four　others　carrying　a　similar　salver　which　supported　the
  magnificent　ornaments　of　a　prince　and　princess　of　the
  reigning　house　of　Zodanga。
  At　the　foot　of　the　throne　these　two　parties　separated
  and　halted；　facing　each　other　at　opposite　sides　of　the　aisle。
  Then　came　more　dignitaries；　and　the　officers　of　the　palace
  and　of　the　army；　and　finally　two　figures　entirely　muffled　in
  scarlet　silk；　so　that　not　a　feature　of　either　was　discernible。
  These　two　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　throne；　facing　Than
  Kosis。　　When　the　balance　of　the　procession　had　entered　and
  assumed　their　stations　Than　Kosis　addressed　the　couple
  standing　before　him。　　I　could　not　hear　his　words；　but
  presently　two　officers　advanced　and　removed　the　scarlet　robe
  from　one　of　the　figures；　and　I　saw　that　Kantos　Kan　had
  failed　in　his　mission；　for　it　was　Sab　Than；　Prince　of　Zodanga；
  who　stood　revealed　before　me。
  Than　Kosis　now　took　a　set　of　the　ornaments　from　one
  of　the　salvers　and　placed　one　of　the　collars　of　gold　about
  his　son's　neck；　springing　the　padlock　fast。　　After　a　few　more
  words　addressed　to　Sab　Than　he　turned　to　the　other　figure；
  from　which　the　officers　now　removed　the　enshrouding　silks；
  disclosing　to　my　now　comprehending　view　Dejah　Thoris；
  Princess　of　Helium。
  The　object　of　the　ceremony　was　clear　to　me；　in　another
  moment　Dejah　Thoris　would　be　joined　forever　to　the　Prince
  of　Zodanga。　　It　was　an　impressive　and　beautiful　ceremony；
  I　presume；　but　to　me　it　seemed　the　most　fiendish　sight　I
  had　ever　witnessed；　and　as　the　ornaments　were　adjusted　upon
  her　beautiful　figure　and　her　collar　of　gold　swung　open　in
  the　hands　of　Than　Kosis　I　raised　my　long…sword　above　my
  head；　and；　with　the　heavy　hilt；　I　shattered　the　glass　of　the
  great　window　and　sprang　into　the　midst　of　the　astonished
  assemblage。　　With　a　bound　I　was　on　the　steps　of　the　platform
  beside　Than　Kosis；　and　as　he　stood　riveted　with　surprise
  I　brought　my　long…sword　down　upon　the　golden　chain
  that　would　have　bound　Dejah　Thoris　to　another。
  In　an　instant　all　was　confusion；　a　thousand　drawn　swords
  menaced　me　from　every　quarter；　and　Sab　Than　sprang　upon
  me　with　a　jeweled　dagger　he　had　drawn　from　his　nuptial
  ornaments。　　I　could　have　killed　him　as　easily　as　I　might　a
  fly；　but　the　age…old　custom　of　Barsoom　stayed　my　hand；
  and　grasping　his　wrist　as　the　dagger　flew　toward　my　heart
  I　held　him　as　though　in　a　vise　and　with　my　long…sword
  pointed　to　the　far　end　of　the　hall。
  〃Zodanga　has　fallen；〃　I　cried。　　〃Look！〃
  All　eyes　turned　in　the　direction　I　had　indicated；　and
  there；　forging　through　the　portals　of　the　entranceway　rode
  Tars　Tarkas　and　his　fifty　warriors　on　their　great　thoats。
  A　cry　of　alarm　and　amazement　broke　from　the　assemblage；
  but　no　word　of　fear；　and　in　a　moment　the　soldiers　and　nobles
  of　Zodanga　were　hurling　themselves　upon　the　advancing　Tharks。
  Thrusting　Sab　Than　headlong　from　the　platform；　I　drew
  Dejah　Thoris　to　my　side。　　Behind　the　throne　was　a　narrow
  doorway　and　in　this　Than　Kosis　now　stood　facing　me；　with
  drawn　long…sword。　　In　an　instant　we　were　engaged；　and　I
  found　no　mean　antagonist。
  As　we　circled　upon　the　broad　platform　I　saw　Sab　Than
  rushing　up　the　steps　to　aid　his　father；　but；　as　he　raised　his
  hand　to　strike；　Dejah　Thoris　sprang　before　him　and　then
  my　sword　found　the　spot　that　made　Sab　Than　jeddak　of
  Zodanga。　　As　his　father　rolled　dead　upon　the　floor　the　new
  jeddak　tore　himself　free　from　Dejah　Thoris'　grasp；　and　again
  we　faced　each　other。　　He　was　soon　joined　by　a　quartet　of
  officers；　and；　with　my　back　against　a　golden　throne；　I　fought
  once　again　for　Dejah　Thoris。　　I　was　hard　pressed　to　defend
  myself　and　yet　not　strike　down　Sab　Than　and；　with　him；
  my　last　chance　to　win　the　woman　I　loved。　　My　blade　was
  swinging　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning　as　I　sought　to　parry
  the　thrusts　and　cuts　of　my　opponents。　　Two　I　had　disarmed；
  and　one　was　down；　when　several　more　rushed　to　the　aid　of
  their　new　ruler；　and　to　avenge　the　death　of　the　old。
  As　they　advanced　there　were　cries　of　〃The　woman！
  The　woman！　　Strike　her　down；　it　is　her　plot。　　Kill　her！　　Kill
  her！〃
  Calling　to　Dejah　Thoris　to　get　behind　me　I　worked　my
  way　toward　the　little　doorway　back　of　the　throne；　but　the
  officers　realized　my　intentions；　and　three　of　them　sprang　in
  behind　me　and　blocked　my　chances　for　gaining　a　position
  where　I　could　have　defended　Dejah　Thoris　against　any　army
  of　swordsmen。
  The　Tharks　were　having　their　hands　full　in　the　center　of
  the　room；　and　I　began　to　realize　that　nothing　short　of　a
  miracle　could　save　Dejah　Thoris　and　myself；　when　I　saw
  Tars　Tarkas　surging　through　the　crowd　of　pygmies　that
  swarmed　about　him。　　With　one　swing　of　his　mighty　longsword
  he　laid　a　dozen　corpses　at　his　feet；　and　so　he　hewed　a　pathway
  before　him　until　in　another　moment　he　stood　upon　the　platform
  beside　me；　dealing　death　and　destruction　right　and　left。
  The　bravery　of　the　Zodangans　was　awe…inspiring；　not　one
  attempted　to　escape；　and　when　the　fighting　ceased　it　was
  because　only　Tharks　remained　alive　in　the　great　hall；　other
  than　Dejah　Thoris　and　myself。
  Sab　Than　lay　dead　beside　his　father；　and　the　corpses　of
  the　flower　of　Zodangan　nobility　and　chivalry　covered　the
  floor　of　the　bloody　shambles。
  My　first　thought　when　the　battle　was　over　was　for　Kantos
  Kan；　and　leaving　Dejah　Thoris　in　charge　of　Tars　Tarkas　I　took
  a　dozen　warriors　and　hastened　to　the　dungeons　beneath　the
  palace。　　The　jailers　had　all　left　to　join　the　fighters　in　the
  throne　room；　so　we　searched　the　labyrinthine　prison　without
  opposition。
  I　called　Kantos　Kan's　name　aloud　in　each　new　corridor
  and　compartment；　and　finally　I　was　rewarded　by　hearing　a
  faint　response。　　Guided　by　the　sound；　we　soon　found　him
  helpless　in　a　dark　recess。
  He　was　overjoyed　at　seeing　me；　and　to　know　the　meaning
  of　the　fight；　faint　echoes　of　which　had　reached　his　prison
  cell。　　He　told　me　that　the　air　patrol　had　captured　him　before
  he　reached　the　high　tower　of　the　palace；　so　that　he　had　not
  even　seen　Sab　Than。
  We　discovered　that　it　would　be　futile　to　attempt　to　cut
  away　the　bars　and　chains　which　held　him　prisoner；　so；　at　his
  suggestion　I　returned　to　search　the　bodies　on　the　floor　above
  for　keys　to　open　the　padlocks　of　his　cell　and　of　his　chains。
  Fortunately　among　the　first　I　examined　I　found　his　jailer；
  and　soon　we　had　Kantos　Kan　with　us　in　the　throne　room。
  The　sounds　of　heavy　firing；　mingled　with　shouts　and
  cries；　came　to　us　from　the　city's　streets；　and　Tars　Tarkas
  hastened　away　to　direct　the　fighting　without。　　Kantos　Kan
  accompanied　him　to　act　as　guide；　the　green　warriors　commencing
  a　thorough　search　of　the　palace　for　other　Zodangans　and　for　loot；
  and　Dejah　Thoris　and　I　were　left　alone。
  She　had　sunk　into　one　of　the　golden　thrones；　and　as　I
  turned　to　her　she　greeted　me　with　a　wan　smile。
  〃Was　there　ever　such　a　man！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　know　that
  Barsoom　has　never　before　seen　your　like。　　Can　it　be　that　all
  Earth　men　are　as　you？　　Alone；　a　stranger；　hunted；　threatened；
  persecuted；　you　have　done　in　a　few　short　months　what　in
  all　the　past　ages　of　Barsoom　no　man　has　ever　done：　joined
  together　the　wild　hordes　of　the　sea　bottoms　and　brought　them
  to　fight　as　allies　of　a　red　Martian　people。〃
  〃The　answer　is　easy；　Dejah　Thoris；〃　I　replied　smiling。　　〃It
  was　not　I　who　did　it；　it　was　love；　love　for　Dejah　Thoris；　a
  power　that　would　work　greater　miracles　than　this　you　have　seen。〃
  A　pretty　flush　overspread　her　face　and　she　answered；
  〃You　may　say　that　now；　John　Carter；　and　I　may　listen；　for　I　am　free。〃
  〃And　more　still　I　have　to　say；　ere　it　is　again　too　late；〃
  I　returned。　　〃I　have　done　many　strange　things　in　my　life；　many
  things　that　wiser　men　would　not　have　dared；　but　never　in　my
  wildest　fancies　have　I　dreamed　of　winning　a　Dejah　Thoris
  for　myselffor　never　had　I　dreamed　that　in　all　the　universe
  dwelt　such　a　woman　as　the　Princess　of　Helium。　　That　you
  are　a　princess　does　not　abash　me；　but　that　you　are　you　is
  enough　to　make　me　doubt　my　sanity　as　I　ask　you；　my　princess；
  to　be　mine。〃
  〃He　does　not　need　to　be　abashed　who　so　well　knew　the
  answer　to　his　plea　before　the　plea　were　made；〃　she　replied；
  rising　and　placing　her　dear　hands　upon　my　shoulders；　and　so
  I　took　her　in　my　arms　and　kissed　her。
  And　thus　in　the　midst　of　a　city　of　wild　conflict；　filled
  with　the　alarms　of　war；　with　death　and　destruction　reaping
  their　terrible　harvest　around　her；　did　Dejah　Thoris；　Princess
  of　Helium；　true　daughter　of　Mars；　the　God　of　War；　promise
  herself　in　marriage　to　John　Carter；　Gentleman　of　Virginia。
  CHAPTER　XXVI
  THROUGH　CARNAGE　TO　JOY
  Sometime　later　Tars　Tarkas　and　Kantos　Kan　returned　to
  report　that　Zodanga　had　been　completely　reduced。　　Her　forces
  were　entirely　destroyed　or　captured；　and　no　further　resistance
  was　to　be　expected　from　within。　　Several　battleships　had　escaped；
  but　there　were　thousands