Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-20

the surrace thousands of feet above
, the level on which we had been.
Twice great banths, wandering loose
through the galleries, blocked our
progress, but In each instance Thuvia
spoke a low word of command, and
the snarling beasts skunk sullenly
away.
"If you can dissolve all our obsta-
cles as easily as you master these fierce
brutes can see no difficulties in our
way" 1 said to the girl. smiling. How
do you do IT."
She laughed and then shuddered
II do not quite know" she said.
when first l came here | angered
Sator Throg because l repulsed him.
He ordered me thrown into one of the
great pits in the inner gardens. 1t
was filed with banths.
'In my own country l had been ac.
customed to command. Something in
my voice, / do not know what. cowed
the beasts as they sprang to attack me.
Instead Of tearing me to pieces, as
Sator Throg had desired, they fawned
at my feet. So greatly were Sator
Throg and his friends amused by the
sight that they kept me to train and
handle the terrible creatures. l know
them all by name.
"There are many of them wandering
through these lower regions. They are
the scavengers. Many prisoners die
here in their chains. The banths solve
the problem Of sanitation, at least in
this respect.
"In the gardens and temples above
they are kept in pits. The therns fear
them. 1t is because of the banths that
they seldom venture below ground ex-
cept as their duties call them"
An idea occurred to me, suggested
by what Thuvia had just said.
"Why not take number of banths
and set them loose before us above
ground?' I asked.
Thuvia laughed.
''It would distract attention from us.
l am sure" she said.
She commenced calling in low k,-S-
song voice that was half puIr. She
continued this as we wound our tedi-
Gus way through the maze of subter-
ranean passages and chambers.
Presently soft padded feet sounded
close behind us, and as turned saw
pair of great green eyes shining in
the dark shadows at our rear. From
a diverging tunnel a sinuous, tawny
form crept stealthlly toward us.
Low growls and angry snarls as
sailed our ears on every side as we
hastened on, and one by one the fero-
cious creatures answered the call of
their mistress.
She spoke word to each as 1t Joined
us. Like well schooled terriers, they
paced the corridors with us, but !
could not help but note the lathering
jowls nor the hungry expressions with
which the terrible beasts eyed Tars
Tarkas and myself.
Soon we were entirely surrounded
by some fifty of the brutes. Two
walked close on either side of Thuvia,
as guards might walk. The sleek sides
OF others now and then touched my
own naked limbs.
1t was a strange experience, the al
most noiseless passage of naked hui
man feet and padded paws; the golden
walls splashed with precious stones;
the dim light cast by the tiny radium
bulbs set at considerable distances
along the roof; the huge, named beasts
of prey crowding with low growls
about us; the mighty green warrior
towering high above us all; myself
crowned with the priceless diadem of
a holy thern, and leading the process
sion the beautiful girl Thuvia.
shall not soon forget it.
Presently we approached a great
chamber more brightly lighted than
the corridors. Thuvia halted us.
Quietly she stole toward the entrance
and glanced within. Then she mo-
toned us to follow her.
The room was filed with specimens
of the strange beings that inhabit this
underworld, a heterogeneous collection
of hybrids-the offspring of the pris-
oners from the outside world, red and
green Martians and the white race OF
therns.
Picking our way carefully, we
threaded a winding path across the
chamber. the great banths smiling
hungrily at the tempting prey spread
before them in such tantalizing and
defenseless profusion.
Several times we passed the en-.
frances to other chambers similarly
peopled, and twice again we were com.
PEELED to cross directly through them
In others were chained prisoners and
beasts.
"Why is It that we see no thernsT"
asked OF Thuvia.