The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1921-05-13

In an instant all was confusion; a
thousand drawn swords menaced me
from every quarter, and Sab Than
sprang upon me with a jeweled dagger
he had drawn from his nuptial orna-
ments. / could have killed him as cas-
lily as / might a fly. but the age-old
custom of Barsoom stayed my hand.
and. grasping his wrist as the dagger
flew toward my heart, l held him as
though in wise and with my long
sword pointed TO the far end of the
hall.
"Zodanga has fallen" cried.
Look 90
All eyes turned in the direction
had indicated. and there, forging
through the portals of the entrance
way rode Tars Tarkas and his fifty
warriors on their great thoats.
A cry of alarm and amazement
broke from the assemblage, but no
word of fear, and in a moment the
soldiers and mobiles of Zodanga We're
hurting themselves upon the advancing
Thanks.
Thrusting Sab Than headlong from
the platform, 1 drew Dejah Thoris TO
my side. Behind the throne was a mar
row doorway and in this Than Kosis
now stood facing me, with drawn
lOngsword. In an instant we were en-
gagged, and l found no mean antago-
mist.
As we circled upon the broad plat
form saw Sab Than rushing up the
steps to aid his father, but as he raised
his hand TO strike, Dejah ThOris
sprang before him and then my sword
found the spot that made Sab Than
jeddak of ZOdanga. As his father
rolled dead upon the floor the new
jeddak tore himself free from Dejah
Thoris' grasp and again we faced each
other. He was soon joined by a quar-
tet of officers and, with my back
against a golden throne, l fought once
again for Dejah Thoris.
Calling to her to get behind me
worked my way toward the little door
way back of the throne, but the Off
GERS realized my intentions and three
of them sprang in behind me and
blocked my chances for gaining a po-
sition where l could have defended
Dejah Thoris against an army of
swordsmen.
The Thanks were having their hands
full in the center of the room, and l
began to realize that nothing short of
a miracle could save Dejah ThOris and
myself, when 1 saw Tars Tarkas surg
ing through the crowd of pigmies that
swarmed about him. With one swing
of his mighty IongswOrd he laid a
dozen corpses at his feet, and so he
hewed a pathway before him until in
another moment he stood upon the
platform beside me, dealing death and
destruction right and left.
The bravery of the Zodangans was
awe-inspiring; not one attempted to
escape, and when the fighting ceased
it was because only Thanks remained
alive in the great hail. other than De
jah ThOris and myself.
Sab Than lay dead beside his IA
Their, and the corpses of the flower of
Zodangan nobility and chivalry COW
cred the floor of the bloody shambles.
My first thought when the battle
was over was for Kantos Kan. and
leaving Dejah ThOris In charge of Tars
Tarkas 1 took q dozen warriors and
FASTENED to the dungeons beneath the
palace. The jailers had all left TO join
the fighters in the throne room, so we
searched the labyrinthine prison with |
out opposition.
called KantOs Kan's name aloud in
each new corridor and compartment, !
and finally 1 was rewarded by hearing
a faint response. Guided by the
sound, we soon found him helpless in
a dark recess.
He was OverjOyed at seeing me and |
to know the meaning of the fight, faint |
echoes of which had reached his pris- |
on cell. He told me that the air pa
troll had captured him before he |
reached the high tower of the palace, |
so that he had not even seen Sab |
Than.
The sounds of heavy firing. mingled |
with shouts and cries, came to US from |
the city's streets, and Tars Tarkas |
FASTENED away TO direct the fighting |
KantOs Kan accompanied |
him to act as guide, the green warriors
a thorough search of the |
palace for other Zodangans and for
loot, and Dejah Thoris and were left |
alone.
She had sunk into one of the golden
/V &u%I[NEA