Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 98: what you’re looking at

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

664 what, and Ku-ro was puzzled to see them ’ stop, bunch up in a group, and hesitate when they reached the foot of the mountain. Suddenly the explanation struck him, and he laughed aloud—coming upon the marks of his snowshoes the Sur had taken them for the tracks of some strange and unknown beast. And what a beast! Again laughed, for the footprints were half the length of a man’s body, and two-thirds that in width. He pictured to himself the amazement, the dread that must be theirs at these gigantic tracks, vast beyond those ‘of the mammoth itself, and respect for the warriors of the Sur welled up within him, for now they were coming on, facing brave- ly that tnknown, terrible thing. Turning, he made his way down the mountain with the other scouts, to report to the great chief- tain. At the foot of the trail down the moun- tain the hills drew somewhat back from the river, leaving an open space, a flat meadow, covered jn summer with lush green grass, now deep with snow. On this meadow, years before, had been fought the battle which made Nan-a-ta great chieftain of the Ta-an, and now it was to be the scene of a fight more desperate than that, a fight not for the leadership of the tribe, but for the very life of the Ta-an, for their existence as a people. Ringed about by thick woods save on the riverside, thigh-deep in snow, it made a.trap that Nan-a-ta would use to the full, a trap whence no enemy should escape. Down the narrow trail marched the Sur in single file, weapons ready, for they knew they had reached their goal—the signs were not to be mistaken. But no opposing war- tior stood before them; no javelin or dart struck among them; no boulders plunged downward among their ranks, and their ex- ultation grew— they would take the Ta-an unawares! On and on they came, marching steadily, till they had reached the open space, and closed in about their chief, looking around, waiting his signal to begin the hunt. Suddenly from the forest rang the deep voice of Nan-a-ta: “‘ Shoot swiftly, Men of the Ta-an!” Ku-ro - _ ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Instant with the word there sped a flight of arrows, singing, blasting death—buzzing like hornets they flew, stinging more deep- ly. Another followed —another—while the Sur, dismayed, surprised, stared helpless or reeled and plunged, death-stricken. But Tho, the chieftain, recovered quickly and with the bellow of a bull led his men in fierce attack straight on the hidden bow- men, even as a wild boar rushes on the wolves that bait him. - Again the singing death smote them, and in dozens they fell —yet still the living plunged onward through the snow toward the forest. But this attack was their undoing; floun- dering in the deep snow, they. were no match for the men of the Ta-an who, agile, shod with the new footgear, fighting down- ward from the height of the snow, met the enemy with ax and lance and dagger. The battle breke into scores of single combats, and the forest resounded with shouts and cries, with call of triumph or shriek and groan of agony as the sharp flint bit home. Bodies lay scattered about, bodies of Sur or of Ta-an; men rolled and plunged in death-grip, striking and stab- bing, biting, kicking, gouging, while the loose and powdery snow rose in smothering clouds about them, the sharp crystals sting- ing in throat and nostril. Blotched with red lay the white snow, or trampled to a slush, red, horrible; and des- perate man slew desperate man ,in bitter conflict, while into the thin and frosty air rose a white steam from nostril or from gaping wound. No mercy was asked or given—the Sur knew the trap into which they had been led, they knew their lives forfeit, and they died as dies Menzono, the Gray Slayer, the great wolf of the forest —biting hard, they died. The chance of battle brought Ku-ro face to face with Tho, chieftain of the Sur, and into the latter’s eyes there sprang a gleam of recognition. By now he knew the secret of the Wings of the Snow, he knew the fate to. which his own blind self-confidence had brought him, and with a shout of joy he sprang on the one who had given the timely warning. Ku-ro thrust sharply with his lance— cCOmiclbooks CO