Carza’s Use of Lava Streams
While he was backed by an army of Selinites, Epworth felt as he came
to a halt in front of a crude stone wall as if the lives of thousands
of little children were in his hands. Under his leadership these
little men could be brave and victorious. Without him he imagined that
they would melt like snow before the onrush of the crickets, and the
vicious Taunan dwarfs. To protect them he concluded to go ahead and
reconnoiter.
He recognized the corridor. It was the place where he and Joan had had
their first encounter with a ramph. He shivered again as he thought of
the uncanny feeling that had swept over him at the time.
They discovered that the wall which blocked their way was of recent
construction, and that it cut them off from the Lava Chamber. When
they attempted to remove the heavy stones they proved burdensome
although no attempt had been made to cement the stones into position.
Finally Epworth and Joan removed their gas masks and cavern lamps, and
thrust their heads through the new-made hole in the wall. As they
expected they found that the little stream of spluttering, moving fire
sent out a dim light that created ghostly shadows, and dark spots,
deepened by the fact that their eyes were not accustomed to any light
except that given by the photographing of dark images on the ofen
glass and rhodamine dye by the cavern lamps.
The chamber appeared empty, and Epworth stepped through the wall into
the chamber.
“Come on,” he said to Joan, “everything seems all right.”
Joan obeyed quickly, and the two turned to step across the chamber
toward the lava stream. As they moved away Billy and Moawha, who had
been aiding them in removing the loose stones, ran back to join the
Selinite army. This left the man and girl alone to spy out the
situation.
“Ah, come in lads! Sure everything is all right,” a shrill voice
called out. “Most assuredly the goose hangs high. Throw up your
hands!”
The last command was jerked out viciously.
Epworth rubbed his eyes and glanced in the direction of the voice. He
did not need to be told that the speaker was Toplinsky. The giant was
standing behind the divan on which he first saw Moawha, and had a long
rifle pointed at his heart. Near Toplinsky were Queen Carza, and six
Taunans, all of whom were covering him with guns.
The young American dropped to his knees and plunged forward like a
football player. Joan stood still, not knowing what to do.
Toplinsky and the Taunans fired but their bullets went wild. Before
they could shoot again Epworth was on the giant. But the divan was in
the way, and he was forced to stand up, and drive at Toplinsky’s face
with his clenched hand. With a howl of rage the giant threw his
immense arms around the young man and pinioned him as he was struck.
“Ah, ha! I have you at last. In these great arms I hold you. You are
my meat.” Toplinsky grinned to himself as he thought of the trap he
had laid for these spies when he heard the noise of the stones being
removed. “I shall delight in squeezing you to death.”
“Not so, my dear,” Queen Carza put in sweetly. “This earth man has
given us much trouble, and he has sneaked in here for no gentle
purpose. We must discover his purpose. Let me deal with him.”
“Just as you say, my little one. Ho, soldiers! Tie him up tight.”
The command was obeyed quickly, Epworth’s hands and feet being laced
together.
“What are you doing here?” Carza inquired slyly, shoving her thumb
viciously into Joan’s ribs. “Where did you come from? We know that
that passage leads to the ramph chamber, and you must have found some
other way to get in. Tell us about it, my little dear.” Her voice was
soft but menacing.
She pinched Joan wickedly, and the girl shrank from her.
“The man will tell,” Toplinsky broke in anxiously. “The girl——”
“Is nothing to you,” Queen Carza interrupted brittlely. “And I do not
like her.”
Toplinsky did not reply. Stooping down he removed Epworth’s sandals,
and pushed up the pants until his knees were exposed. Queen Carza,
noting the soft white skin, rubbed his leg gently.
“Nice. Soft. White.” She spoke very pleasantly. “Almost as soft——”
She removed Joan’s stockings, and pointed at the stream of lava.
“Why the girl?” Toplinsky protested. “We are not making war on women.”
This remark astonished Epworth. He was of the opinion that Toplinsky
would not hesitate to war on a child.
“The man may let us burn his legs but he will not permit the delicate
coloring of his sister’s legs to be changed by harsh measures.”
Toplinsky shuddered. He really had no intention of burning Epworth’s
legs. His act was a bluff in the hope of getting the American to speak
up.
“Yes we will begin with the man.” The queen kneeled down by the side
of the American and smilingly stroked his leg. “But think not of the
woman kindly. It is not likely that she will ever leave this chamber,
so you had best forget her.”
“She came with me against my will,” Epworth asserted. “I am the one
who holds the scheme under his hat, and you two are not going to
discover it.”
“Tush, tush, my friend,” Toplinsky sneered. “That is too bad.”
“Nice white legs that will burn quickly.” Queen Carza pulled Epworth
slowly toward the lava fire. He was surprised at the strength she
displayed. She stopped before she got to the stream of lava but when
she placed his bare legs on the stone floor he discovered that it was
scorching hot.
“Not too hot but comfortably nice,” Carza observed with an interested
stare, and added brightly, “did I understand that you wanted to talk?”
Epworth thought of the Selinite soldiers hidden in that narrow passage
just beyond the pile of loose boulders. If Toplinsky discovered that
they were there he could roll into the lava chamber one of his big
guns and clean the passage of every vestige of life. The Selinites
could neither retreat or advance. Inwardly he cursed the evil ramph
corridor but outwardly he was calm and even-tempered. He shook his
head quietly and looked at Joan.
Joan understood him, and he saw her clench her teeth. It broke his
heart to think of the torture that would come to her but he was now
convinced that Toplinsky would never know that his foes were getting
ready to spring out of the darkness upon him.
“No, he does not wish to talk, and he has such a long tongue, and it
can wag so swiftly at times. Perhaps the lady would like to talk for
him?”
Carza shoved Epworth up to the edge of the lava stream, and permitted
his legs to hang over the spluttering fires. At the same time she
looked inquiringly at Joan. Joan shook her head dumbly. She would
gladly give her life to save Epworth from torment but this had now
become a question of honor.
“No!”
Carza waved her hand. Instantly her Taunan soldiers sprang forward,
and dragged Joan up to the stream of lava. The sweat of torture began
to pour from the faces of Epworth and Joan.
“No, stop it!”
Toplinsky leaped across the chamber and dragged Joan from the fire.
“Ah, so you want her. You think that you will keep her, and when you
get control of the world you will throw me down and make her your
queen. I have feared it.”
“Honestly, I never thought of it that way,” Toplinsky replied abashed.