Argosy, Vol. 123, No. 2 — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

THE MASTER OF MAGIC. teries of the priestly magic. His was no common mind; and more to reason than most of the tribes- men, he was less inclined to accept the priestly magic as the work of some super- human power. To him it was the work of man’s hands, and to himself he said: “What one can do, that can also an- other!” And he set about to prove his words, encouraged thereto by his proof that the battle of the arrows was but trickery. Then followed long days of labor, of experiment; for days at a time Nan-a-ta moved in a maze of abstraction, thinking, studying, planning; scarce taking time for food or sleep when hot on the trail of some mystery. The others ate and slept, talked, gamed, hunted, but Nan-a-ta lived pre- eccupied. At times he would come out from his studies to relax, and then the others marveled at the sprightliness of his manner. He might spend a day hunting, when he would outrun even Ban and Su in pursuit of a wounded beast; he might elect to run down a deer in the deep snow; he might join in the games about the fire, when he cast from him the mantle of dignity of the chieftain to send = others into gales of laughter. Once, presuming on this relaxation of Nan-a-ta’s, Su ventured to oversitep the bounds of ‘respect. Instantly, like a flash of lightning, the antics of the clown van- ished, and the stern blaze of anger from the eyes of Nan-a-ta brought the offender, cowering, to the chieftain’s feet. Even more dangerous sports did Nan- a-ta indulge m; for once, coming out of a four days’ study, he seized lance and dagger, and with these weapons alone hunted down and slew a lynx. He’ was wounded, but not seriously, and on Kan- to’s remonstrating that the life of the chief was too valuable to be risked thus, Nan-a-ta laughed, replying: ““ Naught can harm me; I bear a charmed — life.” And Kan-to, doubtful, more than half believed the ards ‘So passed the winter, and the following summer as well, Nan-a-ta occasionally, as he solved some new problem, calling his less given to imagination. 193 followers to witness the marvel, which he invariably showed in the manner of the priests, with all possible pomp and circum- stance tending to rouse awe and wonder; afterward he displayed the workings of the miracle, explaining the matter in which it was wrought. Thus he repeated the miracle of the battle of arrows and the moving wand, using fine strands of horse-hair to cause the motion. Also, he discovered the secret of the Foot of the Wolf, whereby he could at will produce the lightnings that.had so terrified Tsu-ven on his visit to the chief : priest. The miracle of the boiling reck was his, too, the stone which, thrown into the water, causes fierce boiling.* By covering his palm with a thin layer of ashes from the fire, Nan-a-ta was able to astonish the others by displaying the famous immunity to fire which the priests boasted, for he carried in his hand, unharmed, burning coals and hot stones, brushing off the ashes _ as he cast down the thing carried, that his’ skin might show clear and clean. And when the summer came Nan-a-ta showed also the miracle of the serpent staff, having learned from his father how to press on the neck of a reptile so that the snake would become stiff and rigid as a stick. These and many other wonders did he display, not showing them as miracles, but always with derision, as tricks to amuse the children of the tribe, asking ever of his men if they could believe now in the magic power of the priest clan.- One curious result grew from the studies of Nan-a-ta, for L’vu, slowest of wit of the little band, was first shocked at the sacri- lege, the blasphemy of . treating so lightly these magic powers, and in the end, for all the disclaimers of Nan-a-ta, came to regard the leader as somewhat more than human, revermg him as one sent by the Great Father. And for all Nan-a-ta could say, for all his remonstrancés, L’vu continued to give him, if not the worship accorded a god, at least a veneration beyond that granted to AutTHor’s Note—* This was aindoubtediy limestone, which, burned to lime, evolves great heat on slaking in water. 4 Arcosy DOOK C@