Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

THE WINGS OF THE SNOW. pictured to himself the mangled body of Tu-sen lying far, far below, and he shud- dered at the thought. He peered downward, but nothing was to be seen save the blackness of unguessed depth, and then for the first time Ku-ro noticed that the sheer walls of ice for some yards down glowed with a strange and ruddy light. He looked up and saw that the sun was setting and the whole heavens were aglow; rolling, billowing, the dark gray clouds swam in rounded masses athwart the sky, their lower edges blood- red from the light of the sinking sun. “* Snow comes,’”’ muttered Ku-ro, think- ing how powerless he was to protect him- self, thinking that for him, exhausted by the long hunt and weak from hunger, a storm would bring the end. And as this thought came to him another slowly took form and grew within his mind; why wait? Why lie like a stricken beast, suffering the tortures of the cold, till death came on leaden feet? Life held nothing for him; Then-ai dead, her death avenged, why should he live? His father and mother were dead, broth- ers and sisters had he none—friends, in- deed, but how long would they mourn for him? In very truth, did they not even now count him lost? A quick blow of his dagger would end his misery, would set him free to seek the Lance of Dawn—nay, sim- pler than that, one step forward—a swift rush through the air—and then—the end! As he lay on the edge of the crevasse this thought grew and grew, taking pos- session of his mind, till at length it seemed the only thing to do, and slowly, wearily, aching from head to foot, his raw hands bleeding afresh as he rested his weight on them, Ku-ro got to his feet and tottered on the brink of the abyss—of eternity! But even as he was about to take that fatal stride his eye was caught by some- thing in the chasm; a faint swirl of mist, it seemed, rising toward the upper air, and he stopped to watch. Slowly, slowly, twist- ing, bending, gathering together, the mist took form, assumed a shape not unlike that ofa human being, and Ku-ro stared, agape. “Nay,” he told himself, “ this cannot be; the hunger brings visions!” And he 649 pulled himself together to carry out his purpose. But even as he did so, in the very act of staggering forward, he caught himself—halted—drew back, gasping—the mist had taken form, indeed, and Then-ai floated before him over the abyss, standing on empty air! There was no mistaking that figure; the long and graceful limbs, the proud head, the large brown eyes, the long hair, clasped by a single thong behind the shoulders and below that flying loose—all spoke the girl Ku-ro had loved, and he stretched forth his arms to take her to his bosom. But the vision smiled and sheok her head; her lips moved, but no sound came. Frown- ing, she tried again, vainly, and a look of pain swept over her features. “'Then-ai!” cried Ku-ro in despair. ‘“‘ Speak, Then-ai! What is it you would say?” With the words the face of the vision cleared, the lips moved once more, and from them came the sound of words, faint and far away it seemed, yet clear and un- - mistakable—the very accents of the Lance of Dawn! “ Ku-ro,” spoke the vision; “ Ku-ro, best-beloved, not yours to die! Live; make your way back once more to the Val- ley of the Ta-an; need of you lies heavy on the tribesmen. Serve faithfully; so shall your, reward be great; die naw by act of yours, and never shall you clasp Then-ai, or here or in the Place of Good. It is the Great Father speaks, by me, His servant.” Ku-ro fell on his knees, arms out- stretched, crying: : “It shall be done! Then-ai, loved one, even as you have said, so shall it be done! But oh, sweet one, pray to the Great Father that the trial be brief; that soon I may be free to seek you!”’ The. vision smiled, placing a finger on. her lips, and the outlines of the figure blurred, wavering, so that Ku-ro, fearful, called out: “ Then-ai! Then-ai, you who come from the Place of Good to warn. me, suffer that I may hold you in my arms but once ere you return!”’ Frantically, despairing- ly, he cried the words, but the vision smiled and shook her head; gradually the mist CONMUC NOOK CO