Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 4, 1925 — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

THE GOLD-DUST RAJAH. The next moment, even as he drew Mar- cla swiftly aside, trom all sides of the Ram- pong there was a rush that was like the loud swooping of a flock of huge birds. Past him and the cowering girl sped feet that scarcely touched earth. Toward where the Malays still rejoiced like madmen, a thick barrier of black bodies built itself up. That dark, moving barrier closed in upon the cheering and unsuspecting Malays, blocking them from the guns laying upon the ground; as Lansdell put himself be- tween Marcia and the ghastly strugele in that rectangle of dug up ground. He urged her riverward, away from what was too awful for her eyes. He could not screen her from the bedlam that now broke locse—shouts, curses, shrieks, blows, groans. These were punctuated with a crackle of pistol shots as Wray and Barker, almost crushed by their own men, blindly exploded their weapons. for a moment, above the carnage, the torches tossed, held by bearers who were too crowded even to draw their knives. Then the burning leaf bundles fell from the brown hands, scorching those upon whom they rested, or became wedged between the bodies of men, to be snuffed out, or tram- pled into the dirt and ashes. Next, all was pitch darkness. CHAPTER VIII. THE SHADOW OF DEATH. ANSDELL and Marcia, hand in hand |: sull, lost themselves in the blackness under the lee of the bank. Some- thing barred their wav, so that they struck against it, and Lansdell found that the ob- ject was a keg. Whispering, he placed the girl on it, then waded into the edge of the water, feeling about him for a praz. He could not find one. Puzzled, and not wishing to leave Marcia alone a moment, he returned. From the kampong a dim, wavering light above the line of the bank told of torches relighted. The shouts that were going up now were all coming from Dyak throats. There had been a fierce turning of the tables. 835 “Tt’s all mght,” declared Lansdell re- assuringly. ‘ The village men are in charge again.” She was trembling so violently that she could scarcely answer. ‘* No! no!” she protested. ‘Let's get away!” ** But the Dyvaks know me. I'll explain everything to them. And, Marcia, I couldn’t find a boat.” She had risen. Behind them a light was advancing, and voices were rapidly near- ing. That light now fel! upon the inky level of the wide stream, and made clear the stretch of shore where the praus had come to a stop. And Lansdell saw that not one of the native craft was in sight. A voice challenged them, and both turned their faces up to where the Dyaks were crowding. A dozen naked savages were Staring down at them from under the torches they were holding aloft. Each Dvak had in his right hand the dirk or larger blade with which he had been slaying. Marcia shuddered, shrinking against her companion. For that group above was a terrifying sight. ‘“ Hither!”? one of the Dyaks shouted, half facing toward those who were out of sicht. “Others are here, seeking to es- cape!” ‘No! no!” contradicted Lansdell. ‘‘ Here is he who has many times medicined men from \Moeara Koli. Look upon me!” ‘Ya! va! ya!”—the shouts were from Dyaks who were out of sight. As for the men peering down at Lansdell and the girl, — thev seemed dumfounded. More light fell upon the scene as, with a trampling, other Dyaks joined that dozen, fetching additional torches with them. Then a chorus of astonishment went up. There was rage in that chorus; and the two who were looking up saw how distorted were the faces of those brown men upon whose homes and property and lives had been carried out a cruel and unprovoked assault. Once more Lansdell addressed them: “ It was the one whose skin is pitted who planned to rob.” From the group darted a man whose naked blade glistened wetly. Down he came to them, panting, and staring first at one, then at the other. Sweat and ashes CO GIOok