Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1921-05-27

to a speed that must tell on them sore
ly before we could hope to sight the
ending of the first stage of our journey.
We rode all night and all the follow
ing day with only few short rests.
On the second night both we and our
animals were completely tagged, and
so we lay down upon the moss and
slept for some five or six hours, taking
up the journey once more before day
light. All the following day we rode,
and when, late In the afternoon, we
had sighted no distant trees. the mark
Of the great waterways throughout all
Barsoom, the terrible truth flashed
upon us-we were lost.
Evidently we had circled but which
way it was difficult to say, nor did it
seem possible with the sun to guide
us by day and the moons and stars by
night. At any rate no waterway was
in sight, and the entire party was al
most ready to drop from hunger, thirst
and fatigue. Far ahead Of US and
trifie to the right we could distinguish
the outlines of low mountains. These
we decided to attempt to reach In the
hope that from some ridge we might
discern the missing waterway. Night
fell upon US before we reached our
goal and, almost fainting from weari-
ness and weakness, we lay down and
slept.
was awakened early In the morn
ing by some huge body pressing close
to mine and opening my eyes with
start l beheld my blessed old Woola
smuggling close to me; the faithful
brute had followed us across that
trackless waste to share our fate,
whatever It might be. Putting my arms
about his neck, l pressed my cheek
close to his. nor am 1 ashamed that
did 1t, nor of the tears that came to
my eyes as / thought of his love for
me. Shortly after this Dejah Thoris
and Sola awakened, and 1t was decid-
ed that we push on at once In an effort
to gain the hills.
We had gone scarcely a mile when l
noticed that my thoat was com
mencing to stumble and stagger in
most pitiful manner, although we had
not attempted to force them out of
walk since about noon of the preced-
ing day. Suddenly he lurched wildly
to one side and pitched violently to
the ground. Dejah Thoris and l were
thrown clear of him and fell upon the
soft moss with scarcely jar; but the
poor beast was in pitiable condition,
not even being able to rise, although
relieved of our weight. Sofa told me
that the GOODNESS of the night, when 1t
fell, together with the rest, would
doubtless revive him, and so / decided
not to kill him, as was my first inten-
ton, as had thought 1t cruel to leave
him alone there to die of hunger and
thirst. We left the poor fellow to his
fate and pushed on with the one thoat
as best we could. Sofa and l walked.
making Dejah Thoris ride, much
against her will. In this way we had
progressed to within about a mile of
the hills we were endeavoring to reach
when Dejah Thoris from her point of
vantage upon the thoat, cried out that
she saw a great party of mounted men
filing down from pass in the hills
several miles away. Sola and / both
looked in the direction she indicated.
and there. plainly discernible, were
several hundred mounted warriors.
They seemed to be headed in a south
westerly direction, which would take
them away from US.
They doubtless were Thark war
riors who had been sent out to cap
ture us, and we breathed great sigh
of relief that they were travelling in
the opposite direction. Quickly lifting
Dejah Thoris from the thoat / com
manded the animal to lie down and we
three did the same, presenting as small
an object as possible for fear of at
tracing the attention of the warriors
toward US.
AS what proved to be the last war
rior came into view from the pass, he
halted and, to our CONSERVATION, threw
his small but powerful fieldglass to his
eye and scanned the sea bottom in all
directions. As his glass swung toward
us our hearts stopped In our breasts
and / could feel the cold sweat start
from every pore in my body.
Presently 1t swung full upon us and
stopped. Then he lowered it and
we could see him shout a command to
the warriors who had passed from our
sight behind the ridge. He did not
wait for them to Join him, however;
instead he wheeled his thoat and came
tearing madly in our direction.
There was but one slight chance
and that we must take quickly. Rails
ing my strange Marian rifle to my
shoulder / sighted and touched the
button which controlled the trigger;
there was sharp explosion as the
missile reached its goal, and the charg-
ing chieftain pitched backward from
his flying mount.
Springing to my feet I urged the
thoat to rise, and directed Sofa to take
Dejah Thoris with her upon him and
make a mighty effort to reach the hills