Show r FORLORN ISLAND by EDISON MARSHALL map I 1 sen lee copyright by edison CHAPTER XI continued 19 at ficat the spectacle seemed like a weird dance rather than a duel to the th death the tide began to crawl in n the wind died and the moon sailed from star to star without one blow struck home San domar lumbered over the sand band hammering the air ir its ills left hand thrust out as a guard the least of 0 his bis short choppy blows would have crushed erics skull but always the quarry danced away doggedly he followed him turning as he be turned wheeling some times standing still and swaying as eric tried to rush in lunging like a bear at every opening eric sparred for time no one knew better than he that he be was lighting fighting a losing fight his bla only hope lay in some fluke of luck lock that for one brief instant would equalize the odds against him lie he wits was much lighter 0 on A his feet than his big foe suppler b hotter ater co coordinated but this could not begin to compensate for San domars superhuman strength ne ile dared not feint because he could not pass his ene mys guard tie he knew well that unless he struck full force an overhead swing owing at close range the huge left paw would catch and tear the weapon from his grasp never before had he realized the full reach and power of San domars arms the watchers were grimly patient with them it was just a question how long eric could dodge the terrible flint they hated him with all the fury of their throwback they ached to see him tall fall yet they gave him credit for his dance of death lie he was like a fencer without a foll foil they grasped the strange terrible incongruity of his perfectly timed catlike with such a partner under such a moon on the beach of such a sea ne lie was like San domars shadow as hard to catch and destroy destro 1 but meanwhile eric was tiring the telegraph of his eye and brain was a fraction slower his big step not quite so light no one knew even himself the price he paid in nerve force the very tide of its his life was running out more than once the humming flint just missed his shoulder they fought to the waters edge and hack back to the ridge they fought in the firelight and the cold m moon oon beams once they drew clear to the edge of the mud reef where the creek met the tide eric heard it suck and smack its muddy lips just in time to back into it would mean to sink over his knees in elf clinging gig silt they meant to kill him quickly true most of them had no motive other than blind hate and fear but they were too crazed to care they did not stop to think that erics bones would bo be poor picking now its his fall could not change their defeat to victory to wipe him out could never wipe away the debt they owed the law they were men of low organization and could express themselves only through violence when garge barge turned to a screaming dervish and ran to avenge his pal they followed by brute In instinct its eyes sunk in his head cold sweat drenched him head to toot foot there was a growing heavy pain in his upraised arm he must strike soon it if at all even now should the chance offer he could not deal a full powered blow soon so soon the weapon must fall from tits his hind hand would the lucky fluke he be fought tor for never corse come no he must win or lose by his own powers and he found them wanting the lurid eyed sailors saw the end was near rush him sandy big smith yelled go to it you gorilla youve got him groggy but San domar never changed pace onward he be lunged patient tireless and a dull dim thought brooding in erics brain suddenly took vivid forr forn 1 Sai Sa idomar was deaf I 1 be failed to heed beed smiths 3 because he did not hear them this was the handicap nature had put on him to t atone tot for his giants strength both were due to the same flaw in his brain and this handicap was erics strength I 1 ills dead white eyes began to glow like garnets in their black rings ile he partly lowered his weapon its as though in extreme exhaustion ills hit shoulders sagged his feet faltered San domar quickened his lumbering tinee pe the sailors began to utter titter yells rut but hill eric managed to dodge the terrible flint staggering reel ing he backed down the beach son san domar pushing him hayd hard no N danger of his escape the creek would soon noon cut him off it lie he turned to t wade into it the frightful hammer woud fall now eric heard again the suck stick and am smack of the mud reef drawn drain by thi the lowing tide but San domar did not no hear for San domar sound did no not exist eric backed straight toward it it there was wag a warning gurgle just ins behind him lie he appeared to t trip and fall San domar came lung ing but just as the flint hummed down lie he wriggled aside ills enemy whirled to follow him but his momentum carried him a step too far ne he felt the softness under his mukluks even before it seized him but tits his reflexes were tardy an and he had bad never been fast on his feet ills ilia desperate plunge was a split second too late with a shapeless bubbling yell he shot down into the silt eric saw him like a horrible dwarf plunging on foot long stumps his mouth open his arms waving erics flint ax swung high in his arms deliberately he aimed remorselessly he be put all the rallied remnants of his shoulder strength into the blow for San domar the moon went out and the utter titter dark he had feared so ton long clutched him at last CHAPTER XII San domar was dead lying in the silt from which he sprung and nan was safe ills pack would have their vengeance then brenk break up with no tiger to lead thern them they would never dare follow the bent of their wild hearts their dream of liberty was near its end As eric knelt beside the mud reef hurled down by the momentum of his bis stroke and too tired to rise this was his only consolation ills his own hopes burned low and flick ered cred out lie he had won his island war but his own life would be the price the peace terms would he made too late to save him already his enel AW 1251 le ap gib at first the spectacle seemed like a weird dance rather than a duel to the death mies were swee sweeping toward him across the moonlit bench beach brandishing their weapons A mad jackal ran bovi howling ling in front if erie eric could turn them only a moment he might be saved As soon as their heads cooled they would he glad to make pence peace but he was like a spent swimmer even if lie he could get to his feet he could not raise his hand they would stretch him beside San domar before they knew what they were doing it was a bitter and ironic fate but it was not written that eric should win his war only to lose his hia life there was an angry whistle over his head and a native spear stabbed the sand not two paces in front of garge barge unable to stop or swerve he tripped over it and went to his knees As he be clambered up eric heard him utter a groan of despair lt it was a ton long time yet perhaps five seconds possibly ten before erics swimming brain could gra grasp sp what nihat had happened whizzing out of the moonlight the spear made no sense it was like a piece of winter magic conjured up by a shrieking priestess in the there was a confused sound behind him but he thought it was only tits his blood roaring in his ears slowly he got to his and turned sweeping down the bluff to his defense came a horde of warriors all al the fighting men of the tribe were there armed with spears spear and checha quo empty handed ran before them it was his ton long throw that had checked gorge arid and saved erics tire life horton roy and wilcox were well to the front but even swifter than the warriors ran three women eric saw them plain as they splashed across the moonlit creek one was nan of course the otner two were Fir eheart and chuga tire mother of kanak bread upon the waters young and fleet of limb these three had left mother horton to tolling line far behind at first there was only incoherent bh outing brandishing of deap ons confusion vaguely he saw the natives sweep hv him savage figures in the moonlight and instantly surround and smother his enemies cooky and petroff ere begging mercy inerny bill and the smiths dropped their weapons and raised their hands then there was a confused rush of little events that eric could hardly catch and fit into their places to in the big moving whole hole narge put up his knife and pressed his hands to his teman temples in utter titter despair wll vil cox dance danced drunkenly drunkenly j on the sand roy shrugged his bis shoulders milders sh dusted his hands smiled dryly warm arm drops fell on erics brics swollen irest that lie thought at first were blood but they were only nans tears paused before him and save gave it grunt we comel come thank gol god Fire hearts love no to loe p I 1 be v ight like easle and big bl lish fish ito liuji hard but bamby eagle catch mm him fly away to rock eat him all up the coarse lips alp trembled no love him all gone only love he left FIrc Fir heart eheart no have you but she love you always erie eric tried to answer but hla his throat closed the outer scene grew blurred and faded leaving naught but A squaws squads eyes burning into his bis own he be was lost in the shadow of far ort off things beyond his ken he forgot garge barge only three strides away and did not see the delicate little hands fall from the ashen face and the snaky gaze sharpen as it fastened on his breast for a few brief seconds he even forgot nan lie could not understand Firebear ts part here was a strong current but instead of flowing into the sea it seemed to waste the sands in tills this stark drama of the north there could be no lost sequences yet as far ns as his veiled eyes could see FIre hearts love was thrown away As he marveled the movement of events stopped short there fell a breathless interlude awful as the dead calm in the center of a hurricane the wind paused in the sky and fluttered down like a torn pennant the curled edge of a wave hung bung suspended over the beach even the moons path on the water rippled no more nan gasped and eric turned to her behind him garges cargos sunken eyes grew large and larger as they fastened on erics broad hack there stood the man who had killed sandy only three steps step away it was kismet fulfillment rapture already the pit was yawning under his feet now its flame leaped up tip into his pol poisoned dying heart with a monn moan that rose to a shriek he drew his knife and ald lunged victory was certain eric had his back turned and could not whirl in time the tribesmen had let their guard fall in the interlude and though they lung flung bick back their spears they were a full half second too late nans view was cut ot off by erics shoulders she could not see and she could not save ile he would shatter at her feet before she knew what had bad happened but at his side stood one who loved him with a savage hopeless love iter her love was like an eagle so she had said and now it soared on sunlit pinions without a sound she leaped between eric and the blade into her dark breast the steel plunged deep it was a deathblow death blow she felt the bowl break the cord loosen but the work was done the debt paid in full fit when she departed presently at least she would leave no enemy in erics path to trouble her rest in the sea caves she wai a priestess of divine descent beloved of of the lost people and her warriors avenged her quickly even before she fell the sealing spears were whizzing through the mr air three of them buzzed and stung one struck the killer in the left side one in the right and a third entering the back at close range slithered through his body and stood out a third of nf Us its length for an instant he stood like a strange fowl skewered alive ile he wilted slowly hut but even kindly death did not compose his limbs on the good sand bed it was part of the fantastic horror borror of this night that he must partly dangle on the tripod of spears a shapeless thing in the moonlight like a teepee canvas blown from place by a gale yet it happened that neither eric nor nan glanced twice tn in that direction eric gathered the dying girls head in his arms nan knelt by her side the slanted ink pool eyes had already begun to film over but they quickened perceptibly as they gazed gaze into those she loved she struggled for breath 1 I go she asked at last soon now no nn care she no do have you anyhow she mighty glad go in your place she go home to great god who come from west god of the akon god of the candlestick eric nodded but he could not dot speak now you iou no no stay here when fire heart gone she no want come back in winter midnight see you in white girls arms take her go back to home country I 1 raise taboo erics breast heaved arid and the words poured free well go soon as we can soon as we can learn the way look in sea otter poke hv by fire hearts heart s bed where she keep charms you find paper wr te bv wile face priest ton long titue linie ngo ago she be choked drew a sobbing breath then went on bravely we no can rend read paper but it big medicine nip dicine old chaman shamans think it tell way through shoals nan clutched the quivering hand dont try to talk any more Pir eheart better talk fast breath lie he ro go like lamp flame she rested a moment then the dull tones rolled again into the silence Fir eheart no show you before slip want keep you yon here until you catch love then wp we go through shoals together but y you on no catch love for now she go lie ile in sea cave where here tlde run and white girl lie ile in your arms A gray glaze settled on her face fier eyes shone like a axing moths but bill she rallied for gnp last effort heart love you white chief she whispered 0 no o forget her i when iben ben you go to own country and I 1 tell big iod give you good luk and FIr ebeart glad she die for you the whisper faded away the eyes remained open hut but their far sent light flickered find and went ent out TO BE BB CONTINUED |