Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-23

John Carter" he exclaimed, and
then sudden troubled look came into
his eyes. MY prince" he started.
'where hast thou
And then he stopped, but knew the
question that his lips dared not frame.
The loyal fellow would not be the one
to force from mine confession OF the
| terrible truth that had returned from
the bosom of Iss, the river of mystery.
back from the shore of the sea OF 10
rus and the valley Dor.
"Ah, M prince" he continued. as
though no thought had interrupted his
greeting. that you are back is suffi-
cient, and let Hor Vastus' sword have
the high honor of being first at they
| feet
| With these words the noble fellow
unbuckled his scabbard and flung his
sword upon the ground before inc.
! Could you know the customs and the
character of red Martians you would
appreciate the depth of meaning that
that simple act conveyed to me and to
all about us who witnessed it.
:
"My sword. my body. my life. my soul.
are yours. to do with as you wish
Until death and after death look to
you alone for authority for my every
act. Be you right or wrong. your word
shall be my only truth. Whose raises
his hand against you must answer to
my sword
1t is the oath of fealty thIt men oc-
casionally pay to a jeddak whose high
character and chlvalrous acts have in
spired their enthusiastic love OF his fol-
lowers. Never had known this high
tribute paid to lesser mortal.
There was but one response pos
sible. stopped and lifted the sword
from the ground, raised the hilt to my
lips, and then, stepping to Hor Vastus,
I buckled the weapon upon him with
my own hands.
"Hor Vastus," said, placing my
hand upon his shoulder, "you know
best the promptings of your own heart.
That shall need your sword l have
little doubt, but accept from John CSr-
ter upon his sacred honor the assur-
ance that he will never call upon you
| to draw this sword other than in the
cause of truth, justice and righteous
ness"
"That l knew, my prince" he re-
piled. "ere ever 1 threw my beloved
blade at thy feet
AS we spoke other fiers came and
went between the ground and the bat
tleship, and presently a larger boat
was launched from above, one capable
of carrying a dozen persons perhaps,
and dropped lightly near us. AS she
touched, an officer sprang from her
deck to the ground and, advancing to
Hor Vastus, saluted.
"Kantos Kan desires that this party
whom we have met be brought i'm
mediately to the deck of the Xava-
rian," he said.
As we approached the little craft
looked about for the members of my
party and for the first time noticed
that Thuvia was not among them.
Immediately Hor vastus dispatched
dozen air scouts in as many direc-
tions to search for her. 1t could not
be possible that she had sSne far since
we had last seen her. We others
stepped to the deck of the craft that
had been sent to fetch us and a mo-
ment later were upon the Xayarian.
The first man to greet me was Kan
tos Kan himself. My old friend had
won to the highest place in the navy
of Helium, but he was still to me the
same brave comrade who had shared
with me the privations of q Warhoon
dungeon, the terrible atrocities of the
great games and later the dangers OF
our search for Dejah Thoris within
the hostile city of Zodanga.
Then l had been an unknown wan
derer upon strange planet and he a
simple padwar in the navy of Helium
Today he commanded all Heliums
great terrors of the skies. and was
prince of the house OF Tardos Mors
1eddak of Helium.
He did not ask me where had been.
Like Hor Vastus, he, too. dreaded the
truth and would not be the one to
wrest a statement from me. That It
must come some time he we'll knew,
but until IT came he seemed satisfied
to but know that was with him once
more.
He greeted Carthoris and Tars Tar
kas with the keenest delight, but he
asked neither where he had been. He
could scarcely keep his hands OF the
boy.
"Yeu do not know, John Carter" he
said to me, chow we of Helium love
this son of yours. 1t is as though all
the great love we bore his noble father
and his poor mother had been centered
in him. When 1t became known that
he was lost 100000 people wept.p
What mean you, Kantos Kan,r j
whispered, 'by his poor mother?" for
the words had seemed to carry sinis-
ter meaning which ! could not fathom.
He drew me to one siGe.
xrsr n Ha-4sx.zIi