Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-03-11

"You are a brave people and yoH
| love bravery. but where was your
mighty jeddak during the fighting to-
day? I did not see him in the thick
of battle; he was not there. He rends
defenseless women and little children
in his lair. but how recently has one
of you seen him fight with men? Why,
even I, a midget beside him, felled him
with a single blow of my fist. Is it Of
such that the Thanks fashion their
jeddaks? There stands beside me now
4 great Thank. a mighty warrior and a
noble man. Chieftains, how sounds,
Tars Tarkas, Jeddak of Thark?"
A roar of deep-toned applause greet
ed this suggestion.
at but remains for this council to
command, and Tai Hajus must prove
his fitness to rule. Were he brave
man he would invite Tars Tarkas to
combat, for he does not love him, but
Tai Hajus is afraid; Tai Hiatus, your
ieddak, is a coward. With my bare
hands l could kill him, and he knows
it,"
After I ceased there was tense 81
lence. as all eyes were riveted upon
Tai Hajus. He did not speak or move,
but the blotchy green of his coun-
tenance turned livid, and the froth
frOze upon his lips.
"Tal Hajus." said Lorquas PtOmel in
a cold, hard voice, never in my long
life have I seen a jeddak Of the Thanks
so Inundated. There could be but one
answer to this arraignment. We wait
it." And still Tai Hajus stood as
though petrified.
"Chieftains." continued Lorquas
Ptomel, shall the jeddak, Tai Haius,
prove his fitness to rule over Tars Tar
kas?"
There were twenty chieftains about
the rostrum. and twenty swords
flashed high in assent.
There was 10 alternative. That de-
cree was final, and so Tai Hajus drew
his longsword and advanced to meet
Tars Tarkas.
The combat was soon over, and, with
his foot upon the neck of the dead
monster, Tars Tarkas became jeddak
among the Thanks.
His first act was to make me full
fledged chieftain with the rank had
won by my cOmbats the first few weeks
of my captivity among them.
Seeing the favorable disposition of
E,N.r To- nFl-n
we'll as toward me, grasped the OPP
portunity to enlist them in my cause
against Zodanga. l told Tars Tarkas
the story of my adventures, and in
few words had explained to him the
thought l had in mind.
"JOhn Carter has made a proposal"
he said, addressing the council, (which
meets with my sanction. / shall put it
to you briefly. Deiah ThOris. the
princess of H&lium, who was our pris-
oner, is now held by the jeddak of 70
danga. whose son she must wed to
save her country from devastation at
the hands of the Zodangan forces.
John Carter suggests that we res
cue her and return her to Helium. The
loot of Zodanga would be magnificent
and l have often thought that had we
an alliance with the people of Helum
we could obtain sufficient assurance of
sustenance to permit us to increase
the size and frequency of our hatch
ings, and thus become unquestionably
SUP -eme among the green men of all
Barsoom. What say yOu?"
1t was a chance to fight, an oppor-
tunity to loot, and they rose to the
bait as a speckled trout to a fly.
In three days we were on the march
toward Zodanga, one hundred thou
sand strong, as Tars Tarkas had been
able to enlist the services of three
smaller hordes on the promise Of the
great loot of Zodanga.
We travelled entirely by night. timing
our marches so that we camped dur