Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-09
(Continl1ed.l

Continued
For an instant they recoiled before
my terrific onslaught, and in that in
slant the green warrior rose to the oc-
casion and, springing to my side, lay
to the right and left of him as had
never seen but one other warrior do.
With circling strokes that formed a
figure about him he did not stop
until none stood living to oppose him,
his keen blade passing through flesh
and bone as though each had been,
alike, thin air.
AS we bent to the slaughter far
above us rose that shrill, weird cry
which l had heard once before and
which had called the herd to the at
tack upon their victims. Again and
again 1t rose, but we were too much
engaged with the fierce, powerful crea-
lures about us to attempt to search
out even with our eyes the author of
the horrld notes.
Great tails lashed in frenzied anger
about US, raZor-like talons cut our
limbs and bodies, and green and
sticky sirup, such as ooZes from a
crushed caterpillar, smeared us from
head to foot, for every cut and thrust
of our long swords brought spurts of
this stuff upon Us from the severed
arteries OF the plant men, through
which it courses in its sluggish viscid-
ity in lieu Of blood.
Once 1 felt the great weight Of one
of the monsters upon my back, and as
keen talons sank into my flesh 1 ex-
perienced the frightful sensation of
moist lips sucking the blood from the
wounds to which the claws still clung.
was very much engaged with fe-
rocious fellow who was endeavoring to
reach my throat from in front while
two more, one on either side, were
lashing viciously at me with their tails.
The green warrior was much put to
it TO hold his own, and felt that the
unequal struggle could last but mo-
ment longer when the huge fellow dis
covered my plight, and, tearing himself
from those that surrounded him, he
raked the assailant from my back with
a sweep Of his blade, and, thus reliev-
ed, had little difficulty with the 9TH
ers.
Once together we stood almost back
to back against the great bowlder, and
thus the creatures were prevented
from soaring above us to deliver their
deadly blows. AS we were easily their
match while they remained upon the
ground we were making great head
way in dispatching what remained of
them when our attention was again
attracted by the shrill wall of the call
er above our heads.
This time glanced up, and far above
us upon little natural balcony on the
face of the cliff stood a strange figure
Of a man shrieking out his shrill sig
nal, while he waved a hand in the di-
rection Of the rivers mouth, as though
beckoning to some one there. With the
other he pointed and gesticulated to-
ward us.
A glance in the direction toward
which he was looking was sufficient to
apprise me of his aims and at the
same time to fill me with the dread of
dire apprehension.
Streaming in from all directions
across the meadow, from out of the
forest and from the far distance of the
fiat land across the river 1 could see
converging upon us a hundred differ
ent lines Of wildly leaping creatures
such as we were now engaged with,
and with them some strange new mon
sters which ran with great swiftness,
now erect and now upon all fours.
at will be great DEATH" said to
my companion. Look"
AS he shot quick glance in the d.
rection l indicated he smiled.
1--WE may at least die fighting and
as great warriors should, John Carter"
he replied.
We had just finished the last of our
immediate antagonists as he spoke,
and turned in surprised wonderment