Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-20

vastly greater demonstration on the part Of
the Thark
| laid my hands upon his shoulder
II am sorry" said nor did there seem
anything else to say
Think, John Carter, OF the countless
billions Of Barsoomans who have taken the
voluntary pilgrimage down this cruel river
since the beginning of time, only to fall into
the ferocious clutches of the terrible crea-
lures that today assailed us
There is an ancient legend that once a
red man returned from the banks of the
Lost Sea of Korus, returned from the Val
ley Dor back through the mysterious RIVER
tss The legend has II that he narrated
fearful blasphemy of horrid brutes that
inhabited valley of wondrous lovclinesS.
brutes that pounced upon each Barsoomian
| ms he terminated his pilgrimage and de-
voured him upon the banks OF the Lost
Sea- where he had looked to find love and
peace and happiness.
But the anccnts killed the blasphemer,
as tradition has ordained that any shall
! he killed who return from the bosom OF
the River of Mystery
But now we know that It was no bias
phcmy that the legend Is true one, and
that the man told only Of what he saw.
What does it profit u.s. John Carter, since
| even should we escape we also would be
treated as blasphemers? We are between
the wild thoat of certainty and the mad
zitidar of fact. We can escape neither
"As earth men say, we are between the
devil and the deep sea, Tars Tarkas' 1
replied nor could help but smile at our
dilemma,
There Is nothing we can do but take
things as they come and at least have the
satisfaction of knowing that whatever race
or horde slays us eventually VIII nave
| great numbers of dead to count.
| white ape or plant man, green Bar
| soomian or red man, whosoever 1t shall be
that takes the last toll from us, Will know
that 1t Is costly in lives to wipe out Johh.
Carter prince of the house of Tardos Mors,
| and Tars Tarkas, Jeddak OF Thark at the
same time"
could not help but laugh at his grim
humor. and he Joined in with me In one
of those rare laughs of real enjoyment
which was one of the attributes of this
fierce Tharkian chief which marked him
from the others of his kind.
But about yourself, John Carter he
cried at last. IF you have not been here
all these years where indeed have you
been, and how Is it that l find you here
today?"
II have been back to Earth" l replied
| For ten long earth years | have been
praying and hoping for the day that would
carry me once more to this grim old planet
of yours, for which, with all its cruel and
terrible customs, | feel bond of sympathy
and love even greater than for the world
that gave me birth.
For ten years I have been enduring a
| to whether Dejah Thoris lived. Now, for
the first time in all these years, my prayers
| have been answered and my doubt relieved.
Yet find myself, through n cruel fate.
| in the one tiny spot of all Barsoom from
which there is apparently no escape, and,
| If there is at price which would put out
! forever the last flickerng hope which l
may cling to of seeing my princess again
''Only bare half.hour before l saw you
| battling with the plant men, was
standing in the moonlight upon the banks of
| broad river that taps the eastern shore
of Earths most blessed land. l have
answered you. my friend. DO you be-
| lieve?"
81 believe" replied Tars Tarkas, though
| I cannot understand"
AS we talked l had been searching the
| interior of the chamber with my eyes. II
| was, perhaps two hundred feet In length
and half as broad, with what appeared to
| be n doorway in the centre of the wall d-
rectly opposite that through which we had
| entered:
The apartment was hewn from the ma.
terial of the cliff showing mostly dull gold
in the dim light which a single minute
radtum illumlnator in the centre of the
roof diffused throughout its great dmen.
sions. Here and there polished surfaces
OF ruby, emerald and diamond patched the |
golden walls and ceiling.
The floor was of another material very
hard, and worn by much use to the smooth. |
ness of glass, Aside from the two doors |
could discern no sign of other aperture,
and as one we knew to be locked. | an
preached the other.
AS | extended my hand to search for the |
controlling button, that cruel and mocking |
laugh rang out once more, so close to me |
this time that / involuntarly shrank back
great sword.
And then from the rar corner OF the great
chamber hollow voice chanted There |
IS no hope. there is no hope; the dead re-
turn not the dead return not nor is there |
any resurrection, Hope not, for there Is no |
hope"
Though our eyes instantly turned toward |
the spot from which the voice seemed to |
emanate, there was no one in sight and | |
must admit that cold shivers played along |
my spine and the short hairs at the base of |
my head stffened and rose up as do those |
upon hounds neck when in the night his
eyes see those uncanny things which are
hidden from the sight of man.
quickly walked toward the mournful
voice but II had ceased ere / reached the
farther wall, and then from the other end
OF the chamber came another voice, shrl
and piercing.
Fools Fools !"it shrieled Think We TO
deteat the eternal laws of life and death?
would cheat the mysterious Issus, goddess
of death OF her just dues? Did not her
mighty messenger. the ancient Iss, bear We
upon her leaden bosom at your own behest
TO the valley Dor? Think ye o fools, that
is9NS WIN give up her oWny Think ye TO |
escape whence in all the countless ages but
a single soul hast fled?
Go back the way ye came, TO the mercl-
tul maws or the children of the tree of life |
or the cleaning fangs of the great white
apes There lies speedy suTcease from suf-
tering But insist in your rash purpose
TO thread the golden cliffs OF the Mountains
OF Otz past the ramparts of the impregnable
fortresses of the Holy Therns, and upon
your way death In it's most frlghtful form
VIII oyertake you--a death so horrible that
even the Holy Therns themselves. who con-
ceiyed both life and death avert their eyes
from It's hendlshness and 'close their ears
against the hideous shrieks OF It's victims
Go back. o fools, the way ye came 90
And then the awful laugh broke out from
another part OF the chamber
Most uncanny" / remarked turning to
Tars Tarkas
What shall we do?" he asked. I'VE
cannot night empty air. l would almost
rather return and face foes into whose flesh
may feel my blade bite. and know that
am selling my life dearly, than go down
to that Oblivion which is evidently the
fairest and most desirable eternity that
mortal man has the right TO hone for"