The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-06-24

less women turned my head that I
might not see the horrid sight. The
yells and laughter of the green horde
bore witness to the excellent quality
of the sport and when / turned back
to the arena, as Kantos Kan told me
| 1t was over, / saw three victorious
calOts, snarling and growing over the
bodies of their prey. The women had
given a good account of themselves.
Next mad zitidar was loosed
among the remaining dogs, and SO it
went throughout the long, hot, hor-
rible day.
During the day / was pitted against
first men and then beasts. but as was
armed with longsword and always
outclassed my adversary in agility
and generally in strength as well, it
proved but child's play to me. Time
and time again won the applause of
the bloodthirsty multitude, and toward
| the end there were cries that / be
| taken from the arena and be made a
member of the hordes of Warhoon
Finally there were but three of us
| left, great green warrior of some far
northern horde, Kantos Kan, and my
self. The other two were to battle
and then I to fight the conqueror for
| the liberty which was accorded the
| final winner.
Kantos Kan had fought several
times during the day and like myself
had always proven victorious, but oc-
casionalry by the smallest of margins,
especially when pitted against the
green warriors. I had little hope that
he could best his giant adversary who
| had moved down all before him dur
ing the day. The fellow lowered near
| ly sixteen feet in height, while Kantos
| Kan was some inches under six feet.
| AS they advanced to meet one another
| saw for the first time a trick of
Marian workmanship which cen-
tered Kantos Kan's every hope of vic
tory and life on one cast of the dice,
| for, as he came to within about twen-
| ty feet of the huge fellow he threw mis-
sword arm far behind him over his
/ shoulder and with a mighty sweep
hurled his weapon point foremost at
the green warrior. 1t flew true as an
arrow and piercing the poor devils
heart laid him dead upon the arena.
Kantos Kan and were now pitted
against each other but as we ap-
preached to the encounter I whispered
to him to prolong the battle until near
ly dark in the hope. that we might
find some means of escape. Just as ]
saw the sudden coming of dark whis-
pered to Kantos Kan to thrust his
sword between my left arm and my
body. AS he did so staggered back
clasping the sword tightly with my
arm and thus fell to the ground with
his weapon apparently protruding
from my chest. Kantos Kan perceived
my coup and stepping quickly to my
side he placed his foot upon my neck
and Withdrawing his sword from my
body gave me the final death blow
through the neck which is supposed to
sever the jugular vein. but in this In
stance the cold blade slipped harm
lessly into the sand of the arena. In
the darkness which had now fallen
none could tell but that he had really
finished me. / whispered to him ia
go and claim his freedom and then
look for me in the hills east Of the
city, and so he left me.
When the amphitheater had cleared
! crept stealthiiy to the top and af
the great excavation lay far from the
plaza and In an untenanted portion OF
the great dead city had little trouble
in reaching the hills beyond.
| For two days I waited there fol-
Kantos Kan, but as he did not come ]
started of on foot in northwesterly
direction toward point where he had
told me lay the nearest waterway. Nj
only food consisted Of vegetable mill