Adventure Magazine Cover — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

70 torch, later as a blot of smoke that writhed like an animal in its death throes. Toward morning they came to Mardan, a castle on a hillside above a streamlet that watered a succulent valley. The warders lowered the draw, seeing they were but two, and permitted them to enter. “YT would have speech with your lord,” said Matteo to the squire who asked him his business. “T am the son of the Lord of Nerak, who is dead. The Saracens have slain him and my mother and burnec the castle and ravaged our lands.” The squire pursed his lips thoughtfully. He was a fox-faced Navarrese who neighed like a Spaniard. “So that was the blaze the warders cried in the night! ’Twill be a welcome relief to our lord.” Matteo eyed him uncomprehendingly. “How, messer?”’ The squire favored him with a mean grin. ‘Be at your ease here,’ answered the Navarrese, waving his hand toward the courtyard in which Matteo still sat his horse, having received no invitation to dis- mount. “TI will inform Lord Renier of your presence.” When he had left Matteo looked about him. The castle was smaller than Nerak, but more compact and therefore more easily defended. “Tt seems they are not very civil here,” muttered Ali in his ear. “Why do you say that?” asked Matteo. ‘“‘Would messengers like otirselves have waited long for a cup of wine and a bite of bread at Nerak?”’ . “Ah, but Nerak is no more, Ali!” said Matteo sadly. “What is that, boy?” cried an eager voice from a loophole in the keep above his head. ‘What do you say of Nerak?”’ Matteo stared up into the merry face of the girl he had met the day before. He bowed his head. “Aye, Lady Brygas,” he answered wear- ily. ‘‘Nerak is no more. And I am an orphan. The Saracens gained entrance by treachery last night.”’ The tears sprang into her blue eyes. “Oh, Holy Virgin, what a dreadful thing! My heart breaks for you, fair boy. But what do you here?” “T came to tell Messer Renier that he might muster his people and smite the Adventure Saracens before they cross the desert.” She thrust her head farther from the wide loophole. “Never delude yourself!’ she exclaimed. ‘““He hates you. He will do nothing to aid you. If you could have heard the words that were poured upon me last night for having even spoken to you! Not that I heeded them! But S Her head was withdrawn abruptly, and Matteo looked around for a cause. He per- ceived it at once in the approach of the squire who had received him, accompanied by two others, a man and the boy Manasses, whom he had beaten in front of Brygas. | Renier de Chappes was years older than he had been that night he came with John the Englishman to Nerak before Matteo was born, grosser and heavier set; but his face still bore the arrogant ex- pression of one who considers himself a favorite of fate. “So you are Gui de Taberie’s bastard!” he remarked, standing with legs spread broad before Matteo’s horse. The squire and young Manasses snick- ered. Matteo’s face flushed crimson, then went dead white in a manner he had when anger took him. So swiftly that none could say him nay, he pushed his horse alongside of Messer Renier and whipped his dagger from its sheath. “Take heed of your words!’ he said quietly, and dropped the point of the dagger on Messer Renier’s collar-bone. ° Messer Renier snorted with wrath. “Ho, there in the guard-room!”’ he hailed. ‘‘A bowman to shoot me this saucy knave!”’ Ali Ma’akwaa urged his horse behind young de Chappes. His sword was out. “If I so much as see a shaft drawn, ’twill mean this youth’s death,” he promised. There came a clapping of hands overhead. “Tis like a romaunt, in sooth,” declared a breathless voice. Despite himself and the seriousness of the moment, Matteo could not resist a smile of amusement. And the applause stiffened his backbone. ‘“‘T came here, Messer Renier, not because I wished to trespass on your courtesy or because there was aught vital you might do for me,” he said. ‘I came only because I deemed ’twas my duty to warn you of the danger that was abroad. Despite the THE man was the lord of Mardan. GOMIGooOo S C@