All Story Magazine, December 1913 — page 146: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

806 others elsewhere on some pretext or another, and then at last he will fall upon us with his confederates and slay us all.” “TI believe you, Lakor,” replied the other, “‘ there can never be aught else than deadly hatred between thern and First Born, And what think you of the ridiculous matter of the light? ‘Let the light shine with the intensity of three radium units for fifty tals, and for one zat let it shine with the intensity of one radium unit, and then for twenty-five tals with nine units.’ Those were his very words, and to think that wise old Matai Shang should listen to such foolishness.” “Indeed, it is silly,” replied Lakor. “Tt will open nothing other than the way to a quick death for us all. He had to make some answer when Matai Shang asked him flatly what he should do when he came to the Temple of the Sun, and so he made his answer quick- ly from his imagination—J1 would wager a hekkador's diadem that he could not now repeat it himself.” “Tet us not remain here longer, Lakor,” spoke the other thern. ‘ Per- chance if we hasten after them we may come in time to rescue Matai Shang, and wreak our own vengeance upon the black dator. What sayxyou?” “ Never in a long life,” answered Lakor, ‘have ‘I disobeyed a single command of the Father of Therns. I shall stay here until I rot if he does not return to bid me elsewhere.” Lakor’s companion shook his head. “You are my superior.”’ he said; “I cannot do other than you sanction, though J still believe that we are fool- ish to remain.” : I, too, thought that they were fool- ish to remain, for 1 saw from Woola’s actions that the trail led through the room where the two therns held guard. I had no reason to harbor any con- siderable love for this race of seli-dei- fied demons, yet I would have passed them by were it possible without mo- lesting them. It was worth trying anyway, for a THE ALL-STORY MAGAZINE. fight might delay us considerably, or even put an end entirely to my search— better men than I have gone down be- fore fighters of meaner ability than that possessed by the thern warriors. Signaling Woola to heel I stepped suddenly into the room before the two men. At sight of me their long- swords flashed from the harness at their sides, but I raised my hand in a gesture of restraint. “T seek Thurid, the black dator,” I said. ‘My quarrel is with him, not with you. Let me pass then in peace, for if I mistake not he is as much your enemy as mine, and you can have no cause to protect him.” They lowered their swords and La- kor spoke. *“T know not whom you may be, with the white skin of a thern and the black hair of a red man; but were it only Thurid whose safety were at stake you might pass, and welcome, in so far as we be concerned. “Tell us who you be, and what mis- sion calls you to this unknown world beneath the Valley Dor, then maybe we can see our way to let you pass upon the errand which we should like to undertake would our orders per- mit.’ I was surprised that neither of them had recognized me, for I thought that I was quite sufficiently well known either by personal experience or repu- tation to every thern upon Barsoom as to make my identity immediately ap- parent in any part of the planet. dn fact, I was the only white man upon Mars whose hair was black and whose eyes were gray, with the exception of my son, Carthoris. To reveal my identity might be to precipitate an attack, for every thern upon Barsoom knew that to me they owed the fall of their age-old spiritual supremacy. On the other hand my reputation as a fighting man might be sufficient to pass me by these two were their livers not of the right complex- ion to welcome a battle to the death. To be quite candid I did not attempt comlicloooks.com