive and well. I have brought
sufficient food TO last them When this crack
closes no smoke can reach them. and if we
hasten to extnguish the flames 1 believe
that they will be safe. Make haste or you
are lost"
Go then yourself and take these others
with you" replied. "I shall remain here
releases me from my anguish. care not
20 live"
AS I spoke Xodar had been tossing q
great number of tiny cans within the prison
cell. The remaining crack was not over
ar inch in width a moment later.
Dejah Thors stood as closely to It as
she could whispering words of hope and
courage to me, and urging me to save
myself.
Suddenly beyond her saw the beautiful
face OF Phaidor contorted into an express
sion Of malign hatred. As my eyes met
hers she spoke
Think not. John Carter, that you may
so lightly cast aside the love of Phaidor.
daughter of Natal Shang. Nor ever hope
to hold thy Dejah Thoris in thy arms again.
Wait you the long, long year: but know
that when the waiting Is over II shall be
Phaidor's arms which shall welcome you,
not those Of the Princess of Helium. Be-
hold. she dies !"
And as she finished speaking I saw her
raise a dagger on high, and then L saw
another nEure.
II was Thuvia's.
AS the dagger fell toward the unpro-
tected breast of my love, Thuvia was al
most between them. A binding gust of
smoke blotted out the tragedy within that
fearsome cell, a shrek rang out, a single
Shrek as the dagger fell.
The smoke cleared away. but we stood
gazing upon blank wall. The last crevice
had closed.
They urged me to leave.
I'm n moment 1t will be too late" cried
Xodar. There is, In fact but bare
chance that we can come through to the
outer garden alive even now have
ordered the pumps started and in five min
utes the pits will be flooded. II we would
not drown like rats in a trap we must
hasten above and make n dash for safety
through the burning temple"
Go" I urged them. Let me die here
beside my princess-there is no hope or
happiness elsewhere for me. When they
carry her dear body from that terrible
place a year hence let them find the body
OF her lord awaiting her."
OF what happened after that have only
a confused recollection II seems as though
1 struggled with many men, and then that
I was picked bodily from the ground and
borne away
I do not know.
(The End.)