Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-12

It was not until after we had entered
the cabin Of Kantos Kan that l Thought
TO ask the date, for up to now j was not
positive how long had been in the pits OF
Eat Arras
When Kantos Kan told me, I realized
with pang of dismay that I had mis-
reckoned the time while lay in the utter
darkness Of my cell. Three hundred and
siXty-five days had passed--lt was too late
TO save Dejah Thoris.
The expedition was no longer one of
rescue, but Of revenge I did not remind
Kantos Kan of the terrible fact that ere we
could hope to enter the Temple of Issus the
Princess of Helium would be no more. In
so far as l knew she might be already
dead, for I did not know the exact date
on which she first visited Issus
on the morning of the second day we
raised the great fleet Of transports and
their consorts at the first flood Of dawn,
and soon were near enough TO exchange
signals.
Tars Tarkas reported all we'll with the
transports. The battleshps passed through
to take an advanced position, and the
combined fleets moved slowly over the ice
cap, hugging the surface closely TO pre-
vent detection by the therns whose land
we were approaching
Far in advance Of all thin line of one
man air scouts protected us from surprise,
and on either side they f1anked us, while
a smaller number brought up the rear
some 20 miles behind the transports.
In this formation we had progressed
toward the entrance TO Omean for several
hours, when cue of our scouts returned from
the front to report that the conelke SUM
nit of the entrance was in sightS At al
most the same instant another scout from
he left flank came racing toward the flag
ship.
His very speed bespoke the Importance
of his information. Kantos Kan and /
awaited him upon the little forward deck
which corresponds with the bridge of
earthly battleships. Scarcely had his tiny
fller come to rest upon the broad landing
deck of the flagship ere he was bounding
UP the stairway to the deck where we stood.
"a great fleet of battleships south-south-
east my prince ~ he cried. There must
be several thousands Of them and they are
bearing down directly upon us"
"The thern spies were not in the palace
OF John Carter for nothing" said Kantos
Kan to mo. 'Your orders. prince"
dispatch ten battleships 70 guard the
entrance to Omean with orders to let no
hostile vessel enter or leave the shaft. That
will bottle up the great fleet of the First
Born"
Form the remainder Of the battleshps into
n great " with the apex pointing directly
south-southeast. Order tho transports sur
rounded by their conveys. to follow closely in
the wake of the battleships until the point
of the V has entered the enemys line; then
battleships Of each leg engage the enemy
fiercely and drive him back to form lane
through his line into which the transports,
with their conveys, must race Mt top speed
that they may gain a position above the
temples and gardens Of the therns,
Here let them land. and teach the holy
therns such lesson in ferocious warfare
as they will not forget for countless ages.
II had not been my intention to be dis
tracted from tho main issue of the cam
pagn, but we must settle this attack with
the therns once and for all. or there will be
no peace for US while our fleet remains near
Dor, and our chances of ever returning to
the outer world will be greatly minimized" +"
Kantos Kan saluted and turned TO de-
liver my Instructions to his waiting aides.
In an incredibly short space of time the
formation of the hattleshps changed In
accordance with my commands. the ten that
were to guard the way to Omean were
speeding toward their destination, and the
troopships and conveys were closing up in
preparation for the squirt through the lane.