The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-03-26

although never proTcrcd any re
marks myself.
ON the night following the prisoners
visit to the audience chamber The con
vcrsation finally fell upon this subject,
and ! was all ears on the instant.
Sarkoia. one Ut the older women
who Sha.cd our domicii", had been
present AZ the audience aS one Of
the captive's guards. and it was to-
ward her the queStiOncrS turned.
when" asked one of the women,
twill we enjoy the death throeS of the
red one, or does LOriuaS PtomeI. Jed,
intend holding her for ransom?"
"They have decided to carry her
with us back to Thark, and exhibit
her last agonieS at the great games
before Tai Hajus." replied SarIloja.
what will be the manner of her
going out?" inquired Soa. "Shr is
very small and very beautiful; had
hoped that they would hold her for
ransom"
one thing this epiSudp accomplished
was to assure me of Sola'S friendii-
ness toward the poor girl. and also to
convince me ,ha1 had beer extreme
ly fortunate in falling into her hands
rather than those of some of the other
females. knew that she was fond of
me. and now that her remarks showed
that She hated cruelty and barbarity
| was confident that could depend
upon her To aid me and the girl cap
tive to escape provided of course that
such IL thing was within the range of
possibilities.
Early the next morning | was asttr.
Considerable freedom was allowed me,
aS Sula had Informed me that 80 long
aS | did not attempt To leave the city
! was free to 20 and come aS pleased.
She had warned me. however. against
venluring forth unarmed. rs this city.
like all other deserted mctropoliSeS OF
an ancient Marian civilization. was
peopled by the great white apes of my
second days adventure.
On this morning had chosen Il new
street to explore when suddenly !
found myself at the limits of the city.
IOn@ed To explore the country before
me. and. like the pioneer stock from
which | Sprang, to view what the land
.Scapc beyond the eucirclin@ hills might
disclose from the SUBMITS which shut
out my view.
As | approached the boundary line
WOOla ran anXiOuSly before me, and
thrust his body against my legs. His
expression was pleading rather than
ferOciOuS. nor did he bare his great
tuskS or utter his fearful cultural
warnings. Denied the friendship and
companiOnship of my kind. l had de-
velOped considerable affection for
WOOla and Sofa. for the normal earth
ly man must have some outlet for his
natural affections. and so I decided
upon an appeal to a like instinct in
this great brute, sure that l would
not be disappointed.
had never perted nor fOndled him,
but now | SAT upon the ground and
putting my arms around his heavy
neck | strOked and coaXed him. talk
ing in my newly acquired Marian
tongue as | would have to my hound
at home, as | would have talked to
any other friend among the lower an
imalS. His response to my manifcS-
tation of affection was remarkable to
II degree: he stretched his great mouth
To its full width, barring the entire
eXpanse Of his upper rows of tuSkS
and wrinkling his folds of flesh. If
you have ever seen collie smile you
may have some idea of WOOla'S facial
distortion.
There was no further question of
authority between US; WOOla was my
devoted slave from that moment
hence, and |, his only and UndiSputed
master. Ny walk to the hills Occu-
pied but few minutes. and I found
nothing of particular interest to re
ward me. But the walk had been
large with importance to me- for it
had resulted in perfect understand
ing with WOOla, upon whom Tars
Tarkas relied for my safe keeping. /
now knew that while theoretically
prisoner / was virtually free and I
FASTENED to regain the city limits he
fore the detection of WOOla could be
discovered by his erstwhile masters.
ON regaining the plaza l had my
third glimpse of the captive girl. She
was standing with her guards before
the entrance to the audience chamber
I Oh Cl, n
naughty glance and turned her back
"ull upon me The act was so wOm-
anly. so earthly womanly. that though
il stung my pride 1t also warmed nIy
heart with feeling of companiOnShip;
t was good to know that some one
else on Mars beside myself had hui
man instincts of civilized order. even
though the manifestation of them was
so painful and Notifying.
Seeing that the prisoner seemed the
center of attraction | halted TO view
the proceedings. The council squatted
upon the steps of the rostrum. while
below them stood the prisoner and her
two guards | saw that one of the
women was SarkOja, and thus under
stood how she had been present at the
hearing Of the preceding day, the re-
suits of which she had reported TO
the occupants of our dOrmitOry last
night. Her attitude toward the cap
tive was most harsh and brutal. She
seemed to be venting upon this poor
defenseleSs creature all the hatred.
cruelty. ferocity, and spite of her nine