The Chessmen of Mars

f the room, where, above a large table, a bronze disc depended from the low ceiling. Her carriage was that of health and physical perfection-the effortless har

, and presently the summons was answered by a slave girl, wh

uests arriving?" a

avy, and Prince Soran of Ptarth, and Djor Kantos, son of Kantos Kan," she shot a roguish glance

d why, Uthia," she added, "do you look thus and

"It is so plain to all that

her, Carthoris, and so he is here much; but not to see me. It is his frien

the north with Talu, Jeddak

lium. "That tongue of yours will b

The Warlord she opened the door of an adjoining room where lay the bath-a gleaming pool of scented water in a marble basin. Golden stanchions supported a chain of gold encircling it and leading down into the water on either side of marble steps. A

w, her smooth muscles rolling softly beneath her clear skin-a wordless song of health and happiness and grace. Presently she emerged and gave herself into the hands of the slave girl, who rubbed the body of her mistress with a sweet smelling semi-liquid substance contained in a golden urn, until the glowing skin was covered with a foamy lather, then a quick plunge into the pool, a drying with soft towels, and the bath was over. Typical of th

e Prince of Helium upon their harness, followed a few paces behind her, grim reminders that the assassin's blade may never be ignored upon

guards knelt with bowed heads in willing and voluntary adoration of the beloved of Helium. Thus always, solely at the command of their own hearts, did the warriors of Helium greet Dejah Thoris, whose deathless beauty had more than

her they entered the gardens where the guests were. A huge warrior drew his short-sword and struck

vanced to pay their respects; the laughing and the talking were resumed and Dejah Thoris and her daughter moved simply and naturally among their guests, no suggestion of differing rank apparent in the bearing of any who were there, though there was mor

m had accepted it as a matter of all but accomplished fact. Djor Kantos had seemed to accept the matter in the same way. They had spoken of it casually as something that would, as a matter of course, take place in the indefinite future, as, for instance, his promotion in the navy, in which he was now a padwar; or the set functions of the court of her grandfather, Tardos Mors, Jeddak of Helium; or Death. They had never spoken of love and that had puzzled Tara of Helium upon the rare occasions she ga

eed. She looked long at Olvia Marthis, and though she had seen her many times before and knew her well, she looked at her today through new eyes that saw, apparently for the first time, that the girl from Hastor was noticeably beautiful even among those other beautiful women of Helium. Tara of Helium was disturbed. She attempted to analyze her emotions; but found it difficult. Olv

pires those of the stranger were remarkable for their barbaric splendor. The leather of his harness was completely hidden beneath ornaments of platinum thickly set with brilliant diamonds, as were the scabbards of his swords and the ornate holst

of Gathol," said John Carter, after the

of Gathol," return

et, Tara of Helium," sa

eated themselves upon an ersite ben

ry and romance and the half-forgotten lore of the ancients. I cannot think of G

mighty Helium," added Gahan. "But what we lack in power we make up in pride," he continued, laughing. "We believe ours the oldest inhabited city upon Barsoom. It is one of the few that has re

e with interest," nor was it likely that the handsome face of

med chained to her exquisite features, from which they moved no further than to a rounded breast, part hid beneath its

summit of which was the island upon which she had been built, until today she covers the slopes from summit to base, while the bowels of the great hill are honeycombed with the galleries of her mines. Entirely

rave warriors?" s

xcept to enemies," he said, "and then wi

ung jed's answer to her previous question, but yet in whose mind persisted a vague conviction of the possible effeminacy of her companion,

ay be found those who will risk almost certain defeat in an effort to loot our unconquered city; so thus we find occasional practice in the exercise of arms; but there is more to Gathol than the mountain city. My country extends from Po

an hour a day in labor to the government. That is practically the only tax that is levied upon them. They prefer however, to furnish a substitute to perform this labor, and as our own people will not hire out for labor in the mines it has been necessary to obtain slaves, and I do not need to tell you that slaves are not won without fighting. We sell these slaves in the

?" asked Tara, indicating his gorge

hen trapped for the observance of the lighter duties of life, though when we take the field our leather is the plainest I ever have seen worn by fighting men of Barsoom. We pride ourselves, too, upon our

pon the tongue of the flatterer," rejoined the girl, but Ga

and the talk. "The Dance of Barsoom!" exclaimed the

uments of a single string. Upon each instrument were characters which indicated the pitch and length of its tone. The instruments were of skeel, the string of gut, and were shaped to fit the left forearm of the dancer, to which it was str

south end of the gardens where the dance was to be held, when Djor Kantos came hurriedly toward

claim Tara of Helium; but haste now lest thou lose also Olvia Marthis, w

t her," admitted Dj

Helium only after having lost Olvia Marthis?" d

Was it not natural that I should assume that you would expect me, who alon

. "Ah, no, Djor Kantos; Tara of Helium is for no laggard," and she threw him a swe

icient in at least three dances-The Dance of Barsoom, his national dance, and the dance of his city. In these three dances the dancers furnish their own music, which never varies; nor do the steps or figures vary, having been handed down from time immemorial. All Barsoomian dances are stately and beautiful, b

s hand in his and again with an arm about the lithe body that the jeweled harness but inadequately covered, and the girl, though she had danced a thousand dances in the past, realized for the first time the personal contact of a man's arm against her naked flesh. It troubled her that she should notice it, and she looked up questioningl

ium, I love

height. "The Jed of Gathol forgets

soft hand that he still retained from the last position of the dance. "I love you, Tara of Helium," he re

cried. "Are the men of

replied, quietly. "They know when the

. "Go!" she said, "before it is necessary to ac

way. "Wait!" cried the

ogy?" sh

phecy,"

unstrung and shortly thereafter returned to her own quarter of the palace, where she stood for a

grily away. "I hate him

ired the pri

t. "That ill-mannered boor, th

sed her s

um where it stood looking up into her face. She placed her hand upon the ugly head. "Dear old Woola," she said