All Story Magazine, December 1913 — page 156: what you’re looking at

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

866 “Let us have an end to this blas- pheming!”’ he cried, turning to the Father of Therns. Matai Shang rose and, leaning over the edge of the balcony, gave voice to the weird call that | had heard from the lips of the priests upon the tiny balcony upon the face of the Golden Cliffs overlooking the Valley Dor, when, in times past, they called the fearsome white apes and the hideous plantmen to the feast of victims float- ing down the broad bosom of the mys- terious Iss toward the silian-infested waters of the Lost Sea of Korus. “ Let loose the death! ** he cried, and immediately a dozen doors in the base of the tower swung open, and a dozen grim and terrible banths sprang into the arena. This was not the first time that I had faced the ferocious *Barsoomian lion, but never had I been pitted, single- handed, against a full dozen of them. Even with the assistance of the fierce Woola, there could be but a single out- come to so unequal a struggle. For a moment the beasts hesitated beneath the brilliant glare of the torches; but presently their eyes, be- coming accustomed to the light, fell upon Woola and me, and with bristling manes and deep - throated roars they advanced, lashing’ their tawny sides with their power ful tails. In the brief interval of life that was left me I shot a last, parting glance to- ward my Dejah Thoris. Her beautiful face was set in an expression of horror; and as my eyes met hers she extended both arms toward me as, struggling with the guards who now held her, she endeavored to cast herself from the balcony into the pit beneath, that she might share my death with me. Then, as the banths were about to close upon me, she turned and buried her dear face in her arms. Suddenly my attention was drawn toward Thuvia of Ptarth. The beau- tiful girl was leaning far over the edge of the balcony, her eyes bright with excitement. THE ALL-STORY MAGAZINE. In another instant the banths would be upon me, but I could not force my gaze from the features of the red girl, for I knew that her expression meant anything but the enjoyment of the grim tragedy that would so soon be enacted below her; there was some deeper, hid- den meaning which I sought to solve. For an instant I thought of relying on my earthly muscles and agility to escape the banths and reach the bal- cony, which I could easily have done, but I could not bring myself to desert the faithful Woola and leave him to die alone beneath the cruel fangs of the hungry banths; that is not the way upon Barsoom, nor was it ever the way of John Carter. Then the secret of ‘Thuvia’s excite- ment became apparent as from her lips there issued the purring sound I had heard once before; that time that, with- in the Golden Cliffs, she called the fierce banths about her and led them as a shepherdess might lead her flock of meek and harmless sheep. At the first note of that soothing sound the banths halted in their tracks, and every fierce head went high as the beasts sought the origin of the familiar call. Presently they discovered the red girl in the balcony above them, and, turning, roared out their recognition and their greeting. Guards sprang to drag ‘Thuyia away, but ere they had succeeded she had hurled a volley of commands at the listening brutes, and as one they turned and marched back into their dens. “You need not fear them now, John Carter!*’ cried Thuvia, before they could silence her. ‘‘ Those banths will never harm you now, nor Woola, either,” It was all I cared to know. There was naught to keep me from that hal- cony now, and with a Jong, running leap I sprang far aloft until my hands grasped its lowest sill. In an instant all was wild confusion. Matai Shang shrank back. Thurid sprang forward with drawn sword to cut me down. comicloooks.com