Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 4, 1925 — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

846 charm! Here! Look upon a mighty sor- ceress!” Shouting with triumph, he pointed down at the girl. ‘‘ Magic! And all shall see greater magic! Come down to the water! There await other spirits of fire!” But with cold shivers traveling his spine, he asked himself, “ 7s the miraculous work- ing for us? Is it possible? Oh, but it can’t be!” That flash had been so like his burning of the coil of celluloid, only many hundred times multiplied. ‘‘ And I threatened them with fire!”? he remembered. “ How could it happen just the way I said it would!” He saw then why their progress had been so unaccountably halted. Toward the group, running fast beside a native who was carrying a torch, was coming a Strange and horrible creature whom Lansdell recognized as a famous priestess. Old, and skinny: shorn of her eyebrows; tattooed in blue scrolls on thighs and hands and feet; her hair cut short and her mouth toothless, she looked her role of witch. Lansdell greeted her with laughter. know- ing it was his best weapon. ‘ The old lady is exorcising us!” he cried, for now she was circling the intended victims, murmuring and posturing as she went. “ She’s pitting her spirits against ours!”’ And to Dukut, standing closest of all. but shifting and recoiling, and seemingly not a little shaken in his resolution to go on with the drowning, ‘‘ Let your brown- skinned old devil dance! In the blackness behind the village, we have demons of our own! Wait! Wait! You shall see:” He shook the sweat from his face. his tall figure towering above the short forest men about him like some avenging giant. “* Bar- ker!” he shouted. ‘‘ Wray, is it you? Go on! Goon! Give us another one!”’ A sudden fury seemed to seize the new vajak. With so much delay, and with hid- den forces opposing the execution, he saw his hated enemy daring the most feared of his tribe. Cursing, he threw himself at the white man, shoving him riverward fiercely. ‘Tt is thieves who work in the jungle!”’ he shouted to his men. ‘ Not spirits! Come! Do not fear!” Lansdell drew Marcia along with him. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. She went like a sleep-walker, staring ahead dully, tottering a little, and whispering to herself. ‘This woman is the true sorceress!” de- clared Lansdell. ‘‘ Loose her spirit out of her body and she will avenge us both! Sickness and death shall empty your houses! And the flame that shoots sky- ward shall consume them!” The old woman left behind, the few who were brave enough to help Dukut with the execution now pushed at the two victims with their spears and paddles, while their bangles jangled, and they kept up a great gabbling. Behind, the torches danced in hands that trembled, and each man called upon his own spirits, holding up bits or wood, or stones wrapped in rags and leaves. Lansdell was like a wild man. He knew that the width of the shore divided safety from death. What must be done was the impressing—again—of a superstitious ter- ror upon the already frightened horde. ‘““ Go on, Marcia!”’ he entreated. “‘ Talk! Talk! Barker got awav! Or Wray! Marcia, they’re trying to save us!” She shook her head. ‘“‘I—I can’t re- member,” she answered, so low that he could not hear. ‘I can’t rememberx. It’s gone. All gone.” Lansdell, his streaming face raised to the sky, one arm revolving crazily, went on with his shouting: “ This is our chance! They think we brought on the fire:”” Then, invoking the elements, ‘“‘ Oh. for a tornado! For a storm to wash the whole cursed lot into Kingdom Come! Come on. boys! Come on, I tell you! They’re ready to jump! Give us some more your sheet- lightning!” The torches lighted a narrow zone of black water. Next, with a great splashing. the dozen or more of that advancing group went into the edge of the stream. For a moment, Lansdell was torn from the side of his companion, but fought his way back to her, crying out like an animal, whirling, dodging blows and thrusts, knocking down the dark hands that were reaching to clutch the two and press them under the churning current. There were scarcely ten seconds of this battle, a battle in which the Dyaks were at Conn lDOOlK