The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-04-09
breast, hooking one leg over the butt

enormous chest. With all his immense
bulk he was little If any stronger than
I, and it was but the matter of a mo-
ment or two before he sank, bleeding
and lifeless to the floor.
Dejah Thoris had raised herself up
on one elbow and was watching the
battle with wide, staring eyes. When
l had regained my feet l raised her
in my arms and bore her to one of the
benches at the side Of the room.
Again no Marian interfered with
me, and when she could speak she
placed her hand upon my arm, and
looking into my eyes, said:
"Why did you it? You, who re-
fused me even friendly recognition in
the first hour of my peril! And now
you risk your life and kill one Of your
companions for my sake. ! cannot I'M
derstand. What strange manner OF
man are you, that you cOnsort with
the green men, though your form Is
that of my race, while your color is
little darker than that Of the white
ape! Lei IiC, arc yOo AiuAhhh, VI "AS
you more than humane"
at is a strange tale" 1 replied. ''too
long to attempt to tell you now. Suf-
fee It, for the present, that l am your
friend. and, so far as our captors will
permit, your protector and your SER
want"
'"rhen you, too, are prisonerf
What is your name? Why your re-
gala as chieftain?"
"Yes, Dejah Thoris, too am a pris-
oner; my name Is John Carter. and I
claim Virginia, one of the United
States of American Earth. as my
home; but why 1 am permitted to
wear arms I do not know, nor was I
aware that my regalia was that of
chieftain."
We were interrupted at this juncture
by the approach of one Of the war
riors, bearing arms, accouterments and
ornaments, and in a flash one of her
questions was answered and a puzzle
cleared up for me. l saw that the
body of my dead antagonist had been
stripped, and read in the menacing
vet respectful attitude of the warrior
who had brought me these trophies
| of the kill the same demeanOr as that
eyinced by the other who had brought
me my original equipment, and now
| for the first time / realized that my
blow, on the occasion of my first bat
tie in the audience chamber had re-
suited in the death Of my adversary.
was accorded the hOnors due a
conqueror; the trappings and the po-
| stion of the man l killed. In truth,
| was a Marian chieftain, and this
| learned later was the cause OF my
great freedom and my liberation 10
the audience chamber.
| AS l had turned to receive the dead
warriors chattels / had noticed that
Tars Tarkas and several others had
pushed forward toward US. The CHIEF
addressed me:
do you know what your IN
precedented temerity would have cost
you had you failed to kill either OF the
two chieftains whose metal you nov
wear?" he asked.
II presume that that one whom
had failed to kill, would have killed
me-" answered, smiling.
| "No, you are wrong. Only in the
last extremity of self-defense wouie
Marian warrior kill a prisoner; we
like to save them for other purposes
and his face bespoke possibilities tina
were not pleasant to dwell upon.
But one thing can save you now
he continued "Should you, in recognl
ticn of your remarkable valor, ferocitI
and prowess. be considered by Tai Ha
jus as worthy of his service you ma!
be taken into the community and be
come full-hedged Tharkian. Until WI
reach the headquarters of Tai HaJu'
you will be treated by us as Tharkiai
chieftain. but you must not forget tina
every chief who ranks you is respon
sible for your safe delivery to ou
mighty and most ferocious ruler.
am DONE"
81 hear you, Tars Tarkas," an
swered .'If you will leave me alone
will go in peace, but if not, let the in
diyidual Barsoomians with whom
must deal either respect my rights as
stranger among you, Or take whatevc
consequences may befall. or on
thing let us be sure, whatever may b.
your ultimate intentions toward tn
unfortunate youngl woman, whoeve
would offer her injury or insult in IN
future must figure on a full accounting
to me-"
. / had guessed at the keynote wnicl
would strike an answering chord in tn
breasts of the green Martians, nor wa
wrong, for my harangue EVIDENT
deeply impressed them. and their al
II tituda toward me thereafter was sti
7 further respectful.
: now turned my attention to De1a
Thoris, and assisting her to her feet
2 turned with her toward the exit, Il
|, noring her lowering guardian harpie
as well as the inquiring glances OF tn
3 chieftains. Was not now chieftal
E also! Well, then, would assume tn
e responsibilities Of one. They did nc
$ modest us, and so Dejah Thoris, prll
;, cess Of Helium, and John Carter, gel
e tleman of Virginia. followed by tn