Adventure Magazine Cover — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

Prisoners ot War Lunden under guard, to await Tros’ dis- position. “For the wine of excitement might go to your head if I should leave you in charge of them tonight, Tros. You might try your own turn at seizing Lunden!”’ “Lunden is a good town, but it would irk me to have to govern it!” Tros answered. Caswallon laughed, turning his head to listen to sounds approaching through the mist, wheels, hoofs and a voice. “Pledge me your promise,’ denly. Tros hated promises; like all men who habitually keep them, he regarded a blind promise as stark madness. Yet there was madness in the mist that night, and all rules went by the board. Hevheard a gasp from Conops, somewhere in the mist behind, as he raised his right hand and swore to do whatever service Caswallon might demand of him. He could see Caswallon whispering to Orwic, and Orwic passing word along, but it was Conops who gave him the first inkling that he might be called on that night for performance, Conops, and then Helma, seizing his hand and pressing close against him. Conops said: “Master, he will make a fool of you! Take back that promise before he———” Helma said: “Lord Tros, J am your wife, is it not so? This is my night. Will you ’ he said sud- SOUNDS in the mist interrupted, sounds that included one familiar SM * voice: A chariot emerged into << the torch-glare, horses snorting clouds of vapor as they slid to a thundering ay halt, all feet together; and the first face Tros recognized was Fflur’s, the torchlight in her eyes. She looked like an avenging goddess. It was she who drove, who reined the horses in, her hair all fury on her ‘shoulders. “T have them both!” she remarked. Her voice was flat—determined. There were issues in the mist that night! A chariot behind hers plunged to a stand- still and Tros saw Cesar’s woman’s face, white in the mist, with Skell’s beside hers; and Skell looked like a ghost from beyond the borderland of death, with such fear in his eyes as a beast” shows in the shambles. His arms were tied so taut behind him that his breast seemed ready to burst and the 5 So me Rene a ie VEN Ny a ia ia ; > Pabst oe Ee gm 65 = sinews of his neck stood out like bowstrings. 2 , Caswallon! “Now prove you are a Do a king’s work!” Fflur said; and her voice was flat again, no music in it. “T will!’ Caswallon laughed. “Bring them. Iam good at kinging it!” But Fflur appeared to doubt that; she watched like an avenging fury while men dragged Skell and the Gaulish woman from the chariot and stood them in front of Cas- wallon, where he considered both of them a minute without speaking. Then suddenly he raised his voice, and though he spoke to all present it was plain ~ enough that his words were aimed at Fflur— ‘Shall a king protect men’s property, or shall he squander it?” All knew the answer to that. None spoke, not even Fflur, although she bit her lip. — | “Shall a king offend the druids, or shall he abide their teachings?” Caswallen asked, speaking loud and high again. ; They knew the answer to that, too. None spoke except the Gaulish woman. She cried aloud: “Not the druids! Kill me!’ Then she began screaming, and a man clapped a cloth over her mouth, desisting when she grew calm. “As for this woman,” Caswallom said, “she was Ceesar’s slave, and she now belongs to Tros—my brother Tros.” The woman flung herself sobbing in the mud at Tros’ feet, clinging to his legs, erying to him: “Lord Tros, mercy! I knew you were for the lord Caswallon! I stabbed the lord Glendwyr lest he should slay you! I am your slave! My knife is yours! My life is yours!” “Be still!” Tros ordered gruffly. He knew predicament was coming, needed all his wits to meet it. Emotion, such as she showed, angered him, and in anger there is not much wisdom. “As for Skell, what say the druids?” asked Caswallon, raising his voice louder than before. There was a murmur at that, but Skell was speechless; fear held him frigid, the whites of his eyes glistening. Caswalion spoke again, his head a little turned toward Fflur: “The druids say, a good deed is for men to repay—evil deeds are for the gods to punish. What say you?” Gomicboo <S:CO 2 , CANA ri tee “| ime FS . DUN UA Patties babe