Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 3 — page 198: what you’re looking at

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

A480 Before a brain could divine her purpose or a hand be lifted to detain her, she had snatched a spear from a warrior and launched herself on her errand of vengeance. Vainly her father shouted to stop her. Her feet were like the wind. Almost had she rushed headlong upon death. It was not until she clambered shrieking upon the barricade that Jim rec- ognized her and struck aside the Aymara’s swinging club. His forbearance nearly cost him dear. A blow from the infuriated girl’s lance gashed his forehead, and a second thrust, sped by bitter r patred, passed through Nee-_ Nah’s gown. Then Tomas seized Lanao from behind and overpowered her. “Ha, senor, this is good!” he ejaculated, restraining the girl with difficulty, for she fought him like a tiger cat. ‘“ We hold the curaca’s daughter. Now he will hardly try . to burn our house with fire, as I feared that he might do.” Tomas tied the hostage with szpos and laid her on the floor, where she cursed them all to the farthest generation of their an- _‘eestors in a way which would have been _ horrible to hear, could any but Tomas have understood it. This additional complication added to the difficulties which Jim’s absurdly small for- ,tress presented to the curaca. But in spite of the presence of his daughter in the malocca ax her possible danger, the chief- tain disdained further parley. He hed spoken his word. — Strategy and stealth must prevail where open force had proved too expensive. Os-— tentatiously he drew his fighting men away, and for a time there was comparative quiet in the compound. “ Hist, sefor!” Tomas whispered after a period of tense watching and waitmg, “I think they. are cutting the back wall.” While Jaqui guarded the door, Jim and the Indian crept silently to the rear of the hut and groped along its wall. In one spot they found the canes bulging, and Jm thought he heard the rasp of a blade on the ’ tough stems. He leveled his pistol at the suspected spot and pressed the trigger. A scream of mortal anguish and the paddmg of hurrying feet followed the report. Digitized by Go ogle ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, Not long afterward the-defenders dis- covered that some one had crawled under the malocca and was working at the figor- ing. Again the automatic barked in the — darkness. A deep groan answered it. He who had burrowed molelike beneath their feet died a mole’s death im his burrow. That ended the attempts upon the walls. The curaca decided to wait and let hunger and thirst fight against his warlike prison- ers. But that test was spared them. Toward three o’clock in the morning the entire village was aroused anew by the furi- ous thudding of the tunduys down the river. ““It is a call for aid, senor,” said Tomas, who was watching at the door. ‘‘ The curvaca gathers his warriors to go. What can be—” The Aymara’s speculation was drowned by the booming of the big drum in the compound. Its sonorous notes were still vibrating when the sentinels came hurrying in from the forest, raising a wild alarm. But the sound which, brought Jim Arnold to his feet with a glad shout and lighted his eyes and heart with hope, was a vengeful spitting of hidden rifles as the sentries came tumbling over the wall. At the gates of the stockade flared a light that was brighter than the moonshine. . “ Hola, Tomas, my son, are you there withm?® boomed a great voice from the forest. “Castor Oil! by all that’s good and holy!” Jim leaped for the doorway. “Tf that is not the little master, it is his ghost come from heaven to save us!” cried ~ Tomas, and he lifted his voice in answer: ‘‘ Master, I am here—and the Seftor Ar- nold with me. Cxidado, master! The Aguaruna dogs gather before their gates.” It was no ghost that had hailed the Aymara. The fever had left Den Castro, and Icorro at last had taken te the war trail. Out of the gloom of the jungle rese a yell of. exultation from two bundred Antipa throats as the flames leaped over the gate- way. When fire had cleared the way, there would be fighti “Jones! Bob Jones! Are you alive?” sung out Arnold, ia his excitement leaping up and down like a child. IZA sear inal one Mcloooks.com