Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 157: what you’re looking at

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

THE RADIO MAN. I love you so that I would willingly give back to you your princess, just to make you happy. But, alas, she is lost to us forever. Cannot we solace ourselves with love for each other? Cabot, Cabot, I love you so, my dear.” And her fragrant, voluptuous, intoxicat- ing presence wrapped itself around poor tired me.- CHAPTER XVI. CABOT TELLS THE WORLD. HERE on the same couch on which I T had often caressed the Princess Lilla, I held in my arms her betrayer, the lovely Bthuh. So soon does love forget. So soon love does mot forget! Casting aside the seductive betrayer of my princess, I sprang to my feet, vowing never to give up hope until I actually beheld Lilla’s dead body, and even then to remain true to her in death. Bthuh’s last chance had come and gone. She had played her last card and lost. Although it was now night, I at once called my aide, and summoned a squad out of my own hundred, which had been re- tained as the king’s godyguard. ‘Then, re- quisitioning a fleet of kerkools, we set out for the Imperial City, leaving Poblath with his former love, Bthuh. “Tame her if you can, and good luck to you,” was my parting admonition. The trip was made in record time. By the light of our flash lamps we found that the ruins were guarded by several hundred ant-men; so we sent word that reénforce- ments were to be furnished in the morning, and then we bivouacked for the night, tak- ing turns keeping awake and sniping at the enemy whenever they showed a light or came within the beams of ours. Early in the morning, a company of Cupians reported to me, and we at once began the assault of the ruins, carrying our objective with but little difficulty. Then came the individual fighting in the corridors, and in this the ant-men were not at so great a disadvantage. They ambushed our soliders. They pushed rocks on them _ from above. And, all in all, they made 791 away with nearly half our force, before the remaining handful of defenders broke and fled from the city. Our survivors were put to work exploring. The mangled body of Queen Formis was hailed with joy, but no signs were discovered of either Yuri or Lilla, although occasionally we would comecupon an enemy straggler and kill him. : Finally on rounding a turn, whom should T meet face to face but the ant-man who had let me go after I had rescued him from the woofus. I recognized him at once. “Yahoo! Number 356-1-400,” I hailed him, “ a life for a life.” “Nay,” he replied, “for you owe me nothing on that score. But if you will spare me, I will repay you well.’ ’ ‘“‘ Your life is already yours,” said I. “Then,” said he, “ I will lead you to the princess.” I could have embraced the uncouth crea- ture for joy. But, suspecting a trap, I gathered nearly a squad of my soldiers be- fore following the ant-man. He led us into the subterranean depths of the city. Several times we had to remove fallen fragments which barred our way, and once had to wait until explosives could be obtained to blast a passage. But at last we came within sight of an undamaged dungeon, where Lilla lay chained, alive and well. Yet even as we hailed her through a crack in the debris, we saw two ant-men enter the dungeon through another passage, unchain the princess, and bear her away. Quick as a flash I remembered my re- volver, and opened fire through the crack, blasting one of her abductors. But, as I drew a bead on the other, my weapon was knocked from my hand. | Turning angrily, I beheld our guide stand- ing over me. ‘T fulfilled my bargain,” said he, “ when I showed you the princess. Now I owe you no more. Those Formians are my fellow countrymen, and I have saved one of them, at least, from the horrible. death.” “And lost me my princess,” I added in a rage. We were now surrounded by my squad with drawn rifles, but they did not dare fire, for fear of hitting me. I was at the oO CORMICLOOKS5€O)