Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-19

the storeroom do not know, but It
/ must have been many hours. l was
awakened with n start by cries of
alarm, and scarce were my eyes opened
nor had I yet sufficiently collected my
wits to quite realize where was when
a fusillade of shots rang out, rever-
| berating through the subterranean cor.
ridors in series of deafening echoes.
In an instant was upon my feet.
dozen lesser therns confronted us from
large doorway at the opposite end of
the storeroom from that which we had
entered. About me lay the bodies of
my companions. with the exception Of
Thuvia, Tars Tarkas and Cathoris,
who, like myself, had been asleep upon
the floor and thus escaped the first rak-
ing fire.
As 1 gained my feet the therns low
erSd their wicked rifles. their faces
distorted in mingled chagrin. conster-
nation and alarm.
| Instantly arose to the occasion.
"What means this?' cried in tones
of fierce anger. "Is Sator Throg to be
murdered by his own vas6als?"
"Have mercy, D master of the tenth
cycle!" cried one of the fellows, while
| the others edged toward the doorway
as though to attempt a surreptitious
escape from the presence of the mighty
one.
ASK them their mission here" whis-
pered Thuvla at my elbow.
"What do you here, fellows?" cried.
1.-TWO from the outer world are at
large within the dominions of the
therns. We sought them at the CON-
mand Of the father of therns. One
was white with black hair, the other a
huge green warrior"
Here the fellow cast a suspicious
glance toward Tars Tarkas.
Here, then, is one of them" spoke
Thuvia, indicating the Thark, "and If
you will look upon this dead man by
the door perhaps you will recognize
the other. 1t was left for Sator Throg
and his poor slaves to accomplish what
the lesser therns of the guard were
unable to dove have killed one and
/ captured the other. For this has Sator
Throg given us our liberty. And now
in your stupidity have you come and
killed all but myself and liz, to have
killed the mighty Sator Throg him
self"
The men looked very sheepish and
very scared.
Had they not better throw these
bodies to the plant men and then re-
turn to their quarters, o mighty one"
asked Thuvia of me.
"Yes. Do as Thuvia bids you,"
said.
As the men picked up the bodies l
noticed that the one who stopped to
gather up the late Sator Throg started
as his closer scrutiny fell upon the up
turned face, and then the fellow stole
furtive, sneaking glance in my d.
rection from the corner of his eye.
That he suspicioned something of
the truth could have sworn, but that
it was only a suspicion which he did
not dare voice was evidenced by his
silence.
Again. as he bore the body from the
room, he shot a quick but searching
glance toward me. and then his eyes
fell once more upon the bald and shiny
| dome of the daSd man in his arms.
The last fleeting glimpse that 1 OBJ
tanned of his profile as he passed from
my sight without the chamber reveal
ed a cunning smile of triumph crcn
his lips.
Only Tars Tarkas, Thuvia and I
were left. The fatal craftsmanship of
the therns had snatched from our CON-
panions whatever slender chance they
had of gaining the perilous freedom
of the world.
So soon as the last of the grewsome
procession had disappeared the girl
urged us to take up our fight once
more.
She, too, had noted the questioning
attitude of the thern who had borne
Sator Throg away.
"It BODIES no good for us, o prince"
she said, "for, even though this fell
low dared not chance accusing you In
error, there be those above with power
sufficient to demand a closer scrutiny,
and that, prince. would indeed prove
fatal"
l shrugged my shoulders. 1t seemed
that in any event the outcome of our
plight must end In death. I was re.
freshed from my sleep. but still weak
from loss of blood.
was discouraged. Never had a
feeling of such utter hopelessness come
over me in the face of danger. Then
the long. flowing yellow locks OF the
holy thern, caught by some vagrant
draft. blew about my face