The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1921-05-20

4
to fear were the engine of the pumping
plant to run as it should and as they
all have for hundreds of years but the
worst, we fear, has happened The
instruments show rapidly decreasing
air pressure on all parts of Barsoom-
the engine has stopped.
my gentlemen" he concluded 1--WE
have at best three days to live"
There was absolute silence for sew
eral minutes, and then a young noble
arose, and with his drawn sword Aeld
high above his head addressed Tardos
Mors.
The men of Helium have prided
themselves that they have ever shown
BarsOom how a nation of red men
should live, now is our opportunity to
show them how they should die. Let
us go about our duties as though a
thousand useful years still lay before
u.s.
The chamber rang with applause
and as there was nothing better TO do
! than to allay the fears of the people
! by our example we went our ways
with smiles upon our faces and sorrow
/ gnawing at our hearts.
! When I returned to my palace /
! found that the rumOr already had
reached Dejah ThOris, so 1 told her
all that had heard.
I'VE have been very happy, John
Carter" she said, land I thank what
ever fate overtakes US that it permits
US to die together"
The next two days brought no no
tfceable change In the supply of air,
but on the morning of the third day
breathing became difficult at the high
er attitudes of the roof tops. The ave-
nues and plazas of Helium were filled
with people. All business had ceased.
For the most part the people looked
bravely into the face of their unalter-
able doom. Here and there, however,
men and women gave way to quiet
grief.
Toward the middle of the day many
of the weaker commenced to succumb
and within an hour the people of Bar
SOON were sinking by thousands into
the Inconsistencies which precedes
death by asphyxiation.
Dejah ThoriS and I with the other
members of the royal family had col
lected in a sunken garden within an
inner courtyard of the palace. The
little incubator had been brought from
the roof of our palace at request of
Dejah Thoris and she sat gazing long
ingly upon the unknown little life that
now she would never know.
AS 1t was becoming perceptibly diff
ficult to breathe Tardos Mors arose,
saying:
LET us bid each other farewell. The
days of the greatness of BarsoOm are
over. TomorrOw's sun will look down
upon a dead world which through all
eternity must go swinging through the
heavens peopled not even by men,
cries. 1t is the end"
He stopped and kissed the women
of his family, and laid his strong hand
upon the shoulders of the men.
AS I turned sadly from him my eyes
fell upon Dejah Thoris. Her head was
dropping upon her breast, to all APP
pearances she was lifeless. With cry
l sprang to her and raised her in my
arms.
Her eyes opened and looked into
mine
kiss me, John Carter" she muir
INJURED. 81 love you! I love you! 1t is
cruel that we must be torn apart who |
were just starting upon life Of love
and happiness"
AS I pressed her dear lips to mine |
the old feeling of unconQuerable pow
er and authority rose in me. The fight |
ing blood of Virginia sprang to life In |
my veins.
ut shall not be, my princess" l |
cried. There is, there must be some I
way, and John Carter, who has fought /
his way through a strange world for
love of you, will find It,"
And with my words there crept /
above the threshold of my conscious
mind q series of nine long forgotten
sounds. Like a flash of lightning in
the darkness their full purpOrt dawned
upon me-the key TO the three great
doors of the atmosphere plant!
Turning suddenly toward Tardos
A1ors as 1 still clasped my dying love
to my breast 1 cried:
"a flyer, Jeddak Quick Order
your swiftest flyer to the palace top.
can save BarsoOm yet"
He did not wait to question, but in
an instant a guard was racing to the