Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-26
(Continued.)

I
thought could already note a division
into factions ere we had reached He
lium. There were those who gathered
| about Carthoris and myself whenever
the opportunity presented, while about
an equal number held aloof from us.
They offered us only the most courte-
! GUS treatment, but were evidently
| bound by their superstitious belief in
the doctrine of Dor and Iss and Korus.
could not blame them, for 1 knew
how strong hold creed, however RI
diculous it may be, may gain upon an
otherwise intelligent people.
BY returning from Dor we had COM
mitted a sacrilege; by recounting our
adventures there and stating the facts
as they existed we had outraged the
religion of their fathers. We were
| blasphemers, lying heretics.
Even those who still chung to us
from personal love and loyalty, think
| did so In the face of the fact that at
heart they questioned our veracity-
| 1t is very hard TO accept a new religion
! for an old, no matter how alluring the
/ promises of the new may be. But to
! reject the old as tissue of falsehoods
without being offered anything in its
stead is indeed a most difficult thing
to ask of any people.
KantoS Kan would not talk of our
experiences among the therns.
ut is enough" he said. that |
| jeopardiZe my life here and hereafter
by countenancing you at all. Do not
| ask me to add still further to my sins
by listening TO what / have always
been taught was the rankest heresy."
l knew that sooner or later the time
must come when our friends and ene-
mics would be forced to declare them
selves openly. When we reached
Helium there. must be an accounting.
and If Tardos Mors had not returned
] feared that the enmity of Eat Arras
might weigh heavily against us, for
he represented the government Of
Helium.
To take sides against him were
equivalent to treason. The majority
of the troops would doubtless follow
the lead of their officers, and l knew
that many of the highest and most
powerful men of both land and air
forces would cleave to John Carter in
the face of god, man or devil.
On the other hand, the majority of
the populace unquestionably would de-
mand that we pay the penalty of our
sacrilege. The outlook seemed dark
! from whatever angle I viewed 1t, but
my mind was so torn with anguish
at the thought Of Dejah Thoris that
| realize now that I gave the terrible
question of Helium's plight but scant
attention at that time.
There was always before me, day
and night, a horrible nightmare of the
frfghtful scenes through which I knew
my princess might even then be pass
ing-the horrid plant men, the fero-
cious white apes.
AT times l would cover my face with
my hands in vain effort to shut the
fearful thing from my mind.
1t was in the forenoon that we ar
rived at the mile high scarlet tower
which marks greater Helium from her
twin city. AS we descended In great
circles toward the navy docks n
mighty multitude could be seen surg
Ing in the streets beneath. Hellum had
been notified by radio-aerogram of our
approach.
From the deck Of the Xavarian we
three-Carthoris, Tars Tarkas and L
were transferred TO lesser fier to be
transported to quarters within the
temple of Reward.
1t is here that Martian Justice Is
meted to benefactor and malefactor.
Here the hero is decorated. Here the
felon is condemned. We were taken
into the temple from the landing stage
upon the roof, so that we did not pass
among the people at all. as Is custom.
Try.
Always before l had seen prisoners
Of note or returned wanderers of emf
nence paraded from the gate of Jed
daks to the temple of Reward up the
broad Avenue of Ancestors through
dense crowds of jeering or cheering
citizens.
l knew that Eat Arras dared not
trust the people near TO us, for he
feared that their love for Carthoris
and myself might break into demon
stration which would wipe out their
superstitious horror of the crime we
were to be charged with.
What his plans were 1 could only
guess, but that they were sinister was
evidenced by the fact that only his
most trusted servitors accompanied us
upon the f1ier to the temple of Reward.
We were lodged in room unon the
south side of the temple, overlooking
the Avenue of Ancestors, down which
we could see the full length to tie gate
of Jeddaks, five miles away The peo-
pie had gathered in the temple plaza
and In the streets for distance of a
full mile and were standing as close
packed as it was possible for them to