Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

662 peaceful valley, searching for signs of war— had the Sur reached there before him? But all was quiet; the smoke rose in col- umns from the fire-hearths, and groups of men and women stood about talking as he had often seen them do. Still—it might be— there was but one thing to do—descend and learn. And if the Sur had taken the valley—well, he, too, could die fighting! And there rose in his mind the memory of the Lance of Dawn, and sorrow gripped his heart as he realized that she would not be there to welcome him. Gathering himself together, Ku-ro started on the long descent, following the trail which angled down the mountain, packed by the feet of hunters. He had gone but a few steps when his feet slipped, and he crouched to regain his balance. Instantly —or so it seemed—-the snowshoes took com- mand. Ku-ro seized the toes, the forward ends of the hoops, and held on while the shoes, like a toboggan, carried him at ever increasing speed down the slope. Squatting, he kept his balance, and faster and faster he flew, snow rising in a cloud behind him like dust behind a fleeing band of the wild horse. Faster and faster, rock and tree rushing by at lightning speed, till Ku-ro was terrified—yet he could not stop. Rounding a gentle curve, he saw before him a group of hunters—he shouted loud— they sprang from the trail, and one raised his bow at sight of this strange animal bear- ing down cn them—another, quicker of wit, - struck the bow aside so that the arrow flew harmless—Ku-ro had one flashing plimpse of Ban, close friend to the great. chieftain—and they were behind him. On and on he sped, till at last he shot over the edge of the bank, rushed through the air, and “dropped some thirty feet to the bosom of the frozen river. By the greatest of good fortune he plunged into a deep drift, so that though dizzy and shaken he took no serious harm, but extricated himself and faced toward the shore, making the peace sign with up- lifted hand as a band of warriors, full- armed, arrow on string, bore down on this strange invader. As the fighting men drew mear the leader halted some ten paces from the young man, stared an instant, shouted: ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “Ku-ro! Carver of Ivory!” Andina second the two were in each other’s arms— it was Po-tan, one of Ku-ro’s closest friends, who had long mourned the Carver of Ivory as dead. Greetings followed, question and inquiry from the delighted men, pushing and jostling, but to all Ku-ro replied: “First to the great chieftain! News of import to the Ta-an!” and pushed his way to the cave of Nan-a-ta. -The tribesmen followed, nudging one another and whisper- ing: “ He walks on the snow! This is magic!” But Ku-ro paid no heed; pressing on to the cave of the great chieftain, and bowing be- fore Nan-a-ta, he traced on the floor the three interlocking circles which anmulcated his desire to speak. “Say on!” responded Nan-a-ta to this Silent request, and Ku-ro answered: “‘ Great chieftain, from the Eastern Hills come the Sur, to slay the People of the Mountain Caves and take their homes.” “How is this known to you?” was the - incisive question, and Ku-ro related his ad- ventures, telling of the death of Tu-sen, his own capture and escape, and of his in- venting the snowshoe to hasten his journey. To all Nan-a-ta listened gravely, examining with care the snowshoes, and at the end he spoke: “It is well done, Carver of Ivory. Much honor shall be thine.” ‘Nay, great chieftain,” responded Ku- ro, “‘ Then-ai being dead, naught is honor to me! Let me, I pray, find death in the battle that comes, that I may the seoner go to seek her I love!” A faint smile flickered on the chieftain’s lips, but he made no reply. Turning to Su, his lieutenant, who stood beside him, he said: “On all the trails let a watch be set, lest the Sur come upon us unawares. Let the artisans examine well these wings of the snow whereon Ku-ro walks, making many of them, that in the battle with the Sur— do they come ere the snow be gone—the advantage may lie with the Ta-an.” Ku-ro gasped—he had never thought of the snowshoes for this; to him they were but a means of travel! But he recognized at once the insight of Nan-a-ta, and bowed COMmiclOokkSs.com