The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-04-23
CHAPTER X.
A Costly Recanture-

- SOSIly nCCdpIuTC.
AS the speaker ceased he turned TO
leave the apartment by the door where
| was standing, but | needed to wait
no longer; | had heard enough to fill
my soul with dread, and stealing quiet
ly away / returned to the courtyard by
the way / had come. My plan of ac-
ton was formed upon the instant and,
crossing the square and the bordering
avenue upon the opposite side, soon
stood within the courtyard of Tai Ha-
jus.
I glanced up at the stories above,
discovering that the third was appar-
emily unlighted, and so decided to
make my entrance to the building from
that point. 1t was The work Of but n
moment for me to reach the windows
above, and soon had drawn myself
within the sheltering shadows of the
unlighted floor.
Fortunately the room had selected
was untenanted, and creeping noiseless-
ly to the corridor beyond / discovered
a light in the apartments ahead of me-
Reaching what appeared to be door
way / discovered that 1t was but an
opening upon an immense inner cham
Der which lowered from the first floor,
two stories below me, TO the dome-iike
roof of the building. high above my
head The floor of this great circular
hall was thrOnged with chieftains, war
riOrs and women, and at one end was a
great raised platform upon which
squatted the most hideOus beast / had
ever put my eyes upon. He had all
the cold, hard, cruel, terrible features
of the green warriors, but accumulated
and debased by the animal passions to
which he had given himself over for
many years. There was not mark Of
dignity or pride upon his bestial coun-
tenance, while his enormous bulk
spread itself out upon the platform
where he squatted like some huge
devil fish, his six limbs accentuating
the similarity In a horrible and star
Ting manner.
But the sight that froze me with APP
prehension was that of Dejah Thoris
and Sofa standing there before him,
and the fiendlsh leer of him~s he LET
his great prOtruding eyes gloat upon
the lines of her beautiful figure. She
stood there erect before him. her head
high held. and even at the distance
was from them I could read the scorn
and disgust upon her face as she let
her naughty glance rest without sign
Of fear upon him.
Presently Tai Hiatus made a sign
that the chamber be cleared, and that
the prisoners be left alone with him.
Slowly the chieftains. the warriors
and the women melted away into the
shadows OF the surrounding chambers.
and Dejah ThOris and Sola stood
alone before the jeddnk of the Thanks
One chieftaiR alone had hesitated
before departing; l saw him standing
In the shadows of mighty column.
his fingers nervously toying with the
hilt of his great sword and his cruel
eyes bent In implacabie hatred upon
Tai Hajus. II was Tars Tarkas. and
! could read his thoughts as IL they
were an open book. for the undis-
guised lOathing upon his face. He was
thinking of that other woman who.
forty years ago, had stood before this
beast. and could have spoken word
into his ear at that moment the reign
of Tat Hajus would have been over;
but finally he also strobe from the
room, not knowing that he left his own
daughter at the mercy of the creature
he most loathed.
Tai Hajus arose, and l, half fearing.
half anticipating his intentions. hur-
ried 10 the winding runway which led
to the floors below. No one was near
to Intercept me. and reached the
main floor OF the chamber un0bserved
taking my station ii the shadow Of
the same column that Tars Tarkns hal
hnl just deserted. A. reached the
floor TIL naius was speaking