Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-09


time for an exchange of ex-
II per1ences as we stood there be-
- fore the great bowlder, sur
rounded by the corpses of our gro
lesque assailants. From all directions
down the broad valley was streaming
perfect torrent Of terrifying crea-
lures in response to the weird call of
lhe strange figure far above US.
Come" cried Tars Tarkas; I'VE
must make for the cliffs! There lies
our only hope of even temporary es-
cape. There we may find a cave or q
narrow ledge which TWO may defend
forever against this motley, unarmed
horde"
Together we raced across the scarlet
sward, timing my speed that 1 might
not outdistance my slower companion.
We had perhaps 300 yards to cover be-
tween our bowlder and the cliffs and
then to search out a suitable shelter
for our stand against the terrifying
things that were pursuing us.
They were rapidly overhauling us
when Tars Tarkas cried to me to
hasten ahead and discover If possible
the sanctuary we sought The sugges-
ton was good one, for thus many
valuable minutes might be saved to us,
and, throwing every ounce of my earth
ly muscles into the effort, 1 cleared
the remaining distance between nv
self and the cliffs in great leaps that
put me at their base in m@Glent.
My first cursory inspection of the
face of the cliffs filled my heart with
forebodings, since nowhere could dis
cern, except where the weird herald
stood still shrieking his shrill sum-
mons, the faintest indication of even a
bare foothold upon the lofty escarp-
ment.
Tars Tarkas was approaching me
rapidly, and still more rapidly came
the awful horde at his heels.
1t seemed the forest now or nothing
and I was Just on the point of motion
Ing Tars Tarkas to follow me in that
direction when the sun passed the
cliffs zenith, and as the bright rays
touched the dull surface 1t burst out
Into million scintillant lights of bur-
nished gold of flaming red, of soft
green's and cleaning whites-a more
gorgeous and inspiring spectacle hu-
man eye has never rested upon.
The face Of the entire cliff was, as
later inspection conclusively proved, SO
shot with veins and patches of solid
gold as to present the appearance of
a solid wall of that metal except where
1t was broken by outcroppings Of ruby,
emerald and diamond powders.
But what caught my most interested
attention at the moment that the suns
rays set the cliffs face a-shimmer was
the several black spots which now ap-
peared quite plainly in evidence high
across the gorgeous wall close to the
forests top and extending apparently
below and behind the branches.
Almost Immediately I recognized
them for what they were-the dark
openings of caves entering the solid
walls-possible avenues of escape or
temporary shelter could we but reach
them.
There was but single way, and that
led through the mighty, towering trees
upon our right. That 1 could scale
them knew full well, but Tars Tar
kas, with his mighty bulk and enor-
nous weight, would find it task pos
sibly quite beyond his prowess or his
skill.
Martians are at best but poor climb
ers. Upon the entire surface of that
ancient planet I before never had seen
hill or mountain that exceeded 1000
feet in height above the dead sea bot
toms, and as the ascent was usually
gradual nearly to their submits they
presented but few opportunities for
the practice of climbing.
However, there was nothing else to
consider than an attempt to scale the
trees contiguous to tie cliff in an ef-
fort to reach the caves above.
The Thark grasped the possibilities
and the difficulties Of the plan at once,
but there was no alternative, and so
we set out rapidly for the trees near
est the cliff.
Our relentless pursuers were now
close to us, so close that it seemed
that It would be an utter impossibility
for the Jeddak of Thark to reach the
forest in advance of them. Nor was
there any considerable will in the eff
forts that Tars Tarkas made, for the
green men of Barsoom do not relish
flight, nor ever before had seen one
fleeing from death in whatsoever form
1t might have confronted him.
AT length, however, we reached the
shadows Of the forest, while right be-
hind us sprang the swiftest of our pur-
Buers-a giant plant man with out
reaching claws to fasten his blood
sucking mouths upon us.