ger run on and hurt any number ofpeople who had nothing whatever to do with the originalcause of my anger. Yet that, if what I have just beheldwas true, is what this strife for the ship seems to bringabout. "No," said Kenton, very earnestly, and quite forgettingthe vague faces hovering about him. "I can't see anyjustice in the torment of that priest and priestess, and ifthe struggle for the ship does the damage it appears to, Icertainly would stop it if I could. For one thing I wouldbe afraid that the shadow might get too thick some timeand put all the little flames out. And for another-if I hadspoken a word in anger that made all that misery Iwouldn't let that word be stronger than myself. I wouldn'tas a man. And if I were a god or goddess-very certainly,indeed, I would not!" There was a silence; then--- "The man has judged!" whispered the still voice. "He has judged!" the vast ripple of the harp strings was almost as cold as that other. "I will recall my word! Letthe strife end!" The two faces vanished. Kenton raised his head and sawaround him the familiar walls of the rosy cabin. Had itbeen all a dream? Not all-those scenes he had beheldhad been too clear cut, too consecutive, too convincing. Beside him Sharane stirred, turned his face to hers. "What are you dreaming, Jonkenton?" she asked. "Youwere murmuring and muttering-strange words that Icould not understand. He bent and kissed her. "I greatly fear, heart of mine, that I have offended thatgoddess of yours," he said. "Oh-Jonkenton-but no! How!" Sharane's eyes wereterrified. "By telling her the truth," answered Kenton; then un-veiled to Sharane all of his vision. "I forgot she is-a woman!" he ended."Oh-but beloved, she is all women!" cried Sharane. "Well-that makes it all the worse then!" said Kenton,ruefully. He leaped up; threw his cloak about him and went outto talk to Gigi. But Sharane sat thinking, long after he had gone,with troubled eyes; at last walked to the empty shrine; threw herself before it, prostrate; praying. 29. How The Strife Was Ended "WHAT BEGAN on the ship must end on the ship!" saidGigi, nodding bald head wisely when Kenton had told himalso of that vision of the two faces. "Nor do I think weshall have long to wait before we see that end." "And after?" asked Kenton. "Who knows?" Gigi shrugged broad shoulders. "No restfor us. Wolf, while Klaneth lives. Nay-I think 1 knowWhat this darkening of shadows on black deck means. By those shadows Klaneth watches us. They are the threadby which he follows us. Also my skin is sensitive, and ittells me the black priest is not so far away. When he comes-well, we conquer him or he conquers us, that is all. Also.I do not think that you can count on any help from Ishtar.Remember that in your vision she promised only that thestrife of the Wrathful One and the Dark One should end.She made no promises, I gather, as to Sharane or you-orthe rest of us." "That will be well," said Kenton cheerfully. "As long asI am given chance to stand fairly, face to face with thatswine bred from hell swill Klaneth, I am content." "But I think you gathered that she was not mightilypleased with what you had to say to her," grinned Gigislyly. "That is no reason for her punishing Sharane," answeredKenton, harking back to his old thought. "How else could she punish you?" asked Gigi, malicious-ly-then suddenly grew serious, all impishness gone. "Nay,Wolf," he said and laid paw on Kenton's shoulder; "thereis little chance for us. And yet-if all your vision weretrue, and the little flames you saw were real-what mattersit.... "Only," said Gigi, wistfully, "when those flames thatwere you and Sharane journey forth into space and an-other flame comes to you that once was Gigi of Nineveh-will you let it journey with you?" "Gigi!" there were tears in Kenton's eyes. "Where everwe go in this place or any other, no matter what mayhappen-you go with us as long as you will.""Good!" muttered Gigi. Sigurd shouted at the rudder; he pointed over the ship'sbow. To Sharane's door they sped and with her throughthe cabin of the maids and out beneath the sickled prow.Across the horizon ran a far flung line of towers andminarets, turrets and spires and steeples, skyscrapers andmosques; a huge chevaux-de-frise. From where they stood,the outlines of this bristling barrier seemed too regular,too smoothly shaped, to be other than the work of man. Was it another city-the refuge they had sought? Aplace where they might stay, safe from Klaneth and hispack until they could sally forth to meet that pack and itsmaster on more equal terms? Yet if a city-what giants were they who had reared it? The oars dipped faster; the ship sped; closer came thebarrier--It was no city! Up from the depths of the turquoise sea thrust thou-sands of rocks. Rocks blue and yellow, rocks stripedcrimson and vivid malachite; rocks all glowing ochre androcks steeped in the scarlet of autumn sunsets; a poly-chrome Venice of a lost people of stone, sculptured bystone Titans. Here a slender minaret arose two hundredfeet in air yet hardly mure than ten in thickness; here apyramid as great as Cheops', its four sides as accuratelyfaced-by thousands, far as eye could reach, the rocksarose in fantasies of multi-colored cone and peak, aiguilleand minaret and obelisk, campanile and tower. Straight up from the depths they lifted, and betweenthem the sea flowed in a maze of channels both narrowand broad; in some of the channels smoothly, in otherswith swift eddies and whirlpools and racing torrents; andin others the sea lay like placid lakes. There came another shout from the Viking, urgent, sum-moning-and with it the clangor of his sword beatingupon the shield. Down upon the ship and little more than a mile awayrushed a long line of other ships, a score or more ofthem both single and double banked-boats of war racingon oars that dipped and rose with swiftness of swordblade stroke. Between them and the Ship of Ishtar drovea lean and black bireme leaping the waves like a wolf. The pack of Klaneth with the black priest in the lead! The pack, breaking out of the mists unseen by Sigurd,eyes like the others fast upon that colossal fantasy ofstone that seemed to be the end of this strange world! "In among the rocks!" cried Kenton-"Quick!" "A trap!" said Sigurd. "A trap for them as well as us then," answered Kenton."At the least, they cannot ring us there with their boats.""The only chance!" grunted Gigi. The slaves bent their backs; through a wide channel be-tween two painted monolithic minarets they flew. Behind them they heard a shouting, a baying as of hungry houndsin sight of a deer. Now they were within the maze and the rowers mustgo slowly and the Viking's rudder-craft was needed in-deed, for the currents swung them. gripping at bow and stern and the sheer rocks menaced. Twisting, turning, onand on they went until the painted decks closed from themsight of the open sea. Yet now, too, Klaneth and his fleetwere in the maze. They heard the creak of the oars, thecommands of the helmsmen, searching, ferreting them out. Abruptly as though snapped out, light vanished anddarkness fell! Darkness blotted out the channel they werefollowing, blotted out the towering rocks. From the pursu-ing boats came horn blasts, orders shrill with fear, out-cries. A purplish glow sprang up within the blackness. "Nergal!" whispered Sharane. "Nergal comes!" The whole of the black deck was blotted out as thoughan inky cloud had dropped upon it and out of that cloudleaped Sigurd and ran to where the others stood. And now from every quarter of the horizon whirledpillars of darkness. Their feet were in the sullen sea,their heads lost in the pall that spread above. Ahead ofthem drove a charnel odor, the breath of death. "Nergal in all his might!" shuddered Sharane. "But Ishtar-Ishtar promised the strife should end!"groaned Kenton. "But she did not say how it would end!" wailed Shar-ane. "And, O Beloved-Ishtar comes no more to me-and all my power is gone!" "Ishtar! Ishtar!" she cried-and caught Kenton in herarms. "Mother-my life for this man's! My soul for his!Mother Ishtar--!" The van of the whirling pillars was close; the circlebetween them and the ship swiftly narrowing. On the echoof Sharane's cry a blinding light, pearl white and pearlrose flashed down upon them-on Sharane, the three menand the warrior maids crouched white faced at Sharane'sfeet. High over their heads, thrice the height of the mast, agreat globe of moon fire hung poised, effulgent, serene, andbrighter, far brighter than a score of moons at full. Fromits periphery poured rays, enclosing the whole fore part ofthe ship as in a tent of light; a radiance that ringed themand in whose center they stood as though prisoned in ahollow cone whose top was the moon globe. Around that radiant tent the pillared darknesses,churned, pressing for entrance; finding none. Faint at first and far away began a keen edged shrieking; louder it grew as though from racing hordes fresh loosedfrom Abaddon. The purple darkness lightened, turned to alurid violet. It was pricked by countless points of crimson fire. And now the myriads of fiery points were at the ship; striking like little snakes of fire at globe and sides ofradiant tent, shooting at them like arrow heads of fire,thrusting like little lance tips of fire. There was the whir and rustle of thousands of wings.Around calm globe and cone of light whirled doves ofIshtar in thousands. And as the points of fire struck andstabbed the doves darted to meet them. Like little livingshields of shining silver they caught the thrusts of thefiery javelins upon their breasts. Where were the doves coming from? Cloud upon cloudof them poured from above the moon orb yet, for eachwhose ashes were whirled away a score rushed in to meetthe striking fires, and all the air was palpitant with thetumult of their wings. The shrieking raised itself a full octave. The inky cloudthat had leaped upon the black deck shot up. towering,gigantic, into the heavens. The countless points of firerushed together, coalesced. They became a crimson scimi-tar of fire that struck down upon shining orb and ship! Before the first stroke could fall the phalanxes of thedoves had wheeled; had formed themselves into a shieldmighty enough to have been held and wielded by Ishtar'sown arm! And ever as the scimitar of fire slashed and thrust atthe radiant globe and ship, the shield of the doves met it.Fiery point and fiery edge struck and blackened the livingargent-but could not pierce. And ever the seared woundsof that shield shimmered moon white, as soft, untouchedsilver breasts darted in and healed them. In mid-sweep it met another sword of brilliant light-asword forged all of those white flames he had seen in hisvision and that were the life of that radiance that fructifiedthe swarms of worlds! The scimitar was dimming! No longer was its fire socrimson bright! The moon orb pulsed; its radiance flamed wide, dazzling,blindingly, hurling back the darknesses.Swiftly as it had come. it vanished!With it went the doves! Kenton saw the gigantic scimitar pause, quiver uncer-tainly-as though the dread hand that held it had beenstilled with sudden doubt-then down it swept once more. The red scimitar fell shattered! He heard a voice-the voice of Ishtar-- "I have beaten you, Nergal!" And Nergal, snarling-- "A trick, Ishtar! Not with you, but with your Sister-Selfwas my warfare to be!" And again Ishtar--- "No trick, Nergal! I never said that I would not fightyou. Yet this I will grant-though you have lost the ship-I will not take it! The ship is free!" Then Nergal, grudgingly, snarling still-- "The strife is ended! The ship is free!" For one beat in time Kenton seemed to see a vast vagueface gazing down upon the ship, a face in which were allthe tendernesses of all mothers, all loving women beneaththe sun-the shadowy eyes dwelt softly on Sharane, softlybut enigmatically upon him-- The face was gone! As when a shutter is dropped before a closed lamp, sothe darkness had fallen; and abruptly as when the shutteris lifted so the darkness fled; light took its place. The ship lay in a wide channel; around it the phantas-magoria of the sea floored city of stone. At port a thicketof obelisks all dull greens and glaring vermilions raisedtops on high. Three arrow flights on starboard a pointedmoonlith arose, pyramidal, its pointed tip hundreds of feetin air. Around an edge of it crept the black bireme of Klaneth! 30. The Last Battle SIGHT of that lean boat that like a lank hound leapedat them was like wine to Kenton; like strong wine to all.Heavy upon them had hung the conflict just passed- they but midges, dancing helplessly now in the fierceradiance of life's spirit, now stilling as helplessly in theblackness of life's negation. The charnel odor was still inKenton's nostrils; the chill of the grave on his heart; thetouch of the worm upon his eyes. But there-there on the black priest's ship-were thingshe knew! Sword edges and arrow point; death-it rnight be; deathwith pulse beating like war drums; hot death striking in as the red tides of life rushed out; things understandable; reality. He heard the golden clarion of Sharane's defiance, theroar of Gigi, the shouting of Sigurd. And he was shouting too-challenging the black priest, taunting him, menacinghim. Silently the lean ship drove down on them."Sigurd, to the helm!" Sanity returned to Kenton. "Makefor a narrow channel. One we can row but one thatwill force them to draw in their upper bank of oars. Thusshall we equal their speed-at the least!" The Norseman ran back to the tiller. The whistle of theoverseer shrilled in the pit; the ship leaped forward. It swept round the obelisks, the bireme now only twoarrow flights behind, and into a wide lake of blue waterbordered by a hundred domes, magenta set on huge cubesof damask; the turquoise tides ran between the mathe-matically spaced sides of the cubes in a hundred canals,each barely wide enough for the oars of the ship to dipwithout touching the stone. "In there! Take any channel!" shouted Kenton.The ship heeled, darted to the closest opening. A flight of arrows from the bireme whistled into their wake-fiveship lengths short! The huge blocks with their mosqued tops borderedthe narrow canal into which they had passed; for a fullmile the open way stretched, straight ahead of them. Athird through and they heard the bireme's sweeps clanking,saw it come swinging on a single bank of oars into theentrance. Quicker, at Kenton's command, dipped theship's blades; heavier than the ship, the bireme fell behind. And as they flew through the blue water Kenton andSharane took swift counsel with Gigi and Sigurd backat the stern. "Ravens gather!" chanted Sigurd, eyes brightening with fey fires. "Shield maidens ride from Valhalla! I hear thefeet of their horses!" "They may return empty handed!" exclaimed Kenton."Nay, Sigurd-now we have our only chance. None butKlaneth has smelled us out. Let us pick our place andgive battle to him." "We are but seven, and there are many times seven onthat bireme, Wolf," said Gigi, doubtful it seemed-al-though his little eyes sparkled. "I run no longer from the black swine!" cried Kenton.hotly. "I am weary of dodging and skulking. I say let usplay the game out now! What does your thought tell you,Sharane?" he asked. "My thought is as yours," she told him, tranquilly. "Asyou will it, so is my will, beloved!" "What do you say, Norseman?" asked Gigi. "Quick now-decide!" "I am with the Wolf," replied Sigurd. "No time betterthan now. In the old days when I was a dragon masterthere was a trick we played when we were chased. Haveyou seen the dog when the cat turns on him-ho! ho!"laughed Sigurd. "Swift flies the cat until it has reached acorner. And there it lurks until dog yelps past. Then outsprings cat, digging deep its claws, striking at eyes, rakingdog's sides. Ho! Ho!" roared Sigurd. "Swift we would flylike the cat until we had found a place to turn and skulk.Then as other dragon sped by, out we would spring uponit; like the dog, loud would it howl while we clung andtore! Ho-let us find such a corner where we may lurktill this hell dog leaps past. Then we shall spring. Giveme two of the maids to guard me here as I steer. Youthree with the other maid, stand by the crossbows andwhen I shear their oars, loose the fire shafts upon them." "In the meantime," asked Gigi, face wrinkling, "whatabout their own arrows?" "We must take our luck as it comes," said Kenton."Gigi, I am one with Sigurd-unless you have a betterplan to offer." "No," answered Gigi-"No-I have none. Wolf"-helifted his great body, shook long arms on high. "By the Hollow Hells and Ischak their Keeper," roaredGigi, "I, too, am weary of running away! I ran away frommy princess because of my bald head-and what luck didit bring me. By Nazzur the Eater of Hearts-by Zubran." his voice softened-"who gave his life for us-I run. no more! Pick your place, Wolf-you and Sigurd-and letus fight!" He waddled away; then turned. "The end of the channel draws close," he said."Sharane, between the hearts of you and your maids andtheir arrow points are only soft breasts and a fold ofcloth. Don coats of mail like ours and caps and buskins and greaves for your knees. I go to put on another linked shirt and get me my mace." He dropped down the steps; Kenton nodded, and afterGigi trooped Sharane and her three women to doff theirrobes and kirtles, don battle garb. "And after you have shorn their oars-if you do?" askedKenton of the Viking, lingering. "Then we return and ram," said Sigurd. "So we didin the old days. The ship is lighter than the blackpriest's galley and far more quickly can she turn. Whenwe ram, be all of you at the bow ready to beat off anywho try to drop abroad. After Klaneth's galley is both shorn and rammed we can tear at it as we will-like thecat." The end of the canal was near; half a mile behind,the bireme clung to the ship's wake. Out of her cabin came Sharane and her three maids,four slender warriors in coats of mail, hair hidden underbrown linked caps, leathern buskins on legs and greavesat knees. They piled arrows on stern and bow; with Gigi seeing to it that crossbows were in order, tow andoil and flints ready. The ship swept out of the canal, hung on reverse oarswhile Kenton and the Viking took survey. At left andright, in two great arcs, ran high walls of unbrokencrimson rock. Smooth and precipitous, continuing theywould make a circle a mile or more in diameter-butwhether they did so continue Kenton could not see. Out of the waters they walled, in its center if they en-circled it, a huge pinnacle lifted, its needle point thricethe height of the walls, shutting off the further view. Itspedestal was one colossal block, octahedral, shaped likea star. But from it rayed the star points, long and narrow like titanic wedges, their ends fifty feet high and edgedlike a knife. "We go to the left," said Sigurd. "Let the black dogknow which way we turn." Kenton leaped to the cabin's top; waved derisive arms; heard shouting. "Good!" rumbled Sigurd. "Now let them come. Forhere Wolf, we make our stand! Look"-he pointed asthe ship drove past the first star point-"between the tipof stone and wall there is a little more than room forship and galley to pass each other. Also the stone ishigh and hides us when we have passed. Yes, it is theplace! Yet not here beyond the first star shall we lurk-Klaneth may expect that and come by it slowly and alert; nor beyond the second-for again he may come slowlythough surely not so slowly as before. But not finding usthere he will believe that we have but one thought-andthat to run. So he will pass the third tip at speed toclose in on us. And it is there that we shall leap outupon him!" "Good!" Kenton, and dropped down to the deck; stood beside Sharane and Gigi. And Gigi grunted approval and walked away to testonce more the crossbows. But Sharane locked mailedarms around Kenton's neck and drew his face close tohers and drank him with wistful eyes that seemed asthough they could not drink enough of him."Is it the end, beloved?" she whispered."There shall be no end-for us, O heart of mine," heanswered. They stood so, silent, while the second star pointwheeled by. And now the third leveled its tip at themand Sigurd cried out to raise oars; and when the shiphad swam a hundred yards or so, brought her sharplyaround. He called to him the overseer. "We strike at the bireme's left bank of oars," he said."No wish have I to run risk of splitting the ship on thatedge of rock. When I shout, draw in your left sweeps.When we have sheared and passed, whip the slaves againinto full speed. When we have rammed, reverse oarsand pull free. Is it clear?" The black's eyes glistened; he bared white teeth; ranback to the pit. Now from beyond the great stone wedge came faint raspof sweeps, splashings of oars. Two of the warrior womensped back to Sigurd, crouched beside him, arrows readyat slits of the high shields. A tenseness gripped the ship. "One kiss," whispered Sharane, eyes now misty. Theirlips clung. Nearer came the oar sounds, closer, closer-faster-speeding--- A low whistle from the Viking, and the rowers bentback under sting of whip. A dozen strong strokes and theship leaped like a dolphin straight for the star tip. Past tip it shot; heeled as the Viking threw the ruddersharp to port. Ten ship lengths ahead of them was the bireme, racingon its four fold multiple feet of oars like an enormouswater spider. And as the ship flashed out and at it aroar arose from its crowded decks, a shouting confusedand clamorous, medley of wild commands-and filling allthat clamor, bewilderment. The oars of the bireme faltered; stopped at mid-stroke; held rigid, just touching sea. "Faster!" howled Sigurd and as the pit's whip cracked,he drove with a twist of the rudder the ship down paral-lel to the course of the galley. "In oars!" he howled again-- The prow of the Ship of Ishtar struck the bireme'sport oars. It swept through them like a blade throughbrittle stubble. Broken, splintered, the long shafts fell,holding back the rush of the Ship of Ishtar as little asthough they had been straws. But in the bireme thosewho gripped the great handles fell back with ribs crushed, backs snapped, as the heavy stocks were flung againstthem. Up from the ship's side as it passed, up into the ranksstaring down on it, ranks turned wooden with surpriseof that unexpected attack, hissed the fireballs from thecrossbows. Hissing like serpents of fire, expanding asthe air fanned them, the fire-balls struck-hurling backthe soldiers, searing them, flaming up as they fell on deckand into open hold and touching with fingers of inex-tinguishable flame all that would burn. Again the galley roared-and now with terror in itsvoice. The Ship of Ishtar was clear; down thrust the with-drawn oars of it; straight ahead she flew into the widerspace beyond the star tip of stone and circling wall. Swiftonce more the Viking turned her. Back. raced the shipupon the bireme. And the bireme swung helplessly, sidled grotesquelylike a huge spider from one of whose sides all legs havebeen cut, slithered like that same spider toward the knifeedged tip of the stone star ray. From hold and deck littlecolumns of smoke swirled. Now Sigurd realized all that galley's peril; saw that itwas close to piercing stone ray; saw that he mightdrive it upon that ray; send stone blade biting into it; destroy it. "Guard bow!" shouted Sigurd. He threw back the rudder, made wider turn, hurtledupon the galley not at stern as he had planned butfar toward midship. The ram of Ishtar's ship struck andbit deep; prow too. Under the shock Kenton and the oth-ers toppled over and before they could set foot on bowfell prone on faces, clutching at deck. Beneath the blow the bireme reeled, heeled until theseas sucked over its farther side. Down dipped its star-board oars seeking to thrust back from the menacingstone. The sweeps churned, but under the weight ofthe ship clinging to its flank, its bow turned sharply in. It struck the knife edge of the rock. There was a crackling as rock bit through hull. "Ho!" roared the Viking. "Drown, you rats!" Down upon the ship whistled an arrow cloud. Theshafts shrilled over Kenton, staggering to his feet. Theypierced deck and pit. Before the rowers could backsweeps, pull free, they dropped, hung limp over oars,bristling with quivering bolts. On the ship's bow fell a dozen grapples, holding it fastto the wrecked galley. Ropes whirled and sliding downthem came the swordsmen. "Back! Back to me!" shouted Sigurd. The bireme shuddered, its gashed bow slid down therock edge for a dozen feet or more, the water pouringover its fore deck. Up from the sea bobbed heads ofsoldiers, washed away and swimming for the ship. Onthe deck of the bireme a milling began as those on itfought to drop upon the ship. "Back!" cried Kenton. He caught Sharane's arm; they ran with heads bent lowas from the steerman's place the arrows of Sigurd and hisflanking maids winged into the mass of men swarmingover the rosy cabin. The bireme slipped again along the cleaving edge of stone; checked fall with bow half under water, yet heldby the ship's ram. But that last slipping had wrenchedsharply down the ship's own prisoned bow. As the decktilted Kenton fell, dragging Sharane with him. He caughtswift glimpse of men dropping from the bireme's side; throwing themselves into the sea, striking for the ship. He scrambled to his feet as the soldiers at the bow-rushed. And now Gigi sprang past him, twirling his greatmace. Kenton leaped to his side, Sharane at his heels, "Back! Back to Sigurd!" grunted the Ninevite, clubsweeping the soldiers before it like a flail among wheat. "Too late!" cried Sharane. Too late! Men were swarming up the stern chains, clambering upfrom the sea, tearing away the shields. From the bireme came a howling, frenzied and beast-like. At its sound even the soldiers halted, Gigi's macehung in air. Then upon the ship of Ishtar leaped-the black priest! Pale eyes pools of hell fire, mouth an open squarefrom which black hate flew screaming, he hurled him-self through the swordsmen, dived under Gigi's fallingmace and flung himself on Kenton. But Kenton was ready. Out flashed the blue blade and met the thrust of theblack priest's sword. Quicker than he, that sword sweptback, bit into that old wound in his side! Kenton staggered, hilt half dropping from his hand. Howling triumph Klaneth swept down the death blow. Before it could fall Sharane had thrown herself be-tween Kenton and priest, had parried the stroke with herown sword. The left hand of the black priest shot out, dagger in itsgrip. He buried that dagger in Sharane's breast! Now all the world was but one red flame before Ken-ton-one red flame in which was nothing but Klaneth'sface. Ere the black priest could move, swifter than thelightning stroke, Kenton had struck. His sword bit down, shearing away half the blackpriest's face, leaving in place of cheek and jowl, onlya red smear-swept on half through his shoulder. The black priest's sword clanged upon the deck. The sword of Kenton bit again-straight through hisneck. The head of Klaneth leaped from his shoulders, struck the rail and whirled into the sea. For another instant thegross bulk of the body stood, the neck spouting. Thebody crashed. No further heed paid Kenton to him nor to the bireme'smen. He bent over Sharane, raised her. "Beloved!" he called, and kissed the pale lips, the closedeyes. "Come back to me!" Her eyes opened, her slim hands made effort to caresshim. "Beloved!" whispered Sharane. "I ... Can not ... Iwill . . . Wait . . ." Her head dropped upon hisbreast. Kenton, standing there with his dead love in his arms,looked about the ship. Circling him were those who wereleft of the black galley's crew, staring at him, silent, mak-ing no move. "Sigurd!" he cried, paying no heed to them. On thehelmsman's deck where the Viking had fought was onlya heap of slain. "Gigi!" he whispered. There was no Gigi! Where Gigi had wielded his giantflail the dead were thick. "Sharane! Gigi! Sigurd!" Kenton sobbed. "Gone! Allgone!" The ship lurched; shuddered. He took a step forward,Sharane clasped to his breast. A bow twanged; an arrow caught him in his side. He did not care ... let them kill him . . . Sharanewas gone . .. and Gigi. . . . Why was it that he could no longer feel Sharane'sbody in his arms? Where had the staring soldiers gone? Where was-the ship! There was nothing around him but darkness-dark-ness and a roaring tempest sweeping toward him out offarthest space. Through that darkness, seeking as he fled for sight ofSharane, reaching faltering bands for touch of her,whirled Kenton. . . . Swaying, weeping with heartbreak and weakness, heopened his eyes. .. . To look again upon his old room! PART VI 31. The Ship Goes KENTON stood there, half in stupor seeing less theroom than swift fleeting pictures of that last battle. Abell struck three times. Three o'clock! Of course . . . this was a world of time... not like the world of the ship. . . The ship! He staggered over to the shining mystery that had givenhim everything he had desired of life-and at the endhad taken everything away. Sharane! There she lay ... on the ivory deck . . . close to therowers' pit ... a gleaming toy, a jeweled puppet withhilt of tiny dagger in breast . . . Sharane who had held for him all joy, all sweetnesses,all desirable delicious things. The headless manikin so close to her- Klaneth! He looked upon the black deck-why, where were allthe dead? There on the rubber platform lay only threepuppets, one with yellow hair and battered armor.Sigurd and the two warrior maids who had fought be-side him! But where were the soldiers they had slain? And there beyond the headless body of the black priest. . . was Gigi! Gigi with his great arms a-sprawl and his dwarf legs doubled under him! His dead-they too weregone! Gigi! Kenton's hand left Sharane, caressed him. An agony bit deep into his side. It brought him to hisknees. He thrust down his hand and clutched a featheredshaft. The arrow! Suddenly he knew that life was ebbingfast. Beneath the other hand he felt the ship tremble. Hestared at it, bewildered. In that brief moment of agonyits bow had vanished, melted away-and with it therosy cabin! The ship lurched. As cabin had gone, so went the ivorydeck almost up to the rowers' pit and with it-Gigi! "Sharane!" he sobbed and gripped the puppet tight. "Be-loved!" The ship crumbled to within an inch of where the toylay. "Sharane!" wailed Kenton-and above him the servantswakened to that heartbroken cry and came hurrying tohis door. He threw the last of his strength into his fingers,wrenched at the toy ... it was loose ... in hishand ... he raised it to his lips. . . . And now where the ship had been was nothing but theoblong base of pearl crested, lapis luzuli waves! He knew what that meant. Down into the depths of thestrange sea of that other world had gone the bireme,dragging with it as it went the Ship of Ishtar. As fared thesymbol, so must fare the Ship-and as the Ship fared, somust fare the symbol. And had so fared! There was a hammering at the door, and cries. Hegave them no heed. "Sharane!" they heard him cry, but now with voice that sang with joy. Kenton fell forward, the toy woman at his lips, grippedtight in stiffening hand. The base of little waves dissolved. Where ship and ithad been something stirred and took form-a shadowygreat bird with silver wings and breast and feet and bill ofscarlet. It arose. It hovered over Kenton. A dove of Ishtar. It hovered-and was gone. In crashed the door; the servants clustered at the thresh-old, peering into the darkened room. "Mr. John!" quavered old Jevins. There was no an-swer. "There's something there-on the floor! Turn on thelight!" whispered one. The electrics gleamed upon a body stretched face downupon a bloodstained rug; a body in cut and torn maildyed crimson; in its side the shaft of a black arrow; onone strong arm a wide bracelet of gold. Back from thatbody they shrank, looking at each other with fearfulwondering eyes. One bolder than the others advanced, turned the stillform over. Kenton's dead face smiled up at them, peace upon itand a great happiness. "Mr. John!" wept old Jevins, and kneeling lifted the headin his arms. "What's he got in his hand?" whispered a servant. Thehand was at Kenton's lips, clenched. They pried open thestubborn fingers. But Kenton's hand was- Empty! THE END o20 XT_ HD L)ؗ:55㠕T; )eAToI:n%{мT4bפz*[Y'scQ6YejO绵tA UΟ(ktK|5ftFLA"y;=FFȇ:  t!31<p\5@ D LR$ʣ"YR?}Uٻp=IǯOmmxΨZt)[cskS&5]%WWVl.D6yyN(> SYY;LKuW&gF~N%@`,8 At\G7wѹ{ ⾀P` a)L F L2%Il/kA-ԾG=O*輸V25ץLecQbb|:3f=_vQq0TH[nnkIO4$ЄܣRk'ĖV7*B#sRRΈnK@lD B ,[N>8!BCPm0l Ѯ%EHnӟP,xXItv}7p_Oj۶m_װ_K+4{%zÀ(AguQ 7#xOF09M8C s.0a&s0D ,BʑmWWs]u=`ktw(z -Ŵw>a=N]0{;M{<4t='Nrٲ~cMbf@3=D"%eBc`4긣&VǀG8 yD@ ( *̀@1D.TDIjW~8VX&6&5UeU3N ak sVEͦˢ[ ;vNQ3YB}_g%#s>&_}I:n4=+]~~z.;JGժ PÀD&(ԡR1wM>e؂,;ɝl .7sȷ߷4> ~I߲*1u4F[b ;:؝Zנ֕+Qpۇ|>2KӝE+|iEYs $48>?X qݾ߾@PD0Z*2-^:u8DurO&9J|{@1p8L8r>:M7YCU!V3Ec`, vZWO/F@~aeՙp{=ޏ/9cHD-uqbwYjcD]+`?C'7 #@ . ,a1Ȧ_.OoPhnHW L51 mreE &0zN&~q5\ x,g"\vYrnfT'zrUaKsJ;w-v*zLC!NPS9&awgrH&`c5`Ns9[0)4ܽůp?zFZlK}#nY'^Z2q /[5 ϳbpQ#Sd̶!ʎ_`Nْafsϼ']ݓ9K+g^/+Zma }ڎ&vY"ӢRY8.djt4Cy!G "ݹ$mbyEq^~G| Vb.GbB'1 "Dž$ Qc(X__֢3s0g)K:a-Ʒ,xب֡i D:}=~ s]A'%LR.IHS鳴JM0 BXGکz4Pko0~J^8ʩjULU$AU|յR {rJU^r1B՚Z" >*EAia[d<%-: UÇ.y^H+ia{P T2In%4L ۮ\K#۾y5?$ZlHZk] 'dz߇ה(6 a Xp `HA0DsϪ+YS*V"9vG?Ow\<*Յk8Uw$Ξ4eD |]VW`L@SDxq(䗕rc"3;C['f#h-\j!A䜬@϶tM݁q/b$ ǽ?%Rpɪ!%,(T R Wx f &AA/_6Ra5FruTRyt{.9˿=$1) /Author () /Title () /Subject () /Keywords () >> endobj 1 0 obj <> endobj 323 0 obj << /ProcSet [/PDF /Text ] /Font << /TT1 3 0 R /TT2 4 0 R /TT3 5 0 R /TT4 6 0 R >> >> endobj 324 0 obj <> stream e;G (H< Cj4%M)vFkޣrxV pGhS81#Hۻ̀i-CcJ+0Ⱦk3rM7pUuS0 m3 Ar-YQ鳇~ԝ)3'̱ɴWx*~e,m1pa3K'jRcgbb$% p?Z)AMU\ `hsR]xKWD3c3yQU捅!>Jx:lxJ tV:xMڕPѽ4$dG2 EE6@v}30z&_u$h՘B>j5&wdž+=(эQ$"1FHSbknC 3~( m?3b?Ԅt@5,2պ6)hдW@';UqDw>v?V'tNO8RUR18Uf+ݠ5sOdfT)EgT"ҝHC&ZFlT+HLlyUxY1ysx/}7!T-yIgk"$Ll덁ߛpb+R0R `nc>J+/8 ʭJ鸭*zx 1TPS&v8G>^aBaZN36WD)qΡ?Yl!"RnX(ĎIE!ii3J0t u8 &rwTCڋ_ɉ `%cg9%beP'KpzB9>ߗGR֟~nt ;`u2Ș#iGyY'jm٦jd֣i ե_*OxF!H|VR 6D'g5 Fxp>i-էJv7愷M&(iS}(Q)zQkjeЅ c#l} vk٢0`qGuSF~A1:znExw#m-(_pG3kOɝ]=y[/nNjsLK{^w?)tew\84mSTv:F\I)DR՘dfRȰXaCn}jNdpG؀i]+d4I< 14KCXg~)J81'u endstream endobj 2 0 obj <> endobj 325 0 obj << /ProcSet [/PDF /Text ] /Font << /TT1 3 0 R /TT4 6 0 R >> >> endobj 326 0 obj <> stream PY9.Fژ#..]XΒW:vۗ8̤;rc3C$ 872_9r,\BM`9aPuIJ+T#?dfPZCU-7t=wdrْDPKb~{# sz&B "Nu+t7!EgxP196)&h^ryx%L0sJe3>h|٭NLefuv%lclǏX˙^TMBI)_u]G S.KF(QWG4tk h!F/1wIn7@ ^ֹlk2/wG]ɪ=_T"AO%pUKwۏAxG.:Kq"2]VQ`ngPa obV4Xd.wMnYk%F>(>XمyIGdtRFYWްU2 G>!Xx \+Kף;DB9M]K-ΌRC+iR,ĭ>%,`sc!]#fv` ]vn`tN`U4sAԢF9cK({dnYܱƻ4U1@Ck̈L X6&kk=^h~0x<$L٧ CT7{ zv#zu F}"lP?g,m/#aiw h~phI{>RP6i7lqj.pHݿsFb8e^qj*]Vaciy|_|;al ~1&n/~oC܄`n0K6l -g*B#yC{hɖj dſQͿ2zpi=@ oz3wL^b ̡l:DyL,V?/9TP㚳'R5+ ۅҩ(:cYLbAoot|="^Ϡ1ݏˇK#c@ endstream endobj 7 0 obj <> endobj 327 0 obj << /ProcSet [/PDF /Text ] /Font << /TT1 3 0 R /TT4 6 0 R >> >> endobj 328 0 obj <> stream 6?}*b/v:gbNl߻ԅ?&~ȆJB J-VH3Wi݌~xBw9v 1)ZQ=g=f+*.]5J7FtL_]6t`e Ep@࿴m*]j )ta%5eBBJi f NmƮQ"6FlLã W?.-H\<}_ g٠嵆oBhv \[9;#ZC"W h ?o4? -kϱyA<\+8k/\RڪBmֆ|IxԾoAjDsN#zO}fʫX7 #GpA1"lsyg%qZ_m] 5z[-^+kH"߄"&q_#ez yb%{~6 6ؖfbzq"xi 筭c wKBl{ -;&ސ/DhЦ\a#Fu^h__~H)>tƶ#|hD2ں7}-vYNz1SmŵFh[W(8]iVHO 9;Gz ;)%!\/hqLЇiH7,ToX,{Vb&SjZnϙ gIPD)o0tOhA'zdզCHͭ?b[AV|̪MaFuBq|P Hɸ?N vo<5/ 3s!2"Gz]'˺z ؓ"%r`1K$zPOG«4Uy-&˰°v6E endstream endobj 8 0 obj <> endobj 329 0 obj << /ProcSet [/PDF /Text ] /Font << /TT1 3 0 R /TT4 6 0 R >> >> endobj 330 0 obj <> stream SP A6u&()?%jP{Eۘ? )PH\Bߏ;zfp&r]#߱V:<82k;oM rY(;ƾ4]{0 [%і"  o#2aO&t̄iKej)?P\N\dCI Mp*\|wsפ:ʛv9wwXo[/t%\Aؚ] . ' coyTܓ=q*KQi4(L-ZC {o%/z\ ԔA[n[3_,4b!Z}KF{LL# .ȷ{/ogu]$WmȅoXz%.|d@ׇYoVX.lHdu=2pEO"K7~=ӦhKMJV8mto>3uEV w.u$ h5fIG?Gn~09*7tQ;RpS,^F8ld^A8SSvv"a< ׊~Aֹj!CPgi($/ GJqȠז<{D]}@2|>v$\u[f'VRgҷ>V-zPͯy뙬*$} 13!Nք6&)x'k*gl{jmx69<&֟$ZEQD 6_%Me:0[]%;ʜTcRkl?+o<%,QXMJ@iR& {Nr{hf{%\LTyd"@)-9`d{wRոWsHJ:4/Eas,H@bbUKmy|Z޷ NWu)A2N>FR>GT\G`(WH#2; g- *X906]6e3`GJӌn~ gu 7ҔADg0 "~G), Jh@@ŷe݊~3nrAMdU7{ E>)(I.#v,{"֨d6yk\kxO˂akC#'+zE;sK3ݏ1FRlOƝJ