The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-05-13

Their eyes were close together and
non-protruding their ears were high
set, but more literally located than
those Of the Martians, while their
shouts and teeth were strikingly like
those of our African gorilla.
The cudgel was swinging in the arc
which ended upon my upturned face
when a bolt of myriad-legged horror
hurled itself through the doorway full
upon the breast of my executioner.
With a Shrek of fear the ape which
held me leaped through the open win
| dow, but its mate closed in terrific
death struggle with my preserver,
which was nothing less than my faith
full watch-thing; cannot bring myself
to call so hideous a creature dog.
AS quickly as. possible gained my
feet and backing against the wall l
witnessed such battle as 1t is vouch-
safed few beings to see. My beast
had an advantage In his first hold,
having sunk his mighty fangs far into
the breast of his adversary; but the
| great arms and paws Of the ape, back
ed by muscles far transcending those
of the Marian men l had seen, had
| locked the throat of my guardian and
| slowly were choking out his life, and
bending back his head and neck upon
his body, where / momentarily ex-
pected the former to fall limp at the
end of broken neck.
Back and forth upon the floor they
rolled, neither one emitting a sound
of fear or pain. Presently saw the
great eyes of my beast bullying COM
pletely from their sockets and blood
flowing from its nostrils. That he
was weakening perceptibly was evil
dent, but so also was the ape, whose
struggles were growing momentarily
less.
Suddenly came to myself and, with
that strange instinct which seems ever
to prompt me to my duty, seized the
cudgel, which had fallen to the floor
at the commencement Of the battle.
and swinging it with all the power of
my earthly arms crashed it full upon
the head of the ape, crushing his skull
as though it had been an egg shell.
Scarcely had the blow descended
when 1 was confronted with a new
danger. The apes mate, recovered
from it's first shock Of terror, had re-
turned to the scene of the encounter
by way of the interior of the building.
I was standing near the window
and knew that once in the street
might gain the plaza and safety
before the creature could overtake me !;
at least there was chance for safety
| in flight, against almost certain death
| should I remain and fight, however
| desperately.
/ had turned to make for the win
dow, but my eyes alighting on the form
of my erstwhile guardian threw all
thoughts Of flight to the four winds.
He lay gasping upon the floor of the
chamber, his great eyes fastened upon
me in what seemed pitiful appeal
for protection. I could not Withstand
| that look, nor could I, on second
thought, have deserted my rescuer
without giving as good an account in
his behalf as he had in mine.
Without more ado, therefore. /
| turned to meet the charge Of the in
|, furiated bull ape. He was now too
close upon me for the cudgel to prove
of anys effective assistance, so mere
ly threw it as heavily as could at
his advancing bulk. 1t struck him
just below the knees, eliciting howl
of pain and rage, and so throwing him
off his balance that he lunged full up
on me with arms wide stretched to
ease his fall.
Again, as on the preceding day, /
had recourse to earthly tactics, and
swinging my right fist full upon the
point of his chin 1 followed it with
smashing left to the pit of his
stomach The effect was marvellous,
for, as I lightly side-stepped, after de-
livering the second blow, he reeled
and fell upon the floor doubled up
with pain and gasping for wind Leap
ing over his PROSTATE body / seized
the cudgel and finished the monster
before he could regain his feet.
AS 1 delivered the blow low laugh
rang out behind me, and, turning, I
beheld Tars Tarkas, Sofa and three
or four warriors standing In the door
way of the chamber. As my eyes met
theirs I was, for the second time, the
recipient of their zealously guarded
applause.
My absence had been noted by Sofa
on her awakening and she had quickly
informed Tars Tarkas, who had set
out Immediately with handful of
warriors to search for me. AS they
had approached the limits of the city
they had witnessed the actions of the
bull ape as he bolted into the building,
frothing with rage.
They had followed Immediately be-
hind him, thinking it barely possible
that his actions might prove a clew to
my whereabouts, and had witnessed
my short but decisive battle with him.
This encounter, together with my set
to with the Marian warrior on the
previous day and my feats of jumping
placed me upon high pinnacle In
| their regard.
Sofa, who had accompanied the
searching party Of her own volition,
was the only one of the Martians
whose face had not been twisted in
laughter as battled for my life. She,
on the contrary, was sober with APP
parent solicitude and, as soon as I
had finished the monster, rushed to me
and carefully examined my body for
possible wounds or injuries. Salts
flying herself that / had come off un-
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