READ THE NOVEL- Chapters 1-31 - ERBzine

Tarzan on Mars
XIII
OF LOVE AND VALOR
WITH his mind centered exclusively on the secret
chamber he sought, Kar Komak entered the somber pile
without considering the possibility of danger. Of course, in
the ancient deserted cities of Barsoom, one might always
chance upon a family of great white apes, or upon a visiting
tribe of green men. However, the presence of green men is
usually marked by their great, ferocious thoats, and of these
he had discovered no evidence. Evidently the fear of the
phantom bowmen who had guarded Lothar for ages was still
very much alive among the giant green vandals of the sea
bottoms, and they had no yet learned that Lothar had been
abandoned by its masters.
As for the great white apes, well—they had fallen under
the bold stroke of a sword before this. And he was young.
This new, delicious emotion which had taken hold of him
seemed to make all things possible. Danger was as remote to
him now as were the repressed admonitions of reason.
Kar Komak was in love—in love with the ideal woman of
his secret and lonely dreams. Perhaps even now she waited
for him to release her from the chrysalis of his might will into
the reality of his arms!
Various ancient radium bulbs in the palace still functioned,
and by their now dim and flickering light he soon
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