Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 18, 1928 — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

THE EVIL PANORAMA. tion, and all day the native was made to dig the yellow stones from the frozen cliff, and at night for hours he must sit and watch the pass to warn the mad giant, should any one approach. No one had ever come until now—and he could not warn the giant. He could not; he wanted them to fly while yet life was theirs, and to take him with them be- fore the giant fell upon them and with his vast fingers tore them to bits and cast them upon the snows to the howl of the wolves. Such was his amazing story, and scarce- ly had he finished telling it when the silence was broken by the most terrible laugh that Tad Raynor ever had heard. The sound rang through the frozen silence as might the sudden bursting of an acid cataract. The native moaned in terror, clung to Raynor’s sleeve, and pleaded for protection. “Keecho! By damn!” sounded the awful voice. ‘‘ French Pierre heem fin’ Keecho plenty. Sacré! Heem break Kee- cho bones som’ so Keecho no more run off!” Then he laughed again, and as he laughed Raynor whispered to the Indian to go to the man and to keep silent, and on the morrow he would return and surprise the mad giant and take Keecho away. They watched as the native ran toward the pass, heard him answer that he was but chasing a rabbit for Pierre. Then in the dim shadows they caught sight of the giant and saw him seize the native and throw him to the snow, where he lay while the huge man kicked him into silence. CHAPTER XXIV. JUSTICE. HE morning dawned gray and cold, and from the little camp on the mountain Tad Raynor peered down upon the lake where lay the entrance to the Barb claim. What would that day bring forth? Would it be possible for him to meet and conquer the mad giant that presided over the claim? Would the native he had seen the night — before find the courage to keep his silence 9381 that a surprise attack might avail? Only time could tell, time and the storming of the pass through which he must go to win the claim~and the justice that he sought for Barbara Howland! Once again he pleaded with the girl to let him go alone. Once again she refused point blank, and left him no alternative but to take her. of the natives be taken, but in this Raynor won his way. “They are superstitious, Barb,” he said. “Once let that poor devil of an Indian shout something about Devil Mountain and they would become crazed. Either they would flee—or, worse, fight for that French Pierre, thinking he really was a devil!” ‘In which,” the girl said positively, “ they might be quite right. Any man with such a laugh as tore the silence last night, Tad, is mad enough to pass for a devil any time!” “We will find him quite human, Barb! Raynor said ominously. “‘ I mean to con- quer or kill him!” He watched the girl narrowly as he spoke, but could detect no sign of horror in her face. In fact, she remained quite calm, and said: “ Of course, you will kill him if need be, Tad; either you or I will!” “You, Barb! Good Lord! You cannot go into the presence of that mad thing child!” ‘Pack up and let’s start, Tad; I’ll show you how much fear I have of such as he! Do you think I would have hesitated to kill that Jerk thing when he entered my room and stole these plans? “Not for an instant, had I been pos- sessed of firearms! No more will I hesi- tate to kill this man who robs me here— and robs the work of my father!” In silence they started down the pre- carious climb again. This time they knew their way and did better. The light of day had come, such as it was, and aided them. They gained the shore of the lake and crept forward rapidly toward the pass. There was none to say them no when they reached it. Tad led the way between the rocks and toward the basin beyond. What a natural pass it was, like an aisle to an empire! eee She asked also that some Gomicbooks com