Adventure Magazine Cover — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

A Son of Strife Ali strove patiently, all his lithe strength gently exerted, and drew the boy from the parapet as an arrow shivered against a pillar. “Tn time,” he promised. “But now there is no use. Think, lord! You might not hope to reach those you sought in the press below.” He coaxed Matteo toward a door in the opposite wall. “Come,” he said. ‘‘We have scant time if we are to win clear. Another day we shall seek vengeance, Messer Matteo. Tonight we must obey Lord Gui. “Twas his last order.” Matteo abandoned his struggle. His young face was set in rigid lines. “You are right, Ali,” he admitted. ‘“ ’Tis foolishness to risk death for nothing tonight. Nay, we shall live—and I will have my vengeance when I can. Ah, blessed apostle whose name I bear, grant me the lives of those who have slain all that is dear to me! Task no more! I ask no less!” The door by which they had entered echoed the pounding of a beseiging mob. “There is little time, lord,’’ reminded Ali. “Doubt not we shall live to carry death to mesa.” ‘“‘Aye, death to Emesa!’’ answered Mat- teo, dumbly following the lead of the cap- tain of the Turcoples. ‘‘I swear it, Ali.” “And your oath shall be my oath, lord.” He opened the opposite door, which let them out upon a secret stair twisting down- ward in the thickness of the wall. It ended in a turret on the ground floor of the rear- ward mass of the inner ward, and as this section of the castle offered no known chance of escape, the adjacent corridors were de- serted. They reached the Tower of Winds, barred its postern behind them and so en- iered the garden in safety. On a hook by the postern they found the rope Sir Gui had told them of. Ahi fastened one end to a stunted cedar near the wall, and they made short work of the descent of the cliff, aided by knots placed at regular intervals and the sloping surface of the rock. On level ground, however, their troubles began. They required horses, and the only horses were under guard of the Saracens. Creeping through the undergrowth at the cliff foot, they gained a position whence they could reach the outer herd of the raiders, turned loose to graze on the stubbly grass. 1? 69 In the half light two men who did not hurry aroused no concern. They picked their mounts, and rode clear as one of the herd-guards cantered toward them. “Fi,” he called. ‘‘Whose horses do you think . “We ride for the Emir El-Afdel,”’ replied Ali coldly. “T care not who you ride for,’ returned the herd-guard sturdily. ‘‘No desert thief can “s Ali leaned forward and stabbed the man neatly through the jugular. He died without a gurgle. ‘Allah curse you!” cried a comrade of the victim who beheld the deed from a safe dis- tance. “‘Are there not Franks enough s “He spoke of desert thieves,” rejoined Ali softly. ‘‘Perchance you, too, have com- ments to make, brother?”’ The herd-guard turned aside. ‘Go your way,” he grumbled, “but I shall know you again.” The fugitives rode on. There was noth- ing more to stay them. The Saracens had no sentries out, for these who were not loot- ing the castle were murdering and burning in the village that had fancied there was protection in Lord Gui’s mighty walls. “Whither, now?” asked Ali as they guided their horses into the westward track. Matteo hesitated. ‘“‘There is a duty to be done,” he decided. ‘““‘We must raise the country.” ‘“fAye, lord?” “We ride for Mardan.”’ “The lord of Mardan was no friend to Lord Gui.” “He is a Christian, Ali. His private hate will be forgotten in the need to defend the land.” They inclined to the north along the lower slopes of Mount Zorash. Behind them the eastern sky suddenly kindled. “Can it be the sun so soon?” asked Matteo. But Ali turned in his saddle and pointed back without a word. The boy’s gaze fol- lowed his finger. A pillar of fire towered over Nerak. In the lurid glare the stone shell of the castle was as distinct as a skele- ton drawn in white chalk upon a red canvas. Matteo’s eyes hardened. ‘‘T shall not forget,” he said shortly. Not once again did he look behind him, although throughout their ride Nerak loomed upon the skyline, first as a flaming 9 C@ DOOK S (© iin