Adventure Magazine Cover — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

The Temple and others, employ such vapors as this lake gives off; draw them into huge bellows and seal them, for future use in warfare.” “What? A primitive gas?” | “Exactly. But who knows? There is the sulfur spring—the water is good.” The gorge was widening. They rode up to a huge jet of water which leaped from the rock, discoloring everything around, and was gone again within twenty feet. The water was strongly impregnated, highly charged, but was excellent in taste. The two rode on again,’ the oppressing walls of rock growing imperceptibly wider. Here was no great erosion, as Severn could perceive; in this bowl among the hills the elements had been futile. The place was primitive, volcanic. The way became strewn with blocks of shiny black obsidian fallen from the high cliffs. The walls were strati- fied with garish streaks of color from molten metals, intermingled ores. Presently an- other wayside spring appeared, this time of streaming water that jetted and hissed over the rocks. Forward again. About them reigned a terrible and unearthly silence. There was no other token of human presence. The click of the horses’ hoofs fled out upon the windless air and returned again from the high walls; a volley of echoes accompanied them, rose all about them, until it. seemed that upon their heels marched a cavalry of thousands, a ghostly company of shadows. When they spoke, the walls threwback the words in a storm of sibilant whisperings which smote them into silence. How long a time passed, Severn did not remember; but it was long enough. Pres- ently a burst of sunlight, and they were riding in the undiluted glory of midday— and now Fandi Singh drew rein and pointed ahead. “The purple grass, the lake. The abode of Esrun.”’ ‘ Severn looked, and ahead of him, on a gentle declivity, made out stunted brush and the green of grass. Yet it was not the livid green of true chlorophyl, but a strange purplish-sheened green. Several drome- daries were in sight, grazing quietly; they inspected the two horsemen without fear. Toward the lake appeared low trees. The entire opening was truly a bowl among the mountains, walled in by inhospitable peaks and shut out of the world. Beyond the trees came the shimmering of the Ten 149 glint of water. As he rode nearer Severn made out to the left a long flat overgrown with parasitic reeds which bore flowers of that very intense scarlet which nature often associates with danger. “T think those reeds have something to do with the poisonous mists,” said Sir Fandi. — “‘The flowers are oddly marked with a cross in black.” “So? It is a botanical fact,” answered Severn thoughtfully, ‘‘that no plant bearing a cross is injuriovs to man. Obviously the lake is receding from that flat. The mist may come from the mud, or from minute animalcule. -What’s the program?” - “Camp among the trees, turn the horses loose and await what happens.” Now, to the right and on the opposite side, Severn perceived that the laké was en- closed by walls of rock. It hardly deserved the name of lake, being a scant quarter- mile in diameter. The crags which arose straight out of the water were .tortuous, twisted in mad shapes, and seemed to have been poured from molten stone. So, in- deed, they had. ‘‘This was once the maw of a velcano,” said Severn when they dismounted. “A minor outlet, perhaps, of some ancient cone farther up in the peaks. Where are the steamy fissures you mentioned as being used for—er—burials?”’ Fandi Singh, busy with his saddle-girths, waved his hand toward the right. “Over there among the rocks.” The air was windless, hot, unstirred. When the horses were turned free te crop at the grass Severn strode down to the lake- side. Here were no shallows nor reeds, but a sandy shore and quick depth; the water was cleaf, cold, entirely innocuous. Severn rejoined his companion. They - lunched beneath the low trees, and Sir Fandi, who was still feeling the effects of his long and hard ride to catch the caravan, proposed that one watch and one sleep. Severn was in no mood for sleep and gladly chose the first watch. The Rajput was lustily snoring within five minutes. Pipe alight, Severn strolled along the shore to the right. There had been no at- tempt to conceal their presence. Hiding- places there were none; they must chance the possibility that Esrun was on guard and would see them. -Yet in all this place was no hint of habitation, no token or evidence of any human presence besides their own. CEOPMICGLOOOKS (C@)