The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-06-03

| THEIR udUuS we can dllOTu pity, oihSS
we are greater than they and they
know It."
II presume 1t Is the better part OF
wisdom that we bow to our fate with
as good grace as possible, Dejah Thor
is; but hope, nevertheless, that may
be present the next time that any
Marian, green, red, pink, or violet
has the temerity to even so much as
frown on you, my princess"
Dejah Thoris caught her breath al
my last words, and gazed upon me
with dilated eyes and quickenine
breath, and then, with an odd little
laugh, which brought roguish DIM
piles to the corners of her mouth, she
shook her head and cried:
"What a child! A great warrior
and yet stumbling child"
"What have done now?" / asked
in sore perplexity.
"Some day you shall know, John
Carter, if we live; but l may not tell
you. And 1, the daughter of Mors
Kajak, son of Tardos Mors, have
listened without anger" she solilo
quized in conclusion.
Then she broke out again into one
Fof her gay, happy, laughing moods
joking with me on my prowess as
Thank warrior as contrasted with my
soft heart and natural kindness.
I was very curious to know what
I had said or done to cause her SO
much perturbation moment before
and so I continued to importune her
to enlighten me.
"No," she exclaimed, sit is enough
that you have said it and that / have
listened. And when you learn, John
Carter, and if 1 be dead, as likely
enough 1 shall be ere the further moon
has circled Barsoom another twelve
times, remember that listened and
that smiled"
1t was all Greek to me, but the more
I begged her to explain the more pos
tive became her denials of n.y. re.
quest, and, so, in very hopelessness
/ desisted.
The chill of the Marian night was
upon us, and removing my silks threw
| them across the shoulders of Dejah
Thoris. AS my arm rested for an in
slant upon her l felt a thrill pass
| through every fiber of my being as
such a contact with no other mortal
had ever produced; and it seemed to
me that she had leaned slightly to
ward me, but of that I was not sure
l loved Dejah Thoris. The touch
of my arm upon her naked shoulder
had spoken to me in words could
not mistake, and / knew that / had
loved her since the first moment that
my eyes had met hers that first time
in the plaza of the dead city of Kor
ad.
My first impulse was to tell her OF
my love, and then / thought of the
helplessness Of her position wherein
I alone could tighten the burdens OF
her captivity, and protect her In my
poor way against the thousands OF
| hereditary enemies she must face up.
on our arrival at Thark. I could not
chance causing her additional pain OF
sorrow by declaring a love which, in
all probability she did not return.
"Why are you so quiet, Dejah Thor
is? / asked. Possibly you would
rather return to Sofa and your quar-
ters"
! "No," she murmured, 81 am happy
here. / do not know why it is that
/ should always be happy and con
tented when you, John Carter, 9
stranger, are with me; yet at such
times it seems that 1 am safe and
that, with you, shall soon return tc
my fathers court and feel his strong
arms about me and my mothers tears
and kisses on my cheek"
''Do people kiss, then, upon Bar
soom?" l asked, when she. had ex
planned the word she used, in answer
to my inquiry as to its meaning.
parents, brothers, and sisters, yes
and" she added in low, thoughtful
tone, lovers"
Sand you, Dejah Thoris, have par
ents and brothers and sisters?"
Eyes"
| And a-l0ver!
She was silent, nor could l ven
ture to repeat the question.
"The man of Barsoom," she finall,
ventured, "does not ask persona
questions of women, except his mother
and the woman he has fought for ant
won"
"But 1 have fought" started, an(
then wished my tongue had been Gu
from my mouth: for she turned ever
as l caught myself and ceased, ant
drawing my silks from her shoulder
she held them out to me, and withou
word, and with head held high
she moved with the carriage of thu
queen she was toward the plaza anC
the doorway of her quarters.
| 1 did not attempt to follow her
other than to see that she reached TIT
building in safety, but, directing Wool;
to accompany her, turned disconso
lately and entered my own house.
sat for hours cross-legged, and cross
tempered, upon my silks meditatin,
upon the queer freaks chance play
upon US poor devils of mortals.
/ was a fool, but was in love, ant
though 1 was suffering the creates
misery I had ever known would no
have had it otherwise for all tn,
riches of Barsoom. Such is love, ant
such are lovers wherever love i
known.
To me Dejah Thoris was all tina
was perfect; all that was vfrtuou
and beautiful and noble and good
I believed that from the bottom o