Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 111: what you’re looking at

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

b a8 and scraping before me, eager only “© Tell him, Miela, how Baar’s men cap- ‘tated Lua. Have the city thoroughly searched—-Baar’s house particularly. Tell him-J killed Baar’s wife. Have that slave woman sent home to me. “Tell him to capture Baar and any of his known associates. If he does, have him report to me at ence. Say to him that I must have word of Lua—or I’ll have a new chief of police by to-morrow. For the rest, have his men patrol the city as usual.” I spoke as sternly as I could, and the little man received my words with voluble protestations of extreme activity on his part. When he had bowed himself out I smiled at Miela hopelessly. “This has got to be a mighty different government before we can ever hope to accomplish anything against Tao.” Tao Was not worrying me for the moment. Lua must be found, and I had no idea of rely- ing entirely upon this little chief of police to find her, And Mercer needed me, too, this very evening. I stood up wearily and om my arm about Miela’s shoulders. Her little body drooped against mine, her head resting on my shoulder. There was little about us then, as we stood there dispirited and phys- ically tired out, that would have commend- ed respect from our subjects. “We must get some sleep, Miela,” I said. “Things will look very different to us * then.” It must have been mid-afternoon when we awoke, Ano was at hand to report that Baar and his men, and all the king’s guards, must have fled the city. Of Lua he had, so far, found no trace. Baar’s slave wom- an was in the castle, waiting our com- mands, The girl who had brought us Mer- cer’s message was also waiting to ask us when we wanted her and the other girls for the trip back to the Twilight Country, “Right away,’ I exclaimed. “I’m not going to take any chances with Mercer. We'll start at once.” The girl flew away to get her friends and the platform, which had been left in the garden of Miela’s home. I planned to start eee - Oath would forbid it.” “SP _ = — ~ 1 wae * —- Pia ee" THE FIRE PEOPLE. i i 3 aan “te openly from the castle roakead no need of maintaining al The disappearance of Lua we Equally so was the possible ¢ which Mercer might have blu Lua’s case there did not seem mich T do personally at that moment. ‘Befo starting I arranged with the age ss to call a meeting the following m all government officials. : “ Could we get Fuero to come, | Mie a : She shook her head poivly. | yy <a - sah: ‘si ‘ C Ke ‘Well, tell the councilors to call a of the city’s prominent men. ptt get some good men with me. I can't d all alone.” ges : 2 Miela smiled at me Sr as Isa “You have forgotten our wor en j their help, my husband?” | = I had, in very truth, for the mome Pe # “We'll need them, too,” I said. ‘Tell these girls who carry us to-night to O < all those who went with us to the n tains—a meeting to-morrow at this ti here on the castle roof.” “To the Water City we must. 20," Ny said. “There Tao’s men are very s a our girls report. And to-day ther 2 Wi fight among the people, and several ¥ killed.” | ‘But we must go armed, more than one light-ray. I s Fuero to-morrow. After all, h note to the whole thing.” ee We started from the castle sitting with me this time on the Flying low, we passed over the” ies Z bayous, and in what seemed a me short time we were out over | had now no idea what we m upon to do, or how long we would for all my specific plans fort bh he nex so we started as well prepared as pc The precious light-ray cylinder I my hand. We had a numb <i enough food for us all for t' ful rationing, a knife or ty sharp-edged metal imple! mn ant ke It seemed hardly more than hal before a great black cloud had s the whole wae an Feoiarebooks: com