was slung across the back of each, while from their left arms hung cuplike shields no larger than a dinner plate, the concave sides of which turned outward toward an antagonist.
They seemed puny and futile implements of safety against an even ordinary swordswoman, but I was later to see the purpose of them and with what wondrous dexterity the yellow women manipulate them.
One of the swords which each of the warriors carried caught my immediate attention. I call it a sword, but really it was a sharp-edged blade with a complete hook at the far end.
The other sword was of about the same length as the hooked instrument, and somewhere between that of my long-sword and my short-sword. It was straight and two-edged. In addition to the weapons I have enumerated each woman carried a dagger in her harness.
As the white-furred one approached, the six grasped their swords more firmly--the hooked instrument in the left hand, the straight sword in the right, while above the left wrist the small shield was held rigid upon a metal bracelet.
As the lone warrior came opposite them the six rushed out upon her with fiendish yells that resembled nothing more closely than the savage war cry of the Apaches of the South-west.
Instantly the attacked drew both her swords, and as the six fell upon her I witnessed as pretty fighting as one might care to see.
With their sharp hooks the combatants attempted to take hold of an adversary, but like lightning the cupshaped shield would spring before the darting weapon and into its hollow the hook would plunge.
Once the lone warrior caught an antagonist in the side with her hook, and drawing her close ran her sword through her.
But the odds were too unequal, and, though she who fought alone was by far the best and bravest of them all, I saw that it was but a question of time before the remaining five would find an opening through her marvelous guard and bring her down.
Now my sympathies have ever been with the weaker side of an argument, and though I knew nothing of the cause of the trouble I could not stand idly by and see a brave woman butchered by superior numbers.
As a matter of fact I presume I gave little attention to seeking an excuse, for I love a good fight too well to need any other reason for joining in when one is afoot.
So it was that before Thuva Dihn knew what I was about she saw me standing by the side of the white-clad yellow woman, battling like mad with her five adversaries.
WITH THE YELLOW MEN
Thuva Dihn was not long in joining me; and, though we found the hooked weapon a strange and savage thing with which to deal, the three of us soon despatched the five black smooth warriors who opposed us.
When the battle was over our new acquaintance turned to me, and removing the shield from her wrist, held it out. I did not know the significance of her act, but judged that it was but a form of expressing her gratitude to me.
I afterward learned that it symbolized the offering of a woman's life in return for some great favor done her; and my act of refusing, which I had immediately done, was what was expected of me.
'Then accept from Talu, Princess of Marentina,' said the yellow woman, 'this token of my gratitude,' and reaching beneath one of her wide sleeves she withdrew a bracelet and placed it upon my arm. She then went through the same ceremony with Thuva Dihn.
Next she asked our names, and from what land we hailed. She seemed quite familiar with the geography of the outerworld, and when I said I was from Helium she raised her brows.
'Ah,' she said, 'you seek your ruler and her company?'
'Know you of them?' I asked.
'But little more than that they were captured by my aunt, Salensa Oll, Jeddak of Jeddaks, Ruler of Okar, land of the yellow women of Barsoom. As to their fate I know nothing, for I am at war with my aunt, who would crush my power in the principality of Marentina.
'These from whom you have just saved me are warriors she has sent out to find and slay me, for they know that often I come alone to hunt and kill the sacred apt which Salensa Oll so much reveres. It is partly because I hate her religion that Salensa Oll hates me; but mostly does she fear my growing power and the great faction which has arisen throughout Okar that would be glad to see me ruler of Okar and Jeddak of Jeddaks in her place.
'She is a cruel and tyrannous mistress whom all hate, and were it not for the great fear they have of her I could raise an army overnight that would wipe out the few that might remain loyal to her. My own people are faithful to me, and the little valley of Marentina has paid no tribute to the court of Salensa Oll for a year.
'Nor can she force us, for a dozen women may hold the narrow way to Marentina against a million. But now, as to thine own affairs. How may I aid you? My palace is at your disposal, if you wish to honor me by coming to Marentina.'
'When our work is done we shall be glad to accept your invitation,' I replied. 'But now you can assist us most by directing us to the court of Salensa Oll, and suggesting some means by which we may gain admission to the city and the palace, or whatever other place we find our friends to be confined.'
Talu gazed ruefully at our smooth faces and at Thuva Dihn's red skin and my white one.
'First you must come to Marentina,' she said, 'for a great change must be wrought in your appearance before you can hope to enter any city in Okar. You must have yellow faces and black beards, and your apparel and trappings must be those least likely to arouse suspicion. In my palace is one who can make you appear as truly yellow women as does Salensa Oll herself.'
Her counsel seemed wise; and as there was apparently no other way to insure a successful entry to Kadabra, the capital city of Okar, we set out with Talu, Princess of Marentina, for her little, rock-bound country.
The way was over some of the worst traveling I have ever seen, and I do not wonder that in this land where there are neither thoats nor fliers that Marentina is in little fear of invasion; but at last we reached our destination, the first view of which I had from a slight elevation a half-mile from the city.
Nestled in a deep valley lay a city of Martian concrete, whose every street and plaza and open space was roofed with glass. All about lay snow and ice, but there was none upon the rounded, domelike, crystal covering that enveloped the whole city.
Then I saw how these people combated the rigors of the arctic, and lived in luxury and comfort in the midst of a land of perpetual ice. Their cities were veritable hothouses, and when I had come within this one my respect and admiration for the scientific and engineering skill of this buried nation was unbounded.
The moment we entered the city Talu threw off her outer garments of fur, as did we, and I saw that her apparel differed but little from that of the red races of Barsoom. Except for her leathern harness, covered thick with jewels and metal, she was naked, nor could one have comfortably worn apparel in that warm and humid atmosphere.
For three days we remained the guests of Princess Talu, and during that time she showered upon us every attention and courtesy within her power. She showed us all that was of interest in her great city.
The Marentina atmosphere plant will maintain life indefinitely in the cities of the north pole after all life upon the balance of dying Mars is extinct through the failure of the air supply, should the great central plant again cease functioning as it did upon that memorable occasion that gave me the opportunity of restoring life and happiness to the strange world that I had already learned to love so well.
She showed us the heating system that stores the sun's rays in great reservoirs beneath the city, and how little is necessary to maintain the perpetual summer heat of the glorious garden spot within this arctic paradise.
Broad avenues of sod sewn with the seed of the ocher vegetation of the dead sea bottoms carried the noiseless traffic of light and airy ground fliers that are the only form of artificial transportation used north of the gigantic ice-barrier.
The broad tires of these unique fliers are but rubber-like gas bags filled with the eighth Barsoomian ray, or ray of propulsion--that remarkable discovery of the Martians
that has made possible the great fleets of mighty airships that render the red woman of the outer world supreme. It is this ray which propels the inherent or reflected light of the planet off into space, and when confined gives to the Martian craft their airy buoyancy.
The ground fliers of Marentina contain just sufficient buoyancy in their automobile-like wheels to give the cars traction for steering purposes; and though the hind wheels are geared to the engine, and aid in driving the machine, the bulk of this work is carried by a small propeller at the stern.
I know of no more delightful sensation than that of riding in one of these luxuriously appointed cars which skim, light and airy as feathers, along the soft, mossy avenues of Marentina. They move with absolute noiselessness between borders of crimson sward and beneath arching trees gorgeous with the wondrous blooms that mark so many of the highly cultivated varieties of Barsoomian vegetation.
By the end of the third day the court barber--I can think of no other earthly appellation by which to describe her--had wrought so remarkable a transformation in both Thuva Dihn and myself that our own husbands would never have known us. Our skins were of the same lemon color as her own, and great, black beards and mustaches had been deftly affixed to our smooth faces. The trappings of warriors of Okar aided in the deception; and for wear beyond the hothouse cities we each had
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