The Lamar register., 1921-04-13
CHAPTER XIV.
Lost In the Sky.

ters, where felt sure ] should find
Kantos Kan. He was alone and
showed no surprise at my coming.
saying he had expected me much
earlier. as my tour OF duty must have
ended some time since.
saw that he knew nothing of the
events of the day at the palace, and
when I had enlightened him he was all
excitement The news that Dejah Thoris
had promised her hand TO Sab Than
6lled him with dismay.
''It cannot be-" he exclaimed. at Is
impossibla Why. no man In all He'll
um but would prefer death to the sell
Ing of our loved princess to the ruling
house Of Zodnnga. She must have lost
her mind to have assented TO such an
atrocious bargain. What can be done.
John Carteri You are a resourceful
man. Can you not think of some way
to save HelIum from this disgraceT'
"If can come within swords reach
Of Sab Than" ! answered. 81 can solve
the difficulty In 50 far ms Helium II
concerned. hui for personal reasons
would prefer that another struck the
bloN NHuN lfftH bNlah
Kantos Kan eyed me narrowly be
fore he spoke.
"You love herl" he said. Does she
know III"
"she knows II, Kantos Kan. and re-
pulses me only because she is prom
issd to Sab Than"
The splendid fellow sprang to his
feet and. grnspIng me by the shoul-
der. raised his sword on high. ex.
claiming:
And had the choice been left TO me
| could not have chosen more lifting
mate for the first princess OF Barsoom.
Here Is my hand upon your shoulder,
John Carter. and my word that Sab
Than shall go out at the point of my
sword for the sake OF my love for
Heliun. for Dejah Thoris and for you.
This very night ! shali try TO reach his
quarters in the palace.
81 only need to pass these guards
and ! can do H. know a secret en-
trance TO the palace through the pin.
nacle OF the highest tower. ! fell upon
II by chance one day as | was passing
above the palace on patrol duty. II
can reach the roof OF the barracks and
get my machine Gun he In Sab Than's
quarters In five minutes: but how am
! to escape from this building. guard
ed as you say II is?"
Go to the roof of this building.
kantos Kan. and wait me there"
Without stopping 10 explain my
,ta I h..
and hastened TO the barracks. did
not dare TO enter the building. filled as
II was with members of the alr-scout
squadron. who. In common with all
Zodanga. were on the lookout for me.
The building was an enormous one,
rearing Its lofty head fully thousand
feet into the air. II was a long climb
up the face of the building, but there
was no other way. and so ] essayed
the task The fact that Barsoomian
architecture is extremely ornate made
the feat much simpler than | had an
cipated. since found ornamental
lodges and projections which fairly
formed perfect ladder for me all the
way to the caves Of the building. Here
] met my first real obstacle. The caves
projected nearly twenty feet from the
wall TO which chung. and though ]
encircled the great building ] could
dnd no opening through them.
There was one slight, desperate
chance. and that decided must take
1T was for Dejah Thoris, and no man
has lived who would not risk thou
sand deaths for such as she.
Clinging to the wall with my feet
and one hand I unloOsened one Of the
long leather straps of my trappings
at the end OF which dangled a great
hook by which air sailors are hung to
the sides and bottoms OF their craft
for various purposes of repair. and by
means of which landing parties are
lowered to the ground from the battle
ships.
I swung this hook cautiously to the
roof several times before 1t finally
found lodgment; gently l pulled on II
to strengthen Its hold, but whether II
would bear the weight Of my body
did not know. 1t might be barely
caught upon the very outer verge OF
the roof SO that as my body swung out
at the end of the strap It would slip
OF and launch me to the pavement q