The evening world. Newspaper, January 6, 1916, Page 15

~ oe Wepeaeencenssncoenerspasercononsensecerenensooser i; (Oopyright, the Frank A, Mansey Oo.) ETNOPSIS OF PRECEDING OHAPTERS, Sivil War Captain, fe tranaported ‘There he undergore a series pe, ‘wing fame ax A. warriol 60. tos irl hho tare ip Carter ae as eveaje ‘for. the pine . panies them in their flight, the princess's home, bat lose thelr way, CHAPTER XII. (Continued), Pursuit. OLA and I looked both in the direction she indicated, and there, plainly discernible, were several hundred S " mounted warriors, They Beemed to be headed in a southwest- @rly direction, which would have Raken them away trom us. They doubtless were returning @hark warriors who had been seat out to capture us and wo breathed a GFeat sixh of relief that they were travelling in the opposite direction. Quickly lifting Dejah Thoris from thetthoat I commanded the animal to lie down and wo three then did the pame, presenting as small an object as possible for fear of attracting the gttention of the warriors. We could see them as they filed out of the pass, just for an instant, before they were eg) view gpeert friendly ridge; us @ most prov! dential ridge; since, had they been in view for any great length of time, they ecarcely could have failed to discover us. As what proved to be the last war- rior came into view from the pass, he halted and, to our consternation, threw hie small but powerful fleid lass to his eye and scanned the sea tiom in directions, Evidently be was @ chieftain, for in certain merching formation among the green men @ cCRieftain brings up at the extreme rear of the column. Aa his glass swung voward us our hhoarts stopped in our breasts, and I @ould feel the cold swoat start from every pore in my body. Presently it swung full upon us and—stopped. The tension on our nerves was near the breaking point, and I doubt if any of us breathed for the few moments he held us covered by his glass; and then he lowered it, and we could see him shout a com- mand to the warriors who had passed from our sight behind the fe did not wait for them to join im, howover; instead he wheeled his theat and came tearing madly in our jon. There was but one slight chance, and that we Cntgg trend Goihay: nies my strange an ri my shoulder 'T sighted, and touched the button which controlled the trigi there was @ sharp explosion as missile ite goal, and the oharging chieftain pitched backward from his flying mount. ipringing to my feet 1 urged the thoat to rise, and directed Sola to take Dejah Thoris with her upon him and make a mighty effort to reach the hills before the green warriors were upon us. I knew that in the ravines and gul- lies they might find‘a temporary hid- ing place, and even though they died there of hunger and thi; it would ve better so than that they fell into the hands of the Tharks. Forcing my two revolvers upon thom as a slight means of protection, end, as @ last resort, as an escape for themselves from the horrid death which recaptuxe would surely mean, 1 Ufted Dejah Thoris in my arms and placed her upon the thoat behind Bola, who had already mounted at my command, ‘Goodby, my princess,” I whispered. ‘@ may meet in Helium yet. I havo escaped from worse plights than this.” I tried to smile as I lied, “What,” she cried, “are you not coming with us?" “How may |, Dejah Thoris? Some one must hold these fellows off for a while, and I can better escape them alone than could the three of us to- ecther, She sprang quickly from the thoat and, throwing her arms about my neck, turned to Sola, saying with quiet dignity: “Fly, Sola! Dejah Thoris remains to die with the man slie loves.” Those words! Ah, gladly would I give up my life a thousand times and could I only hear them thus; but T could not give even a second to the rapture of her sweet embrace, and pressing my lips to hers for the first time, I picked her up bodily again and tossed her to her seat behind Sola again, commanding the latter in per- emptory tones to hold her there by sorce, and then, slapping the thoat upon the flank, I observed them being borne away, Dejah Thoris struggling (0 the last to free herself from Sola's grasp. Turning, I beheld the green war- riors mounting the ridge and looking for their chieftain, In a moment they saw him, and then me; but scarcely had they discovered me than 1 commenced firing, 4ying flat upon the moss. LT had an even hundred rounds in the magazine of my rifle, and another hundred in the belt at my back, and 1 kept up a continuous stream of fire until I saw all of the warriurs who had been first to return from behind the ridge either dead or seurrying to cover, My respite was short-lived, how- ever, for soon the entire party, num- dering some thousand men, came charging into view, racing madly to- ward me. I fired uniil my rifle was empty and they were almost upon me, and then a glance showing me that Dejah ‘Phoris and Sola had dis- appeared at the hills, | sprang up, throwing down my useless gun, and started away in the ¢ ion op- posite to thal taken by Bola and her charg If ever Martfans had an exhibition vt jumping it was granted those as- tonished wayriors on that day long years ago; Wut while jt led thegi away from De Thoris, it did not distract their a ion from endeavoring to jah t capture me, They 1 wildly after me until finally my foot struck a . Plece of quarts and | went upon thw moss, Under the Moons of Mar nan A Wonder Romance by the Creator of “TARZAN” —————— — — | By Edgar Rice Burroughs Pitti q +. > As I looked up they were upon me, and though I drew my long sword in an attempt to sell my life as dearly as possible, it was soon over. IT reeled beneath their blows, which fell upon me in torrents; my head swam; all was black and I went down beneath them to oblivion, CHAPTER XIII. Cast Into a Dungeon. T must havo been several hours before I regained con- sciousness, and I well re- member the feeling of sur- prise which ewept over me as I realized that 1 was not dead. 1 was lying among a pile of sleep- ing etlks and furs in the corner of a email room in which were several green warriors, and bending pver me was an ancient and ugly female. As I opened my eyes she turned to one of the warriors, saying: “He will live, oly Jed.” “'Tis well,” replied the one so ad- dressed, rising and approaching my couch. “He should render rare sport for the games.” And now as my eyes fell upon him I saw that he was no Thark, for his ornaments and metal were not of that horde, Ho was @ huge fellow, terribly soarred about the face and chest, and with one broken tusk and a missing ear, Strapped on either breast were human eiculls, and de- pending from these @ number of dried human hands, His reference to the great games ef which I had heard so much while among the Tharks convinced me that I had but Jumped from Purgatory into Gehenna. After a few more words with the female, during which she assured him that I was now fully fit to travel, the jed ordered that we mount and ride after the main column, 1 was strapped securely to as wild nd unmanagewble a thoat as I had ever seen, and with a mounted war- rior on either side to prevent the beast from bolting, we rode forth in pursuit of the column at a furious pace. My wounds gave me but lit- tle pain, so wonderfully and rapidly had the applications and injections of the female exercised their thera- | acre | powers, and 80 deftly had she nd and plastered the injurt Just before dark we reached the main body of troops shortly after they had made camp for the night. i was Immediat iaken before the leader, who proved to be the jeddak of the hordes of Warhoon, Like the jed who had brought me, he was frightfully scarred, and also Was decorated with the breastplate of human skulls and dried dead hands, which seemed to mark all the greater warriors among the Warhoons, as well as to indicate their awful fero- city, which greatly transcends even that of the Tharks. The jeddak, Bar Comas, who was comparatively young, was the object of the flerce and jealous hatred of his old Heutenant, Dak Kova, the jed who had captured me, and I could not Dut note the almost studied efforts which the latter made to affront his superior, He entirely omitted the usual for- mal salutation as we entered the presence of the jeddak, and as he ushed me roughly before the ruler e exclaimed in a loud and menacing volee: “T have brought a strange creature wearing the metal of a Thark, whom ft is my pleasure to have batt! ith wild thoat at the great game: ‘He will die as Bar Comas, your Jeddak, sees fit, if at all,” replied the young ruler with dignity. “If at all,” roared Dak Kova, “By the dend hands at my throat but he shall died, Bar Comas, No maudlin weakness on your part shall ve him, Would that Warhoon were ruled by a real jeddak rather than by a water- hearted weakling from whom even old Dak Kova could tear the metal with his bare hands! Rar Comas eyed the deflant and in- subordinate chieftain for an instant, his expression one of haughty, fear- less contempt and hate, and then without drawing a weapon and with- out uttering a word he hurled himself at the throat of his defamer, Bar Comas had much the better of the battle, as he was stronger, quicker and more intelligent It soon seemed that the encounter was done, saving only the final death thrust, when Bar Comas slipped, in breaking away from @ clinch, It was the one little opening that Dak Kova needed, and hurling himself at the body of his adversary he buried his single mighty tusk in Bar Coma's groin and with a last powerful effort ripped the young jeddak wide open the full length of his body, the great tusk finally wedg- ing in the bones of Bar Comas's Jaw. Victor and vanquished rolled limp and lifeless upon the moss, a huge mo of torn and bloody flesh, Li Sur Comas was stone dead, and only the most herculean efforts on the part of Dak Kova's fema saved him from the fate he deserve Three days later he walked without assistance to the body of Bar Comas, Which, by custom, had not been moved from where it fell, and plac- ing his foot upon the neck of his erstwhile ruler he assumed the tite of Jeddak of Warhoon, The dead jeddak’s hands and head were removed, to'be added to the or- naments of his conqueror, and then his wome ated what remained, ble laughter, city of Warhoon after some three days’ march, and [ Was immediately cast into a dungeon and heavily chained to the floor and walls, Food was brought me twice daily, and owing to the utter dark- ness of the place I do not know whether I lay there days, or weeks, or months. Then one day, as my jailer came to bring me food, I slew him, in the hopa of gaining his keys, But the great rats of the dungeon were ahead of me and they dragged away his body— keys and all, Shortly after this episode, another prisoner was brought in and chaiped near me, By the dim torch light I saw that he was a red Martian, and I could scarcely await the departure of his guards to address him, As their retreating footsteps died away Im the distance, { called out y the Martian word of greoting— reached Who are you who speak?" he an- swered, | WHAT'S THE JoKe 2 “John Carter, @ friend of the red mien of Helium “Lam of Helium,” he said, “but I do not recall your name.” And then I told him my story, as I have written it her omitting only any refere! o my love for Dejah Thoris, He was much excited by the ws of Helium's princess, and seemed quite positive that she and Sola could easly have reached a point of safety from where they left me. My fellow captive's name was Kantos Kan. He was a prisoner of war, taken in battle, We were conducted early one morn- ing to an enormous amphitheatre, which, instead of having been built upon the surface of the ground, was vated below the surface, It had partially filled with debris, so that how large it had originally been was difficult to say. In its present condi- tion it held the entire twenty thou- sand Warhoons of the assembled hordes. Cages stood at either end, Kantos Kan and I were confined together in one of the cages. In the others were wild calots, thoats, mad gitidars, green warriors and women of other hordes, and many strange and ferocious wild beasts of Barsoom which J had never before seen, The din of their roaring, growling, and squealing was deafening, and the formidable appearance of any one of them was enough to make the stoutest heart feel grave forebodings. Kantos Kan explained to me that the end of the day one of these pri oners would gain freedom, and the others would lie dead about the aren: The winners in the various contes! of the day would be pitted ainst each other, until only two remained alive; the victor in the last encounter being set free, whether animal or man, Thesfollowing morning the cages would be filled with a new consigi nient of victims, and so on throughout the ten days of the games. Shortly after we had been caged the amphitheatre began to fill, and within an hour every avaliable part of the seating space was occupied, Dak Kova, with his jeds and chieft- tains, sat at the centre of one side of the arena upon a large, raised plat form, During the day I was pitted against first men, and then beasts; but as I Was armed with a long sword and al- Ways outclassed my adversary in agility, and generally in strength as well, It proved but child's play to me. Time and again I won the applause of the bloodthirsty multitude, and to- ward the end there were cries that I be taken from the arena and " 0! made a momber of the hordes Warhoon, Finally there were but three of left, a great, green warrior of some far ‘northern horde, Kantos Kan, and myself. The other’ two were to hat- tle, and then I to fight the conqueror for the liberty which was accorded the final winner, Kantos Kan had fought several times during the day, and, like my- self, had always proven ‘victorious, but’ occasionally by the smallest of margins, especially when pitted against the green warriors, Yet now he slew his foe, <antos Kan and I were matched against each other, but as we approached to the encounter I whispered to him to prolong the battle until nearly dark, in the hope that we might find some means of escape. ‘The horde evidently guessed that we had no hearts to fight each other, and they howled in rage as neither of us placed a fatal thrust, 7 now Why Not? a Just as I saw the sudden coming of ‘hispered to Kantos Kan to thrust his sword between my left arm and my body. As he did so, I stag- ered back, clasping the sword tight~ ly with my arm, and thus fell to the ground with his weapon apparently protruding from my chest. Kantos Kan perceived’ my coup, and, stepping quickly to my side, he Placed his foot upon my neck and, withdrawing his sword from my body gave me the final death blow through the neck, which is supposed to sever the jugular vein, but in this instance the cold blade slipped harmlessly into the sand of the arena. In the darkness which had now fallen none could tell but that he had really finished me, I whispered to him ‘to claim his freedom and then look for me in the hills east of the city, and so he left me, When the amphitheatre had cleared, Lcrept stealthily to the top, and, the great excavation lay far fromthe Plaza and in an untenanted portion of the great dead city, T had little trouble in reaching the hills beyond. CHAPTER XIV. Across the Waste. OR two days I waited there for Kantos Kan, but as he did not come I started off on foot In a northwesterly di- rection toward a_ point where he had told me lay the nearest waterway, At daybreak of the fifteenth day of my search I was overjoyed to see the high trees that denoted the object of my search. About noon I dragged my- self wearily to the portals of a hugo building, which covered perhaps four Square miles and towered 200 feet in the air. It showed no aperture in the mighty walls other than the tiny door @t which I sank exhausted, nor was there any sign of life about it. 1 could find no bell or other method of making my presence known to the inmates of the place unless a small, round hole in the wall near the door for that purpose. ‘as of about the bigness of a lead pencil, and, thinking that it might be in the nature of a speaking tube, I put my mouth to tt and was about to call into it when @ voice issued from tt asking me whe I might be, where from and the nature of my errand. 1 explained that I had escaped from the Warhouse and was dying of star- vation and exhaustion. Presently the door commenced to re- cede before me until it had sunk into the wall fifty feet, then it stopped and slid easily to the left, exposing a short narrow corridor of concrete, at the further end of which was another door, similar in every respect to the one I had just passed, A second and @ third door ded before me and slipped to one side as the first, before I reached a large in- ner chamber, where I found food and drink set out upon a great stone table, hlvieteletetolete ¢ is very best The Evening World Daily Magazine, No JoKe AT AU. “THESE ARE ANTI-GRIP The Creator of “SHERLOCK HOLMES" the great romance of love and of European war THE GREAT SHADOW By SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE THIS WILL BE t NEXT WEEK'S COMPLETE NOVEL IN THE EVENING WORLD hhh bb rrinb bbb er rb br bbb rerirerct Go IN AnD SIT DowN MASKS snursuay Presently a dried-up Uttie old man joined me there. He wore but a single article of clothing or adornment, a small colla of gold, from which depended upon his chest a great ornament, as large as a@ dinner plate, set solid with huge diamonds, except for the exact centre, which was occupied by a stran stone an inch in diameter, that se tillated in nine different colors distinct rays—the seven primary ors of our earthly prism and beautiful rays which, to me, new and nameless, I cannot describe them any more than you could describe red to a blind man. I only know that they were beautiful. The old man sat and talked with me for hours, and the atrangest part of our Intercourse was that I could read his every thought, while he could not fathom an fota from my mind unless I spoke. The bullding in which I found my- self contained the machinery which produces the artificial atmosphere which sustains life on Mars. The #e- cret of the entire process hinges on the use of the ninth ray, one of the beautiful scintillations which T had noted emanating from the great stone in my host's diadem, Before I retired for the night he promised to give me a letter to a near- by agricultural officer who would help me on my way to Zodanga, which, he was the nearest Martian city. But be sure that you do not let them know you are bound for Helium, as they are at war with that country. My assistany and I are of no country; we belong to all Barsoom, and this talisman which we wear protects us in all lands, mong the green men—though not trust our- selves to their hands if we can avold it," he added, “And so good night, my friend,” he continued, “May you have a long and restful sleep—yes, a long sleep.” ‘And, though he smiled pleasantly, I saw tn his thoughts the wish that he had never admitted me, and then a picture of him standing over me in the night and the swift thrust of a long dagger and the half-formed words: “| am sorry, but it is for the best good of Barsoom.” I made my way by night from the strange house and wandered onward until I met a group of farm folk. When they had heard my story—T omitted all referenca to Dejah Thorts and the old man of the atmosphere plant-—they advised me to color my body to more nearly resemble thelr own race, and then attempt to find employment in Zodanga, either in the army or the navy. “The chances are small that your tale will be believed until aft have proven your trustworthin won friends among the higher nobles of the court. This you can most easily do through military serv r we are a warlike ple on Barsoom,’ explained one of them, “and save our richest favor: for the fighting man.” eleleieleintelnlenbtoteletninteiietnte i: : ey two were When I was ready to depart they furnished me with a small domeatic bull thoat, such as ts used for saddle Purposes by all red Martians. The animal is about the size of a horse and quite gentle, but in color and shape an exact replica of his huge and flerce cousin c* the wilds, CHAPTER XV. John Carter, Air Scout. 3 I proceeded on my journey toward Zodanga many strange and = interesting sights arrested my atten- tion. Ten days atter leaving the three Ptor brothers I arrived at Zodanga, The letter I bore from them gained me immediate entrance to the vast, walled city, Ten days after leaving the group of friendly farmers I arrived at Zodan- ga, The leiter I bore from them gained me immediate entrance to the vast walled city. As | was crossing the great square, Jost in wonder and admiration of t magnificent architecture and the go! eos scarlet vegetation which car- peted the broad lawns, I discovered a red Martian walking briskly toward me from one of the avenues. He paid slightest attention to me, but as he came abreast | recog- nized him, and turning 1 placed my hand upon his shoulder, calling out: “Kaor—Kantos Kan Like lightning he wheeled, and be- fore I could so much as lower my hand, the point of bis long sword was at my breast, “Who are you?’ he growled, and then a# a backward leap carried me fifty fect from his sword, he dropped the point to the ground and ex- claimed, laughing: ido not need a better reply, There is but one man upon all Barsoom who can bounce about like that, By the mother of the further moon John Car- ter, how came you here? Have you become a darseen that you can change your color at will? “You gave me a bad half minute, my friend,” he continued, after I had briefly outlined my adventures since parting with him in the arena at Warhoom. “Were my name and city known to the Zodangans, 1 would shortly be sitting on the banks of th lost sea of Korus with my re and departed ancestors, | am here in the interests of Tardos Mor, Jeddak of Hilium, to discover the wehere- abouts of Dejah Thoris, our Princess. “Sab Than, Prince of Zodanga, has her hidden in the city and has fallen madly in love with her, His father, Than Kosis, Jeddak of Zodanga, has made her voluntary marriage to h son the price of peace between our countries, but Tardos Mors will not ede to the demands, am lad that you are here, John r, for 1 know your loyalty ‘to my pas, and two of us working to- should be able to accomplish days were spent by Kontos Kan in teaching me the in- tricacies of flying, and of repairing the dainty little contrivances which the Martians use for this purpose, The fourth day after my arrival at Zodanga, I made my first flight, and as @ result of it I won @ promotion which inchided quarters in the palace of Than Kosis. As L rose above the city I circled sev~ eral thoes, as 1 had seen Kantos Kan do; and ihen, throwing my engine in- to Lop speed, J raved at terrible veloc- : The Most Powerful and Sir Arthur European Battlefields PEAT IIIT ITT r tT) Li toward the south, following one of the great waterways which enter Zodanga from (hat direction. I had traversed perhaps 200 miles in @ little less than #n hour when I descried far below me a party of green warriors racing madly toward a small figure on foot which seemed to be try- ing to reach the confines of one of the walled fields, Dropping my machine rapidly to- ward them, and circling to the rear of the warriors, I soon saw that the object of their pursuit was a red Mar~ tian wearing the metal of the scout squadron to which I was attached. A short distance away lay his tin flier, surrounded by the tools wit! which he evidently been occupied in repairing some damage when sur- prised by the green warriors. ‘They were now almost upon him, their flying mounts charging down on the relatively puny figure at terrific speed, while the warriors leaned low to the right, with their great metal-shod spears. Each seemed striving to be the first to impale the poor Zodangan, and in another moment his fate would have been sealed had it not been for my timely arrival. Driving my fleet alr-craft at high speed directly behind the warriors, I ik them, and without minishing my speed I rammed the prow of my little flier between thd shoulders of the nearest. The im- pact, sufficient to have torn through inches of solid steel, hurled the fel- low's headless body Into the air ovor the head of bis thoat, where It fell sprawling upon the moss, Tha mounts of the other two warriors turned squealing in terror and bolted in opposite directions, Reducing my speed, I circled and came to the ground at the fegt of the astonished Zodangan, ‘He was warm in his thanks for my timely ald, and promised that my day's work would bring the reward it merited, for he was none other than @ cou of the jeddak of Zodang: We wasted no time in talk, as we knew that the warriors would surely return as soon as they had gained control of thelr mounts. to his damaged machine, we were bending every effort to finish the needed repairs, and had almost com- pleted them when we saw the two green monsters returning at toy speed from opposite sides of When they had approached within « hundred yards thetr thoata again becaine unmanageable and absolutely refused to advance further toward the air-eraft which had frightened them, The warriors finally dismounted and, hobbling their animals, ad- vanced toward us on foot with drawn long swords, I advanced to meet the larger, telling the Zodangan to do the best he could with the other. Finishing my man with almost no effort, a# had now from much prac- tice become habitual with me, I has- tened to return to my new acquaint ance, whom [ found in desperate straits, He was wounded and down, withthe huxe foot of hig antagonist upon his th t the reat long sword raised to deal the final thrust, as, with 4 bound, | cleared the fifty feet in- tervening between us, and with out- stretched point drove my sword com- pletely through the body of the green warrior. His sword fell harmlessly to the ground, and he sank limply upon the prostrate form of the Zodangan, A cursory examination of the latter revealed no mortal injuries, and after @ brief rest he asserted that he felt fii to attempt the return voyage. He would have to pilot his own craft, as these frail vessels are intended to convey but a single person, Quickly completing the repairs, we rose together into the still, cloudless Martian sky, and at great speed and without further mishap returned to Zodanga. As we neared the city we discovered & mighty concourse of civilians and troops assembled upon the plain be- fore the city, The sky was black with naval vessels, and private and public pleasure craft, flying long streamers of gay-colored silks, and banners and flags of odd and picturesque design, y companion signaled that I slow down, and running bis machine close beside mine, suggested that we ap- proach and wa the ceremony, which, he said, was for the purpose of conferring honors on individuas officers and tx for bravery and other distinguished servic He then unfurled a little ensign, which denoted that his craft bore « member of the royal family pf Zo- danga, and together we made our way through the maze of low-lying acr-vessels until we hung directly over the Jeddak of Zodanga and his staff, All were mounted upon the small, domestic bull thoats of the red Mar- tians, and their trappings and orna- mentation bore such a quantity of gorgeously colored feathers that could not but be struck with the startling resemblance the concourse bore to a band of red Indians of my own earth. One of the ataff called th of Than Kosls to the prese companion above them, and the ruler motioned for him to descend, As they waited for the troops to move into position facing the jeddak, the two talked earnestly together, the jeddak and his staff occasionally glancing up at me. I could not hear their conversation, and presently it ceased and all dis- mounted, as the last body of troops had wheeled into position before their emperor, A member of the staff ad- vanced toward the troops, and calling the name of a soldier, commanded him to advance, ‘The officer then re- cited in flowing language the nature of tie heroic act which had won the approval of the jeddak, and the latter advanced and placed a metal orna- ment on the left arm of the lucky man, ttention Kind that the Author of the “ HOLMES”’ Stories Has Written Conan Doyle “The Great Shadow” Is a Romance of the Be on the Lookout for the First iastalment ’s Evenin Hastening | not the oon and of a Girl’s Love World, Jan. 10 Ten men had been so decorated when the ald called out: nee Ca: 7 air scout!” e in my life had I been #0 prised; but the habit of mnilitary diss cipline iw sting within me, 1 dropped my litde machine tly to the ground and advanced on foot as I had sven the others do. As I halted before the officer he addressed me tn 4 voice audible to the entire assem- dlage of troops and spectators, A Fecognition, John Carter,” he said, “of your remarkable courage nd skill in defending the person of the cousin of the jeddi rn ‘Konid, and, single-handed, vanquishing three green warriors, it i# the pleasure of our jeddak to confer of of his esteem,” ee Than Kosis then advanced toward me, and, placin, pnd an ornament upon “My cousin has narrated of your wonderful nchievomant, whine feems little short of miraculous, and if you can so well defend a cousin how much better could you defend & son of the jeddak himeelf. You Pang) appointed & padwar of the is and w palace hereafter.” | Tartered In my direction I thanked him, joined the membert ot tia ae machine to tt rte toot at the barracks of the air scour soenae Palace to guide me, rca officer In charge of the palace, CHAPTER XVI. The Princess Again, reported had been given in- structions After the ceremony I returned ron, and, with an rm tha HE majordomo to whom 1 ation, as the rule thet all is war seems to constitute the ethics of Marian conflict, He therefore escorted diately to the apartment in was, The ruler was in conversation with hie gon, . and several courtiers of his household, and did not perceive my entrance, The walls of the apartment were completely hung with splendid tries, which hid any windows or which may have pisresd them, Tho room was lighted of sunsine, t Proper and what appeared to be gree glass false ceiling « few inches ow, My guide drew aside one of the tapestries, disclosing @ passage which fair in 0 Within this passage I waa to remain, he said, so long as Than Kosis was in the apartment, rr When he left I was to follow, only duty s to guard the ruler keep out of sight as much as posail I would be relieved after a period of four hours, The majordomo then lef: me. The tapestries were of a strange weaving, which gave the of heavy solidity from o1 from my hiding place I could perceive I} that took place within the rom as readily as though there had been no curtain intervening, Scarcely had 1 srines my post than the tapestry at the opposite end the chamber separated and four gol- ~ diers of the guard entered, surround- proached Than to either side, and there, stand! je fore the jeddak, and not ten feet me, her beautiful face radiaiat smiles, was Dejah Thoris, Sab Than, Prince of vanved to meet ber, and hand ip they approached close to the Than Kosis looked up and, rising, saluted her, “To what strange freak do I owe this visit from the Princess of a um, who, two days ago, with consideration for my pride, assured me that she would ir Tal Hajus, the green Thark, to my son?” he asked, Dejah Thoris only smiled the mere, and with the roguish dimples playing at the corners of her mouth, she made answer. “From the beginning of time Barsoom It has been the prerogative of woman to change her mind as she listed and to dissemble in matters concerning her heart, That you will forgive, Than Kosis, as has your son. “Two days ago Il was not sure of his love for me; but now I I have come to beg of you to my rash words and to accept the gar surance of the Princess of tum that she will wed Sab Than, Prince of Zodanga.” “Tam glad that you have ao de- cided,” replied Than Kosia, “It ts far from my desire to push war tur. ther against the poonie of Helium, and I welcome the opportunity to exorcise the ban of war with the bans of matrimony, Your promise shall be recorded, and a proclamation to my people issued forthwith.” “It were better, Than Kosis,” inter- rupted Dejah Thoris, “that the proc- lamation wait the ending of this war, It would look st eed, to my people and to yours were the Prin- 3 of Helium to give herself to her untry’s enemy in the midst of hos- ulities.”” “Cannot the war be ended at once?” spoke Sab Than, “It requires but the word of Than Kosis to bring peace. Say it, my father, say the word that will hasten my happiness and end this unpopular strife.” ‘We shall see,” replied Than Ko- the people of Helium take all at least offer it h Thorts, after a few words, and left the apartment, atlil followed by ber guards, 4 Be Continued.)