Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 107: what you’re looking at

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

“ Twilight Country—there,” she said. Mercer saw, coming up over the horizon, the dim outlines of a rocky land sparsely covered with trees. It spread out rapidly before him as he watched, fascinated. It seemed a desolate land, a line of low, bar- ren hills off to one side, and a forest of stunted, naked-looking trees in front. The platform swept on over the shore line, a rocky beach*on which the calm sea rolled up in tiny white lines of breakers. Then in a great curve the girls circled to one side. * Where are we going?”” Mercer asked. “A trail—near us somewhere. A trail to the Lone City. There we land.” Mercer*saw the trail in a moment. It came out of the woods and struck the shore by a little bight where boats could land. The girls swooped downward, and in a mo- ment more the platform was lying motion- less on the beach. Mercer looked around. It was light enough to see objects in the immediate foreground—a gray twilight. The forest came almost to the water’s edge. He saw now the trees might have been firs, but with small, twisted trunks, few branches except near the top, and very few leaves. They seemed somehow very naked and starved—indeed, it surprised him that they could grow at all in such a rocky waste. The end of the trail was close before him. It appeared merely an opening in the trees with the fallen logs and underbrush cleared away. The girls were obviously cold, standing idle now after their long flight. Mercer lost no time in preparing for the return journey. He tumbled his captives unceremoniously off the platform and set the box of food and blankets beside them. ‘“What’s this, Anina?” He was holding in his palm a tiny metal cylinder. Anina took it from him. “ For fire, see?” She picked up a bit of driftwood, and, holding the end of the cylinder against it, pressed a little button. A curl of smoke rose from the wood, and in a moment a wisp of flame. “ A light-ray!” Mercer exclaimed. ‘THE FIRE PEOPLE. Be “The ray—but different.” mi She tossed the bean fy and held her hand a foot or soi 0 n fr the cylinder, . “No danger! See?” She t DI rougk vt hand closer. “ Heat here—close- far away.” Mercer understood then that t a light-ray projector, but a me ducing heat with the property of r: but not of projection—a different anh nar: less form of the ray. . He took the little cylinder from th inspected it curiously, then laid it o blankets. | “They'll need it, I guess, if it colder where they’re going.” ; = es He set one of the captives free. ‘ Anina, tell him to sit quiet unl ve’ gone. Then he can cut the others | He tossed a knife into the box. “| se Anina; let’s get away.” a They were about ready to start back when Mercer suddenly decided he was hur gry. He hopped off the platform.” don’t need all that food.” | e: He gathered some of the little fi t it cakes of dough in his hands. “ Want some? Oa offered them to the girls, who s ly re fused, “ All right. Ido. I’m — as well take a bin too. Its d cold.”’ ios He was back on the plaifoen ioe a ment, sitting down with the blanket at his knees and munching content edly < ee bread. fete eat Me’ ‘““ All right, Anina. Start ‘cen’ 0 ff.” ie They swung up into the air a the return flight. A few hours more and chev i back at the Great City. — ices e work would begin. Mercer s shoulders unconsciously as he thoug there was to do. ele But there was no danger tothe e Li; Country from Tao, he i wit faction. At least, there wot ) nod of on a i- ‘i. be te as the Great City was now. Ther ot ny find their way back all 5 oh ese At the sudden thoug at car d “comicbooks. com