Richmond planet., 1930-11-15

then the next instant a door swung
open and a huge shaft of light
streamed into the cell-like room, for
a moment binding us.
Four small figures advanced into
the room. AT first, they looked like
mere children, they were so small;
but then our vision cleared and we
beheld four fendish little black faces.
They were down at us like four black
-ghosts-mere Sits for lips, drawn
apart in cut-throat grins, tiny black
ewes sunk deep into their heads, huge,
protruding ears, long beaky noses,
and their small bodies covered from
shoulders to ankles with what we
of earth would call robes-thick, grey
looking material. And clutched III
four huge fists were four dangerous
looking dirk like knives-which they
bent and f1ourished t~hreateningly
over our heads!
We were speeches.. Such weird
faces earthly man had never before
seen! Suddenly one of them straight
ened up and stepped backwards,
Laughing devilishly, and it was then
that 1 cursed. The others ~brandished
their ~eyil-looking knives even more
recklessly as their laughing compan-
ion began talking in rapid gasps,
Reptiles of Pragus!" he virtually
screamed in our faces. You would
enter the kingdom of Els against n
wish of the Great One. You would
spy
"Pragus?" 1t was Mr.. Turner. In the
bright light his eyes were ab!aze.
Vainly he was, like the rest of us,
trying to free himself from his bonds.
Were not Pragians," he shouted in
evaporation; we're from Earth, 1
tell you-"
"Earth?' Their faces were the pic
lures of confusion. Earth? What
means that?" exclaimed the uglieSI
one, and Mr.. Turner would have
talked on but at that moment one
of the queer creatures bent down and
delivered a terrific blow on our COM
rade's face, %f1attening him out in a
daze.
Beware! 1t is a Pragian trap
this one warned his queer-looking
companions, splitting.
TT be sol" agreed another of them.
Then: Render them free, Icy. The
Great One would have them brought
to the palace of Kay. Ha!-soon they
shall go the way of all sneaking
P~ragiansl Ere the fiery sphere in
the sky sleep, they shall be cast to
the demons!"
The one called Icy did so. One
by one, with our swollen wrists and
ankles freed, we staggered to our
feet. Mr.. Turner staggered back "a
gainst the wall and leaned there, and
I saw that his jaw was bleeding pro-
fusely.
The little black impS ~brandished
their knives and the leader of them
commanded us to lead the way out
into what appeared to be a passage
way, and I saw red. Never in all
of my thirty years had I been SO an
gry-and frightened!
Sensing this perhaps, the n called
ICY emitted a whoop and glared al
me. Again I saw red. And then
the ugly n charged on me with arm
raised to strike my heart out, but as
he closed in I caught his wrist and
wrenched 1t until he howled. His
knife fell Gathering to the floor, and
my right fist shot out with all the
strength in my weakened bodyl He
caught it square On the chin, and
he went hurting backwards like a
little drunk. Two more of the devils
growled and rushed on me-. I jumped
clear and they crashed into the wall.
Icy! Hubicon! Grajoce!" The
fourth one rushed to the door to
block our way, knife raised. What
say the Great One?" he beloved,
keeping his eyes on us. "Are we sent
to prick His wrath? / say, let us be
gone with these spying Pragians to
the palace of Kay"
He said a lot more, but at that
moment, just as I was about to rush
the devils again, my three scientist
companions in this adventure rushed
on me and throttled me to the floor,
Mr.. Turner gasping, Don't be a fool,
Brent"
Blind now with fury, with n
mighty heaye I sent them tumbling