A PRINCESS OF MARS
CHAINED IN WARHOON
It must have been hours I and I well the of which over me as I that I was not dead.
I was among a of sleeping and in the of a small room in which were green warriors, and over me was an and female.
As I opened my she to one of the warriors, saying,
"He will live, O Jed."
"'Tis well," the one so addressed, and my couch, "he should sport for the great games."
And now as my upon him, I saw that he was no Thark, for his and metal were not of that horde. He was a fellow, about the and chest, and with one and a missing ear. Strapped on either were and from these a number of hands.
His to the great of which I had so much while among the Tharks me that I had but jumped from into gehenna.
After a more with the female, which she him that I was now fit to travel, the ordered that we and after the main column.
I was to as wild and a as I had seen, and, with a on either to prevent the from bolting, we at a in of the column. My gave me but little pain, so and had the and of the female their powers, and so had she and the injuries.
Just dark we the main of after they had for the night. I was taken the leader, who proved to be the of the of Warhoon.
Like the who had me, he was scarred, and also with the of and hands which to mark all the among the Warhoons, as well as to their ferocity, which that of the Tharks.
The jeddak, Bar Comas, who was young, was the object of the and of his old lieutenant, Dak Kova, the who had me, and I not but note the almost which the to his superior.
He the as we entered the presence of the jeddak, and as he pushed me the ruler he in a loud and voice.
"I have a the metal of a Thark it is my to have with a wild at the great games."
"He will die as Bar Comas, your jeddak, sees fit, if at all," the ruler, with and dignity.
"If at all?" Dak Kova. "By the hands at my but he shall die, Bar Comas. No on your part shall save him. O, would that Warhoon were by a than by a water-hearted from old Dak Kova tear the metal with his hands!"
Bar Comas the and for an instant, his one of haughty, and hate, and then without a and without a word he himself at the of his defamer.
I had two green Martian with nature's and the of animal which was as a thing as the most picture. They at each others' and ears with their hands and with their and until were cut to from to foot.
Bar Comas had much the of the as he was stronger, and more intelligent. It soon that the was done saving only the final death when Bar Comas in away from a clinch. It was the one little opening that Dak Kova needed, and himself at the of his he his single in Bar Comas' and with a last powerful the wide open the full length of his body, the great in the of Bar Comas' jaw. Victor and rolled and upon the moss, a of and flesh.
Bar Comas was dead, and only the most on the part of Dak Kova's saved him from the he deserved. Three days later he walked without to the of Bar Comas which, by custom, had not been moved from where it fell, and his upon the of his ruler he the title of Jeddak of Warhoon.
The jeddak's hands and were to be added to the of his conqueror, and then his what remained, wild and terrible laughter.
The to Dak Kova had the so that it was to give up the expedition, which was a raid upon a small Thark in retaliation for the of the incubator, until after the great games, and the entire of warriors, ten thousand in number, toward Warhoon.
My to these and people was but an to the I almost daily while with them. They are a smaller than the Tharks but much more ferocious. Not a day passed but that some members of the Warhoon met in combat. I have as high as eight a single day.
We the city of Warhoon after some three days and I was into a and to the and walls. Food was me at but to the of the place I do not know I there days, or weeks, or months. It was the most of all my life and that my mind did not give way to the terrors of that has been a wonder to me since. The place was with creeping, things; cold, passed over me when I down, and in the I occasionally of gleaming, eyes, in upon me. No me from the world above and no word would my when my food was to me, although I at him with questions.
Finally all the and for these who had me in this place was by my upon this single who to me the entire of Warhoons.
I had noticed that he always with his to where he place the food my and as he to place it upon the his was about on a level with my breast. So, with the of a madman, I into the of my when next I him and a little of the great which me in my hand I waited his coming, like some of prey. As he to place my food upon the ground I the above my and the with all my upon his skull. Without a he to the floor, dead.
Laughing and like the I was fast I upon his my for his throat. Presently they came in with a small at the end of which a number of keys. The touch of my on these keys my with the of thought. No longer was I a idiot, but a sane, man with the means of my very hands.
As I was to remove the from about my victim's I up into the to see six of fixed, unwinking, upon me. Slowly they approached and slowly I from the of them. Back into my I my hands out, me, and on came the until they the at my feet. Then slowly they but this time with a and they in some black and of my dungeon.
