 Chapter 12 of The Moon Made by Edgar Rice-Burroughs This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Thomas Copeland. Chapter 12 Growing Danger The Palace of the Emperor stands, a magnificent pile, upon the loftiest terrace of Lave, extending completely around the enormous crater. There are but three avenues leading to it from the terraces below. Three magnificent stairways, each of which may be closed by enormous gates of stone, apparently rocked from huge slabs and intricately chiseled into marvelous designs, so that at a distance they present the appearance of magnificent lacework. Each gate is guarded by a company of fifty warriors, their tunics bearing the imperial design in a large circle over the left breast. The ceremony of our entrance to the imperial terrace was most gorgeous and impressive. Huge drums and trumpets layered forth a challenge as we reached the foot of the stairway which we were to ascend to the palace. High dignitaries and gorgeous trappings came down the steps to meet us, as if to formally examine the credentials of Kotar and give official sanction to his entrance. We were then conducted through the gateway across a broad terrace beautifully landscaped and ornamented by statuary that was most evidently the work of finished artists. These works of art comprised both life-size and heroic figures of individuals and groups, and represented for the most part historic or legendary figures and events of the remote past, though there were also likenesses of all the rulers of Lave, up to and including Sagra, the present gematoc. Upon entering the palace, we were led to a banquet hall, where we were served with food evidently purely in accordance with ancient court ceremonial, since there was little to eat and the guests barely tasted of that which was presented to them. This ceremony consumed but a few minutes of earth time, following which we were conducted through spacious hallways to the throne room of the gemadar, an apartment of great beauty and considerable size. Its decorations and lines were simple, almost severity, yet suggesting regal dignity and magnificence. Upon a dais at the far end of the room were three thrones, that in the center being occupied by a man whom I knew at once to be Sagroth, while upon either side set a woman. Gotah advanced and made his obeisance before Azula, and after the exchange of a few words between them, Gotah returned and conducted me to the foot of Sagroth's throne. I had been instructive that it was in accordance with court etiquette that I keep my eyes upon the ground until I had been presented, and Sagroth had spoken to me, and that then I should be introduced to the gemadar or empress, when I might raise my eyes to her also, and afterward to the occupant of the third throne when I should be formally presented to. Sagroth spoke most graciously to me, and as I raised my eyes I saw before me a man of great size and evident strength of character. He was by far the most regal appearing individual my eyes had ever rested upon, while his low well modulated yet powerful voice accentuated the majesty of his mean. It was he who presented me to his gemadar whom I discovered to be a creature fully as regal in appearance as her imperial mate, and although doubtless well past middle age, still possessing remarkable beauty, in which was to be plainly noted, Nayla's resemblance to another. Again I lowered my eyes as Sagroth presented me to the occupant of the third throne. Julan the Javadar, he repeated the formal words of the precipitation, raised your eyes to the daughter of Lath, Nayila the Nunavar. As my eyes, filled doubtless with surprise and incredulity, shot to the face of Nayila, I was almost upon the verge of an exclamation of the joy and happiness which I felt in seeing her again and in knowing that she was safely returned to her parents at her city once more. But as my eyes met hers, the exuberance of my spirit was as effectually and quickly checked by her cold glance and haughty mean as if I had received a blow in the face. There was no hint of recognition in Nayila's expression. She nodded coldly in acknowledgement of the presentation, and then let her eyes pass above my head toward the opposite end of the throne room. My pride was hurt, and I was angry, but I would not let her see how badly I was hurt. I have always prided myself upon my control, and so I know that then I hid my emotion and turned once more to Sagroth as though I had received from his daughter, the Nunavar, precisely the favor that I had a right to expect. If the gemadar had noticed odd peculiar in either Nayila's manner or mine, he gave no hint of it. He spoke again graciously to me, and then dismissed me with the remark that we should meet again later. Having withdrawn from the throne room, Kotah informed me that following the audience I should have an opportunity to meet Sagroth less formally, since he had commanded that I remain in the palace as his guest during the meal which followed. It is a mark of distinction, said Kotah, but remember, Julan the Javadar, that you have accepted the friendship of Kotah and or his ally. Do not embroil me in the political intrigues of layeth I replied. I am a stranger, with no interest in the internal affairs of your country, for the reason that I have no knowledge of them. One is either a friend or an enemy, replied Kotah. I am not sufficiently well acquainted to be accounted either, I told him, nor shall I choose my friends in layeth until I am better acquainted, nor shall another choose them formally. You are a stranger here, said Kotah. I speak in your best interests only. If you would succeed here, I, if you would live even, you must choose quickly, and you must choose correctly. I, Kotah the Javadar, have spoken. I choose my own friends, I replied, according to the dictates of my honour and my heart. I, Julan the Javadar, have spoken. He bowed low in acquiescence, and when he again raised his eyes to mine, I was almost positive from the expression in them that his consideration of me was marked more by respect than resentment. We shall see, was all that he said, and withdrew, leaving me to the kindly attention of some of the gentlemen of Sagroth's court, who had been standing at a respectful distance out of Irshar, Kotah, and myself. These men chanted pleasantly with me for some time, until I was bitten to join Sagroth in another part of the palace. I found myself now with a man who had evidently thrown off the restraint of a formal audience, though without in the slightest degree relinquishing either his dignity or his majesty. He spoke more freely, and his manner was more democratic. He asked me to be seated, nor would he himself sit until I had. A point of Lathian court etiquette which made a vast impression on me, since it indicated that the first gentleman of the city must also be the first in courtesy. He put question after question to me concerning my own world, and the means by which I had been transported to Vana. There are fragmentary, extremely fragmentary legends, handed down from extreme antiquity, which suggests that our remote ancestors had some knowledge concerning the other worlds of which you speak, he said. But these have been considered always the various omiths. Can it be possible that, after all, they are based upon truth? The remarkable part of them I suggested is that they exist at all, since it is difficult to understand how any knowledge of the outer universe could ever reach to the very depths of Vana. No, not by any means, he said, if what you tell me is the truth, for our legends bear out the theory that Vana is located in the center of an enormous globe, and that our earliest progenitors lived upon the outer surface of this globe, being forced at last by some condition which the legends do not even suggest to find their way into this inner world. I shook my head. It did not seem possible. And yet, he said, noting the doubt that my expression evidently betrayed, you yourself claim to have reached Vana from a great world far removed from our globe, which you call the moon. If you reached us from another world, is it then so difficult to believe that those who preceded us reached Vana from the outer crust of this moon? It is almost an historic certainty, he continued, that our ancestors possessed great ships which navigated the air. As you entered Vana by means of a similar conveyance, may not they have done likewise? I had to admit that it was within the range of possibilities, and in so doing to avow that the moon men of antiquity had been millions of years in advance of their brethren of the Earth. But after all, was it such a difficult conclusion to reach when one considers the fact that the moon, being smaller, must have cooled more rapidly than Earth, and therefore provided that it had an atmosphere, have been habitable to man ages before man could have lived upon our own planet? We talked pleasantly upon many subjects for some time, and then at last said off the road. We will join the others at the tables now, he said, and as he led the way from the apartment in which we had been conversing alone, stone doors opened before us as by magic, indicating that the gemadar of Lath was not only well served, but well protected, or possibly well spied upon. After we emerged from the private audience, guards accompanied us, some preceding the gemadar and some following, and thus we moved in semi-state through several corridors and apartments until we came out upon a balcony upon the second floor of the palace, overlooking the terraces and the crater. Here along the rail of the balcony were numerous small tables, each seating two, all but two of the tables being occupied by royal and noble retainers and the women. As the gemadar entered, these all arose, facing him respectfully, and simultaneously through another entrance came the gemadar of Antalya. They stood just within the room, waiting until Sagroth and I crossed to them. While we were doing so, Sagroth very courteously explained the procedure I was to follow. You will place yourself upon the none of ours lap, he concluded, and conduct her to her table precisely as I conduct the gemadar. Nayila's head was high as I approached her, and she vouched safely only the nearest inclination of it in response to my respectful salutation. In silence we followed Sagroth and his emperors to the table's reserve for us. The balance of the company remained standing, until, at a signal from Sagroth, we all took our seats. It was necessary for me to watch the others closely, as I knew nothing concerning the social customs of Lath. But when I saw that conversation had become general, I glanced at Nayila. The Princess of Lath so soon forgets her friends, I asked. The Princess of Lath never forgets her friends, she replied. I know nothing of your customs here, I said, but in my world even royalty may greet their friends with cordiality and seeming pleasure. And here too, she retorted. I saw that something was amiss, that she seemed to be angry with me, but the cause I could not imagine. Perhaps, she thought, I deserted her at the entrance to the tunnel leading to the Karkar city. But no, she must have guessed the truth. What then could be the cause of her cold aloofness, who, the last that I had seen of her, had been warm with friendship? I wonder, I said, trying a new tack, if you were as surprised to see me alive as I, you. I had given you up for lost Nayila, and I had grieved more than I can tell you. When I saw you in the audience chamber, I could scarcely press myself, but when I saw that you did not wish to recognize me, I could only respect your desires. She made no reply, but turned and looked out the window across the terraces and the crater to the opposite side of Lath. She was ice, who had been almost fire. No longer was she little Nayila, the companion of my hardships and dangers. No longer was she friend and counter-doubt. But a cold and haughty princess, who evidently looked upon me with disfavour, her attitude outraged all the sacred tellots of friendship, and I was angered. Princess, I said, if it is customary for Lathians thus to cast aside the sacred bonds of friendship, I should do as well to be among the Balgas or the Kalkars. The way to either is open, she replied utterly, you are not a prisoner in Lath. Thereafter conversation languished and expired, as far at least as Nayila and I were concerned, and I was more than relieved when the unpleasant function was concluded. Two young nobles took me in charge, following Nayila. As it seemed that I was to remain a guest in the palace for a while, and as I expressed a desire to see as much of the imperial residence as I might be permitted to, they graciously conducted me upon a tour of inspection. We went out upon the outer terraces which overlooked the valleys and the mountains, and never in my life have I looked upon a landscape more majestic or inspired. The crater of Lath, situated upon a broad plateau entirely surrounded by lofty mountains, titanic peaks that would dwarf our alps into insignificance and reduce the Himalayas to foothills, lowered far into the distance upon the upper side. The ice-clad summits of those more distant seemed to veritably topple above us, while a thousand feet below us, the pinks and lavenders of the weird lunar vegetation lay like a soft carpet upon the gently undulating surface of the plateau. But my guides seemed less interested in the scenery than in me. They plied me with questions continually, until I was more anxious to be rid of them than all else that I could think of. They asked me a little concerning my own world, and what I thought of Lath, and if I found the Princess Nayila charming, and my opinion of the Emperor Sagroth. My answers must have been satisfactory, for presently they came very close to me, and one of them whispered, You need not fear speaking our presence, we too are friends and followers of Kotal. That devil I thought. They are bound to embroil me in their petty intrigues. What do I care for Sagroth and Kotal? And then my thoughts reverted to Nayila. She had treated me cruelly. Her cold aloofness and her almost studied contempt had wounded me, yet I could not say to myself that Nayila was nothing to me. She had been my friend and I had been hers, and I should remain her friend to my dying day. Perhaps then, if these people were bound to draw me into their political disputes, I might turn their confidence as into profit for Nayila. I had never told them that I was a creature of Kotas, for I was not, nor had I ever told Kotal that I was an enemy to Sagroth. In fact, I had led him to believe the very opposite. And so I gave these two an evasive answer which might have meant anything, and they chose to interpret it as meaning that I was one of them. Well, what could I do? It was not my fault or they insisted upon deceiving themselves that Nayila might yet need the friendship that she had scorned. As Sagroth knew loyal followers, then, I asked that you were all so sure of the success of the Kudaita that Kotal plans. Ah, you know about it, then, Prague one of them. You are in the confidence of the Javadan. I let them think that I was. It could do no harm, at least. Did he tell you when it was to happen? Asked the other. Perhaps already I have said too much, I replied. The confidences of Kotal are not to be lightly spread about. Your right, said the last speaker. It is well to be discreet. But let us assure you, Julan the Javadar, that we are equally in the confidence and favor of Kotal with any of those who serve him. Otherwise he would not have entrusted us with a portion of the work which must be done within the very palace of the Javadar. Have you many accomplices here, I asked. Many, he replied, outside of the Javadar's guards. They remain loyal to Sagroth. It is one of the traditions of the organization, and they will die for him to a man, and, he added with a shrug, they shall die, never fear. When the time arrives and the signal is given, each member of the guard will be set upon by two of Kotal's faithful followers. I do not know how long I remained in the city of Leid. Time passed rapidly, and I was very happy after I returned to the dwelling of Mogul. I swam and dived with them and their friends in the baths on our terrace, and also in those of Kotal. I learned to use the flying wings that I had first seen upon Nayila, the day that she fell exhausted into the clutches of the Vagas, and many were the lofty and delightful excursions we took into the higher mountains from her. When Mogul and his friends organized pleasure parties for that purpose. Constantly surrounded by people of culture and refinement, by brave men and beautiful women, my time was so filled with pleasurable activities that I made no effort to gauge it. I felt that I was to spend the balance of my life here, and I might as well get from it all the pleasure that Leith could afford. I did not see Nayila during all this time, and though I still heard a great deal concerning the conspiracy against Sagroth, I presently came to attach but little importance to what I did here after I learned that the conspiracy had been on foot for over 13 Kells, for approximately about 10 or 3 years, and seemed according to my informers no nearer consummation than it ever had been in the past. Time does not trouble these people much, and I was told that it might be 20 Kells before Kotal took action, though on the other hand he might strike within the next Ola. There was an occurrence during this period which aroused my curiosity, but concerning which Mogul was extremely reticent. Upon one of the occasions that I was a visitor in Kotal's palace, I was passing through a little used corridor in going from one chamber to another, when just ahead of me a door opened and a man stepped out in front of me. When he heard my footsteps behind him, he turned and looked at me, and then stepped quickly back into the apartment he had just left and closed the door hurriedly behind him. There would have been nothing particularly remarkable in that, had it not been for the fact that the man was not a Lathian, but unquestionably a Kolkar. Believing that I had discovered an enemy in the very heart of Lath, I leaped forward and throwing open the door, followed into the apartment into which the man disappeared. To my astonishment, I found myself confronted by six men, three of whom were Kolkars, while the other three were Lathians, and among the latter I instantly recognized Kotal himself. He flushed angrily as he saw me, but before he could speak I bowed and explained my action. I craved your pardon, Jabotar, I said. I thought that I saw an enemy of Lath in the heart of the palace, and that by apprehending him I should serve you best, and I started to withdraw from the chamber. Wait, he said, you did right, but lest you misunderstand their presence here, I may tell you that these three are prisoners. I realized that at once, when I saw you, Jabotar, replied, that I knew perfectly well that he had lied to me, and then I backed from the room and closed in the door after me. I spoke to Mogu about it the next time that I saw him. You saw nothing, my friend, he said. Remember that. You saw nothing. If you mean that it is none of my business, Mogu, I replied, I perfectly agree with you, and you may rest assured that I shall not meddle in affairs that are not concerning me. However, I did considerable thinking upon the matter, and possibly I went out of my way a little more than one should, who is attending strictly to his own business, that I might keep a little in touch with the course of the conspiracy. For no matter what I had said to Mogu, no matter how I attempted to convince myself that it did not interest me, the truth remained that anything that affected in any way the fate of Nayila transcended in interest any event which might transpire within Vama, insofar as I was concerned. The unobtrusive espionage which I practiced wore fruit, to the extent that it permitted me to know that on at least three other occasions, delegations of kalpas visited Botar. The fact that this ancient palace of the Prince of Lath was a never-ending source of interest to me aided me in my self-imposed task of spying upon the conspirators, for the retainers of Kotab were quite accustomed to see me in out-of-the-way corridors and passages, oftentimes far from the inhabited portions of the building. Upon the occasion of one of these tours, I had descended to a lower terrace, in an ancient stone stairway which wound spirally downward, and had discovered a dimly-lighted room in which restored a number of ancient works of art. I was quietly examining these when I heard voices in an adjoining chamber. Upon no other conditions will he assist two Javadar, said the speaker, whose voice I first heard. His demands are outrageous, replied the second speaker. I refused to consider them. Lath is impregnable. He can never take it. The voice was that of Kotab. You do not know him, Lathian, replied the other. He has given us engines of destruction with which we can destroy any city in Bala. He will give you Lath. Is that not enough? But he will be Javadar of Javadars and rule us all, exclaimed Kotab. The Javadar of Lath can be subservient to none. If you do not exceed, he will take Lath in spite of you and reduce you to the status of a slave. Enough, Kolkar, cried Kotab, his voice trembling with rage. Begone! Tell your master that Kotab refuses his base demands. You will regret that, Lathian, replied the Kolkar, for you do not know what this creature has brought from another world in knowledge of war and the science of destruction of human life. I do not fear him, snapped Kotab. My swords are many. My spearmen are well trained. Begone! And do not return until your master is ready to sue with Kotab for an alliance. I heard receding footsteps, then, and following that a silence which I thought indicated that all had left the chamber. But, personally, I heard Kotab's voice again. What think you of it? he asked. And then I heard the voice of a third man, evidently a Lathian, replying, I think that if there is any truth in the fellow's assertions, we may not too quickly bring about the fall of Cyprus and place you upon the throne of Lath, for only thus may we stand united against a common outside enemy. You are right, replied the Javadar, gather our forces. We shall strike within the Ola. I wanted to hear more, but they passed out of the chamber then, and their voices became only a subdued murmur which quickly trailed off into silence. What should I do? Within six hours Kotab would strike at the power of Cyprus, and I well knew what that would mean to Naila, either marriage with the new Javadar or death, and I guessed that the proud princess would choose the latter in preference to Kotab. End of Chapter 12, Recording by Thomas Copeland Chapter 13 of The Moon Made by Edgar Rice Burroughs This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Thomas Copeland. Chapter 13, Death Within and Without As rapidly as I could, I made my way from the palace of Kotab, a upward, terrace by terrace, toward the palace of the Gemida. I had never presented myself at Sagroth's palace since Naila had so grievously offended me. I did not even know the customary procedure to follow to gain an audience with the Emperor, but nevertheless I came boldly to the carbon gates and demanded to speak with the officer in command of the guards. When he came I told him that I desired to speak either with Sagroth or the princess Naila at once, upon a matter of the most urgent importance. Wait, he said, and I will take your message to the Gemida. He was gone for what seemed to me a very long time, but at last he returned, saying that Sagroth would see me at once, and I was conducted through the gates and into the palace toward the small audience chamber in which Sagroth had once received me so graciously. As I was ushered into the room I found myself facing both Sagroth and Naila. The attitude of the Gemida seemed apparently judicial, but that of the princess was openly hostile. What are you doing here, traitor? She demanded, without waiting for Sagroth to speak, and at the same instant a door, upon the opposite side of the room, burst open, and three warriors leaped into the apartment with veiled swords. They wore the livery of Kota, and I knew instantly the purpose for which they had come. Drawing my own sword I leaped forward. I have come to defend the life of the Gemida and his princess, I cried, as I sprang between them in the advance of three. What means this? demanded Sagroth. How dare you enter the presence of your Gemida with drawn sword! They are the assassins of Kota. Come to slay you, I cried. Defend yourself, Sagroth of Lath, and with that I tried to engage the three until help arrived. I am no novice with the sword. The art of fencing has been one of my chief diversions since my cadet days in the air school, and I did not fear the Lathians. Though I knew that, even were they but mediocre swordsmen, I could not for long withstand the assaults of three at once. But upon this point I need not have concerned myself, for no sooner had I spoken than Sagroth's sword leaped from its scabbard and placing himself at my side he fought nobly and well in defense of his life at his honor. One of our antagonists merely tried to engage me while the other two assassinated the Gemida. And so, seeing that he was playing me and that I could do with him about as I pleased if I did not push him too hard, I drove him back a few steps until I was close at the side of one of those who engaged Sagroth. Then, before any could know my intention, I wheeled and lunged my sword through the heart of one of those who opposed the father of Nayila. So quickly had I disengaged my former antagonist, so swift my lunge that I had recovered and was ready to meet the renewed assaults of the first who had engaged me, almost before he realized what had happened. It was man against man now and the odds were even. I had no opportunity to watch Sagroth, but from the ring of steel on steel I knew that the two were bitterly engaged. My own man kept me well occupied. He was a magnificent swordsman, but he was only fighting for his life. I was fighting for more, for my life and for my honor too. Since after the word traitor that Nayila had hurled at me, I had felt that I must redeem myself in her eyes. I did not give any thought at all to the question as to just why I should care what Nayila the Moon made thought of me. But something within me reacted mightily to the contempt that she had put into that single work. I could catch an occasional glimpse of her standing there behind the massive desk at which her father had sat upon the first occasion of my coming to this chamber. She stood there very tense, her wide eyes fixed upon the inevitable credulity. I had almost worn my man down and we were fighting now so that I was facing Nayila with my back toward the doorway through which the three assassins had entered. Sagroth must have been more than holding his own too, for I could see his opponent slowly falling back before the older man's assaults. Then there broke above the clang of steel a girl's voice, Nayila's, raised in accents of fear. Julian, beware behind you, behind you! At the instant of our warning, the eyes of my antagonist left mine, which for his own good they never should have done, and passed in a quick glance over my shoulder at something or someone behind me. His lack of concentration cost him his life. I saw my opening the instant that it was made, and with a quick lunge I passed my blade through his heart. Whipping it out again, I wheeled to face a dozen men springing into the chamber. They paid no attention to me but leaped toward Sagroth, and before I could prevent, he went down with half a dozen blades through his body. Upon the opposite side of the desk from us was another doorway directly behind Nayila, and in the instant that she saw Sagroth fall she called to me in a low voice, Come, Julian, quick, or we too are lost! Realizing that the gemadar was dead, and that it would be folly to remain and attempted to fight this whole room full of warriors, I leaped to the desk and followed Nayila through the doorway beyond. There was a cry then from someone within the room to stop us, but Nayila wheeled and slammed the door in their faces as they rushed forward, fastened it upon our side, and then turned to me. Julian, she said, how can you ever forgive me? You who have risked your life for the gemadar, my father, in spite of the contemptible treatment that in my ignorance I have accorded you. I could have explained, I said, but you would not let me, appearances were against me, and so I cannot blame you for thinking as you did. It was wicked of me not to listen to you, Julian, but I thought that Kota had won you over, as he has won over even some of the staunchest friends of Sagroth. You might have known, Nayila, that even could I have been disloyal to your father, I never could have been disloyal to his daughter. I did not know, she said, how could I? There suddenly came over me a great desire to take her in my arms and cover those lovely lips with kisses. I could not tell why this ridiculous obsession had seized upon me, nor why I was certain I became afraid of little Nayila. I must have looked very foolish indeed, standing there looking at her, and suddenly I realized how fatuous I must appear, and so I shook myself and laughed. Come, Nayila, I said, we must not remain here. Where can I take you? They will be safe. Upon the outer terrace there may be some of the royal guard, but if Kota has already taken the palace, flight will be useless. From what I know of the conspiracy, it will be useless, I replied, for the service of Sagroth at his palace is rotten with the spies and retainers of the Jabba-Dah. I feared as much, she said, the very men who came to assassinate Sagroth bore the imperial livery less than an ola since. Are there none then loyal to you? I asked her. The gemadar's guard is always loyal, she said, but they number scarce a thousand men. How may we summon them? I asked. Let us go to the outer terraces, and if there are any of them there, we can congregate the balance, or as many of them as Kota is left alive. Come, then, I said, that is hasten. And together, hand in hand, we ran along the corridors of the gemadar's palace to the outer terraces of the highest tier of lay. There we found a hundred men, and when we had told them what had happened within the palace, they drew their swords and surrounding Na'ila, they shouted, To the death for Na'ila, Gemadar of Lave! They wanted to remain there and protect her, but I told them that there would be nothing gained by that, that sooner or later they would be overwhelmed by far greater numbers, and the cause of Na'ila lost. Send a dozen men, I said to their commander, to rally all of the royal guards that remain alive. Tell them to come to the throne room, ready to lay down their lives for the new gemadar, and then let the dozen continue on out into the city, rallying the people to the protection of Na'ila. As for us, we will accompany her immediately to the throne room, and there place her upon the throne and proclaim her ruler of Lave. A hundred men may hold the throne room for a long time, if we reach it before Kota reaches it with his forces. The officer looked at Na'ila, questioning her, Your command, Gemadar, he inquired. We will follow the plan of Julan the Gemadar, she replied. Immediately, a dozen warriors were dispatched to rally the imperial guard and arouse the loyal citizens of the city to the protection of their new gemadar, while the balance of us conducted Na'ila by a short course toward the throne room. As we entered the great chamber at one end, Kota and a handful of warriors came in at the other, but we had the advantage in that we entered through a doorway directly behind the throne and upon the dais. Throw your men upon the main entrance, I called to the officer of the guard, and hold it until reinforcements come. Then, as the hundred raced the length of the throne room toward the surprised and enraged Kota, I led Na'ila to the central throne and seated her upon it. Then, stepping forward, I raised my hand for silence. The gemadar sagroth his dead, I cried. Behold Na'ila, the gemadar of Lave. Stop! cried Kota. She may share the throne with me, but she may not possess it alone. Take that traitor, I called to the loyal guard, and they rushed forward, evidently glad to do my bidding. But Kota did not wait to be taken. He was accompanied by only a handful of men, and when he saw that the guard really intended to seize him and realized that he would be given short shrift at the hands of Na'ila and myself, he turned and fled. But I knew he would come back, and come back he did, though not until after the majority of the gemadar's guard had gathered within the throne room. He came with a great concourse of warriors, and the fighting was furious, but he might have brought a million men against our thousand and not immediately have overcome us, since only a limited number could fight at one time in the entranceway to the throne room. Already the corpses lay stacked as high as a man's head, yet no single member of Kota's forces had crossed the threshold. How long the fight was waged, I do not know, but it must have been for a considerable time, since I know that our men fought in relays and rested many times, and that food was brought from other parts of the palace to the doorway behind the throne, and there were times when Kota's forces withdrew and rested and recuperated. But always they came back in greater number, and eventually I realized we must be worn down by the persistence of their repeated attacks. And then there arose slowly a deep-toned sound, at first we could not interpret. It rose and fell in increasing volume until finally we knew that it was the sound of human voices, the voices of a great mob, of a mighty concourse of people, and that it was sweeping toward us slowly and resistlessly. Closer and closer it approached the palace as it rose, terrace upon terrace, toward the lofty pinnacle of lay. The fighting at the entrance of the throne room had almost ceased. Both sides were worn down almost to utter exhaustion, and now we but stood upon our arms, upon either side of the wall of corpses that lay between us. Our attention centered upon the sound of the growling multitude that was sweeping slowly upward toward us. They come, cried one of Na'ila's nobles, to acclaim the new Jammadal and to tear the minions of Kota the traitor to pieces. He spoke in a loud voice that was easily audible to Kota just retainers in the corridor doubt. They come to drag the spawn of Sagroth from the throne, cried one of Kota's followers. And then from the throne came the sweet, clear voice of Na'ila. Let the people's will be done, she said, and thus we stood, awaiting the verdict of the populace. Nor had we longed to wait, for presently we realized that they had reached the palace terrace and entered the building itself. We could hear the shouting horde moving through the corridors and chambers, and finally the muffled bellowing resolved itself into articulate words. Sagroth is no more. Rune, Kota, Jammadal of Lades. I turned in consternation toward Na'ila. What does it mean, I cried? Have the people turned against you? Kota's minions have done their work well during these many kelds, said the commander of the Jammadal's guard, who stood upon the upper steps of the dais just below the throne. They have spread lies and sedition among the people, which not even Sagroth's just and kindly reign could overcome. Let the will of the people be done, repeated Na'ila. It is the will of fools betrayed by a scoundrel, cried the commander of the guard. While there beats a single heart beneath the tunic of a guardsman of the Jammadal, we shall fight for Na'ila, Empress of Lades. Kota's forces, now augmented by the rabble, were pushing their way over the corpses and into the throne room, so that we were forced to join the defenders, that we might hold them off, while life remained to any of us. When the commander of the guard saw me fighting at his side, he asked me to return to Na'ila. We must not leave the Jammadal alone, he said. Return and remain at her side, Julan the Davodah. And when the last of us has fallen, drive your dagger into her heart. I shuddered and turned back toward Na'ila. The very thought of plunging my dagger into that tender bosom fairly nauseated me. There must be some other way, and yet what other means of escape could there be for Na'ila, who preferred death to the dishonour of surrender to Kota, the murderer of her father. As I reached Na'ila's side and turned again to face the entrance to the throne room, I saw that the warriors of Kota were being pushed into the chamber by the mob behind them, and that our defenders were being overwhelmed by the great number of their antagonists. Kota, with a half-dozen warriors, had been carried forward, practically without volition, by the press of numbers in their rear. And even now, with none to intercept him, was running rapidly up the broad center aisle toward the throne. Some of those in the entrance way saw him, and as he reached the foot of the steps leading to the dais, a snarling cry arose. Kota, the Javadar! With bared sword, the fellow leaped toward me where I stood alone between Na'ila and her enemies. Surrender, Julian, she cried, it is futile to oppose them. You are not of lay. Neither duty nor honour imposed upon you the necessity of offering your life for one of us. Spare him, Kota, she cried to the advancing Javadar, and I will bow to the will of the people and relinquish the throne to you. Kota, the traitor, shall never sit upon the throne of Na'ila, I exclaimed, and leaping forward I engaged the Prince of Lath. His warriors were close behind him, and it behoove me to work fast, and so I fought as I had never guessed that it lay within me to fight, and at the instant that the rabble broke through the remaining defenders and poured into the throne room of the Javadars of Lath, I slipped my point into the heart of Kota. With a single piercing shriek he threw his hands above his head and toppled backward down the steps, till I dead at the foot of the throne he had betrayed. For an instant the silence of death reigned in the great chamber. Friend and foe stood alike in the momentary paralysis of shock surprise. That tense breathless silence had endured for but a moment when it was shattered by a terrific detonation. We felt the palace tremble and rock. The assembled mob looked wildly about, their eyes filled with fear and questioning. But before they could voice a question, another thunderous report burst upon our startled ears, and then from the city below the palace there arose the shrieks and screams of terrified people. Again the palace trembled, and a great crack opened in one of the walls of the throne room. The people saw it, and in an instant their anger against the dynasty of Sagroth was swallowed in the moral terror which they felt for their own safety. With shrieks and screams they turned and bolted for the doorway. The weaker were knocked down and trampled upon. They fought with fists and swords and daggers in their mad efforts to escape the crumbling building. They tore the clothing from one another as each sought to drag back his fellow that he might gain further in the race for the outer world. And as the rabble fought, now Eli and I stood before the throne of Lath watching them, while below us the few remaining members of the Gemodar's guard stood viewing in silent contempt the terror of the people. Explosion after explosion followed one another in rapid succession. The people had fled. The palace was empty, except for that handful of us faithful ones who had remained within the throne room. Let us go, I said to my love, and discover the origin of these sounds and the extent of the damage that is being done. Come, she said, here is a short corridor to the inner terrace where we may look down upon the entire city of Lath. And then, turning to the commander of the guard, she said, proceed, please, to the palace gates and secure them against the return of our enemies, if they have by this time all fled from the palace grounds. The officer bowed and followed by the few heroic survivors of the Gemodar's guard, he left by another corridor for the palace gates, while I followed Naila up a stairway that led to the roof of the palace. Coming out upon the upper terrace, we made our way quickly to the edge overlooking the city and the crater. Below us, a shrieking multitude ran hither and thither from terrace to terrace, while, now here and now there, terrific explosions occurred that shattered age-old structures and carried debris high into the air. Many terraces showed great gaps and tumbled ruins where other explosions had occurred and smoke and flames were rising from a dozen portions of the city. But an instant it took me to realize that the explosions were caused by something that was being dropped into the city from above. And as I looked up, I saw a missile describing an arc above the palace, past which it hurtled to a terrace far below, and at once I realized that the missile had originated outside the city. Turning quickly, I ran across the terrace to the outer side, which overlooked the plateau upon which the city stood. I could not repress an exclamation of astonishment at the sight that greeted my eyes, for the surface of the plateau was alive with waters. Na'ila had followed me and was standing at my elbow. The Kalkars, he said, they have come again to reduce lathe. It has been long since they attempted it, many generations ago. But what is it, Julian, that causes the great noise and the destruction and the fires within lathe? It is this which fills me with surprise, I said, and not the presence of the Kalkar warriors. I looked, Na'ila, and I pointed to a noble lying at the verge of the plateau, where, unless my eyes deceived me badly, there was mounted a mortar which was hurling shells into the city of lathe. And there, I continued pointing to other similar engines of destruction mounted at intervals. The city is surrounded with the Na'ila. Have your people any knowledge of such engines of warfare or of high explosives, I demanded? Only in our legends are such things mentioned, she replied. It has been ages since the inhabitants of Vana lost the art of manufacturing such things. As we stood there talking, one of the Jamedar's guards emerged from the palace and approached us. Na'ila, Jameda, he cried, there is one here who craves audience with you and who says that if you listen to him you may save your city from destruction. Let him, replied Na'ila, we will receive him here. We had but a moment to wait when the guardsman returned with one of Kotos' captives. Na'ila, Jameda, he cried, but she had given him permission to speak. I come to you with a message from one who is Jameda of Jameda's, ruler of all Vana. If you would save your city and your people, listen well. The girl's eyes narrowed. You are speaking to your Jameda fellow. She said, be careful not only of your words but of your tone. I come but to save you, replied the man solemnly. The Kulkars have discovered a great leader and they have joined together from many cities to overthrow them. My master does not wish to destroy this ancient city and there is but one simple condition upon which he will spare it. Name your condition, said Na'ila. If you will wed him, he will make lathe the capital of Vana and you shall rule with him as Jameda of Jameda's. Na'ila's nips curled and scorned. And who is the presumptuous Kulkar that dares aspire to the hand of Na'ila? She demanded. He is no Kulkar, Jameda, replied the messenger. He is from another world that he knows you well and that he has loved you long. His name snapped Na'ila impatiently. He is called Ortis, Jameda of Jameda's. Na'ila turned toward me with elevated brows and a smile of comprehension upon her face. Ortis, she repeated. No, I understand my Jameda, I said. And I am commencing to have some slight conception of the time that must have elapsed since I first landed within Vana. Or even since our escape from the Vagas, Ortis has had time to discover the Kulkars and ingratiate himself among them, to conspire with them for the overthrow of lathe and to manufacture explosives and shells in the guns which are reducing lathe this moment. Even had I not heard the name, I might have guessed that it was Ortis. Or it is all so liking, ingrate, traitor, curr. Go back to your master, she said to the messenger, and tell him that Na'ila, Jameda of lathe, would as leave mate with Gavaka the Vaga as with him, and that lathe will be happier destroyed and her people wiped through the face of Vana than ruled by such a beast. I have spoken. Go. The fellow turned and left us, being accompanied from Na'ila's presence by the guardsmen who had fetched him and whom Na'ila commanded to return as soon as he had conducted the other outside the palace gates. Then the girl turned to me. Oh, Julian, what shall I do? How may I combat these terrible forces that you have brought to Vana from another world? I shook my head. We too could manufacture both guns and ammunition to combat him, but now we have not the time, since lathe will be reduced to a mass of ruins before we could even make a start. There is but one way, Na'ila, and that is to send your people every fighting man that you can gather and the women too, if they can bear arms, out upon the plateau in an effort to overwhelm the Kalkars and destroy the guns. She stood and thought for a long time and, presently, the officer of the guard returned and halted before her, awaiting her commands. Slowly she raised her head and looked at him. Go into the city, she said, and gather every Lathean who can carry a sword, a dagger, or a lance. Tell them to assemble on the inner terraces below the castle, and that I, Na'ila, their gemadab, will address them. The fate of lathe rests with you. Go. End of Chapter 13, Recording by Thomas Copeland Chapter 14 of The Moon Made by Edgar Rice Burroughs This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Thomas Copeland Chapter 14, The Barzoom The city was already in flames in many places, and though the people fought valiantly to extinguish them, it seemed to me that they but spread them more rapidly with each succeeding minute. And then, as subtly as it had commenced, the bombardment ceased. Na'ila and I crossed over to the outer edge of the terrace to see if we could note any new movement by the enemy, nor did we have long to wait. We saw a hundred ladders, raised as if by magic, toward the lowest terrace, which rose but a bare two hundred feet above the base of the city. The men who carried the ladders were not visible to us when they came close to the base of the wall, but I guessed from the distant glimpses that I caught up the ladders as they were rushed forward by running men that here, again, orthous earthly knowledge and experience had come to the assistance of the cockcars. For I was sure that only some form of extension ladder could be successfully used to reach even the lowest terrace. When I saw their intention, I ran quickly down into the palace and out upon the terrace before the gates, where the remainder of the guard was stationed. And there I told them what was happening and urged them to hasten the people to the lowest terrace to repulse the enemy before they had secured a foothold upon the city. Then I returned to Naila, and together we watched the outcome of the struggle. But almost from the first I realized that Lath was doomed, for before any of her defenders could reach the spot, fully a thousand cockcars had clambered at the terrace, and there they held their own while other thousands ascended in safety to the city. We saw the defenders rush forth to attack them, and for a moment, so impetuous was their charge, I thought that I had been wrong, and that the cockcars might yet be driven from Lath. Fighting upon the lower outer terrace far beneath us was a surging mass of shouting warriors. The cockcars were falling back before the impetuous onslaught of the Lathians. They have not the blood in their veins, whispered Naila, clinging tightly to my arm. One noble is worth ten of them. Watch them, already they are fleeing. And so it seemed, and the rout of the cockcars appeared almost assured, as score upon score of them were hurled over the edge of the terrace to fall mangled and bleeding upon the ground, hundreds of feet below. But suddenly a new force seemed to be injected into the strife. I saw a stream of cockcars emerging above the edge of the lower terrace, new men clamouring up the ladders from the plateau below. And as they came, they shouted something which I could not understand, but the other cockcars seemed to take heart and made once more the semblance of a stand against the noble aliens. And I saw one, the leader of the newcomers, force his way into the battling throng. And then I saw him raise his hand above his head and hurl something into the midst of the compact ranks of the Lathians. Instantly there was a terrific explosion and a great bloody gap lay upon the terrace, where an instant before, a hundred of the flower of the fighting men of Lath had been so gloriously defending their city and their honour. Grenades, I exclaimed, and grenades! What is it, Julian? What is it that they are doing down there, they are murdering my people? Yes, Naulila, they are murdering your people, and well may Vana curse the day that earth men set foot upon your world. I do not understand, Julian, she said. This is the work of Orthes, I said, who has brought from earth the knowledge of diabolical engines of destruction. He first shelled the city with what must have been nothing more than crude mortars, for it is impossible that he has had the time to construct the machinery to build any but the simplest of guns. Now his troops are hurling hand grenades among our men. There is no chance, Naulila, for the Lathians to successfully pit their primitive weapons against the modern agents of destruction which Orthes has brought to bear against them. Lath must surrender or be destroyed. Naulila later head upon my shoulder and wept softly. Julian, she said at last, this is the end, then. Take me to the gem of my mother, please, and then you must go and make your peace with your fellow earth men. It is not right that you, a stranger, who have done so much for me should fall with me and lathe. The only peace I can make with Orthes, Naulila, I replied, is the peace of death. Orthes and I may not live together again in the same world. She was crying very softly, bobbing upon my shoulder, and I put my arm about her in an effort to quiet her. I have brought you only suffering and danger and now death, Julian, she said, when you deserve not but happiness and peace. I suddenly felt very strange, and my heart behaved wretchedly so that when I attempted to speak it pounded so that I could say nothing and my knees shook beneath me. What had come over me? Was it possible that already Orthes had loosed his poison gas? Then at last I managed to gather myself together. Naulila, I said, I do not fear death if you must die, and I do not seek happiness except with you. She looked up suddenly, her great tear-dimmed eyes wide and gazing deep into mine. You mean, Julian? You mean, I mean Naulila, that I love you, I replied, I must have stumbled through the words in the most ridiculous manner so frightened was I. Ah, Julian, she sighed and put her arms about my neck. And you, Naulila, I exclaimed it treacherously as I crushed her to me, can it be that you return my love? I have loved you always, she replied, from the very first almost, way back when we were prisoners together in the Novan's village. You earthmen must be very blind, my Julian. A Lathian would have known it at once, for it seemed to me that upon a dozen occasions I almost avowed my love openly to you. Alas, Naulila, I must have been very blind, for I had not guessed until this minute that you loved me. Now, she said, I do not care what happens, we have one another, we die together, doubtless we shall live together in a new incarnation. I hope so, I said, that I should much rather be sure of it than live together in this. And I too, Julian, but that is impossible. We were walking now through the corridors of the palace towards the chamber occupied by her mother, but we did not find her there, and Naulila became apprehensive as to her safety. Today we searched through other chambers of the palace, until at last we came to the little audience chamber in which Sagroth had been slain, and as we threw open the door, I saw a sight that I tried to hide from Naulila's eyes as I drew her around in an effort to force her back into the corridor. Possibly she guessed what impelled my action, for she shook her head and murmured, now, Julian, whatever it is, I must see it. And then she pushed her way gently past me, and we stood together upon the threshold, looking at the harrowing sight which the interior of the room displayed. There were the bodies of the assassin, Sagroth, and I had slain, and the dead gemadar too, precisely as he had fallen, but across his breast lay the body of Naulila's mother, a dagger self-thrust to her heart. For just a moment, Naulila stood there looking at them in silence as though in prayer, and then she turned wearily away and left the chamber, closing the door behind her. We walked on in silence for some time, ascending the stairway back to the upper terrace. Upon the inner side, the flames were spreading throughout the city, roaring like a mighty furnace and vomiting up great clouds of smoke, for though the Lathian terraces are supported by tremendous arches of masonry, yet there is much wood used in the interior construction of the buildings, but the hangings of the furniture are all inflammable. We had no chance to save the city, said Naulila with a sigh. Our people, called from their normal duties by the false kota, were leaderless. The firefighters, instead of being at their posts, were seeking the life of their gemadar. Unhappy day. Unhappy day. You'd think they could have stopped the fire, I asked. The little ponds, the rivulets, the waterfalls, the great public baths, and the tiny lakes that you see upon every terrace were all built with fire protection in mind. It is easy to divert their waters and flood any tier of buildings. Had my people been at their posts, this at least could not have happened. As we stood watching the flames, we suddenly saw people emerging in great numbers upon several of the lower terraces. They were evidently in terrified flight, and then others appeared upon terraces above them. Calcars, who hurled hand grenades amongst the ladies beneath them. Men, women, and children ran hither and thither, shrieking and crying and seeking for shelter, but from the buildings behind them, rushing them outward upon the terraces, came other calcars with hand grenades. The fires hemmed the people of Laith upon either side, and the calcars attacked them from the rear and from above. The weaker fell and were trodden to death, and I saw scores fall upon their own lances, or drive daggers into the hearts of their loved ones. The massacre spread rapidly around the circumference of the city, and the calcars drove the people from the upper terraces downward between the raging fires, which were increasing until the mouth of the great crater was filled with roaring flames and smoke. In the occasional gaps, we could catch glimpses of the holocaust beneath us. A sudden current of air rising from the crater lifted the smokeball high for a moment, revealing the entire circumference of the crater, the edge of which was crowded with Lathians. And then I saw a warrior from the opposite side leap upon the surrounding wall that bordered the lower terrace at the edge of the yawning crater. He turned and called aloud some message to his fellows, and then wheeling through his arms above his head and leaped outward into the yawning, bottomless abyss. Instantly, the others seemed to be inoculated with the infection of his mad act. A dozen men leaped to the wall and dove head foremost into the crater. The thing spread slowly at first, and then with the rapidity of a prairie fire ran around the entire circle of the city. Women hurled their children in and then leaped after them. The multitude fought one with another for a place upon the wall from which they might cast themselves to death. It was a terrible and awe-inspiring sight. Noila covered her eyes with her hands. My poor people, she cried, my poor people. And far below her, by the thousands now, they were hurling themselves into eternity. While above them the screaming caulkars hurled hand grenades among them and drove the remaining inhabitants of lathe, terrace by terrace, down toward the crater's rim. Noila turned away. Khan and Julian, she said, I cannot look, I cannot look. And together we walked across the terrace to the outer side of the city. Almost directly beneath us upon the next terrace was a palace gate. And as we reached a point where we could see it, I was horrified to see that the caulkars had made their way up the outer terraces to the very palace walls. The gemadars' guard was standing there ready to defend the palace against the invaders. The great stone gates would have held indefinitely against spears and swords, but even the guardsmen must have guessed that their doom was already sealed and that these gates that had stood for ages and ample protection to the gemadars of lathe were about to fall as the caulkars halted fifty yards away and from their ranks a single individual stepped forth a few paces. As my eyes alighted upon him, I seized Noila's arm. Orthous! I cried, it is orthous! But the same instant the man's eyes rose above the gates and fell upon us. A nasty leer curled his lips as he recognized us. I come to claim my bride! He cried in a voice that reached us easily. And to balance my account with you at last! And he pointed a finger at me. In his right hand he held a large cylindrical object. And as he ceased speaking he hurled it at the gates precisely as a baseball pitcher pitches a swift ball. The missile struck squarely at the bottom of the gates. There was a terrific explosion and the great stone portals crumbled, shattered into a thousand fragments. The last defence of the Empress of Lath had fallen and with it there went down in bloody death at least half the remaining members of her loyal guard. Instantly the caulkars rushed forward hurling hand grenades among the survivors of the guard. Naila turned toward me and put her arms about my neck. Kiss me once more, Julian, she said, and then the dagger. Never, never, Naila, I cried, I cannot do it. But I can, she exclaimed, and drew her own from its sheath at her hip. I seized her wrist. Not that, Naila, I cried. There must be some other way. And then there came to me a mad inspiration. The wings, I cried. Where are they kept? The last of your people have been destroyed. Duty no longer holds you here. Let us escape, even if it is only to frustrate Orthas plans and deny him the satisfaction of witnessing our death. But where can we go, she asked. We may at least choose our own manner of death, I replied, far from Lath and far from the eyes of an enemy who would gloat over our undoing. You're right, Julian, we still have a little time, for I doubt if Orthas or his call-cars can quickly find the stairway leading to this terrace. And then she led me quickly to one of the many towers that rise above the palace. Entering it, we ascended a spiral staircase to a large chamber at the summit of the tower. Here were kept the imperial wings. I fastened Naila's tour, and she helped me with mine, and then from the pinnacle of the tower we arose above the burning city of Lath and flew rapidly toward the distant lowlands and the sea. It was in my mind to search out if possible the location of the Barsoom, for I still entertained the mad hope that my companions yet lived. If I did, why not they? The heat above the city was almost unendurable and the smoke suffocating, yet we passed through it, so that almost immediately we were hidden from the view of that portion of the palace from which we had arisen, with the result that when Orthas and his call-cars finally found their way to the upper terrace, as I have no doubt they did, we had disappeared, wither they could not know. We flew and drifted with the wind across the mountainous country toward the plains and the sea. It being my intention, upon reaching the latter, to follow the coastline until I came to a river marked by an island at his mouth. From that point I knew that I could reach the spot where the Barsoom had landed. Our long flight must have covered a considerable period of time since it was necessary for us to alight and rest many times and to search for food. We met fortunately with no mishaps and upon the several occasions when we were discovered by rowing bands of vagas we were able to soar far aloft and escape them easily. We came at length, however, to the sea, the coast of which I followed to the left. But though we passed the mouths of many rivers I discovered none that precisely answered the description of that which I saw. It was borne in upon me, at last, that our quest was futile, but where we were to find a haven of safety neither of us could gas. The gas in our bags was losing its buoyancy and we had no means wherewith to replenish it. It would still maintain us for a short time, but how long neither of us knew, other than that it had not nearly the buoyancy that it originally possessed. Off the coast we had seen islands almost continuously and I suggested to Naila that we try to discover one upon which grew the fruits and nuts and vegetables necessary for our subsistence and where we might also have a constant supply of fresh water. I discovered that Naila knew little about these islands, practically nothing in fact, not even as to whether they were inhabited. But we determined to explore one and to this end we selected an island of considerable extent that lay about ten miles offshore. We reached it without difficulty and circled slowly above it, scrutinizing its entire area carefully. About half of it was quite hilly, but the balance was rolling and comparatively level. We discovered three streams and two small lakes upon it and an almost riotous profusion of vegetable growth, but nowhere did we discern the slightest indication that it was inhabited. And so at last, feeling secure, we made our landing upon the plain close to the beach. It was a beautiful spot, the veritable Garden of Eden, where we too might have passed the remainder of our lives in peace and security. Although we later explored it carefully, we found not the slightest evidence that it had ever known the foot of man. Together we built a snug shelter against the storms. Together we hunted for food and during our long periods of idleness we lay upon the soft sword beside the beach. And to pass the time away, I taught Naila my own language. It was a lazy, indolent, happy life that we spent upon this enchanted isle. And yet, though we were happy in our love, each of us felt the futility of our existence where our lives must be spent in useless idleness. We had, however, given up definitely hope for any other form of existence. And thus we were lying one time, as was our want after eating, stretched in luxurious ease upon our backs on the soft lunar grasses. I with my eyes closed when Naila suddenly grasped me by the arm. "'Judon!' she cried. "'What is it?' "'Look!' I opened my eyes to find her sitting up and gazing into the sky toward the mainland, a slim forefinger indicating the direction of the object that had attracted her attention and aroused her surprised interest. As my eyes rested upon the finger pointing finger indicated, I leaped to my feet the information of incredulity for there, sailing parallel with the coast at an altitude of not more than a thousand feet, was a ship, the lines of which I knew as I had known my mother's face. It was the Barsoom!' Grasping Naila by the arm, I dragged her to her feet. "'Come!' "'Quick, Naila!' I cried, and urged her rapidly toward our hut where we had stored the wings and the gas bags which we had never thought to use again. Yet protected carefully, though why we knew not. There was still gas in the bags enough to support us in the air with the existence of our wings, but to fly thus for long distances would have been most fatiguing, and there was even a question as to whether we could cross the ten miles of sea that lay between us and the mainland. Yet I was determined to attempt it. Hastily we donned the wings and bags, and rising together flapped slowly in the direction of the mainland. The Barsoom was cruising slowly along a line that would cross hours before we could reach the shore, but I hoped that they would cite us and investigate. We flew as rapidly as I dared, for I could take no chances upon exhausting Naila, knowing that it would be absolutely impossible for me to support her weight and my own with our depleted gas bags. There was no way in which I could signal to the Barsoom, that we must simply fly to order. That was the best that we could do, and finally, try that we would, I realized that we should be too late to intercept her, and that unless they saw us and changed their course, we should not come close enough to hail them. To see my friends passing so near and yet to be unable to apprise them of my presence filled me with melancholy. Not one of the many vicissitudes and dangers that have passed since I left Earth depressed me more than the sight of the Barsoom forging slowly past us without speaking. I saw our changer course then and move inland, still further from us, and I could not but dwell upon our unhappy condition. Since now, we might never again be able to reach the safety of our island, there being even a question as to whether the gas bags would support us to the mainland. They did, however, and there we alighted and rested while the Barsoom sailed out of sight toward the mountains. I shall not give it up now, Eliacrag. I'm going to follow the Barsoom until we find it, or until we tie in the attempt. I doubt if we can reach the island again, but we can make short flights here on land, and by so doing we may overtake my ship and my companions. After resting for a short time, we arose again, and when we were above the trees I saw the Barsoom far in the distance and again it was circling, this time toward the left. So we altered our course and flew after it, but presently we realized that it was making a great circle and hope renewed within our breasts, giving us the strength to fly on and on, though we were forced to come down often for brief rests. As we neared the ship, we saw that the circles were growing smaller, but it was not until we were within about three miles of her that I realized that she was circling the mouth of a great crater, the walls of which rose several hundred feet above the surrounding country. We had been forced to land again to rest when there flashed upon my mind a sudden realization of the purpose of the Nuvers of the Barsoom. She was investigating the crater, preparatory to an attempt to pass through it into outer space and seek to return to Earth again. As this thought impinged upon my brain, a wave of almost hopeless horror overwhelmed me, as I thought of being definitely left forever by my companions and that by but a few brief minutes Naila was to be robbed of life and happiness and peace, for at that instant the hull of the Barsoom dropped beneath the rim of the crater and disappeared from our view. Rising quickly with Naila, I flew as rapidly as my tired muscles an exhausted gas bag would permit toward the rim of the crater. In my heart of hearts I knew that I should be too late, for once they had decided to make the attempt, the ship would drop like a plummet into the depths, and by the time I reached the mouth of the abyss it would be lost to my view forever. And yet I struggled on, my lungs almost bursting from the exertion of my mad efforts toward speed, Naila trailed far behind, for if either of us could reach the Barsoom in time we should both be saved and I could fly faster than Naila, otherwise I should never have separated myself from her by so much as a hundred yards. Though my lungs were pumping like bellows I ventured to say that my heart stood still for several seconds before I topped the crater's rim. At the same instant that I expected the last vestige of my hopes to be dashed to pieces, irrevocably and forever I crossed the rim and beheld the Barsoom not twenty feet below me, just over the edge of the abyss and upon her deck stood West and Jay and Norton. As I came into view directly above them West whipped out his revolver and leveled it at me, but the instant that his finger pressed the trigger Norton sprang forward and struck his hand aside. My God, sir! I heard the board cry. It is the captain. And then they all recognized me and an instant later I almost collapsed as I fell to the deck of my beloved ship. My first thought was of Naila and at my direction the Barsoom rose swiftly and moved to meet her. Um, great, Scott cried my guest leaping to his feet and looking out of the statero window. I had no idea that I had kept you up all night. Here we are in Paris already. But the rest of your story, I cried. You have not finished it, I know. Last night as you were watching them celebrating in the blue room you made a remark which led me to believe that some terrible calamity threatened the world. It does, you said, and that was what I meant to tell you about but this story of the third incarnation of which I am conscious was necessary to an understanding of how the great catastrophe overwhelmed the people of the earth. What, did you reach earth again? I demanded. Yes, you said, in the year 2036. I had been ten years within Vana but did not know whether it was ten months or a century until we landed on earth. He smiled then. You notice that I still say I. It is sometimes difficult for me to recall which incarnation I am in. Perhaps it will be clearer to you if I say Julian the Fifth returned to earth in 2036 and in the same year his son, Julian the Sixth was born to his wife, Naila the Moonmaid. But how could he return to earth in the disabled Barsoom? Ah, he said. That raises a point that was of great interest to Julian the Fifth. After he regained the Barsoom naturally one of the first questions he asked was as to the condition of the ship and their intentions. And when he learned that they had in reality been intending to pass through the crater toward the earth he questioned them further and discovered that it was the young Ensign Norton who repaired the engine having been able to do it by information that he had gleaned from Orthas after winning the latter's friendship. Thus was explained the intimacy between the two which Julian the Fifth had so deplored by which he now saw the young Norton had encouraged for a patriotic purpose. We are docked now and I must be going. Thank you for your hospitality and for your generous interest and he held out his hand toward me. But the story of Julian the Ninth I insisted am I never to hear that? If we meet again, yes he promised with a smile I shall hold you to it If we meet again, he repeated and departed closing the stateroom door after him.