NORTTI PLATTE SBMT-WPJBKTT TRIBUNE.
nmr TO
ISKKi J
"ARE YOU HUMAN7"
Synopsis. The author tells o( hln
acquaintance with the hero of one
o( the moat remarkable adventures
ever recorded. From a manuscript
left by his friend he has vividly set
out the strange happenings which
brought together a brave Virginia
gentleman and a Princess of Mars.
In the Arizona hills John Carter,
tnlnlng prospector and ex-Confed-trate
soldier, fleeing from a war
party of Apaches, takes refuge In
a cave the atmosphere of which
has a remarkable effect on him.
Yielding to Its Influence he sinks
Into unconsciousness, his last
thoughts centered on the glow from
the planet Mars. Awaking, Carter
realizes that he has, In some In
comprehensible manner, been trans
ported to Mars. Ha Is surprised by
a party of armed Martian warriors,
who seek his life. Ho convinces
their leader, Tars Tarkan, of his
harmlessneAs and Is conveyed, a
prisoner, to a Martian city. Three
days later a fleet of warships from
the neighboring state of Helium,
passing over the city, Is attacked
by Carter's captors, the green Mar
tians. The fleet Is scattered and
one of the airships captured.
Among the prisoners Is a young
woman of a race different from the
green Martians and more closely
resembling the woman of the earth.
Carter ascertains that the fair pris
oner's name Is Dejah Thorls, grand
daughter of the Jeddak, or ruler,
of Helium. He also ascertains
that according to custom she Is
doomed to die by torture. He fights
for her and assures her of his sym
pathy. CHAPTER IV Continued.
They removed tliolr prisoner to the
ground and then commenced n nvr
tematlc rifling of the vessel. This op
erntlon required several hours, during
which time number of the churlotA
were requisitioned to transport the
loot, which consisted of urms, ammu
nition, silks, furs, Jewels, strangely
curved stone vessels, and a quantity
of solid foods and liquids, Including
many casks of water, the first I had
neon since my advent upon Mars.
After the last load hnd been re
moved the warriors mado lines fust
to the craft nnd towed her far out Into
the valley In a southwesterly direc
tion. A few of them then boarded her
and were busily engaged In what ap
peared, from my distant position, as
the emptying of the contents of vari
ous carboys upon the dead bodies of
the sailors and over the decks and
works of the vessel.
This operation concluded, they
hastily clambered over her sides, slid
ing down the guy ropes to the ground,
The last warrior to leave the deck
turned and threw something back
upon the vessel, waiting un Instant to
note the outcome of his act. As a faint
spurt of flame rose from the point
where the rolssllo struck he swung
over tho side and wns quickly upon
tho ground. Scarcely had ho alighted
thnn the guy ropes were simultaneous
ly released, and the great warship,
lightened by the removal of tho loot.
Hoared majestically Into the. ntr, her
decks nnd upper works n mass of
roaring Humes1.
The sight wnH awe-lnsplring In the
extreme as one contemplated this
mighty floating funeral pyre, drifting
ungulded and unmanned through the
lonely wastes of the Martian heavens;
n derelict of death and destruction,
typifying the life story of these
strango nnd ferocious creatures Into
whose unfriendly luinds fate hud cur
ried It.
Much depressed, nnd, to me, unue
countnbly so, I slowly descended to
tho street. Tho sccno I hud witnessed
seemed to mark tho defeat and anni
hilation of the forces of n kindred peo
ple rather tliuu tho routing by our
green warriors of n horde of similar,
though unfriendly, creatures. I could
not fathom tho seeming hallucination,
uor could I free myself from It; but
somewhere In the Innermost recesses
of my bouI I felt a strange yearning
toward theso unknown foemcn, and u
mighty hope surged through iuo that
the fleet would return and demand a
reckoning from the green wnrrlors
who had so ruthlessly and wantonly
attacked It.
Lorquas Ptomel was too astuto nn
old warrior to be caught upon tho open
plains with u caravan of chariots and
children, and so we remained at the
deserted city until danger of u reprisal
attack Beemed passed.
As Sola and I entered the plaza a
night met my eye which filled my
vli) being with u great surge of
mingled hop, fear, exultation and do
pressslon, and yet most dominant .vss
u subtle souse of relief, und happiness;
for Just as we nearcd tho throng of
Martians I caught a glimpse of the
prisoner from the battle .craft who was
being roughly dragged Into a near-by
building by a couple of green Martian
(females.
And the sight which met my eyes
tus that of u slender, girlish figure,
mllar In every detail to the earthly
I!
ar
FdgarKkcBuiToughs
Authoi or
Tarzan Of Tfie Apes
IlluA'trationj by
2HWXN MYEHS
,, AC.McClurg and Company
women of my past life. She did not
seo me at first, but Just as she was
disappearing through the portnl of
the building which was to be her
prison she turned nnd her eyes met
mine. Her face wns oval and beauti
ful In the extreme, her every fenture
wns finely chiseled nnd exquisite, her
eyes large nnd lustrous and her head
surmounted by a mass of coal-black,
wnvlng hrtlr, caught loosely Into n
strango yet becoming coiffure. Her
skin wns of a light reddish copper
color, ngnlnst which the crimson glow
of her cheeks nnd the ruby of her
benutlfully molded Hps shone with n
strnngely enhancing effect.
She wns ns destitute of clothes ns
the green Martians who accompanied
her; Indeed, save for her highly
wrought ornaments she wns entirely
naked, nor could nny npparel have
enhanced the beauty of her perfect
and symmetrical figure.
As her gnzo rested on me her eyes
opened wide In nstonlshment and she
mnde n little sign with her free hnnd;
n sign which I did not, of course, un
derstand. Just n moment we gazed
tipon each other, and then the look
of hope nnd renewed courage which
hnd glorified her face as she discov
ered me, faded Into ono of utter dejec
tion, mingled with loathing nnd con
tempt. I realized I had not answered
her slgnnl, and Ignorant as I was of
Martian customs, I Intuitively felt that
she hnd mnde nn appeal for succor and
protection which mv unfortunate Ignor
nnco hnd prevented me from answer
ing. And then she wns dragged out
of my sight Into the depths of the
deserted edifice.
CHAPTER V.
I Learn the Languago.
Ar I reached the doorway of our
building a strango surprise awaited
me. A warrior approached bearing
the nrms, ornnments and full nccou
terments of his kind. These he pre
sented to me with a few unintelligible
words nnd n bearing at onco respect
ful and menacing.
Later Sola, with the aid of several
of tho other women, remodeled the
trappings to fit my lesser proportions,
nnd after they completed tho work I
went about garbed In all tho panoply
of war.
The training of myself nnd the
young Martians was conducted solely
by tho women, who not only attend
to the education of tho young In the
nrtB of individual defense1 nnd offense,
but nro also tho artisans who produco
every manufactured article wrought
by the green Martians. In timo of
actual warfaro they form a pnrt of
tho reserves, and when tho necessity
arises fight with even greater Intel
ligence and ferocity thnn tho men.
111
"And the 8lght Which Met My Eyes
Was That of a Slender, Girlish Fig
ure, Similar In Every Detail to the
Earthly Women of My Past Life."
Tho men are trained In the higher
branches of the art of war: In stmt
egy and tho maneuvering of large
bodies of troops. They mnko tho Inws
ns they are needed; a new law for
each emergency. Customs bnve been
mtndcu uown by ages of repetition
but the punishment for Ignoring a eus
torn Is u matter for Individual trcnt
ment by a Jury of the culprit's peers.
and I muy any that Just ce seldom
misses tiro, but seems rather to rule
In Inverse ratio to the nscendencv of
law. In one respect at least the Mnr-
tlnns are a happy people; they hav
no lawyers.
1
I did not seo the prisoner again for
several days subsequent to our first en
counter, and then only to catch a fleet
ing glimpse of her ns she was being
conducted to the great audience cham
ber where I hnd hnd my first meeting
with Lorquas I'tomel.
I hud observed on tho two occasions
when I had seen her that the prisoner
exchanged words with her gunrds, and
this convinced me that they spoke, or
nt least could make themselves un
derstood by n common lnngunge. With
this added Incentive I nearly drove
Soln distracted by my Importunities
to hnsten on my education, nnd with
in n few inoro days I had mastered tho
Martian tongue sufficiently well to en
able me to carry on n passable con
versation nnd to fully understand
practically all that I heard.
At this time our sleeping quarters
wcro occupied by throe or four females
and a couple of the recently hatched
young, beside Sola nnd her youthful
ward, myself, nnd Woola tho hound.
After they hnd retired for the night
It wns customary for tho adults to
carry on a desultory conversation for
a short time before Inpsing Into sleep,
and now that I could understand their
lnngunge I was always a keen listener,
although I never proffered nny re
marks myself.
On tho night following the prisoner's
visit to the audience chamber the con
versation finally fell upon this subject,
nnd I wns all ears on the instant.
Snrkoja, one of the older women
who shnred our domicile, had been
present nt the audience ns one of
the cnptlve's guards, and It wns to
ward her the questioners turned.
"When," nsked ono of the women,
'will we enjoy the death throes of tho
red one, or dot's Lorquas Ptomel, Jed,
Intend holding her for ransom?"
"They bnvo decided to carry her
with us back to Thark, and exhibit
her Inst agonies nt the great games
before Tal Hnjus," replied Sarkoja.
"What will be the 'manner of her
going out?" Inquired Sola. "She Is
very small and very beautiful ; I had
hoped that they would hold her for
ransom."
One thing this episode accomplished
wns to assure mo of Sola's friendli
ness toward the poor girl, nnd nlso to
convince me that I had been extreme
ly fortunate in falling Into her hnnds
rather thnn thoso of some of the other
females. I knew that she was fond of
tnc, nnd now that her remnrks showed
that she hnted cruelty and barbarity
I was confident that I could depend
upon her to aid tne nnd the girl cap
tive to escape, provided of course that
such a thing was within the range of
possibilities.
Early tho next morning I wns astir.
Considerable freedom was allowed me,
as Sola had Informed me that so long
as I did not attempt to leave the city
I was free to go and come ns I pleased.
She had warned me, however, against
venturing forth unarmed, as thin city,
like all other deserted metropolises of
an undent Martian clvllizntlon, was
peopled by the great white npes of my
second day's adventure.
On this morning I had chosen a new
street to explore when suddenly I
found myself at tho limits of tho city.
I longed to explore tho country before
me, nnd, like the pioneer stock from
which I sprang, to view what the land
scape beyond the encircling hills might
disclose from the summits which shut
out my view.
As I npprooched the boundary line
Woola ran anxiously before me, nnd
thrust his body against my legs. His
expression wns pleading rather than
ferocious, nor did he bare his great
tusks or utter his fearful guttural
warnings. Denied the friendship nnd
companionship of my kind, I had de
veloped considerable affection for
Woola and Sola, for the normal earth
ly man must have some outlet for his
natural affections, nnd so I decided
upon nn appeal to a like Instinct In
this great brute, sure that I would
not bo disappointed.
I had never petted nor fondled him,
but now I sat upon the ground nnd
putting my arms around his heavy
nock I stroked and coaxed him, talk
ing In my newly acquired Martian
tongue as I would have to my hound
at home, ns I would have tnlked to
any other friend nmong the lower an
imals. Ills response to my manifes
tation of affection wns remnrknble to
a degree ; he stretched his great mouth
to its full width, baring the entire
expanse of bis upper rows of tusks
nnd wrinkling his folds of flesh. If
you have ever seen a colllo smile you
mny have some Idea of Woola'a facial
distortion.
There was no further question of
nuthorlty between us; Woola wns my
devoted slave from that moment
hence, and I, his only and undisputed
master. My walk to tho hills occu
pled but a few minutes, nnd I found
nothing of particular Interest to re
ward me. But tho walk bad been
large with Importance to me, for it
had resulted In a perfect understand
lng with Woola, upon whom Tars
Turkas relied for my safe keeping. I
now know thnt while theoretically a
prisoner I wns virtually free, and I
hastened to regain the city limits be
fore the defection of Woola could be
discovered by his erstwhile masters
On regulnlng tho plaza I had my
third glimpse of the captive girl. She
was standing with her guards before
tho entrance to tho audience chnmber,
nnd as I approached she gavo mo ono
haughty glance and turned her back
full upon mo. The act wns so worn
only, so earthly womanly, thnt though
it stung my pride It also warmed my
heart with a feeling of companionship
It wuh good to know thnt some ono
else on Mars beside myself had hu
man Instincts of n civilized order, even
though tho manifestation of them wns
so painful and mortifying.
Seeing that the prisoner seemed the
center of attraction I hnlted to view
the proceedings. The council squatted
upon the steps of tho rostrum, while
below them stood the prisoner and her
two guards. I saw that one of the
women was Sarkoja, nnd thus under
stood how she hnd been present at the
henrlng of the. preceding dny, tho re
sults of which she had reported to
tho occupants of our dormitory Inst
night. Ilcr attitude toward tho cap
tive was most harsh nnd brutal. She
seemed to be venting upon this poor
defenseless creature all the hatred,
cruelty, ferocity, nnd splto of her nine
hundred yenrs, backed by unguessnble
ages of fierce and brutal ancestors.
As Lorquas I'tomel raised his eyes
to address the prisoner they fell on mo
and he turned to Tars Tarkas with
a word, and gesture of Impatience.
Tors Tarkas made some reply which
I could not catch, but which caused
Lorquas Ptomel to smile; after which
they paid no further attention to me.
"What Is your name?" asked JL.or
quas Ptomel, addressing the prisoner.
"Dejah Thorls, dnughter of Mors
Kajak of Helium."
"And the nature of your expedi
tion?" he continued.
"It wns a purely scientific research
party sent out by my father's father,
tho Jeddak of Helium, to rcchart the
1
1
"I .Delivered Blow After Blow Upon
His Enormous Chest,"
1
air currents, and to take atmospheric
density tests," replied the fair pris
oner, in a low, well-modulated voice.
"We were unprepared for battle,"
she continued, "as we were on a peace
ful mission, as our banners and the
colors of our craft denoted. The work
we were doing was ns much In your
interests as in ours, for you know full
well that were It not for our labors
and the fruits of our scientific oper
ations there would not be enough air
or water on Mars to support a single
human life. For nges we have main
tained the air and water supply at
practically the same point without un
appreciable loss, and we have done
this In the faco of the brutal and
Ignorant Interference of you green
men.
"Why, oh, why will you not learn
to live In amity with your fellows?
Must you ever go on down the ages to
your flnnl extinction but little .above
the piano of the dumb brutes thnt
serve you I Come back to the ways
of our common ancestors, come bnck
to tho light of kindliness nnd fellow
ship. The way Is open to you, you
will find the hands of the red men
stretched out to nld you. The grand
daughter of the greatest nnd mightiest
of the red Jedduks has asked you.
Will you come?"
Lorqun8 Ptomel nnd tho warriors
sat looking silently nnd Intently nt the
young womnn for several moments
after she had ceased speaking. That
they were moved I truly believe, and
If one mnn high rimong them hnd been
strong enough to rise nbove custom,
thnt moment would have marked a
new nnd mighty era for Mars.
I saw Tars Tarkas rise to speak,
and on his face was sileli un expres
si on as I had never seen upon the
countenance of a green Martian war
rlor. It bespoke an Inward and
mighty battle with self, with heredity,
with age-old custom, and ns he opened
his mouth to spenk, a look almost of
benignity, of kindliness, momentarily
lighted up his fierce and terrible coun
tennnce. 4
What words of moment were to have
fallen from his lips were never spoken,
as Just then a young wnrrlor, evident
ly sensing the trend of thought nmong
the older men, leuped down from tho
steps of the rostrum, and striking the
frail captive a powerful blow across
the face, which felled her to the floor,
placed his foot upon her prostrate
form, nnd turning toward the nssem
bled cohncll, broke into peals of hor
rid, mirthless laughter.
That I have taken moments to write
down a pnrt of what occurred as that
blow fell does not signify that I re
malned lnnctlvo for any such length
of time. Scarcely had his hideous
laugh rang out but once, when I wns
upon him. Tho brute wns twelve feet
in height nnd armed to the teeth, but
I believo thnt I could have accounted
for the whole roomful In tho terrific
Intensity of my rage. Springing up
ward, I Btruck him full In the face ns
he turned at my warning cry, and then
ns ha drew his short sword I drew
mine and sprang up again uoon hto
breast, hooking one leg over the bntt
of his pistol and grasping one of his
huge tusks with my left hand while
I delivered blow after blow upon his
enormous chest. With all his Immense
bulk he wns little If 'any stronger than
I, and It was but the matter of a mo
ment or two before he sank, bleeding
and lifeless, to the floor.
Dejah Thorls had raised herself up
on one elbow nnd was watching the
battle with wide, staring eyes. When
1 had regained my feet I raised her
In my nrms nnd boro her to one of tho
benches at the side of the room.
Again no Martian interfered with
me, and when she could speak she
placed her hnnd upon my arm, and
looking Into my eyes, said :
"Why did you It? You. who re
fused me even friendly recognition In
the first hour of my peril I And now
you risk your life and kill one of your
companions for my Bake. I cannot un
derstand. What jstrnngo mnnner of
man nro you, that you consort with
the green men, though your form Is
thnt ff my race, while your color Is
little darker than that of the white
ape? Tell me, are you human, or aro
you more thnn human?"
"It Is a strange tale," I replied, "too
long to attempt to toll you now. Suf
fice It. for the present, thnt I am your
friend, und, so far as our captors will
permit, your protector and your ser
vant." 'Then you, too. nre a prisoner?
Whnt Is your nnme? Why your re
gnlln na a chieftain?"
"Yes, Dejah Thorls, I too am a prls-.
oner; my nnme Is John Carter, and I
claim Virginia, one of the United
States of American Earth, as my
home; but why I am permitted to
wear arms I do not know, notvwns I
nwnre thnt my regalia was that of a
chieftain."
We were interrupted nt this Juncture
by the nppronch of one of tho wnr
rlors. bearing arms, accoutcrments and
ornautants, nnd In n flash one of her
questions was answered und n puzzle
cleared up for me. I saw that the
body of my dead antagonist had been
stripped, and I read in the mennclng
yet respectful attitude of the wnrrlor
who had brought me theso trophies
of tho kill the same demeanor ns that
evinced by the other who had brought
me my original equipment, nnd now
for the first time I realized that my
blow, on the occnslon of my first bat
tle In the nudlencc chnfnber had re
sulted In the death of my adversary.
I was accorded the honors due a
conqueror; the trappings and the po
sition of the man I killed. In truth,
I was a Martian chieftain, and. this
I learned later was the cause of my
great freedom and my toleration In
the audience chnmber.
As I had turned to receive the dead
warrior's chattels I had noticed that
Tars Tarkas and several others had
pushed forward toward us. The chief
addressed me:
"Do you know what your un
precedented temerity would have cost
you had you failed to kill either of the
two chieftains whose metal you now
weur?" he asked.
"I presume thnt that one whom I
had failed to kill, would have killed
me," I answered, smiling.
"No, you are wronir. Only In the
Inst extremity of self-defense would
a Martian wnrrlor kill a prisoner ; we
like to save them for other purposes,"
and his face bespoke possibilities that
were not pleasant to dwell upon.
"But one thing can save you now,"
he continued. "Should you, In recogni
tion of your remarkable valor, ferocity
and prowess, be considered by Tnl Ha
Jus as worthy of his service you mny
be taken Into the' community nnd be
come a full-fledged Tharklan. Until we
rench the heudquarters of Tnl Hajus
you will be treated by us as a Tharklan
chieftain, but you must not forget thnt
every chief who ranks you Is responv
slide for your safe delivery to our
mighty nnd most ferocious ruler. I
um done."
"I hear you, Tars Tarkas," I an
swered. "If you will leave me alone I
will go In pence, but If not, let the In
dividual Hnrsoomlnns' with' whom I
must deal either respect my rights as a
stranger among you, or take whatever
consequences mny befall. Of one
thing let us be sure, whatever may be
your ultimate Intentions toward this
unfortunate young womnn, whoever
would offer her Injury or Insult In tho
future must figure on a full accounting
to me."
I hnd guessed at tho keynote which
would strike an answering chord In tho
breasts of the green Martlnns, nor was
I wrong, for my hnrnngue evidently
deeply Impressed them, nnd their at
titude toward me thereafter was still
further respectful.
I now turned my attention to Dejnh
Thorls. nnd nsslstlng her to her feet I
turned with her toward the exit. Ig
noring her hovering gunrdlan harpies
as well us the Inquiring glances of the
chieftains. Wns I not now a chieftain
also! Well, then, I would assume the
responsibilities of one. They did not
molest us, and so Dejah Thorls, prln
cess of Helium, and John Carter, gen
tleman of Vlrglnln, followed by the
faithful Woola, pnssed through niter
silence from tho audience chnmber of
Lorquas Ptomel, Jed among the Tharks
of B.trsoom.
'Whore may you bo from?"
(TO I3E CONTINUED.)
Lines to Be Remembered.
We should give as we would re
ceive: cheerfully, quickly and without
hesitation; for there Is no grace In a
benefit that atlcka to .the Augers Son-
ecu.
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However, If you wish first to test this
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Defining Tholr Efforts.
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Be careful t avoid hnltatlsns.
Be sure its Bromo
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1 5 7 9fU .
DIED
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S51i
