Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1921-04-29

delivered blow after DloW upon MI
enormous chest. With all his immense
bulk he was little If any stronger than
/, and 1t was but the matter OF mo
ment or two before he sank. bleeding
and lifeless, to the floor.
Dejah Thoris had raised herself up
on one elbow and was watching the
battle with wide. staring eyes. When
1 had regained my feet / raised her
In my arms and bore her to one of the
benches at the side of the room.
Again no Marian interfered with
me, and when she could speak she
placed her hand upon my arm, and
looking into my eyes, said:
"why did you 1t? You, who re-
fused me even friendly recognition In
the first hour of my peril And now
you risk your life and kill one of your
companions for my sake. I cannot I'M
derstand. What strange manner Of
man are you, that you consort with
the green men, though your form is
that of my race, while your color is
little darker than that of the white
ape? Tell me, are you human, or are
you more than humanT
''It is a strange tale" replied, too
long to attempt to tell you now. Suf-
fee it, for the present, that / am your
friend, and, so far as our captors will
permit, your protector and your ser
want"
Then you. too, are a prisonerf
What is your name? Why your re-
gala as a chieftain?"
yes, Dejah Thoris, l too am a pris-
oner; my name is John Carter. and 1
claim Virginia, one of the United
States of American Earth. as my
home; but why / am permitted to
wear arms / do not know. nor was I
aware that my regalla was that OF
chieftain."
We were interrupted at this juncture
by the approach of one of the war
riors, bearing arms, accouterments and
ornaments, and in flash one of her
questions was answered and a puzzle
cleared up for me. / saw that the
body of my dead antagonist had been
stripped, and l read in the menacing
yet respectful attitude of the warrior
who had brought me these trophies
of the kill the same demeanor as that
evinced by the other who had brought
me my original equipment, and now
for the first time / realized that my
blow, on the occasion of my first bat
tie in the audience chamber had re-
suited in the death of my adversary.
/ was accorded the honors due
conqueror; the trappings and the po-
cft ne ha In trrr
/ was Marian chieftain, and this
I learned later was the cause of my
great freedom and my liberation in
the audience chamber.
As / had turned to receive the dead
warriors chattels / had not ced that
Tars Tarkas and several others had
pushed forward toward us. The chief
addressed me:
DO you know what your I'M
precedented temertty would have cost
you had you failed TO kill either Of the
two chieftains whose metal you now
wear?" he asked.
Il presume that that one whom 1
had failed to kill, would have killed
me-" l answered, smiling
mo. you are wrong Only In tho
last extremity of self-defense would
Marian warrior kill prisoner; we
like to save them for other purposes"
and his face bespoke possibilities that
were not pleasant to dwell upop-
But one thing can gave you now"
he continued. Should you, in recogni-
ton of your remarkable valor, ferocity
and prowess, be considered by Tai Ha-
jus as worthy of his service you may
be taken into the community and be-
come a full-fledged Tharkian. Until we
reach the headquarters OF TIL Hajus
you win be treated by us as a Tharkian
| chieftain, but you must not forget that
every chief who ranks you is respon-
sible for your safe delivery to our
mighty and most ferocious ruler. l
| am done"
Il hear you, Tars Tarkas," / an
swered. IF you will leave me alone I
will go In peace. but If nor. let the in
dividual Barsoomians with whom I
must deal either respect my rights as a
stranger among you, or take whatever
consequences may befall. OF one
| thing let us be sure, whatever may be
| your ultimate intentions toward this
unfortunate young woman, whoever
would offer her injury or insult in the
future must figure on full accounting
to me-"
| I had guessed at the keynote which
would strike an answering chord in the
breasts of the green Martiana, nor was
wrong, for my harangue evidently
deeply impressed them. and their at.
titude toward me thereafter was still
further respectful.
| l now turned my attention to Dejah
Thoris. and assisting her to her feet
turned with her toward the exit. ig
noring her lowering guardian harpie.