Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-10

lnlS IL was WnlCn proved our unuOlnS.
Those who sought us must have sent
party up the river Immediately after we
escaped: for when we came at last on to the
river trail not far from our destination,
there can be no doubt that we were seen
by Hoojans who were just ahead of us
up the stream. The result was that as we
were passing through cump of bush a
score of warriors leaped out upon us, and
before we could scarce strike a blow in
defense had disarmed and bound us.
For time thereafter I seemed to be en-
tirely bereft of hope. / could see ray
of promise in the futufe-ony immediate
death for Juag and me- which didn't con-
Germ me much in the face of what lay in
store for Dian.
Poor child What an awful life she
| had had From the moment that / had
| first seen her chained in the slave cara
| van of the Mahars until now, a prisoner
| Of no less cruel creature, l could recall
| but few brief intervals of peace and quiet
! in her tempestuous existence Before had
| known her, Jubal the Ugly One had pur-
sued her across a savage world to make
| her his mate. She had eluded him. and
| finally l had slain him but terror and pri-
| vations and exposure to fierce beasts had
haunted her footsteps during all the lonely
| flight from him. And when had returned
to the outer world the old trials had re-
| commenced with Hooja In Jubals role.
| would almost have wished for her death to
| NOuCnSaIe ner tnat peace wnlCn Iate seemed
| to deny her in this life.
| / spoke to her on the subject, suggesting
| that expire together.
| DO not fear, David" she replied, "I
shall end my life before ever Hooja can
harm me; but first l shall see that Hooja
| dies
She drew from her breast a little leathern
thong. to the end of which was fastened
| a tiny pouch.
what have you there?" asked.
do you recall that time you stepped
upon the thing you call viper in your
world?" she asked
''The accident gave you the'dea for the
| poisoned arrows with which we fitted the
| warriors of the empire" she continued.
And too it gave me an idea. For long
| time I have carried a viper's fang in my
| bosom. 1t has given me strength to endure
| many dangers, for it has always assured
me immunity from the ultimate insult. I
am not ready to die yet. First let Hooja
embrace the vipers fang
So we did not die together, and am glad
now that we did not. 1t is always foolish
thing to contemplate suicide; for no matter
how dark the future may appear today, to-
morrow may hold for us that which will
alter our whole life in an instant, reveal
ing to us nothing but sunshine and happi-
ness. So for my part, I shall always wait
for tomorrow.
/ In Pellucidar, where II Is always today.
the wait may not be SO long. and so it
proved for us. As we were passing a
lofty. fat-topped hill through a park-like
wood a perfect network of fiber ropes fell
suddenly about our guard. enmeshing them.
A moment later a horde Of our friends, the
hairy gorilla men. with the mild eyes and
long faces of sheep, leaped among them.
| II was very interesting fxht. 1 was
sorry that my bonds prevented me from
taking part in It, but / urged on the brute
/ xuith
Gr.gr-gr. their chief. each time that his
| mighty jaws crunched out the life of a
Hoojan. When the battle was over we
found that few of our captors had es-
capped, but the majority of them lay dead
about u.s. The gorilla men paid no further
attention to them. Gr-gr.gr turned to me
"Gr-gr-gr and all his people are your
| friends" he said. zone saw the warriors
of the Sly One and followed them. He
saw them capture you and then he lew
to the village as fast as he could SO and
told me all that he had seen. The rest yor
know You did much for Gr-gr-gr anc
Gr-gr-grs people. We shall always do much
for you"
1 thanked him and when had told hin
of our escape AMI our destination, he in
sisted ON accompanying us to the sea with
a great number of his fierce males. No
were we at all loath to accept his escort
We found the canoe where had hidden 1t
and. bidding Gr-gr-gr and his warriors fare
well, the three of us embarked for tn
| mainland.
| questioned Juag upon the feasibilit,
of attempting to cross to the mouth of tn
| great river of which he had told me. an,
up which he said we might paddle aimos
to Sari but he urged me not to attempt II
since we had but a single paddle and n
water or food. had to admit the wisdom
of his advice. but the desire to explore thi
great waterway was strong upon me. arous
| ing in me at last a determination to ma.I
the attempt after first gaining the mair
land and rectifying our deficiencies.
We landed several miles north Of Thur
in a little cove that seemed to offer pre-
lection from the heavier seas which some
times run even upon these usually pacif
oceans Of Pellucidar. Here i outlined {
Dian and Juag the plans had In mint
They were to ut the canoe with q sma
sail, the purposes Of which had to expiai
to them both--since neither had ever zee
or heard OF such contrivance bsfor,
Thsn they were TO hunt for food which =
could transport With us. and AZ ~ = \
uou&nGA0 ~ XA(1r< . ..t.t. ~. <f.,,., L'&|I1