A silk lay upon the floor. It had not been
there before. There were also a dagger and several metal ornaments
strewn about as though torn from their wearer in a struggle. But
worst of all, the door leading to the pits where I had hidden my
Princess was ajar.
With a bound I was before it, and, thrusting it open, rushed
within. Dejah Thoris had vanished. I called her name aloud again
and again, but there was no response. I think in that instant I
hovered upon the verge of insanity. I do not recall what I said
or did, but I know that for an instant I was seized with the rage
of a maniac.
"Issus!" I cried. "Issus! Where is Issus? Search the temple for
her, but let no man harm her but John Carter. Carthoris, where
are the apartments of Issus?"
"This way," cried the boy, and, without waiting to know that I
had heard him, he dashed off at breakneck speed, further into the
bowels of the temple. As fast as he went, however, I was still
beside him, urging him on to greater speed.
At last we came to a great carved door, and through this Carthoris
dashed, a foot ahead of me. Within, we came upon such a scene as
I had witnessed within the temple once before--the throne of Issus,
with the reclining slaves, and about it the ranks of soldiery.
We did not even give the men a chance to draw, so quickly were we
upon them. With a single cut I struck down two in the front rank.
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