Air Wonder Stories, May 1930 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

darkness, In. another moment the dark form of his body loomed up before his waiting companion. “Let's get under,” he gasped, “The moon's coming out in — the clear, See any one?” “Not a damn thing, Tom, hat» we soon will. The mail bags are still in the ship. Was that Weldon out there?” “Yes, Jim, it was him. Jim, we're getting the devil out of this place while we're able to go. There’s a storm coming over and we’ye got to get out before it breaks, “But—but Weldon.” “He’s dead, Jim. ~He made a perfect landing in that ’chute and hasn’t a bruise on him. What’s-more, he landed in this place alive.” “Are you sure?” “See this small box that I brought bacle just now? I found it tucked under Weldon’s arm. It’s a diamond shipment from one of the Kimberley mines, The most valuable piece of the whole mail shipment. He took the box with him when he jumped, ‘and was able to hold it all the way down.” ‘But how—” “Let’s get going, Jim. The moon is under and we've a good couple of miles to go before we're out of this place. Come on.” CHAPTER V A Desperate Situation OGETHER they made a dash across the. stretch of barren valley floor to the rocky wall that towered high above their heads, Jim sank wearily to the ground as they reached the*shadows of the-rocle. “T don’t know what’s eating me, Tom, but I’m just about all ‘in? “Tt’s this infernal valley. There’s a poisonous element in the air and it’s sapping our strength away. There's likely a deposit of some chemical substance in this place that is causing this. That's what got Weldon. I tell you, Jim, we've got to get ont of here qttick, I’d rather take a chance on running into them bandits a-dozen times than have my legs give way on me here. ~ If «we ever give in we're done for, because we'll not have strength to get up again.” “All right?” Jim replied wearily, “Lead away, Tom.” The moon had now disappeared behind the heavy. thunder- heads that were rapidly rising. A. streak of lightning cut vividly across the west-and deep rolling thunder echoed and re-echoed its solemn warning between the walls of rock. “Tim, there’s something pretty fimny about the whole affair,” Tom spoke as they pressed forward. down the floor of the cavern side by side, “Weldon landed alive and unhurt in this place, and yet died before he could get out of his straps. He had one shoulder slipped out of his 'chute straps when I found him, and’ another ounce of energy would have been sufficient to get him free-altogether. But that a as far as he got.” “The storm’s going to break soon,” Jim commented. briefly as he exerted all his strength to push forward. “We'll have to go through it, Jim. This valley is poisonous, and it'll get us if we spend much more time here, That’s what got Weldon, I’m sure, He was probably stunned when he landed, either by the bandits’ ray, or-in landing, and this poison- ous air got him before he regained his senses. He probably had just enough strength left when he came to, to get out of his straps.” “Then that explains why there’s no living creatures or even vegetation in this infernal place.” “Watch your foot-steps, Jim, it’s pretty dark. Take advan- tage of ‘the lightning flashes to spot out the ground ahead of ou.” : “The rain’s starting.” The weariness of Rogers’ voice told of his waning strength, ; Tom now became fully aware of his companion’s- condition andd feeling his own strength failing fast, realized the need for haste. “Here, Jim, lean on ‘my arm; I’m still feeling O. K.” The rain now started to drop heavily as a loud peal of thunder rent the air. tion from Tom renewed the life ave Inown.” “God!” A. stidden- exc in his companion, “I thight “What's wrong?” “Jim !”—he pointed out across the blackness that enveloped the floor of the valley. Jim looked and gasped in astonishment, A: glow of amber-colored mist was rising-from the valley floor. Tn all directions as far up and down the cavern’as they could sce the whole floor was: glowing with that same terrible hue close to the ground. IRASH! the thunder. echoed down the deep ravine anda vivid flash of lightning momentarily blotted out the glow, while the rain increased, falling in totrents, Tom looked around him in horror as he assisted his weaken- ing companion along. Thin tongues of fire were now leaping upward from every: sharp point and edge of rock. Here and there out on the barren stretch before them. Small columns and tongues of fire could now be seen shooting their amber- colored flames up into the air as high as three or four feet, terminating in a sharp point that faded in a string of fiery sparks, “Jim!” he shouted, shaking his companion in an attempt to shake him into new activity. “For God's sake, Jim, we're done tnless we keep going and get out quick. Jim, I see it all now. This valley got Weldon and it’s going to get us if we weaken. We've only a half mile to go until we hit the trees,” “Let's rest a minute, Totn,” pleaded Rogers, “I—I can't make it,” i “We-can’t stop, Jim, We can’t. The rain is allowing this stuff to leak off, and the more it rains the more poisonous the air is getting. I’m nearly ready to go under myself. But it’s plain suicide to stop a single minute. The rain is allowing this stuff to leak to the surface in increasing quantities. See, Jim, fiery sparks are now, leaping from every sharp point in the valley. Look! turn your fingers up and you will see faint amber beams stretching up from- the tips.” Feeling his own strength abotit-to give way, Tom desperately plunged on half-carrying, half-dragging his almost tnconscious companion: He cursed the steadily increasing orange hue and fiery shoots that were steadily becoming longer_and fiercer. He. felt his breathing becoming a difficult operation and his whole system rapidly losing all feeling and strength. It was as if the very life of his body was being sapped out by some invisible force. On and on they stragsléd, heediess of the storm that raged about them. An eighth of a mile more:and they would be out ofthe deadly cavern. But Jim was now utterly exhausted, He paused in his tracks, swayed dizzily and slipped silently to the muddy ground, “Jim! Jim!’ Tom shook him in vain. The limp body of his companion told too plainly that he was past consciousness, Exerting all his strength, Tom picked up the still form, and ~ with drawn distorted face made a’ desperate attempt to redch the shrubbery just a few yards farther on. ; - The Answer to the Mystery TEP by step he shortened the distance as his breath came in shorter and shorter gasps. ‘The whole valley behind him ‘was now aflame, a blazing inferno, but ahead the disturbance _ was faint, He was almost out of the area. Struggling blindly on, his knees quivered under the heavy burden-and- threatened to give way on him, but by sheer force of will power he con- tinued ‘his tortuous walk. His-arms were becoming paralyzed and numb but there were just a few more yards to go. A vivid flash of lightning showed the line of stunted trees a short ~ (Continued on page 1037)