Argosy, Vol. 123, No. 2 — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

176 Mountain Caves,” cried Nan-a-ta, “ behold here the staff, given into my hands by the Lord of the Winged Death, ere his spirit fled into the long dark. By this token know all that I, even I, Nan-a-ta, son to A-ta, the woman of the mountain caves, and her husband, Menzono, Slayer of Wolves, am now great chieftain of the Ta-an. Know- ing this, seeing the token I bear, bow ye to thé staff, vowing allegiance to your chief- tain, even as I have vowed allegiance to the chieftain, even as I have vowed alliance to the Ta-an!” These words also were part of the ritual, and Sa-ko, as prescribed, stretched out his hand to take and examine the ivory staff, when there came an unexpected interrup- tion. Rising to his feet—leaping, rather— Tsu-ven cried loudly: “This may not be!” At once all eyes turned toward the son of the Lord of the Winged Death as he stood facing the chief priest. Cries of won- “der, murmurs of astonishment ran through the crowd, for never before had the cere-. mony in induction of a chieftain been brok- en into, and many feared a judgment for the sacrilege. But Tsu-ven stood forth boldly, nor did the lightning from above blast him; firmly he repeated: “This may not be!” and Sa-ko, leaving Nan-a-ta still kneeling, came two steps for- ward, asking: ~ “Son of the Lord of the Winged Death, wherefore shall it not be? Tell now before all how it comes that you dare challenge the son of A-ta!” ‘‘Sa-ko, Chief Priest, and People of the Mountain Caves,” said Tsu-ven, “it is the custom that the leader of the Ta-an. be one who has aided the tribesmen either in peace or in war, who has done something of great merit. To Nan-a-ta was promised the chieftairley for that his mother first made and gave to the tribe the Cave That Swims on The Water. Was this a deed of Nan- a-tap Shall the leader’s staff be given him for his mother’s deed? Is not my own claim as strong? Was it not my father who gave the tribe the bow and arrow? Was not his name ‘ Lord of the Winged Death?’ In very truth, my right is greater than that of Nan-a-ta! THE ARGOSY. “Yet behind lies more. Into my hand did the Lord of the Winged Death give the staff; from me was it stolen, taken from my cave at night while I slept, and given by the thief to Nan-a-ta. Who was the thief? Nay, that can I not say for certain and with full assurance—yet this can I say in truth, that he was doubtless close friend to my father, and he was lame!” At these words a murmur rose from the crowd, for all knew that Kan-to, boyhood friend to the Lord of the Winged Death, ‘limped, having one leg shorter than the other. From Kan-to there burst a shout: ‘He lies!”’ and the others who had been present when the dying chieftain gave over the staff joined in: “‘ He lies! He speaks with two tongues! Liar! Liar!” Sa-ko raised his hand, stilling the tumult, and when this had died from shout and roar to growl, and from growl-and rumble to silence, he spoke: “Grave words are these; a matter of weight! By the law I, Sa-ko, Chief Priest, am now ruler of the Ta-an till a chieftain shall be chosen. Two men offer, each say- ing the other speaks with two tongues. So be it! Between them will I decide. To the Lesser Altar, all!” And leading the way, the priests moved some three hundred paces along the side of the mountain to the Lesser Altar, close fol- lowed by Tau-ven and Nan-a-ta—behind them the crowd, pushing and jostling in their eagerness to find places in the front rank, CHAPTER II. THAUMATURGY. OR all their pretended astonishment, Tsu-ven’s announcement was no sur- prise to Sa-ko or to the other priests; they knew well that it was coming, and, indeed, it was in some measure due to Sa-ko that Tsu-ven had dared protest. Tsu-ven, son to the Lord of the Winged Death, was a man of some thirty-seven or thirty-eight years, a brave and skilful war- rior, a hunter of note, and, though still un- married, a man of weight in the tribe. In youth: he had marched to war with his Z ARGOSY COMICLO© S CO