The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-02-06

men of Mars; their ears are high set, but more laterally located than are the green mems, while their shouts and teeth are much like those of our African gorilla. Upon their heads grows an enormous shock of bristly hair.
 Time and again the ferocious apes sprang in to close with us, and time and again we beat them back with our swords. The great tails of the plant men lashed about us as they charged from various directions or sprang with the agility of greyhoundsi above our heads.
 But every attack met a gleaming blade in sword hands that had been reputed for twenty years the best that Mars had ever known, for Tars Tarkas and John Carter were names that the fighting men of this world of warriors loved best to speak.
 But even the two best swords in a world of fighters can avail not for ever against overwhelming numbers of fierce and savage brutes, and so, step by step, we were forced back. At length we stood against the giant tree that we had chosen for our as- cent, and then, as charge after charge hurled its weight upon us, we gave back again and again until we had been forced halfway round the huge base of the colossal trunk. Tars Tarkas was in the lead, and suddenly heard a little cry of ex- ultation from him..
 "Here is shelter for one at least, John Carter" he said, and, glancing down, saw an opening in the base of the tree about three feet in diameter. "In with you, Tars Tarkas!" I cried, but he would not go, saying that his bulk was too great for the little aper- ture, while I might slip in easily. eve shall both die if we remain without, John Carter. Here is slight chance for one of us. Take it and you may live to avenge me. It is useless for me to attempt to worm my way into so small an opening with this horde of demons besetting us on all sides"
 s@Then we shall die together, Tars Tarkas," I replied, flor shall not go first. Let me defend the opening while you get in. Then my smaller stature will permit me to slip in with you before they can prevent" We still were fighting furiously as we talked in broken sentences, punc- tuated with vicious cuts and thrusts at our swarming enemy.
 At length he yielded, Tor it seemed the only way in which either of us might be saved from the ever increas- ing numbers of our assailants, who were still swarming upon us from all directions across the broad valley.
 "It was ever your way, John Car ter, to think last of your own life," he said, "but still more your way to command the lives and actions of oth- CTS, even to the greatest of ieddaks who rule upon Barsoom'
 There was a. grim smile upon his face as he, the greatest jeddak of them all, turned to obey the dictates of creature of another world-of man whose stature was less than half his own.
 "If you fail, John Carter" he said. know that the cruel and hearLless Thark, to whom you taught the mean ing of friendship, will come out to die beside, you
 "As you will. my friend" replied. "But quickly now, head first, while cover your retreat
 He hesitated |, little at that word 10 never in his whole life cf continual strife had he before turned his back upon aught than dead or defeated enemy.
 AS he dropped to the ground to force his way into the tree the whole howl ing pack of hideols devils hurled themselves upon lue. To right and left flew my sbinmering blade, new green with the sticky juice of plant man, now red with tho crimson blood of a great white ape.
 And thus I fought as 1 never had fought before against frightful odds that cannot realize even now.