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by the rising Cluros objects were grotesquely distorted though the light from the
moon was still not sufficient to be of much assistance to her. Nor, as a matter of
fact, did she want light. She could find the stream in the dark, by the simple
expedient of going down hill until she walked into it and she had seen that
bearing trees and many crops grew throughout the valley, so that she would pass
food in plenty ere she reached the stream. If the moon showed her the way more
clearly and thus saved her from an occasional fall, he would, too, show her more
clearly to the strange denizens of the towers, and that, of course, must not be.
Could she have waited until the following night conditions would have been
better, since Cluros would not appear in the heavens at all and so, during
Thuria's absence, utter darkness would reign; but the pangs of thirst and the
gnawing of hunger could be endured no longer with food and drink both in sight,
and so she had decided to risk discovery rather than suffer longer.
Safely past the nearest tower, she moved as rapidly as she felt consistent with
safety, choosing her way wherever possible so that she might take advantage of
the shadows of the trees that grew at intervals and at the same time discover
those which bore fruit. In this latter she met with almost immediate success, for
the very third tree beneath which she halted was heavy with ripe fruit. Never,
thought Tara of Helium, had aught so delicious impinged upon her palate, and
yet it was naught else than the almost tasteless usa, which is considered to be
palatable only after having been cooked and highly spiced. It grows easily with
little irrigation and the trees bear abundantly. The fruit, which ranks high in food
value, is one of the staple foods of the less well-to-do, and because of its
cheapness and nutritive value forms one of the principal rations of both armies
and navies upon Barsoom, a use which has won for it a Martian sobriquet which,
freely translated into English, would be, The Fighting Potato. The girl was wise
enough to eat but sparingly, but she filled her pocket-pouch with the fruit before
she continued upon her way.
Two towers she passed before she came at last to the stream, and here again was
she temperate, drinking but little and that very slowly, contenting herself with
rinsing her mouth frequently and bathing her face, her hands, and her feet; and
even though the night was cold, as Martian nights are, the sensation of
refreshment more than compensated for the physical discomfort of the low
temperature. Replacing her sandals she sought among the growing track near the
stream for whatever edible berries or tubers might be planted there, and found a
couple of varieties that could be eaten raw. With these she replaced some of the
usa in her pocket-pouch, not only to insure a variety but because she found them
more palatable. Occasionally she returned to the stream to drink, but each time
moderately. Always were her eyes and ears alert for the first signs of danger, but
she had neither seen nor heard aught to disturb her. And presently the time
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