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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
CHAPTER VII
THE PHANTOM BOWMEN
As Jav leaped toward him Carthoris laid his hand upon the hilt of his
long…sword。 The Lotharian halted。 The great apartment was empty
save for the four at the dais； yet as Jav stepped back from the menace of
the Heliumite's threatening attitude the latter found himself surrounded by
a score of bowmen。
From whence had they sprung？ Both Carthoris and Thuvia looked
their astonishment。
Now the former's sword leaped from its scabbard； and at the same
instant the bowmen drew back their slim shafts。
Tario had half raised himself upon one elbow。 For the first time he
saw the full figure of Thuvia； who had been concealed behind the person
of Carthoris。
〃Enough！〃 cried the jeddak； raising a protesting hand； but at that very
instant the sword of the Heliumite cut viciously at its nearest antagonist。
As the keen edge reached its goal Carthoris let the point fall to the
floor； as with wide eyes he stepped backward in consternation； throwing
the back of his left hand across his brow。 His steel had cut but empty air…
…his antagonist had vanishedthere were no bowmen in the room！
〃It is evident that these are strangers；〃 said Tario to Jav。 〃Let us first
determine that they knowingly affronted us before we take measures for
punishment。〃
Then he turned to Carthoris； but ever his gaze wandered to the perfect
lines of Thuvia's glorious figure； which the harness of a Barsoomian
princess accentuated rather than concealed。
〃Who are you；〃 he asked； 〃who knows not the etiquette of the court of
the last of jeddaks？〃
〃I am Carthoris； Prince of Helium；〃 replied the Heliumite。 〃And this
is Thuvia； Princess of Ptarth。 In the courts of our fathers men do not
prostrate themselves before royalty。 Not since the First Born tore their
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
immortal goddess limb from limb have men crawled upon their bellies to
any throne upon Barsoom。 Now think you that the daughter of one
mighty jeddak and the son of another would so humiliate themselves？〃
Tario looked at Carthoris for a long time。 At last he spoke。
〃There is no other jeddak upon Barsoom than Tario；〃 he said。 〃There is
no other race than that of Lothar； unless the hordes of Torquas may be
dignified by such an appellation。 Lotharians are white； your skins are red。
There are no women left upon Barsoom。 Your companion is a woman。〃
He half rose from the couch； leaning far forward and pointing an
accusing finger at Carthoris。
〃You are a lie！〃 he shrieked。 〃You are both lies； and you dare to
come before Tario； last and mightiest of the jeddaks of Barsoom； and
assert your reality。 Some one shall pay well for this； Jav； and unless I
mistake it is yourself who has dared thus flippantly to trifle with the good
nature of your jeddak。
〃Remove the man。 Leave the woman。 We shall see if both be lies。
And later； Jav； you shall suffer for your temerity。 There be few of us left；
butKomal must be fed。 Go！〃
Carthoris could see that Jav trembled as he prostrated himself once
more before his ruler； and then； rising； turned toward the Prince of
Helium。
〃Come！〃 he said。
〃And leave the Princess of Ptarth here alone？〃 cried Carthoris。
Jav brushed closely past him； whispering：
〃Follow mehe cannot harm her； except to kill； and that he can do
whether you remain or not。 We had best go nowtrust me。〃
Carthoris did not understand； but something in the urgency of the
other's tone assured him； and so he turned away； but not without a glance
toward Thuvia in which he attempted to make her understand that it was in
her own interest that he left her。
For answer she turned her back full upon him； but not without first
throwing him such a look of contempt that brought the scarlet to his cheek。
Then he hesitated； but Jav seized him by the wrist。
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THUVIA； MAID OF MARS
〃Come！〃 he whispered。 〃Or he will have the bowmen upon you； and
this time there will be no escape。 Did you not see how futile is your steel
against thin air！〃
Carthoris turned unwillingly to follow。 As the two left the room he
turned to his companion。
〃If I may not kill thin air；〃 he asked； 〃how； then； shall I fear that thin
air may kill me？〃
〃You saw the Torquasians fall before the bowmen？〃 asked Jav。
Carthoris nodded。
〃So would you fall before them； and without one single chance for
self…defence or revenge。〃
As they talked Jav led Carthoris to a small room in one of the
numerous towers of the palace。 Here were couches； and Jav bid the
Heliumite be seated。
For several minutes the Lotharian eyed his prisoner； for such Carthoris
now realized himself to be。
〃I am half convinced that you are real；〃 he said at last。
Carthoris laughed。
〃Of course I am real；〃 he said。 〃What caused you to doubt it？ Can
you not see me； feel me？〃
〃So may I see and feel the bowmen；〃 replied Jav； 〃and yet we all know
that they； at least； are not real。〃
Carthoris showed by the expression of his face his puzzlement at each
new reference to the mysterious bowmenthe vanishing soldiery of
Lothar。
〃What； then； may they be？〃 he asked。
〃You really do not know？〃 asked Jav。
Carthoris shook his head negatively。
〃I can almost believe that you have told us the truth and that you are
really from another part of Barsoom； or from another world。 But tell me；
in your own country have you no bowmen to strike terror to the hearts of
the green hordesmen as they slay in company with the fierce banths of
war？〃
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〃We have soldiers；〃 replied Carthoris。 〃We of the red race are all
soldiers； but we have