Cheyenne Wells record., 1921-08-11
CHAPTER VIlI--continusA

Is she injuredr / asked Of Sola,
Indicating Dejah Tloris by an inclina.
usa st ny head.
Me- che answered. "shs thinks
that you sss dead 1 do not under
stand either her ways or yourA but
an sure the granddaughter Of ten
thousand jeddaks would never grievs
liks this over the death Of one she
esusidersd beneath her. or indeed over
any enc who held but the highest claim
spoa her affections.
Tears are . strange sight upon
Darssom." she continued. ''and % It
b Aiocult for me to interpret them.
I hays seen but two people weep In
al ~ lie, other than Dsjah Thoris !;
sns wept from SORROW. the other from
ba6Bed rage. The nrst was my moth.
-. years ago. before they killed her; ;
tAs ether was sarko5a. when they
dragged her from me tsday."
"Yoar mother" I acclaimed. but.
eola, you could not have Known your
mother. child"
"But I did. And my father also"
she added. IF you would like to hear
the strange and n-Barsoomian story
come to Tie chariot tonight. John Car.
ter. and will tell you that Of which 7
have never spoken In all my life be-
fore"
/ II will come tonight, sola." prom
iaed. "Be sure to tell Dejah Thoris I
an alive and well. II she would speak
with me but await her command"
sola mounted the chariot. which was
swinging Into its place In line, and 1
Aastened to my waiting thoat and gal
ioped to my station beside Tars Tar
has at the rear Of the column.
We made most imposing and awe
inspiring spectacle a. we strung out
across the yellow landscape: the two
hundred and nfty ornate and brightly
colored chariots, preceded BY an ad-
vance guard Of some two hundred
mounted warriors and chieftains rid
ing i've abreast and one hundred yards
apart, and followed by q like number
b the same formation. with q score or
more Of flankers on either side; the
dfty extra mastodons, or heavy
(faught animals, known a. sitidars,
and the five or nix hundred extra
thoats Of the warriors running loose
within the hollow square formed by
ths surrounding warriors. The Eleam-
Ing metal and Jewels Of the gorgeous
ssnaments Of the men and women. du-
plfcated In the trappinss Of the siti-
dars and thoats. and interspersed with
the flashing colors Of magnificent silks
and furs and feathers, lent q barbaric
sDlendor to the caravan which would
have turned an East Indian potentate
green with envy.
The enormous broad tires Of the
chariots and the padded feet Of the
animals brought forth ne sound from
the moss-covered sea bottom; and 80
We moved In utter silence, like some
huge phantasmagoria. except when the
stiffness was broken BY the cultural
growing Of q goaded sitidar. or the
squealing Of fighting thoats. The green
Aartians converse but little, and then
Usually in monosyllables, lew and like
tAa faint rumbling Of distant thunder.
We traversed q trackless waste Of
moss which, bending to the pressure Of
0esad tire or padded foot, rose up
again behind us, leaving no sign that
We had passed. We might indeed have
sssn the wraiths Of the departed dead
wpoA ths dead sea Of that dying planet
oaR Ill the ssand q sign We made in
passing. It was the nrst march Of
large bsdy Of men and animals I had
sSer witnessed which raised no dust
Wnd left no spOor: for there 10 70 dust
opon Mars except IN ths cultivated ~
arists during tbs wsatsr nontAN -