The Snowflake herald., 1921-04-29

hewed a pathway before him until Ia
another moment he stood upon the
platform beside me, dealing death and
destruction right and left.
The bravery Of the Zodangans was
awe-inspiring not one attempted to
escape, and when the fighting ceased
it was because only Thanks remained
alive in the great hall, other than De-
jah Thoris and myself.
Sab Than lay dead beside his ia,
ther. and the corpses Of the flower Of
Zodangan nobility and chivalry COW
cred the floor of the bloody shambles.
My first thought when the battle
was over was for KantOS Kan, and
leaving Dejah Thoris in charge Of Tars
Tarkas / took a dozen warriors and
hastened to the dungeons beneath the
palace. The jaiIers had all left to join
the fighters in the throne room, so we
searched the labyrinthine prison with
out opposition.
l called Kantos Kan's name aloud in
each new corridor and compartment,
and finally was rewarded by hearing
faint response. Guided by the
sound, we soon found him helpless in
a dark recess.
He was Overjoyed at seeing me and
to know the meaning Of the fight, faint
echoes of which had reached his pris-
on cell. He told me that the air pas
troll had captured him before he
reached the high tower of the palace,
so that he had not even seen Sab
Than.
The sounds of heavy firing, mingled
with shouts and cries, came to us from
the citys streets, and Tars Tarkas
hastened away to direct the fighting
without. KantOs Kan accompanied
him to act as guide, the green warriors
commencing a thorough search of the
palace for other Zodangans and for
loot, and Dejah Thoris and were left
alone.
She had sunk into one Of the golden
thrones, and as / turned to her she
greeted me with a wan smile.
"Was there ever such a manw she
exclaimed. "Alone, a stranger, hunt
ed, threatened, prosecuted, you have
done in a few short months what in
all the past ages of BarsOom no man
has ever done: joined together tho
wild hordes Of the sea bottoms and
brought them to fight as allies Of red
Martian people,"
''The answer is easy, Dejah Thoris," ;"
/ replied, smiling. ut was not / who
did 1t, it was love, love for Dejah
Thoris, a power that would work
greater miracles than this you have
seen. / have done many strange
things in my life, many things that
wiser men would not have dared, but
never in my widest fancies have 1
dreamed of winning Dejah ThOris
for myself-for never had 1 dreamed
that in all the universe dwelt such a
woman as the princess of Helium.
That you are a princess does not abash
me, but that you are you is enough
to make me doubt my sanity as / ask
you, my princess, to be mine"
HE does not need to be abashed
who so well knew the answer to his
plea before the plea were made" she
replied, rising and placing her dear
hands upon my shoulders, and so I
took her in my arms and kissed her.
And thus in the midst Of city Of
wild conflict, filed with the alarms of
war; with death and destruction reap
ing their terrible harvest around her,
did Dejah Thoris, princess of Helium,
promise herself in marriage to John
| Carter, Gentleman of Virginia.
Some time later Tars Tarkas and
Kantos Kan returned to report that
Zodanga had been completely reduced.
Her forces were entirely destroyed or
captured. and no further resistance
was to be expected from within. Sew
eral battleships had escaped, but there
were thousands of war and merchant
vessels under guard of Thark war
riors.
The lesser hordes had commenced
looting and quarreling among them
selves, so it was decided that we col
| lect what warriors we could, man as
many vessels as possible with Zodan-
gan prisoners and make for Helium
without further loss of time.
Five hours later we sailed from the
roofs of the dock buildings with fleet
of two hundred and fifty battleships,
carrying nearly one hundred thousand
green warriors, followed by feet of
transports with our thoats.
In the middle of the afternoon we
sighted the scarlet and yellow towers
Of Helium, and a short time later a
great fleet Of Zodangan battleships
rose from the camps of the besiegers
without the city and advanced to meet
us.
The banners of Helium had been
strung from stem to stern of each of
our mighty craft, but the ZOdangans
did not need this sign to realize that
we were enemies, for our green Mar
/ tian warriors had ODened fire upon