Adventure Magazine Cover — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

\ Buried Gods “Tt’s no use doing that,” he called out as the lunatic in a frenzy of fear dashed past him into the cave. Dorkin wheeled about, and with an oath threatened to “put one” in him if he didn’t “hold his jaw.”’ At that moment the mad- man shrieked. Dorkin fired into the cave mouth. : The act infuriated Dorsay. He shouted and rushed at Dorkin. The small eyes were gleaming with mad rage. As Dorkin fired, Dorsay leaped. The bullet clipped his ear. This excuse for action seemed to release something in him that had long been tug- ging for freedom—something which was already loosed in the other man. He grabbed at Dorkin’s wrist with one hand and smashed into his face with the other. Dorkin jabbed him in the ribs and brought up his knee at the same time. Dorsay, hurt, gripped the other’s neck and, savagely winding a leg around Dorkin’s, threw him. The revolver clattered on the rocky floor. Maddened by pain and disgust and the tearing of the man’s teeth, Dorsay exerted every ounce of strength and skill, knowing, more than he had in the previous fight, that the man had become a more dangerous killer through sheer terror. Once as Dorkin in a heave managed to get atop of him and had his hand upon his wind- pipe, Dorsay saw, as through a cloud, the form of the lunatic, dancing and _ giggling about them. Vainly Dorsay tried to twist the wrist of the hand whose fingers were around his throat. Abandoning the attempt, he man- aged to seize Dorkin’s othey wrist, and, twining his leg between his adversary’s, contrived to half-throw him on to his side. Then, swiftly grasping one ankle, by a desperate effort of his spine and body he secured the right leg in a lock. At the first jerk the knee-cap cracked with the strain. Dorkin released his-strangling grip. For several moments, to get his breath, Dorsay held him. Then, changing to an arm-lock, he climbed on top of him. “See here, Dorkin,” he said thickly, “vou’ve got to do what you’re told. Un- derstand that?” “T wasn’t doin’ nuffin,”’ pretended Dorkin sulkily, “till that there ruddy idjit larfed at me, and then you eee “That'll dol’. 33 Dorsay slid off his opponent’s body and seized the revolver. “Now get up!’ Dorkin obeyed, glancing malevolently at the lunatic, who was standing by the cave mouth ready to seek refuge. Dorsay, ashamed and half-frightened by the ani- mal fury that had possessed him, and par- tially conscious that he should have killed the killer, stalked over to the food-basket and curtly handed a share to Dorkin, Then, taking the rest, he walked to the cave mouth and called softly to the lunatic. Sitting together, with the revolvers in Dorsay’s pockets, Dorsay and the witless one ate their food, while Dorkin sulkily chewed by the edge of the stack of ivory tusks, we THROUGHOUT the day Dorkin mye, refused to speak and remained squatting sullenly by himself, growl- ing and scowling at the lunatic. Realizing that Dorkin would probably try to recover his revolver and that he could not keep awake, always, Dorsay, when going into the cave to drink, hid both Dorkin’s weapon and his own. In the warmth of the middle day and afternoon he slept as usual with the lunatic huddled beside him. When he awakened he knew that Dorkin had tried his pockets for the guns. Dorkin grinned spitefully, said he would “do for” the “gigglin’ idjit” and began a systematic search, first among the tusks. When he failed to find the guns he grew vicious, swore continually, and threatened. Once he bawled out with a hysterical note— “Tf it wasn’t fer yew, yer ——, I wouldn’t be in this ’ole; yew and yer dotty doctor.” But watching Dorkin and protecting the. lunatic began to tell on Dorsay. He be- came more nervous, and the continual strain wore down his morale. He grew to hope that some end would come. Then Dorkin developed other symptoms. He would awake screaming and make sudden savage rushes after the witless one. When Dorsay interfered he would retreat, mut- tering and gibbering unintelligibly. Every day he would persist in sitting and dozing.in the short sun-rays without a hat or covering. Dorsay warned him, but re- ceived snarling curses. “He won’t last long,’’ Dorsay commented that night, “‘and then he’H try to kill us’ VOOLKS (©) AMUC ~~ (E@)