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speedometer。　　It　was　true　I　could　follow　the　stars　in　the

general　direction　of　Helium；　but　without　knowing　the　exact

location　of　the　city　or　the　speed　at　which　I　was　traveling

my　chances　for　finding　it　were　slim。



Helium　lies　a　thousand　miles　southwest　of　Zodanga；　and

with　my　compass　intact　I　should　have　made　the　trip；　barring

accidents；　in　between　four　and　five　hours。　　As　it　turned

out；　however；　morning　found　me　speeding　over　a　vast　expanse

of　dead　sea　bottom　after　nearly　six　hours　of　continuous

flight　at　high　speed。　　Presently　a　great　city　showed

below　me；　but　it　was　not　Helium；　as　that　alone　of　all

Barsoomian　metropolises　consists　in　two　immense　circular

walled　cities　about　seventy…five　miles　apart　and　would

have　been　easily　distinguishable　from　the　altitude　at

which　I　was　flying。



Believing　that　I　had　come　too　far　to　the　north　and　west；

I　turned　back　in　a　southeasterly　direction；　passing　during

the　forenoon　several　other　large　cities；　but　none　resembling

the　description　which　Kantos　Kan　had　given　me　of　Helium。

In　addition　to　the　twin…city　formation　of　Helium；　another

distinguishing　feature　is　the　two　immense　towers；　one　of

vivid　scarlet　rising　nearly　a　mile　into　the　air　from　the

center　of　one　of　the　cities；　while　the　other；　of　bright　yellow

and　of　the　same　height；　marks　her　sister。









CHAPTER　XXIV





TARS　TARKAS　FINDS　A　FRIEND





About　noon　I　passed　low　over　a　great　dead　city　of　ancient

Mars；　and　as　I　skimmed　out　across　the　plain　beyond　I

came　full　upon　several　thousand　green　warriors　engaged　in

a　terrific　battle。　　Scarcely　had　I　seen　them　than　a　volley　of

shots　was　directed　at　me；　and　with　the　almost　unfailing

accuracy　of　their　aim　my　little　craft　was　instantly　a　ruined

wreck；　sinking　erratically　to　the　ground。



I　fell　almost　directly　in　the　center　of　the　fierce　combat；

among　warriors　who　had　not　seen　my　approach　so　busily

were　they　engaged　in　life　and　death　struggles。　　The　men

were　fighting　on　foot　with　long…swords；　while　an　occasional

shot　from　a　sharpshooter　on　the　outskirts　of　the　conflict

would　bring　down　a　warrior　who　might　for　an　instant　separate

himself　from　the　entangled　mass。



As　my　machine　sank　among　them　I　realized　that　it　was　fight

or　die；　with　good　chances　of　dying　in　any　event；　and　so　I

struck　the　ground　with　drawn　long…sword　ready　to　defend

myself　as　I　could。



I　fell　beside　a　huge　monster　who　was　engaged　with　three

antagonists；　and　as　I　glanced　at　his　fierce　face；　filled　with

the　light　of　battle；　I　recognized　Tars　Tarkas　the　Thark。　　He

did　not　see　me；　as　I　was　a　trifle　behind　him；　and　just　then

the　three　warriors　opposing　him；　and　whom　I　recognized

as　Warhoons；　charged　simultaneously。　　The　mighty　fellow

made　quick　work　of　one　of　them；　but　in　stepping　back　for

another　thrust　he　fell　over　a　dead　body　behind　him　and

was　down　and　at　the　mercy　of　his　foes　in　an　instant。　　Quick

as　lightning　they　were　upon　him；　and　Tars　Tarkas　would

have　been　gathered　to　his　fathers　in　short　order　had　I　not

sprung　before　his　prostrate　form　and　engaged　his　adversaries。

I　had　accounted　for　one　of　them　when　the　mighty　Thark

regained　his　feet　and　quickly　settled　the　other。



He　gave　me　one　look；　and　a　slight　smile　touched　his　grim

lip　as；　touching　my　shoulder；　he　said；



〃I　would　scarcely　recognize　you；　John　Carter；　but　there

is　no　other　mortal　upon　Barsoom　who　would　have　done

what　you　have　for　me。　　I　think　I　have　learned　that　there　is

such　a　thing　as　friendship；　my　friend。〃



He　said　no　more；　nor　was　there　opportunity；　for　the

Warhoons　were　closing　in　about　us；　and　together　we　fought；

shoulder　to　shoulder；　during　all　that　long；　hot　afternoon；

until　the　tide　of　battle　turned　and　the　remnant　of　the　fierce

Warhoon　horde　fell　back　upon　their　thoats；　and　fled　into

the　gathering　darkness。



Ten　thousand　men　had　been　engaged　in　that　titanic　struggle；

and　upon　the　field　of　battle　lay　three　thousand　dead。

Neither　side　asked　or　gave　quarter；　nor　did　they　attempt

to　take　prisoners。



On　our　return　to　the　city　after　the　battle　we　had　gone

directly　to　Tars　Tarkas'　quarters；　where　I　was　left　alone

while　the　chieftain　attended　the　customary　council　which

immediately　follows　an　engagement。



As　I　sat　awaiting　the　return　of　the　green　warrior　I　heard

something　move　in　an　adjoining　apartment；　and　as　I　glanced

up　there　rushed　suddenly　upon　me　a　huge　and　hideous

creature　which　bore　me　backward　upon　the　pile　of　silks　and

furs　upon　which　I　had　been　reclining。　　It　was　Woolafaithful；

loving　Woola。　　He　had　found　his　way　back　to　Thark　and；

as　Tars　Tarkas　later　told　me；　had　gone　immediately　to　my

former　quarters　where　he　had　taken　up　his　pathetic　and

seemingly　hopeless　watch　for　my　return。



〃Tal　Hajus　knows　that　you　are　here；　John　Carter；〃　said

Tars　Tarkas；　on　his　return　from　the　jeddak's　quarters；

〃Sarkoja　saw　and　recognized　you　as　we　were　returning。　　Tal

Hajus　has　ordered　me　to　bring　you　before　him　tonight。　　I

have　ten　thoats；　John　Carter；　you　may　take　your　choice

from　among　them；　and　I　will　accompany　you　to　the　nearest

waterway　that　leads　to　Helium。　　Tars　Tarkas　may　be　a　cruel

green　warrior；　but　he　can　be　a　friend　as　well。　　Come；　we

must　start。〃



〃And　when　you　return；　Tars　Tarkas？〃　I　asked。



〃The　wild　calots；　possibly；　or　worse；〃　he　replied。　　〃Unless

I　should　chance　to　have　the　opportunity　I　have　so　long

waited　of　battling　with　Tal　Hajus。〃



〃We　will　stay；　Tars　Tarkas；　and　see　Tal　Hajus　tonight。

You　shall　not　sacrifice　yourself；　and　it　may　be　that　tonight

you　can　have　the　chance　you　wait。〃



He　objected　strenuously；　saying　that　Tal　Hajus　often　flew

into　wild　fits　of　passion　at　the　mere　thought　of　the　blow　I

had　dealt　him；　and　that　if　ever　he　laid　his　hands　upon　me

I　would　be　subjected　to　the　most　horrible　tortures。



While　we　were　eating　I　repeated　to　Tars　Tarkas　the　story

which　Sola　had　told　me　that　night　upon　the　sea　bottom

during　the　march　to　Thark。



He　said　but　little；　but　the　great　muscles　of　his　face

worked　in　passion　and　in　agony　at　recollection　of　the

horrors　which　had　been　heaped　upon　the　only　thing　he　had

ever　loved　in　all　his　cold；　cruel；　terrible　existence。



He　no　longer　demurred　when　I　suggested　that　we　go　before

Tal　Hajus；　only　saying　that　he　would　like　to　speak　to

Sarkoja　first。　　At　his　request　I　accompanied　him　to　her

quarters；　and　the　look　of　venomous　hatred　she　cast　upon

me　was　almost　adequate　recompense　for　any　future　misfortunes

this　accidental　return　to　Thark　might　bring　me。



〃Sarkoja；〃　said　Tars　Tarkas；　〃forty　years　ago　you　were

instrumental　in　bringing　about　the　torture　and　death　of　a

woman　named　Gozava。　　I　have　just　discovered　that　the　warrior

who　loved　that　woman　has　learned　of　your　part　in　the　transaction。

He　may　not　kill　you；　Sarkoja；　it　is　not　our　custom；　but　there　is

nothing　to　prevent　him　tying　one　end　of　a　strap　about　your　neck

and　the　other　end　to　a　wild　thoat；　merely　to　test　your　fitness

to　survive　and　help　perpetuate　our　race。　　Having　heard　that　he

would　do　this　on　the　morrow；　I　thought　it　only　right　to　warn　you；

for　I　am　a　just　man。　　The　river　Iss　is　but　a　short　pilgrimage；

Sarkoja。　　Come；　John　Carter。〃



The　next　morning　Sarkoja　was　gone；　nor　was　she　ever　seen　after。



In　silence　we　hastened　to　the　jeddak's　palace；　where　we　were

immediately　admitted　to　his　presence；　in　fact；　he　could

scarcely　wait　to　see　me　and　was　standing　erect　upon　his

platform　glowering　at　the　entrance　as　I　came　in。



〃Strap　him　to　that　pillar；〃　he　shrieked。　　〃We　shall　see　who

it　is　dares　strike　the　mighty　Tal　Hajus。　　Heat　the　irons；　with

my　own　hands　I　shall　burn　the　eyes　from　his　head　that　he

may　not　pollute　my　person　with　his　vile　gaze。〃



〃Chieftains　of　Thark；〃　I　cried；　turning　to　the　assembled

council　and　ignoring　Tal　Hajus；　〃I　have　been　a　chief　among

you；　and　today　I　have　fought　for　Thark　shoulder　to　shoulder

with　her　greatest　warrior。　　You　owe　me；　at　least；　a　hearing。

I　have　won　that　much　today。　　You　claim　to　be　just　people〃



〃Silence；〃　roared　Tal　Hajus。　　〃Gag　the　creature　and　bind

him　as　I　command。〃



〃Justice；　Tal　Hajus；〃　exclaimed　Lorquas　Ptomel。　　〃Who　are

you　to　set　aside　the　customs　of　ages　among　the　Tharks。〃



〃Yes；　justice！〃　echoed　a　dozen　voices；　and　so；　while　Tal

Hajus　fumed　and　frothed；　I　continued。



〃You　are　a　brave　people　and　you　love　bravery；　but　where

was　your　mighty　jeddak　during　the　fighting　today？　　I　did

not　see　him　in　the　thick　of　battle；　he　was　not　there。　　He

rends　defenseless　women　and　little　children　in　his　lair；　but

how　recently　has　one　of　you　seen　him　fight　with　men？　　Why；

even　I；　a　midget　beside　him；　felled　him　with　a　single　blow

of　my　fist。　　Is　it　of　such　that　the　Tharks　fashion　their　jeddaks？

There　stands　beside　me　now　a　great　Thark；　a　mighty　warrior

and　a　noble　man。　　Chieftains；　how　sounds；　Tars　Tarkas；

Jeddak　of　Thark？〃



A　roar　of　deep…toned　applause　greeted　t