a princess of mars-第2章

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tepees；　and　there　were　probably　half　a　thousand　red　warriors

clustered　around　some　object　near　the　center　of　the　camp。

Their　attention　was　so　wholly　riveted　to　this　point　of　interest

that　they　did　not　notice　me；　and　I　easily　could　have

turned　back　into　the　dark　recesses　of　the　gorge　and　made

my　escape　with　perfect　safety。　　The　fact；　however；　that　this

thought　did　not　occur　to　me　until　the　following　day　removes

any　possible　right　to　a　claim　to　heroism　to　which　the　narration

of　this　episode　might　possibly　otherwise　entitle　me。



I　do　not　believe　that　I　am　made　of　the　stuff　which

constitutes　heroes；　because；　in　all　of　the　hundreds　of　instances

that　my　voluntary　acts　have　placed　me　face　to　face　with

death；　I　cannot　recall　a　single　one　where　any　alternative

step　to　that　I　took　occurred　to　me　until　many　hours　later。

My　mind　is　evidently　so　constituted　that　I　am　subconsciously

forced　into　the　path　of　duty　without　recourse　to　tiresome

mental　processes。　　However　that　may　be；　I　have　never　regretted

that　cowardice　is　not　optional　with　me。



In　this　instance　I　was；　of　course；　positive　that　Powell　was

the　center　of　attraction；　but　whether　I　thought　or　acted　first

I　do　not　know；　but　within　an　instant　from　the　moment　the

scene　broke　upon　my　view　I　had　whipped　out　my　revolvers

and　was　charging　down　upon　the　entire　army　of　warriors；

shooting　rapidly；　and　whooping　at　the　top　of　my　lungs。

Singlehanded；　I　could　not　have　pursued　better　tactics；　for

the　red　men；　convinced　by　sudden　surprise　that　not　less

than　a　regiment　of　regulars　was　upon　them；　turned　and　fled

in　every　direction　for　their　bows；　arrows；　and　rifles。



The　view　which　their　hurried　routing　disclosed　filled　me

with　apprehension　and　with　rage。　　Under　the　clear　rays　of　the

Arizona　moon　lay　Powell；　his　body　fairly　bristling　with　the

hostile　arrows　of　the　braves。　　That　he　was　already　dead　I

could　not　but　be　convinced；　and　yet　I　would　have　saved　his

body　from　mutilation　at　the　hands　of　the　Apaches　as

quickly　as　I　would　have　saved　the　man　himself　from　death。



Riding　close　to　him　I　reached　down　from　the　saddle；

and　grasping　his　cartridge　belt　drew　him　up　across　the　withers

of　my　mount。　　A　backward　glance　convinced　me　that　to

return　by　the　way　I　had　come　would　be　more　hazardous

than　to　continue　across　the　plateau；　so；　putting　spurs　to　my

poor　beast；　I　made　a　dash　for　the　opening　to　the　pass　which

I　could　distinguish　on　the　far　side　of　the　table　land。



The　Indians　had　by　this　time　discovered　that　I　was　alone

and　I　was　pursued　with　imprecations；　arrows；　and　rifle　balls。

The　fact　that　it　is　difficult　to　aim　anything　but　imprecations

accurately　by　moonlight；　that　they　were　upset　by　the　sudden

and　unexpected　manner　of　my　advent；　and　that　I　was　a

rather　rapidly　moving　target　saved　me　from　the　various

deadly　projectiles　of　the　enemy　and　permitted　me　to　reach

the　shadows　of　the　surrounding　peaks　before　an　orderly

pursuit　could　be　organized。



My　horse　was　traveling　practically　unguided　as　I　knew

that　I　had　probably　less　knowledge　of　the　exact　location　of

the　trail　to　the　pass　than　he；　and　thus　it　happened　that　he

entered　a　defile　which　led　to　the　summit　of　the　range　and　not

to　the　pass　which　I　had　hoped　would　carry　me　to　the

valley　and　to　safety。　　It　is　probable；　however；　that　to　this

fact　I　owe　my　life　and　the　remarkable　experiences　and

adventures　which　befell　me　during　the　following　ten　years。



My　first　knowledge　that　I　was　on　the　wrong　trail　came

when　I　heard　the　yells　of　the　pursuing　savages　suddenly

grow　fainter　and　fainter　far　off　to　my　left。



I　knew　then　that　they　had　passed　to　the　left　of　the　jagged

rock　formation　at　the　edge　of　the　plateau；　to　the　right　of

which　my　horse　had　borne　me　and　the　body　of　Powell。



I　drew　rein　on　a　little　level　promontory　overlooking　the

trail　below　and　to　my　left；　and　saw　the　party　of　pursuing

savages　disappearing　around　the　point　of　a　neighboring　peak。



I　knew　the　Indians　would　soon　discover　that　they　were

on　the　wrong　trail　and　that　the　search　for　me　would　be　renewed

in　the　right　direction　as　soon　as　they　located　my　tracks。



I　had　gone　but　a　short　distance　further　when　what

seemed　to　be　an　excellent　trail　opened　up　around　the　face　of

a　high　cliff。　　The　trail　was　level　and　quite　broad　and　led　upward

and　in　the　general　direction　I　wished　to　go。　　The　cliff

arose　for　several　hundred　feet　on　my　right；　and　on　my　left

was　an　equal　and　nearly　perpendicular　drop　to　the　bottom

of　a　rocky　ravine。



I　had　followed　this　trail　for　perhaps　a　hundred　yards

when　a　sharp　turn　to　the　right　brought　me　to　the　mouth　of

a　large　cave。　　The　opening　was　about　four　feet　in　height　and

three　to　four　feet　wide；　and　at　this　opening　the　trail　ended。



It　was　now　morning；　and；　with　the　customary　lack　of　dawn

which　is　a　startling　characteristic　of　Arizona；　it　had　become

daylight　almost　without　warning。



Dismounting；　I　laid　Powell　upon　the　ground；　but　the　most

painstaking　examination　failed　to　reveal　the　faintest　spark

of　life。　　I　forced　water　from　my　canteen　between　his　dead

lips；　bathed　his　face　and　rubbed　his　hands；　working　over　him

continuously　for　the　better　part　of　an　hour　in　the　face　of

the　fact　that　I　knew　him　to　be　dead。



I　was　very　fond　of　Powell；　he　was　thoroughly　a　man　in

every　respect；　a　polished　southern　gentleman；　a　staunch　and

true　friend；　and　it　was　with　a　feeling　of　the　deepest　grief　that

I　finally　gave　up　my　crude　endeavors　at　resuscitation。



Leaving　Powell's　body　where　it　lay　on　the　ledge　I　crept

into　the　cave　to　reconnoiter。　　I　found　a　large　chamber；

possibly　a　hundred　feet　in　diameter　and　thirty　or　forty　feet

in　height；　a　smooth　and　well…worn　floor；　and　many　other

evidences　that　the　cave　had；　at　some　remote　period；　been　inhabited。

The　back　of　the　cave　was　so　lost　in　dense　shadow　that　I　could　not

distinguish　whether　there　were　openings　into　other　apartments　or　not。



As　I　was　continuing　my　examination　I　commenced　to　feel

a　pleasant　drowsiness　creeping　over　me　which　I　attributed

to　the　fatigue　of　my　long　and　strenuous　ride；　and　the　reaction

from　the　excitement　of　the　fight　and　the　pursuit。　　I　felt

comparatively　safe　in　my　present　location　as　I　knew　that

one　man　could　defend　the　trail　to　the　cave　against　an　army。



I　soon　became　so　drowsy　that　I　could　scarcely　resist　the

strong　desire　to　throw　myself　on　the　floor　of　the　cave　for

a　few　moments'　rest；　but　I　knew　that　this　would　never　do；　as

it　would　mean　certain　death　at　the　hands　of　my　red　friends；

who　might　be　upon　me　at　any　moment。　　With　an　effort　I

started　toward　the　opening　of　the　cave　only　to　reel　drunkenly

against　a　side　wall；　and　from　there　slip　prone　upon　the　floor。









CHAPTER　II





THE　ESCAPE　OF　THE　DEAD





A　sense　of　delicious　dreaminess　overcame　me；　my　muscles

relaxed；　and　I　was　on　the　point　of　giving　way　to　my　desire

to　sleep　when　the　sound　of　approaching　horses　reached　my

ears。　　I　attempted　to　spring　to　my　feet　but　was　horrified　to

discover　that　my　muscles　refused　to　respond　to　my　will。　　I　was

now　thoroughly　awake；　but　as　unable　to　move　a　muscle　as

though　turned　to　stone。　　It　was　then；　for　the　first　time；　that　I

noticed　a　slight　vapor　filling　the　cave。　　It　was　extremely

tenuous　and　only　noticeable　against　the　opening　which　led　to

daylight。　　There　also　came　to　my　nostrils　a　faintly　pungent

odor；　and　I　could　only　assume　that　I　had　been　overcome　by

some　poisonous　gas；　but　why　I　should　retain　my　mental

faculties　and　yet　be　unable　to　move　I　could　not　fathom。



I　lay　facing　the　opening　of　the　cave　and　where　I　could　see

the　short　stretch　of　trail　which　lay　between　the　cave　and　the

turn　of　the　cliff　around　which　the　trail　led。　　The　noise　of　the

approaching　horses　had　ceased；　and　I　judged　the　Indians　were

creeping　stealthily　upon　me　along　the　little　ledge　which　led　to

my　living　tomb。　　I　remember　that　I　hoped　they　would　make

short　work　of　me　as　I　did　not　particu