Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-21

the injuries
Just before dark we reached the main
body OF troops shortly after they had made
camp for the night
was Immediately taken before the
leader, who proved to be the jeddak Of
the hordes OF warhoon.
Like the fed who had brought me, he
was frightfully SCARED, and also was
decorated with the breastplate OF human
skulls and dried hands, which seemed to
mark all the greater warriors among the
Warhoons, as we'll as TO indicate their
awful feroclty, which greatly transcends
even that OF the Tharks.
The jeddak, Bar Comas. who was COM
paratively young, was the object OF the
fierce and Jealous hatred Of his old lieu
tenant, Oak Kova, the jed who had cap
tured me, and l could not but note the
almost studied efforts which the latter
made to affront his superior
He entirely omitted the usual formal
salutation as we entered the presence OF the
Jed, and as he pushed me roughly be-
fore the ruler he exclaimed I'm loud and
menaclng voice
~ have brought strange creature
wearing the metal Of Thark, whom 1t is
my pleasure to have battle with a wild
thoat at the great games"
HE will die as Bar Comas. your jed
dak, sees Mt, II at ALL" replied the young
ruler with dignity
'Tf at ALL" roared Oak Kova. by the
dead hands at my throat but he shall die,
Bar Comas. No maudlin weakness on
your part shall save him. Would that
Warhoon we're ruled by a real jeddak
rather than by water-hearted weakling
from whom even old Oak Kova could tear
the metal with his bare hand !"
Bar Comas eyed the defiant and insub-
ordinate chieftain for an instant his ex-
preston one of naughty fearless contempt
and hate. and then, without drawing
weapon and without uttering a word he
hurled himself at the throat of his de-
famer.
| never before had seen two green Mar
tlan warriors battle with natures weapons,
and the exhibition of animal ferocity
which ensued was as fearful n thing as
the most dsordered imagination could pic
turc. They tore at each others eyes and
ears with their hands and with cleaning
tusks. repeatedly slashed and gored until
both were fairly cut to ribbons from head
to foot.
Bar Comas had much the better of the
battle, as he was stronger. quicker and
more intelligent. II soon seemed that the
encounter was done. saving only the final
death thrust. when Bar Comas slipped In
breaking away from clinch. II was the
one little opening that Oak Kova needed,
and hufling himself at the body of his
adversary. he buried his single mighty
tusk In Bar Comas' groin and with a last
wide open the full length of his body. the
great tusk finally wedgIng in the bones Of
Bar Comas' jaw Victor and vanqushed
rolled limp and lifeless upon the moss, q
huge mass of torn and bloody flesh.
Bar Comas was stone dead and only
the most herculean efforts on the part OF
Oak Kovas females saved him from the
fate he deserved.
Three days later he walked without
assistance to the body of Bar Comas.
which. by custom. had not been moved
from where 1t fell, and placing his foot
upon the neck of his erstwhle ruler he
assumed the title of Jeddak of Warhoon.
The dead jeddaks hands and head
were removed, to be added to the ornR-
ments of his conqueror. and then his
women cremated what remained, amid
wild and terrible laughter.
The injuries to Oak Kova had delayed
the march so greatly that It was decided
to give UP the expedition, which was n
raid upon a small Thark community In
retaliation for the destruction of the in
cubator, until after the great games, and
the entire body of warriors, numbering
more than 10000, made their way back
in the direction of Warhoon.
My introduction to these cruel and
blood thirsty people was but an index to
the scenes | witnessed almost daily while
with them. They are n smaller horde
than the Tharks. but more ferocious. Not
a day passed but that some members of
the various Warhoon communities would
meet In deadly combat. have seen
as high as eight mo tai duels within the
compass of singa day.
We reached the city of Warhoon after
some three days march, and I was i'm
mediately3 cast into dungeon and heav-
lily chained to the floors and walls. Food
was brought me twice daily, and owing I
to the utter darkness of the place | do
not know whether I lay there days, or
weeks, or months.
1t was the most horrible experience |
OF all my life, and that my mind did |
not give way to the terrors OF that inky |
blackness is my only wonder
The place was filled with the most |
noisome, creeping, crawling things cold. |
sinuous bodies passed over me when | |
lay down, and In the darkness l occa-
sonally caught glimpses of cleaning, |
fiery eyes, fixed In horrible intentness |
upon me. No sound reached me from |
the world above and no word would my |
jailer vouchsafe when my food was
brought to me, although | at first bonn
barded him with questions.
Finally all the hatred and manlacal
loathing for these awful creatures who
had placed me in this horrible place was
centred by my tottering reason upon this
single emissary who represented to me
the entire horde of Warhoons.
i had noticed that he always advanced
with his dim torch to point where he
could just place the food within my reach
and as he stopped to place It upon the
floor OF the cell his head was about on
n level with my breast.
So, with the cunning of madman. |
backed into the far corner of my cell
when next l heard him approaching, and
little slack OF the great chain
which held me In my hand l waited his
coming. crouching like some beast Of prey.
AS he stopped TO place my food upon the
ground | swung the chain above my head
and crashed the links. with all my strength
upon his skull.
Without a sound he slipped to the floor,
stone dead
Laughing and chatterlng like the idiot
was fast becoming, l fell upon his pros
rate form, my fingers feeling for his dead
hroat.
Presently they came In contact with
4 small chain at the end of which dangled
/ number OF keys
The touch OF my fingers on these keys
brought back my reason with the sudden
ness of thought.
No longer was iibberinR idiot, but