The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1921-04-08

nnu rOiut il'dlH VI totuIft. just hN 4
saw the sudden coming OF dark whis-
pered TO Kantos Kan TO thrust his
sword between my left arm and my
body. As he did so staggered back
clasping the sword tightly with my
arm and thus fell TO the ground with
his weapon apparently pro'ruding
from my chest. Kantss Kan perceived
my coup and stepping quickly TO my
side he placed his foot upon my neck
and Withdrawing his sword from my
body gave me the final death blow
through the neck which is supposed 10
sever the jugular vein. but In this in
stance the cold blade slipped harm
lessly into the sand OF the arena. In
the darkness which had now fallen
none could tell but that he had really
finished me. whispered to him 10
70 and claim his freedom and then
look for me in the hills east OF the
city, and so he left me.
when the amphitheater had cleared
| crept steal;hily TO the top and as
the great excavation lay far from the
plaza and In an untenanted portion OF
the great dead city had little trouble
in reaching the hills beyond.
For two days | waited there for
Kantos Kan, hut as he did not come
started of on foot In northwesterly
direction toward point where he had
told me lay the nearest waterway. My
only food consisted Of vegetable milk
from the plants which gave so boun-
teOnsly Of this priceless fuid.
Through two long weeks ! wan
dered, stumbling through the nights
guided only by the stars and hiding
during the days behind some protrud.
ing rock or among the occasional
hills | traversed. Several times ! was
attacked by Wild beasts strange, nm
couth monstrositlcs that leaped upon
mo in the dark, so that had ever TO
grasp my longsword IN my hand that
| might be ready FOR them. Usually
nv strange. newly acquired telepsthic
power warned me In ample time, but
once | was down with vicious fanEs a.
my luguar and a hairy face pressed
close to mine before knew that !
was even threatened.
What manner OF thing was upon me
did not know, but that II was large
and heavy and many-locged ! could
feel Nv hands were at us throat
before the faugs had chance 70 bury
themselves In my neck. and slowly !
forced the hairy face from me and
closed my fingers. v'seIEo, upon It's
windpipe.
Without sound We lay there. the
beast cxertug every effort to reach
me with those awful fangs and ]
struining 10 maintain my grip and
choke the life from Il az kept II
from my throat. Then living mass
Of destruction sprang from The sur
rounding darkness fun upon the crea-
mre that held me pinioned 10 the
ground. The two rolled growing upon
the moss. tearing and rendIng one an.
other in y frightful manner tut il was
soon over and my prcserver stood with
lowered head above the throat OF the
dead thing which would have killed
me.
The nearer moon, hurtlinr suddenly
above the horizon and lighting NJ the
Barsooman scene, showed me that
my prpscrvcr was WoCla, hut from
whence he had come or how found
me, | was at a loss 20 know. That !
was glad OF his coInpanionship 10 is
needless to say, but my pleasure at
seeing him was tempered Nv anxiety
as to the reason OF his leaving DciHh
ThOriS.
BY the light 81 the nov brilliant
moons saw that he was but "a
shadow Of his former self and as he
turned from my carcss aud com
mcnccd grccd,ly to deyour tie dead
carcass ~ my feet realized that the
poor fellow was more than half
starved. When Woola had finished
his meal ! again took mp my weary
and seemingly endless wandering In
quest Of he elusive waterway
At dayhrcak OF the fifteenth day !
W. overjoyed to see the high trees
that denoted the object 81 my search.
About noon | dragged myself YEARLY
10 the portals ~ huge building which
covered perhaps four square miles and
lowered two hundred feet IN The air.
II showed no aperture in The mighty
walls other than the tiny door Al
which sank exhausted, nor was there
any sign Of life about ".
could find no bell or other method
OF making my presence known To the
inmates Of the place, unless small
round hole in the wall near the door
was FOR that purpose. !; was ~ about
the bigncSs ot lead lCrci and think
ing that II might be In the nature Of
a speaking tube put my mouth ia II
and was about to call into II when u
voice issued from II asking me whom
| might be. where from. and the MA.
ture OF my errand.
81 am friend ~ the red men Of
Barsoom and | am starving. In the
name OF humanity open 10 Us" re-
piled.