Argosy, Vol. 112, No. 2 — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

+ ‘JY will remain here with you as hostage. If he does not return, his mission accom- plished, I offer my life.” The commandant was impressed. He pulled at his heavy mustache reflectively. “ But the army—”’ “The propaganda has been lying here for weeks—more deadly than bullets. We will put the Czech in a cart, a peasant’s cart covered with hay. In the cart we will hide all this literature. You will give him per- mission to pass through your lines. He will get through his own by the knowledge of his countrymen. Once in, secretly he will do the damage. I promise it. The rest will be easy. Even though they do not desert in large numbers, their morale will be shat- tered. It will be easy to attack them. And for the success of the plan I promise myself. brother, am I not sincere?”’ The commandant dismissed him. He would think it over. The danger of the Czechs was imminent. To capture the leader would be capital. Yes, he would think it over. Great numbers of Red Guards came rid- ing over the steppes during the rest of the day. The approach of the Slovaks was not unlike a prairie fire that swept over vast spaces, driving the wild life out of their holes and homes before it. The land-lost little settlement became an armed camp of guerrilla warriors, a motley nightmare crew, superdevils in their desperation, illit- eracy, and blood lust. At four o’clock the commandant sent for him. It would at least be worth trying. At best they would lose but the one Czech prisoner and for that loss the American would pay with his own life. Yes, the Czech might go through the lines and de- liver the Americansky’s message if that mes- sage could be inspected and censored be- forehand, In the log room for one brief instant, the Yankee and the Bohemian were left alone «together. ‘“ Joe!” cried the former brokenly as he gripped the other’s hand. “TI trust you!” “You are a brave man and a good friend,” replied the other, his eyes welling with tears—for the Czech is a white man and he wears his heart like the Anglo- A ROMANCE IN REDEMPTION, 207 Saxon, upon his sleeve. ‘ I—will—not— fail—you—if I get through safely.” The meSsage was prepared. The cart- was brought—the springless little four- wheeled wagon of the Siberian peasaat, The Czech was allowed to depart. At the end of the street Josef looked back. Jim was standing in the midst of an excited mob of poor human dross, stak- ing his life on the success of his friend’s mission. The Czech wanted to wave, but dared not. He was supposed to be going under coercion. So he turned the chunky little pony due eastward and, out on the bumpy steppes, lashed him into a gallop. VIL. THE battle of Biisk began in the late night. A rifle-shot snapped in the darkness. An awful yell followed the report—cries which brought lights in the windows of huts and the long town street became thronged with hysterical, bewildered, half-dressed, and half-armed people. The single rifle-shot was followed by a boom. One after another came a dozen massive reports. The street was a seething mass. Horses of the calvary out behind’ on the edge of the steepes, stampeded. There was cursing, struggling; a senseless pandemonium. Armored automobiles bore down on the village. Long lines of infantry, armed with machine guns, closed in from their con- cealed positions. The night became livid with death and terror. Half-dressed women ran about, clutching screaming children. Men mixed with the human chaos beneath the starlit darkness and were swept back- ward and forward like sheep in a shambles. The commandant, despite the guards he had posted, had received no warning. His hoarse commands were unheeded. He struck to and fro with his huge sword, slash- ing and felling his own people. And a ring of fire surrounded the village and the streets were filled with writhing, screaming figures who flopped crazily on the frozen ground and were trampled. Jim Herring started upward. The guard which had been posted to watch him since he had become a hostage for the Czech, had orders to kill at the first sign of treach- cComicbooks.com