All-Story Weekly, March 1, 1919 — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

one around me. Its texture was soft, but decidedly metallic—like some blue metal spun to the fineness of a spider’s thread. The garment buckled tightly at the throat, was girdled at the waist, and, below this cincture, fell to the floor, its folds being held together by a half-dozen looped cords; from the shoulders a hood resembling a monk’s cowl. Rador cast this over my head; it-com- pletely covered my face, but was of so transparent a texture that I could see, ° though somewhat mistily, through - it. Finally he handed us both a pair of long gloves of the same material and high stock- ings, the feet of which were gloved—five- toed. And again his laughter rang out at our manifest surprise. ‘The priestess of the Shining One does not altogether trust the Shining One’s Voice,” he said at last. “(And these are to guard against any sudden—errors. And fear not, Goodwin,” he went on kindly. “Not for the Shining One itself would Yolara see harm come to Larree here— nor, because of him, to you. But I would not stake much on her heart toward the Double Tongue whom Lugur has claimed— nor to the great white one. And for the last I am sorry, for him I do like well.” “Are they to be with us?” asked Larry eagerly. “They are to be where we go,’ replied the dwarf soberly. “ For Double Tongue there is no more peril than for you—Lugur stands with him—but for the other—”’ He was silent. Grimly Larry reached down and drew from h’s uniform his auto- matic. He popped a fresh clip into the pocket fold of his girdle. The pistol he shimg high up beneath his arm-pit. Now O’Keefe had cautioned me against revealing my weapon, and had, up till now, kept his own concealed. ‘When we do need ’em, we're certain to have a bunch of odds against us, Dec,” he had said. “And the element of sur- prise will be mighty valuable to us. Keep ’em under cover till we have to use ’em; then shoot straight!” Therefore I wondered why Larry was showing his hand. The green dwarf looked THE / CONQUEST OF THE MOON POOL. at the weapon curiously. O’Keefe tapped it, and as he spoke I understood. “Listen, Rador,” he said. and I believe you like us?’ The dwarf nodded emphatically. “ This,” said Larry, “slays quicker than — the Keth—I take it so no harm shall come — to the blue-eyed one whose name is Olaf. If I should raise it—be you not in its | way, Rador!” he added significantly. The dwarf nodded again, his eyes spar-— kling. He thrust a hand out to both of us. ‘A change comes,” he said. is I know not, nor how it will fall. remember—Rador is more friend to -you than you yet can know. And now let us — go!” he ended abruptly. He led us, not through the entrance, but into a sloping passage ending in a blind wall; touched a symbol graven there, and it opened, precisely as had the rosy barrier of the Moon Pool Chamber. And, just as there, but far smaller, was a passage end, a low curved wall facing a shaft, not black as had been that abode of living darkness, but faintly luniinescent. Rador leaned over the wall. O’Keefe winked at me. clicked and started; the door swung shut; the sides of the car slipped into place, and we swept swiftly down the passage; over- head the wind whistled; Rador turned to- — ward us. “Have no fear—” he_began, and then, for the green dwarf was keen, was aware without doubt of opr lack of surprise. He started again to speak — shrugged his shoulders, and turned his back. Our speed was great and the journey not long. In a few moments the moving platform began to slow down. It stopped in a closed chamber no larger than itself. Rador scanned the wall before him, and then, finding what he sought, although I could see nothing on its smooth surface, drew his poniard and struck twice with its hilt. Immediately a panel moved away, revealing a space filled with faint, misty blue radiance. And at each side of the epened portal stood four of the dwarfish men, gray-headed, old, clad in a flowing garment of white: each pointing toward us a short silver rod, “Tlike you, “What it — But this — The Beare <2 af AY Le UA he sf eu vb had iV MO kad wy ey re ise y SERN TM ity AN SAY tin <1 MA HY. if? , wes}, igi ‘ 5 ey At ? aah by € hid | at AN | Pe ‘ Yah. PUM TAR), * “ walt hii Pro eo 4 ean” aha eh) wai cay k ei ¥)* 1 OM ae Basalt ray NOUADE Pere sens | / UJ a : } ae . N tHe BN yaa i aD is we