The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1921-05-06
a Princess
~ of Mars ~
right A c caurg an Oompa

7 alive with people. Guardsmen. Off
GERS, courtiers. servants and slaves ran
| heller SHELTER through the corridors
and apartments carrying messages and
orders. and searching for signs of the
| assassin.
This was my opportunity and slim
| as it appeared I graspeu =. az as q
number of soldiers came hurrying past
my hiding place 1 fell in behind them
and followed through the maZes of the
palace until, in passing through a
great hall, I saw the blessed light of
| day coming in through a series of
| larger windows.
Here 1 left my guides, and. slipping
TO the nearest window, sought for an
| avenue of escape. The windows opened
upon great balcony which overlooked
one of the broad avenues of Zodanga.
The ground was about thirty feet be-
low, and at a like distance from the
building was a wall fully twenty feet
high. constructed of polished glass
about a foot in thickness. To a red
Marian escape by this path would
have appeared impossible, but to me,
with my earthly strength and agility,
it seemed already accomplished My
only fear was in being detected before
darkness fell, for 1 could not make the
leap in broad daylight while the court
below and the avenue beyond were
crowded with Zodangans.
Accordingly / searched for a hiding
place and finally found one by acct
dent, inside a huge hanging ornament
which hung from the ceiling of the
hail, and about ten feet from the floor
Into the Gapacious bowl-lil5e vase
sprang with ease. and scarcely had l
settled down within it than I heard
number Of people enter the apartment
The group stopped beneath my hiding
place and I could plainly overhear
their every word.
1T is the work of Heliumites," said
one of the men.
Eyes, 0 Jeddak, but how had they
access 40 the palace? We shall soon
know, however, for here comes the
royal psychologist"
Another man now joined the group.
and, after making his formal greetings
to his ruler, said:
80 mighty Jeddak. it is strange
tale l read in the dead minds of your
faithful guardsmen. They were felIed
not by number of fighting men, but
by single opponent"
He paused TO let the full weight of |
this announcement impress his hear |
ers, and that his statement was scarce I
~ credited was evidenced by the fmpa- |
tent exclamation of incredulity which |
escaped the lips of Than Kosis.
Where is my erstwhile savior?" I
spoke another of the party, and I rec
ogniZed the voice Of the cousin of
Than KOsis, whom 1 bad rescued from |
the green warriors by the metal of /
my first ancestor" he went on. "but |
the description fits him to perfection, |
as to his fighting ability"
where is this man?' cried Than
Kosis. Have him brought to me at
once"
Word was soon brought that l was
nowhere to be found, either in the
palace or at my former quarters in
the barracks of the air-Scout squadron.
kantos Kan they had found and ques-
toned, but he knew nothing of my
and as TO my past. he
had told them he knew as little, since
he had but recently met me during
our captivity among the WarhOons
Keep your eyes on this other one"
commanded Than KOsis. He also is
4 stranger and likely as not they both
nail from Helium, and where one is
We shall sooner or later find the 9th
ar"
Another messenger now entered
With word that l was still within the
palace walls.
THE likeness of every person who
las entered or left the palace grounds
Oday has been carefully examined"
concluded the fellow, land not one APP
'roaches the likeness of this new pad
var of the Guards other than that
which was recorded of him at the time
le entered"
Then we will have him shortly"
Than KOsis contentedly,
and in the meanwhile we will repair
o the apartments of the princess of
Ielium and question her in regard to
he affair. She may know more than
he cared TO divulge TO you, Notan.
'ome''
They left the hall, and, as darkness
ad fallen without, l slipped lightly |
rom my hiding place and FASTENED to
ne balcony. Few were in sight, and
hoosing moment when none seemed 6
ear 1 sprang quickly to the top of the l
lass wall and from there to the ave /
ue beyond the palace grounds. q
|