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14 - Thuvia, Maid of Mars (version 3) by Edgar Rice Burroughs · Thuvia, Maid of Mars (version 3)

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Speaker 1: Chapter fourteen of Thuvia Made of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
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Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Thuvia Made
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Speaker 1: of Mars, Chapter fourteen, Kulan Tith's sacrifice. The morning of
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Speaker 1: the second day of her incarceration in the east tower
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Speaker 1: of the palace of Astok, Prince of Dusar, found Thuvia
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Speaker 1: of Ptarth waiting in dull apathy the coming of the assassin.
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Speaker 1: She had exhausted every possibility of escape, going over and
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Speaker 1: over again the door and the windows, the floor and
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Speaker 1: the walls, the solid ercyte slab. She could not even scratch.
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Speaker 1: The tough Barsoomian glass of the windows would have shattered
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Speaker 1: to nothing less than a heavy sledge in the hands
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Speaker 1: of a strong man. The door and the lock were impregnable.
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Speaker 1: There was no escape, and they had stripped her of
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Speaker 1: her weapons, so that she could not even anticipate the
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Speaker 1: hour of her doom, thus robbing them of the satisfaction
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Speaker 1: of witnessing her last moments. When would they come? Would
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Speaker 1: Astok do the deed with his own hands? She doubted
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Speaker 1: that he had the courage for it. At heart, he
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Speaker 1: was a coward. She had known it since first she
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Speaker 1: had heard him brag as a visitor at the court
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Speaker 1: of her father. He had sought to impress her with
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Speaker 1: his valor. She could not help but compare him with another,
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Speaker 1: And with whom would an affianced bride compare an unsuccessful
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Speaker 1: suitor with their betrothed. And did Thuvia of Ptarth now
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Speaker 1: measure Astok of Dusar by the standards of Kulan Tith
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Speaker 1: Jeddak of Kaol. She was about to die. Her thoughts
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Speaker 1: were her own to do with as she pleased, Yet
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Speaker 1: furthest from them was Kulan Tith. Instead, the figure of
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Speaker 1: the tall and comely Heliumite filled her mind, crowding therefrom
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Speaker 1: all other images. She dreamed of his noble face, the
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Speaker 1: quiet dignity of his bearing, the smile that lit his
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Speaker 1: eyes as he conversed with his friends, and the smile
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Speaker 1: that touched his lips as he fought with his enemies,
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Speaker 1: the fighting smile of his Virginian sire. And Thuvia of Ptarth,
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Speaker 1: true daughter of Barsoom, found her breath quickening and her
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Speaker 1: heart leaping to the memory of this other smile, the
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Speaker 1: smile that she would never see again, with a little
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Speaker 1: half sob The girl sank to the pile of silks
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Speaker 1: and furs that were tumbled in confusion beneath the east windows,
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Speaker 1: burying her face in her arms. In the corridor outside
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Speaker 1: her prison room, two men had paused in heated argument,
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Speaker 1: I tell you again, Astoc. One was saying that I
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Speaker 1: shall not do this thing unless you be present in
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Speaker 1: the room. There was little of the respect to royalty
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Speaker 1: in the tone of the speaker's voice, the other noting
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Speaker 1: it flushed. Do not impose too far upon my friendship
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Speaker 1: for you, Vaskor, he snapped, there is a limit to
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Speaker 1: my patience. There is no question of royal prerogative here,
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Speaker 1: returned Vaskor, you ask me to become an assassin in
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Speaker 1: your stead and against your Jeddak's strict injunctions. You are
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Speaker 1: in no position, Astoc, to dictate to me, But rather,
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Speaker 1: should you be glad to accede to my reasonable request
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Speaker 1: that you be present, thus sharing the guilt with me,
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Speaker 1: Why should I bear it all? The younger man scowled,
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Speaker 1: but he advanced toward the locked door as it swung
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Speaker 1: in upon its hinges. He entered the room beyond at
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Speaker 1: the side of vas Kor across the chamber. The girl,
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Speaker 1: hearing them enter, rose to her feet and faced them.
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Speaker 1: Under the soft copper of her skin. She blanched just
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Speaker 1: a trifle, but her eyes were brave and level, and
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Speaker 1: the haughty tilt of her firm little chin was eloquent
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Speaker 1: of loathing and contempt. You still prefer death, asked Astok
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Speaker 1: to you, yes, replied the girl coldly. The Prince of
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Speaker 1: Dusar turned to Vaskor and nodded. The noble drew his
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Speaker 1: short sword and crossed the room toward duvia Nil. He commanded,
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Speaker 1: I prefer to die standing. She replied, as you will,
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Speaker 1: said Vaskor, feeling the point of his blade with his
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Speaker 1: left thumb. In the name of notice Jeddak of Dussar,
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Speaker 1: he cried, and rang quickly toward her. In the name
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Speaker 1: of Carthoris, Prince of Helium, came in low tones from
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Speaker 1: the doorway. Vaskor turned to see the Panthon he had
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Speaker 1: recruited at his son's house, leaping across the floor toward him.
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Speaker 1: The fellow brushed past Astok with an after him. You
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Speaker 1: callt Vaskor wheeled to meet the charging man. What means
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Speaker 1: this treason? He cried, Astok, with bared sword, leaped to
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Speaker 1: Vaskor's assistance. The Panton's sword clashed against that of the noble,
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Speaker 1: and in the first encounter, Vaskor knew that he faced
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Speaker 1: a master swordsman before he half realized the stranger's purpose.
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Speaker 1: He found the man between himself and Thuvia of Ptarth
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Speaker 1: at Bay, facing the two swords of the Dusarians. But
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Speaker 1: he fought not like a man at Bay. Ever, was
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Speaker 1: he the aggressor, and though always he kept his flashing
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Speaker 1: blade between the girl and her enemies, yet he managed
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Speaker 1: to force them hither and thither about the room, calling
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Speaker 1: to the girl to follow close behind him. Until it
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Speaker 1: was too late. Neither Vaskor nor Astok dreamed of that
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Speaker 1: which lay in the Panthon's mind. But at last, as
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Speaker 1: the fellow stood with his back toward the door, both
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Speaker 1: understood they were pinned in their own prison, and now
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Speaker 1: the intruder could slay them at his will, For Thuvia
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Speaker 1: of Ptarth was bolting the door at the man's direction,
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Speaker 1: first taking the key from the opposite side, where Astok
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Speaker 1: had left it when they had entered. Astok as was
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Speaker 1: his way, finding that the enemy did not fall immediately
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Speaker 1: before their swords was leaving the brunt of the fighting
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Speaker 1: to vas Kor. And now as his eyes appraised the
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Speaker 1: panthan carefully, they presently went wider and wider, For slowly
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Speaker 1: he had come to recognize the features of the Prince
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Speaker 1: of Helium. The Heliumite was pressing close upon vas Kor,
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Speaker 1: the noble was bleeding from a dozen wounds. Astok saw
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Speaker 1: that he could not for long withstand the cunning craft
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Speaker 1: of that terrible sword hand courage Vaskor. He whispered in
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Speaker 1: the other's ear, I have a plan. Hold him but
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Speaker 1: a moment longer, and all will be well. But the
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Speaker 1: balance of the sentence with Astok, Prince of Dusar, he
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Speaker 1: did not voice aloud. Vaskor, dreaming no treachery, nodded his head,
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Speaker 1: and for a moment succeeded in holding Carthoris at bay.
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Speaker 1: Then the Heliumite and the girl saw the Dusarian prince
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Speaker 1: run swiftly to the opposite side of the chamber, touched
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Speaker 1: something in the wall that sent a great panel swinging
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Speaker 1: inward and disappear into the black vault beyond. It was
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Speaker 1: done so quickly that by no possibility could they have
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Speaker 1: intercepted him. Carthoris, fearful lest Vaskor might similarly elude him,
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Speaker 1: or Astok return immediately with reinforcements, sprang viciously in upon
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Speaker 1: his antagonist, and a moment later, the headless body of
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Speaker 1: the Dusarian noble rolled upon the earside floor. Come cried Carthoris,
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Speaker 1: there is no time to be lost. Astok will be
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Speaker 1: back in a moment with enough warriors to overpower me.
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Speaker 1: But Astok had no such plan in mind, for such
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Speaker 1: a move would have meant the spreading of the fact
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Speaker 1: among the palace gossips that the Tarthian princess was a
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Speaker 1: prisoner in the East tower. Quickly would the word have
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Speaker 1: come to his fire, and no amount of falsifying could
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Speaker 1: have explained away the facts that the Jeddak's investigation would
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Speaker 1: have brought to light. Instead, Astok was racing madly through
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Speaker 1: a long corridor to reach the door of the tower room.
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Speaker 1: Before Carthoris and Thuvia left the apartment, he had seen
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Speaker 1: the girl remove the key and place it in her
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Speaker 1: pocket pouch, and he knew that a dagger point driven
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Speaker 1: into the keyhole from the opposite side would imprison them
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Speaker 1: in the secret chamber. Till eight dead worlds circled a cold,
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Speaker 1: dead sun. As fast as he could run, Astoc entered
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Speaker 1: the main corridor that led to the tower chamber. Would
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Speaker 1: he reach the door in time? What if the heliumite
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Speaker 1: should have already emerged and he should run upon him
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Speaker 1: in the passageway. Astok felt a cold chill run up
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Speaker 1: his spine. He had no stomach to face that uncanny blade.
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Speaker 1: He was almost at the door. Around the next turn
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Speaker 1: of the corridor, it stood no, they had not left
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Speaker 1: the apartment. Evidently vas Kor was still holding the heliumite.
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Speaker 1: Astok could scarce repress a grin at the clever manner
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Speaker 1: in which he had outwitted the noble and disposed of
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Speaker 1: him at the same time. And then he rounded the
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Speaker 1: turn and came face to face with an auburn haired,
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Speaker 1: white giant. The fellow did not wait to ask the
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Speaker 1: reason for his coming. Instead, he leapt upon him with
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Speaker 1: a long sword, so that Astok had to parry a
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Speaker 1: dozen vicious cuts before he could disengage himself and flee
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Speaker 1: back down the runway. A moment later, Carthoris and Thuvia
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Speaker 1: entered the corridor from the secret chamber well Kar Komak
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Speaker 1: asked the heliumite. It is fortunate that you left me here,
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Speaker 1: red man, said the bowman. I but just now intercepted
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Speaker 1: one who seemed over anxious to reach this door. It
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Speaker 1: was he whom they call Astok, Prince of Dusar. Carthoris smiled,
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Speaker 1: Where is he now, he asked, He escaped my blade
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Speaker 1: and ran down this corridor, replied Karkomak. We must lose
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Speaker 1: no time, then exclaimed Carthoris, he will have the guard
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Speaker 1: upon us. Yet Together the three hastened along the winding
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Speaker 1: passages through which Carthoris and kar Komak had tracked the
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Speaker 1: Dusarians by the marks of the latter sandals in the
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Speaker 1: thin dust that overspread the floors of these seldom used passageways.
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Speaker 1: They had come to the chamber at the entrances to
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Speaker 1: the lifts before they met with opposition. Here they found
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Speaker 1: a handful of guardsmen and an officer, who, seeing that
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Speaker 1: they were strangers, questioned their presence in the palace of Astok.
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Speaker 1: Once more, Carthoris and kar Komak had recourse to their blades,
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Speaker 1: and before they had won their way to one of
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Speaker 1: the lifts. The noise of the conflict must have aroused
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Speaker 1: the entire palace, for they heard men shouting, and as
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Speaker 1: they passed the many levels on their quick passage to
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Speaker 1: the landing stage, they saw armed men running hither and
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Speaker 1: thither in search of the cause of the commotion. Beside
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Speaker 1: the stage lay the Thuria, with three warriors on guard. Again,
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Speaker 1: the Heliumite and the Lotharian fought shoulder to shoulder, but
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Speaker 1: the battle was soon over, for the Prince of Helium
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Speaker 1: alone would have been a match for any three that
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Speaker 1: Dusar could produce scarce. Had the Thuria risen from the
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Speaker 1: ways ere, a hundred or more fighting men leaped to
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Speaker 1: view upon the landing stage. At their head was Astok
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Speaker 1: of Dusar, and as he saw the two he had
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Speaker 1: thought so safely in his power slipping from his grasp,
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Speaker 1: he danced with rage and chagrin, shaking his fists and
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Speaker 1: hurling abuse and vile insults at them. With her bow
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Speaker 1: inclined upward at a dizzy angle, the Thuria shot meteor
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Speaker 1: like into the sky from a dozen points. Swift patrol
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Speaker 1: boats darted after her for the scene upon the landing
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Speaker 1: stage above the palace of the Prince of Das Dussar
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Speaker 1: had not gone unnoticed. A dozen times shots grazed the
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Speaker 1: Thuria's side, and as Carthoris could not leave the control levers,
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Speaker 1: Thuvia of Ptarth turned the muzzles of the craft's rapid
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Speaker 1: fire guns upon the enemy as she clung to the
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Speaker 1: steep and slippery surface of the deck. It was a
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Speaker 1: noble race and a noble fight, one against a score. Now,
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Speaker 1: for other Dusarian craft had joined in the pursuit. But Astok,
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Speaker 1: Prince of Dusar, had built well when he built the Thuria.
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Speaker 1: None in the navy of his sire possessed a swifter flier,
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Speaker 1: no other craft so well armored or so well armed.
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Speaker 1: One by one the pursuers were distanced, and as the
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Speaker 1: last of them fell out of range behind, Carthoris dropped
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Speaker 1: the Thuria's nose to a horizontal plane, as with lever
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Speaker 1: drawn to the last notch, she tore through the thin
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Speaker 1: air of dying Mars toward the east and Tarth. Thirteen
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Speaker 1: and a half thousand hods away lay Tarth, a stiff
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Speaker 1: thirty hour journey for the swiftest of flyers, and between
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Speaker 1: Dusar and Ptarth might lie half the navy of Dusar.
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Speaker 1: For in this direction was the reported seat of the
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Speaker 1: great naval battle that even now might be in progress.
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Speaker 1: Could Carthoris have known precisely where the great fleets of
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Speaker 1: the contending nations lay, he would have hastened to them
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Speaker 1: without delay, for in the return of Thuvia to her
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Speaker 1: sire lay the greatest hope of peace. Half the distance
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Speaker 1: they covered without sighting a single warship, and then kar
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Speaker 1: Komak called Carthoris's attention to a distant craft that rested
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Speaker 1: upon the ochre vegetation of the great dead Sea bottom,
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Speaker 1: above which the Thuria was speeding. About the vessel, many
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Speaker 1: figures could be seen swarming. With the aid of powerful glasses.
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Speaker 1: The Heli might saw that they were green warriors, and
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Speaker 1: that they were repeatedly charging down upon the crew of
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Speaker 1: the stranded airship. The nationality of the latter he could
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Speaker 1: not make out. At so great a distance. It was
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Speaker 1: not necessary to change the course of the Thuria to
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Speaker 1: permit of passing directly above the scene of battle. But
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Speaker 1: Carthoris dropped his craft a few hundred feet that he
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Speaker 1: might have a better and closer view. If the ship
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Speaker 1: was of a friendly power, he could do no less
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Speaker 1: than stop and direct his guns upon her enemies. Though
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Speaker 1: with the precious freight he carried, he scarcely felt justified
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Speaker 1: in landing, for he could offer but two swords in reinforcement,
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Speaker 1: scarce enough to warrant jeopardizing the safety of the Princess
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Speaker 1: of Ptarth. As they came close above the stricken ship,
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Speaker 1: they could see that it would be but a question
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Speaker 1: of minutes before the Green Horde would swarm across the
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Speaker 1: armored bulwarks to glut the ferocity of their blood lust
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Speaker 1: upon the defenders. It would be futile to descend, said
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Speaker 1: Carthoris to Thuvia. The craft may even be of Dusar.
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Speaker 1: She shows no insignia. That we may do is fire
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Speaker 1: upon the hordesman. And as he spoke, he stepped to
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Speaker 1: one of the guns and deflected its muzzle toward the
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Speaker 1: Green warriors at the ship's side. At the first shot
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Speaker 1: from the Thuria, those upon the vessel below evidently discovered
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Speaker 1: her for the first time. Immediately a device fluttered from
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Speaker 1: the bow of the warship on the ground. Thuvia of
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Speaker 1: Ptarth caught her breath, quickly glancing at Carthoris. The device
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Speaker 1: was that of Kulan Tith Jeddak of Kaol, the man
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Speaker 1: to whom the Princess of Ptarth was betrothed. How easy
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Speaker 1: for the Heliumite to pass on, leaving his rival to
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Speaker 1: the fate that could not for long be averted. No
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Speaker 1: man could accuse him of cowardice or treachery. For Coulan
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Speaker 1: Tith was in arms against Helium, and further upon the
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Speaker 1: Thuria were not enough swords to delay, even temporarily, the
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Speaker 1: outcome that already was a foregone conclusion in the minds
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Speaker 1: of the watchers. What would Carthoris, Prince of Helium, do,
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Speaker 1: Scarce had the device broken to the faint breeze ere
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Speaker 1: the bow of the Thuria dropped at a sharp angle
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Speaker 1: toward the ground. Can you navigate her, asked Carthoris of Thuvia.
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Speaker 1: The girl nodded, I am going to try to take
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Speaker 1: the survivors aboard. He continued, It will need both car
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Speaker 1: Komac and myself to man the guns while the Chaolians
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Speaker 1: take to the boarding tackle. Keep her bow depressed against
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Speaker 1: the rifle fire. She can bear it better in her
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Speaker 1: forward armor, and at the same time the propellers will
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Speaker 1: be protected. He hurried to the cabin as Thuvia took
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Speaker 1: the control. A moment later, the boarding tackle dropped from
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Speaker 1: the keel of the Thuria, and from a dozen points
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Speaker 1: along either side, stout knotted leathern lines trailed downward. At
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Speaker 1: the same time, a signal broke from her bow prepare
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Speaker 1: to board us. A shout arose from the deck of
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Speaker 1: the Chaolian worship Carthoris, who by this time had returned
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Speaker 1: from the cabin, smiled sadly. He was about to snatch
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Speaker 1: from the jaws of death the man who stood between
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Speaker 1: himself and the woman he loved. Take the port bow gun, Karkomac,
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Speaker 1: he called to the bowman, and himself stepped to the
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Speaker 1: gun upon the starboard bow. They could now feel the
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Speaker 1: sharp shock of the explosions of the Green Warrior's projectiles
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Speaker 1: against the armored sides of the staunch Thuria. It was
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Speaker 1: a forlorn hope at best. At any moment, the repulsive
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Speaker 1: ray tanks might be pierced. The men upon the Chaolian
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Speaker 1: ship were battling with renewed hope. In the bow stood
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Speaker 1: Kulan Tith, a brave figure fighting beside his brave warriors,
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Speaker 1: beating back the ferocious Green men. The Thuria came low
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Speaker 1: above the other craft. The Chaolians were forming under their
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Speaker 1: officers in readiness to board, and then a sudden, fierce
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Speaker 1: fusillade from the rifles of the Green Warriors vomited their
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Speaker 1: hail of death and destruction into the side of the
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Speaker 1: brave Flier. Like a wounded bird, she dived suddenly marsward,
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Speaker 1: careening drunkenly. Thuvia turned the bow upward in an effort
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Speaker 1: to avert the imminent tragedy, but she succeeded only in
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Speaker 1: lessening the shock of the Flier's impact as she struck
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Speaker 1: the ground beside the Chaolian ship. When the Green Men
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Speaker 1: saw only two warriors and a woman upon the deck
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Speaker 1: of the Thuria, a savage shout of triumph arose from
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Speaker 1: their ranks, while an answering groan broke from the lips
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Speaker 1: of the Chaolians. The former now turned their attention upon
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Speaker 1: the new arrival, for they saw her defenders could soon
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Speaker 1: be overcome, and that from her deck they could command
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Speaker 1: the deck of the better man ship. As they charged,
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Speaker 1: a shout of warning came from Kulan Tith upon the
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Speaker 1: bridge of his own ship, and with it an appreciation
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Speaker 1: of the valor of the act that had put the
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Speaker 1: smaller vessel in these sore straits. Who is it, he cried,
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Speaker 1: that offers his life in the service of Kulan Tith.
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Speaker 1: Never was wrought a nobler deed of self sacrifice upon
19:10
Speaker 1: barsoom the green horde was scrambling over the thirdy a side,
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Speaker 1: as there broke from the bow the device of Carthoris,
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Speaker 1: Prince of Helium, in reply to the query of the
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Speaker 1: Jeddak of Chaole. None upon the smaller flier had opportunity
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Speaker 1: to note the effect of this announcement upon the Chaolians,
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Speaker 1: for their attention was claimed slowly now by that which
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Speaker 1: was transpiring upon their own deck. Karkomak stood behind the
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Speaker 1: gun he had been operating, staring with wide eyes at
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Speaker 1: the onrushing hideous green warriors. Carthoris, seeing him, thus felt
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Speaker 1: a pang of regret that, after all, this man that
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Speaker 1: he had thought so valorous, should prove in the hour
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Speaker 1: of need as Spinus, as jav or Tario Karkomac the man,
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Speaker 1: he shouted, grip yourself, remember the days of the glory
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Speaker 1: of the seafarers of Lothar. Fight, fight, man, fight as
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Speaker 1: never man fought before all that remains to us is
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Speaker 1: to die fighting. Kar Komak turned toward the Heliumite, a
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Speaker 1: grim smile upon his lips. Why should we fight, he asked,
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Speaker 1: against such fearful odds. There is another way, a better way. Look,
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Speaker 1: he pointed toward the companionway that led below deck. The
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Speaker 1: Green Men, a handful of them, had already reached the
20:36
Speaker 1: Thuria's deck as Carthoris glanced in the direction the Lotharian
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Speaker 1: had indicated. The sight that met his eyes set his
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Speaker 1: heart to thumping in joy and relief. Thuvia of Ptarth
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Speaker 1: might yet be saved. For from below there poured a
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Speaker 1: stream of giant bowmen, grim and terrible. Not the bowmen
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Speaker 1: of Tario or Jav, but the bowmen of an odd
21:01
Speaker 1: war of bowmen, savage fighting men, eager for the fray.
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Speaker 1: The Green warriors paused in momentary surprise and consternation, but
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Speaker 1: only for a moment. Then, with horrid war cries, they
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Speaker 1: leaped forward to meet these strange new foemen. A volley
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Speaker 1: of arrows stopped them in their tracks. In a moment.
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Speaker 1: The only Green Warriors upon the deck of the Thuria
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Speaker 1: were dead warriors and the bowmen of kar Komak were
21:27
Speaker 1: leaping over the vessel sides to charge the hordesmen upon
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Speaker 1: the ground. Utan after Utan tumbled from the bowels of
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Speaker 1: the Thuria to launch themselves upon the unfortunate Green Men.
21:40
Speaker 1: Kulan Tith and his Chaolians stood wide eyed, in speechless
21:44
Speaker 1: with amazement as they saw thousands of these strange, fierce
21:48
Speaker 1: warriors emerged from the companionway of the small craft that
21:52
Speaker 1: could not comfortably have accommodated more than fifty At last,
21:57
Speaker 1: the green Men could withstand the onslaught of the overwhelming numbers,
22:00
Speaker 1: no longer slowly. At first, they fell back across the
22:04
Speaker 1: Ochre plain. The bowmen pursued them. Kar Komak, standing upon
22:09
Speaker 1: the deck of the Thuria, trembled with excitement. At the
22:13
Speaker 1: top of his lungs, he voiced the savage war cry
22:16
Speaker 1: of his forgotten day. He roared encouragement and commands at
22:20
Speaker 1: his battling Utans, and then as they charged further and
22:24
Speaker 1: further from the Thuria, he could no longer withstand the
22:28
Speaker 1: lure of battle. Leaping over the ship's side to the ground,
22:32
Speaker 1: he joined the last of his bowmen as they raced
22:34
Speaker 1: off over the dead sea bottom in pursuit of the
22:37
Speaker 1: fleeing Green Horde. Beyond a low promontory of what once
22:42
Speaker 1: had been an island, the green Men were disappearing toward
22:46
Speaker 1: the west. Close upon their heels raced the fleet bowmen
22:50
Speaker 1: of a bygone day, and forging steadily ahead. Among them,
22:54
Speaker 1: Carthoris and Thuvia could see the mighty figure of Kar Komak,
22:58
Speaker 1: brandishing aloft the Torquassian short sword with which he was
23:02
Speaker 1: armed as he urged his creatures after the retreating enemy.
23:07
Speaker 1: As the last of them disappeared behind the promontory, Carthoris
23:11
Speaker 1: turned toward Thuvia of Ptarth. They have taught me a
23:14
Speaker 1: lesson these vanishing bowmen of Lothar, he said, When they
23:19
Speaker 1: have served their purpose, they remain not to embarrass their
23:22
Speaker 1: masters by their presence. Cool Antithe and his warriors are
23:26
Speaker 1: here to protect you. My acts have constituted the proof
23:31
Speaker 1: of my honesty of purpose. Good Bye, and he knelt
23:35
Speaker 1: at her feet, raising a bit of her harness to
23:38
Speaker 1: his lips. The girl reached out a hand and laid
23:41
Speaker 1: it upon the thick black hair of the head bent
23:44
Speaker 1: before her. Softly, she asked, where are you going? Carthoris?
23:50
Speaker 1: With Kar Komak the bowman. He replied, there will be fighting,
23:55
Speaker 1: and forgetfulness. The girl put her hands before her eye,
24:00
Speaker 1: as though to shut out some mighty temptation from her sight.
24:05
Speaker 1: May my ancestors have mercy upon me, she cried, If
24:09
Speaker 1: I say the thing I have no right to say.
24:12
Speaker 1: But I cannot see you cast your life away. Carthoris,
24:15
Speaker 1: Prince of Helium, stay my chieftain, stay, I love you.
24:21
Speaker 1: A cough behind them brought both about, and there they saw,
24:25
Speaker 1: standing not two paces from them, Coolan Tith Jeddak of Chaole.
24:31
Speaker 1: For a long moment none spoke. Then Coolan Tith cleared
24:35
Speaker 1: his throat. I could not help hearing all that passed,
24:40
Speaker 1: he said. I am no fool to be blind to
24:44
Speaker 1: the love that lies between you, Nor am I blind
24:47
Speaker 1: to the lofty honor that has caused you, Carthoris, to
24:51
Speaker 1: risk your life and hers to save mine, though you
24:54
Speaker 1: thought that that very act would rob you of the
24:57
Speaker 1: chance to keep her for your own. Nor can I
25:01
Speaker 1: fail to appreciate the virtue that has kept your lips
25:04
Speaker 1: sealed against words of love for this Heliumite Thuvia. For
25:08
Speaker 1: I know that I have but just heard the first
25:10
Speaker 1: declaration of your passion for him. I do not condemn you. Rather,
25:16
Speaker 1: should I have condemned you had you entered a loveless
25:18
Speaker 1: marriage with me. Take back your liberty Thuvia of Ptarth,
25:24
Speaker 1: he cried, and bestow it where your heart already lies enchained.
25:28
Speaker 1: And when the golden collars are clasped about your necks,
25:32
Speaker 1: you will see that Kulan Tith's is the first sword
25:35
Speaker 1: to be raised in declaration of eternal friendship for the
25:38
Speaker 1: new Princess of Helium and her royal mate. The End
25:46
Speaker 1: of Thuvia, made of Mars by Edgar Riceboroughs