Adventure, August 1917 — page 147: what you’re looking at

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

Rotorua Rex stretched upon the dirt of the gulch or shapeless lumps at the bottom of the cafion Rotorua had made good his word, he had driven them over the cliff. Loudon looked for the king. His men were crowding fast to the right where the trail led into the cafon, Half-way down the ravine came the rest of the revolution- ists, three white men among them, firing intermittently. With Serena and Mrs. Gower, Loudon had reached the trail head and stood waiting their turn to descend the narrow track. He heard a shout and saw Rotorua strid- ing down the hillside. His quarter-staff was gone and he carried the little ax. His chest was crimson with blood, his loin- cloth was a mere strip of torn rag, soaked scarlet, but he appeared unconscious of injury as he crashed through the bushes, beating them with his weapon. A figure sprang out from a tangle of leaves and stems and started to flee toward the oncoming horde. above a clump and howled at the fugitive as he chased him. It was Toruki. He limped as he ran, there was a gash in one calf. The black tresses of his girdle were matted with blood and his wig of beards was awry. Fear sped him and he gained. The king halted, straightened for a moment and hurled the ax. It shot through the air like a stone from a sling and the keen blade sank into the’ base of the wizard’s skull at its junction Rotorua leaped high - 145 with the neck. For a few failing strides Toruki staggered on under his own impetus, to fall with outstretched arms, dead before he reached the ground. Rotorua wheeled, sent out a defiant bel- low to his yelling enemies and came heavily toward the path. His men were now well on the way down. Serena had just left Loudon’s side to start the descent. “Hurt, king?’”’ asked Loudon. The monarch stared at him for a moment as if he failed to recognize him, then he laughed. “No, whiteman. Nothing but what heal quick. More quick than hole in Toruki’s head. What I tell you? I splitum like coconut. I kill him with the ax you gave me. yah, Laudoni! and you fought like arzi. Eyah! Now we go along quick. Bimeby we stop those others.”’ “I’ve got my pistol yet,” said Loudon. “Isn’t there a bend in the trail?” “Too many they come,” said the king. ‘“‘Bimeby I show you place. Now better we hurry.” As Loudon descended below the level of the cliff he could see the runners a bare two hundred yards away—Elder, Griffin and Brewster were with them. He scrambled down the steep pitch, Rotorua bringing up the rear. The trail angled sharply in a zigzag and soon a shoulder of rock pro- tected them from any downward fire, dif- ficult at the best by the sheer drop of the cliff. TO BE CONCLUDED 10 Comiclsoo It was a good fight © 5}