waste　across　which；　for　two　hundred　dangerous　and　weary　miles；
  lay　another　main　artery　leading　to　Helium。
  No　word　was　spoken　until　we　had　left　the　city　far　behind；
  but　I　could　hear　the　quiet　sobbing　of　Dejah　Thoris　as　she
  clung　to　me　with　her　dear　head　resting　against　my　shoulder。
  〃If　we　make　it；　my　chieftain；　the　debt　of　Helium　will　be
  a　mighty　one；　greater　than　she　can　ever　pay　you；　and　should
  we　not　make　it；〃　she　continued；　〃the　debt　is　no　less；　though
  Helium　will　never　know；　for　you　have　saved　the　last　of　our
  line　from　worse　than　death。〃
  I　did　not　answer；　but　instead　reached　to　my　side　and
  pressed　the　little　fingers　of　her　I　loved　where　they　clung　to
  me　for　support；　and　then；　in　unbroken　silence；　we　sped　over
  the　yellow；　moonlit　moss；　each　of　us　occupied　with　his　own
  thoughts。　　For　my　part　I　could　not　be　other　than　joyful　had　I
  tried；　with　Dejah　Thoris'　warm　body　pressed　close　to　mine；
  and　with　all　our　unpassed　danger　my　heart　was　singing　as
  gaily　as　though　we　were　already　entering　the　gates　of　Helium。
  Our　earlier　plans　had　been　so　sadly　upset　that　we　now
  found　ourselves　without　food　or　drink；　and　I　alone　was
  armed。　　We　therefore　urged　our　beasts　to　a　speed　that　must
  tell　on　them　sorely　before　we　could　hope　to　sight　the　ending
  of　the　first　stage　of　our　journey。
  We　rode　all　night　and　all　the　following　day　with　only　a
  few　short　rests。　　On　the　second　night　both　we　and　our　animals
  were　completely　fagged；　and　so　we　lay　down　upon　the　moss
  and　slept　for　some　five　or　six　hours；　taking　up　the　journey
  once　more　before　daylight。　　All　the　following　day　we　rode；
  and　when；　late　in　the　afternoon　we　had　sighted　no　distant
  trees；　the　mark　of　the　great　waterways　throughout　all　Barsoom；
  the　terrible　truth　flashed　upon　uswe　were　lost。
  Evidently　we　had　circled；　but　which　way　it　was　difficult
  to　say；　nor　did　it　seem　possible　with　the　sun　to　guide　us　by
  day　and　the　moons　and　stars　by　night。　　At　any　rate　no　waterway
  was　in　sight；　and　the　entire　party　was　almost　ready　to
  drop　from　hunger；　thirst　and　fatigue。　　Far　ahead　of　us　and
  a　trifle　to　the　right　we　could　distinguish　the　outlines　of　low
  mountains。　　These　we　decided　to　attempt　to　reach　in　the　hope
  that　from　some　ridge　we　might　discern　the　missing　waterway。
  Night　fell　upon　us　before　we　reached　our　goal；　and；　almost
  fainting　from　weariness　and　weakness；　we　lay　down　and　slept。
  I　was　awakened　early　in　the　morning　by　some　huge　body
  pressing　close　to　mine；　and　opening　my　eyes　with　a　start　I
  beheld　my　blessed　old　Woola　snuggling　close　to　me；　the　faithful
  brute　had　followed　us　across　that　trackless　waste　to　share
  our　fate；　whatever　it　might　be。　　Putting　my　arms　about　his
  neck　I　pressed　my　cheek　close　to　his；　nor　am　I　ashamed
  that　I　did　it；　nor　of　the　tears　that　came　to　my　eyes　as　I
  thought　of　his　love　for　me。　　Shortly　after　this　Dejah　Thoris
  and　Sola　awakened；　and　it　was　decided　that　we　push　on　at
  once　in　an　effort　to　gain　the　hills。
  We　had　gone　scarcely　a　mile　when　I　noticed　that　my
  thoat　was　commencing　to　stumble　and　stagger　in　a　most
  pitiful　manner；　although　we　had　not　attempted　to　force
  them　out　of　a　walk　since　about　noon　of　the　preceding　day。
  Suddenly　he　lurched　wildly　to　one　side　and　pitched　violently　to
  the　ground。　　Dejah　Thoris　and　I　were　thrown　clear　of　him
  and　fell　upon　the　soft　moss　with　scarcely　a　jar；　but　the　poor
  beast　was　in　a　pitiable　condition；　not　even　being　able　to　rise；
  although　relieved　of　our　weight。　　Sola　told　me　that　the　coolness
  of　the　night；　when　it　fell；　together　with　the　rest　would
  doubtless　revive　him；　and　so　I　decided　not　to　kill　him；　as
  was　my　first　intention；　as　I　had　thought　it　cruel　to　leave　him
  alone　there　to　die　of　hunger　and　thirst。　　Relieving　him　of　his
  trappings；　which　I　flung　down　beside　him；　we　left　the　poor
  fellow　to　his　fate；　and　pushed　on　with　the　one　thoat　as　best
  we　could。　　Sola　and　I　walked；　making　Dejah　Thoris　ride；　much
  against　her　will。　　In　this　way　we　had　progressed　to　within
  about　a　mile　of　the　hills　we　were　endeavoring　to　reach　when
  Dejah　Thoris；　from　her　point　of　vantage　upon　the　thoat；
  cried　out　that　she　saw　a　great　party　of　mounted　men　filing
  down　from　a　pass　in　the　hills　several　miles　away。　　Sola　and　I
  both　looked　in　the　direction　she　indicated；　and　there；　plainly
  discernible；　were　several　hundred　mounted　warriors。　　They
  seemed　to　be　headed　in　a　southwesterly　direction；　which
  would　take　them　away　from　us。
  They　doubtless　were　Thark　warriors　who　had　been　sent
  out　to　capture　us；　and　we　breathed　a　great　sigh　of　relief　that
  they　were　traveling　in　the　opposite　direction。　　Quickly　lifting
  Dejah　Thoris　from　the　thoat；　I　commanded　the　animal　to　lie
  down　and　we　three　did　the　same；　presenting　as　small　an　object
  as　possible　for　fear　of　attracting　the　attention　of　the
  warriors　toward　us。
  We　could　see　them　as　they　filed　out　of　the　pass；　just　for
  an　instant；　before　they　were　lost　to　view　behind　a　friendly
  ridge；　to　us　a　most　providential　ridge；　since；　had　they
  been　in　view　for　any　great　length　of　time；　they　scarcely
  could　have　failed　to　discover　us。　　As　what　proved　to　be　the
  last　warrior　came　into　view　from　the　pass；　he　halted　and；　to　our
  consternation；　threw　his　small　but　powerful　fieldglass　to　his
  eye　and　scanned　the　sea　bottom　in　all　directions。　　Evidently
  he　was　a　chieftain；　for　in　certain　marching　formations　among　the
  green　men　a　chieftain　brings　up　the　extreme　rear　of　the　column。
  As　his　glass　swung　toward　us　our　hearts　stopped　in　our　breasts；
  and　I　could　feel　the　cold　sweat　start　from　every　pore　in　my　body。
  Presently　it　swung　full　upon　us　andstopped。　　The　tension
  on　our　nerves　was　near　the　breaking　point；　and　I　doubt　if
  any　of　us　breathed　for　the　few　moments　he　held　us　covered
  by　his　glass；　and　then　he　lowered　it　and　we　could　see　him
  shout　a　command　to　the　warriors　who　had　passed　from　our
  sight　behind　the　ridge。　　He　did　not　wait　for　them　to　join
  him；　however；　instead　he　wheeled　his　thoat　and　came　tearing
  madly　in　our　direction。
  There　was　but　one　slight　chance　and　that　we　must　take
  quickly。　　Raising　my　strange　Martian　rifle　to　my　shoulder　I
  sighted　and　touched　the　button　which　controlled　the　trigger；
  there　was　a　sharp　explosion　as　the　missile　reached　its　goal；　and
  the　charging　chieftain　pitched　backward　from　his　flying
  mount。
  Springing　to　my　feet　I　urged　the　thoat　to　rise；　and　directed
  Sola　to　take　Dejah　Thoris　with　her　upon　him　and　make　a
  mighty　effort　to　reach　the　hills　before　the　green　warriors　were
  upon　us。　　I　knew　that　in　the　ravines　and　gullies　they　might
  find　a　temporary　hiding　place；　and　even　though　they　died
  there　of　hunger　and　thirst　it　would　be　better　so　than　that
  they　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Tharks。　　Forcing　my　two
  revolvers　upon　them　as　a　slight　means　of　protection；　and；
  as　a　last　resort；　as　an　escape　for　themselves　from　the　horrid
  death　which　recapture　would　surely　mean；　I　lifted　Dejah
  Thoris　in　my　arms　and　placed　her　upon　the　thoat　behind
  Sola；　who　had　already　mounted　at　my　command。
  〃Good…bye；　my　princess；〃　I　whispered；　〃we　may　meet　in
  Helium　yet。　　I　have　escaped　from　worse　plights　than　this；〃
  and　I　tried　to　smile　as　I　lied。
  〃What；〃　she　cried；　〃are　you　not　coming　with　us？〃
  〃How　may　I；　Dejah　Thoris？　　Someone　must　hold　these
  fellows　off　for　a　while；　and　I　can　better　escape　them　alone
  than　could　the　three　of　us　together。〃
  She　sprang　quickly　from　the　thoat　and；　throwing　her　dear
  arms　about　my　neck；　turned　to　Sola；　saying　with　quiet　dignity：
  〃Fly；　Sola！　　Dejah　Thoris　remains　to　die　with　the　man　she
  loves。〃
  Those　words　are　engraved　upon　my　heart。　　Ah；　gladly
  would　I　give　up　my　life　a　thousand　times　could　I　only　hear
  them　once　again；　but　I　could　not　then　give　even　a　second　to
  the　rapture　of　her　sweet　embrace；　and　pressing　my　lips　to
  hers　for　the　first　time；　I　picked　her　up　bodily　and　tossed
  her　to　her　seat　behind　Sola　again；　commanding　the　latter
  in　peremptory　tones　to　hold　her　there　by　force；　and　then；
  slapping　the　thoat　upon　the　flank；　I　saw　them　borne　away；
  Dejah　Thoris　struggling　to　the　last　to　free　herself　from
  Sola's　grasp。
  Turning；　I　beheld　the　green　warriors　mounting　the　ridge
  and　looking　for　their　chieftain。　　In　a　moment　they　saw　him；
  and　then　me；　but　scarcely　had　they　discovered　me　than　I
  commenced　firing；　lying　flat　upon　my　belly　in　the　moss。　　I　had
  an　even　hundred　rounds　in　the　magazine　of　my　rifle；　and
  another　hundred　in　the　belt　at　my　back；　and　I　kept　up　a
  continuous　stream　of　fire　until　I　saw　all　of　the　warriors　who
  had　been　first　to　return　from　behind　the　ridge　either　dead　or
  scurrying　to　cover。
  My　respite　was　short…lived　however；　for　soon　the　entire
  party；　numbering　some　thousand　men；　came　charging　into
  view；　racing　madly　toward　me。　　I　fired　until　my　rifle　was
  empty　and　they　were　almost　upon　me；　and　then　a　glance
  showing　me　that　Dejah　Thoris　and　Sola　had　disappeared
  among　the　hills；　I　sprang　up；　throw