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eyes were made new by imaging your perfect face and form； so how could
you alone have been blind to it？〃
〃Do the maids of Helium pay court to their men？〃 asked Thuvia。
〃You are playing with me！〃 exclaimed Carthoris。 〃Say that you are
but playing； and that after all you love me； Thuvia！〃
〃I cannot tell you that； Carthoris； for I am promised to another。〃
Her tone was level； but was there not within it the hint of an infinite
depth of sadness？ Who may say？
〃Promised to another？〃 Carthoris scarcely breathed the words。 His
face went almost white； and then his head came up as befitted him in
whose veins flowed the blood of the overlord of a world。
〃Carthoris of Helium wishes you every happiness with the man of
your choice；〃 he said。 〃With〃 and then he hesitated； waiting for her to
fill in the name。
〃Kulan Tith； Jeddak of Kaol；〃 she replied。 〃My father's friend and
Ptarth's most puissant ally。〃
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The young man looked at her intently for a moment before he spoke
again。
〃You love him； Thuvia of Ptarth？〃 he asked。
〃I am promised to him；〃 she replied simply。
He did not press her。 〃He is of Barsoom's noblest blood and
mightiest fighters；〃 mused Carthoris。 〃My father's friend and mine
would that it might have been another！〃 he muttered almost savagely。
What the girl thought was hidden by the mask of her expression； which
was tinged only by a little shadow of sadness that might have been for
Carthoris； herself； or for them both。
Carthoris of Helium did not ask； though he noted it； for his loyalty to
Kulan Tith was the loyalty of the blood of John Carter of Virginia for a
friend； greater than which could be no loyalty。
He raised a jewel…encrusted bit of the girl's magnificent trappings to
his lips。
〃To the honour and happiness of Kulan Tith and the priceless jewel
that has been bestowed upon him；〃 he said； and though his voice was
husky there was the true ring of sincerity in it。 〃I told you that I loved
you； Thuvia； before I knew that you were promised to another。 I may not
tell you it again； but I am glad that you know it； for there is no dishonour
in it either to you or to Kulan Tith or to myself。 My love is such that it
may embrace as well Kulan Tithif you love him。〃 There was almost a
question in the statement。
〃I am promised to him；〃 she replied。
Carthoris backed slowly away。 He laid one hand upon his heart； the
other upon the pommel of his long…sword。
〃These are yoursalways；〃 he said。 A moment later he had entered
the palace； and was gone from the girl's sight。
Had he returned at once he would have found her prone upon the ersite
bench； her face buried in her arms。 Was she weeping？ There was none to
see。
Carthoris of Helium had come all unannounced to the court of his
father's friend that day。 He had come alone in a small flier； sure of the
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same welcome that always awaited him at Ptarth。 As there had been no
formality in his coming there was no need of formality in his going。
To Thuvan Dihn he explained that he had been but testing an invention
of his own with which his flier was equippeda clever improvement of the
ordinary Martian air compass； which； when set for a certain destination；
will remain constantly fixed thereon； making it only necessary to keep a
vessel's prow always in the direction of the compass needle to reach any
given point upon Barsoom by the shortest route。
Carthoris' improvement upon this consisted of an auxiliary device
which steered the craft mechanically in the direction of the compass； and
upon arrival directly over the point for which the compass was set；
brought the craft to a standstill and lowered it； also automatically； to the
ground。
〃You readily discern the advantages of this invention；〃 he was saying
to Thuvan Dihn； who had accompanied him to the landing…stage upon the
palace roof to inspect the compass and bid his young friend farewell。
A dozen officers of the court with several body servants were grouped
behind the jeddak and his guest； eager listeners to the conversationso
eager on the part of one of the servants that he was twice rebuked by a
noble for his forwardness in pushing himself ahead of his betters to view
the intricate mechanism of the wonderful 〃controlling destination
compass；〃 as the thing was called。
〃For example；〃 continued Carthoris； 〃I have an all… night trip before
me； as to…night。 I set the pointer here upon the right…hand dial which
represents the eastern hemisphere of Barsoom； so that the point rests upon
the exact latitude and longitude of Helium。 Then I start the engine； roll
up in my sleeping silks and furs； and with lights burning； race through the
air toward Helium； confident that at the appointed hour I shall drop gently
toward the landing…stage upon my own palace； whether I am still asleep or
no。〃
〃Provided；〃 suggested Thuvan Dihn； 〃you do not chance to collide
with some other night wanderer in the meanwhile。〃
Carthoris smiled。 〃No danger of that；〃 he replied。 〃See here；〃 and he
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indicated a device at the right of the destination compass。 〃This is my
‘obstruction evader；' as I call it。 This visible device is the switch which
throws the mechanism on or off。 The instrument itself is below deck；
geared both to the steering apparatus and the control levers。
〃It is quite simple； being nothing more than a radium generator
diffusing radio…activity in all directions to a distance of a hundred yards or
so from the flier。 Should this enveloping force be interrupted in any
direction a delicate instrument immediately apprehends the irregularity； at
the same time imparting an impulse to a magnetic device which in turn
actuates the steering mechanism； diverting the bow of the flier away from