按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
one of the ships and sailed away with her into the safety of the high air。
〃Then the green men seized me； and carried me to a great； empty city；
where they chained me to a wall in a black pit。 Afterward came these and
dragged me hither。 And what of you； red man？〃
Carthoris related all that had befallen him； and as the two men talked
the great apes squatted about them watching them intently。
〃What are we to do now？〃 asked the bowman。
〃Our case looks rather hopeless；〃 replied Carthoris ruefully。 〃These
creatures are born man…eaters。 Why they have not already devoured us I
99
… Page 100…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
cannot imaginethere！〃 he whispered。 〃See？ The end is coming。〃
Kar Komak looked in the direction Carthoris indicated to see a huge
ape advancing with a mighty bludgeon。
〃It is thus they like best to kill their prey；〃 said Carthoris。
〃Must we die without a struggle？〃 asked Kar Komak。
〃Not I；〃 replied Carthoris； 〃though I know how futile our best defence
must be against these mighty brutes！ Oh； for a long…sword！〃
〃Or a good bow；〃 added Kar Komak； 〃and a utan of bowmen。〃
At the words Carthoris half sprang to his feet； only to be dragged
roughly down by his guard。
〃Kar Komak！〃 he cried。 〃Why cannot you do what Tario and Jav did？
They had no bowmen other than those of their own creation。 You must
know the secret of their power。 Call forth your own utan； Kar Komak！〃
The Lotharian looked at Carthoris in wide…eyed astonishment as the
full purport of the suggestion bore in upon his understanding。
〃Why not？〃 he murmured。
The savage ape bearing the mighty bludgeon was slinking toward
Carthoris。 The Heliumite's fingers were working as he kept his eyes
upon his executioner。 Kar Komak bent his gaze penetratingly upon the
apes。 The effort of his mind was evidenced in the sweat upon his
contracted brows。
The creature that was to slay the red man was almost within arm's
reach of his prey when Carthoris heard a hoarse shout from the opposite
side of the courtyard。 In common with the squatting apes and the demon
with the club he turned in the direction of the sound； to see a company of
sturdy bowmen rushing from the doorway of a near…by building。
With screams of rage the apes leaped to their feet to meet the charge。
A volley of arrows met them half…way； sending a dozen rolling lifeless to
the ground。 Then the apes closed with their adversaries。 All their
attention was occupied by the attackerseven the guard had deserted the
prisoners to join in the battle。
〃Come！〃 whispered Kar Komak。 〃Now may we escape while their
attention is diverted from us by my bowmen。〃
100
… Page 101…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
〃And leave those brave fellows leaderless？〃 cried Carthoris； whose
loyal nature revolted at the merest suggestion of such a thing。
Kar Komak laughed。
〃You forget；〃 he said； 〃that they are but thin air figments of my brain。
They will vanish； unscathed； when we have no further need for them。
Praised be your first ancestor； redman； that you thought of this chance in
time！ It would never have occurred to me to imagine that I might wield
the same power that brought me into existence。〃
〃You are right；〃 said Carthoris。 〃Still； I hate to leave them； though
there is naught else to do；〃 and so the two turned from the courtyard； and
making their way into one of the broad avenues； crept stealthily in the
shadows of the building toward the great central plaza upon which were
the buildings occupied by the green warriors when they visited the
deserted city。
When they had come to the plaza's edge Carthoris halted。
〃Wait here；〃 he whispered。 〃I go to fetch thoats； since on foot we
may never hope to escape the clutches of these green fiends。〃
To reach the courtyard where the thoats were kept it was necessary for
Carthoris to pass through one of the buildings which surrounded the
square。 Which were occupied and which not he could not even guess； so
he was compelled to take considerable chances to gain the enclosure in
which he could hear the restless beasts squealing and quarrelling among
themselves。
Chance carried him through a dark doorway into a large chamber in
which lay a score or more green warriors wrapped in their sleeping silks
and furs。 Scarce had Carthoris passed through the short hallway that
connected the door of the building and the great room beyond it than he
became aware of the presence of something or some one in the hallway
through which he had but just passed。
He heard a man yawn； and then； behind him； he saw the figure of a
sentry rise from where the fellow had been dozing； and stretching himself
resume his wakeful watchfulness。
Carthoris realized that he must have passed within a foot of the warrior；
101
… Page 102…
THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
doubtless rousing him from his slumber。 To retreat now would be
impossible。 Yet to cross through that roomful of sleeping warriors
seemed almost equally beyond the pale of possibility。
Carthoris shrugged his broad shoulders and chose the lesser evil。
Warily he entered the room。 At his right； against the wall； leaned several
swords and rifles and spearsextra weapons which the warriors had
stacked here ready to their hands should there be a night alarm calling
them suddenly from slumber。 Beside each sleeper lay his weaponthese
were never far from their owners from childhood to death。
The sight of the swords made the young man's palm itch。 He stepped
quickly to them； selecting two short…swords one for Kar Komak； the
other for himself； also some trappings for his naked comrade。
Then he started directly across the centre of the apartment among the
sleeping Torquasians。
Not a man of them moved until Carthoris had completed more than
half of the short though dangerous journey。 Then a fellow directly in his
path turned restlessly upon his sleeping silks and fur