Merritt

“ Olaf started, hesitated, stared from Lakla to the Three, searched for a moment their eyes—and something like a smile drifted through them. He stepped forward, lifted O'Keefe, set him squarely within the covering light. It wavered, roiled upward, swirled about the body, steadied again—and within it there was no sign at all of Larry!
Again the mist wavered, shook, and seemed to climb higher, hiding the chins, the beaked noses, the brows of that incredible Trinity. But before it ceased to climb, I thought I saw the yellow, feathered heads bend; sensed a movement as though they lifted something. ”

“ Merritt plunged down the slanting gallery leading to the courtyard, leaping downward with great strides. Even as he raced, his brain formulated theories. It might be a wild animal—lion—hyena—jackal; it might be a native run amuck; it might be a thief. Whatever it was, it had Deane, handicapped by his blindness and recent hardships, down and fighting for his life——
Merritt gained the lower level, stumbled over an unseen obstruction in his path, recovered, and dashed into the courtyard to where the struggling mass had been. ”

“ Swiftly she slipped from his embrace, blushing, glancing at the Three shyly, half-fearfully. And again I saw the tenderness creep into the inky, flame-shot orbs of the woman being; and a tenderness in the others, too—as though they regarded some well-beloved child
"Doc," shouted Larry, catching me by the hand, "what hit me? Say, I've had some dream. Where are we?"
Lakla touched his arm and proceeded to answer his question.
"You lay in the arms of Death, Larry," she said. "And the Silent Ones drew you from him. Do homage to the Silent Ones, Larry, for they are good and they are mighty!" ”

“ YOLARA'S face was white, her eyes strained. But her voice was unshaken as she called to the clamoring guards:
"It is nothing. Go to your places!"
But when the sound of their return had ceased she stared tensely at the Irishman. Then she looked again at the shattered vase.
"It is true!" she cried, "but see, the Keth is alive!"
I followed her pointing finger. Each broken bit of the crystal was vibrating, shaking its particles out into space. Broken it the bullet of Larry's had—but not released it from the grip of the disintegrating force. The priestess's face was triumphant. ”

“ Merritt, neither do I want a man laid up so’s he won’t be any use for the work, otherwise I think I could leave it to you to give him he’s lesson. Yes, I’ll do it, if you’ll tell me who it is.”
“That’s good, sir,” rejoined Merritt, “your word’s always good enough for me. Well, it’s Pepe, an’ I propose getting him here on the quarter-deck with all hands to see and no weapons but our hands, an’ if I don’t teach him suthin that’ll do him good you can heave me overboard. But I own I’d just like to kill him.”
“All right,” said the skipper, “I won’t go back on my word, keep you yours. ”

“ She stood upright, her great legs bowed, the monstrous slit of a mouth slightly open, revealing a row of white teeth sharp and pointed as lancets; the paw resting on the girl's shoulder, half covering its silken surface, and from its five webbed digits long yellow claws of polished horn glistening against the delicate texture of the flesh.
But if the frog-woman regarded us all, not so did the maiden of the rosy wall. Her eyes were fastened upon Larry, drinking him in with extraordinary intentness. She was tall, far over the average of woman, almost as tall, indeed, as O'Keefe himself ”

“ Then as swiftly as she had gone she came through the hangings; tresses braided, a swathing of golden gauze about her.
"Rador," she said, "bear you Larry—for into your heart the Silent Ones would look. And fear nothing," she added at the green dwarf's disconcerted, almost fearful start.
Rador bowed, started to lift O'Keefe; was thrust aside by Olaf.
"No," said the Norseman; "I will carry him."
He lifted Larry like a child against his broad breast. The dwarf glanced quickly at Lakla; she nodded. ”

“ Merritt knelt on his knees, and hollowed his hand and drank the well water. He said (over his port) that night that if all water were like the water of the filbert well the world would turn to teetotalism. It takes a townsman to relish the manifold and exquisite joys of the country.
It was not till he began to venture abroad that Merritt found that something was lacking of the old rich peace that used to dwell in Meirion. ”

“ Yolara considered all this with manifest doubt.
"Hell?" she inquired at last. "I know not the word."
"Well," answered O'Keefe. "Say Muria then. In many ways they are, I gather, O heart's delight, one and the same."
Now the doubt in the blue eyes was strong indeed. She shook her head.
"None of our men can do that!" she answered, at length. "Nor do I think you could, Larree."
"Oh, no," said Larry easily. "I never tried to be that strong. I fly," he added, casually.
The priestess rose to her feet, gazing at him with startled eyes.
"Fly!" she repeated incredulously. "Like a zilia? A bird?" ”

“ None of fear did I feel—at least none for myself—and searching the eyes of Lakla and Larry, I saw no trace of it in either. Rather was it an inhibition. Something that stilled all desire to speak, as though a hand had been laid over my mouth. We waited, silent, even as did Yolara. And still there was no answer from the Three.
The priestess laughed.
"It is ended!" she cried. "If you will not open, needs must we open for you!"
Over the bridge was marching a long double file of the dwarfs. They bore a smoothed and handled tree-trunk whose head was knobbed with a huge ball of metal. ”

“ He does. To my certain knowledge he has had nearly £70,000. But the case is in good hands. You have only to wait a few days longer and the man will be exposed. Already, as you see, I have wound his accomplice, the Reverend James Merritt, round my finger. Of course, the idea of getting up a bazaar has all been nonsense. I am only waiting for a little further information, and then Merritt will feel the iron hand under the velvet glove. Unless I am greatly mistaken, Merritt can tell us where Prince Rupert's ring is. Already Van Sneck is in our grasp. ”

“ She stood a dozen paces away, hand on the white llama’s neck and gazing intently over the plain. There was anxiety in her gaze—but there was none in the attitude of those two strange servitors of hers. As silent, as unconcerned, as detached as ever, they seemed to await the girl’s next move.
And now Graydon noted that they were on a wide ledge that bordered this vast oval bowl. This shelf was a full hundred feet higher than the bottom of the valley whose sides sloped up to it like the sides of a saucer. And, again carrying out that suggestion of huge dish, the ledge jutted out like a rim. ”

“ But before it was wholly poised, before the priestess could loose its force, the handmaiden was upon her. Swift as the lithe white wolf hound she leaped, and one slender hand gripped Yolara's throat, the other the wrist that lifted the quivering death; white limbs wrapped about the hidden ones. I saw the golden head bend, the hand that held the Keth swept up with a vicious jerk; saw Lakla's teeth sink into the wrist—the blood spurt forth and heard the priestess shriek. ”

“ The woman drew a deep breath and looked deep into Lugur's eyes.
"The sign of the Silent Ones!" he half whispered.
It was the woman who first recovered herself.
"The strangers are weary, Lugur," she said. "When they are rested they shall show us where the rocks opened."
I sensed a subtle change in their attitude toward us; a new intentness; a doubt plainly tinged with apprehension. What was it they feared? I wondered; and why had the symbol of the vine wrought the change? And who or what were the Silent Ones?
YOLARA'S eyes turned to Olaf, hardened, and grew cold gray. ”

“ There sat C. B. still almost helpless with wonderment at the devilish treachery [Pg 117] of the thing while Merritt showed the line and explained how he came to detect the deed.
“But who, who’s the man?” gasped the skipper. “Tell me who the man is till I make him wish he’d never been born.”
“Now, sir,” replied Merritt, “I ain’t ever asked you a favour since I ben in your ship, an’ I know I’ve gi’n you satisfaction. Please let me deal with this man in my own way. I won’t kill him, I promise ye that, sir, an’ it’ll be less trouble for all of us.” ”

“ That's one of the best jokes I've ever seen."
"It is, is it?" glowered Merritt.
"Yes, but it isn't as big a joke as it would have been if you hadn't done as Ned told you. Ho! ho! ho! It isn't every puppy that will fetch and carry at the first lesson."
The shout of laughter was taken up by the rest of the blue-jackets. Amid this storm of merriment, Merritt made his way to his seat. He reached it just as the officer of the deck entered.
"Merritt, what are you out of your place for?" [Pg 29] demanded this dignitary, who was noted as a strict disciplinarian. ”

“ And even in the unfamiliar words there was a touch of the Irish brogue, and little merry lights danced in the eyes Larry had so apostrophized.
"I could find fault with your speech, but none with its burden," she said. "What forest pools are I know not, and the dawn has not shone upon the people of Lora these many sais of laya. But I sense what you mean!"
The eyes deepened to blue as she regarded him. I saw Lugur shift impatiently and send a none too pleasant look at O'Keefe. She smiled.
"Are there many like you in the world from which you come?" she asked softly. ”

“ When the world is barred and speckled with silver of the moon—"
He stood, swaying, for a moment, and then, laughing, let the priestess have her way; drained again the glass.
And now my heart was cold, indeed—for what hope was there left with Larry mad, wild drunk!
The silence was unbroken—elfin women and dwarfs glancing furtively at each other. But now Yolara arose, face set, eyes flashing grey.
"Hear you, the Council, and you, Lugur—and all who are here!" she cried. "Now I, the priestess of the Shining One, take, as is my right, my mate. And this is he!" She pointed down upon Larry. ”

“ Mockery and disbelief rode high in the priestess's pose. "Am I to return alone, like this?" she asked.
"Nay, Yolara, nay; you shall be accompanied," said Lakla. "And by those who will guard, and watch you well. They are here even now."
The hangings parted, and into the chamber came Olaf and Rador—and paused in blank amazement.
"You traitor!" hissed the priestess to the green dwarf. "Be sure that you shall not dance with the Shining One!"
He gazed at her, face stern, immovable; listened to Lakla's swift explanation. ”

“ Merritt and Rob exchanged significant looks.
[Pg 218]
"We have no fight against either Germany or the Allies," Merritt observed, "for Americans are neutral, and there would be no need of our betraying him, even if we had the chance. So we can easily give you that promise. He has something in his possession that belongs to my family; and we have come a long way to get it; that is all we want of Steven Meredith. ”

“ Merritt, as one of his chums chanced to remark a little further back in this story, had come upon several village roughs engaged in battering a stranger in town, a little old gentleman who, carrying his grip and finding the hacks all away from the station, had evidently attempted to walk to the hotel.
The cowardly assault aroused the indignation of Merritt, who was a manly boy at all times. He remonstrated with the assailants, and when they continued to pelt the old man, he proceeded to attack them. Whether he could have won out alone and unaided will always be an open question. ”

“ Larry repeated
An expression of gladness spread over his face.
"Good!" said Olaf. "Good!"
He looked at Yolara with well-assumed gratitude. Lugur, who had been scanning his bulk, drew close. He felt the giant muscles which Huldricksson accommodatingly flexed for him.
"But he shall meet Valdor and Tahola before he sees those kin of his," he laughed mockingly. "And if he bests them, he shall meet me. After that—for reward—his wife and babe!"
A shudder, quickly repressed, shook the seaman's frame. The woman bent her supremely beautiful head. ”

“ Then passing like a presence, it died away in far distance.
"The Portal has opened," said the handmaiden. And a fainter sighing, like an echo of the other, mourned about us. "Yolara is gone," she said, "the Portal is closed. Now must we hasten. For the Three have ordered that you, Goodwin, and Larry and I go upon that strange road of which I have spoken, and which Olaf may not take lest his heart break. And we must return ere he and Rador cross the bridge."
Her hand sought Larry's; we passed down to a chamber in which stood a table, bearing one of the crystal ewers and goblets. ”

“ And, save for what he handled, he thought with grim humor, this was a commonplace thing enough surely to satisfy her. She accepted his aid without comment, looked at him no more. And after a while the fever in his blood cooled, his hot revolt crystallized into cold determination. For the moment he would accept the situation. He would let matters develop. His time would come. He could afford to wait.
Without a word when the last shining cup was in the pannier and the mouth of the latter closed he turned and strode to the tent to get together his duffle, pack his burro. ”

“ Now blue cowl and yellow swung into the lead, Suarra at their heels.
“Come on, Soames,” he said. “Come, Sterrett. It’s time to start, Dancre.”
Obediently they swung upon the trail, marching side by side—gaunt man at left, giant in the center, little man at right. Like marionettes they marched, obediently, unquestioning, without word. If they knew the llama and its treasures were no longer with them, they gave no sign. If they knew Graydon again carried his guns, they gave no sign either. ”