Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1921-07-01

LDht look, nor COUlu 4, vi stCOhu
thought, have deserted my rescuer
without giving as good an account In
his behalf as he had in mine.
without more ado, therefore, I
turned to meet the charge of the In
furlated bull ape. He was now too
close upon me for the cudgel to prove
Of any effective assistance, so ! mere
~ threw II as heavily as l could at
his advancing bulk. II struck him
just below the knees. eliciting howl
OF pain and rage, and so throwing him
OF his balance that he luDged full up
on me with arms wide stretched to
ease his fall.
Again, as on the preceding day, i
had recourse to earthly tactics, and
swinging my right fist full upon the
point OF his chin I followed II with
smashing left to the pit Of his
stomach. The effect was marvellous.
for, as ] lightly side-stepped, after de-
livering the second blow, he reeled
and fell upon the floor doubled up
with pain and gasping for wind. Leap
ing over his PROSTATE body seized
the cudgel and finished the monster
before he could regain his feet.
AS I delivered the blow low laugh
rang out behind me, and, turning. I
beheld Tars Tarkas, sofia and three
or four warriors standing In the door
way OF the chamber. As my eyes met
theirs was, for the second time, the
recipient OF their zealously guarded
applause.
Ny absence had been noted by Sofa
on her awakening and she had quickly
informed Tars Tarkas. who had set
out Immediately with a handful Of
warriors to search for me. As they
had approached the limits Of the city
they had witnessed the actions Of the
bull ape as he bolted into the building,
frothing with rage
They had followed Immediately be-
hind him. thinking II barely possible
that his actions might prove clew to
my whereabouts, and had witnessed
my short but decisive battle with him
This encounter. together with my set
TO with the Marian warrior on the
previous day and my feats of jumping
placed me upon a high pinnacle ir
their regard.
Sofa, who had accompanied tho
searching party Of her own voltion
was the only one of the Martlan'
whose face had not been twisted ir
laughter as battled for my life. She
on the contrary, was sober with ap
parent sollcltude and. as soon as
had finished the monster, rushed 10 me
and carefully examined my body foi
possible wounds or injuries. Salts
.SEtr<> harsalf that T. had come OF un
scathed she smiled quietly, and, TAX
ing my hand started toward the door
of the chamber.
Tars Tarkas and the other warriors
had entered and were standing over
the now rapidly revlvlng brute which
had saved my life, and whose life i
In turn, had rescued. There seemed
something menacIng in their attitude
toward my beast. and I hesitated tC
leave untilI had learned the outcome
II was well did so, for a warrior
drew an evil-looking pistol from Its
holster and was on the point of put.
ting an end TO the creature when
sprang forward and struck up his
arm. The bullet striking the wooden
casing of the window exploded. blow.
ing hole completely through the
wood and masonry.
then knelt down beside the fear,
some looking thing and raising II "a
Its feet, mOtloned for II Ia follow me-
The warrior whose gun | had struck
up looked lnquiringly at Tars Tarkas,
hut the later signed that be left Ia
my own devices and so we returned
10 the plaza with my great beast fol.
lowing close ut heel and Sola grasp
ing me tightly by the arm.
had at least two friends on Mars
a young woman who watched over me
with motherly solictude, and a dumb
brute which. as later came to know.
held In its poor ugly carcass more
love, more loyalty, more gratitude
than could have been found In the
entire Ave million green Martlans who
rove the deserted cities and dead sea
bottoms Of Mars.