Clinging to me 
I could hear 
Dejah Thoris 
quietly, gratefully sobbing:

"If  we make it, my Chieftain, 
Helium's debt to you 
will be a mighty one; 
even if  we do not, 
for you have saved me from 
far worse than death."

I pressed my fingers upon hers 
as we sped over the moonlit moss, 
each of us in his own thoughts, 
with Dejah Thoris' warm body 
pressed close to mine. 

We rode hard all night 
and through the next day, 
resting but little.

Our plans were so upset 
that we had no food or water, 
and I alone was armed. 

We slept some six hours 
the second night, 
our animals and ourselves
completely fagged. 

Then all the next day we rode,
searching for the great trees 
along the waterway, 
but saw no sign. 

Then the terrible truth--
we were lost.

We had circled, somehow. 
There was no waterway in sight, 
and we were all ready to drop. 

We headed for
a far line of low mountains,
hoping to be able 
to see the missing canal, 
and night came upon us 
before we reached them. 

Almost fainting with exhaustion,
we decided to camp, 
and slept. .

I awakened early 
to discover a huge body 
pressing close to me, 
and opened my eyes 
to find blessed 
old Woola snuggling up. 

The faithful brute had 
followed us across
the trackless waste 
to share our fate, 
and I am not 
ashamed of the tears 
I shed to learn of such a love.

Soon we pushed on, 
but within a mile 
my thoat began
to stumble piteously 
and collapsed. 

Sola said the rest 
and the night air 
would doubtless revive him, 
so I unsaddled and 
left him to his fate. 

Dejah Thoris 
reluctantly agreed 
to ride the remaining thoat, 
at my insistence . . .

Sola and I then walked,
and we had progressed 
nearly to the hills 
when Dejah Thoris, 
from her unwanted 
vantage point 
atop the thoat, 
cried out that 
a great party of mounted men 
was filing down a pass 
several miles away. 

Tharks, undoubtedly, 
looking for us!

They were heading 
away from us, 
so I quickly dismounted 
Dejah Thoris
and commanded the animal 
to lie down. 
We all lay behind him 
to make as small an object
as possible. 
The column had all 
but one last Chieftain 
disappeared 
when he turned, 
swung his glass in our direction
--and stopped! .

I felt a cold sweat, 
and the tension 
on our nerves 
was near breaking 
as we lay motionless, 
barely breathing. 

Suddenly he turned and 
yelled an order 
to his men, 
then without waiting, 
came barrelling 
towards us.

We had but one chance 
and that we must take 
quickly. 

Sighting my strange 
martian rifle on his chest,
I touched the trigger-button, 
and with a sharp explosion 
he pitched backward 
off his flying mount.

Instantly I urged 
my thoat to rise, 
and giving my pistol 
to the two women 
as a last resort, 
ordered them to mount 
and dash for the hills, 
where they might hide 
if they could get there 
before the green men 
were upon us.

I said to Dejah Thoris 
"Goodbye, my Princess. 

We may meet in Helium yet!"

Dejah Thoris objected, 
crying  "Y-You REMAIN?!? 
Then FLY, Sola! 
Dejah Thoris remains to die 
with the man she loves!" 

Those words are 
engraved upon my heart. 

I pressed her lips to mine 
for the very first time. .

--Then I hoisted her 
bodily onto the thoat, 
yelling to Sola
to hold her by force. 

I slapped the thoat hard 
and saw them borne away 
like the wind, 
as Dejah Thoris 
struggled to the last 
to escape Sola's grasp. 

I had two hundred rounds 
for my rifle, including 
one spare magazine.

In a few moments 
I saw green warriors 
mount the ridge 
to look for their Chieftain. 
Soon they spied him, 
and then me, 
and in short order 
the entire horde of perhaps 
a thousand warriors 
was charging at me. 

I made my two hundred rounds 
cost them dearly..

I held them back 
until my gun was empty, 
and tossed it away. 

A glance in the direction 
Sola and Dejah Thoris 
had run showed 
no sign of them, 
nor any pursuit
by the green men, 
who were now 
almost upon me. 

I ran like a mad hare
in the opposite direction, 
drawing my sword.

They raced 
wildly after me, 
and I led them frantically 
away from the hills, 
until finally my foot 
struck a piece of quartz
and I sprawled 
upon the moss, 
and they were on me. 
They rained blows upon me 
in perfect torrents; 
all was black, 
and I went down 
beneath them to oblivion..