Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-08
CHAPTER XVI
Under Arrest

AS CARTHORlS, Xodar, Tars Terkas'
~ and I stood gazing at the magnificent
vessel, which meant so much to all Of us,
we saw n second and then a third top the
summit of the hills and glide gracefully
after their sister.
Now a score Of one-man alr-scouts were
launching from the upper decks of the
nearer vessel, and in moment more were
speeding in long, swift dives to the ground
about us.
In another instant we were surrounded
by armed sailors, and an officer had stepped
forward TO address us when his eyes fell
upon Carthorls.
with an exclamation of surprised pleasure
he sprang forward, and placing his hand
upon the boys shoulder. called him by
name.
"Carthoris, my princer he cried. 'Kaor!
Kaor Hor Vastus greets the son of Dejah
Thorls, Princess OF Helium, and OF her
husband, John Carter. Where have you
been, o my prince2 All Helium has been
plunged in sorrow. Terrible have been the
calamities that have befallen your great
grandsire,s mighty nation since the fatal
day that saw you leave our midst"
"Grieve not, my good Hor Vastus," cried
Carthoris, since I bring not back myself
alone to cheer my mothers heart and the
whom all Barsoom loved best--her greatest
warrior and her savior-John Carter
Prince of Helium! !"
Hor Vastus turned in the direction indi-
Gated by Carthoris and as his eyes fell upon
me he almost collapsed from sheer surprise
John Carter" he exclaimed, and then
sudden troubled look came into his eyes
MY prince" he started, where hast
thou"
And then he stopped. but I knew the
question that his lips dared not frame Tho
loyal fellow would not be thu one e. force
.l,1a Of H. farr In trtNth
that had returned from, the bosom of Iss
the river of mystery. back from the shore
OF the lost Sea of Korus and the Valley
Dor.
"Ah, my prince" he continued, as though
no thought had interrupted his greeting,
that you are back Is sufficient, and let Hor
Vastus' sword have the high honor of being
first at thy feet"
with these words the noble fellow un-
buckled his scabbard and flung his sword
upon the ground before me.
There was but one response possible.
stopped and lifted the sword from the
ground. raised the hllt TO my lips. and then,
stepping TO Hor Vastus l buckled the
weapon upon him with my own hands.
''Hor Vastus," I said. placing my hand
upon his shoulder, you know best the
promptings of your own heart. That
shall need your sword have little doubt,
but accept from John Carter upon his
sacred honor the assurance that he will
never call upon you 10 draw this sword
other than in the cause OF truth, justice
and righteousness"
That l knew, my prince" he replied.
"ere ever I threw my beloved blade at thy
feet"
AS we spoke other fiiers came and went
between the ground and the battleship, and
larger boat was launched from
above, one capable Of carrying a dozen
perhaps, and dropped lightly near
us SAs she touched, an officer sprang from
her deck TO the ground and, advancing to
Hor Vastus, saluted.
'TKantos Kan desires that this party
whom we have rescued be brought imme-
diately to the deck Of the Xavarian," he
said.
The first man to greet me was KantOs
Kan himself. My old friend had won to
the highest place in the navy OF Helium,
but he was still TO me the same brave COM
rade who had shared with me the priva-
tlons of a warhoon dungeon, the terrible
atrocities of the great games, and later the
dangers of our search for Dejah Thors
within the hostile city Of Zodanga.
Then 1 had been an unknown wanderer
upon strange planet, and he simple
padwar in the navy Of Helium. Today he
all Helium's great terrors Of
the skies, and I was a prince OF the house
OF Tardos Mors. Jeddak Of Helium.
He did not ask me where l had been.
Like Hor Vastus, he, too, dreaded the truth,
ment from me, That II must come some
time he well knew, but until II came he
seemed satisfied TO but know that ! was
with him once more.
He greeted Carthoris and Tars Tarkas
with the keenest delight. but he asked
neither where he had been, He could
scarcely keep his hands off the boy,
you do not know. John Carter" he
said TO me, how we of Helium love this
son of yours, 1t is as though all the
great love we bore his noble father and
his poor mother had been centred in him
When 1t became known that he was lost ten
million people wept"
what mean you. Ksntos Kan"
"by his poor motherf' for
the words had seemed to carry a sinister
meaning which could not fathom-
He drew me to one side,
FOR year" he said. ever since Car
thorts disappeared, Delah ThoFis has
zrieved and mouFned for her lost boy The
blow OF years ago, when you did not return
from the atmosphere plant. was lsssensd
for your son broke his white shell that
That she suffered terribly then an
aelium knew, for did not ali Hslium suffer
with her the loss Of her lordf
but with the boy gone there was moth
ing left, and, after expedition upOn ex-
oedition returned with ths same hopeless
ale OF no clue as 10 his whereabouts our
beloved princess dropped lower ana lever |
until all who saw her felt that Il e3uld |
be but a matter Of days ere shC weEt 10 |
DIN her loved ones within the precincts
u the Valley Dor
"As a last resort MoFs Kajak. her
ather ana TardOs Mors, her grandfather,
ook command OF two mighty expeditions,
md a month ago sailed away 10 explore |
svery inch Of ground IN the southern 4
hemisphere Of BarsOom-
-