Show tie G ad 0 NO I 1 bt I 1 EDGA P w copyright by frank A mun co continued from last issue SYNOPSIS john carter who viha has been translated twice to mars liars returns to eart cart i anil laabes the story of 0 his ad entries with his hl n aph ew cw then nota goes acain to blurs carter aids a martian warrior fighting 16 horde horda ot of plant men llo lie discovers in jha warrior un old friend toro carter ond and tarkus escape their heir enemies by entering a hollow tree and makina thear wiy way to a cliff cje cave abohia wever there v was ns nothing else to consider than an attempt to scalo the tha trees contiguous to the tha cliff t in on fin effort to reach tho cares above the tjark chark grasped the possibilities mid the difficulties ot of tho the plan at once onca but thoro there was waa no alternative and so we sot out rapidly for tho the trew trees est the cliff our relent relentless les pursuers wore were now close to us so no close that it seemed that it would be ba an utter impossibility tor for the jedrak of therk to reach the tha forest la in advance of them nor no WB was there any ny considerable will in the c ef forts that tora tars mado made for tha green grea meu men of Dar barboom soomi do not relish flight nor ever before had bad I 1 seen been ona cina gebing geeing from death in whatsoever form it might have hare confronted him at length however we ve reached tho shadows of the forest while right behind us sprang the swiftest of our pur auers a giant plant mau man with out reaching claws clans to fasten his hb blood sucking bucking suck ing mouths nion us ua lie he was I 1 should lay itty a hundred yards yarda in of his closest com and so BO I 1 called to tars to ascend a great tree that brushed tho the cliffa face while I 1 dispatched the tha fellow thus giving the less agile chark an opportunity to reach the higher branches before tho the entire horde borda should be upon ui and every csete of escape out cut off dut but I 1 had reckoned without a just appreciation either of tile the cunning or of ray my immediate antagonist or tile lie swiftness with which ills fellows were cov COT ering the which lind had 0 ed cd them from roe me aj aa I 1 raised my iny long lona sword to deal tile creature its ili death thrust it halte 11 la in its ita charge cli arge and BS as my word sword cut harmlessly through b the empty air tim great toll of file bo tiling thing swept with the tha power of a arm acroca the award and corded carried via pie bodily from my feet to the ground in an instant the bruto brute was wa upon no me but ere it could fasten its hideous mouths bouttis into my breast aud and I 1 grasped a writhing tentacle tent ocla in either cither hand bond tho the plant roan was well muscled reavy heavy and powerful but my sinews sinew end and greater agility in conjunction with the deathly strangle strang lq hold I 1 had bad upon him would have hao given me I 1 think nil an eventual victory had wo we had time almo to discuss the merits of our prowess nut but us ai we strained and struggled about the tree into which tars tara was clambering I 1 suddenly ly caught a glimpsy over tho shoulder of my antagonist of abo tie great swarm of pursuers that now were fairly upon me now nt at last lait I 1 saw the nature of other monsters who had como come with will tho the plant nien men in response to the th weird weini coiling calling of tho the man upon the cliffs faco face they were that roost most dreaded of mar ilan creatures res great white ap abw of barsoom Dare Dar oom soom they stand fifteen feet in height rind find walk erect upon their hind feet aiko tho the green Mart martians Inns they hive hare an intermediary terme diary set of anus amis midway between their upper and lower limbs choir aro are very close seta act but do not protrude as do thoa dhosi of the lie brn men of stars mars their ears can are bash set act but more laterally located than aro ara the green irons white while their and ath ir ire much like phoso ot of our african gorilla forilla for llla upon their head grow browa an en armous shock of bristly hair time and again the ferocious fero cloua apes sprang lu to close with us and time and again we ve bent beat them back with our swords the great tails alia of the plant mon lashed about us ua as ai they charged from bartous directions or sprang with the agility of grey greyhounds hounds above our heads nut but every attack met a glent gleaming ning blade in sword hands that had been reputed for twenty years the best that bat mara had bad ever cr known for tars tara and john carter were callies that the lighting fighting men of this world of warriors loved best beat to speak dut but even 01 eu the ho two best swords lu fu a world vt ef fighters cau can avail not forever against overwhelming overa helm luif numbers of clerca aad savage brutes and so ao step I 1 by step wo we were forced back at length wo we stood the glant giant tree that we had chosen for or our its rent cent and then lieu as charge after charge hurled its 13 weight upon via ua we gato gare back bac k exale and raffali abgill n until wo we ha had it been forced halfway round the aba huge bh base se of ibo colos colossal sill trunk 4 aitay M K 6 we W strained and struggled about th the tree av itaw was as in tb alio 0 lead and suddenly I 1 beard a little cry of ox ex til tation from him hero la is shelter for ono one at least john carter lie slid said and glancing down I 1 saw au an evening in ili tho the base bae of I 1 lie he tree fieo about three feet in ili diameter in ili with you tars Tarl Tark vaal atil I 1 cried but blit lie bo would not go saying saving that ills his bulk was aa too front for the little aperture while I 1 aln lit tip slip in easily wo va shall both dlo if 0 wo o jolin john carter here la Is n aught chatine for foi one of us take it and you may live hie to avenge tuo rue it Is useless for me to attempt to borin worin my wn way into BO 60 small on all opening open lii with thin horde or of demons besotting us on oil nit nil sides then we dball lie together tars tarkus I 1 replied for I 1 shall not KO go arst let me defend tile tho opening while alle you hit in then rny my din aller stature will permit me to slip in ili with you before they tan can 0 we o still were furiously urlo na as we c talked lu ili brouti sentences punic punctuated lelom vicious cuts and thrusts nt at our swin aluk cuemy at lio lie yielded elded for it the he only way in ili which of us ui might lio lie from the ever creasing numbers of our who were still alarming upon its from nil all lie brond volley it was nna ever eier your ow way wn john carter to think last of bf your own life lie he mild aid but still more moie your way wn to command tho the lives antl actions of oth ers era even to tho the greatest of jedrak who rulo rule upon barsoom there was a grim smile upon hla face as aa ho tho the gren prentest test of them nil turned to obey the dictates 0 of f a fraiture iture of another horld of ft a man who ri was na loss less than linof his bis own ovi layou if you fall join john carter tie ho said know that the chel and heartless to abom iiii the meaning of friendship hilll W collie out to dlo besade you As you will my friend I 1 replied nut but quickly illicitly now head first abile 1 I over cover your re retreat trent ito hesitated a little nt at that word I 1 for in ili lila ahoi lire fire of con continual continos tinus i strife had ho he before hla his back upon aught than a lead dead or defeated ot ionly As ad he be dropped to the ground to force hla way into tho the treo the iho boio howl tog las vack of hideous devils hurtel hurled upon me luo to right and left flew tny my shimmering blade now green with the sticky juice of a plant man now red with tho the crimson blood of a great white alto AD anpo and thus I 1 fought ns as I 1 never had bad fought feusht before against frightful aids that I 1 cannot realize even now novi with the fer fe r that we would escape them the creatures redoubled their of forts forta to pull roe me down ant and though the about me ine was piled high with their dead mind aud dying comrades they succeeded at last in ili overwhelming TOO me and I 1 went down donn beneath them but scarce lind lad I 1 fallen ere I 1 felt powerful hands bands grip my ankles and in another second I 1 was being drawn within tho the shelter of the trees interior for a coment it was a tug of war between tars tara and a great plant nin man who clung ching tenaciously to my breast but presently I 1 got the point of ny my long sword beneath bilm and with a mighty thrust pierced ills hla Bl oeding nn froni from many wounds I 1 lay P ranting upon the ground within the boll hollia 0 of bf ahe treo tree while tars tara acro defended alie op opening 0 ni mora tue fillous mob without por for an hour they howled about the opening but after a few attempts to reach its they confined their efforts to terrorizing shrieks and screams to horrid prowling growling on oil tile part of the great white and the fearsome and indescribable purring by the he plant men at length nil all but n score who had bad apparently been left to prevent our es cs rope ila and departed and our ad adventure venturo seemed destined to result in a siege the only outcome of which could be our benth by starvation for even should wo we bo be able to slip out after dark where in that lint unknown and hos boa tile valley could we hope to turn our slops toward possible escape As AH the lip attacks of our enemies ceased and our oes eyes became accustomed to the of the interior of our strange retreat I 1 tool took the opportunity to explore our shelter the treo aco was hollow to inn in extent of about fifty feet in fit diameter and from its flat fint hard floor I 1 judged that it ito biad often been used to beuse others As I 1 raised my eyes toward Us its roof to note the height I 1 saw far above me ft faint glow low of leht there then wua was an opening above it if we could but rench it wo we might still hope to malie trio shelter of the cliff eaves caves my eyes had now become bacomo quite used to the subdued light of the interior and na I 1 pursued my investigation I 1 presently came cam e upon n rough ladder at the fur far side 0 of f the tree quickly 4 I 1 mounted it to and that it ca connected at the top with th tho 0 lower of a series of horizontal wooden bars that spooned spanned the now narrower and later interior lor of tho the trees stem these bars were sot set one above another about three feet apart and formed a perfect ladder as far above me as I 1 could see eee dropping to tho the floor once ence more I 1 detailed my discovery to toro tur who suggested that I 1 explore aloft as far na as I 1 could go in ili safety while he guarded the entrance ranco against a possible attack As aa 1 hastened above to explore the strange shaft I 1 found that tho the ladder of horizontal bars reached always far above me as ni my eyes could reach and oa na I 1 ascended nBc ended the light from above grew brighter and brighter for fully feet I 1 continued to climb until at length I 1 reached the opening in the stem which admitted the light it was wag of about the same diameter na as the entrance at the toot foot of the tree and opened directly upon it larko large flat limb the well worn surface I 1 ventured d out upon the tha limb then beat a hasty retreat of which abich te testified stifled to its long continued use as an avenue for somo some creature to and from tills remarkable shaft I 1 ventured out ot upon the limb then beat a 0 hasty retreat ter for tea that I 1 might bo be discovered by our en enemies emles below ani and hurried to retrace my step to aurs Tar kils I 1 soon reached him film and presently wp we were hot both ascending the long ladder toward the opening above tars tara went in advance and as n I 1 roach reached vil the first of the horizontal bark bara I 1 drew tho the ladder tip lip after me benl enl RI it to him he be carried it a hundred feet farther aloft where he wedged it safely between one of the bars and the side of the shaft in like manner I 1 dislodged the lower bura barn as I 1 passed them so BO that wo soon roon lad tho the interior of cf the tree arco denuded of 11 nil 11 pos possible of ascent for a dds tanco of a hundred feet from tho the base thus precluding possible pursuit and attack from the rear CHAPTER IV the chamber of mystery Mytte ry TIEN TICK wo ire reached tho the opening at W the top tars drew to ono one sido side that aliat liat I 1 might pass out abild investigate its as owing to my loy lesser weight and greater agility I 1 was letter better fitted for tho the perilous threading of this dizzy hanging pathway tho the limb upon which I 1 found myself ascended at a slight angle toward the cliff and as I 1 followed it I 1 found that it terminated a few feet above a narrow ledge which protruded protrude train from the cliffs faco face nt at tho the entrance to a narrow cave cao As I 1 approached tho the slightly more blonder extremity of the brunch branch it bent beneath roy my weight until na as I 1 balanced perilously upon its outer tip ill it swayed gently ou on a level with the ledge ledgett led geat at 4 distance dL stancu of a couple of fet fek 4 vivo hundred feet below bela me lay tile the vivid scarlet carpet of the valley nearly feet above aboto towered toft cred tho the mighty gleaming faco face of the gorgeous cliffs tho the cavo cave that tant I 1 faced was not one ol oc those that lint I 1 lind had seen been from froin the ground and which lay much higher possibly sibly a thousand feet nut bill so BU far as ai I 1 might know it was on as good for our purpose na ag mother another ond and so I 1 rl ri turned to th the etreo treo for tars t together tro aenied v our baj along the waving jut but alu re u iu wo readied reached the ho end cud of the branch we found that ou our r comb combined luca weight vo PO do de instantly I 1 sprang toward it to wrench it open again pressed the limb that the caves mouth mouzli avns ana now teu fur far above us to bv bi reached wo we finally agreed that tars should return along the branch leav ing ills his longest leather harness strap with tile die ellid that when then the limb haj risen to a height that would permit me to enter the cave I 1 was to do so and upon tars return I 1 could then lower the strap nua and haul baui him ill up to tie the safety of the ledge this wo we did without mishaps and soon found aund ourselves together upon the verge of a dizzy little balcony with a magnificent view of the valley ing out below us delow below us upon tho the rivers evors bank tin the great white apes were devouring tile the last remnants of tars formel while great herds of plant men grazed in ever widening circles about the sward which they kept as close clipped as tho the smoothest of lawus lawn knowing that attack from the tree was now improbable we determined to explore the cave chwe had hadavi ev cry reason to bellove believe was but a cout continuation inu of the path we had bad already traversed lending the gods knew where but clearly away from tilts this valley trolley of 0 ferocity As aa we advanced we found a well proportioned tunnel cut from the solid cliff its walls rose roae somo some twenty feet abubo abua 0 the floor which was about five feet in width the roof was arched we vo had bad no means of making a light and so BO groped our way slowly into the ever increasing darkness tars keeping la in touch with one wall while I 1 felt along the other to prevent our wandering into direr diverging ging bi branches anches and becoming separated or lost lu in some intricate and maze we clasped hands irow how far we traversed the tunnel 11 lu tills this manner I 1 do not know but presently we caule to nil an obstruction which blocked our further progress it more cicoro like a partition than it sudden ending of the cave for it was constructed not of the |