A PRINCESS OF MARS
AN AIR SCOUT FOR ZODANGA
As I on my toward Zodanga many and my attention, and at the farm houses where I stopped I learned a number of new and the methods and manners of Barsoom.
The water which the of Mars is in reservoirs at either from the melting ice caps, and through long to the centers. Along either of these conduits, and their entire length, the districts. These are into of about the same size, each being under the of one or more government officers.
Instead of the surface of the fields, and thus of water by evaporation, the liquid is through a network of small pipes directly to the of the vegetation. The upon Mars are always uniform, for there are no droughts, no rains, no high winds, and no insects, or birds.
On this I the meat I had since Earth—large, juicy and from the well-fed animals of the farms. Also I fruits and vegetables, but not a single article of food which was to anything on Earth. Every plant and flower and vegetable and animal has been so by of careful, scientific and that the like of them on Earth into pale, gray, by comparison.
At a second stop I met some people of the class and while in we to speak of Helium. One of the older men had been there on a mission years and spoke with of the which to keep these two at war.
"Helium," he said, "rightly the most of Barsoom, and of all her the of Mors Kajak, Dejah Thoris, is the most flower.
"Why," he added, "the people the ground she walks upon and since her on that ill-starred all Helium has been in mourning.
"That our ruler should have the as it was returning to Helium was but another of his which I will sooner or later Zodanga to a man to his place."
"Even now, though our are Helium, the people of Zodanga are their displeasure, for the is not a popular one, since it is not on right or justice. Our took of the of the of Helium on their search for the princess, and so we have been able easily to the city to a sorry plight. It is said she will the next passages of the moon."
"And what, think you, may have been the of the princess, Dejah Thoris?" I asked as as possible.
"She is dead," he answered. "This much was learned from a green by our in the south. She from the of Thark with a of another world, only to into the hands of the Warhoons. Their were upon the sea and of a were nearby."
While this was in no way reassuring, neither was it at all proof of the death of Dejah Thoris, and so I to make every possible to Helium as as I and to Tardos Mors such news of his granddaughter's possible as in my power.
Ten days after the three Ptor I at Zodanga. From the moment that I had come in with the red of Mars I had noticed that Woola a great amount of attention to me, since the to a which is by the red men. Were one to Broadway with a Numidian lion at his the would be to that which I should have produced had I entered Zodanga with Woola.
The very of with the me so great and that I put it off until just we at the city's gates; but then, finally, it that we separate. Had nothing than my own safety or been at no have upon me to turn away the one upon Barsoom that had failed in a of and loyalty; but as I would have offered my life in the service of her in search of I was about to challenge the unknown of this, to me, city, I not permit Woola's life to the success of my venture, much less his happiness, for I not he soon would me. And so I the an farewell, promising him, however, that if I came through my in safety that in some way I should the means to search him out.
He to me fully, and when I pointed in the direction of Thark he away, I to watch him go; but set my toward Zodanga and with a touch of approached her walls.
The I from them me entrance to the vast, city. It was still very early in the and the were deserted. The residences, high upon their metal columns, rookeries, while the themselves presented the of tree trunks. The shops as a were not from the ground were their doors or barred, since is unknown upon Barsoom. Assassination is the ever-present of all Barsoomians, and for this alone their homes are high above the ground at night, or in times of danger.
The Ptor had me for the point of the city where I and be near the offices of the government to they had me letters. My way to the square or plaza, which is a of all Martian cities.
The of Zodanga a square mile and is by the of the jeddak, the jeds, and other members of the and of Zodanga, as well as by the public buildings, cafes, and shops.
As I was the great square in wonder and of the and the which the I a red Martian walking toward me from one of the avenues. He paid not the attention to me, but as he came I him, and I my hand upon his shoulder, calling out:
"Kaor, Kantos Kan!"
Like he and I so much as my hand the point of his long-sword was at my breast.
"Who are you?" he growled, and then as a me fifty from his he the point to the ground and exclaimed, laughing,
"I do not need a reply, there is but one man upon all Barsoom who can about like a ball. By the mother of the moon, John Carter, how came you here, and have you a Darseen that you can your color at will?"
"You gave me a minute my friend," he continued, after I had my since with him in the at Warhoon. "Were my name and city to the Zodangans I would be on the banks of the sea of Korus with my revered and ancestors. I am here in the of Tardos Mors, Jeddak of Helium, to the of Dejah Thoris, our princess. Sab Than, of Zodanga, has her in the city and has in love with her. His father, Than Kosis, Jeddak of Zodanga, has her marriage to his son the price of peace our countries, but Tardos Mors will not to the and has sent word that he and his people would look upon the of their than see her to any than her own choice, and that personally he would being in the of a and Helium to joining the metal of his house with that of Than Kosis. His reply was the he have put upon Than Kosis and the Zodangans, but his people love him the more for it and his in Helium is today than ever.
"I have been here three days," Kantos Kan, "but I have not yet where Dejah Thoris is imprisoned. Today I join the Zodangan as an air and I in this way to win the of Sab Than, the prince, who is of this of the navy, and thus learn the of Dejah Thoris. I am that you are here, John Carter, for I know your to my and two of us together should be able to much."
The was now to with people going and upon the daily of their duties. The shops were opening and the with early patrons. Kantos Kan me to one of these places where we were by apparatus. No hand touched the food from the time it entered the in its until it and upon the tables the guests, in response to the of to their desires.
After our meal, Kantos Kan took me with him to the of the air-scout and me to his asked that I be as a of the corps. In with an was necessary, but Kantos Kan had told me to have no on this score as he would to that part of the matter. He this by taking my order for to the officer and himself as John Carter.
"This ruse will be later," he explained, "when they check up my weights, measurements, and other personal data, but it will be months this is done and our mission should be or have failed long that time."
The next days were by Kantos Kan in teaching me the of and of repairing the little which the Martians use for this purpose. The of the one-man air is about sixteen long, two wide and three thick, to a point at each end. The driver on top of this plane upon a seat over the small, noiseless radium engine which it. The medium of is the thin metal of the and of the Barsoomian ray, or of propulsion, as it may be in view of its properties.
This ray, like the ray, is unknown on Earth, but the Martians have that it is an property of all light no from what it emanates. They have learned that it is the which the light of the sun to the planets, and that it is the of each which "reflects," or the light thus out into space once more. The would be by the surface of Barsoom, but the Barsoomian ray, which to light from Mars into space, is out from the a of of which when is able to from the surface of the ground.
It is this which has them to so perfect that ships anything upon Earth sail as and through the thin air of Barsoom as a toy in the of Earth.
During the early years of the of this many the Martians learned to measure and the power they had found. In one instance, some nine hundred years before, the great ship to be with reservoirs was with too great a quantity of the rays and she had up from Helium with five hundred officers and men, to return.
Her power of for the was so great that it had her into space, where she can be today, by the of powerful telescopes, through the ten thousand miles from Mars; a that will thus Barsoom to the end of time.
The fourth day after my at Zodanga I my flight, and as a result of it I a promotion which in the of Than Kosis.
As I rose above the city I times, as I had Kantos Kan do, and then my engine into top speed I raced at toward the south, one of the great which enter Zodanga from that direction.
I had two hundred miles in a little less than an hour when I me a party of three green toward a small on which to be trying to the of one of the fields.
Dropping my machine toward them, and to the of the warriors, I soon saw that the object of their was a red Martian the metal of the to which I was attached. A away his flier, by the with which he had been in repairing some when by the green warriors.
They were now almost upon him; their on the relatively at speed, while the low to the right, with their great metal-shod spears. Each to be the to the Zodangan and in another moment his would have been sealed had it not been for my timely arrival.
Driving my air at high speed directly the I soon them and without my speed I rammed the of my little the of the nearest. The impact to have through of solid steel, the fellow's into the air over the of his thoat, where it upon the moss. The of the other two in terror, and in opposite directions.
Reducing my speed I and came to the ground at the of the Zodangan. He was warm in his thanks for my timely and promised that my day's work would the it merited, for it was none other than a of the of Zodanga life I had saved.
We no time in talk as we that the would surely return as soon as they had of their mounts. Hastening to his machine we were every to the needed repairs and had almost them when we saw the two green returning at top speed from opposite of us. When they had approached a hundred yards their again and to toward the air which had them.
The and their animals toward us on with long-swords.
I to meet the larger, telling the Zodangan to do the best he with the other. Finishing my man with almost no effort, as had now from much with me, I to return to my new I in straits.
He was and with the of his upon his and the great long-sword to the final thrust. With a I the fifty us, and with point my through the of the green warrior. His fell, harmless, to the ground and he upon the of the Zodangan.
A of the no and after a he that he fit to attempt the return voyage. He would have to pilot his own craft, however, as these are not to but a single person.
Quickly the repairs we rose together into the still, Martian sky, and at great speed and without returned to Zodanga.
As we the city we a of and assembled upon the plain the city. The sky was black with and private and public craft, long of gay-colored silks, and and of odd and design.
My that I slow down, and his machine close mine that we approach and watch the ceremony, which, he said, was for the purpose of on officers and men for and other service. He then a little which that his a of the family of Zodanga, and together we our way through the of low-lying air until we directly over the of Zodanga and his staff. All were upon the small of the red Martians, and their and such a quantity of that I not but be with the the to a of the red Indians of my own Earth.
One of the staff called the attention of Than Kosis to the presence of my above them and the ruler for him to descend. As they waited for the to move into position the the two talked together, the and his staff occasionally up at me. I not their and presently it and all dismounted, as the last of had into position their emperor. A of the staff toward the troops, and calling the name of a soldier him to advance. The officer then recited the nature of the act which had the of the jeddak, and the and a metal ornament upon the left arm of the lucky man.
Ten men had been so when the called out,
"John Carter, air scout!"
Never in my life had I been so surprised, but the of is me, and I my little machine to the ground and on as I had the others do. As I the officer, he me in a voice to the entire of and spectators.
"In recognition, John Carter," he said, "of your and skill in the person of the of the Than Kosis and, singlehanded, three green warriors, it is the of our to on you the mark of his esteem."
Than Kosis then toward me and an ornament upon me, said:
"My has the of your achievement, which little of miraculous, and if you can so well a of the how much you the person of the himself. You are therefore a of The Guards and will be in my hereafter."
I thanked him, and at his direction joined the members of his staff. After the I returned my machine to its on the of the of the air-scout squadron, and with an from the to me I reported to the officer in of the palace.
