Argosy, Vol. 117, No. 2 — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

204 tering earth on it; trying every possible food, and trying everything he could think of to slay the god. He climbed down from the rock, cleared a space on the earth, and brought the Red God to life there. All day long he labored; beasts peeped at him through the leaves and from behind bushes, but he paid them no heed; the sun rose high in the heavens and sank again in the west, but still he strove and thought and studied and experimented, till as dusk drew its shadows through the forest he returned again to the cave, where Va-m’rai still crouched, the skin still drawn over her head. He did not speak to'her, but took a piece of meat, squatted with it before the cave, and ate it, still sunk in thought, his mantle of abstraction still wrapped about him. Presently he slept, but with the first gray of dawn he was on foot, hurrying back to the rock dike, carrying flint and hammer- stone. All that day and all the next he toiled and studied, paying no heed to Va- m’rai, who went about her duties listlessly —what was the use of preparing for a journey if En-ro was mad?—and return- ing to the cave only to sleep. But about the middle of the afternoon of the third day he was satisfied, he had learned what he wished to know, he threw water on the heap of brush before him, and rose to his feet, flung out his arms, and in a deep, full-throated roar that carried to the ears of Va-m’rai where she toiled over her dressing of hides he shouted: “Victory! Victory! The Red God is slave to En-ro.of the tribe of Ta-an!” Taking flint and hammer-stone he = re- turned to the cave, flung his arms about Va-m’rai, and hugged her tight, kissin® and caressing her, she returning his kisses, joy- ful that his reason had come back. “ Va-m’rai,” he said, ‘‘ En-ro, the Carver of Tusks, has found a new tool and a new weapon; he has made the Red God his slave, to work for him, to warm him in win- ter, through the long cold days when the snow lies deep on the hills and the tribes- men shiver in their caves, drawing their gar- ments of skins closer about them, and to protect him from the beasts of forest and cave. Come now and see!” THE ARGOSY. - “Oh, En-ro, my love,” begged Va-m’rai piteously. ‘‘Is the madness not yet gone? I beg you, let the Red God sleep; do not wake Him! Who knows what harm He may bring you: I am afraid—I fear Him! For my sake, En-ro, for the sake of Va- m rai, who loves you and is outcast from her tribe, who is alone in all the world but for you, do not wake the Red God!” En-ro laughed. ‘* Have no fear, Va-m’rai! The Red God is my slave; he obeys my will, even as my ax and lance and darts. Come, see!”’ He crew the girl, still begging and pro- testing, to the cave, where he cleared away the brush and twigs and leaves from a space the height of a man in width, scrap- ing clear down to the brown earth. He gathered dry leaves and twigs and sticks, making a little pile, then squatting down, he struck sparks till a little glow appeared among the leaves, Va-m’rai watching fear- fully the while. He blew gently on the glowing leaves till a flame appeared, then carefully laid small sticks on them, building up and building up, till the Red God leaped and roared from the pile. He turned to the girl and waved his hand proudly, but she asked: “| see, but what will the Red God do for you?” ‘* Draw near,” he answered, and Va-m’rai slowly and hesitatingly came closer. “Hold out your hands toward the Red God,” he said, and she did so. “Do you feel the warmth?” Va-m’rai nodded. “The Red God will keep us warm through the long cold, but more than that. Look now!” | Taking the brand from the fire, he led the girl a hundred paces or so into the forest, to where he had caught a wolf in a snare. Going close to the snagling beast, En-ro thrust the brand in its face as it leaped toward him, and the wolf recoiled, howling. Again and again he beat the cowering animal with a blazing stick, till the wolf crouched on the ground, singed, whimpering, terrified. En-ro turned to Va- m rai. ‘* See!” he cried. ‘‘ If Menzono the Slayer dares not face the Red God, what other beast will dare?” in COPMICLOOOKS (C@