Argosy, Vol. 117, No. 2 — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

218 “ Good!” answered Nu-kzen. “ Now listen, Master. Reaching the Ta-an, Ken- zan sought out the chief priest and told him » of the Bison’s offer. It was accepted; Meng is to have Va-m’rai, you are to be tortured till you tell the secret of the Red Goa—” “ That will be never!”’ Nu-kzen shrugged his shoulders and went on: ‘“ And then you are to be slain on the al- tar, for that you slew Men-ko; your heart is to be given to the Bison, and your carcass to the beast. That for the evil news. Now for the good. “ T had speech with Snorr, and a council was called, but I could not hear what was said, for 1 was guarded in Snorr’s cave. A fine cave, Master! I was taken before the council, and showed them how to bring the Red God to life, showing them also what He will do. Snorr spoke, Ko spoke, and others, but I was taken away again and could not hear. In the end, the council split, the priests ranging themselves on one side, the warriors on the other. “That night the twelve priests of the Mountain Cave People set out to find the Bison and receive you, bound. Next morn- ing, learning of this, fifty warriors, led by Snorr, set out in pursuit. Escaping from my guards, I fled to warn you, passing the priests in the night, for’”—with a touch of pride—‘ none can travel the forest as can Nu-kzen! But the priests are hard on my heels, no more than half a day’s march be- hind. Oh, Master, leave this woman and save yourself! There are many women!”’ “ Leave her? Never!” And En-ro, curs- » ing furiously, seized his weapons. “ Nu- kzen, you have done well, but speak not to me of leaving her! A warrior of the Ta-an _ leaves not his chosen one while breath lives in his body! Is the forest wt through- out?”’ “ Here in the lowlands, yes, but in the hills the rain is over and the wind has swept the trees. Why do you ask?” ‘““ Because”—and En-ro ground his teeth as he answered fiercely—‘ if need be, I will loose the Red God to sweep it, and you and I and Va-m’rai and Meng and his war- riors, and the tribesmen of the Ta-an shall 'THE ARGOSY. die before his wrath, sooner than the Bison shall have Va-m’rai! Come now; the sky is lightening to the dawn—we go to find my woman!” He felt his girdle to make sure that he still carried the Star-Marked One; he looked to his weapons, ax, and throwing- _ stick he took in his left hand, lance in his right, dagger in his girdle, darts in the leop- ard-skin quiver over his shoulder; he cast a glance at the fire to be sure it would not spread, and took his way, Nu-kzen follow- ing doglike at his heels, toward the little path to which the Bison’s wife had pointed the night before. CHAPTER VI. THE SON OF THE RED GOD. "T HE sky was growing light, but under the trees it was still dark, with the dense, enfolding blackness of the forest night, a blackness that wraps one like a thick, furred skin about the head, pressing down and about on all sides, a stifling, smothering blackness, that yet holds vague gleams of light, half seen, half guessed— not light, indeed, but rather spaces less densely black than the deepest dark. Behind them, as they turned their heads from time to time, En-ro and Nu-kzen could see, guiding them on their desperate errand, the glow of the dying fire, leaping occasion- ally into small dancing flames as some stick, burning through, fell with a crackle, throw- ing a shower of tiny sparks into the air. Above’them the tall trees spread a domed ceiling of arching boughs, through the open- ings of which, vaguely outlined in ragged forms against the blue of the sky, shone and winked the stars, and once En-ro, turning and lifting his eyes, caught a glimpse of Ku-no-en-m’rai-ten-no, the Guiding Light of the Night That Does Not Move, the star that does not rise or set, the star by which the warriors of the Ta-an were taught to steer their way through the track- less forest. The clear, fresh, sweet scent of dawn came pleasantly cool to their nostrils, and insects buzzed and hummed through the air; sleeping birds chirped in their dreams, GO .OO ANC S (C@