Adventure Magazine Cover — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

: 3 The Sea-Hawk himself that .his body was now between Marzak and the palmetto bale. “Let us see thee hit it, O Marzak.” | And as he spoke he raised his cross-bow and scarcely seeming to take aim he loosed his shaft. It flashed away to be checked, quivering, in the branch he had indicated. A chorus of applause and admiration greeted the shot, and drew the attention of all the crew to what was toward. Marzak tightened his lips, realizing how completely he had been outwitted. Willy- nilly he must now shoot at that mark. The choice had been taken out of his hands by Sakr-el-Bahr. He never doubted that he ‘must cover himself with ridicule in the performance, and that there he would be constrained to abandon this pretended match. “By the Koran,” said Hiskame: “thou It need all thy skill to equal such a shot, Marzak.” “Twas not the mark I chose,” Marzak sullenly. “Thou wert the challenger, O Marzak,”’ his father reminded him. “Therefore the choice of mark was his. He chose a man’s mark and by the beard of Mohammed he showed us a man’s shot.” Marzak would have flung the bow from him in that moment, abandoning the method he had chosen to investigate the contents of that suspicious palmetto bale; but he realized that such a course must now cover him with scorn. Slowly he leveled his bow at that distant mark. “Have a care of the sentinel on the hill- top,” Sakr-el-Bahr admonished him, pro- voking a titter. Angrily the youth drew the bow. The cord hummed, and the shaft sped to bury itself in the hill’s flank a dozen yards from the mark. Since he was the son of the Basha none dared to laugh outright save his father and - Sakr-el-Bahr. But there was no suppressing a titter to express the mockery to which the proven braggart must ever be exposed. Asad looked at him, smiling almost sadly. “See now,” he said, “what comes of boasting thyself against Sakr-el-Bahr.”’ “My will was crossed in the matter of a mark,’ was the bitter answer. “You _angered me and made my aim untrue.” Sakr-el-Bahr strode away to the star- board bulwarks, deeming the matter at an end. Marzak observed him. replied “Vet at that small mark,” he said, “TI challenge him again.” As he spoke he fitted a second shaft to his bow. “Behold!” he cried, and took aim. But swift as thought, Sakr-el-Bahr—heed- less now of all consequences—leveled at Marzak the bow which he still held. “Hold!” he roared. ‘Loose thy shaft at that bale, and I loose this at thy throat. I never miss!” he added grimly. There was a startled: movement in the ranks of those who stood: behind Marzak. In spéechless amazement they stared at . Sakr-el-Bahr, as he stood there, white-faced, his eyes aflash, his bow drawn taut and ready to Jaunch that death-laden quarrel as he threatened. _ Slowly then, smiling with unutterable malice, Marzak lowered his bow. He was satisfied. His true aim was reached. He had drawn his enemy into self-betrayal. Asa@d’s was the voice that shattered that © hush of consternation. ““Kellamullah!” he bellowed. this? “‘Aye, mad indeed,” said Marzak; “‘mad with fear.” ; And he stepped quickly aside so that the body of Biskaine should shield him from any sudden conséquences of his next words. “Ask him what he keeps in that pannier, O my father.” - “Aye, what, in Allah’s name?” demanded the Basha, advancing toward his captain. Sakr-el-Bahr lowered his bow, master of “What is himself again. His composure was beyond \ all belief. ., “I carry in it goods of price, which Pll not - see riddled to please a pert boy,” he said.. _ “Goods of price?” echoed , with a snort. “They’ll need to be of price indeed that are valued above the life of my son. Let us see these goods of price.” An to the men upon. the waist-deck he shout:J— “Open me that pannier.” Sakr-el-Bahr sprang forward, and laid a hand upon the Basha’s arm. “Stay, my lord!” he entreated almost | fiercely. ‘Consider that this pannier is my own. ‘That its contents jare my property; ‘that none has a right to——” “Wouldst babble of rights to me, who am thy lord?” blazed the Basha, now ina towering passion. “Open me that pannier I say.’ They were quick to his bidding. The ropes were slashed away, and the front of (COMME 1T§- Art thou mad, too, O Sakr-el-Bahr?” _ VnOOLKS / v4 4 ed 4 ! be . /¥ ry ‘ 4 vy A pain’ Wis bd « 7 ; x ‘ ‘ i 4. “& om os aN aN ote F Z e a Gyles a4 ow big Whee, ; 4 . } - 4 ‘ $3 M aN Jor = A eo eee al Te ee a ‘Ao CPs: ” a. en A SPREE eyes) i = CAB cA a Nand \ [ fe ety ea tS _ i + : i. > ts * is ( 4 zi i a s EAM Sep ee! Tel he PP PR tO hE oper Cee TEND r| ; AE TAM cea ta ea TS eR a Oh ede aol aa a lad t f ee tippayeiee, «sho tak ER lh hk (q) Bi A