Thuvia, Maid of Mars

d in his, he wondered a little at the girl's continued silence, yet the contact of her cool palm agai

quick coming Martian night commenced to close down upon them. T

cliffs at once if they could locate the passage, and he was quite positive

nce. She seemed suddenly to have dissolved into the tenuous substance of a d

upon him. Jav had caused him to believe that Thuvia was accompanying him thro

ity, and yet he knew that the fiendish power which the Lo

othar, but now he moved at a trot, the Earthly thews that he had inherited from hi

f Lothar as Carthoris broke from the wood opposite the great gate t

deserted. No myriad bowmen camped now beneath the overhanging verdure of the giant trees. No gor

ushed on across the plain toward the city, when presen

turned the figure over upon its back. It was Ja

ife remained, and as he did so the lids raise

"Where is she? Answer me, man, or I complet

ed me but for the girl. Then they went away together into the wood-th

nt they?" ask

intly, "toward the pass

no more, but springing to his feet

at would lead him to the other world beyond this valley of

the light of day beyond the mountains, and no great distance from the southern verge o

ome two hundred haads, so that the Heliumite had before him a journey o

expected some day a rescuing party from her father's empire; for Carthoris knew Thuvan Dihn well enough to know that he would leave no stone

greatly delay the discovery of the truth, but little did he guess to what vas

of Aaanthor, a Ptarth battle fleet was winging its majestic way slowly toward the twin cities o

ce against him even his own people had commenced to entertain

disrupt the friendship and alliance which existed between the th

ugh these men, messages from one jeddak to another were altered and garbled until the patience and pride of the three rulers and

mit the jeddak of Helium to declare war against either Ptarth or Kaol, because of his

he Dusarian spies at the court of Tardos Mors saw to it t

tched with the proclamation had been a Dusarian who had seen to it that no

ost powerful neighbors, and with the departure of the ministers had come a total ce

finding of Thuvia of Ptarth. Her trail beside that of the huge banth had been well

ew he must lose the spoor in the resilient ochre vegetation, he was sud

ing. He knew that the man was unarmed, and that he was appar

of fear, and when quite close called out

ou?" asked

me. For ages Tario has been bringing me into existence as he needed the services of the a

ng could be accomplished and the future of Lothar assured. He asserted that matter was nonexistent except in the imagination of man-that all was m

n to him, as it came to me without my knowledge, as, with my horde of yel

into thin air, I suddenly found myself alone upon the edge of

ingness from which they had sprung

tions had at last prevailed, and Kar Komak had become a reality in the world of men; but my harness and my

urn to Lothar?"

nical-a master I have no desire to serve. Now that he has succeeded in accomplishing my permanent materialization, he will be unbear

ere no women there

gestion of a beautiful girl, hoping that some day she would become permanent. I have seen her there.

ave told you of my

o sign of doubt or fear in his expression as he had approached the

n of Lothar who he was and what advent

rth and with you Kar Komak will return to the world of men-such a world as he knew in the long-gone past when the ships

rthoris. "Had you really

y I commanded the fleets of Lothar-mightiest o

tant days-only the seafarers were warriors; but now has the glory of the past faded, nor did I think until I met you that there

y remained in their walled cities wasting their time in play, depending for their protection entirely upon the sea

was but the essence of some hypnotic treachery which Tario or Jav was attempting to exert upon the Heliumite; and yet, so sincere had bee

aked odwar leave to accompany him, and together

oris had known that it would; but where it entered the plain its direction

t rapidity over the face of the small planet, the force of gravity of which exerts so much less retarding power than that of the Earth. Fifty miles a day i

by roving bands of Torquasians, and especially was t

hough they sighted two detachments of the sa

of distant Aaanthor. Throughout the journey Carthoris had ever strained his eyes ahead in

figures moving toward the city. For a moment they watched them intently. Then Carthori

as rewarded by seeing her turn and stand looking toward him. At her side

ris, though that it was he she must have been convinc

t, beyond him. Without slackening his pace, he

alf a mile behind, came a score of fierce green

ris and shouting warning as though he, too, had but just discovered the silent, mena

w that he could but uselessly sacrifice his life by placing hims

esponse to this exhibition of courage and self-sacrifice. He regretted now that he had not thought to give Kar Komak one of his swords; but it was too late t

be nip and tuck as to w

new force hastening toward them-two medium-sized war craft-and even at the dis

no less implacable enemies, in the form of the creatures of Astok, Prince of Dusar, bearing down upon her from another, while only a banth, a

n. Nor could she account for it while her mind still tried to convince her heart that the Prince of Helium had been instrumental in her abduction from her father's court. Sh

before her. A brave smile o

princess,"

ose same words-in the throne-room of Tario of Lothar as they had co

he was promised to another. She wondered at herself-flushing at her own turpitude; for upon Barsoom it is

an instant regretted his words. There was but a m

xcuse-that, and the belief that I have but a moment more of life," an

ide, and as the great thoat and its rider hurtled harmlessly past him he

ose quarters, dismounting the better to wield their favourite long-swords; the Dusarian fliers touched the soft carpet of the ochre-clad sea-