Cheyenne Wells record., 1921-08-18

,.,a,. that we now found ourselves
w,thout food or drink. and ! alone was
armed. We therefore urged our peas.e
tn . speed that must tell on them sore
iv before we could hope to signt tne
ending Of the first stage OF our 'ou,ney'
We rode all night and all the follow
ing day with only a few SNORT .es.S. ~
On the second night both we anu ou,
animals we're completely Jagged anu
40 we lay down upon the moss sno
Silent for some Ave or six hours takius
nm the tourney once more before day-
light. All the following DAY we f'u.,
and when, late in the afternoon we
had sighted no distant trees, the MARI
Of the great waterways throughout ..
Barsoom, the terrible truth nasheu
upon us-we were lost.
Evidently we had clrcled, but wnicn
way 1t was difficult to say. nor oia II
seem possible with the sun TO eu'oe
us by day and the moons ana stars W
night. At any rate no waterway was
In sight, and the entire party was Al
most ready to drop from hunger, thitst
and fatigue. Far ahead Of Us and =
trlfle to the right we could distinguisn
the outlines Of low mountains. Ihese
we decided to attempt to reach IN inc
hone that from some ridge we might
discern the missing waterway. Nient,
fell upon US before we reached our
goal and, almost fainting from weari.
ness and weakness, We lay down ana
slept. -
l was awakened early In the morn
Ing BY some huge body pressing close
to mine, and opening my eyes with q
start beheld my blessed old Woola
smuggling close to me; the faitnIui
brute had followed MS across that
trackless waste to share our fate'
whatever It might be. Putting my arms
about his neck. I pressed my cheek
close to his, nor am ashamed that l
did it. nor Of the tears that came to
my eyes a. l thought Of his love Tor
me. Shortly after this Dejah Thoris
and Sola awakened. and 1t was decid-
ed that we push on at once In an ehort
to gain the hills.
We had gone scarcely mile when l
noticed that my thoat was COM
mencing to stumble and stagger In a
most pltiful manner. although we had
not attempted to force them out Of a
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 were
thrown clear Of him and fell upon the
soft moss with scarcely jar; but the
poor beast was In q pitlable condition.
not even being able to rise, although
relieved Of our weight Sola told me
that the coolness 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, ,ds had thought 1t cruel to leave
him alone there to die of hunger and
thirst. I'VE left the poor fellow to his
fate and pushed on with the one thoat
as best we could. Sola and 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 great party Of mounted mer
filing down from . pass ip, the hilli
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 q 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, I 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
rtor came into view from the pass, he
halted and, to our CONSERVATION, threw
his small but powerful feldglass 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 1t and
we could see him shout a command to
the warriors who had passed from our
sight behind the ridge. He did not
walt for them to join him, however:
Instead he wheeled bis 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 rife to nv
shoulder I sighted and touched the
button which controlled the trigger:
there was a 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 Sola to take
DeJah Thoris with her upon him and