Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 14, 1928 — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

222 time Bonnet L’Evéque has housed a love romance worthy of the name; and I feel in my bones that the end is near.” CHAPTER XI. VOODOO WORSHIP. ASIL had crossed his legs under him as he sat on the floor, but his head was lifted and his eyes roved. He appeared intently observ- ant of the heavy tapestries draping the walls, and reaching the lower edge of the nearest, examined the thick fabric, twisting it with all his strength. Ge- fondo watched him, his own eyes dark with the shadow of foreboding. “You like this woman’s nest they have provided for the emperor’s fool,” he said sneeringly. “No better than my berth on Le Diable Noir, but this woven stuff seems strong, Gefondo, and recalls to my mind the story of Queen Dido. You've heard the tale of her?” Gefondo shook his head and frowned. “It is scarce a time to ponder tales of other queens than this bride-elect of. Christophe.” : “ Oueen Dido was a lady who used her wits, Gefondo, and with the hide of a bull she managed to wrest a king- dom from black overlords of such an- other hot land as this. Some day you shall hear the tale; perhaps in com- pany with the emperor. Her example occurs to me as one I might emulate.” “Young master, you’ve a plan. Why not confide in me?” ) | — “You've been a friend, Gefondo; I’d tell you almost anything, but as yet I have hardly a plan.” “But you saw the marquise; you spoke with her. Of what?” “Tf you must know, Gefondo, we spoke of love. And I found her more beautiful than ever.” | “Being young, it follows she is beautiful as is all youth. Being two young fools in peril of your lives, it ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. follows you would waste precious mo- ments speaking of love. But is she not awed at the honor of being a white queen to Christophe?” _ “Your jest is in poor taste, Gefon- do. She knows nothing of it, thank Heaven. Nor would I soil her ears by such an infamy. There is evil enough in store that she should be presented to-night at his court and look on his face. “But, Gefondo, this heavy stuff hanging on these walls is full of dust. I have a mind to sleep in walls of bare stone. If you will let me stand on your shoulders, I’ll arrange this room to suit my fancy.” “You'll maybe sleep soon enough in walls of stone, young master. Still, I think there is deep design under that whim.” When Gefondo rose, Basil leaped lightly to his shoulders, and with the hunchback stumbling under the youth’s feet, he unfastened the heavy wall tap- estry from hooks which held it, and that fabric of Flemish looms fell in stiff folds along the floor until the dust rose chokingly and the ornate furnish- ings bared walls on which beetles and spiders scuttled to nests in the top corners. “Your knife, Gefondo,”’ Basil de- manded, and when it was handed him he sat on the floor, slitting the tapestry into long strips a foot in width. Ge- fondo, divining his purpose, began to roll them, tying the ends together. “They were earnest workers who spun these yarns and wove the scenes of ancient gods’ amours. And as their length equals your height with out- stretched arms, added to my own height, we can compute the length of your allotted span, young master. “Best have a care it serves not as a noose to hang you. That would be an end to his fool that would tickle the fancy of Christophe.” “Tl remember your warning, and leave you at this task, my friend, while I see how deep lies the gully where Gomichooks (E@)