Abraham Merritt

“ He turned again to Rador.
"Serku"—the green dwarf drew from his girdle the blood-stained poniard—"Serku I was forced to slay. Even as he raised the Shadow the globe gave the alarm. Lugur follows with twice ten times ten of his best. Serku drew his blade upon me, and I killed—" He hesitated. "Though we have escaped the Shadow it has taken toll of our swiftness. May we reach the Portal before it closes upon Lakla. But if we do not—" He paused again "Well I know a way. But it is not one I am gay to follow. ”

“ At the end of the three tal Lakla will come for our answer. Your men will be in ambush and they will slay her and her escort quickly with the Keth. But not till that is done must the three be slain, and then quickly. With Lakla dead we shall go forth to the Silent Ones—and I promise you that I will find the way to destroy them!"
"It is well!" It was Lugur.
"It is well, Yolara." It was a woman's voice, and I knew it for that old one of ravaged beauty. "Cast from your mind whatever is in it for this stranger, either of love of hatred. In this the council is with Lugur and the man of wisdom." ”

“ Mystified still, I crept back where Larry, sheer happiness pouring from him, was whistling softly and polishing up his automatic. His gaze fell upon Olaf's grim, sad face and softened.
"Buck up, Olaf!" he said. "We've got a good fighting chance. Once we link up with Lakla and her crowd I'm betting that we get your wife. Never doubt it! The baby—" he hesitated awkwardly. The Norseman's eyes filled; he stretched a hand to the O'Keefe. ”

“ And then in the Murian's own tongue, "We follow Lakla, Rador. And you lead the way." He thrust the pistol close to the green dwarf's side.
Rador did not move. But his eyes gleamed their approval as they looked up into the Irishman's determined ones.
"Of what use, Larree?" he said, quietly. "Me you can slay, but in the end you will be taken. Life is not held so dear in Muria that my men out there or those others who can come quickly will let you by, even though you slay many. And in the end they will overpower you."
There was a trace of irresolution in O'Keefe's face. ”

“ It was the priestess's voice. "After the three tal, you may have him, Lugur, to do with as you will."
"No!" It was Lugur's voice again, but with a rasp of anger. "All three must die."
"He shall die," again Yolara. "But I would that first he should see Lakla die, and that she know what is to happen to him." ”

“ Down each facade a stairway fell, broken by small landings on which a door opened. They dropped to a broad ledge of grayish stone edging the lip of this midnight pool and upon it also fell two wide flights from either side of the bridge platform. Along all four stairways the guards were ranged. And here and there against the ledge stood the shells, in a curiously comforting resemblance to parked motors in our own world. ”

“ I'll bet Lakla knows all about it. And I'll bet we'll soon be hearing her tell us."
FOR once Larry's courage, his unquenchable confidence, found no echo within me. Not lightly, as he, did I hold that dread mystery the Dweller. And a vision passed before me, a vision of an Apocalypse undreamed by the Evangelist.
A vision of the Shining One swirling into our world, a monstrous, glorious flaming pillar of incarnate, eternal Evil. Of peoples passing through its radiant embrace into that hideous, unearthly life-in-death which I had seen enfold the sacrifices. ”

“ For her I have no fear and for her vengeance will be given me. Ja! But mine Hustru, my Helma—she is of the dead—alive—like those we saw whirling like leaves in the light of the Shining Devil. And 1 would that she, too, were of de Dode, and at rest. I do not know how to fight the Shining Devil—no!"
His heart's bitter despair welled up in his voice. ”

“ Rador nodded grimly.
"The Shadow takes its toll," he said. We topped a rise. Larry gripped my arm.
"Look!" he cried, and pointed. Far, far behind us, so far that the road was but a glistening thread, a score of shining points came speeding.
"Lugur and his men," said Rador.
"Can't you step on her?" asked Larry.
"Step on her?" repeated the green dwarf, puzzled.
"Give her more speed; push her," explained O'Keefe.
Rador looked about him. The coppery ramparts were close, not more than five of our miles distant ”