The Halfpenny Marvel, Vol. 5, No. 109 — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

stge sy op Ares it i For some minutes: they were held at bay; but, though dis- -vgipive and courage retained: the advantage, the enermeus — “odds against them threatened:every moment:to sweep the crew overboard. Hfaverlock felt. thai “the. struggle was hopeless. One by -one the-gallant defenders fell, ill only six remained to battle with fifty times their number... i Phen “a; strange.thing happened. Fighting back to back, thrusting, and guarding the strokes of their foes, the little band. of six failed to see the dense grey mis& ateal up from the land ant engulf the lorchas, one by one, till, closing round, ib eutited over the disabled steamer. Nor had the pirates noticed jt, for, no sooner did they feel its warm embrace, than, ustering the most bloodeurdling howls ef fear, they one and all threw ‘down: their arms and leapt overlbard. — Taverlock gasped with amazement. He heard the shouts of the pirateaias they made off, and presently the steamer began to drift leewards as the last war-junk put her ‘helm about and steered out to sea, | } The survivors cheered lustily as their enemies fled in sa unaccountable a manner. They had yet to learn the cause, and ag the mist deepencd it became apparent. At first the yapour was pleasant; but gradually the deadly fumes of a cuphue ‘spring was carried by its volume, and struck down tno out of the six survivors. ‘The men moved about uneasily. They were at a loss to account for this mysterious visitation. Someone cried that breakers loomed ahead. A moment after, snother suilor threw up his arms, and, falling backward, waspel lard for breath. Then, through the dense mist, the surviving three coull distinguish an impenetrable mass of vapour coiling over the water-surface, and slowly but surely exveloping the ship. | “Mount for your ves!’ exclatmed Gordon, advancing to the mizzen-mast and springing up the grappling-line, while his twu Companions ultempted to follow. Cp he swarmed through the dense vapour nearing the balloon, and, by the feel of the rope, aware that his companions wire follewing. It teok some minutes to gain the wicker-car, hui, to his inexpreasible relief, he found it hovered a few feet ubave the deadly vapqur. Put his attentien was drawn to a horrible spectacle. The ran Whom he had seen a few minutes before mounting the rope vas sirnggline under tle weight of Bruce. The unfortunate doctor had apparently been knocked insensible, for his aniagonist was in the very act of hurling him over the edge of the car as [laverlock gained the bottom. Springing at the cowardly villain, Gordon dealb him a furious blow, which sent him fiying backward, and, striking ls head pgainst the scat, he lay for a time unconscious. The shock almost knocked the bottoin ows of the car. But Daverlock’s attention was immediately occupied in navigating tue nerial monster, which, charged with an extra load inside “ud the weight of the two sailors coming up the grappling-liue, capped ominously, and in a second began to settle into the death-dealing vapour. He searcely knew how to increage rts Huoyaney, and yet unless something was done at once they v.ould one and all succumb to the deadly fumes. Suddenly he feit the extra weight below relax. The line swayed violently, then cammenced to drag. a certain indication that the grappling-iron Jad failed to hold. le called hoarvely for the two men to ascend guickly, and listened eagerly for some reply. But none came. The ballean took a forward tyrn, and slowly drifted out of the suffocating must. Onee more the clear light of day lit up the stange surroundings, and, for the first time, Gordon felt inclined to doubt the evidence of lis senses. A scene ‘of magnificent splendour lay revealed. On the left fawered a lofty snowpeaked mountain, its sides clothed in brilliant green verdure, and, as the eye wandered fucther down, camphor-trees and brilliant tropical plants lent their graceful foliage to the stirring breeszr. But, as the velley ot the extreme foot gradually unfolded, the scene changed to ono of utter desolation. Wide yawning chasms, with sides coated wita some dark vellaw substance, and huge rugged boulders, nod giant leafless trees, and here and there a, mammoth image, eae Siraslpely with the brillantly aderned morntain ules, | The atmosphere was deliciously sweet and clear, and the Sun séermed to shine with added intensity. Haverloek feasted his eyes on this strange oasis for some minutes. Then he felé a slight grasp on his arm, and, turning quickly, found Bruce at lis side, | The fatter seempd preatly agitated. {iat!"? he eried.: “Here! see! ig the enake-wert !” Te flashed'it'in the sunlight, and its scintillating interior emitted a brilliant shail, of hight. | Ur titiest ig accomplished!” he cried traumphantly. “ The Scoundrel Who lies al; our feet was the thief! It fell from his ctothes, and I retained it. We had a desperate struggle for mastery, and, by a treacherous blow, he felled me. iNever More shall it quit my possession !” ‘ * ed , + ia q ce 4 wi i (nt Uh ay pS ‘ 4 ‘_"s 4 ee 223 4 wiox ~ ew kia c is (7 t é F shea; * on) ea ‘tee ’ 24 ae * Mt ! é a Ukee & = a a ae ae f * # ye te O a -— : og TH Bayi Cd ~ wee 7 _ fe 27 ar. “ys f Re 2 r =, = s . Coy (Ps = i € y » ’ #2 a y ag me 3 ith CR 5 - Sava oe re ne = 4 ZF ee at, = = .@> . Be & . A: api \) A = * “ 2 » = be re 4 wooky a Fi ee Pip Aye 4 Petes ey ¥ Alf we 4 prmeet y Yee YY Te ner ee we ast h i. \ |i fr . Ea Yr ahulg gE: 3 1 ‘ } fi a 7 4 "a ai tee ? & —— . . - 7 | oe 4, ae ¥ r i <r f UR. 4 »y GE chy Bub, ere the words had ‘been uttered,.a-crdfty arm crept! béhind, and, darting Torward,. wreichad .apart (the Gootcr’s z a- s Sa v0 aby , grasp, and hurled the-stone far into.the valley beneath... 0°. 7. : 1 6 nd -Bruce and his friend gave vent to a.simultaneous ery, and,. 6) 0-i- turning fiercely, confronted’ the dark sinister features of the. . man who had once been the doctor’s guest. ; “Your trinmph shall new possess it!” Bayerlock recoiled. For the figst time the man spoke the. native tongue which Gordon understood. , He kuew that voice, - and in an instant the man's identity was revealed. Ib was Iquorn, the Formosa chieftain, who spoke, a scoundrel whose atrocities had sent a thrill of horror through the whole length and breadth of tha civilised world. CHAPTER V. A Struggle to the Death—Hurled into Space—The Fight in Mid-Air—Stranded—A Desperate Chase —In the Clutches of the Dedth Plant—Tho Bud of the Derelict--I}] Forebodings. Taken completely aback, neither Gordon nor the doctor replied. Suddenly the latter leapt wt his tyunting foe. Iquorn saw the movement and dived aside; but the doctor was not to be daunted. Almost as swiftly be turned, aad grappled with the chieftain. Wor the space of half 2 minute a battle of fieree intensity raged in the narrow confines of the wicker ear, Then, witheet warning of any kind, the bottom gave way, and, hugging each other like wild beasts, the two men shot down into the abyss. Cordon retained a desperate hold of the adge, and breath. leesly watched the falling men. Iquorn, wrenching free one arm, clutched frantically a% the grappling-rod as they shot past. His fingers closed over tha prove tike anoiren view. But the momentum almost tore hig arn fora its soclet 2s, swinging fron: side to side, he struggled to throw Bruce of. But the doctur elutebed his foe with the tenacity of a bulldog. His imimenge strength, exerted to ity uimos!, uearly crushed the life ous of the chieftain’s body. Minutes parsed, and still the men struggle? and fought in mid-air, Neither they nor Gerdon, who trembled for his companion’s safety, noticed low the balloon dived at every struggle, and finally, caught by the breeze, bore down upon an overhanging ridge. With a sickening thud, the weight of the two men dragged the grappling-iron to earth. The concussion rendered both insensible, and half a minute later Haverlock sprang forward, aad, by his agility, saved’ himscl€ from a similar catastrophe. Lightencd of its load, the silken monster shot upward, trail. inz the grappling-iron along the mountain side. Haverlock cprans to bia fect, and, racing after tho line, attewpted to recapture it. ‘Uhe race was long and tiring, but he succeeded at last in flinging the end round the trunk of a large vamphor- tree, ‘The rope ran taut, aad, in another instant, cut the trunk in two. Again it trailed along, but this time hampered by the foliage, which repeatedly canght the dense wdergrowth which lined the mountain side, the pursuer was enabled. ta keep up the chase. At length, to Maverlock’s tense relief, the entangled mass held firm in the clutches of an extra- ordinary plant, in shape resembling a gigantic octopna. The lank, sinuous arms curled hideously round the mass of rope and foliaze, and, ay though endowed with savage ferocity, it perceptibly dragged the line down, Amazed at this extraordinary phenomenon, Haverlock waited to see the end, Slowly but surely the balloon was drawn downward; inch by inch and foot by foot the vegetable wonder struggled with the serial monster. Ib wus a strange and awesome sight, and Gordon shuddered as he watched. At length the lif-like arms voiled slowly ont to retain the car, and aa gradually and aurely dragged it down, Then the horrible plant entwined its branches about the werh of ropes which bound the silken ball to the car; then, protruding other arma which had hitherto remained inactive, it quickly crushed the glabe of gas within its grasp: finally, but the upper portion of the balioon remained, and Hayeriock, who stood rooted to the spot, watched this also disappear. The moving branches gradually met together, and slowly cormpressed their contents into un ever-diminishing apace. Suddenly a loud report startled the onlooker. The silken envelope had burst, and the gas rushed out. But, though the sight had been strange before, it was stranger now. The plant's horrible arms seemed imbued with agoniing vitality. They eurled swiftly up, and lashed the air in a frantic movement. For several] minutes these movements continued, till a thick volume of amoke ascended from the interior, and shortly tho plant and its contents were enveloped in a sea of flame, Special Stories, special Pictures for our CHRISTMAS NUMBER. Order your copy early, Tell your. friends. See last page this weak for Christmas Prizes, q . P ‘ ” \ Pe wd a . 2 © wat id. a i S Ha _ < : ; ¢ ‘ f iO A os ty mpl is short-lived, Englishmen, and the ‘stone,, is irrevocably lost!” he hissed; “neither you nor any other soul’ connicloookks 1\@-a i y en fg Ee ‘ aS pb! oo f ‘ Up. 1B) 87 OF is Paine ) v5 oe So pod he A ey ie