The Lamar register., 1921-03-16

Slowly the chieftains, the warriors
and the women melted away into the
shadows OF the surrounding chambers.
and Dejah Thoris and Sola stood
alone before the jeddnk of the Tharks.
One chleftain alone had hesitated
before departing: l saw him standing
In the shadows of mighty column,
his fingers nervously toying with the
hilt of his great sword and his cruel
eyes bent In implacable hatred upon
Tai Hajus. II was Tars Tarkas. and
l could read his thoughts as II they
were an open book. for the undis-
guised loathing upon his face. He was
thinking OF that other woman who.
forty years ago. had stood before this
beast. and could have spoken word
into his ear Mt that moment the reign
of Tai Hajus would have been over I:
but finally he also strode from the
room. not knowing that he left his own
daughter at the mercy Of the creature
he most loathed.
Tai Hajus arose, and |. half fearing.
half anticipating his intentions. hur-
ried to the winding runway which led
to the floors below. No one was near
to Intercept me, and | reached the
main floor Of the chamber unobserN-d
taking my station in the shadow of
the same column that 'rars Tsrkas had
but just deserted. As | reached the
floor Tai Hajus was speaking.
Princess OF Hellum. | might wiring
a mighty ransom from your people
\ hnt ha,
harmed, but a thousand times rather
would ! watch that beautiful face
writhe Ia the agony Of torture IL shall
he long drawn out. that / promise you /;
ten days OF pleasure were all too ~hori
to show the love | harbor for your
race The terrors OF your death shall
haunt the slumbers of the red men
through all the ages to come; they will
shudder in the shadows of the night
as their fathers tell them of the awful
vengeance OF the green men Of the
power and might and hate and cruelty
of Tai Hajus But before that torture
you shall be mine for one short hour,
and word of that too shall 20 forth to
Tardos Mors, Jeddak OF Helium. your
grandfather. that he may grovel upon
the ground IN the agony Of his Surrow.
Tomorrow the torture VIII commence; /;
tonight thou art Tai IIajus'; come -
He sprang down from the platform
and grasped her roughly by the arm.
but scarcely had lie touched her than
leaped between them. Ny short
sword. sharp and cleaning. was in my
right hand could have plunged II
into his putrid heart before he realized
that | was upon him bur as | raised
my arm to strike | thought OF TarS
Tarkas. and. with all my rage. with ull
my hatred. | could not rob him OF thai
sweet moment for which he had lived
and hoped all these long. weary years
and So instead. swung my good right
fist full upon the point OF his jaw
Without sound he slipped 10 the floor
as one dead.
In the same deathly silence | grasp
ed Dejah Thoris by the mana and, me
uoning to Sola to follow. We sped
noiselessly from the chamber and to
the floor above. Unseen We reached n
rear window and with the straps and
leather of my trappings | lowered first
Sola and then Dejah Thoris TO the
ground below. Dropping lightly after
them drew them rapidly around the
court In the shadows of the buildings,
and thus we returned over the same
course had so recently followed from
the distant boundary of the city.
We finally came upon my thoats in
the courtyard where I had left them
and placing the trappings upon them
we hastened through the building to
the avenue beyond. Mounting. Sola
upon one beast, and Dejah Thoris be
hind me upon the other. we rode from
the city of Thark through the hills te
the south.
No word was spoken until we hac
left the city far behind. but l coulc
hear the quiet sobbing of Dejah Thori:
as she clung to me with her dear heac
resting against my shoulder.
If we make II. my chieftain. the
debt of Hellum will be a mighty one
greater than she can ever pay you
and should we not make it, she con
tinued, "the debt is no less. though
Helium will never know, for you have
saved the last of our line from worst
than death"
did not answer. but instead
reached to my side and pressed th'