The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-04-30
CHAPTER viiI-Continued.

u
"Is she injured?" / asked of Sofa,
indicating Dejah Thoris by an inclina-
ton of my head.
NO she answered, "she thinks
that you are dead. | do not under
stand either her ways or yours, but /
am sure the granddaughter of ten
thousand jeddaks would never grieve
like this over the death of one she
considered beneath her, or indeed over
any one who held but the highest claim
upon her affections.
Tears are a strange sight upon
BarsoOm," she continued, land so ii
Is difficult for me to interpret them.
/ have seen but two people weep In
all my life, other than Dejah ThOris
one wept from sorrow, the other from
baffied rage. The first was my moth
er. years ago. before they killed her;
the other was Sarkoja. when they
dragged her from me today
"Yonr mother" I exclaimed. "but,
Sofa, you could not have known your
mother. child
But l did. And my father also"
she added ''If you would like to hear
the strange and -Barsoomian story
come to the chariot tonight. John Car
ter, and l will tell you that Of which ]
have never spoken in all my life be-
fore"
Il will come tonight, Sola." prom
Al AL
am alive and well. II she would speak
with me I but await her command"
Sofa mounted the chariot. which was
swinging into Its place In line. and l
FASTENED to my waiting thoat and gal
Hoped to my station beside Tars Tar
kas ut the rear of the column.
We made most imposing and awe
inspiring spectacle as we strung out
across the yellow landscape: the two
hundred and fifty ornate and brightly
colored chariots. preceded by an adj
vance guard Of some two hundred
mounted warriors and chieftains rid
ing 1--WE abreast and one hundred yards
apart, and followed by a like number
In the same formation, with score or
more OF fiankers on either side: the
fifty extra mastodons, or heavy
draught animals, known as zitidars.
and the five or six hundred extra
thoats Of the warriors running loose
within the hollow square formed by
the surrounding warriors. The gieam-
ing metal and jewels Of the gorgeous
ornaments of the men and women. du-
plicated in the trappings Of the xiti-
dars and thoats, and interpreted with
the flashing colors Of magnificent silks
and f,rs and feathers. lent barbaric
splendor to the caravan which would
have turned an East Indian potentate
Rreen with envy.
The enormous broad tires Of the
chariots and the padded feet Of the
animals brought forth no sound from
me moss-covered sea bottom; and 80
ue moved In utter silence, like some
hinge phantasmagoria. except when the
sillness was broken by the cultural
srowline Of 4 goaded zitidar. or the
4 s.ueaIing Of fighting thoats. The green
1s.rtiane converse but little, and then
um.ily il monosyllables, low and like
the faint rumbling Of distant thunder.
We traversed trackless waste Of
moss which, bending to the pressure o.
broad tire OF padded foot, rose up
arain behind MS. leaving no sign that
- hat, passed. We might indeed have
49, ne wraiths Of the departed dead
,non TIE dead sea Of that dying planet
for IN the sound or sign We made N
rssaing. II was the flrst march Of
i.rre body Of men and animals ! had
ever witnessed which raised no dust
.rd left no spoor; for there Il no dus'
upon Mars except n the cuitivafed dls
sricts during the winter months. and