Argosy, Vol. 123, No. 2 — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

THE MASTER OF MAGIC. father, his first adventure of the sort coming when, a boy of fourteen, he had gone with the tribesmen on the very eexpedition whereon A-ta had invented the canoe. . He had borne himself well, earning com- mendation from the older warriors, and his youth had promised well, a promise that was fulfilled so far as skill with weapons was,concerned. But Tsu-ven had felt him- self aggrieved at the promise made to A-ta; he felt his right to the chieftaincy was greater than that of her son, and for some years past, as he saw Nan-a-ta growing in honor among the tribesmen, he had la- bored by hint and innuendo, by word and look, to draw the warriors to himself, di- verting their allegiance from Nan-a-ta. In this effort he had so far succeeded that about half the warriors and hunters of the tribe—that is, the tramed users of weapons—were his firm adherents, ready to defend his claim against that of the son of A-ta, to take up arms in his behalf. The Lord of the Winged Death knew naught of this, nor did Nan-a-ta—indeed, had the chieftain realized it he would un- doubtedly have ordered his son slain or at least exiled, for the chieftain of the Ta-an owned the power of life and death among the tribesmen, and brooked no opposition to his decrees. But Tsu-ven moved secretly and with skill, pretending friendship for Nan-a-ta, so that the latter was honestly-amazed when he recognized Tsu-ven as the one who had endeavored to roll the rock on him. This act was one of impulse; Tsu-ven, knowing that his father’s end drew near, and seeing Nan-a-ta below him on the trail, had pushed the boulder behind which he was hiding, for the thought had struck him that Nan-a-ta’s death would solve his problem or at least make easier his path. But the rock had missed; the keen ears of the trained hunter had warned him of the danger, and his instant action, result of constant peril—for in the forests a man’s life depended daily, hourly, on peas readiness—had saved his life. And Tsu-ven had watched with eagerness the struggle with the bear; hidden behind the brush, he had thrice lifted his bow to Speed an arrow into the defenceless body 3 ARGOSY of -Nan-a-ta, and thrice had he held his hand, for an arrow might be traced. A rock might fall by chance, death might come in a fight with wild beasts, but the wound of an arrow must be explained! So Nan-a-ta, intent on the bear, and un- conscious of the second peril that lurked un- seen, had escaped and gone his way, and it was necessary for Tsu-ven to find some other method to sweep his rival one side. As has been said, Tsu-ven counted among his adherents full half the weapon-trained men of the Ta-an, but even so he dared not think himself secure. In open battle, face to face, the others of the Ta-an would weigh down the scale, for though the artists and artisans might not claim the skill with bow and arrow, with lance and ax and dag- ger that was characteristic of the warriors and hunters, yet no man of the tribe could reach his growth without knowing somewhat of the use of weapons—every man was a potential fighter. So Tsu-ven, to insure success, decided to avail himself, if possible, of the power of | religion, appealing to the tribesmen through their reverence for the priesthood, and to that end he sought alliance with Sa-ko. The evening of the day when the Lord of the Winged Death passed into the Long Dark Tsu-ven presented himself at the Chief Priest’s cave. Sa-ko had returned from preparing the chieftain’s body, the other priests taking the task of watching, and he had just finished his supper when Tsu-ven appeared. The sun had set, and without the cave the dusk was gathering in; the beasts of the night were abroad, and in the sky above the stars began to show, twinkling spots of gold in the deep blue. Outside, the weird barking laugh of the hyenas that roamed the forest, and from time to time the deep roar of the lion; within, the glowing embers of the fire and the flickering light of the lamps, shallow _bowls of stone, fed with the fat of beasts. And by the fire the Chief Priest, seated, looking up to greet the traitorous son of the dead chieftain. Tsu-ven drew near and bowed respect- fully to the priest, who with a wave of his hand bade the newcomer be seated. Tsu- ven squatted on his haunches and remained COMICLOO© 177. SS ©