Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 18, 1928 — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

BEYOND THE STARS. Sonya’s hand gently touched my arm. She murmured: ‘“‘ The peace of death. Many who were very sick have died—and others soon will die from that storm.” Ren caught her words. “I’m afraid— you understand, Leonard—a storm is very bad for our sick ones—” The darkness was lifting. Over the city that yellow radiance lay like a halo of gold. Beside me, Sonya was murmuring to her- self, and no one but me heard her words: “Our king will die. That is sure now. Our girls must act; it is now, or never!” CHAPTER VIII. REBELLING VIRGINS. TF was from Sonya that we first learned any tangible details of this new realm. She and I, with Dolores and Alice were seated by Dr. Weatherby’s bedside. Two days had passed. His condition was un- changed; we were sure now that he would never. regain consciousness. He seemed weaker than before the storm; but the little spark of remaining life, far down behind that masklike face, still lingered, reluctant to be extinguished. The old king, too, since the storm, was more gravely ill than before. He had sent for us, so that at his bedside we might take the oath of service. Jim had gone with Ren; Lupe with a pathetic, wistful smile, had wanted to take the oath and had ac- companied them. The rest of us remained beside the dying man. The end would come soon, at any time now doubtless. I sat gazing at the white face, with its closed eyes and a breathing that barely trembled on its lips, a face, peaceful, but stern as it always was in repose. Down there behind that mask the spirit was lurk- ing, making ready to depart, silently, un- hurried, unconfused, calmly making ready to leave this home it had occupied so long. Mysterious business! Sonya was talking softly. I turned from the bedside to regard her earnest face. “This city,” she was saying, “ we call - Kalima. There was an ancient tribe dwelt here—the chief, they thought he was a god. The god Kali—” She was addressing Alice, —— but now she turned to me. lies in a great depression of this globe’s surface. Once, perhaps, it was the bottom of some great sea. everywhere. It is not large; than a quarter of a million people. caves are at the foothills— “You will hear more of them Jater.” we are less The She had waved aside a question from. “On the Great Island not far- Dolores. from here, is what we call the Village of the Virgins—where now about three hun- dred of our girls are living in rebellion.” ‘Rebellion against the government?” I asked. “Ves. Against the man-made laws.” She smiled her quiet, grave smile. ‘ Yow have come, you strangers, at a time to find our nation in what we girls think is a con- dition very grave. You, my friends, will understand very well what we girls are pro- testing against. and princess vanished—and our king about to die, the time has come to—” She checked herself suddenly. “Sonya,” I said, “ your uncle spoke of the prince and princess perhaps being stolen by the rebellious girls. He hopes so, of course—that Nameless Horror—” She said hastily: “Let us not talk of that. Not now.” ‘““[ mean,” I persisted, “‘if the virgins of the island had abducted the prince and princess, you would know about it, would you?” “Oh, yes.” “ Are you sure you would?” Alice asked. “Quite sure.” She was very earnest. “ You see, I am—well, they call me one of the leaders.” I still persisted: “If you know anything about the prince and princess it would be “Our land It rises into. mountains ~ And now, with our prince - very wrong to let an army of men go into — danger seeking them.” “Ves,” she agreed. Her gaze met mine — squarely. “ We girls know nothing about them. We are as greatly worried! anew them as the men.” Gazing into the limpid dark pools of her eyes, I could not doubt but that she was speaking the truth. I looked away, ashamed for a moment of my questions. Sonya was fast wees Dolores ae < (E(0) Eomic ne ‘Ss