The Lamar register., 1921-03-16

him alone there to die of hunger and
thirst We left the poor fellow to his
fate and pushed on with the one thoai
as best We could. Sola and I walked
making Dejah 1horis ride, much
against her will. In this way we had
progressed to within about q mile Of
the hills We were endeavoring to reach
when Dejah Thoris, from her point OF
vantage upon the thoat, cried out that
she saw a great party of mounted men
hling down from a pass In the hills
several miles away. Sola and I both
looked In the direction she Indicated
and there. plainly discernible, were
several hundred mounted warriors
They seemed to be headed In a south.
westerly direction, which would take
them away from MS.
They doubtless were Thark war
nors who had been sent out TO cap
ture US. and we breathed a great sigh
Of relief that they were travelling In
the opposite direction. Quickly lifting
DeJah Thoris from the thoat. com
manded the animal to lie down and we
three did the same. presenting as small
an object Ms possible for fear of at
tracing the attention of the warriors
toward us.
As what proved to be the last war
rtor came Into view from the pass. he
halted and. to our CONSERVATION, threw
his small but powerful fieldglass to his
eye and scanned the sea bottom In all
directions. As his glass swung toward
US our hearts stopped In our breasts
and l could feel the cold sweat start
from every pore In my body.
Presently 1t swung full upon US and
stopped. Then he lowered 1t and
we could see him shout a command to
the warriors who had passed from our
sight behind the ridge. He did not
wait for them 10 Join him, however ;
instead he wheeled his thoat and came
tearing madly III our direction
There was but one slight chance
and that we must take quickly. Rails
Ing my strange Martian rife TO my
shoulder sighted and touched the
button which controlled the trigger
there was a sharp explosion as the
missile reached Its goal, and the charK-
ing chieftain pitched backward from
his flying mount.
Springing to my feet ! urged the
thoat to rise. and directed Sols to take
Dejah Thoris with her upon him and
make mighty effort to reach the hills
before the green warriors were upon
us. I knew that In the ravines and
gullies they might md temporary
hiding place. and even though they
died OF hunger and thirst II would be
better so than that they fell into the
hands Of the Tharks. Forcing my two
revoivers upon them as a slight means
Of protection. and. as last resort. as
an escape for themselves from the hor-
rid death which recapture would sure
ly mean. | lifted Dejah Thoris In my
arms and placed her upon the thoat be-
hind Sols, who had already mounted
at my command.
''Good-by. my princess" ! whispered.
we may meet In Helium yet. i have
escaped from worse plights than this. "
and tried TO smile "a lied.
What" she cried. are you not com
ing with us7"
How may |. DeJah Thoris? Some
one must hold these fellows on for a
while. and | can better escape them
alone than could the three of US to
gether."
She sprang quickly from the thoat
and. throwing her dear arms about my
neck turned to Soln. saying with quiet
dignity: Fly. Sols DeJah Thoris re-
mains to die with the man she loves"
Those words are engraved upon my
heart. All. gladly would i give up my
life a thousand times could | only hear
them once more but | could not then
give even q second to the rapture OF
her sweet embrace, and pressing my
lips to hers for the first time, l picked
her up bodily and tossed her to her
seat behind Sola again, commanding
The latter In peremptory tones TO hold
her there by force. and then. slapping
the thoat upon the flank. saw them
borne away; Dejah Thoris struggling
to the last 10 free herself from Sola's
grasp.
Turning. l beheld the green war
riors mounting the ridge and looking
for their chieftain. In moment they