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a low； pleading whine； as though begging for the word that would
send him headlong at the bare throats before him。 He； too； sensed
the villainy behind the smooth words。
Beyond the therns several doorways opened off the guardroom；
and toward the one upon the extreme right Lakor motioned。
〃That way leads to Thurid；〃 he said。
But when I would have called Woola to follow me there the
beast whined and held back； and at last ran quickly to the first
opening at the left； where he stood emitting his coughing bark；
as though urging me to follow him upon the right way。
I turned a questioning look upon Lakor。
〃The brute is seldom wrong；〃 I said； 〃and while I do not doubt
your superior knowledge； Thern； I think that I shall do well to
listen to the voice of instinct that is backed by love and loyalty。〃
As I spoke I smiled grimly that he might know without words
that I distrusted him。
〃As you will；〃 the fellow replied with a shrug。 〃In the end
it shall be all the same。〃
I turned and followed Woola into the left…hand passage； and
though my back was toward my enemies； my ears were on the alert；
yet I heard no sound of pursuit。 The passageway was dimly lighted
by occasional radium bulbs； the universal lighting medium of Barsoom。
These same lamps may have been doing continuous duty in these
subterranean chambers for ages； since they require no attention
and are so compounded that they give off but the minutest of
their substance in the generation of years of luminosity。
We had proceeded for but a short distance when we commenced to pass
the mouths of diverging corridors； but not once did Woola hesitate。
It was at the opening to one of these corridors upon my right that
I presently heard a sound that spoke more plainly to John Carter；
fighting man； than could the words of my mother tongueit was
the clank of metalthe metal of a warrior's harnessand it
came from a little distance up the corridor upon my right。
Woola heard it； too； and like a flash he had wheeled and stood
facing the threatened danger； his mane all abristle and all
his rows of glistening fangs bared by snarling； backdrawn lips。
With a gesture I silenced him； and together we drew aside into
another corridor a few paces farther on。
Here we waited； nor did we have long to wait； for presently we
saw the shadows of two men fall upon the floor of the main corridor
athwart the doorway of our hiding place。 Very cautiously they were
moving nowthe accidental clank that had alarmed me was not repeated。
Presently they came opposite our station； nor was I surprised to
see that the two were Lakor and his companion of the guardroom。
They walked very softly； and in the right hand of each gleamed
a keen long…sword。 They halted quite close to the entrance of
our retreat； whispering to each other。
〃Can it be that we have distanced them already？〃 said Lakor。
〃Either that or the beast has led the man upon a wrong trail；〃
replied the other； 〃for the way which we took is by far the shorter
to this pointfor him who knows it。 John Carter would have found
it a short road to death had he taken it as you suggested to him。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Lakor； 〃no amount of fighting ability would have
saved him from the pivoted flagstone。 He surely would have
stepped upon it； and by now； if the pit beneath it has a bottom；
which Thurid denies； he should have been rapidly approaching it。
Curses on that calot of his that warned him toward the safer avenue！〃
〃There be other dangers ahead of him； though；〃 spoke Lakor's
fellow； 〃which he may not so easily escapeshould he succeed
in escaping our two good swords。 Consider； for example； what
chance he will have； coming unexpectedly into the chamber of〃
I would have given much to have heard the balance of that conversation
that I might have been warned of the perils that lay ahead；
but fate intervened； and just at the very instant of all other
instants that I would not have elected to do it； I sneezed。
THE TEMPLE OF THE SUN
There was nothing for it now other than to fight； nor did I
have any advantage as I sprang； sword in hand； into the corridor
before the two therns； for my untimely sneeze had warned them of
my presence and they were ready for me。
There were no words； for they would have been a waste of breath。
The very presence of the two proclaimed their treachery。 That
they were following to fall upon me unawares was all too plain；
and they； of course； must have known that I understood their plan。
In an instant I was engaged with both； and though I loathe the
very name of thern； I must in all fairness admit that they are
mighty swordsmen； and these two were no exception； unless it were
that they were even more skilled and fearless than the average
among their race。
While it lasted it was indeed as joyous a conflict as I ever
had experienced。 Twice at least I saved my breast from the mortal
thrust of piercing steel only by the wondrous agility with which my
earthly muscles endow me under the conditions of lesser gravity and
air pressure upon Mars。
Yet even so I came near to tasting death that day in the gloomy
corridor beneath Mars's southern pole； for Lakor played a
trick upon me that in all my experience of fighting upon two
planets I never before had witnessed the like of。
The other thern was engaging me at the time； and I was forcing
him backtouching him here and there with my point until he was
bleeding from a dozen wounds； yet not being able to penetrate his
marvelous guard to reach a vulnerable spot for the brief instant
that would have been sufficient to send him to his ancestors。
It was then that Lakor quickly unslung a belt from his harness；
and as I stepped back to parry a wicked thrust he lashed one end
of it about my left ankle so that it wound there for an instant；
while he jerked suddenly upon the other end； throwing me
heavily upon my back。
Then； like leaping panthers； they were upon me； but they had
reckoned without Woola； and before ever a blade touched me；
a roaring embodiment of a thousand demons hurtled above my
prostrate form and my loyal Martian calot was upon them。
Imagine； if you can； a huge grizzly with ten legs armed with
mighty talons and an enormous froglike mouth splitting his head
from ear to ear； exposing three rows of long； white tusks。 Then
endow this creature of your imagination with the agility and
ferocity of a half…starved Bengal tiger and the strength of a span
of bulls； and you will have some faint conception of Woola in action。
Before I could call him off he had crushed Lakor into a jelly with
a single blow of one mighty paw； and had literally torn the other
thern to ribbons； yet when I spoke to him sharply he cowed sheepishly
as though he had done a thing to deserve censure and chastisement。
Never had I had the heart to punish Woola du