The Connecticut labor news., 1921-10-21

of Our Palace Lay a snow-White
 Egg.
 For nearly five years ten soldiers of the jeddak's Guard had constantly stood over it, and not a day passed when I was in the city that Dejah Thoris and I did not stand hand in hand before our little shrine planning for the future, when the delicate shell should break.
 Vivid in my memory is the picture of the last night as we sat there talk ing in low tones of the strange TO- nance which had woven our lives to- gether and of this wonder which was coming to augment our happiness and fulfill our hopes.
 In the distance we saw the bright white light of an approaching airship. but we attached no special significance to so common sight. Like bolt of lightning it raced toward Helium until its very speed bespoke the unusual.
 Flashing the signals which pro- claimed it a dispatch bearer for the jeddak, it circled impatiently awaiting the tardy patrol boat which must con- vOy 1t to the palace docks.
 Ten minutes after it touched at the palace a message called me to the council chamber, which I found filling with the members of that body.
 On the raised platform of the throne was Tardos Mors, pacing back and forth with tense-drawn face. When all were in their seats he turned to- ward us.
 '"This morning." he said, word reached the several governments of Barsoom that the keeper of the atmos- phere plant had made no wireless re- port for two days, nor had almost ceaseless calls upon him from a score of capitals elicited a sign of response. All day thousand cruisers have been searching for him until, just now, one of them returns bearing his dead body which was found in the pits beneath his house horribly mutilated by some assa ssin.
 ''I do not need to tell you what this means to Barsoom. It would take months to penetrate those mighty walls, in fact the work has already commenced, and there would be little to fear were the engine of the pumping plant to run as it should and as they all have for hundreds of years; but the worst, we fear, has happened. The instruments show a rapidly decreasing air pressure on all parts of Barsoom- the engine has stopped.
 My gentlemen" he concluded, "we have at best three days to live''
 There was absolute silence for sev- eral minutes, and then a young noble arose, and with his drawn sword held high above his head addressed Tardos Mors.
 ''The men of Helium have prided themselves that they have ever shown Barsoom how a nation of red men should live, now is our opportunity to show them how they should die Let us go about our duties as though ;l thousand useful years still lay before uS"
 The chamber rang with applause and as there was nothing better to do than to allay the fears of the people by our example we went our ways with smiles upon our faces and sorrow gnawing at our hearts.
 When 1 returned to my palace found that the rumor already had reached Dejah Thoris, so I told her all that I had heard.
 "We have been very happy, John Carter" she said, "and I thank what ever fate overtakes us that it permits us to die together"
 The next two days brought no no ticeable change in the supply of air. but on the morning of the third day breathing became difficult a the high