the metal monster-第8节

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〃It's　empty；〃　I　cried。　〃Get　Martin　and　Chiu…Ming　quick！　While　the　way's　open〃

A　rifle…shot　rang　out　above　us；　another　and　another。　From　the　portal　scampered　Chiu…Ming；　his　robe　tucked　up　about　his　knees。

〃They　come！〃　he　gasped。　〃They　come！〃

There　was　a　flashing　of　spears　high　up　the　winding　mountain　path。　Down　it　was　pouring　an　avalanche　of　men。　I　caught　the　glint　of　helmets　and　corselets。　Those　in　the　van　were　mounted；　galloping　two　abreast　upon　sure…footed　mountain　ponies。　Their　short　swords；　lifted　high；　flickered。

After　the　horsemen　swarmed　foot　soldiers；　a　forest　of　shining　points　and　dully　gleaming　pikes　above　them。　Clearly　to　us　came　their　battlecries。

Again　Ventnor's　rifle　cracked。　One　of　the　foremost　riders　went　down；　another　stumbled　over　him；　fell。　The　rush　was　checked　for　an　instant；　milling　upon　the　road。

〃Dick；〃　I　cried；　〃rush　Ruth　over　to　the　tunnel　mouth。　We'll　follow。　We　can　hold　them　there。　I'll　get　Martin。　Chiu…Ming；　after　the　pony；　quick。〃

I　pushed　the　two　over　the　rim　of　the　hollow。　Side　by　side　the　Chinaman　and　I　ran　back　through　the　gateway。　I　pointed　to　the　animal　and　rushed　back　into　the　fortress。

〃Quick；　Mart！〃　I　shouted　up　the　shattered　stairway。　〃We　can　get　through　the　hollow。　Ruth　and　Drake　are　on　their　way　to　the　break　we　came　through。　Hurry！〃

〃All　right。　Just　a　minute；〃　he　called。

I　heard　him　empty　his　magazine　with　almost　machine…gun　quickness。　There　was　a　short　pause；　and　down　the　broken　steps　he　leaped；　gray　eyes　blazing。

〃The　pony？〃　He　ran　beside　me　toward　the　portal。　〃All　my　ammunition　is　on　him。〃

〃Chiu…Ming's　taking　care　of　that；〃　I　gasped。

We　darted　out　of　the　gateway。　A　good　five　hundred　yards　away　were　Ruth　and　Drake；　running　straight　to　the　green　tunnel's　mouth。　Between　them　and　us　was　Chiu…Ming　urging　on　the　pony。

As　we　sped　after　him　I　looked　back。　The　horsemen　had　recovered；　were　now　a　scant　half…mile　from　where　the　road　swept　past　the　fortress。　I　saw　that　with　their　swords　the　horsemen　bore　great　bows。　A　little　cloud　of　arrows　sparkled　from　them；　fell　far　short。

〃Don't　look　back；〃　grunted　Ventnor。　〃Stretch　yourself；　Walter。　There's　a　surprise　coming。　Hope　to　God　I　judged　the　time　right。〃

We　turned　off　the　ruined　way；　raced　over　the　sward。

〃If　it　looks　as　thoughwe　can't　make　it；〃　he　panted；　〃YOU　beat　it　after　the　rest。　I'll　try　to　hold　'em　until　you　get　into　the　tunnel。　Never　do　for　'em　to　get　Ruth。〃

〃Right。〃　My　own　breathing　was　growing　labored；　〃WE'LL　hold　them。　Drake　can　take　care　of　Ruth。〃

〃Good　boy；〃　he　said。　〃I　wouldn't　have　asked　you。　It　probably　means　death。〃

〃Very　well；〃　I　gasped；　irritated。　〃But　why　borrow　trouble？〃

He　reached　out；　touched　me。

〃You're　right；　Walter；〃　he　grinned。　〃It　doesseemlike　carrying　coalsto　Newcastle。〃

There　was　a　thunderous　booming　behind　us；　a　shattering　crash。　A　cloud　of　smoke　and　dust　hung　over　the　northern　end　of　the　ruined　fortress。

It　lifted　swiftly；　and　I　saw　that　the　whole　side　of　the　structure　had　fallen；　littering　the　road　with　its　fragments。　Scattered　prone　among　these　were　men　and　horses；　others　staggered；　screaming。　On　the　farther　side　of　this　stony　dike　our　pursuers　were　held　like　rushing　waters　behind　a　sudden　fallen　tree。

〃Timed　to　a　second！〃　cried　Ventnor。　〃Hold　'em　for　a　while。　Fuses　and　dynamite。　Blew　out　the　whole　side；　right　on　'em；　by　the　Lord！〃

On　we　fled。　Chiu…Ming　was　now　well　in　advance；　Ruth　and　Dick　less　than　half　a　mile　from　the　opening　of　the　green　tunnel。　I　saw　Drake　stop；　raise　his　rifle；　empty　it　before　him；　and；　holding　Ruth　by　the　hand；　race　back　toward　us。

Even　as　he　turned；　the　vine…screened　entrance　through　which　we　had　come；　through　which　we　had　thought　lay　safety；　streamed　other　armored　men。　We　were　outflanked。

〃To　the　fissure！〃　shouted　Ventnor。　Drake　heard；　for　he　changed　his　course　to　the　crevice　at　whose　mouth　Ruth　had　said　theLittle　Thingshad　lain。

After　him　streaked　Chiu…Ming；　urging　on　the　pony。　Shouting　out　of　the　tunnel；　down　over　the　lip　of　the　bowl；　leaped　the　soldiers。　We　dropped　upon　our　knees；　sent　shot　after　shot　into　them。　They　fell　back；　hesitated。　We　sprang　up；　sped　on。

All　too　short　was　the　check；　but　once　more　we　held　themand　again。

Now　Ruth　and　Dick　were　a　scant　fifty　yards　from　the　crevice。　I　saw　him　stop；　push　her　from　him　toward　it。　She　shook　her　head。

Now　Chiu…Ming　was　with　them。　Ruth　sprang　to　the　pony；　lifted　from　its　back　a　rifle。　Then　into　the　mass　of　their　pursuers　Drake　and　she　poured　a　fusillade。　They　huddled；　wavered；　broke　for　cover。

〃A　chance！〃　gasped　Ventnor。

Behind　us　was　a　wolflike　yelping。　The　first　pack　had　re…formed；　had　crossed　the　barricade　the　dynamite　had　made；　was　rushing　upon　us。

I　ran　as　I　had　never　known　I　could。　Over　us　whined　the　bullets　from　the　covering　guns。　Close　were　we　now　to　the　mouth　of　the　fissure。　If　we　could　but　reach　it。　Close；　close　were　our　pursuers；　toothe　arrows　closer。

〃No　use！〃　said　Ventnor。　〃We　can't　make　it。　Meet　'em　from　the　front。　Dropand　shoot。〃

We　threw　ourselves　down；　facing　them。　There　came　a　triumphant　shouting。　And　in　that　strange　sharpening　of　the　senses　that　always　goes　hand　in　hand　with　deadly　peril；　that　is　indeed　nature's　summoning　of　every　reserve　to　meet　that　peril；　my　eyes　took　them　in　with　photographic　nicetythe　linked　mail；　lacquered　blue　and　scarlet；　of　the　horsemen；　brown；　padded　armor　of　the　footmen；　their　bows　and　javelins　and　short　bronze　swords；　their　pikes　and　shields；　and　under　their　round　helmets　their　cruel；　bearded　faceswhite　as　our　own　where　the　black　beards　did　not　cover　them；　their　fierce　and　mocking　eyes。

The　springs　of　ancient　Persia's　long　dead　power；　these。　Men　of　Xerxes's　ruthless；　world…conquering　hordes；　the　lustful；　ravening　wolves　of　Darius　whom　Alexander　scattered　in　this　world　of　ours　twenty　centuries　beyond　their　time！

Swiftly；　accurately；　even　as　I　scanned　them；　we　had　been　drilling　into　them。　They　advanced　deliberately；　heedless　of　their　fallen。　Their　arrows　had　ceased　to　fly。　I　wondered　why；　for　now　we　were　well　within　their　range。　Had　they　orders　to　take　us　aliveat　whatever　cost　to　themselves？

〃I've　got　only　about　ten　cartridges　left；　Martin；〃　I　told　him。

〃We've　saved　Ruth　anyway；〃　he　said。　〃Drake　ought　to　be　able　to　hold　that　hole　in　the　wall。　He's　got　lots　of　ammunition　on　the　pony。　But　they've　got　us。〃

Another　wild　shouting；　down　swept　the　pack。

We　leaped　to　our　feet；　sent　our　last　bullets　into　them；　stood　ready；　rifles　clubbed　to　meet　the　rush。　I　heard　Ruth　scream

What　was　the　matter　with　the　armored　men？　Why　had　they　halted？　What　was　it　at　which　they　were　glaring　over　our　heads？　And　why　had　the　rifle　fire　of　Ruth　and　Drake　ceased　so　abruptly？

Simultaneously　we　turned。

Within　the　black　background　of　the　fissure　stood　a　shape；　an　apparition；　a　womanbeautiful；　awesome；　incredible！

She　was　tall；　standing　there　swathed　from　chin　to　feet　in　clinging　veils　of　pale　amber；　she　seemed　taller　even　than　tall　Drake。　Yet　it　was　not　her　height　that　sent　through　me　the　thrill　of　awe；　of　half　incredulous　terror　which；　relaxing　my　grip；　let　my　smoking　rifle　drop　to　earth；　nor　was　it　that　about　her　proud　head　a　cloud　of　shining　tresses　swirled　and　pennoned　like　a　misty　banner　of　woven　copper　flames　no；　nor　that　through　her　veils　her　body　gleamed　faint　radiance。

It　was　her　eyesher　great；　wide　eyes　whose　clear　depths　were　like　pools　of　living　star　fires。　They　shone　from　her　white　facenot　phosphorescent；　not　merely　lucent　and　light　reflecting；　but　as　though　they　themselves　were　SOURCES　of　the　cold　white　flames　of　far　starsand　as　calm　as　those　stars　themselves。

And　in　that　face；　although　as　yet　I　could　distinguish　nothing　but　the　eyes；　I　sensed　something　unearthly。

〃God！〃　whispered　Ventnor。　〃What　IS　she？〃

The　woman　stepped　from　the　crevice。　Not　fifty　feet　from　her　were　Ruth　and　Drake　and　Chiu…Ming；　their　rigid　attitudes　revealing　the　same　shock　of　awe　that　had　momentarily　paralyzed　me。

She　looked　at　them；　beckoned　them。　I　saw　the　two　walk　toward　her；　Chiu…Ming　hang　back。　The　great　eyes　fell　upon　Ventnor　and　myself。　She　raised　a　hand；　motioned　us　to　approach。

I　turned。　There　stood　the　host　that　had　poured　down　（he　mountain　road；　horsemen；　spearsmen；　pikemena　full　thousand　of　them。　At　my　right　were　the　scattered　company　that　had　come　from　the　tunnel　entrance；　threescore　or　more。

There　seemed　a　spell　upon　them。　They　stood　in　silence；　like　automatons；　only　their　fiercely　staring　eyes　showing　that　they　were　alive。

〃Quick；〃　breathed　Ventnor。

We　ran　toward　her　who　had　checked　death　even　while　its　jaws　were　closing　upon　us。

Before　we　had　gone　half…way；　as　though　our　flight　had　broken　whatever　bonds　had　bound　them；　a　clamor　arose　from　the　host；　a　wild　shouting；　a　clanging　of　swords　on　shields。　I　shot　a　glance　behind。　They　were　in　motion；　advancing　slowly；　hesitatingly　as　yetbut　I　knew　that　soon　that　hesitation　would　pass；　that　they　would　sweep　down　upon　us；　engulf　us。

〃To　the　crevice；〃　I　shouted　to　Drake。　He　paid　no　heed　to　me；　nor　did　Ruththeir　gaze　fastened　upon　the　swathed　woman。

Ventnor's　hand　shot　out；　gripped　my　shoulder；　halted　me。　She　had　thrown　up　her　head。　The　cloudy　METALLIC　hair　billowed　as　though　wind　had　blown　it。

From　the　lifted　throat　came