Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1921-07-15

1t was because only Thanks remained
alive In the great hall. other than De
JAN Thoris and myself.
Sab Than lay dead beside his IA.
ther, and the eorpses of the flower Of
ZOdangan nobility and chlvalry 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 1 took dozen warriors and
FASTENED to the dungeons beneath the
palace. The jailers had all left to Join
the fighters in the throne room. so we
searched the labyrinthine prison with
out opposition,
/ called Kantos Kan's name aloud In
each new corridor and compartment,
and finally I 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 pa
troll had captured him before he
reached the high tower of the palace,
so shat he had not even seen Sab
Than.
The soau6s of heavy firing, mingled
with shouts and cries, came to us from
the city's streets, and Tars Tarkas
fastened 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 l turned to her she
greeted me with wan smile
WAS there ever such a MANI she
exclaimed. alone, stranger. hunt
ed, threatened, prosecuted, you have
done In few short months what in
all the past ages Of Barsoom no man
has ever done: Joined together the
wild hordes of the sea bottoms and
brought them to fight as allies of a red
Martian people"
1.-THE answer is easy, Dejah Thoris,"
I replied, smiling. at was not / who
did 1t, 1t was love, love for Dejah
Thoris, q 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 l
dreamed of winning q Dejah Thoris
for myself-for never had l 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 10 his
| plea before the plea were made" she
replied, rising and placing her dear
| hands upon my shoulders, and so
took her in my arms and kissed her.
And thus IN the midst of city of
9ild conflict, filled with the alarms of
war; with death and destruction reap
ing their terrible harvest around her,
did Dejah Thoris, princess of Helium,
true daughter of Mars, the god of war,
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
We're thousands of war and merchant
vessels under guard of Thark war
riors.
The lesser hordes had commenced
footing and quarreling among them
| selves, so 1t 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 a feet
Of two hundred and fifty battleshlps,
carrying nearly one hundred thousand
green warriors, followed by a fleet of
transports with our thoats.
In the middle Of the afternoon we
sighted the scarlet and yellow towers
Of Hellum, and a short time later
great fleet of Zodangan battleships
rose from the camps Of the besiegers
withcat the city and advanced to meet
us.
The banners Of Heiium 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 opened fire upon
them almost as they left the ground.
With their uncanny craftsmanship
they raked the oncoming fleet with vol
ley after volIey.
TIE twin cities Of Helum percoiv-
ing thar we were friends, sent out bun.
dreds Of vessels 70 aid us, and then
began TIE fiist real air battle / had
ever witnessed
CTO BE Continued