Thuvia, Maid of Mars

ooked her

rmured. "There were thousan

"there remain but the banths and

arried the dead bowmen away whil

y there upon the field but a moment since. It would have req

upon the field of battle, they did not strike me as a ferocious or warlike people. I had been about to suggest that w

lls than without. Here we may fall prey to the banths or the no less fierce To

taking you past so many banths. A single sword would scarce

replied the girl, smiling.

arthoris at her side stepped fearlessly out upon the blo

feast, descried them. With an angry roar the beast walked quickly in their d

his lips, and it was as wine to sick nerves; for even upon warlike Barsoom where all men are brav

hat the banths would not harm us. Look!" and as she

with a gesture she motioned him back. He heard her calling

ted upon the figure of the girl. Then, stealthily, they commenced m

ated. She spoke to him imperiously, as a

s legs came slinking to the girl's feet, and after it came the o

y growled a little as they neared the man, but a f

o it?" exclai

er you. I do not know whence comes my power over them, but ever since the day that Sator Throg threw me among them in the banth pit of the Holy Therns, and the great creatures fawned

, they returned to their interrupted feast, while Carth

n the dead bodies of those of the green men tha

from the great carcasses. Nowhere upon any of them was the s

stled with the deadly arrows of their foes. Where had the slender messengers of

as he glanced toward the silent city before them. No longer was sign of l

watched them from somewh

wide eyes fixed upon the city gate. He looked

him, a quick, brave smile touching her lips, and then, as though the act wa

n. He threw an arm about her, and thus they crossed the field. She did not draw away from him. It is doubtful

hing. From its construction Carthoris could but

new from his study of ancient Barsoomian architecture that it rol

nthor were as yet undreamed of when the r

en city, a voice spoke to them from above. Both looked up

than that of John Carter, the Virginian. His fo

o the two below, yet there was a marked diff

"And what do you here b

ured by the Torquasian horde. I am Carthoris of Helium, Prince of the house of Tardos Mors

, nor did I know that there dwelt upon Barsoom a race of thy strange colour. Where may these cit

nted toward t

is over eight thousand haads from Lothar, while Ptarth lie

man shoo

nd the city of Lothar. Here we have defied them for countless ages, though periodically they renew their attempts to destroy us. From whence you come I cannot guess unless you be desc

this only because their domain held nothing to attract the red race; but the Lotharian could not seem to conceive o

city, and a moment later the wheel-like gate rolled back within

re richly carven, and about the windows and doors were ofttimes set foot-wide borders of precious stones, intricate mosaic

to receive them. About him were a hundred or more men of the sam

than antagonism. They followed the new-come

a short time before surrounded by a horde of bloodthirsty demons yet none

forth in one supreme effort to rout the foe, lea

an sm

or so of our sacred banths has

emerge from this very gate, overwhelming the hordes of Torquas and p

smiled his k

d pointed down a bro

ed, and there, marching bravely in the sunlight, th

through another gate, or perchance these be

ow smiled his

diers in Lothar,"

hey turned back again toward the advancing regiments their eyes went wide in

the hordes to-day?" whispered Ca

an no

ew the green warrior

ian. "He will tell you that which he deems i

rio?" aske

them up the broad avenue down which they had bu

eous buildings that the two had ever seen. Few people were in evidence.

stance, and guessing the nature of the magnificent pile wondered

the gardens beyond, into which he could see, was there sign of the myriad l

r guide, "is the

could not be mistaken. Before the massive gate stood a score of sentries. Within, the avenue leading to the main building was lined on either si

an army out of thin air? He glanced toward Thuvia.

er she pressed more

it?" she whispered.

," replied Carthoris, "u

oward the Lotharian. The f

soldiers in Lothar," said the Heliumite, with a

the other. "We shal

chamber at one end of which a man reclined u

to Thuvia and Carthoris to follow his example, threw himself headlong to the floor. Then rising to hands and knees, he commenced crawling

ding erect, with high-held head and arms folded acro

intently, and Carthoris of Helium was

he man of him who crawled up

e with the hordes of Torquas to our gates, saying that they were prisoner

ask these two why they show not to

sight of their erect positions his f

Down upon your bellies before the

stom in the past, I have generally translated Barsoomian symbols of time, distance, etc., into their Earthly equivalent, as being more easily understood

fads

ds =

ads =

ircumference of

bout 2,339 Earth feet. A karad is one