Argosy All-Story Weekly, August 9, 1924 — page 135: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN WHO parted contact with its vibrations, black- ness had come to her; she did not remember striking the rock. Georgie was jubilant. Had he been able to rest, he would have wanted to go on after Toroh. But he did not dare rest. “ We'll go on home,” he said. “ You're a brave girl, Azeela.”” He smiled down at her as she lay stretched on the leather seat. “ T’ll start slowly; you’ve had all the shock you can stand.” That same night in which the flying lens had been destroyed found Georgie piloting his plane into the cavern at Anglese City. Fahn and Rogers were there to greet it. Georgie handed down the girls, and de- scended with a flourish. In the excite- ment of his triumphant return he forgot how tired and sleepy he was. Loto at the moment was in another part of the cavern. He came hastening forward. He did not see Azeela at first. ‘* Georgie!” “* Hello, Loto! worried?” Then Loto saw Azeela. “JT brought her back to you,” Georgie said softly. There she is, old man—all safe and sound.” But Loto did not hear him; his arms were around Azeela. Georgie turned to Dee. “ You think he’d sacrifice her for the whole nation of An- glese? I should say not!” Here we are. Were you CHAPTER XXVI. DEPARTURE FOR BATTLE. MONTH went by—days and weeks of activity throughout the island. To the Scientists it was a time of un- paralleled stress and anxiety. The govern- ment was in their hands for the first time in history, and a war—the first that any individual of that time-world had ever faced —was impending. With Toroh’s return his attack would not long be postponed. Fahn knew it. The radio proclaimed it to the Bas every- where. An army must be trained at once; the Bas, Arans and Scientists were appealed to for volunteers. MASTERED TIME. 285 It was Fahn’s plan not to wait for the Noths to land on the island; but to an- ticipate the attack and send an army to meet it. The nation responded to the ap- peal. Conscription had been considered, but within a day the Bas had offered them- selves in such numbers that it was obvious any form of conscription would be un- necessary. The second day after the radio appeal for volunteers the fact became evident that the Arans were refusing to go to war. In every village recruiting stations were list- ing the names of the young men of the Bas who presented themselves; and no Arans came. By the audible broadcasting Fahn called them severely to account; but still they remained away, or in hiding. They were sought out. Cowardice, sullenness, declaration that their birthright made it unnecessary—they seemed to have a score of reasons, but the fact remained they would not willingly serve. Scenes of violence were reported the next day. A Bas father, giving two sons to the coming war, had struck down an Aran youth whom he encountered; a party of Bas, angered into unlawfulness, had entered an Aran household in Orleen, beaten an Aran gathering who were holding festivi- ties; an Aran woman had been killed. ‘¢ Serves them right,’ Georgie exclaimed indignantly. ‘ I’d kill them all.” Fahn was perturbed; then he shrugged. “We have far more young men from the Bas than we can use. I shall tell them to ignore the Arans. And in warfare such as this an unwilling fighter is worse than none.” ‘““Damned cowards,” Georgie muttered. “We'll save their hides for ’em, while they stay home and have parties.” The Scientist had caught the words. “Yes, Georgie. Because now that is eas- lest for us. I want no trouble here on the island. But afterward—when we have won —then we can deal with the Arans.” ‘““T wouldn’t have ’em on the island,” Georgie declared; and he would have been an unfortunate Aran youth who had en- countered Georgie during the days that fol- lowed. The recruiting—hand in hand with the GOMIIGIOO S GO)