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-CHAPTER XXI AN AIR SCOUT FOR ZODANGA
As I proceeded on my journey toward Zodanga many strange and interesting sights
arrested my attention, and at the several farm houses where I stopped I learned a
number of new and instructive things
concerning the methods and manners of Barsoom.
The water which supplies the farms of Mars is collected in immense underground
reservoirs at either pole from the melting ice caps, and pumped through long conduits
to the various populated centers.
Along either side of these conduits, and extending their entire length, lie the
cultivated districts.
These are divided into tracts of about the same size, each tract being under the
supervision of one or more government officers.
Instead of flooding the surface of the fields, and thus wasting immense quantities
of water by evaporation, the precious liquid is carried underground through a
vast network of small pipes directly to the roots of the vegetation.
The crops upon Mars are always uniform, for there are no droughts, no rains, no high
winds, and no insects, or destroying birds.
On this trip I tasted the first meat I had eaten since leaving Earth--large, juicy
steaks and chops from the well-fed domestic animals of the farms.
Also I enjoyed luscious fruits and vegetables, but not a single article of
food which was exactly similar to anything on Earth.
Every plant and flower and vegetable and animal has been so refined by ages of
careful, scientific cultivation and breeding that the like of them on Earth
dwindled into pale, gray, characterless nothingness by comparison.
At a second stop I met some highly cultivated people of the noble class and
while in conversation we chanced to speak of Helium.
One of the older men had been there on a diplomatic mission several years before and
spoke with regret of the conditions which seemed destined ever to keep these two
countries at war.
"Helium," he said, "rightly boasts the most beautiful women of Barsoom, and of all her
treasures the wondrous daughter of Mors Kajak, Dejah Thoris, is the most exquisite
flower.
"Why," he added, "the people really worship the ground she walks upon and since her
loss on that ill-starred expedition all Helium has been draped in mourning.
"That our ruler should have attacked the disabled fleet as it was returning to
Helium was but another of his awful blunders which I fear will sooner or later
compel Zodanga to elevate a wiser man to his place."
"Even now, though our victorious armies are surrounding Helium, the people of Zodanga
are voicing their displeasure, for the war is not a popular one, since it is not based
on right or justice.
Our forces took advantage of the absence of the principal fleet of Helium on their
search for the princess, and so we have been able easily to reduce the city to a
sorry plight.
It is said she will fall within the next few passages of the further moon."
"And what, think you, may have been the fate of the princess, Dejah Thoris?"
I asked as casually as possible.
"She is dead," he answered. "This much was learned from a green warrior
recently captured by our forces in the south.
She escaped from the hordes of Thark with a strange creature of another world, only to
fall into the hands of the Warhoons.
Their thoats were found wandering upon the sea bottom and evidences of a bloody
conflict were discovered nearby."
While this information was in no way reassuring, neither was it at all
conclusive proof of the death of Dejah Thoris, and so I determined to make every
effort possible to reach Helium as quickly
as I could and carry to Tardos Mors such news of his granddaughter's possible
whereabouts as lay in my power. Ten days after leaving the three Ptor
brothers I arrived at Zodanga.
From the moment that I had come in contact with the red inhabitants of Mars I had
noticed that Woola drew a great amount of unwelcome attention to me, since the huge
brute belonged to a species which is never domesticated by the red men.
Were one to stroll down Broadway with a Numidian lion at his heels the effect would
be somewhat similar to that which I should have produced had I entered Zodanga with
Woola.
The very thought of parting with the faithful fellow caused me so great regret
and genuine sorrow that I put it off until just before we arrived at the city's gates;
but then, finally, it became imperative that we separate.
Had nothing further than my own safety or pleasure been at stake no argument could
have prevailed upon me to turn away the one creature upon Barsoom that had never failed
in a demonstration of affection and
loyalty; but as I would willingly have offered my life in the service of her in
search of whom I was about to challenge the unknown dangers of this, to me, mysterious
city, I could not permit even Woola's life
to threaten the success of my venture, much less his momentary happiness, for I doubted
not he soon would forget me.
And so I bade the poor beast an affectionate farewell, promising him,
however, that if I came through my adventure in safety that in some way I
should find the means to search him out.
He seemed to understand me fully, and when I pointed back in the direction of Thark he
turned sorrowfully away, nor could I bear to watch him go; but resolutely set my face
toward Zodanga and with a touch of
heartsickness approached her frowning walls.
The letter I bore from them gained me immediate entrance to the vast, walled
city.
It was still very early in the morning and the streets were practically deserted.
The residences, raised high upon their metal columns, resembled huge rookeries,
while the uprights themselves presented the appearance of steel tree trunks.
The shops as a rule were not raised from the ground nor were their doors bolted or
barred, since thievery is practically unknown upon Barsoom.
Assassination is the ever-present fear of all Barsoomians, and for this reason alone
their homes are raised high above the ground at night, or in times of danger.
The Ptor brothers had given me explicit directions for reaching the point of the
city where I could find living accommodations and be near the offices of
the government agents to whom they had given me letters.
My way led to the central square or plaza, which is a characteristic of all Martian
cities.
The plaza of Zodanga covers a square mile and is bounded by the palaces of the
jeddak, the jeds, and other members of the royalty and nobility of Zodanga, as well as
by the principal public buildings, cafes, and shops.
As I was crossing the great square lost in wonder and admiration of the magnificent
architecture and the gorgeous scarlet vegetation which carpeted the broad lawns I
discovered a red Martian walking briskly toward me from one of the avenues.
He paid not the slightest attention to me, but as he came abreast I recognized him,
and turning I placed my hand upon his shoulder, calling out:
"Kaor, Kantos Kan!"
Like lightning he wheeled and before I could so much as lower my hand the point of
his long-sword was at my breast.
"Who are you?" he growled, and then as a backward leap carried me fifty feet from
his sword he dropped the point to the ground and exclaimed, laughing,
"I do not need a better reply, there is but one man upon all Barsoom who can bounce
about like a rubber ball.
By the mother of the further moon, John Carter, how came you here, and 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 Warhoon.
"Were my name and city known to the Zodangans I would shortly be sitting on the
banks of the lost sea of Korus with my revered and departed ancestors.
I am here in the interest of Tardos Mors, Jeddak of Helium, to discover the
whereabouts 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 his son
the price of peace between our countries, but Tardos Mors will not accede to the
demands and has sent word that he and his
people would rather look upon the dead face of their princess than see her wed to any
than her own choice, and that personally he would prefer being engulfed in the ashes of
a lost and burning Helium to joining the metal of his house with that of Than Kosis.
His reply was the deadliest affront he could have put upon Than Kosis and the
Zodangans, but his people love him the more for it and his strength in Helium is
greater today than ever.
"I have been here three days," continued Kantos Kan, "but I have not yet found where
Dejah Thoris is imprisoned.
Today I join the Zodangan navy as an air scout and I hope in this way to win the
confidence of Sab Than, the prince, who is commander of this division of the navy, and
thus learn the whereabouts of Dejah Thoris.
I am glad that you are here, John Carter, for I know your loyalty to my princess and
two of us working together should be able to accomplish much."
The plaza was now commencing to fill with people going and coming upon the daily
activities of their duties. The shops were opening and the cafes
filling with early morning patrons.
Kantos Kan led me to one of these gorgeous eating places where we were served entirely
by mechanical apparatus.
No hand touched the food from the time it entered the building in its raw state until
it emerged hot and delicious upon the tables before the guests, in response to
the touching of tiny buttons to indicate their desires.
After our meal, Kantos Kan took me with him to the headquarters of the air-scout
squadron and introducing me to his superior asked that I be enrolled as a member of the
corps.
In accordance with custom an examination was necessary, but Kantos Kan had told me
to have no fear on this score as he would attend to that part of the matter.
He accomplished this by taking my order for examination to the examining officer and
representing himself as John Carter.
"This ruse will be discovered later," he cheerfully explained, "when they check up
my weights, measurements, and other personal identification data, but it will
be several months before this is done and
our mission should be accomplished or have failed long before that time."
The next few days were spent by Kantos Kan in teaching me the intricacies of flying
and of repairing the dainty little contrivances which the Martians use for
this purpose.
The body of the one-man air craft is about sixteen feet long, two feet wide and three
inches thick, tapering to a point at each end.
The driver sits on top of this plane upon a seat constructed over the small, noiseless
radium engine which propels it.
The medium of buoyancy is contained within the thin metal walls of the body and
consists of the eighth Barsoomian ray, or ray of propulsion, as it may be termed in
view of its properties.
This ray, like the ninth ray, is unknown on Earth, but the Martians have discovered
that it is an inherent property of all light no matter from what source it
emanates.
They have learned that it is the solar eighth ray which propels the light of the
sun to the various planets, and that it is the individual eighth ray of each planet
which "reflects," or propels the light thus obtained out into space once more.
The solar eighth ray would be absorbed by the surface of Barsoom, but the Barsoomian
eighth ray, which tends to propel light from Mars into space, is constantly
streaming out from the planet constituting
a force of repulsion of gravity which when confined is able to lift enormous weights
from the surface of the ground.
It is this ray which has enabled them to so perfect aviation that battle ships far
outweighing anything known upon Earth sail as gracefully and lightly through the thin
air of Barsoom as a toy balloon in the heavy atmosphere of Earth.
During the early years of the discovery of this ray many strange accidents occurred
before the Martians learned to measure and control the wonderful power they had found.
In one instance, some nine hundred years before, the first great battle ship to be
built with eighth ray reservoirs was stored with too great a quantity of the rays and
she had sailed up from Helium with five hundred officers and men, never to return.
Her power of repulsion for the planet was so great that it had carried her far into
space, where she can be seen today, by the aid of powerful telescopes, hurtling
through the heavens ten thousand miles from
Mars; a tiny satellite that will thus encircle Barsoom to the end of time.
The fourth day after my arrival at Zodanga I made my first flight, and as a result of
it I won a promotion which included quarters in the palace of Than Kosis.
As I rose above the city I circled several times, as I had seen Kantos Kan do, and
then throwing my engine into top speed I raced at terrific velocity toward the
south, following one of the great waterways which enter Zodanga from that direction.
I had traversed perhaps two hundred miles in a little less than an hour when I
descried far below me a party of three green warriors racing madly toward a small
figure on foot which seemed to be trying to
reach the confines of one of the walled fields.
Dropping my machine rapidly toward them, and circling to the rear of the warriors,
I soon saw that the object of their pursuit was a red Martian wearing the metal of the
scout squadron to which I was attached.
A short distance away lay his tiny flier, surrounded by the tools with which he had
evidently been occupied in repairing some damage when surprised 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 air craft at high speed directly behind the warriors I soon
overtook them and without diminishing my speed I rammed the prow of my little flier
between the shoulders of the nearest.
The impact sufficient to have torn through inches of solid steel, hurled the fellow's
headless body into the air over the head of his thoat, where it fell sprawling upon the
moss.
The 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 feet of the astonished
Zodangan.
He was warm in his thanks for my timely aid and promised that my day's work would bring
the reward it merited, for it was none other than a cousin of the jeddak of
Zodanga whose life I had saved.
We wasted no time in talk as we knew that the warriors would surely return as soon as
they had gained control of their mounts.
Hastening to his damaged machine we were bending every effort to finish the needed
repairs and had almost completed them when we saw the two green monsters returning at
top speed from opposite sides of us.
When they had approached within a hundred yards their thoats again became
unmanageable and absolutely refused to advance further toward the air craft which
had frightened them.
The warriors finally dismounted and hobbling their animals advanced 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, as had now from much practice become habitual
with me, I hastened to return to my new acquaintance whom I found indeed in
desperate straits.
He was wounded and down with the huge foot of his antagonist upon his throat and the
great long-sword raised to deal the final thrust.
With a bound I cleared the fifty feet intervening between us, and with
outstretched point drove my sword completely through the body of the green
warrior.
His sword fell, harmless, 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 a
brief rest he asserted that he felt fit to attempt the return voyage.
He would have to pilot his own craft, however, as these frail vessels are not
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 a mighty concourse of civilians and troops
assembled upon the plain before 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.
My companion signaled that I slow down, and running his machine close beside mine
suggested that we approach and watch the ceremony, which, he said, was for the
purpose of conferring honors on individual
officers and men for bravery and other distinguished service.
He then unfurled a little ensign which denoted that his craft bore a member of the
royal family of Zodanga, and together we made our way through the maze of low-lying
air 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 Martians, and their
trappings and ornamentation bore such a quantity of gorgeously colored feathers
that I could not but be struck with the
startling resemblance the concourse bore to a band of the red Indians of my own Earth.
One of the staff called the attention of Than Kosis to the presence of my 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 dismounted, as
the last body of troops had wheeled into position before their emperor.
A member of the staff advanced toward the troops, and calling the name of a soldier
commanded him to advance.
The officer then recited the nature of the heroic act which had won the approval of
the jeddak, and the latter advanced and placed a metal ornament upon the left arm
of the lucky man.
Ten men had been so decorated when the aide called out,
"John Carter, air scout!"
Never in my life had I been so surprised, but the habit of military discipline is
strong within me, and I dropped my little machine lightly to the ground and advanced
on foot as I had seen the others do.
As I halted before the officer, he addressed me in a voice audible to the
entire assemblage of troops and spectators.
"In recognition, John Carter," he said, "of your remarkable courage and skill in
defending the person of the cousin of the jeddak Than Kosis and, singlehanded,
vanquishing three green warriors, it is the
pleasure of our jeddak to confer on you the mark of his esteem."
Than Kosis then advanced toward me and placing an ornament upon me, said:
"My cousin has narrated the details of your wonderful achievement, which seems little
short of miraculous, and if you can so well defend a cousin of the jeddak how much
better could you defend the person of the jeddak himself.
You are therefore appointed a padwar of The Guards and will be quartered in my palace
hereafter."
I thanked him, and at his direction joined the members of his staff.
After the ceremony I returned my machine to its quarters on the roof of the barracks of
the air-scout squadron, and with an orderly from the palace to guide me I reported to
the officer in charge of the palace.
CHAPTER XXII I FIND DEJAH
The major-domo to whom I reported had been given instructions to station me near the
person of the jeddak, who, in time of war, is always in great danger of assassination,
as the rule that all is fair in war seems
to constitute the entire ethics of Martian conflict.
He therefore escorted me immediately to the apartment in which Than Kosis then was.
The ruler was engaged in conversation with his son, Sab Than, and several courtiers of
his household, and did not perceive my entrance.
The walls of the apartment were completely hung with splendid tapestries which hid any
windows or doors which may have pierced them.
The room was lighted by imprisoned rays of sunshine held between the ceiling proper
and what appeared to be a ground-glass false ceiling a few inches below.
My guide drew aside one of the tapestries, disclosing a passage which encircled the
room, between the hangings and the walls of the chamber.
Within this passage I was to remain, he said, so long as Than Kosis was in the
apartment. When he left I was to follow.
My only duty was to guard the ruler and keep out of sight as much as possible.
I would be relieved after a period of four hours.
The major-domo then left me.
The tapestries were of a strange weaving which gave the appearance of heavy solidity
from one side, but from my hiding place I could perceive all that took place within
the room as readily as though there had been no curtain intervening.
Scarcely had I gained my post than the tapestry at the opposite end of the chamber
separated and four soldiers of The Guard entered, surrounding a female figure.
As they approached Than Kosis the soldiers fell to either side and there standing
before the jeddak and not ten feet from me, her beautiful face radiant with smiles, was
Dejah Thoris.
Sab Than, Prince of Zodanga, advanced to meet her, and hand in hand they approached
close to the jeddak. Than Kosis looked up in surprise, and,
rising, saluted her.
"To what strange freak do I owe this visit from the Princess of Helium, who, two days
ago, with rare consideration for my pride, assured me that she would prefer Tal Hajus,
the green Thark, to my son?"
Dejah Thoris only smiled the more and with the roguish dimples playing at the corners
of her mouth she made answer:
"From the beginning of time upon 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 I was not sure of his love for me, but now I am, and I have come to beg of
you to forget my rash words and to accept the assurance of the Princess of Helium
that when the time comes she will wed Sab Than, Prince of Zodanga."
"I am glad that you have so decided," replied Than Kosis.
"It is far from my desire to push war further against the people of Helium, and,
your promise shall be recorded and a proclamation to my people issued
forthwith."
"It were better, Than Kosis," interrupted Dejah Thoris, "that the proclamation wait
the ending of this war.
It would look strange indeed to my people and to yours were the Princess of Helium to
give herself to her country's enemy in the midst of hostilities."
"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 Kosis, "how
the people of Helium take to peace.
I shall at least offer it to them." Dejah Thoris, after a few words, turned and
left the apartment, still followed by her guards.
Thus was the edifice of my brief dream of happiness dashed, broken, to the ground of
reality.
The woman for whom I had offered my life, and from whose lips I had so recently heard
a declaration of love for me, had lightly forgotten my very existence and smilingly
given herself to the son of her people's most hated enemy.
Although I had heard it with my own ears I could not believe it.
I must search out her apartments and force her to repeat the cruel truth to me alone
before I would be convinced, and so I deserted my post and hastened through the
passage behind the tapestries toward the door by which she had left the chamber.
Slipping quietly through this opening I discovered a maze of winding corridors,
branching and turning in every direction.
Running rapidly down first one and then another of them I soon became hopelessly
lost and was standing panting against a side wall when I heard voices near me.
Apparently they were coming from the opposite side of the partition against
which I leaned and presently I made out the tones of Dejah Thoris.
I could not hear the words but I knew that I could not possibly be mistaken in the
voice. Moving on a few steps I discovered another
passageway at the end of which lay a door.
Walking boldly forward I pushed into the room only to find myself in a small
antechamber in which were the four guards who had accompanied her.
One of them instantly arose and accosted me, asking the nature of my business.
"I am from Than Kosis," I replied, "and wish to speak privately with Dejah Thoris,
Princess of Helium."
"And your order?" asked the fellow.
I did not know what he meant, but replied that I was a member of The Guard, and
without waiting for a reply from him I strode toward the opposite door of the
antechamber, behind which I could hear Dejah Thoris conversing.
But my entrance was not to be so easily accomplished.
The guardsman stepped before me, saying,
"No one comes from Than Kosis without carrying an order or the password.
You must give me one or the other before you may pass."
"The only order I require, my friend, to enter where I will, hangs at my side," I
answered, tapping my long-sword; "will you let me pass in peace or no?"
For reply he whipped out his own sword, calling to the others to join him, and thus
the four stood, with drawn weapons, barring my further progress.
"You are not here by the order of Than Kosis," cried the one who had first
addressed me, "and not only shall you not enter the apartments of the Princess of
Helium but you shall go back to Than Kosis
under guard to explain this unwarranted temerity.
Throw down your sword; you cannot hope to overcome four of us," he added with a grim
smile.
My reply was a quick thrust which left me but three antagonists and I can assure you
that they were worthy of my metal. They had me backed against the wall in no
time, fighting for my life.
Slowly I worked my way to a corner of the room where I could force them to come at me
only one at a time, and thus we fought upward of twenty minutes; the clanging of
steel on steel producing a veritable bedlam in the little room.
The noise had brought Dejah Thoris to the door of her apartment, and there she stood
throughout the conflict with Sola at her back peering over her shoulder.
Her face was set and emotionless and I knew that she did not recognize me, nor did
Sola.
Finally a lucky cut brought down a second guardsman and then, with only two opposing
me, I changed my tactics and rushed them down after the fashion of my fighting that
had won me many a victory.
The third fell within ten seconds after the second, and the last lay dead upon the
bloody floor a few moments later.
They were brave men and noble fighters, and it grieved me that I had been forced to
kill them, but I would have willingly depopulated all Barsoom could I have
reached the side of my Dejah Thoris in no other way.
Sheathing my bloody blade I advanced toward my Martian Princess, who still stood mutely
gazing at me without sign of recognition.
"Who are you, Zodangan?" she whispered. "Another enemy to harass me in my misery?"
"I am a friend," I answered, "a once cherished friend."
"No friend of Helium's princess wears that metal," she replied, "and yet the voice!
I have heard it before; it is not--it cannot be--no, for he is dead."
"It is, though, my Princess, none other than John Carter," I said.
"Do you not recognize, even through paint and strange metal, the heart of your
chieftain?"
As I came close to her she swayed toward me with outstretched hands, but as I reached
to take her in my arms she drew back with a shudder and a little moan of misery.
"Too late, too late," she grieved.
"O my chieftain that was, and whom I thought dead, had you but returned one
little hour before--but now it is too late, too late."
"What do you mean, Dejah Thoris?"
I cried. "That you would not have promised yourself
to the Zodangan prince had you known that I lived?"
"Think you, John Carter, that I would give my heart to you yesterday and today to
another?
I thought that it lay buried with your ashes in the pits of Warhoon, and so today
I have promised my body to another to save my people from the curse of a victorious
Zodangan army."
"But I am not dead, my princess. I have come to claim you, and all Zodanga
cannot prevent it." "It is too late, John Carter, my promise is
given, and on Barsoom that is final.
The ceremonies which follow later are but meaningless formalities.
They make the fact of marriage no more certain than does the funeral cortege of a
jeddak again place the seal of death upon him.
I am as good as married, John Carter.
No longer may you call me your princess. No longer are you my chieftain."
"I know but little of your customs here upon Barsoom, Dejah Thoris, but I do know
that I love you, and if you meant the last words you spoke to me that day as the
hordes of Warhoon were charging down upon
us, no other man shall ever claim you as his bride.
You meant them then, my princess, and you mean them still!
Say that it is true."
"I meant them, John Carter," she whispered. "I cannot repeat them now for I have given
myself to another.
Ah, if you had only known our ways, my friend," she continued, half to herself,
"the promise would have been yours long months ago, and you could have claimed me
before all others.
It might have meant the fall of Helium, but I would have given my empire for my
Tharkian chief." Then aloud she said: "Do you remember the
night when you offended me?
You called me your princess without having asked my hand of me, and then you boasted
that you had fought for me. You did not know, and I should not have
been offended; I see that now.
But there was no one to tell you what I could not, that upon Barsoom there are two
kinds of women in the cities of the red men.
The one they fight for that they may ask them in marriage; the other kind they fight
for also, but never ask their hands.
When a man has won a woman he may address her as his princess, or in any of the
several terms which signify possession.
You had fought for me, but had never asked me in marriage, and so when you called me
your princess, you see," she faltered, "I was hurt, but even then, John Carter, I did
not repulse you, as I should have done,
until you made it doubly worse by taunting me with having won me through combat."
"I do not need ask your forgiveness now, Dejah Thoris," I cried.
"You must know that my fault was of ignorance of your Barsoomian customs.
What I failed to do, through implicit belief that my petition would be
presumptuous and unwelcome, I do now, Dejah Thoris; I ask you to be my wife, and by all
the Virginian fighting blood that flows in my veins you shall be."
"No, John Carter, it is useless," she cried, hopelessly, "I may never be yours
while Sab Than lives."
"You have sealed his death warrant, my princess--Sab Than dies."
"Nor that either," she hastened to explain. "I may not wed the man who slays my
husband, even in self-defense.
It is custom. We are ruled by custom upon Barsoom.
It is useless, my friend. You must bear the sorrow with me.
That at least we may share in common.
That, and the memory of the brief days among the Tharks.
You must go now, nor ever see me again. Good-bye, my chieftain that was."
Disheartened and dejected, I withdrew from the room, but I was not entirely
discouraged, nor would I admit that Dejah Thoris was lost to me until the ceremony
had actually been performed.
As I wandered along the corridors, I was as absolutely lost in the mazes of winding
passageways as I had been before I discovered Dejah Thoris' apartments.
I knew that my only hope lay in escape from the city of Zodanga, for the matter of the
four dead guardsmen would have to be explained, and as I could never reach my
original post without a guide, suspicion
would surely rest on me so soon as I was discovered wandering aimlessly through the
palace.
Presently I came upon a spiral runway leading to a lower floor, and this I
followed downward for several stories until I reached the doorway of a large apartment
in which were a number of guardsmen.
The walls of this room were hung with transparent tapestries behind which I
secreted myself without being apprehended.
The conversation of the guardsmen was general, and awakened no interest in me
until an officer entered the room and ordered four of the men to relieve the
detail who were guarding the Princess of Helium.
Now, I knew, my troubles would commence in earnest and indeed they were upon me all
too soon, for it seemed that the squad had scarcely left the guardroom before one of
their number burst in again breathlessly,
crying that they had found their four comrades butchered in the antechamber.
In a moment the entire palace was alive with people.
Guardsmen, officers, courtiers, servants, and slaves ran helter-skelter through the
corridors and apartments carrying messages and orders, and searching for signs of the
assassin.
This was my opportunity and slim as it appeared I grasped it, for as a number of
soldiers came hurrying past my hiding place I fell in behind them and followed through
the mazes of the palace until, in passing
through a great hall, I saw the blessed light of day coming in through a series of
larger windows.
Here I left my guides, and, slipping to the nearest window, sought for an avenue of
escape.
The windows opened upon a great balcony which overlooked one of the broad avenues
of Zodanga.
The ground was about thirty feet below, and at a like distance from the building was a
wall fully twenty feet high, constructed of polished glass about a foot in thickness.
To a red Martian escape by this path would have appeared impossible, but to me, with
my earthly strength and agility, it seemed already accomplished.
My only fear was in being detected before darkness fell, for I could not make the
leap in broad daylight while the court below and the avenue beyond were crowded
with Zodangans.
Accordingly I searched for a hiding place and finally found one by accident, inside a
huge hanging ornament which swung from the ceiling of the hall, and about ten feet
from the floor.
Into the capacious bowl-like vase I sprang with ease, and scarcely had I settled down
within it than I heard a number of people enter the apartment.
The group stopped beneath my hiding place and I could plainly overhear their every
word. "It is the work of Heliumites," said one of
the men.
"Yes, O Jeddak, but how had they access to the palace?
I could believe that even with the diligent care of your guardsmen a single enemy might
reach the inner chambers, but how a force of six or eight fighting men could have
done so unobserved is beyond me.
We shall soon know, however, for here comes the royal psychologist."
Another man now joined the group, and, after making his formal greetings to his
ruler, said:
"O mighty Jeddak, it is a strange tale I read in the dead minds of your faithful
guardsmen. They were felled not by a number of
fighting men, but by a single opponent."
He paused to let the full weight of this announcement impress his hearers, and that
his statement was scarcely credited was evidenced by the impatient exclamation of
incredulity which escaped the lips of Than Kosis.
"What manner of weird tale are you bringing me, Notan?" he cried.
"It is the truth, my Jeddak," replied the psychologist.
"In fact the impressions were strongly marked on the brain of each of the four
guardsmen.
Their antagonist was a very tall man, wearing the metal of one of your own
guardsmen, and his fighting ability was little short of marvelous for he fought
fair against the entire four and vanquished
them by his surpassing skill and superhuman strength and endurance.
Though he wore the metal of Zodanga, my Jeddak, such a man was never seen before in
this or any other country upon Barsoom.
"The mind of the Princess of Helium whom I have examined and questioned was a blank to
me, she has perfect control, and I could not read one iota of it.
She said that she witnessed a portion of the encounter, and that when she looked
there was but one man engaged with the guardsmen; a man whom she did not recognize
as ever having seen."
"Where is my erstwhile savior?" spoke another of the party, and I recognized the
voice of the cousin of Than Kosis, whom I had rescued from the green warriors.
"By the metal of my first ancestor," he went on, "but the description fits him to
perfection, especially as to his fighting ability."
"Where is this man?" cried Than Kosis.
"Have him brought to me at once. What know you of him, cousin?
It seemed strange to me now that I think upon it that there should have been such a
fighting man in Zodanga, of whose name, even, we were ignorant before today.
And his name too, John Carter, who ever heard of such a name upon Barsoom!"
Word was soon brought that I was nowhere to be found, either in the palace or at my
former quarters in the barracks of the air- scout squadron.
Kantos Kan, they had found and questioned, but he knew nothing of my whereabouts, and
as to my past, he had told them he knew as little, since he had but recently met me
during our captivity among the Warhoons.
"Keep your eyes on this other one," commanded Than Kosis.
"He also is a stranger and likely as not they both hail from Helium, and where one
is we shall sooner or later find the other.
Quadruple the air patrol, and let every man who leaves the city by air or ground be
subjected to the closest scrutiny." Another messenger now entered with word
that I was still within the palace walls.
"The likeness of every person who has entered or left the palace grounds today
has been carefully examined," concluded the fellow, "and not one approaches the
likeness of this new padwar of the guards,
other than that which was recorded of him at the time he entered."
"Then we will have him shortly," commented Than Kosis contentedly, "and in the
meanwhile we will repair to the apartments of the Princess of Helium and question her
in regard to the affair.
She may know more than she cared to divulge to you, Notan.
Come."
They left the hall, and, as darkness had fallen without, I slipped lightly from my
hiding place and hastened to the balcony.
Few were in sight, and choosing a moment when none seemed near I sprang quickly to
the top of the glass wall and from there to the avenue beyond the palace grounds.