Cheyenne Wells record., 1921-09-22

hswed q pathway before him sn@ e
onothar moment he stood upon ~
platform beside me, dealing deato ana
destruction right and left
The bravery Of the Zodangans Wa
awe-inspiring; not one attempted W
escape, and when the fighting ceased
n was because only Thanks remained
alive in the great hall, other than ~
jah Thoris and myself.
Sab Than lay dead beside his n
ther, and the corpses Of the mower oh
Zodangan nobility and chivalry COW
cred the floor of the bloody shambles.
My first thought when the nattie
was over was for Kantos Kan, ana
leaving Dejah Thoris In charge Of Tan
Tarkas I took dozen warriors ana
hastened to the dungeons beneath the
palace. The jailers had all left to Join
the fighters In the throne room. 30 We
searched the labyrinthine prison WITH
out opposition.
called Kantos Kan's name aloud IL
each new corridor and compartment
and finally was rewarded by hearing
faint response. Guided BY the
sound. we soon found him helpless IN
a dark recess
He was overjoyed at seeing me ana
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 ne
reached the high tower Of the palace
| SO that he had not even seen SAD
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 were left
alone.
She had sunk into one of the goldeL
thrones, and as I turned to her she
greeted me With q wan smile.
"Was there ever such q mani" she
exclaimed. "Alone, a stranger, hunt
ed, threatened, persecu'ed. you have
done in a few short months what In
ali the past ages of Barsoom no man
has ever done: Joined together tho
wild hordes Of the sea bottoms and
brought them to fight as allies Of a red
Martian people,"
"The answer Is easy, Dejah Thoris," !"
I replied, smiling. ut was not who
did 1t, 1t was love, love for De5ah
Thoris, q power that would work
greater miracles than this you have
seen. have done many strange
things in my life, many things that
wiser men would not have dared. but
never In my widest fancies have I
dreamed of winning a DeJah Thoris
for myself-for never had I dreamed
that in all the universe dwelt such a
woman rs the princess of Helium.
That you are princess does not abash
me, but that you are you Is enough
to make me doubt my sanity as ask
you, my princess, to be mine."
"He does not need to be abashed
who SO well knew the answer to his
plea before the plea were made" she
replied, rising and placing her dear
hands upon my shoulders, and SO ]
took her in my arms and kissed her.
And thus in the midst of city Of
wild conflict. filled with the alarms Of
war: with death and destruction reap.
Ing their terrible harvest around her,
did Dejah Thoris, princess of Helium.
true daughter of Mars, the god Of war.
promise herself In marriage to John
Carter, Gentleman of Virginia.
Some time later Tars Tarkas and
Kantos Kan returned to report that
Zodanga had been completely reduced
Her forces were entirely destroyed Of
captured. and no further resistance
was to be expected from within. Sew
eral battleships had escaped. but there
were thousands Of war and merchant
vessels under guard Of Thark war
riors.
The lesser hordes had commenced
looting and quarreling among them
selves, so 1t was decided that we col
lect what warriors we could. man al
many vessels as possible with Zodan
gan prisoners and make for Heliun
without further loss Of time.
Five hours later we sailed from the
roofs of the dock buildings with feet
Of two hundred and fifty battleships
carrying nearly one hundred thousand
green warriors. followed by a fleet Of
transports with our thoats.
In the middle Of the afternoon We
sighted the scarlet and yellow towers
of Helium, and short time later 9
great fleet of ZOdangan battleshipa
rose from the camps of the besiegera
without the city and advanced to meet
US.
The banners Of Helium had been
strung from stem to stern Of each u
our mighty craft, but the Zodanganl
did not need this sign to realize that
we were enemies, for our green Mar
tian warriors had opened fire upon
| them almost ms thov Loft tho rvr1,,pA a