Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-01-27
4 TaI Hams Sd commands.

| II Tai Hajus so commands.
But" he continued, In his fierce
cultural tones, IF you run off with
the red girl it is who shall have to
account TO Tai Hajus; it is ! who shah
have to face Tars Tarkas, and either
demonstrate my right TO command,
or the metal from my dead carcass
will go to a better man. for such is
the custom of the Thanks.
81 have no quarrel with Tars Tar
kas together we rule supreme the
greatest of the lesser communities
among the green men; we do not wish
TO fight between ourselves; and so
if you were dead, John Carter I should
be glad. Under two conditions only,
however, may you be killed by us with
out orders from Tai Hajus; in person
al combat in self-defense, should you
attack one of us, or were you appre-
hended in an attempt to escape.
"As a matter of justice l must warn
you that we only await one of these
two excuses for Kidding ourselves of
so great a responsibility. The safe
delivery of the red girl to Tai Hajus
is of the greatest Importance. Not
in a thousand years have the Thanks
made such a capture; she is the grand
daughter of the greatest Of red jed
envy ! have spoken. The red girl
told us that we were without the
softer sentiments of humanity, but we
are just and truthful race. You may
60"
Turning, l left the audience cham
Der. So this was the beginning of
SarkOja's persecution / knew that
none other could be responsible for
this report which had reached the
ears of Lorquas Ptomel so quickly,
and now l recalled those portions of
our conversation which had touched
upon escape and upon my origin.
Sarkoja was at this time Tars Tar
kas oldest and most trusted female.
AS such she was q mighty power be-
hind the throne, for no warrior had
the confidence of Lorquas Ptomel to
such an extent as did his ablest lieu
tenant, Tars Tarkas.
However, instead of putting thoughts
of possible escape from my mind, my
audience with Lorquas Ptomel only |
served to center my every faculty on
this subject Now, more than before, /
the absolute necessity for escape, in
so far as Detah Thoris was concerned, I
was impressed upon me, for ] was
that some horrible fate
awaited her at the headquarters of
Tai Hajus.
As described by Sofa, this monster
was the exaggerated persOnification
of all the ages of cruelty, ferocity,
and brutality from which he had de-
scended. Cold, cunning, calculating;
he was, also, in marked contrast to
most of his fellows, slave to that
brute passion which the waning de-
nands for procreation upon their dy-
ing planet had almost stilled in the
Marian breast.
AS I wandered about the plaza lost
N my gloomy forebodings Tars Tar
1as approached me on his way from
he audience chamber.
"Where are your quarters, John Car
err" he asked.
81 have selected none," l replied.
Tt seemed best that / quartered either
" myself or among the other war
Tors, and l was awaiting an oppor-
unity to ask your advice"
"Come with me-" he directed, and to-
,ether we moved off across the plaza {
o building which l was glad to see
.djoined that occupied by Sofa and !
ler charges. l
my quarters are on the first floor {
4 this building he said, "and the /
econd floor also is fully occupied by j
warriors, but the third floor and the Z
oors above are vacant; you may take J
our choice of these. I
81 understand" he continued, that L
on have given up your woman to e
he red prisoner. Well If you wish b
D give your woman to a captive, it 0
; your own affair; but as a chieftain fl
on should have those to serve you, a
nd in accordance with our customs f
on may select any or all the females Il
rom the retinues of the chieftans Il
hose metal you now wear" s
thanked him, but assured him that a
could get along very nicely without s
ssistance except in the matter Of pre-
airing food. and so he promised to D
md women to me for this purpose d
I'd also for the care of my arms and W
le manufacture of my ammunition, p
hich he said would be necessary. 7
| finally chose a front room on the N
Ijrd floor, because this brought me Il
,arer to Dejah Thoris, whose apart g,
ent was on the second floor Of the "
Looming building, and IT flashed up
me that ! could rig up some means Ct
communication whereby she might I
gnal me in case she needed either fl
'. services or my protection. as
NV thoughts we're cut short by the
went of several young females bear ST
Q loads of weapons, silks, furs, jew hi
J. cooking utensils, and casks of food I'll