from a stranger she was offended and righteously indignant。 Indeed；
but I had been a fool。
〃And it was you；〃 she cried； 〃who spoke to me from the tower！
How could I dream that my beloved Virginian lay behind that fierce
beard and that yellow skin？〃
She had been wont to call me her Virginian as a term of endearment；
for she knew that I loved the sound of that beautiful name；
made a thousand times more beautiful and hallowed by her dear lips；
and as I heard it again after all those long years my eyes
became dimmed with tears and my voice choked with emotion。
But an instant did I crush that dear form to me ere Salensus Oll；
trembling with rage and jealousy； shouldered his way to us。
〃Seize the man；〃 he cried to his warriors； and a hundred ruthless
hands tore us apart。
Well it was for the nobles of the court of Okar that John Carter
had been disarmed。 As it was； a dozen of them felt the weight
of my clenched fists； and I had fought my way half up the
steps before the throne to which Salensus Oll had carried Dejah
Thoris ere ever they could stop me。
Then I went down； fighting； beneath a half…hundred warriors； but
before they had battered me into unconsciousness I heard that from
the lips of Dejah Thoris that made all my suffering well worth while。
Standing there beside the great tyrant； who clutched her by the arm；
she pointed to where I fought alone against such awful odds。
〃Think you； Salensus Oll； that the wife of such as he is；〃 she cried；
〃would ever dishonor his memory； were he a thousand times dead；
by mating with a lesser mortal？ Lives there upon any world such
another as John Carter； Prince of Helium？ Lives there another
man who could fight his way back and forth across a warlike planet；
facing savage beasts and hordes of savage men； for the love of a woman？
〃I； Dejah Thoris； Princess of Helium； am his。 He fought for me and won me。
If you be a brave man you will honor the bravery that is his； and you will
not kill him。 Make him a slave if you will； Salensus Oll； but spare his life。
I would rather be a slave with such as he than be Queen of Okar。〃
〃Neither slave nor queen dictates to Salensus Oll；〃 replied the
Jeddak of Jeddaks。 〃John Carter shall die a natural death in the
Pit of Plenty； and the day he dies Dejah Thoris shall become my queen。〃
I did not hear her reply； for it was then that a blow upon my
head brought unconsciousness； and when I recovered my senses only
a handful of guardsmen remained in the audience chamber with me。
As I opened my eyes they goaded me with the points of their swords
and bade me rise。
Then they led me through long corridors to a court far toward the
center of the palace。
In the center of the court was a deep pit； near the edge of which stood
half a dozen other guardsmen； awaiting me。 One of them carried a long
rope in his hands； which he commenced to make ready as we approached。
We had come to within fifty feet of these men when I felt a
sudden strange and rapid pricking sensation in one of my fingers。
For a moment I was nonplused by the odd feeling； and then there
came to me recollection of that which in the stress of my adventure
I had entirely forgottenthe gift ring of Prince Talu of Marentina。
Instantly I looked toward the group we were nearing； at the
same time raising my left hand to my forehead； that the ring might
be visible to one who sought it。 Simultaneously one of the waiting
warriors raised his left hand； ostensibly to brush back his hair；
and upon one of his fingers I saw the duplicate of my own ring。
A quick look of intelligence passed between us； after which I kept
my eyes turned away from the warrior and did not look at him again；
for fear that I might arouse the suspicion of the Okarians。
When we reached the edge of the pit I saw that it was very deep；
and presently I realized I was soon to judge just how far it
extended below the surface of the court； for he who held the rope
passed it about my body in such a way that it could be released
from above at any time； and then； as all the warriors grasped it；
he pushed me forward； and I fell into the yawning abyss。
After the first jerk as I reached the end of the rope that
had been paid out to let me fall below the pit's edge they
lowered me quickly but smoothly。 The moment before the plunge；
while two or three of the men had been assisting in adjusting the
rope about me； one of them had brought his mouth close to my cheek；
and in the brief interval before I was cast into the forbidding
hole he breathed a single word into my ear：
〃Courage！〃
The pit； which my imagination had pictured as bottomless； proved to be
not more than a hundred feet in depth； but as its walls were smoothly
polished it might as well have been a thousand feet； for I could never
hope to escape without outside assistance。
For a day I was left in darkness； and then； quite suddenly；
a brilliant light illumined my strange cell。 I was reasonably
hungry and thirsty by this time； not having tasted food or drink
since the day prior to my incarceration。
To my amazement I found the sides of the pit； that I had
thought smooth； lined with shelves； upon which were the most
delicious viands and liquid refreshments that Okar afforded。
With an exclamation of delight I sprang forward to partake of
some of the welcome food； but ere ever I reached it the light
was extinguished； and； though I groped my way about the chamber；
my hands came in contact with nothing beside the smooth； hard wall
that I had felt on my first examination of my prison。
Immediately the pangs of hunger and thirst began to assail me。
Where before I had had but a mild craving for food and drink；
I now actually suffered for want of it； and all because of the
tantalizing sight that I had had of food almost within my grasp。
Once more darkness and silence enveloped me； a silence that was
broken only by a single mocking laugh。
For another day nothing occurred to break the monotony of my
imprisonment or relieve the suffering superinduced by hunger
and thirst。 Slowly the pangs became less keen； as suffering
deaded the activity of certain nerves； and then the light
flashed on once again； and before me stood an array of new
and tempting dishes； with great bottles of clear water and
flagons of refreshing wine； upon the outside of which the
cold sweat of condensation stood。
Again； with the hunger madness of a wild beast； I sprang
forward to seize those tempting dishes； but； as before；
the light went out and I came to a sudden stop against a hard wall。
Then the mocking laugh rang out for a second time。
The Pit of Plenty！
Ah； what a cruel mind must have devised this exquisite；
hellish torture！ Day after day was the thing repeated；
until I was on the verge of madness； and then； as I had
done in the pits of the Warhoons； I took a new； firm hold
upon my reason and forced it back into the channels of sanity。
By sheer will…power I regained control over my tottering mentality；
and so successful was I that the next time that the light came I sat
quite still and looked indifferently at the fresh and tempting food
almost within my reach。 Glad I was that I had done so； for it gave me
an opportunity to solve the seeming mystery of those vanishing banquets。
As I made no move to reach the food； the torturers left the light
turned on in the hope that at last I could refrain no longer from
giving them the delicious thrill of enjoyment that my former futile
efforts to obtain it had caused。
And as I sat scrutinizing the laden shelves I presently saw
how the thing was accomplished； and so simple was it that I
wondered I had not guessed it before。 The wall of my prison was of
clearest glassbehind the glass were the tantalizing viands。
After nearly an hour the light went out； but this time there was
no mocking laughterat least not upon the part of my tormentors；
but I； to be at quits with them； gave a low laugh that none might
mistake for the cackle of a maniac。
Nine days passed； and I was weak from hunger and thirst； but no
longer sufferingI was past that。 Then； down through the
darkness above； a little parcel fell to the floor at my side。
Indifferently I groped for it； thinking it but some new
invention of my jailers to add to my sufferings。
At last I found ita tiny package wrapped in paper； at the
end of a strong and slender cord。 As I opened it a few lozenges
fell to the floor。 As I gathered them up； feeling of them and
smelling of them； I discovered that they were tablets of
concentrated food such as are quite common in all parts of Barsoom。
Poison！ I thought。
Well； what of it？ Why not end my misery now rather than drag out
a few more wretched days in this dark pit？ Slowly I raised one
of the little pellets to my lips。
〃Good…bye； my Dejah Thoris！〃 I breathed。 〃I have lived for
you and fought for you； and now my next dearest wish is to be
realized； for I shall die for you；〃 and； taking the morsel
in my mouth； I devoured it。
One by one I ate them all； nor ever did anything taste better
than those tiny bits of nourishment； within which I knew must lie
the seeds of deathpossibly of some hideous； torturing death。
As I sat quietly upon the floor of my prison； waiting for the end；
my fingers by accident came in contact with the bit of paper
in which the things had been wrapped； and as I idly played with it；
my mind roaming far back into the past； that I might live again for
a few brief moments before I died some of the many happy moments of
a long and happy life； I became aware of strange protuberances upon
the smooth surface of the parchment…like substance in my hands。
For a time they carried no special significance to my mindI
merely was mildly wondrous