The Snowflake herald., 1921-04-22
CHAPTER XIV.
Lost in the sky.

earlier, as my tour of duty must nave
ended some time since.
| saw that he knew nothing OF the
events of the day at the palace, ana
when had enlightened him he was all
excitement. The news that DeJah Thorls
had promised her hand to Sab Than
filled him with dismay.
'It cannot be-" he exclaimed. 1T is
impossible! Why, no man in all He'll
um but would prefer death to the sell
ing of our loved princess to the ruling
house of Zodanga. She must have lost
her mind to have assented to such an
atrOcious bargain. What can be done,
John Carter? You are a resourceful
man. Can you not think Of some way
to save Helium from this disgrace?
"If L can come within swords reach
of Sab Than" / answered, II can solve
the difficulty in so far as Helium is
concerned, but for personal reasons
would prefer that another struck the
blow that frees Dejah Thoris."
Kantos Kan eyed me narrowly be-
fore he spoke.
''You love her!" he said. Does she
know it?"
"She knows it, Kantos Kan, and re-
pulses me only because she is prom
ised to Sab Than"
The splendid fellow sprang to his
feet and, grasping me by the shoul-
der. raised his sword on high, ex-
claiming:
"And had the choice been left to me
| could not have chosen more fitting
mate for the first princess of Barsoom.
Here is my hand upon your shoulder,
John Carter, and my word that Sab
Than shall go out at the point of my
sword for the sake of my love for
Helium, for Dejah Thoris, and for you.
This very night / shall try to reach his
quarters in the palace.
81 only need to pass these guards
and | can do it. ] know secret en-
trance to the palace through the pin
nacle of the highest tower. fell upon
it by chance one day as | was passing
above the palace on patrol duty. If |
can reach the roof of the barracks and
get my machine l can be in Sab Thans S
quarters in five minutes; but how am
1 to escape from this building, guard
ed as you say it is?"
go to the roof of this building.
Kantos Kan, and wait me there"
Without stopping to explain my
plans l retraced my way to the street
and hastened to the barracks. l did
not dare to enter the building, filed as
it was with members of the air-scout
squadron, who, in common with all
Zodanga, were on the lookout for me.
The building was an enormous one,
rearing its lofty head fully thousand
| feet into the air. 1t was long climb
up the face of the building, but there
was no other way, and so l essayed
the task The fact that BarsoOmian
architecture is extremely ornate made
the feat much simpler than / had an
cipated, since l found ornamental
lodges and projections which fairly
formed q perfect ladder for me all the
way to the caves of the building Here
1 met my first real obstacle. The caves
projected nearly twenty feet from the
wall to which l clung, and though |
encircled the great building / could
find no opening through them.
There was one slight, desperate
chance, and that l decided / must take
lit was for Dejah Thoris, and no man
has lived who would not risk a thou
sand deaths for such as she.
Clinging to the wall with my feet
and one hand unloosened one Of the
| long leather straps of my trappings
at the end of which dangled great
hook by which air sailors are hung to
the sides and bottoms of their craft
for various purposes of repair, and by
means of which landing parties are
lowered to the ground from the battle
| ships
/ swung this hook cautiously to the
| roof several times before it finally
found lodgment; gently l pulled on 1t
to strengthen its hold, but whether it
would bear the weight of my body
did not know. 1t might be barely
caught upon the very outer verge of
/ the roof, so that as my body swung out
at the end Of the strap it would slip
off and launch me to the pavement a
thousand feet below.
An instant l hesitated, and then, re-
leasing my grasp upon the supporting
ornament, swung out into space at
the end Of the strap. Far below me
lay the brilliantly lighted streets, the
hard pavements, and death. There was
a little jerk at the top of the support
ing caves, and a nasty slipping, graf
ing sound which turned me cold with
apprehension then the hook caught
and / was safe.
Clambering quickly alOft grasped
the edge of the caves and drew myself
to the surface of the room above. AS
l gained my feet was confronted By
the sentry on duty, into the muzzle Of
whose revolver found myself looking
"Who are you and whence came
yOuY he cried.