Adventure Magazine Cover — page 147: what you’re looking at

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

146 Have you not seen the holy Mount Ararat and heard Bembo relate the aspect of the strange beast of”—he lifted{ his head stub- bornly—“‘Cathay?”’ Michael laughed shortly. ‘Faith, szgnor, it would -take a magician of Cathay himself to tell what is true and what is false.” He checked the other’s exclamation. “Nay, listen. I have sounded the bottom of your tale. You were in Constantinople, not Cathay. Your wonders were garbled stories of travelers picked up on the jetties and in the markets. Your city—an illusion of the sands that some call by a strange name—a mirage. Your tower of skulls—a heap of stones.” “The Grand Cham——” “Of him will we soon learn.” Claviijo shrugged. “You heard the emperor at Trebizond speak of a great Tatar king.”’ ~ At this Michael smiled. “Man, you are wonderful. You pulled wool over the sharp eyes of the Signory, and beguiled two emperors. It has been a rare jest, this voyage. I could love you for that. Nay, I can not think that you wished to stick me in the back, or to slay those poor fools.” He nodded thoughtfully. “Tf a man’s child could tell when you lied and when not, I would be your friend, Gon- zales. This much I will do for you. You can not turn back. Soranzi’s greed is fired by the strange sights he has seen and yearns for his promised profits. Rudolfo will not give in to you, unless he is in your confi- dence——” “God forbid!” “That had the ring of truth. Well, by my reckoning we are near the Tatar tribes. Now that death dogs our steps we can not push on blindly. We are followed, without doubt. I shall strike back along our track and seek to take captive one of the riders, whether Armenian or djin, and make him tell us where we are and what is in store for us and why we are followed. Do you call a halt to rest the beasts and await my com- ing. Do you agree?” Clavijo chewed his beard, and flushed. “As you will, Master Bearny We will wait.” Tw =| IT IS more than possible if Michael || Bearn could have had his way that Clavijo and those with him, who were yet alive and well, might have re- turned in safety to Trebizond. Adventure The Breton was barely gone, however, when events took another turn. Rudolfo had been more silent than his wont that morning and now he dismounted, nodded to Gian, and strode to Clavijo’s side. “Signor, your sword and dagger.” The Spaniard drew back, surprized. Whereupon Rudolfo reached out and se cured the weapons for himself without trouble. Gian and another soldier took spear and poniard from Soranzi’s servant. Seeing this, Rudolfo turned to the merchant, who was armed only with a knife. ‘Messer Soranzi, an unpleasant duty has fallen upon me. Since leaving Venice I have suspected this Spaniard of deceit. By the Rood, it is plain that he knows not the way he follows. Just now he has doubled on his tracks. I think his tale was but a pretext to get money from the honorable council,” Soranzi’s little eyes narrowed and his thin face darkened. He cast a venomous look at the unhappy Spaniard. ‘“‘Witness, Messer Soranzi,”’ continued the condottiere, “that this deceiver can not speak the language of the country he claims to have traveled. He would have left us at Cabasica and taken the Cham’s presents with him.” | Conviction leaped into the twisted face of the merchant and he shook with rage.. ‘‘The man’s face declares you have the right of it,” he hissed. “What can we do?” “This. I am the leader of the men-at- arms. I take command, forsooth! Every man except the five troopers and myself must give up arms. You, Soranzi, assume charge of the money, articles of trade and gifts. Take an inventory of the goods, and keep it. The - himself knows in what quarter this liar has led us. We will strike back to Trebizond and consult further— Ha, dog! Would you do that?” The roving eye of the condottiere had fallen upon Bembo as the hunchback was stealing away quietly in the direction Mi- chael had taken along the back track. Ru- dolfo spurred after him and struck the jester into the mud with his mailed fist, leaning ‘down from the saddle to glare at him. Bembo rose, drew his wooden sword from his girdle with a flourish and handed it to Rudolfo. “Vou have overcome me, w% ef armis. Take my sword.” Rudolfo’s answer was to cast the thing Eomichbooks:co