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Words: 39021 in 13 pages
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r? Do I know anyt'ing? Am I a collidge guy, an' play full-back on de team? Is dere any skirt campin' on my trail? G'wan! I'm tellin' yer dis worl' is goin' ahead right smart widout me! So what I says is, keep de boss here till me an' Torpy has it out togedder; an' while he's busy lammin' me fer keeps, snake Miss Mir'am out o' dere and han' her over to de boss. Dat's all! Dat's me! Dat's right, ain't it? Are yer on?"
Thus Jim spoke, with snapping eyes and graphic gestures; and as Solarion listened he became brighter and brighter, until Jim's small person cast a long shadow behind him.
"Your plan is good," he said, "and I'd rather be in your shoes than in Torpeon's. We get what we are willing to pay for. May I have a look at that crutch of yours?"
"She ain't so nifty to look at," Jim remarked, handing it over; "but she does me all right. My dad, he brings her from de ould sod!"
Solarion examined the crutch with great attention.
"I don't think you know what a valuable stick this is," he said at length, returning it to the owner. "There are fairies in Ireland, you know; and when they gave this blackthorn to your father, they endowed it with a power to do wonderful things. It's a fairy wand, and it will make itself into anything you want--a sword, a horse, a pair of wings, or an air-ship, for instance. All you have to do is rub one or another of these little knobs, and make your wish. If you want to go to Tor, it can carry you there easily; and then, if you find it necessary to fight Torpeon, I dare say you could surprise him as much as I surprised that beast just now. That's what comes, you see, of having only one leg!"
Jim looked at his old familiar staff with new respect. It appeared the same as ever; but great gifts often go humbly clad.
"Say, mister, dat's goin' some! Yer ain't stringin' me, is yer?"
"We receive only what belongs to us," returned Solarion, laying a hand on the boy's head. "You are among friends, and you've earned their friendship. Good-by for the present, and good fortune!"
The light grew brighter than ever; but when Jim looked up, he was alone.
LAMARA, having convinced herself that Miriam was no longer on the island bethought herself of the subterranean passage. This was a secret way to the mainland, and known to few; but one of those few was Zarga. There was no escape, therefore, from the conclusion that the girl had taken this means of continuing her treachery; but Lamara hastened to explore the cavern, and found abundant traces of the passing of both Zarga and Miriam. On the shore at the other side there were signs that sufficiently indicated the rendezvous with Torpeon and the flight to Tor.
Lamara's intuitions, which were of the highest order, had given her a knowledge of Miriam's heart and character, which obviated any doubt that Miriam must have been hoodwinked. But the problem of how to rescue her from her unwilling thraldom remained. The traditional usages of Saturn discountenanced aggressive action; but neither had any situation similar to this been anticipated. Unprecedented needs require the exercise of corresponding methods. Had the problem been simply the subjugation of Torpeon, and of his kingdom with him, there were resources in Saturn adequate to accomplish it; but to do so without involving Miriam in danger would be far more difficult. Torpeon would hesitate at nothing, and if driven to extremity would not scruple, Lamara feared, to sacrifice Miriam rather than surrender her. Nor was this all. Lamara had reason to suspect that he contemplated an enterprise which, were it successful, would carry him and his abode beyond the limits of Saturnian influence. It was an enterprise wild and desperate, and it might result in the annihilation of Tor itself, not to speak of serious disorders in other planets of the system. Lamara divined that his determination to keep Miriam might urge him on to the immediate prosecution of this gigantic and reckless scheme; and it behooved her to lose no time in taking measures to prevent it. Aunion and others must be consulted; meanwhile she resorted to the planetary mirror, which was in the neighborhood, to ascertain the actual present condition of affairs.
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