Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 18, 1928 — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

BEYOND THE STARS. the Virgins’ Island. This thing we had seen, was one of many of its kind which dwelt in the fastnesses of the mountains beyond the caves. They never came out into the light; none, Sonya thought, had ever been seen more clearly than we had seen this one. No man of this realm, to Sonya’s knowl- edge, had ever ventured into the caves to seek them out. I could not understand such a condition. On earth, nothing had ever been so fear- some but that man had sought to destroy it. But these people were of a different cast of mind. “ Sonya,” I demanded, ‘“ how long have these things been in the caves?” “They were first seen only just before our prince—”’ She faltered over the word. “just before our prince and princess van- ished.” I did not answer that. But it brought me a new light. With what fatuous reasoning were these people ignoring a danger which had so recently appeared at their very threshold! A danger, which they had pro- claimed unmentionable, like something too indelicate for even consideration! To me it was nothing of the kind. A terrible danger, unquestionably, beings hor- rible, gruesome perhaps, but a rational, tangible danger. We reached Sonya’s home—a low, oval stone building, dark in its enshoruding gar- den of flower-trees. She led us aside, to- ward a small outbuilding. I suddenly paused I was in sympathy with Sonya and her cause, but was not the plight of the prince a more important issue? Had I not better go and join Jim now, and follow the course we had planned? We reached the dark, single-storied out- building. Sonya touched a switch; a soft glow showed inside. It was a square build- ing of stone and metal; windows barred by a metal screening; a doorway with a hinged screen. “Sonya,” I said, “ just what is this you propose doing?” : She regarded me. Alice and Dolores stood beside her; abruptly I found myself ranged against the three of them. 873 ‘“ Why,” she said, “‘ we are going to the Island of the Virgins. The girls are ready —we have been waiting—” She hesitated, then finished: “ waiting for this chance which has come to-night.” ‘“What chance? The king being ill, or dead?” Her eyes flashed. “ Yes. The girls are ready—they will come back with us.” She stood with shoulders squared, a de- fiant little figure before me. I said, more gently: “‘ What are you girls planning to do, Sonya?” I think she had already told Dolores and Alice. They moved closer as though to defend her. Alice flashed me a defiant look. I repeated: “‘ What are you planning to do?” Her eyes held level. “ It is not my secret. You are a man—I have no right to tell you.” She added very slowly, but wholly without emotion: “I think—perhaps you had—better go back.” It struck me with a vague sense of shame. I felt like a deserter. Alice said calmly: ‘Are you going back, Len?” With what loyalty these girls already were banded against me! Little Dolores clutched me. ‘“ Don’t do that, Leonard! Sonya, you mis- understand him—”’ I tried to explain myself. ‘‘ It’s only be- cause I thought the other course would be better for the prince,” I finished. ‘‘ How long will this take us, Sonya?” Sudden tears were in her eyes. “I be- lieve you! But you must know that I— least of all—would delay to help him I love! Mine is the better way—and we won’t be long—a few hours at the most.” I yielded. “All right, Sonya, You know best.” We entered the building, a large room, divided by the metal screening into huge cages. A great commotion; the flapping of wings, greeted our entrance. this realm indeed was primitive. We were to go by air, on a gliding platform drawn by giant birds trained to harness. Sonya pulled down a swinging tube of light from the ceiling and held it toward one of the cages. Eight giant birds were there, soft, gray-white, feathered bodies; Gomichbooks Travel in. (E@)