Adventure, August 1917 — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

Rotorua Rex The king’s sharpshooters emptied their rifles and bounded down to join the main attack. ‘Toruki was back of his warriors, belaboring them while he exhorted them to stop the rout. A rally might easily have turned the day. The gulch was dotted with dead and dying men. Short and sharp as had been the tussle, the toll was heavy. The thin line of Rotorua’s men seemed pitifully in- adequate. Half of them had gone down but the rest fought like demons, driving their opponents in front of them with an impetus that could not be resisted. — Rotorua had forseen that victory lay in a counter-surprise upon those confident that they themselves were on the way to establish one, and aseries of swiftly delivered hammer-blows before the enemy could gather themselves. If the tide of battle flowed back toward the crater his own line tightened automatically in the narrowing gulch. If Toruki’s men tried to escape they were met with rifle fire from the hill- sides or retreated in the desired direction, toward the steep precipice. But what was to be done had to be done speedily. The rifles could not shoot many rounds—before long the crater might be forced by a rush across the knife-edge after the sergeant’s cartridges were exhausted and, above all, the king knew the psycholog- ical value of “keeping them on the run,” that applies to men as well as sheep or cows. Loudon saw a man turn and race back toward the crater, a runner sent for Bristol. The king felt that the tide had turned in his favor. The victory was largely his by right of personal prowess. He had dis- carded his ax for the time being and whirled his staff two-handed. His foes shrank from facing him and, as they turned to dodge, the weighted omare crashed through their skulls as a heavy heel through puddle ice. Time and time again he broke through their ranks, striving to reach Toruki who, sur- rounded by a knot of his best warriors cap- tained his host at the back of the failing line, rushing from one weakening spot to another. Rotorua was in his element. The gin- bibber had been banished and the mighty frame and muscles of the man obeyed the lash of his outraged will.. The tissues that -_Loudon had deemed idle fat were firm, pad- ding tendon and sinew and deep-sheathed muscle above ponderous bone. The big had no rifles. 143 paunch served to aid the great bellows of his lungs that labored under the giant cage of his ribs. Once his quarter-staff, slippery with blood, was wrenched from his hands by a desperate foeman. The king sprang, grasp- ing the man by his throat as he swung up his club, choking his triumphant cry to a moan as his spine cracked under the resist- less clutch and he tumbled in a lump at Rotorua’s feet. The king stooped, wiped his hands in the hair of the dead man, de- liberately used the frizzy locks to wipe clean his omare, and waded on toward Toruk1. His men were forcing themselves between the fleeing tribesmen and the right-hand side of the ravine as the flight neared the cliff. There, the narrow trail came up. Else- where there was nothing but the lip of the part and then sheer descent. Already one or two, hard pressed, sensing the gulf at their heels, shot a despairing look over their shoulders and fell shrieking as the final blow sent them toppling. ——ae| A SHARP crackle of rifle fire Sa sounded from the head of the gulch. Bristol and three of his shooters were emerging, led by the king’s runner, Behind them leaped a dozen islanders, the first to cross the crater in pursuit. Now and then Bristol or one of his men would kneel and fire back. The men following Two of them dropped and then Loudon and the girl saw the sergeant and his squad toss away their guns and run for dear life. | “Out of cartridges,” said Loudon. ‘‘We must cover them.” He felt in his pockets the few remaining shells and handed his automatic to Mrs. Gower. “Stay here, please,’’ he ordered tersely, ‘“‘and don’t fire except in self-defense. We may need every bullet.” He had two extra clips full for the pistol but he retained those as, with the girl, he advanced up the ravine, keeping to the side hill where they could fire without fear of hitting Bristol or his men. The latter ran well but their pursuers gained. Ahead of the rest raced three warriors armed with clubs and javelins. A well-aimed spear struck between the shoulder-blades of the man who fled by the side of the sergeant and he fell with the shaft sticking up from his back and swaying cComiclbooks (© S|