Adventure Magazine Cover — page 155: what you’re looking at

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154 were bitter in their rage against enemies who. slew Tatar emissaries. “‘Ambassadors are here,” repeated Mich- ael. “Are you dogs, to worry the stranger who comes with gifts?” Those who understood his words re- peated them to the others. The leader heard and rose from Rudolfo to stride to Michael. His men joined him. They were.short, brawny warriors, wearing furs and leather over their mail, and with bronze helmets bearing pointed guards that came down over brow and nose. Scarcely less black than their lamb’s-wool kaftans were their faces, with slant, hard eyes and thin mustaches. Their short swords were broader at the end than the hilt, and each had a target of bull’s hide on his left arm. Michael saw that the empty saddles bore quivers and bows. “Well conjured, Brother Michael,” chat- tered Bembo. ‘The charm was a mighty charm. I will aid you.” He started to scramble down from his mount when one of the warriors seized his leg and jerked him to earth, staring at him ‘with ox-like curiosity. Bembo’s zeal ' dwindled. He skipped away. The Tatar, no taller than the hunchback, made after him with the rolling gait of one better accustomed to a horse’s back than the earth. “T am Gutchluk, a noyan of the White Horde,” growled the leader to Michael. “T heard your bellow. Whom seek you?” Michael hesitated, for he did not know the name of the monarch of Tatary. “The sultan?” queried Gutchluk. “Say so and we will sit you in the fire for the sultan has made prisoner some of the lords of Tatary and our Horde is angered.” “Nay,” said Michael promptly. “At Cabasica your men said they were merchants.”’ “IT am not a merchant. I seek the khan.” At this Gutchluk’s expression changed. “Tamerlane the Great,” he cried. ‘You go to the Lord of the World?” “Tamerlane the Great,” ~ repeated Michael. The warriors who had been pawing over the stores now desisted and came over to the fire, bringing with them Rudolfo, who was watchful and alert in spite of his bruises. Adventure Gutchluk stared at his captives for a space, grunting under his breath as an animal does when disturbed. “So be it,” he made decision. ‘We will take you and your gifts to the Mighty One and you can spit out your speeches to him.” With that the Tatars fell to ransacking the half-empty pots and sacks of food, gorg- ing themselves enormously. Soranzi, who crept from hiding in the rocks, marveled at this and at the callous way in which the men of the Horde stepped on bodies of the slain. He sought Michael and found him talking to Clavijo. “Now, my lord the liar,” the Breton was saying; “here must you serve yourself, Lie roundly and mightily at Tamerlane’s court or you are lost.” He withdrew to talk long with Bembo, while Rudolfo slept in company with the Tatars who were not on watch by the fire and where the horses were picketed. Before an hour had passed Soranzi, who had been intent on binding up his goods again, saw that Bembo sat alone. Michael was not to be seen. = Masq THE Breton had seized a moment See] when the sentries were away from “~~ the fire to move back into the dark- ness of the outer gorge. He had marked the position of the outpost Gutchluk had placed and circled this with care for he hada healthy respect for the keen senses of the Tatar watchers. Nor did he make the mistake of attempt- ing to take a horse from the pickets. In- stead he felt his way patiently out of the ravine at the place where they had entered it. He found the grave he had dug, and its cross. ‘Then he crossed the plateau to the woods on the western side. The first glimmer of dawn showed him one of the horses belonging to the Venetians that had strayed out to the grass during the fight. This he mounted and rode back along the trail Rudolfo had taken. Once he paused to dismount and search in the thicket for something. He emerged with the sword he had taken from Gutchluk twenty-four hours ago. Thrusting this through his belt, he con- tinued on to the west. Michael had not left the camp because he feared retribution by Gutchluk for his at- tack upon the Tatar leader at this spot. Eomichbooks:co