Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-01-13


upper works. and upon the prov Of
each was painted some odd device that
cleaned In the sunlight and showed
plainly even at the distance at which
we were from the vessels. | could see
figures crowding the forward decks
and upper works of the aircraft.
Whether they had discovered us or
simply were looking at the deserted
city could not say, but in any event
they received a rude reception, for
suddenly and without warning the
green Marian warriors fired a terrific
yolley from the windows of the build
! ings facing the little valley across
which the great ships were so peace
! fully advancing.
Instantly the scene changed as by
magic; the foremost vessel swung
broadside toward us, and bringing her
guns into play returned our fire, at the
same time moving parallel to our front
for a short distance and then turning
back with the evident intention of
completing a great circle which would
bring her up to position once more
opposite our firing line; the other YES
sells followed In her wake, each one
opening upon us as she swung into
position. Our own fire never dimin-
ished, and I doubt If % per cent of
our shots went wild II had never
been given me to see such deadly ac-
curacy of aim. and 1t seemed as
though a little figure on one of the
craft dropped at the explosion of each !
bullet, while the banners and upper |
works dissolved in sprrts of flame as
the Irresistible projectiles of our war
riors moved through them.
The fire from the vessels was most
Intellectual, owing, as I afterward |
learned, to the unexpected suddenness
Of the first volley, which caught the
ships crews entirely unprepared ami
the sighting apparatus of the guns I'M
protected from the deadly aim of our
warriors.
Twenty minutes after the first vol
ley the great fleet swung trailing off
In the direction from which 1t had
first appeared Several of the craft
were limping perceptibly and seemed
but barely under the control of their
depleted crews. Their fire had ceased
entirely and all their energies seemed
focused upon escape Our warriors
then rushed up to the roofs of the
which we occupied and fol
lowed the retreating armada with a
continuous fusllade of deadly fire.
One by one, however the ships man
aged to dip below the crests of the
outlying hills until only one barely
moving craft was in sight. This had
received the brunt of our fire and
to be entirely unnamed, as
lot moving figure was visible upon
her decks. Slowly she swung from
Ter course, circling back toward us in
IN erratic and pitiful manner. In
'tantiy the warriors ceased firing. for
{ was quite apparent that the vessel
vas entirely helpless and far from
,eing In a position to inflict harm
Ipon u.s. she could not even control
erself sufficiently to escape.
As she neared the city the warriors
ushed out upon the plain to meet her
ut 1t was evident that she still was a
DO high for them to hope to reach her
ecks.
She was drifting some fifty feet
bove the ground, followed by all but
Dme hundred of the warriors who o
ad been ordered back to the roofs b
cover the possibility of a return of b
lie fleet, or for re-enforcements. fl
AS the craft neared the building.
I'd just before she struck, the Mar W
an warriors swarmed upon her from :,
Ie windows, and with their great :,
'ears eased the shock of the COLI
on, and in few moments they had d
rown out graphing hooks and the Il
g boat was being hauled to ground pi
their fellows below. m
After making her fast, they fu
armed the sides and searched the WI
ssel from stem to stern. l could see ey
EN- examining the dead sailors, evil su
ntly for signs of life, and presently WI
party of them appeared from below ST
agging a little figure among them. SIX
he creature was considerably less co
IN half as tall as the green Marian of
rrors and from my balcony l could be
: that 1t walked erect upon two legs ST.
d surmised that 1t was some new
d strange Marian monstrosity with tn
itch i had not as yet become ac- he
ainted WI
They removed their prisoner to the IA
)und and then commenced sys- en-
matte rifiing of the vessel. This OPP an
ltion required several hours, during
ich time a number of the chariots OBJ
re requisitloned to transport the ma
t. which consisted Of arms, ammu-
ion, silks, furs, Jewels, strangely ue
we'd stone vessels, and a quantity up
solid foods and liquids, including Oh
ny casks Of water, the first l had ma
n since my advent upon Mars. ere
after the last load had been re- -. 80
we'd the warriors made lines fast ~.
he craft and towed her far out into ~
valley in a southwesteriy direc- -,
/. A few of them then boarded her
were busily engaged in what APP ~ ~
red, from my distant position, as a., 80
emptying of the contents of vari- -
carbOyS uDOn the dead bodies OF