READ THE NOVEL- Chapters 1-31 - ERBzine

Tarzan on Mars
to the center of the death ring adn stood there waiting,
daggers in hand, to give the best possible accounting for
themselves before being torn to pieces.
He regretted that he could not be at their side helping
them to defend themselves, but even if he should be able to
reach them in time and kill the banth, he reasoned, his action
would be a profligate waste of an opportunity which might be
more beneficial to himself and perhaps to all of the others—
should the turn of events offer unforeseen advantage later on
in the day. When he thought in terms of self-preservation,
however, it was only an indirect consideration for the welfare
of Jane Clayton.
So it was that he was forced to watch the slaughter of
three brave men as the hunger-enraged banth literally tore
them to pieces, and as the onlookers in the seats above
shrieked with hideous laugahter. Again, the apeman was
forced to admire his fellow captives, for instead of cowering
before the horrible sight or whimpering in terror or otherwise
revealing their emotions, they stood at the bars and
looked out in grim silence, awaiting their own turn to be
slaughtered.
As the day wore on into afternoon, it began to appear
that the green men were reserving Tarzan for the finale. By
now, half of the cages were empty and the torn and mutilated
bodies of those who had occupied them now lay strewn about
the bloodied sands of the arena. He had witnessed many a feat
of daring, courage and strength on the part of red and green
captives alike, during which great white apes had actually
been overcome by concerted attacks. But in the end it was always
the same. Superior forces of apes or banths were inevitably
released from the great, shadowed gateway beneath
the jeddak's balcony, and the temporary victors met their
deaths in spite of all their efforts and fighting skill.
Tarzan at last decided that he had had enough. Something
would have to be done for the remaining survivors. Into
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