The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1921-03-11

and made as chougn 10 assume custody
OF her once more. The poor child
shrank against me and felt her two
little hands fold tightly over my arm.
Waving the women away. | Informed
them that Sofa would attend the cap
tive hereafter Sarkoja merely gave
us an ugly look and departed to hatch
up deviltrles against MS
| soon found Sola and explained 10
her that | wished her TO guard Dejah
Thors as she had guarded me; that !
wished her 10 find other quarters
where they would not he molested by
Sarkoja. and finally Informed her
that I myself would take up my quar-
tiers among the men.
"You are a great chleftain now, John
Carter" she said. "and must do your
bidding. though indeed am glad TO do
Il under any circumstances. The man
whose metal you carry was young but
he was a great warrior, and had by his
promotions and Kills won his way close
TO the rank Of Tars Tarkas, who, as
you know. is second 10 Lorquas Ptomel
only. You are eleventh, there are but
ten chleftalns In this community who
rank you In proves"
"And II should kin Lorquas Pto-
mei7" asked
"You would be FIRST, John Carter;
but you may only win that honor by
the will OF the eHtlre council that Lor.
quas Ptomel meet YOU In combat or
should he attack you, You may XIII hin
IN self.defense, and thus win FIRST
place"
! laughed. and changed the subject.
had no particular desire 70 Kill Lor'
duas Ptome, and less 20 be Jed
among the Thanks.
accompanied Sofa and Dejah Thor.
IS in a search for new quarters, which
We found In n building near the audi
ence chamber and Of far more preten.
tious architecture than our former
habitntion. We also found IN this
building real sleeping apartments with
ancient beds OF highly wrought metal
depending from the marble ceilings.
The decoration OF the walls was most
elaborate and unlike the frescoes In
the other buildings ! had examined.
portrayed many human figures In the
compositions. These were OF people
Ike myself. and OF a much lighter col
or than Dejah Thor!S. They were clad
In graceful. lowing robes. highly orna-
mented with metal and jewels, and
their luNuriant hair was 81 beautiful
golden and reddish bronze The men
we're beardless and only few wore
arms. The scenes depicted for the
most part a fair-Sklnned, fair-haired
people az play.
Dejah Thorls clasped her hands
with an exclamation OF rapture as she
gszed upon these magnificent works OF
art, wrough, by people long extinct :
while Sofa. on the other hand, appar
entity did not see them.
We decided 20 use this room. on the
second floor aud overlooking the plaza,
for Dejah Thorls and Sofa, and an
other room adjoining and In the rear
FOR cooking aud supplies. then dis
patched Sofa TO bring the bedding and
such food and utensils as she might
need. telling her that ! would guard
Dejah Thor.s until her return.
As Soa departed Dejah Thoris
turned 10 me with a faint smile.
And TO where. then, would your pris-
oner escape should you leave her, I'M
less 10 was to follow you and crave
your protection, and ask your pardon
for tLe cruel thoughts she has har'
bored against YOU these past few
days."
you are right" | answered, there
Is no escape for either OF US unless We
so together"
- heard your challenge TO the crea'
ure you call Tars Tarkas and think
/ understand your position among
these people, but what cannot fathom
is your statement that you are not OF
Barsoom.
In the name OF my first ancestor
then" she continued, "where may you
be fromf You are Ike unto my PEG.
pie. and yet so unlike. You speak my
language. and yet heard you tell
Tars Turkns that you had but learned
II recently. All Barsoomans speak the
same tongue from the ice-clad south "a
the lce-clad north, though their written
languages differ. Only in the valley
Dor. where the river ISIS empties into
the lost sea of koruS. is there supposed
TO be different language spoken. ana
except In the legends of our ancestors
there Is no record of Barsoomlan re-
turning up the river ISIS. from the
shores of Korus In the valley Of Dor
Do not tell me that you have thus re-
turned They would kill you horribly
} anywhere upon the surface of Barsool
IL that were true; tell me II is not
Her little hands. reached up upot
: my breast. were pressed against INT
as though TO wiring a denial from my