Avon Murder Mystery Monthly No. 41 — page 160: what you’re looking at

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

162 THE METAL MONSTER shot the arm again; hooked its hammer tip over the parapet, tore away a stretch of the breastwork as though it had been cardboard. Beside the breach an expanse of the broad flat top lay open like a wide platform. The arm withdrew, and out from the whole length of the spindle thrust other arms, hammer tipped, held high aloft, menacing. From all the length of the wall arose panic outcry. Abruptly the storm of arrows ended; the catapults were still. Again the trumpets. sounded; the crying ceased. Down fell a silence, terrified, stifling. - Kulun stepped forth again, both hands held high. Gone was his arrogance. 7 a . “A parley,” he shouted. “A parley, Norhala, If we give you the maid and man, will you go?” | “Go get them,” she answered. “And take with you this my command to Cherkis—that Ae return with the two!” For an instant Kulun hesitated. Up thrust the dreadful arms, poised themselves to strike. | “Tt shall be so,” he shouted. “I carry your command.” He leaped back, his red mail flashed toward a turret that held, | supposed, a stairway. He was lost to sight. In silence we waited. On the further side of the city I glimpsed movement. Little troops of mounted men, pony. drawn wains, knots of running figures were fleeing from the city through thé opposite gates. Norhala saw them too. With that incomprehensible, instant obedience. to her unspoken thought a mass of the Metal Things separated from us; whirled up into a dozen of those obelisked forms I had seen march from the cat eyes of the City of the Pit, | In but a breath, it seemed, their columns were far off, herding back the fugitives. | | They did not touch them, did not offer to harm—only, grotesquely, like dogs heading off and corraling frightened ‘sheep, they circled and darted. Rushing back came those they herded. | | From the watching terraces and walls arose shrill cries of terror, a wailing. Far away the obelisks met, pirouetted, melted into one thick column. Towering, motionless as we, it stood, guarding the further gates, | | _There was a stir upon the wall, a flashing of spears, of drawn blades. “Two litters closed with curtainings, surrounded by triple rows of swordsmen fully armored, carrying small shields and led by Kulun were being borne to the torn battlement. Their bearers stopped well within the platform and gently lowered their burdens. The leader of those around the second litter drew aside its covering, spoke. Out stepped Ruth and after her—Ventnor! GOGO .S (GO)