Amazing Stories, Vol. 2, No. 1 — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

- i i Ae aa ei ¥. x 3 a2 . ake ae Saat Ae ats of 4 - vale a wrk , 4 1% 4 mn 76 bid. As he approached the creature, which stood now behind a large, flat-topped pedestal beside the alcove, he saw lying upon the smooth surface some- thing that almost elicited a gasp of astonishment from him—a simple, common thing it was, or would have been almost anywhere in the world but Cas- pak—a square bit of paper! And on it, in a fine hand, written compactly, were many strange hieroglyphics! These remark- able creatures, then, had a written as well as a spoken language and besides the art of weaving cloth, possessed that of paper-making. Could it be that such grotesque beings represented the highest culture of the human race within the boundaries of Caspak? Had natural selection pro- duced during the countless ages of Caspakian life a winged monstrosity that represented the earthly pinnacle of man’s evolution? Bradley had noted something of the obvious in- dications of a gradual evolution from ape to spear- man as exemplified by the several overlapping races of Alalus, club-men and hatchet-men that formed the connecting links between the two ex- tremes with which he had come in contact. had heard of the Kro-lus and the Galus—reputed to be still higher in the plane of evolution—and now he had indisputable evidence of a race possessing refinements of civilization eons in advance of the spear-men. The conjectures awakened by even a momentary consideration of the possibilities in- volved became at once as wildly bizarre as the in- sane imaginings of a drug addict. As these thoughts flashed through his mind, the Wieroo held out a pen of bone fixed to a wooden holder and at the same time made a sign that Brad- ley was to write upon the paper. It was difficult to judge from the expressionless features of the Wieroo what was passing in the creature’s mind; but Bradley could not but feel that the thing cast a supercilious glance upon him as much as to say, “Of course, you do not know how to write, you _poor, low creature; but you can make your mark.” Strange Adventures of the Captive | Scene seized the pen and in a clear, bold hand wrote: “John Bradley, England.” The Wieroo showed evidences of consternation as it seized the piece of paper and examined the writing with every mark of incredulity and surprise. Of course, it could make nothing of the strange char- acters; but it evidently accepted them as proof that Bradley possessed knowledge of a written language of his own, for following the Englishman’s entry it made a few characters of its own. “You will come here again just before Lua hides his face behind the great cliff,” announced the crea- ture, “unless before that you are summoned by Him Who Speaks for Luata, in which case you will not have to eat any more.’ “Reassuring cuss,” thought Bradley as _ he turned and left the building. Outside were several of the Wieroos that had been eating at the pedestals within. They imme- diately surrounded him, asking all sorts of ques- tions, plucking at his garments, his ammunition- belt and his pistol. Their demeanor was entirely different from what it had been within the eating- SER MONT He PPE TRG ATER f AMAZING STORIES place and Bradley was to learn that a house of food was sanctuary for him, since the stern laws of the Wieroos forbade altercations within such walls. Now they were rough and threatening, - as with wings half spread they hovered about him in men- acing attitudes, barring his way to the ladder lead- ing to the roof from whence he had descended; but the Englishman was not one to brook interference for long. He attempted at first to push his way past them, and then when one seized his arm and jerked him roughly back, Bradley swung upon the creature and with a heavy blow to the jaw felled it. Instantly pandemonium reigned. Loud wails arose, great wings opened and closed with a loud, beating noise and many clawlike hands reached forth to clutch him. Bradley struck to right and left. He dared not use his pistol for fear that once they discovered its power he would be overcome by weight of numbers and relieved of possession of what he considered his trump card, to be reserved until the last moment that it might be used to aid in his escape, for already the Englishman was plan- _ning, though almost hopelessly, such an attempt. He © A few blows convinced Bradley that the Wieroos Were arrant cowards and that they bore no weapons, for after two or three had fallen beneath his fists the others formed a circle about him, but at a safe distance, and contented themselves with threatening and blustering, while those whom he had felled lay upon the pavement without trying to arise, the while they moaned and wailed in lugu- brious chorus. Again Bradley strode toward the ladder, and this time the circle parted before him; but no sooner had he ascended a few rungs than he was seized by one foot and an effort made to drag him down. With a quick backward glance the English- man, clinging firmly to the ladder with both hands, drew up his free foot and with all the strength of a powerful leg planted a heavy shoe squarely in the flat face of the Wieroo that held him. Shrieking horribly, the creature clapped both hands to its face and sank to the ground while Bradley clam- bered quickly the remaining distance to the roof, though no sooner did he reach the top of the ladder than a great flapping of wings beneath him warned him that the Wieroos were rising after him. A moment later they swarmed about his head as he ran for the apartment in which he had spent the early hours of the morning after his arrival. It was but a short distance from the top of the ladder to the doorway, and Bradley had almost reached his goal when the door flew open and Fosh-bal-soj stepped out. Immediately the pursu- ing Wieroos demanded punishment of the jaal-lu who had so grievously maltreated them. Fosh-bal- soj listened to their complaints and then with a sudden sweep of his right hand seized Bradley by the scruff of the neck and hurled him sprawling through the doorway upon the floor of the chamber. So sudden was the assault and so surprising the strength of the Wierdo that the Englishman was taken completely off his guard. When he arose, the door was closed, and Fosh-bal-soj was standing over him, his hideous face contorted into an expres- sion of rage and hatred. “Hyena, snake, lizard!” he screamed. “You | Gomiebooks:com | . me * ea a fan § 2. “4 : > ade ti le = .. “4 *< trae . Sek, Pai ys “ke “2 ", ane ana