The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1921-04-01

cnleTtaln, Tor even though we Gle al
their hands we can afford pity. since
we are greater than they and they
know it."
II presume IL IS the better part of
wisdom that we bow to our fate with
as good grace as possible Dejah Thor
is; but hope. nevertheless, that may
be present the next time that any
Marian, green, red. pink. or violet,
has the temerity TO even so much as
frown on you, my princess"
De1ah ThOris caught her breath at
my last words, and gazed upon me
with dilated eyes and quickening
breath, and then. with an odd little
laugh, which brought rOguish dim
Piles 10 the corners Of her mouth. she
shook her head and cried:
What child. A great warrior
and vet a stumbling child"
what have | done now?" l asked,
In sore perpIexity.
"SOme day you shall know, John
Carter, If we live; but l may not tell
you. And I, the daughter of MorS
KajaI. son Of TardOs Mors, have
listened without anger" she solilo-
quized in conclusion.
Then she broke out again into one
Of her gay, happy. laughing moods:
joking with me on my prOwess as a
Thark warrior as coDtrasted with my
soft heart and natural kindness.
I was very curious to know what
had said or done to cause her so
much perturbation a moment before
and so / continued to importune her
to enighten me.
NO" she exclaimed, cit is enough
that you have said it and that l have
listened And when you learn, John
Carter, and if I be dead as likely
enough shall be ere the further moon
has circled BarsOom another twelve
times. remember that l listened and
that smiled"
1t was all Greek 10 me. but the more
I begged her to explain the more pos
tive became her denials of my re-
quest, and. so, in very hopelessness,
I deSisted.
The chill of the Marian night was
upon us and removing my silks threw
them across the shoulders of Dejah
ThOris. As my arm rested for an in
slant upon her I felt thrill pass
through every fiber of my being as
such a contact with no other mortal
had ever produced; and it seemed to
me that she had leaned slightly to-
ward me, but Of that + was not sure.
l loved Dejah Thoris. The touch
of my arm upon her naked shoulder
had spoken to me in words l could
not mistake. and I knew that ! had
loved her since the first moment that
my eyes had met hers that first time
in the plaza of the dead city of Kor-
ad.
My first impulse was to tell her of
my love, and then l thought of the
helplessness of her position wherein
I alone could tighten the burdens of
her captivity, and protect her In my
poor way against the thousands of
hereditary enemies she must face up
on our arrival at Thank. l could not |
chance causing her additional pain or
sOrr@A by declaring a love which, in /
all probability she did not return.
why are you SO quiet. Dejah Thor |
fs?" I asked. Possibly you would /
rather return to Sofa and your quar-
ters."
NO" she murmured, 4 am happy
l should always be happy and con
tented when you. John Carter. a
stranger, are with me; yet at such
times 1t seems that | am safe and
that with you. l shall soon return to
my fathers court and feel his strong
arms about me and my mothers tears
and kisses on my cheek"
do people kiss. then. upon Bar
soom?" I asked when she had eX-
planned the word she used in answer
to my inquiry as TO its meaning.
Parents, brothers, and sisters. yes;
and" she added in a low, thoughtful
tone, lovers"
"And you, Dejah Thoris, have par
ents and brothers and sisters?"
''Yes."
"And a-loverT
She was silent nor could I ven
ture to repeat the question.
The man of BarsoOm." she finally
ventured docs not ask personal
questions of women. except his mother.
and the woman he has fought for and
wOn.1
But have fought" l started. and
then l wished my tongue had been cut
from my mouth; for she turned even
as l caught myself and ceased and
drawing my silks from her shoulder
she held them out to me- and without
word and with head held high.
she moved with the carriage of the
queen she was toward the plaza and
he doorway of her quarters.
l did not attempt TO follow her.
,ther than TO see that she reached the
building in safety. but, directing Woola
o accompany her. l turned disconso-
ately and entered my own house. /
at for hours crossfegged. and cross
empered, upon my silks meditating
lpon the queer freaks chance plays
IpOn us poor devils OF mOrtals.
/ was a fool, but l was in love, and
hough l was suffering the greatest
Misery I had ever known | would not
ave had ii otherwise for all the
icheS of BarSoom. Such is love. and
UGH are lovers wherever love is
nown.
To me Dejah Thoris was all that
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