Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-08
Copyright by Frank A. Munssy Co.



of a common enemy.
Both men and women were armed
with long swords and daggers but no
firearms were in evidence, else it had
been short shift for the grewsome
plant men of Barsoom.
Presently the leader of the plant
men charged the little party, and his
method of attack was as remarkable
as 1t was effective and by its very
strangeness was the more potent, since
in the science of the green warriors
there was no defense for this singular
manner of attack.
The plant man charged to within
dozen feet of the party and then, with
a bound, rose as though to pass direct.
ly above their heads. His powerful
tail was raised high to one side, and
as he passed close above them he
brought it down in one terrific sweep
that crushed green warriors skull as
though it had been an eggshell.
The balance of the frightful herd
was now circling rapidly and with b,
wildering speed about the little knot of
victims. Their prodigious bounds and
the shrill screeching pur of their un-
canny mouths We're well calculated tc
confuse and terrorize their prey, so that
as two of them leaped simultaneously
from either side the mighty sweep OF
those awful tails met with no resist.
ance, and two more green Martians
went down to an ignoble death.
There were now but one warrior and
two females left, and it seemed that il
could be but q matter of seconds ere
these also lay dead upon the sward.
But, as two or more of the plant men
charged. the warrior, who was now pre-
pared by the experiences of the past
few minutes, swung his mighty long
sword aloft and met the hurtling bulk
with a clean cut that Glove one of the
plant men from chin to groin.
The other, however, dealt a single
blow with his cruel tail that laid both
of the females crushed corpses upon
the ground.
AS the green warrior saw the last OF
his companions go down and at the
same time perceived that the entire
herd was charging him in a body he
rushed boldly to meet them, swinging
his long sword in the terrific manner
that had so often seen the men vi his
kind WELD 1t in their ferocious and al.
most continual warfare among theil
own race
Cutting and hewing to right and left.
he laid an open path straight through
the advancing plant men and then
commenced a mad race for the forest,
in the shelter of which he evidently
hoped he might find haven of refuge.
He had turned for that portion of the
forest which abutted on the cliffs, and
thus the fight was taking the entire
party farther and farther from the
bowlder where lay concealed.
AS I had watched the fight which
the great warrior had made against
such odds my heart had swelled for
him, and acting as I am wont to do.
more upon impulse than after mature
deliberation, l sprang from my shell
tering rock and bounded quickly to-
ward the bodies of the dead green
Martians, we'll defined plan of action
already formed.
Half dozen great leaps brought me
to the spot, and another instant saw
me again in my stride in rapid pursuit
Of the hideous monsters that were rap
Idly gaining on the fleeing warrior.
But this time I grasped a mighty
long sword in my hand, and in my
heart was the old blood lust of the
fighting man.
A red mist swan before my eyes.
and felt my lips respond to my heart
in the old smile that has marked me In
the midst of the Joy of battle.
Though swift, was none too soon.
for the green warrior had been over
taken before he had made half the dls-
lance to the forest. and now he stood
with his back to the bowlder while the
herd, temporarily baked. hlssed and
screeched about him.
With their single eyes in the center
of their heads and every eve turned
upon their prey, they did not note my
soundless approach, so that was upon
them with my great long sword, and
four of them lay dead before they knew
that was among them.