Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-08
Copyright by Frank A. Munssy Co.


SSSeSsseSSeS~SSNS~NN
"And tell me-what of Carthoris, our
yon?'
"He was with me less than an hour
Lince, Dejah Thoris," I replied. 1T
must have been he whose men you
have heard battling within the pre-
cincts of the temple
"Where is Issus?" I asked suddenly.
Dejah Thoris shrugged her shoul-
ders.
"She sent me under guard to this
room just before the fighting began
within the temple walls She said that
she would send for me later. She
seemed very angry and somewhat fear
full. Never have I seen her act In so
uncertain and almost terrified a man
ner.
"Now know that it must have been
because she had learned that John Car
ter, prince of Helium, was approach
ing to demand an accounting of her
for the Imprisonment of his prin-
cess"
The sounds of conflict, the clash of
arms the shouting and the hurrying
of many feet came to us from various
parts OF the temple. / knew that l
was needed there, but 1 dared not
leave Dejah Thorls, nor dared take
her With me into the turmoil and dan
ger of battle.
At last l bethought me of the pits
from which had just emerged. Why
not secrete her there Hntil could re-
turn and fetch her away in safety and
forever from this awful place? 1 ex-
plained my plan to her.
For moment she clung to me.
II cannot bear to be parted from
you now even for a moment, John Car
ter" she said. 81 shudder at the
thought Of being alone again where
that terrible creature might discover
me. You do not know her.
None can imagine her ferocious
cruelty who has not witnessed her
daily acts for over half a year. 1t
has taken me nearly all this time to
realize even the things that 1 have
seen with my own eyes,"
II shall not leave you, then, my
princess" replied.
She was silent for moment; then
she drew my face to hers and kissed
me.
go, John Carter" she said. "Our
son is there and the soldiers of Helium,
fighting for the Princess of Helium.
Where they are you should be-
II must not think of myself now,
but Of them and of my husbands duty
may not stand in the way of that
Hide me in the pits and CO."
led her to the door through which
had entered the chamber from be-
low. There pressed her dear form to
me, and then, though 1t tore my heart
to do 1t and filed me only with the
blacklist shadows of terrible forebod-
ing, 1 guided her across the threshold,
kissed her once again and closed the
door upon her
Without hesitating longer I hurried
from the chamber in the direction Of
the greatest tumult. Scarce half a
dozen chambers had traversed before
l came upon the theater of q fierce
struggle.
The blacks were massed at the en-
trance to q great chamber, where they
We're attempting to block the further
progress of body of red men toward
the inner sacred precincts of the tenn
pie.
AS struck the first blow / crie0
oil
rained cut after cut upon the sur
prised warriors, while the reds with
out took heart at the sound Of my
voice and with shouts of John Carter.
John Carter" redoubled their efforts
80 effectually that before the blacks
gould recover from their temporary 4
moralization their ranks were broLC
and the rcd men hal burst into til
rhamber.
Five hundred men fought there tina
day, the black man against the red
No man asked quarter or gave It. Al,
though by common consent they Tough
as though to determine once and 70,
all their right to live in accordance
with the law of the survival Of the
fittest.
| think we all knew that upon the
outcome Of this battle would hinge for
ever the relative positions of these two
races upon Barsoom. 1t was battle
between the old and the new, but not
for once did ! question the outcome
of 1t.
With Carthoris at my side l fought
for the red men of Barsoom and from
their total emancipation from the
throttling bondage of hideous super.
stition. Suddenly a sight met my gaze
which sent wave of exultation over
me.