The Connecticut labor news., 1921-09-30
"A Princess of Mars"
llIIIIIIIE by EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS lIII|InN
Copyright, A. C. McClurg & Company

"YOn are a brave people and yol
love bravery. but where was YOU
mighty jeddak during the fighting to
day? did not see him in the thicl
of battle; he was not there. He rend:
defenseless women and little children
in his lair, but how recently has one
of you seen him fight with men? Why
even l, midget beside him, felled hin
with a single blow of my fist. Is 1t OF
such that the Thanks fashion theil
jeddaks? There stands beside me now
a great Thank, mighty warrior and q
noble man. Chieftains, how sounds
Tars Tarkas, Jeddak of Thark?"
A roar of deep-toned applause greet.
ed this suggestion.
"It but remains for this council to
command, and Tai Hajus must prove
his fitness to rule. We're he a brave
man he would invite Tars Tarkas to
combat, for he does not love him, but
Tai Hajus Is afraid; Tai Hajus, your
jeddak. is a coward. With my bare
hands I could kill him, and he knows
It,"
After / ceased there was tense ST.
lence, as all eyes were riveted upon
Tai Hajus. He did not speak or move.
but the blotchy green Of his coun-
tenance turned livid, and the froth
froze upon his lips.
"Tal Hajus," said Lorquas PtOmel in
a cold, hard voice. never in my long
life have seen a jeddak of the Thanks
SO Inundated. There could be but one
answer to this arraignment. We wait
it." And still Tai Hajus stood as
though petrifed.
"Chieftains." continued Lorquas
Ptomel, "shall the jeddak, Tai Hiatus.
prove his fitness to rule over Tars Tar
kas?"
There were twenty chieftains about
the rostrum, and twenty swords
flashed high in assent.
There was no alternative. That de-
cree was final, and so Tai Hajus drew
his longsword and advanced to meet
Tars Tarkas.
The combat was soon over, and, with
his foot upon the neck Of the dead
monster, Tars Tarkas became jeddak
among the Thanks.
His first act was to make me 8 full
f1edged chieftain with the rank I had
won by my combats the first few weeks
of my captivity among them.
Seeing the favorable disposition Of
the warriors toward Tars Tarkas, as
we'll as toward me, grasped the op-
portunity to enlist them In my cause
against Zodanga. I told Tars Tarkas
the story of my adventures, and in
few words had explained to him the
thought had in mind.
"John Carter has made proposal"
he said, addressing the council, (which
meets with my sanction. l shall put it
to you briefly. Dejah Thoris, the
princess of Helium, who was our pris-
oner is now held by the jeddak of 70
danga, whose son she must wed to
save her country from devastation at
the hands of the Zodangan forces.
John Carter suggests that we res
cue her and return her to Helium. The
loot Of Zodanga would be magnificent,
and I have often thought that had we
an alliance with the people of Helium
we could obtain sufficient assurance of
sustenance to permit us to increase
the size and frequency Of our hatch
ings. and thus become unquestiOnably
supreme among the green men Of all
Barsoom. What say your"
1t was chance to fight, an oppor-
tunity to loot, and they rose to the
bait as a speckled trout to fly.
In three days we were On the march
toward Zodanga, one hundred thou
sand strong, as Tars Tarkas had been
able to enlist the services Of three
smaller hordes on the promise Of the
great loot Of Zodanga.
We travelled entirely by night, timing
our marches so that we camped dur
ing the day at deserted cities where,
even to the beasts, we were all kept
indoors during the daylight hours. On
the march Tars Tarkas, through his
remarkable ability and craftsmanship,
enlisted fifty thousand more warriors
from various hordes, so that, ten days
after we set out we halted at midnight
outside the great walled city Of 70
danga, one hundred and fifty thousand
strong.
The task Of obtaining entry to the
city devolved upon me. took twenty
dismounted warriors and approached
one Of the small gates that pierced
the walls at short intervals.
Placing three of my warriors with
their faces to the wall and arms
locked, commanded two more to
mount to their shoulders, and q sixth
I ordered to climb upon the shoulders
of the upper two. The head Of the top
most warrior lowered over forty feet
from the ground.
In this way, with ten warriors,
built a series Of three steps from the
ground to the shoulders Of the topmost
man. Then starting from a short dis
lance behind them I ran swiftly up
from one tier to the next, and with
final bound from the broad shoulders
of the highest I clutched the top Of the
great wall and quietly drew myself to
its broad expanse. After me I dragged
six lengths Of leather from an equal
number Of my warriors. These lengths
we had previously fastened together,
and passing one end to the topmost
warrior I lowered the other end eau
tiously over the opposite side Of the
wall toward the avenue below. No one
was in sight, so, lowering myself to
the end Of my leather strap, dropped
the remaining thirty feet to the pave
ment below.
had learned from Kantos Kan the
secret Of opening these gates, and in
another moment my twenty great fight