Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-19
THE CHEERFUL CHERUB

| lGS
silently and stealthIly across TO the ariC
lands upon the other side.
It required five hours TO make one o
these crossings without a single halt. anC
the other consumed an entire night. sC
that we were just leaving the confines o
the high.walled fields when the sun broke
out upon u.s.
Crossing in the darkness as we did
was able to see but little, except as th,
nearer moon, in her wild and ceaseess
hurting through the Barsoomian heavens
lit up little patches Of the landscape from
time to time, disclosing walled fields and
low rambling buildings. presenting much
| the appearance Of earthly farms.
There were many trees, methodically ar
ranged, and some of them were OF
| enormous height; there were animals In
| many of the Enclosures, and they an
| nounced their presence by terrified squeal
ings and snortings as they scented our
| queer. Wild beasts and wilder humans
Only once did 1 perceive a human be-
| ing and that was at the intersection Of our
crossroad with the wide, white turnpike
| which cuts each cultivated district ongi.
| tudinally at Its exact centre.
| The fellow must have been sleeping be.
| side the road. for as / came abreast OF
him he raised upon his elbow, and after
| single glance at the passing caravan
leaped shrieking to his feet and fled mad
ly down the road. scaling a nearby wall
with the agility of a scared cat.
The Tharks paid him not the slightest
attention; they were not out upon the war
path, and the only sign that l had that
they had seen him was a uuickenlnE of
the pace OF the caravan as we hastened
| toward the bordering desert which marked
our entrance into the realm of Tai Hajus.
Not once did have speech with Dejah
Thoris, az she sent no word to me that
would be welcome at her chariot. and my
foolish pride kept me from making any
| advances
verify believe that a mans way with
women is In inverse ratio to his prowess
among men. The weakling and the sap.
head have often great ability to charm
the fair sex. while the fighting man who
can face n thousand real dangers una.
fraid sits hiding in the shadows like
some frightened child
Just 30 days after my advent upon
Barsoom we entered the ancient city of
Thark. from whose long forgotten people
this horde of green men have stolen even
their names
The hordes of Thark number some 3O.-
600 souls, and are divided into rs COM
munities. Each community has its own
jed and lesser chieftains. but all are un-
Jpduak
Thark. Five communities make their
headquarters at the city of Thark and the
remainder are scattered among other de-
serted cities of ancient Mars throughout
the district claimed by Tai Hajus.
We made our entry into the great cen.
trail plaza early In the afternoon. There
were no enthusiastic, friendly greetings
for the returned expedition
Those who CHANGED 20 be In sight spoke
the names of warriors or women with
whom they came I'm direct contact. in the
formal greeting of their kind; but when
II was discovered that they brought two
captives. greater Interest was reused,
and Dsjah Thoris and were the centres
OF inquiring groups.
We were soon assigned to new quarters.
and the balance of the day was devoted
to settling ourselves to the changed con.
ditions My home now was upon an ave.
nue. leading into the plaza from the south,
the main artery down which we had
marched from the gates of the city.
was Mt the far end of the square and had
an entire building 10 myself
me same grandeur of architecture
which was so noticeable a characteristics
OF Korad was in evidence here. only on a
larger and richer scale. My quarters
would have been suitable for housing the
greatest OF earthly emperors. But to
these queer creatures nothing about a
building appealed to them but its size
larger the building, the more desirable
and so Tai Hatus occupied what must
nave been an enormous public building,
the largest In the city, but entirely united
for residence PURPOSES
When I had finally put my house In
order, or rather seen that IL had bcen
done 1t was nearing sunset. and / hast
ened out with the intention of locating
Sola and her charges, as had determined |
10 nave speech with petah, Thoris and i'm. |
press on her the necessity of our at least |
patching up a truce until could and !
some way of aiding her TO escape.
l searched In vain until the upper rim, |
or the great red sun was just disappearing
behind the horizon and then spIed the |
ugly head OF Woola peering from a second
story window on the opposite side OF the
very street where was quartered, but
nearer the plaza.
Without waiting for a further invitation
bolted up the winding runway which led |
10 the second floor. and, entering a great
chamber at the front of the building, was
greeted by the frenzied Wooia who threw
lis great carcass upon me, nearly hurting
ne to the floor the poor old fellow was So |
glad TO see me that / thought he would
ievour me, his great head split from ear to
sar, showing his three rows of tusks In |
Dne of his hobgoblin smiles.
Quieting him with word OF command
Ind caress, l looked hurriedly through
he approaching gloom for a sign of DeJah
rhorts, and then, not seeing her, l called
Ter name, There was an answering MUIR
nur from the far corner OF the apartment
md with a couple OF quick strides / was
beside her where shs erouched
Imong the furs and silks upon an ancient
arved wooden seat AS waited she rose