The Snowflake herald., 1921-03-25


lad Ever Seen.
upon the. marble floor the first map OF
Barsoomian territory I had ever seen
1t was crisscrossed in every direction
with long straight lines, sometimes
running parallel and sometimes con
verging toward some great circle. The
lines. she said, were Waterways the
circles. cities; and one far to the
northwest of us she pointed out as
Helium.
After studying the map carefully ]
pointed out waterway far to the
north of us which also seemed to lead
TO Helium.
Does not this pierce your GRANDPA
thers territory?' I asked.
Yes she answered, but it is TIVE
hundred miles north of u.s."
'"They would never suspect that we
would try for that distant waterway.
| answered. "and that is why think
il is the best route for our escape"
Soa agreed with me. and it was de
cided that we should leave Thark this
same night; just as quickly, in fact, as
could find and saddle my thoats SOla
was to ride one and Dejah ThoriS and
l. the other; each of US carrying suff
cient food and drink to last us for
two days, since the animals could not
be urged too rapidly for so long dis
tance.
/ directed Sola to proceed with De
JAN Thoris along one of the less fire.
quented avenues 10 the southern boun
dary of the city, where / would over
take them with the thoatS as quickly
as possible; then, leaving them to
gather what food, silks and furs we
were to need, | slipped quietly to the
rear of the first floor, and entered the
courtyard, where our animals were.
] called softly to my two beasts.
How | thanked the kind providence
which had given me the foresight to
win the love and confidence of these
wild dumb brutes, for presently from
the far side of the court | saw two
huge bulks forcing their way toward
me through the surging mountains of
flesh. Opening the gates | ordered the
two great beasts to pass out, and then
slipping quietly after them closed the
portals behind me.
| did not saddle or mount the ami
mails there. but instead walked quietly
in the shadows of the buildings toward
an unfrequented avenue which led to-
ward the point where l had arranged to
meet Dejah Thoris and Sola. With the
nOiselessness of disembodied spirits
we moved stealthily along the desert
ed streets, but not until we were with
in sight of the plain beyond the city
did / commence to breathe freely. ]
was sure that Sola and Deja Thoris
would find no difficulty in reaching our
rendezvous undetected, but with my
great thoats | was not so sure for. my
self, as it was quite unusual for war
riors to leave the city after dark; III
fact there was no place for them to go
within any but long ride.
| reached the appointed meeting
place safely, but as Deiah Thoris and
Sola were not there led my animals
into the entrance hall Of one of the
large buildings. Presuming that one
of the other women of the same house
hold may have come in to speak to
Sola. and so delayed their departure
did not feel any undue apprehen-
sion until nearly an hour had passed
without sign of them, and by the
time another half hour had crawled
away l was becoming filed with grave
anxiety. Then there broke upon the
stiffness of the night the sound of an
approaching party, which, from the
noise | knew could be no fugitives
creeping stealthily toward liberty.
Soon the party was near me, and
from the black shadows of my en-
trance way | perceived a score of
mounted warriors, who, in passing,
dropped a dozen words that fetched
my heart clean into the top of my
head.
He would likely have arranged to
meet them just without the city, and
So" | heard no more, they had
passed on; but it was enough. Our
plan had been discovered, and the
chances for escape from now on to the
fearful end would be small indeed.
My one hope now was to return unde-
iected to the quarters of Dejah Thoris
and learn what fate had overtaken her.
but how to do it with these great