The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1921-03-11

Their eyes were close together and
non-protruding their ears were high
set, but more laterally located than
those of the Martians. while their
shouts and teeth were strikingly like
those of our African gorilla.
The cudgel was swinging in the are
which ended upon my upturned face
| when bolt of myriad-legged horror
hurled itself through the doorway full
upon the breast of my executiOner.
| With a shrek Of fear the ape which
held me leaped through the open win
dow, but It's mate closed in a terrific
death struggle with my preserver,
| which was nothing less than my faith
full watch-thing I cannot bring myself
TO call so hideous creature a dog
As quickly as possible 1 gained my
feet and backing against the wall l
| witnessed such a battle as it is vOuch-
safed few beings TO see. My beast
had an advantage in his first hold.
having sunk his mighty fangs far into
the breast of his adversary but the
great arms and paws of the ape, back
ed by muscles far transcending those
! of the Marian men I had seen, had
! locked the throat of my guardian and
slowly were choking out his life, and
! bending back his head and neck upon
/ his body, where | momentarily ex-
! pected the former to fall limp at the
end Of broken neck.
Back and forth upon the floor they
| rolled, neither one emitting a sound
| Of fear or pain. Presently I saw the
! great eyes of my beast bullying com
| pletely from their sockets and blood
/ flowing from it's nOstrilS. That he
was weakening perceptibly was EVIL
dent, but so also was the ape, whose
struggles were growing mOmentarily
| less.
Suddenly | came TO myself and, with
that strange instinct which seems ever
to prompt me TO my duty, 1 seized the
cudgeI, which had fallen to the floor
at the commencement of the battle.
and swinging 1t with all the power of
my earthly arms I crashed it full upon
the head of the ape. crushing his skull
as though 1t had been an egg shell.
Scarcely had the blow descended
when / was confronted with a new
danger. The apes mate, recovered
from its first shock of terror. had re-
turned TO the scene of the encounter
by way of the interior of the building.
was standing near the window
and I knew that once in the street
I might gain the plaza and safety
before the creature could overtake me
at least there was a chance for safety
in flight, against almost certain death
should I remain and fight, however
desperately
l had turned TO make for the win
dow, but my eyes alighting on the form
Of my erstwhile guardian threw all
thoughts of flight to the four Winds
He lay gasping upon the floor of the
chamber, his great eyes fastened upon
me in what seemed a pitiful appeal
for protection. l could not withstand
that look. nor could 1, on second
thought. have deserted my rescuer
without giving as good an account in
his behalf as he had in mine.
Without more ado, therefore.
turned to meet the charge of the in |
furiated bull ape. He was now too |
close upon me for the cudgel to prove |
of any effective assistance, so mere /
~ threw it as heavily as I could al |
his advancing bulk IT struck him /
just below the knees elicfting howl /
of pain and rage. and so throwing him |
off his balance that he lunged full up /
on me with arms vide stretched to
ease his fall.
Again, as on the preceding day, I /
had recourse to earthly tactics, and
swinging my right fist full upon the
point Of his chin l followed it with
a smashing left to the pit of his
I
for. as l lightly side-stepped. after de-
livering the second blow, he reeled
and fell upon the floor doubled up
with pain and gasping for wind Leap
ing over his PROSTATE body I seized
the cudgel and finished the monster
before he could regain his feet.
As I delivered the blow a low laugh
rang out behind me. and, turning.
beheld Tars Tarkas, Sofa and three
Or four warriors standing IN the door
way of the chamber AS my eyes met
theirs l was, for the second time. the
of their zealously guarded
applause.
Ny absence had been noted by sofia
IN her awakening and she had quickly
informed Tars Tarkas. who had set
out Immediately with a handful of .
to search for me. AS they ,
lad approached the limits of the city
hey had witnessed the actions of the
'ull ape as he bolted into the building,
rothing with rage
They had followed Immediately be- :
ind him, thinking it barely possible
hat his actions might prove clew to :
ny whereabouts, and had witnessed !
~ short but decisive battle with him.
his encounter. together with my set +
0 with the Marian warrior on the !
revious day and my feats of jumping | :
laced me upon a high pinnacle In !,
heir regard. i
Sofa. who had accompanied the y
earching party of her own volition.
ras the only one of the Martians b
hose face had not. been twisted in \
lughter as ] battled for my life. She. q
n the contrary. was sober with ap- r,
aren't solicitude and, as soon as /
ad finished the monster rushed TO me n
nd carefully examined my body for n
ossible wounds or injuries. Salts O
wing herself that I had come off I'M | e,
cathed she smiled quietly and. TAX ii