Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1921-10-14

INJURED. u love you! toNe you4 !" "
cruel that we must be torn apart VINO
we're Just starting upon life OF love
and happiness"
Az 7 pressed her dear lipe to mine
the old feeling of unconquerable pow
er and authority rose In me. The night |
ing blood Of Virginia sprang to Hfe In
my veins.
at shall not be. my princess"
cried. There IL. there must be some
way, and John Carter, who has fought
his way through a strange world for
love of you, will ind r."
And with my words there crept
above the threshold Of my conscious
mind a series OF nine long forgotten
sounds. Like a Hash Of lightning In
the darkness their full purport dawned
upon me-the key to the three great
doors Of the atmosphere plantl
Turning suddenly toward Tardos
Mors as I still clasped my dying love
to my breast I cried:
"A flyer, Jeddaki Quick Order
your swiftest flyer to the palace top.
I can save Barsoom yet"
He did not wait to question, but 10
an instant a guard was racing to the
nearest dock and though the air was
thin and almost gone at the rooftop
they managed to launch the fastest
one-man. airscout machine that the
skill OF Barsoom had ever produced.
kissing Dejah Thoris a dozen times
and commanding woola, who would
have followed me, to remain and guard
her. i bounded with my old agility and
strength to the high ramparts Of the
palace, and In another moment was
headed toward the goal Of the hopes
Of all Barsoom.
I had to fly low to get sufficient air
to breathe. but ! took a straight course
across an old sen bottom and so had to
rise only few feet above the ground.
I travelled with awful velocity, for
my errand was race against time
with death. The face Of Dejah Thoris
hung always before me- AS I turned
for a last look as left the palace gar.
den ! had seen her 'stagger and sink
upon the ground beside the little incu
bator. That she had dropped into the
last coma which would end In death,
II the air supply remained unreplen.
ished, ] well knew, and so. throwing
caution to the winds. flung over
board everything but the engine and
compass. even to my ornaments, and
lying on my belly along the deck with
one hand on the steering wheel and
III Ia, hA lnynr IN
It's Inst notch split the thin air OF
dying Mars with the speed OF a meteor.
An hour before dark the great walls
Of the atmosphere plant doomed sud.
denly before me. md with sickenine
thud ! plunged 10 the ground before
the small door which was withholding
the spark Of ,ife from the inhabitants
Of an entire planet.
Beside the door u great crew of men
had hecn lahOring to- pierce the wall,
hui they had scarcely scratched the
hlntlike surface, and now most OF
hem lay In the last sleep from which
| not even mir would awaken them.
Conditions seemed much worse here
than M Helium. and II was with diff
Guilty that breathed at all. Their,
we're few men stu conscious. and Il
me ~ these ! spoke.
III ! can open these doors Is there q
man who can start the engines?"
| asked.
II can" he replied, ~ you opei
quickly. can last hui few moment,
more Bui II Is useless. they are hotl
dead and no one else upon BarsOOu
knew the secret or these awful locks
For three days men crazed with fea
have surged about this portal In vail
attempts to solve Its mystery"
! had no time to talk, was becom
ing very weak and II was with diff
Guilty that controlled my mind at all
But with final effort. as I sonl
weakly TO my knees hurled the min
thought waves at that awful thing be
fore me- The Marian had crawled 4
my side and with staring eyes fixed OF
the single panel before us we waite,
in the silence Of death.
Slowly the mighty door receded be
fore MS. attempted to rise and fol
low Il but was too weak.
"After IT," 7 cried to my companion
"and n you reach the pumproom tur
loose all the pumps. II In the onl
chance Barsoom has to exist tomor
rowi'
From where I lay I opened the sec
ond door. and then the third, and as
saw the hope of Barsoom crawling
weakly on hands and knees through
the last doorway sank unconscioui