Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-03-17

! II Adttt AONNiQ uhAi
ITS very speed bespoke the unusual.
Flashing the signals which pro
claimed II a dispatch bearer for the
jeddak, it circled impatiently awaiting
the tardy patrol boat which must con
voy it to the palace docks.
Ten minutes after ii touched at the
palace a message called me TO the
council chamber. which found filling
with the members of that body.
On the raised platform of the throne
was Tardos Mors. pacing back and
forth with tense-drawn face. When
all were in their seats he turned to-
ward us.
"This morning." ne said. "word
reached the several governments of
BarsOom that the keeper of the atmos-
phere plant had made no wireless re-
port for two days. nor had almost
ceaseless calls upon him from a score
of capitals ELECTED a sign of response.
All day a thousand cruisers have been
searching for him until, just now, one
of them returns bearing his dead body,
which was found in the pits beneath
his house horribly mutilated by some
assassin.
81 do not need to tell you what this
means to Barsoom 1t would take
months to penetrate those mighty
walls, in fact the work has already
commenced, and there would be little
to fear were the engine of the pumping
plant to run as II should and as they
all have for hundreds of years but the
worst, we fear. has happened. The
instruments show rapidly decreasing
air pressure on all parts of BarsoOm-
the engine has stopped.
"AIy gentlemen" he concluded, 1--WE
have at best three days to live"
There was absolute silence for sew
eral minutes, and then young noble
arose, and with his drawn sword held
high above his head addressed Tardos
Mors.
"The men of Helium have prided
themselves that they have ever shown
BarsOOm how a nation of red men
should live, now is our opportunity TO
show them how they should die. Let
us 90 about our duties as though a
thousand useful years still lay before
u.s."
The chamber rang with applause
and as there was nothing better to do
than to allay the fears of the people
by our example we went our ways
with smiles upon our faces and sorrow
gnawing at our hearts.
When / returned to my palace l
found that the rumor already had |
reached Dejah Thoris, so l told her
all that had heard.
1--WE have been very happy John
Carter" she said, "and | thank what
ever fate overtakes us that it permits
US to die together"
The next two days brought no mo-
tfceable change in the supply Of air.
but on the morning of the third day
breathing became difficult at the high
mind a series of nine long forgotten
sounds Like flash of lightning In
he darkness their full purport dawned
loors Of the atmosphere plant
Turning suddenly toward Tardos
Mors as 1 still clasped my dying love
o my breast l cried:
"A flyer, Jeddak Quick Order
-Our swiftest flyer to the palace top
can save Barsoom yet"
He did not wait to question, but in
in instant guard was racing to the
dock and though the air was
hin and almost gone at the rooftop
hey managed to launch the fastest
,ne-man, airscout machine that the
kill of BarsOOm had ever produced. I
kissing Dejah Thoris a dozen times
nd commanding Woola, who would Z
ave followed me, to remain and guard
err l bounded with my old agility and
trength to the high ramparts of the /
alace, and in another moment / was I
eaded toward the goal of the hopes
f all Barsoom.
had to fly low to get sufficient air
} breathe, but took a straight course
cross an old sea bottom and so had to
sc Only Il lew lctl dbONb lht SAouihs
| Travelled with awful velocity, for
" errand was a race against time
18th death The face of Dejah ThOris
ung always before me. As / turned p
II a last look as I left the palace gar a
en- had seen her stagger and sink II
pom the ground beside the little incu- il
itor. That she had dropped into the h
st coma which would end I'm death, 4,
the air supply remained unreplen- /,
he'd, l well knew. and SO, throwing
tuition to the winds, | flung over
,ard everything but the engine and :,
,mpass. even to my ornaments, and ~
ing on my belly along the deck with Z
lie hand on the steering wheel and
e other pushing the speed lever to
last notch ! split the thin air of c'
ing Mars with the speed Of a meteor. "
An hour before dark the great walls tc
the atmosphere plant loomed sud
My before me, and with a sickening
nd I plunged TO the ground before II
e small door which was Withholding w
e spark Of life from the inhabitants n
an entire planet. !,
To be continued