Adventure, February 20, 1922 — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

- Three hours later, rounding a turn in the ravine, Maak heard the whang of gun in his face and the shrill flight of a bullet close overhead. He did not stop. A second report, and dirt flew up under the nose of the white buck. Then Maak knew that this was no strange jest of the gentleman’s—no attempt to beguile him to the Siberian towns with his herd. He; Maak, had been robbed of the herd that had been his father’s and his grandfather’s. If he tried to follow the thieves they would kill him as speedily as they had butchered the two young deer. With a wild cry the Buriat turned his steed aside and scrambled headlong away up the mountain slope, pursued by shots from Petrovan’s gun and a shout of laughter from where Orani hid behind the rocks. Maak passed from sight swiftly, for the heavy flakes of snow began to screen the - mountain from the river and to cover all traces of the vanished herd. SN} ONLY one thing troubled Orani; they had let Maak know, before they £8 decided on the rape of the herd, that they were headed for Irkutsk. “Do you think the old man of the moun- tain would sneak after us to the settle- ment?” _Petrovan lstghied until his beard bristled at the thought. “T’d like to see him before a magis- trate!’ Orani spat and closed one eye. “This snow,” he muttered. “Two days it has snowed and the himself could not smell out hoof-marks under a foot of—this. But, you see, excellency, we have had to go slowly, driving this accursed herd, and Maak knows that we must have gone through the northern pass to Irkutsk. It would be better if we had not told him.” They both looked back at the ragged rock-summits of the Syansk, now coated from river to summit with unbroken white save where the gray network of forest showed. No living thing was’to be seen. Their spirits had mounted since leaving the pass unmolested, although they knew that the heavy snow—just now ceased—had covered their flight. Petrovan shrugged. “A rabbit couldn't come ni without being seen, you fool That rascal The Gate in, the Sky r us out here . t of a Maak was frightened out of his senses by my shots. mongrel stag he rides. Come now £ tonight we camp on this bank of the river.’ Petrovan was indolent about crossing streams before making cam “Tomorrow, by the holy relics, we'll be across the Irkut and on the Siberian steppe.” Somewhat to their surprize the silent Mongol slavey broke into tongue as they rode down to the river—now wide and swift » Gees otsear CHINESE qaaiet \ 44 @asré sane’ Fe Gea. J S. or; PEKIN @ aucnew THENTSIN® POAT REPUBLIC ] IND0-CHINA and to be forded only here for many miles. He wanted to cross the water before making camp. “He is afraid that that doe of a Maak will make magic back yonder on the moun- tains,” leered Orani. The half-breed swore at the Mongol, and they made camp where they were. Orani rather wished Maak had shown up again. He wanted a shot at the Buriat—Petrovan had made a mess of the shooting. While Petrovan snored through the night the half-breed sat with hissback to a broad tree, watching, by the intermittent flicker- ing in the sky, lest a thin, black figure try to approach the herd over the snow. No one came. The herd edged about restlessly, seeking moss under the snow. Their flanks were beginning to fall lean. They had been driven hard. All their instincts led them to follow blindly after the one who happened to be the leader. “Well, they will carry their skins a good way for-us yet,’’ remarked Petrovan the next morning as the men were preparing to 147 He is as timid as that white (E(@) =) a cbooks.c