Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-22
(Continued.)

NSthliuuGu.l
THE therns do not dare. They
tried it once. ages ago. but the next
night and for whole moon thereafter
thousand great black battleships cir
cled the mountains of Otz pouring tons
of projcctiles upon the temples, gar
dens and courts until every thern who
was not killed was driven for safety
into the subterranean galleries.
The therns know that they live at
all only by the sufferance of the black
men. They were near to determination
that once, and they will not venture
risking it again."
AS she ceased talking a new element
was instilled into the conflict. 1t came
from a source equally unlocked for 10y
either thern or pirate. The great
banths which we had liberated in the
garden had evidently been awed at
nrst by the sound of the battle, the
yelling Of the warriors and the loud
report of rifle and bomb.
But now they must have become an.
gered 10y the continuous noise and eX.
cited by the smell of new blood. for all
of n sudden great form shot from a
clump Of low shrubbery into the midst
of struggling mass OF humanity. "A
scream of bestial rage broke from the
banth as he felt warm flesh beneath
his powerful talons.
AS though his cry was but signal
10 the others, the entire great pack
hurled themselves among the fighters.
Panic reigned in an instant Them
and black man turned alike against
the common enemy, for the banths
showed no partiality toward either.
The awful beasts bore down a hun.
dred men by the mere weight of their
great bodies as they hurled themselves
into the thick of the fight. Leaping
and clawing. they moved down the
warriors with their powerful paws
turning for an instant to rend their
victims with frightful fangs.
The scene was fascinating in its ter.
ribleness, but suddenly it came to me
that we were wasting valuable time
watching this conflict which in itself
might prove a means to our escape.
The therns were so engaged with
their terrible assailants that now, If
ever, escape should be comparatively
easy.
l turned to search for an opening
through the contendinG bordes. If we
could but reach the ramparts we might
find that the pirates somewhere had
thinned the guarding forces and left
way open to us to the world without.
AS my eyes wandered about the gar
den the sight of the hundreds of air
craft lying unguarded round us sug-
Eested the simplest avenue to freedom.
Why had it not occurred to me before?
was thoroughly familiar with the
mechanism OF every known make of
Gier on Barsoom. For nine years ]
had sailed and fought with the navy
of Hc''uw | had raced through space
on the .rv one man air scout, and
had co' apded the greatest battle
ship that ever had loated the thin
air of dying Mars.
To think with me is to act. Grasp
ILL., L hAN Ia ~ lnt dllus W ulSleItu
to Tars Tarkas and Carthoris to fol-
low. Quickly we glided toward q small
lier which lay farthest from the bat
ting warriors.
Another instant found us hudded on
the deck. My hand was on the start
ing lever. pressed my thumb upon
the button which controls the ray of
repulsion. that splendid discovery of
the Martians which permits them to
navigate the thin atmosphere of their
planet in huge ships that dwarf the
dreadnaughts Of our earthly navies
into pitiful insignificance.
Soon We rose high in the air and
with headlong speed rushed away
from the terrible scenes that were be-
ing enacted below us. Our speed must
have approximated 200 miles an hour,
for Marian fliers are swifter than
those OF earth.
l dropped into a horizontal course
and headed due north.
We had performed the miraculous
and come through a thousand dangers
unscathed. We had escaped from the
valley Dor.
No other prisoners in all the ages
Of Barsoom had done this thing. and
now as l looked back upon it it did
not seem to have been so difficult after
all.