Argosy, Vol. 117, No. 3 — page 107: what you’re looking at

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

THE TORCH. silence. The silence was oppressive. No word was spoken, but fram the lips of the Folk came an elusive ghost of a sound, a faint and sustained hissing that spoke their terrible hatred. Wolff hesitated, his head cocked to one side, his white, slim hands combing nervous- ly at his little beard. He began to speak abruptly in that habitual whining, shrill voice that grew in volume as his assurance grew... “ Folk of the Under City, you have done ill. You have defied the government divine- ly ordained to protect your welfare. The gods. are displeased, and they have brought ruin to your foolish planning. “The Directorate is grieved at your mad- ness,’’ Wolff whined reprovingly. “ If any- thing is wrong, if injustice has been done you, our benevolent system of government gives you easy means to seek correction. Every man, woman, and child among you has the right to bring his grievance before me, by means of the police of the Under City. They are my ordained agents of justice. “But you thought to defy me.” Wolff’s tone grew querulous, then angry. “ You thought to throw down those who guard you, who guide you. There is wicked mur- der in your hearts. You dare defy the will, of Divinity itself. Ay, you would gladly kill me. I know! ‘Now you must do penance. “Those persons who have dared put mur- der in your hearts are in my prisons. They will pay for this. And so shall you all! “ Listen to the judgment of Wolff. This is my will that you shall do: “ For three days the Tower People will deprive every man, woman, and child of the Under City of work. You shall sit idle. Ay, and you'll go hungry, for do not the laws say that he who does no work shall not be fed? : “That is the penance you shall do for this night. It is not all. Later the Direc- torate will publish its will concerning other privileges you must give up. Don’t think to escape unscathed. “Now go you back to your canton- ments. Soldiers, see that my will is done. Later the Under City shall see what comes 7 Arcosy 5; ALT to those who dared preach sedition in Man- hattan!” Wolff raised his right hand high above his head and unconsciously the fist doubled in a gesture of menace. “ Back with you!” he shouted with all the power of his crack- ing voice. ‘‘ Go back!” He turned and hastily rejoined his com- panions. The soldiers closed in ahead and behind him. The great flag was swept aside, and-he disappeared up the stair. Then from every corner of the vast hall came the harsh commands of the armed men. Every soldier of the Tower People who could possibly be spared was there, perhaps six or seven thousand of them in all. The confusion was terrible, but there was little resistance, for those who complained were punished with swift death. Long hours elapsed before the last strag- glers were herded into the underground pas- sages. In the free world above the sun was long past noon before the melancholy processions underground had ended. In bitter humility the men who once dared te hope were driven back to their cold kennels. The flame that had prom- ised to warm their lives and light their steps toward freedom was quenched in birth. Their wrists still galled with the metal bracelets of slavery and their eyes were dull with apathetic despair. The promise had failed. With a deadly suddenness that assured his authority, Fortune had taken command of the knot of soldiers who held Mary. He led them from the underground hall along old passages that were cold with the breath of the ruins. They traversed strange places and their torches frightened bats and small bird life andesent the hungry rats scurrying. It was fully a quarter of an hour before the cap- tain began to plan. His first insane fury passed. Now that he had saved Mary from rough treatment, what to do with her? A sifting of gray light down a stair sug- gested an exit from underground, He led the little company upward. They came out into a vast, roofless space heaped high with the débris of the old train station. After Gomichbooks (C@