Adventure Magazine Cover — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

A Son of Strife leader of the pirates, a giant in gaudy, silvered mail, with a crimson surcoat and a plumed Grecian helmet. ‘You call for Christians to the poop. We are as good Christians as you.” And his followers all howled with glee as he plunged aft to attack Matteo. “God help Christendom, if such as you be Christians,” retorted Matteo, parrying the Greek’s mace. “Stand firm, men! A steady line now athwart the deck.”’ The galeotti took heart from the example of Matteo and Ali and the lightening of their task, once each flank was protected by the bulwarks. Their position put to disadvantage the superior numbers of their assailants, and for a moment the fight swayed forward away from the poop, as the pirates gave ground. But fresh hordes of the riff-raff of the coast scrambled aboard to their comrades’ aid, and soon the galeotti had their backs to the bulkhead of the great cabin, fighting bitterly to maintain an unbroken front. The captain of the pirates never abated his attack on Matteo. His splendid armor turned the shrewdest stroke; his powerful arm rained unending blows. But Matteo dodged when he could not parry, and con- trived to hold his ground. A sudden shift in the struggling groups brought them to close quarters. The Greek dropped his mace, which hung by a chain from his mailed wrist, wrapped his arms around Matteo and hurled him to the deck. Matteo let his own sword go, but snatched out his dagger, writhed in his adversary’s grip, taking advantage of the man’s heavier armor, and twisted on top. He dashed his left hand into the fellow’s face to blind him, then poked with dagger- point to find a hole between helm and hauberk to cut his throat. But the pirate gave a convulsive wriggle of surprize that completely unseated Matteo. “Hold, lord, hold!” he panted. “I saw the Sign! Wherefore did you not tell me? I am your dog, lord! Let me rise! I will call off my men.” Matteo hesitated, lifted his dagger again to strike. “Nay, nay,” the pirate begged. “The ring! The ring!” Before Matteo could drive the blow home, he was seized by a dozen of the pirates and hurled to one side. Expecting to be finished in the next breath, he was amazed to hear the voice of his late adver- sary commanding his release. “Back! Back, brothers!’ bellowed the pirate captain. “Down arms! Overside!”’ They hesitated to obey him, and he waded into them with his mace a-swing. “Did I not give an order?”’ he snarled. “But the galley is ours,” protested the bolder of his followers. “Tis not for us! Give over, I say! Down arms! Overside! The Bloody Hand will fall on any who resist.” And like a pack of beaten dogs, the victorious pirates huddled before him to the rail, and dropped to their own deck. Their captain watched them go; then turned to Matteo. “IT am sorry, lord,’ he said humbly. “Certes, you should have given me the sign. I would never 4 “How should I know you were subject to it?” demanded Matteo curtly. The Greek regarded him in astonishment. “Does not the Old One——” ‘“‘What the Old One does is no concern of yours,’ answered Matteo. “You have done harm enough. Gol’ “But you will give good report of me?” the fellow pleaded, his swagger all gone. “I meant no harm.” “‘That is to be seen. Gol” He went. At his orders, the lashings were cut, the grapplings cast off. The pirate galley drew away. Like a giant centipede it crept over the sun-speckled waters, its sinister sign of the Bloody Hand looming in monstrous threat until it was beyond eyesight. “How, now, lordling,’? demanded Ali, “was it not good counsel when I bade you keep the ring?” “T know not,” replied Matteo, his eyes fastened upon the dwindling hull of the pirate. “Mayhap ’twas the candle I burned to my name-saint.” “What name-saint would have worked a change in a pirate’s heart?” returned Ali practically. “Moreover he spoke of the ring.” “Aye, but by what chance was he brought to see the ring?” countered Matteo. “Be not too sure, old wolf.” “Humph,” grunted Ali, wolf-like, “I am sure that ring is a useful tool with his kind— and they are over-plentiful in this world, as, belike, in the next. Guard it well, lord.” SI. GOMiIGdoo S (© iin