Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1921-05-20


bulk he was little If any stronger than
/. and it was but the matter of a 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
/ 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. / 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 human?"
"It is a strange tale" I replied, "too
long to attempt to tell you now. Suf-
flee it, for the present, that / am your
friend, and, so far as our captors viii
permit, your protector and your SER
want"
Then you, too, are a prisoner3
What is your name? Why your re-
gala as a chieftaing"
YES Dejah Thoris, too am a pris-
oner; my name is John Carter, and
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
aware that my regalia was that OF a
chieftain."
We were interrupted at this juncture
by the approach of one of the war
riors. bearing arms, accouterments and
ornaments, and In a flash one of her
questions was answered and puzzle
cleared up for me. / saw that the
body Of my dead antagonist had been
stripped, and / 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 a
conqueror; the trapplngs and the po-
sition Of the man / killed. In truth.
| was a Marian chleftain, and this
| 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 noticed that
Tars Tarkas and several others had
pushed forward toward us. The chief
addressed me:
do You know what your un-
precedented temerity 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 l
had failed to kill. would have killed
me" / answered. smiling.
NO, you are wrong. Only in the
last extremity Of self-defense would
a Marian warrior kin a prisoner; we
like TO save them for other purposes
and his face bespoke possibilities that
were not pleasant to dwell upon.
But one thing can save 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 bc-
come full-fledged Tharkian Until we
reoc:l the headquarters Of Tai Hajus
y3u will be treated by us as a Tharklan
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
am done"
Il hear you, Tars Tarkas," / an
swered. IF you will leave me alone
will 20 In peace, but IL not, let the In
dividual Barsoomians with whom
must deal either respect my rights as
stranger among you, or take whatever
consequences may befall or 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 a full accounting
to me-"
! had guessed at the keynote which
would strike an answering chord In the
breasts of the green Martians, nor was
| wrong, for my harangue evidently
deeply impressed them, and their at
titude toward me thereafter was still
further respectful.
now turned my attention to Dejah
Thoris. and assisting her to her feet I
turned with her toward the exit ig-
noring her lowering guardian harpies
as well as the lnqulring gIances OF the
chieftalns. Was I not now a chieftain
aIena Wall then 7 svorId aacfty,aa tha