The Connecticut labor news., 1921-10-07
"A Princess of Mars"
uIIIINjIL by EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS lIIIIIIIIN
Observation-Disclosures
Copyright, A. c. McClurg & Company.

ThrUSting Sab Than headlong from
the platform, I drew Dejah Thoris to
my side. Behind the throne was mar
row doorway and in this Than kosls
now stood facing me, with drawn
lOngSWOrd. In an instant we were en-
gagged, and | found no mean antago-
mist.
AS we circled upon the broad plat
form saw Sab Than rushing up the
steps to aid his father, but as he raised
his hand to strike, Dejah ThOris
sprang before him and then my sword
found the spot that made Sab Than
jeddak of Zodanga. AS his father
rolled dead upon the floor the new
jeddak tore himself free from Dejah
Thoris' grasp and again we faced each
other. He was soon joined by quar-
tet of officers and, with my back
against golden throne, fought once
again for Dejah ThOris.
Calling to her to get behind me
worked my way toward the little door
way back of the throne, but the otfi-
GERS realized my intentions and three
of them sprang in behind me and
blocked my chances for gaining a po-
sition where 1 could have defended
Deiah Thoris against an army of
sWOrdsmen.
The Thanks were having their hands
full in the center of the room, and
began to realize that nothing short of
miracle could save Dejah Thoris and
myself, when | saw Tars TarkaS surg
ing through the crowd of pigmies that
swarmed about him. With one swing
of his mighty IongswOrd he laid
dozen corpses al his feet, and so he
hewed a pathway before him until in
another moment he stood upon the
platform beside me. dealing death and
destruction right and left.
The bravery of the Zodangans was
| awe-inspiring; not one attempted to
escape, and when the fighting ceased
it was because only Thanks remained
alive in the great hall, other than De
iah Thoris and myself.
Sab Than lay dead beside his fa-
Their, and the corpses of the flower Of
/ Zodangan nobility and chiva1ry COW
| cred the floor of the bloody shambles.
My first thought when the battle
was over was for Kantos Kan, and
leaving Dejah Th0ris In charge of Tars
Tarkas | took a dozen warriors ana
| FASTENED to the dungeons beneath the
| palace The jailers had all left join
| the fighters in the throne room, so we
searched the labyrinthine prison with
cut opposition.
called Kantos Kan's name aloud In
|
and finally I was rewarded by hearing
| faint response Guided by the
i sound we soon found him helpless in
| dark recess.
He was oyerjoyed at seeing me and
to know the meaning Of the fight, FAINT
echoes of which had reached his pris-
| on cell He told me that the air pa
| troll had captured him before he
50 that he had not even seen Sab
Than
The sounds Of heavy firing, mingled
with shouts and cries. came to US from
the city's streets, and Tars Tarkas
FASTENED away to direct the fighting
without Kantos Kan accompanied
him to act as guide, the green warriors
commencing a thorough search of the
| palace for other Zodangans and for
loot, and Dejah Thoris and 1 were left
alone.
She had sunk into one of the golden
thrones, and as l turned to- her she
| greeted me with a wan smile.
"Was there ever such man!' she
exclaimed. alone, a stranger, hunt
ed, threatened, prosecuted, you have
done in a few short months what ir
all the past ages of Barsoom no mar
has ever done: joined together the
wild hordes of the sea bottoms anC
brought them to fight as allies of a rec
Marian people,"
1.-THE answer is easy, Dejah Thoris,'
I replied, smiling. ut was not 1 who