Argosy, Vol. 117, No. 3 — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

418 several false starts they found a way through this labyrinth of broken stone blocks and vine-hung arches into the forest. The night sky was paling before the ap- proaching sun. Up to now Fortune had spoken no word to Mary. He had avoided her glances. Impelled by necessity, he addressed her with averted looks. ‘Our way through the forest will be hard and long. Can you walk? If you would rather, two of the men ‘can carry you.” “T can walk.” Her tone was neither cold nor reproach- ful, as he had feared. She answered him as one would address a stranger, without interest of any sort. “Very well,” he agreed. ‘‘ March, men This was no place to discuss their relations. Three hours later, in the fresh morning of a splendid July day, they quit the jungle and found again the open streets. A sol- dier, mounted, passed near them. Fortune ordered him from the horse and comman- deered it for his prisoner. For a moment, as he helped Mary to mount, her hand touched his. It was ice-cold. What to do with Mary he had but a faint idea. He was acting entirely on his own responsibility, actuated by private emotions for which, no doubt, he would later have to make explanations to his superiors. But on one point he was determined— they should not put this girl into any of the terrible prisons kept for the Folk! Cortland thought hard as he led his little company. If he would save Mary from the very real and terrible dangers of incarcera- tion in the Towerman’s prisons, he must imprison her in some place of his own. He had no prison! But he had Mary, and he did not intend to lose her—at least, until he had time to persuade her that the cause of the Comrades was lost and she could do no better than to accept his love. He decided that the girl could be kept in the cantonment of the Under City where he ruled the guard. And scarcely had he made the decision before chance took the matter out of his hands. They had reached the Towerman’s Road, threading their way through the ruins along !») : THE ARGOSY. a path known as “the canal,” a title that traced its origin to an old street name of the New York before the Great Catas- trophe. As they turned into the broader way they met a brilliant cavalcade of Tower People, at their head Alda, Frederick, and Wolff. Fortune would have given his captain’s rank to have avoided this! His frantic hope of passing unnoticed failed miserably. The voice of the Tower- man stopped them and Wolff rode close to gloat over the fair prisoner. Alda, watching from a little farther off, showed traces of emotion. The High-born was actually jealous of a girl of the Folk who had drawn Fortune from her side! Frederick, close beside her, guessed Alda’s secret and lost no time putting it to his advantage. The comptroller saw that the sooner this friendship between Wolff’s daughter and the ambitious young captain was broken off, the sooner could he regain prestige. “Ah, she is beautiful, eh? Very, very beautiful,” Frederick remarked to his com- panion. “See how young Fortune looks at her—look, watch his eye! A pretty sight, two handsome young people—if the girl were of the Tower People who knows but there would be a match there? Well, well, I daresay she’ll not look on him cold- ly, for all that!” Alda made no reply, but her action spoke eloquently. She pushed her horse close to Wolff’s and whispered to him. The Tow- erman nodded. “Wenn,” he called. The Commander saluted. ‘Wenn, see that this woman is locked up in the stone prison where Zorn is. Gad, she’s more dangerous than the man! Go yourself and see this done—HF'll take no chance of a rescue. The girl must burn at the stake, along with that heretic, or our work would be but half done.”’ Wenn obeyed by taking personal com- mand of Fortune’s little company. The two parties separated and as they moved away Frederick rode close beside Alda, still - poisoning her thoughts in the manner of which he was a master. Watching the cold, hard face of the High- CORMICLOO© S (C@