Adventure Magazine Cover — page 160: what you’re looking at

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

150 If Esrun were indeed here, he must himself be well concealed. Severn realized suddenly that he was walking past an ordered series of plants. He halted, staring down. A little plot had been fenced about with boulders, and in this plot were growing leafless shoots to a height of six inches. Each shoot held half a dozen buds, none of which were open. Severn stooped and broke off one of the shoots. Studying it, he saw suddenly what it was. “Crocus sativus—the saffron flower!” he exclaimed when he had opened one of the buds and found the three yellow stigmas. 3 is this being grown here, and nothing ees He passed on, wondering not a little. After a little he found himself ina path, lightly beaten amid the purplish grass, and he followed it. This scarcely discernible trail led him to rocky ground, away from the lake and to the right. Suddenly, unex- pectedly, he started back; a step farther and he would have gone into an orifice in the earth—a hole six feet wide, extending across the path in a long crack. Then he saw that the path ended here. He peered down over the edge and saw nothing. A choking sulfur-fume filled his nostrils and he stepped hastily backward. Then he stooped and from a rock where it clung picked up a wisp of torn silk. He understood now—he understood why that recently made path had led him be and the manner in which the Ten disposed of their wives. He had not credited all Kil- gore’s tale, but now he credited everything. The hours passed. Through the after- - noon Severn sat beside the sleeping Rajput or strolled about. He found no indication of any human presence in the valley. Everything was deserted, empty, utterly ignoring the intrusion of man. The drome- daries were tame, and they were fine beasts, as Fandi Singh had said—blooded creatures such as were rarely seen in this part of Central Asia, racers of a fine breed. The afternoon was see when the Rajput wakened. 1 “Nothing has nigpened) ” Severn ex- tended the saffron buds*he had plucked. “Vou know what this is?” The dark features of Sir Fandi lightened. “Ah—the saffron fields of Pampur! I have not seen this outside Kashmir; you ‘Say it is growing here?” Adventure Severn told of finding the bed of seffron roots. The Rajput frowned. . “That is singular! Well “T have a plan,” said — quietly. “We can not stay here indefinitely, waiting for something to happen. We know. that Esrun communicates with his followers by telepathy; well, then let us communicate with him by the s#me means. We must bring him out to a meeting, as I understand the priests always did. In other words, will him here to us!” “But he will know it is fradulent——” “T think not. He is some primitive creature like the rest, who has fallen heir to a power greater than his control or knowledge. He will not be able to read our minds. If we get the message to him, he will come.” “But I can not think in Mongol!” and the Rajput smiled. “I do not know the - tongue.” . “I do. Besides,” added Severn, ‘“‘this is a matter of thought-impulse, not of words. If we reach him with the impulse, I believe we can effect something. Remember, he’s waiting for word from his priests. He’ll we are——”’ “IT think it is all folly,” said Sir Fandi with an air of resignation. ‘But let us try, by all means. En avant! thoughts—charge!”’ Severn smiled, and they sat silent. CHAPTER VII “NEITHER A FOREIGNER, NOR A CANTONESE.” HE waters of the little lake were un- ruffled. In the intense peace, the abso- lute silence of that bowl amid the hills, Forward, my . pierced a thin reedy sound. Sir Fandi stirred and spoke under his breath. “A fish. This is the lake of ‘singing fishes “Ouiet!” snapped Severn. The Rajput scowled and obeyed. Seyern was putting all his concentration of will in- to the effort he was making. Backed by the thought-impulse of Sir Fandi Singh, he was formulating in Mongol the message bidding Esrun come forth. “The white men have seized the temple. Bring us gold for them, and they will go.” Suddenly he became conscious of the im- pact of another thought beating at his brain. He was utterly relaxed in every nerve and 00,6) ‘Ss (EOLA MUCE (E)