Adventure Magazine Cover — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

The horse brought to him and watched in the semi-darkness as Kilgore received reports and issued orders. He had long ago de- cided that he liked these three marvelous men—the American, the Canadian, the Rajput. They were straight, clean men doing big things. And why? What gods did they serve? He could not be sure about this. He judged for himself that they had little reverence for money; this expedition must have cost more than could be re- couped financially. ¢ Not science had» drawn them: into this sieear's section of earth, these weary leagues of stone and sand where indigenous man was lower than most animals. They were not scientists in any sense. The hint came to him with memory of Kilgore’s tone in speaking-of the periodical convoys of virgins sent to Darkan by the novitiate: priests. ~ Severn, because he was essentially the same type of man himself, saw suddenly with the eyes of Kilgore—and compre- hended. There was more to this Temple of the Ten Dromedaries than he knew, more than the rumored tales could furnish. — It was a survival of some ancient culture, now an infected plague-sore that poisoned every- thing around. It was a thing from which the clean mind of a civilized man recoiled, as from some loathsome insect. To this intuitive feeling Severn reacted instinctively. For a year he had been en- gaged in a constant struggle against disaster, a constantly failing effort to escape from the overwhelming tide of a remorseless ‘fate. His friends and companions had gone down. His wife had gone down. His painfully gathered scientific materials had gone down. Reduced to the bone and sinew of his own body, everything else destroyed, he found himself suddenly plucked up and thrown into the company of men who had fought through a wilderness ‘outpost of hell—for what? For nothing selfish. _ Severn caught his breath. Now he per- ceived why those Mongols had been ex- terminated, pitilessly—as one crushes out the loathsome insect in fear and horror. Darkan must be worse even than rumor > pictured the place. #2" * Day saluted at an order from Kilgore, blew three sharp blasts on his whistle and turned to Severn. 3 “We're off, professor!, You’d better ride with me. Bad going before morning— we'll strike the sands again.” 7 Temple of the Ten 139 Sir Fandi Singh, in the saddle of a beauti- ful white stallion, turned and shouted a cheery farewell and trotted away. After him went fifteen of the Sikh troopers, leaving a bare dozen to follow Kilgore. Severn, already in the saddle, reined in be- side Day. “Where are nay off to? We don’t seem to be following them——” Day chuckled. “Blamed good thing we’re not! Any- body following Fandi Singh this night has some job ahead! We've timed our arrival, you see, to coincide with that of the caravan from Urga—the caravan which the novitiate priests bring in every thirty-six days. We’re striking Darkan from the south; the caravan comes in from the northeast. So Fandi is going ahead to catch that caravan as it enters the temple valley. He has fifteen men to do the work of fifty, and to ride like doing it. If any of the Mon- gols get away on the back trail, they’ll raise the tribe. If any of ’em get through, they’ll warn the temple priests. if you want to know what real work is like, you stick with Fandi Singh!” ; Severn was silent for a space. Kilgore drew in at his left; the dozen Sikhs came after them, all unhurried, progressing steadily and surely. Presently Severn spoke. “You have done this with your imagina- tion at work.” | Kilgore understood, and assented. “We've had to look ahead, yes. . The priests have a general slaughter of the wo- men every month—clearing the way for the newcomers. As I said, it’s a nasty affair, Severn; won’t do to dwell’ on. If we can strike. that temple tomorrow -night, we’ll find only the priests there. Fandi Singh has to halt the Urga caravan and rescue the girls it is bringing.” “Suppose you’ve miscalculated dates?” asked Severn... ‘tt ~ “We haven’t miscalculated.” The an- swer was swift, curt, decisive. “By gad, I like you chaps!” exclaimed the scientist impulsively. here before and learned the ropes, good x Yes, sr5<= “Tf you’ve been — | enough; we may get away with it! A lot I. care what the end is—you’re good company to stick with! But is there any truth in the stories of telepathic control?” “More than you’d believe,” said Day | “More than I believed—at first.’ ‘ as dourly. JOO (C@) Sj amie Eon -* a.