Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-02-14
RyRRS.

"DeIah Thoris and Then Fell to Ex-
aiming the Architecture and Deco
rations of the Beautiful Chambers
of the Building We Were occu-
pying,"
tons of the beautiful chambers of the
building we were occupying. She told
me that these people had presumably
flourished over a hundred thousand
years before. They were the early
with the other great races of early
Martians, who were very dark, almost
black. and also with the reddish yell
low race which had f1ourished at the
same time.
These three great divisions of the
higher Martians had been forced in.
to a mighty alliance as the drying up
of the Marian seas had compelled
them to seek the comparatively few
and always diminishing fertile areas,
and to defend themselves, under new
conditions of life, against the wild
hordes of green men.
The ancient Martians had been a
highly cultivated and literary race,
but during the vicissitudes of those
trying centuries of reimbursement to
new conditions, not only did their ad-
vancement and production cease en-
tirely, but practically all their archives.
records. and literature were lost.
We had been so engrossed in expIor-
alton of the building and in our con-
versation that it was late in the after
mon before we realized 1t We were
brought back to a realization of our
present conditions by a messenger
bearing a summons from Lorquas
PtOmel directing me to appear before
him forthwith. Bidding Dejah Thor
is and Sofa farewell, and command
ing Woola to remain on guard, | hast
ened to the audience chamber, where
found Lorquas Ptomel and Tars Tar
kas seated upon the rostTum.
AS entered and saiuted, Lorquai
Ptomel signaled me to advance. and
fixing his great. hideous eyes upoI
me, addressed me thus:
"You have been with US few days
yet during that time you have BY
your prowess won a high position
among as. Be that as 1t may, you arr
not one of US; you owe us no allegi
ance.
Your position is a peculiar one
he continued; ''yOu are a prisoner
must be obeyed; you are an alien an(
yet you are a Tharkian chieftain
you are midget and yet you can kill
a mighty warrior with one blow Of
your fist. And now you are reported
to have been plotting to escape with
another prisoner of another race; q
prisoner who. from her own admission
half believes you are returned from
the valley of Dor Either one of these
accusations, if proved, would be suffi
cient grounds for your execution, but
we are a just people and you shall
have a trial on our return to Thark
If Tai Hajus so commands.
But" he continued. in his fierce
cultural tones, IF you run off with
the red girl 1t is who shall have to
account to Tai Hajus; it is who shall
have to face Tars Tarkas, and either
demonstrate my right to command
or the metal from my dead carcass
will go to a better man, for such Is
the custom of the Thanks.
81 have no quarrel with Tars Tar
kas; together we rule supreme the
greatest of the lesser communities
among the green men; we do not wish
to fight between ourselves; and so
II you were dead, John Carter, should
be glad. Under two conditions only
however, may you be killed by US with
out orders from Tai Hajus; In person
al combat In self-defense, should you
attack one of us, or were you appre-
hended in an attempt to escape.
"As matter of justice l must warn
you that we only await one. of these
two excuses for Kidding ourselves OF
so great a responsibility. The safe
delivery of the red girl to Tai Hajus
is of the greatest importance. Not
in q thousand years have the Thanks
made such a capture; she is the grand
daughter of the greatest Of red jed
daks, who Is also our bitterest en-
envy. / have spoken. The red girl
told us that we were without the
softer sentiments Of humanity: but we
are Just and truthful race. You may
CO."
Turning, I left the audience cham
Der. So this was the beginning of
Sarkoja's persecution knew that
none other could be responsible for
this report which had reached the
ears Of Lorquas Ptomel so quickly.