The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-14
CHAPTER TWENTY-SI Con-
tinued)

David Times was frankly puzzled.
But now he was being led to the
loot of The Cid's throne and there
was no further opportunity for
speculation.
The cruel, cunning eyes Of The
Cid looked down upon the three
prisoners from out his brutal face.
THE emperor of Pellucidarl" he
sneered. THE king Of Anoroc. The
son Of the king of Sari!" and then
he laughed uproariously. He ex-
tended his hand, his fingers parted
and curled in clutching gesture.
Emperor! Kingl Prince!" he
sneered again, land yet here you all
are in the clutches of The Cid.
"Emperor-bah! 1, The Cid, am
the emperor of all Pellucidar You
and your naked savages." He turned
on David. who are you to take
the title of emperor? I could crush
you ALL" and he closed his fingers
in a gesture of rough cruelty.
But I shall not. The Cid is
generous. You shall have your free
dom for small price that you may
easily pay" He paused as though
he expected them to question him,
but no one Of the three spoke. Sud-
denly he turned upon David. where
did you get your firearms and your
powder? Who made them for you?"
1--WE made them ourselves" re-
piled David.
"Who taught you to make them?"
insisted The Cid. But never mind;
it is enough that you know and we
would know. You may win your
liberty by teaching us"
DAVID could make gunpoWder,
- but whether he could make
any better gunpowder than the
Korsars he did not know. He had
left that to Perry and his appren-
tices In the Empire, and he knew
perfectly we'll that he could not re-
construct modern rifle such as
was being turned out in the ar
senaIs of Sari. for he had neither
the drawings to make the rifles, nor
the machinery, nor the drawings to
make the machinery, nor the shops
in which to make steel.
But nevertheless here was one
opportunity for possible freedom
that might pave the way to escape
and he could not throw it away.
We'll" demanded The Cid, i'm
patiently, what is your answer?"
I'VE can not make powder and
rifles while a man eats replied Da-
vid; nor can we make them from
the air Or from conversation. We
must have materials; we must have
factories; we must have trained
men. You will sleep many times
before we are able to accomplish all
this"
How many times shall we sleep
before you have taught our people
to make these things?" demanded
The Cid.
David shrugged. Il do not know,
he said. I'm the first place I must
find the proper materials"
I'VE have all the materials" said
the Cid 1--WE have iron and we have
the ingredients for making powder
All that you have to do is to put
p them together in a better way than
we have been able to-"
You may have the materials, but
it is possible that they are not OF
sufficiently good quality to make the
things that will alone satisfy the
subjects of the emperor of Pellu-
cidar Perhaps your inter is low
+ grade; there may be impurities in
your sulphur; or even the charcoal
may not be properly prepared; and
there are even more important mat
ters to consider in the selection OF
material and its manufacture into
steel suitable for making the fire.
arms of the PellucidarianS.
= You shall not be hurried" said
the Cid. He turned to man stand