Argosy, Vol. 117, No. 2 — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

THE SON OF THE RED- GOD, and the Devils of the Air fluttered through the little glade, one even swooping so close to En-ro’s head that its wing-tip brushed his ear and he stopped for an instant in fear and horror; then, gathering his strength and courage, pressed on. Once a roosting bird lost his balance and fell from the tree where he slept, catching himself in mid air with a squawk and a flutter, and the two men stopped in their tracks, listening to see if any of Meng’s warriors had been roused by the noise, but no one stirred, and presently they went on, treading lightly and testing the ground be- fore them for betraying twigs and leaves be- fore resting a foot firmly. I'rom a distance there came to their ears the fierce hunting roar of Snorr-m’rai-no, followed by the agonized scream of a wild horse as the great beast of prey dragged it down, and Nu-kzen poked his master in the back, as though to remind him of what waited for them, once they had left the negroes’ camp. ; Presently they came to the hither end of the path the Bison’s wife had pointed out to the Carver of Tusks, and Nu-kzen, draw- ing close, caught En-ro’s arm. Placing his lips close to his master’s ear, the little ne- gro whispered—hardly more than breathed a few words, En-ro listening, half guessing at the message. “ Ba-non,” said Nu-kzen, “is it in the hollow oak that your woman is hidden?” “Yes,” spoke En-ro softly, nodding. “IT am a fool, Master! I should have known! But see, we can reach the oak nor follow the path. Here the brush grows thin, and by crawling belly-down on the earth, as does Sen-zo, the Poisoned Slayer, we can avoid the guards Mang will have placed on the path. Let me go search!” En-ro nodded again, and Nu-kzen, laying aside his single garment and taking only a flint dagger in his hand, flung himself on the ground and was instantly out of sight. En-ro lay down to wait. Time passed, the Carver of Tusks listening with all his ears, attention at utmost strain, fearing the sound of a struggle that would announce discovery. The tension grew more and more painful, for as the light grew and he could catch 219 glimpses of vague forms about him, these forms took shape in his mind. The twilight was peopled with enemies creeping, creep- ing, surrounding him, warriors, beasts, dev- ils, strange, nameless Things, forms he could recognize, forms he could not make out; they swam and shifted and danced be- fore his eyes, till En-ro was ready to leap to his feet and rush upon them, to die fighting. Then he shifted his eyes, closing them for an instant, and opening them, saw that the forms had changed and were still, and he knew them for creatures of his brain. So he lay, his faculties tense, his nerves strained, his attention concentrated—and suddenly a hand was laid on his arm! Barely could he keep from screaming, but he held himself firm, though all his strength could not keep back a shudder. Slowly he turned his head, and as he did so a voice breathed in his ear: “‘ Master!”’ “It was Nu-kzen. “You found?” asked the white warrior. ‘* We can pass the guards who are on the path. One watched at the hollow tree.” ‘* And we can pass him?” Nu-kzen chuckled faintly, and En-ro could see in his mind’s eye the inevitable flashing, white-toothed grin. “He will not trouble us,’ answered the little negro, laying the blade of his dagger on En-ro’s arm, and En-ro felt that it was wet. ‘“Come, Ba-non,’ ) > said Nu-kzen. ‘“ On your belly, and let not your weapons clink.” En-ro stripped off his leopard-skin and wrapped his weapons in it, all but his dag- ger, taking care that a thickness of the hide lay between each two weapons, and Nu-kzen did likewise. Then, each taking his dagger in his teeth, the two flung them- selves on the ground, the negro leading, and crawled, dragging themselves along by el- bows and toes, into the underbrush. If it had been dark in the open forest, here under the bushes it was doubly, trebly dark, for all the coming down. Here not the faintest ray of light penetrated, the stars were hidden, close over their backs the brush joined, and time and again En-ro would have lost his guide but for one hand resting on the negro’s heel and leg. ~ And now En-ro was glad of the rain, for, CORMICLOO© ‘S. (C@