| Show CHAPTER XII San domar was dead 1 lying ing in the silt from which he and nan was safe ills puck pack would have their vengeance then break up with no tiger to lead 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 stroke and too tired to rise this was his only consolation ills own hopes burned low and flick ered out he had won tits his island war but his own life would bethe price the peace terms would he bo made too late inte to in save him already tits his ene IWA W w 1 4 X aw I 1 to at first the spectacle seemed like a weird dance rather than a duel to the death were sweeping toward him across the hie moonlit bench beach brandishing their weapons A mad jackal ran howling in front it if eric could turn them only a moment he might be saved As soon as their heads cooled they would he be glad to make peace but he was like a spent swimmer even if he could get to his feet he could not raise hla 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 ills his 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 lie he clambered up eric heard him utter a groan of despair it was a long time yet perhaps five seconds possibly ten before erics swimming brain could grasp what had happened whizzing out of 0 the moonlight the spear made no sense it was like a piece of wl winter anter magle magic conjured up by a shrieking priestess tn in the kii align there was a confused sound behind him but he thought it was only his blood roaring in hla his ears slowly lie he got to his feet and turned sweeping down the bluff to hla his defense came a horde of warriors all the fighting men of the tribe were there armed with spears and chacha quo empty handed ran before them it was his long throw that had checked garge barge and saved erics life horton orton II roy and wilcox were we well to the front but even swifter than the warriors ran three women eric saw them plain as they splashed across tho the moonlit creek one was nan of course the other two were Fir eheart and chuga lim mother of kanak dread bread upon the waters 1 young and fleet of limb these three find left mother horton tolling far behind at first there was only incoherent shouting brandishing of weapons confusion vaguely he saw the natives sweep by him savage alg ures in the moonlight and instantly surround and smother his enemies cooky and were begging mercy 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 III fit into their places in the big moving whole large put up his knife and pressed his hands to his temples in utter despair wll cox danced drunkenly on the sand roy hoy shrugged his shoulders dus dusl d his hands smiled dryly warm drops tell on erics swollen wrist that he thought at first were blood but they were only nana tears Fir eheart paused before him and gave a squaw like grunt we vo cornel camel thank thanh godl god I 1 loc iota no love they fight like hire eacle and big fish flat flop hard but damby engle eagle catch mm fly away to rock eat cut him all up the coarse lips trembled N olov him all gone only love he left nn have you hut but she love you always eric tried to answer aimer buthis but alg thront throat closed the outer scene grew blurred and faded leaving naught but a squaws squads eyes burning into his own lie ile was lost in the shadow of far off things beyond his ken ile he forgot large carre only three strides away am anil did not tea sea the delicate little hands fall from the ashen face and the snaky gaze gare sharpen as it fastened on ills his breast for a few brief seconds he even eien forgot non nan ile he could not understand FIrc hearts part here was a strong current but Ins instead of flowing into the sea it seemed to waste upon the sands bands in tills this stark drama of the north there could be no lost sequences yet as for as his veiled pes eyes could tee ee Fire l hearts love loe was thrown away As hp he mary marveled pied the movement of events stopped short there fell n breath breathless les Inter interlude bitle awful as the dead calm in the center of a hurricane the wind win paused in the file sky and fluttered down like a torn pennant the curled edge of a suspended over the bench beach ten even the moons path on the water rippled no nn more nan rasped gasped and aric r alc turned to tier her behind him film fl larges arees sunken eyes grew large and larger as they fastened on oil erics broad back there stood the man who had find killed hilled sandy only three stops steps away it wits kismet fulfillment rap ture alread already ahe the pit wits was yawning pawning under his feet now its flame leaped up tip into his poisoned pol dying heart with tt a monn moan flint rose to a shriek he drew his knife and 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 anti and though they flung buck back their spears they were a full half too lute late nans view ew was cut ot off by erics ders she could not see tind and she could not save sac lie would shatter at hc her r feet before she knew what had happened hut but at tits his side stood one who loved hirn him with a savage hopeless love her love was like an ongle gle so she had said and now it soared on sunlit pinions without a sound she leaped between B kelc ric and the blade into her dark breast the steel plunged deep it was it a deathblow death blow she felt the bowl break the cord loosen but the work was anne one the debt paid in full when she departed presently nt at least she would leave no enemy in erics path to trouble her rest in the sen sea eaves caves she was it a priestess of divine descent beloved of the lost people and warriors avenged her quickly even before she fell the sealing spears were through jh the air three of them buzzed and stung one struck tho the killer in the left side one in the right and it third the back at close range all slithered theoa through h his body and stood out a third of its length for an instant lip lie stood like a strange fowl skewered alive ile he wilted slowly but even kindly death did not compose his limbs on the good sand bed it was wag part of the fantastic horror of this night that he must ans partly dangle on the tripod of spears a shapeless thing in the moonlight like a teppee teepee canons blown from place by it a gale yet it happened that neither erle eric nor nan glanced twice in that direction erie eric gathered the dying girls head in his arms nan knelt by tier her side the slanted ink pool eyes had already begun to film over but they quickened perceptibly as they gazed Into those she loved she struggled tor for breath 1 I 1 go she asked at last soon now Fir eheart Firc heart no care she no have you anyhow site she mighty glad go in your place she go home to great god who come from west wesl god of the mon god of the candlestick eric nodded but he could not speak now you 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 and the words poured free well go soon as we can soon as we can learn the way look in sea otter poke by fire hearts bed where she keep charms you find paper wrote by paleface pale face priest long time ago she choked drew a sobbing breath then went on bravely we no can read paper but it big medicine old shamans seamans think it tell way through shoals nan clutched the quivering hand dont try to talk any morl more Fir eheart better talk fast breath he go like ilka lamp flame she rested a moment then the dull tones rolled again into the silence Fir eheart no show you before she wont want keep you here until you catch love then we go through shoals together but you no catch love lobe for now she go lip lie in sea cove cave where tide run and white girl lie in your arms A gray glaze settled on her face mer her eyes shone like a dying moths but she rallied for one last effort Fire henrt love you white chief she whispered no forget her wll when n you go to own country and I 1 tell big god give you good luck arid F tr eheart glad gladsie she die for you the whisper faded away the eyes remal remained ned open hut but their pir fir sent light flickered and went out TO na BE CONTINUED |
