Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-09
THE GODS
OF MARS
lContinued.)
BY EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS

Looh. crleu. Men Oh Cne BLACK
Pirates, lookv'
For an instant the fighting ceased,
and with one accord every eye turned
in the direction l had indicated, and
the sight they saw was one no man of
the Black Pirates had ever imagined
could be.
Across the gardens. from side to side.
stood wavering line of black war
riors, while beyond them and forcing
them ever back was great horde of
green warriors astride their mighty
thoats. And as we watched one fiercer
and more grimly terrible than his fell
lows rode forward from the rear, and
as he came he shouted some fierce
command to his terrible legion.
1t was Tars Tarkas, jeddak of
Thark, and as he couched his great
forty foot metal shod lance we saw
his warriors do likewise. Then it was
that We interpreted his command.
Twenty yards now separated the
green men from the black line. An
other word from the great Thark, and
with wild and terrifying battlecIy
| the green warriors charged.
For a moment the black line held.
but only for a moment; then the fear
some beasts that bore equally terrible
riders passed completely through it.
After them came utan upon utan of
red men. The green horde broke to
surround the temple. The red men
charged for the interior, and then we
turned to continue our interrupted bat
tie, but our foes had vanished.
My first thought was of Dejah Tho
ris. Calling to Carthoris that had
found his mother, I started on a run
toward the chamber where had left
her. with my boy close beside me.
After us came those Of our little force
who had survived the bloody conflict.
The moment 1 entered the room
saw that some one had been there since
! had left. a silk lay upon the floor.
It had not been there before.
There We're also . dagger and sew
cral metal ornaments strewn about as
though torn from their wearer In a
struggle; but, worst of all. the door.
way leading to the pits where l had
hidden my princess was aiar.
With a bound I was before 1t and,
thrusting It open, rushed within. De.
jah Thoris had vanished! I called her
name aloud again and again, but there
was no response. l think in that in-
slant I lowered upon the verge Of in
sanity. do not recall what said or
did, but know that for an instant
was seized with the rage of a maniac
"Issus!' cried. "Issus! Where Is
Issus? Search the temple for her, but
let no man harm her but John Carter!
Carthoris. where are the apartments
of Issus?'
"This way" cried the boy, and with
out waiting to know that I had heard
him he dashed Off at breakneck speed
farther into the bowels of the temple.
As fast as he went, however. was
still beside him. urging him on to
greater speed.
At last we came to a great carved
door, and through this Carthoris dash
ed foot ahead of me. Within we
came upon such scene as had wit
messed within the temple once before
the throne of Issus. surrounded by
reclining slaves and about 1t the ranks
of soldiery.
We did not even give the men a
chance to draw. so quickly were we
upon them. With single cut struck
down two in the front rank. And then
| by the mere weight and momentum of
my body I rushed through the two re-
naming ranks and sprang upon the
dais beside the carved sorapus throne
Issus, a black. repulsive creature
with nothing godlike about her. squat.
ting there in terror. attempted TO es-
cape me and leaped into trap behind
her. But l was not to be outwitted
by any such paltry subterfuge.
Before she had half risen l had
yrasped her by the arm, and then as
saw the guard starting to make con.
certed rush upon me from all sides
whipped out my dagger and, holding
it close to that vile breast, ordered
them to bait.
Back" | cried to them. Back!
The first black foot that is planted
upon this platform sends my dagger
into lssus' heart
For an instant they hes;tated. Then
an officer ordered them back. while
from the outer corridor there swept
into the throne room at the heels OF
my little party of survivors full
thousand red men under Kantos Kan
and Hor Vastus.
(1o Be Continued)