The Gods of Mars

Xodar surrounded by a crowd of noble blacks. They were reviling a

ey turned their at

ture who overcame the great Xodar bar

an, laughing. "Thurid is a noble Dator. Let Thur

Thurid!" cried

indicated I saw a huge black weighed down with resplendent ornam

ried. "What woul

ozen voices

odar, his eyes narrowi

d me in the secret councils of Issus, but now in the field of war where men are truly gauged your scabby heart hat

fallen from the favour of Issus. I had no love for Xodar, but I cannot stand the sight of cowardly injustice and persecution without seeing r

or stood erect and motionless as a carven image. He was prepared to take whatever his former comra

I caught him a painful blow upon the shin bo

ust as Xodar had upon the deck of the cruiser. The results were identical. I ducked beneath hi

op, his knees gave beneath him and

proud Dator lying there in the ruby dust of the pathway, then a

en I stooped beside the prostrate form, tore the harness

fore Issus, bound in his own harness, that she may see with her own ey

woman who had first suggested

man to your goddess, as I have said, and tell her, too, that as I have done to Xodar and Thurid, so also can I do to the might

back to Shador; "my orders are imperative; th

er Xodar or myself. It was evident that he felt less contempt for the former Da

was quite apparent from the fact that during the balance of the return jo

ce. There we entered the submarine, taking the long dive to the tunnel far beneath the upper world. Then through the tunnel and

as no ceremony wasted in completing our incarceration. One of the blacks opened the door of the prison with a huge key, we walked in, the door closed behind us, the lock grated, and

out the fate of the great Thark, and of his beautiful companion, the girl, Thuvia. Even should they by some miracle have escaped and bee

. Nor would it have advantaged me any had they known the exact location of my prison, for who could hope t

the brooding despair that had been endeavouring to claim me. W

ch near the centre of the room in which we were.

titions twenty feet high. There was no one in the room which we occupied, but two doors which led to other rooms were opened. I entered one of these rooms, but found it vacant. Thus I co

eaned over and looked at him. There was something strange

s and body, beautiful in the extreme. He was very light in colour for a red m

n that I have seen men transformed into raging brutes when robbed

Xodar still sitting in the same

sted by John Carter. You have seen that in the ease with which I accounted for Thurid.

dispatched me at the

yet. Neither of us is dead. We are g

at me in

us is omniscient. She hears now the words you speak. She knows the thou

I ejaculated

to his fee

ied. "In another instant you will be smitten d

eve that, Xo

who would

ower for ages. And another wonderful power. They can shut their minds so that none may read their thoughts. I learned the first secret

ou will it. Had she been able to read mine, I am afraid that her pride would have suffered a rath

d in an affrighted voice, so lo

t repulsive and vilely hideous cre

ricken amazement, and then with a cr

r was it necessary, since he was unarm

inging my right arm about his left shoulder, caught him beneat

for a moment, glaring u

in the narrow confines of this tiny room. I am sorry to have offended you, but I could not dr

ngs further, but rather that you may give thought to the fact that whil

from the clutches of the unbeliever who defamed her fair beauty. No, Xodar, yo

uld be able to win our way to freedom. Even though we died in the attempt, would not our memories be fairer than as th

new the attack upon me, nor did he speak. Instead, he walked toward the

ay leading to one of the other apartments, and, looking

ter the red Martian

plied. "What

I presume," I repli

, a brave and

not drop dead at the first sight of that hideous countenance. And her belly! By my first ancestor, but never was there so grotesque a figure in all the universe. Th

you here

hat I should like to search for the Lost Sea of Korus which tradition places near to the south pole. I must ha

ed to the ground to make repairs. Before I knew it the air was black with fliers,

had tasted of the steel of my father's sword, and I had given such an accoun

er is dead

But for the sorrow that I had never the honour to know my father, I have been very happy. My on

our father

rly guard entered and ordered him to his own quarters for the night, lo

slave of a slave is to serve you well," he said to me, indicating Xodar with a wave of his hand. "If he does not, you are to

e words h

in his hands. I walked to his side

mpt to put them into execution. You are a brave man, Xodar. It is your own affair if you wish t

by little I have been piecing together the things that you said which sounded blasphemous to me then with the things

More I am willing to concede-that the First Born are no holier tha

been foisted upon us for ages by those directly above us, to whose personal profit

ut what will it avail us? Be the First Born gods or mortals, they are a powerful race, a

" I replied; "nor while life is in me shall I despair of

st this flint-like surface," he cried, smiting the solid rock that confined us.

mil

th me, if you will help with your knowledge of the customs here to appoint the best time for the attempt,

nly a dozing watch nods in the tops of the battleships. No watch is kept upon the cruisers an

it is not dark! How c

smi

ected in the bosom of Omean. The phosphorescent light you now see pervading this great subterranean vault emanates from the rocks that

rld above, the men whose duties hold them h

and then I shrugged my shoulders; for what,

ht," said Xodar. "A plan m

hard stone floor of our prison