Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-03-03
CHAPTER XIV
Lost in the SKY.


FASTENED to the vicinity Of our quar-
tiers, where l felt sure | should find
Kantos Kan. He was alone and
showed no surprise at my coming,
saying he had expected me much
earlier. as my tour of duty must have
ended some time since.
/ saw that he knew nothing of the
events of the day ar the palace, and
when had enlightened him he was all
excitement. The news that Dejah Thoris
had promised her hand to Sab Than
filed him with dismay.
ut cannot be-" he exclaimed ut is
Impossible Why. no man in all He'll
UNI but would prefer death to the sell
ing of our loved princess TO the ruling
house of Zodanga. She must have lost
her mind to have assented to such an
atroclous bargain. What can be DONE
John Carter? You are a resourceful
man. Can you not think Of some way
to save Helium from this disgrace?"
IF can come within swords reach
of Sab Than" answered, 81 can solve
the difficulty in so far as Helium Is
concerned, but for personal reasons /
would prefer that another struck the
blow that frees Deiah Thoris"
Kantos Kan eyed me narrowly be-
fore he spoke.
"You love herl" he said. Does she
know it?'
"She knows it, Kantos Kan, and re-
pulses me only because she is prom
Used to Sab Than"
The splendid fellow sprang to his
feet and grasping me by the Shout
der, raised his sword on high, ex-
claiming:
"And had the choice been left TO me
could not have chosen a more fitting
mate for the first princess of BarsoOm.
Here is my hand upon your shoulder,
John Carter, and my word that Sab
Than shall go out at the point Of my
sword for the sake Of my love for
Helium, for Dejah Thoris, and for you.
This very night shall try to reach his
quarters in the palace.
81 only need to pass these guards
and l can do It. / know a secret en-
trance to the palace through the pin
nacle Of the highest tower. / fell upon
it by chance one day as / was passing
above the palace on patrol duty. If |
can reach the roof of the barracks and
get my machine | can be I'm Sab Than's
quarters in five minutes; but how am
l to escape from this building, guard
ed as you say it is?'
$50 to the roof of this building.
Kantos Kan, and wait me there"
Without stopping to explain my
plans I retraced my way to the street
and hastened to the barracks. / did
not dare to enter the building, filed as
It was with members of the air-scout
who, in common with all
zodanga, were on the lookout for me.
The building was an enormous one,
rearing its lofty head fully a thousand |
feet into the air. 1t was long climb |
up the face Of the building, but there
was no other way, and so / essayed |
The task. The fact that Barsoomian |
is extremely ornate made |
he feat much simpler than ] had an
,ipated. since found ornamental
edges and projections which fairly
'ormed a perfect ladder for me all the
way to the caves Of the building. Here
met my first real obstacle. The caves
projected nearly twenty feet from the
vail to which l chung, and though ]
the great building ! could
ind no opening through them.
There was one slight, desperate
and that I decided | must take
lit was for Dejah Thoris, and no man
las lived who would not risk thou
and deaths for such as she.
Clinging to the wall with my feet
nd one hand l unloosened one Of the
ong leather straps Of my trappings
{ the end of which dangled a great
ook by which air sailors are hung TO
he sides and bottoms Of their craft
or various purposes of repair, and by
leans Of which landing parties are
,wered to the ground from the battle
hips
/ swung this hook cautiously TO the
oof several times before it finally
Dund Judgment; gently pulled on It
} strengthen its hold, but whether II
-ould bear the weight of my body ]
Id not know II might be barely
lught upon the very outer verge of
re roof, so that as my body swung out
{ the end Of the strap It would slip
r and launch me to the pavement a
lousand feet below.
An instant / hesitated, and then, re-
asing my grasp upon the supporting
rnament, / swung out into space at
le end Of the strap. Far below me
y the brilliantly lighted streets, the
ard pavements, and death. There was
little jerk at the top Of the support
& caves, and a nasty slipping, graf
z sound which turned me cold with
)prehension then the hook caught
I'd was safe.
Clambering quickly aloft ] grasped
e edge Of the caves and drew myself
the surface of the room above. AS
gained my feet l was confronted by
e sentry on duty, into the nuzzle Of
hose revolver ] found myself looking.
"Who are you and whence came