Tarrano the Conqueror

  CHAPTER XVIII

  _Passing of a Friend_

  Wolfgar was not dead; but when we picked him up it was obvious that hewas dying. The violet beam vanished as his body struck it--vanished witha hiss and splutter, and a puff of sulphuric smoke that mingled with thesmell of burning garments and flesh.

  Georg and I leaped forward. Argo was standing transfixed by surprise atwhat Wolfgar had done; and as the beam died, Georg was upon him.

  "One moment!"

  The quiet, commanding voice of Tarrano. He must have come quickly, wheninformed by the finders of Argo's treachery. Yet he stood now at thearcade entrance, drawn to his full height, frowning with lowered brows,but wholly without appearance of haste.

  "One moment--stand aside, all of you."

  Argo cowered. The rest of us moved aside. Elza came toward me, and I putmy arm around her. Poor little Elza! She was shivering with fright.

  Tarrano seemed not to need information as to what had transpired. Hiseyes, roving over us, saw the lifeless, seared body of Wolfgar lying onthe floor.

  "Too bad," he said. Then his gaze swung to Argo.

  "Master----"

  "Silence!"

  There was on Tarrano's face and in his voice an expression, a tone quitenew to me. A quiet grimness. More than that. A quality of deadliness--ofinexorable deadliness which could well have chilled the stoutest heartthat fronted it.

  "Come here, Argo." Tarrano stood quite motionless. "Argo!"

  "Master! Master, you----"

  "Come!"

  Argo was on the floor. Shaking with terror--for he, probably better thanany of us, understood what was coming--dragged himself to Tarrano'sfeet.

  "Stand up!"

  "Master, have mercy----"

  "Stand up! Are you a man?"

  Argo's legs would barely support him, but he struggled to get himselferect. With a wrench, Tarrano tore the robe from Argo's chest.

  "Master! Master! Have mercy!"

  In Tarrano's hand I saw a needle-like piece of steel. A dagger, yet itwas more like a needle.

  "Master--Oh----"

  Tarrano had stabbed it gently into the man's chest. A mere prick intothe flesh, and a tiny drop of blood oozed out.

  For a moment Argo stood swaying. Eyes white-rimmed with mortal terror ashe stupidly looked down at the drop of blood. A moment, then theinjected poison took effect. He tottered, flung his arms above his headand fell. Lay writhing an instant; then twitching; and then quite still.

  Tarrano turned away, his face impassive. "Unfortunate. He was a good manin many ways--I shall be sorry to lose his services." He saw me with myarm around Elza, and he frowned.

  "So?"

  Instinctively, involuntarily--and I hated myself for it--I dropped myarm.

  Georg exclaimed: "Wolfgar--he----"

  Tarrano turned from me. "He is not dead--but he will die. There isnothing we can do. I'm very sorry--very sorry indeed."

  A sincere regret was in his tone. We lifted Wolfgar up, carried him to adepression in the floor by the wall--a shallow, couch-like bowlhalf-filled with down.

  On the floor we gathered, seated on cushions; and presently Wolfgarregained consciousness. His face was not burned. It lighted with a dazedsmile; and his eyes, searching us, picked out Maida.

  "You are safe--I'm--so glad."

  His voice was low and labored; and at once his eyes closed again asthough the effort of speaking were too great.

  Maida was sitting near me at Wolfgar's head, bending over him. She hadrecovered from her terror of Argo; and as she leaned down, gazing at thedying Wolfgar, I think I have never seen so gentle, so compassionate anexpression upon the face of any woman.

  Elza whispered: "There must be something we can do. The men ofmedicine--the lights--the healing lights! Georg! Cannot you usefather's----"

  They were only an overwrought girl's excited ideas, of course. Wolfgar'slungs were seared; even as Elza spoke, he coughed, and blood welled fromhis mouth--blood which Georg quickly wiped away.

  Tarrano was on his feet behind us, with folded arms; and as he lookeddown, I saw on his face also--the face which a few moments before hadbeen grim with deadly menace--a look now of gentle compassion very muchlike Maida's.

  "No use," he said softly. "We can do nothing. He will die."

  Again Wolfgar's eyes opened. "Die--of course." He tried to raise one ofhis burned hands, but dropped it back. "Die? Yes--of course. In just amoment...." His eyes, already dulled, swung about. "Who is that--crying?There's no need--to cry."

  It was little Elza beside me, struggling to suppress her sobs.

  Wolfgar's slow, labored voice demanded: "That isn't--my Princess Maidacrying--is it? I don't want--her to cry----"

  "No," said Georg gently. "Maida is here--right here by you. She isn'tcrying."

  His gaze found Maida's face. "Oh, yes--I can see you--Princess Maida.You're not crying--that's good. There's nothing to--cry about."

  He seemed for a moment to gather a little strength; he moved his headand saw Tarrano standing there behind us.

  "Master?" He used the old term with a whimsical smile. "I--called youthat--for a long time, didn't I? You have a right to consider me atraitor----"

  "A spy," said Tarrano very gently. "Not a traitor. That you would havebeen had you served me--a traitor to your Princess."

  Wolfgar's head tried to nod; relief was on his face. "I'm--glad youunderstand. I would not want to die--having you think harshly of me----"

  "You are a man--I honor you." Abruptly Tarrano turned away and strodeacross the room. And always since I have wondered if he left that sceneof death because of the emotion he could not hide.

  Georg said: "You should not talk, Wolfgar."

  "But I--want to talk. I have--only a few minutes. Just these--last fewminutes--I want to talk to my--Princess Maida. You'll--excuse us--thePrincess Maida and me--won't you? Just for these last--few minutes?"

  We withdrew beyond his fading sight.

  "My--Princess Maida----"

  His voice still reached us. She leaned closer over him. Her tears werefalling now, but as she spoke she strove for calmness.

  "Wolfgar----"

  His eyes were glazing, but they dung to her. "Princess----"

  "No," she said. "Just Maida--your friend. The woman you have given yourlife for." Her voice almost broke. "Oh, Wolfgar! Never shall I forgetthat. To give your life----"

  "It is--a great honor." The gesture he made to check her words of thanksexhausted him. His eyes closed; for a moment he seemed not to breathe.As Maida leaned down in alarm, her beautiful white hair tumbled forwardover her shoulders. A lock of it brushed Wolfgar. He could not lift hishands, but they groped for the tresses, found them and clung. Her whitewaves of hair, with his fingers, shriveled, burned black, entwined inthem.

  Again his eyelids came up. "You won't leave me--Princess Maida. Not forthese--last few minutes?"

  "No," she half whispered.

  "You--cannot--if you would." His whimsical smile returned. "You see? Iam--holding you."

  For a moment he was silent. His eyes stayed open, staring dully at her.His face and lips were drained now of their blood.

  "You're--still there?"

  "Yes, Wolfgar."

  "Yes--of course I know you are. But I--cannot see you very well--now.You look--so far away."

  She put her face down quite close to him. Her eyes were brimming withtears.

  "Oh--yes," he said. "That's better--much better. Now I can--seeyou--very plainly. I was thinking--I wanted to--tell you something.It--wouldn't be right to tell you--except that I'll soon--be gone whereit won't make any difference."

  He gathered all his last remaining strength. "I--love you--PrincessMaida."

  She forced a gentle smile through her tears. "Yes, Wolfgar."

  "I mean," he persisted, "not as my Princess--just as--a woman.The--woman I've always loved. That's been my secret. You see? Itwould--always have been--my secret--the little Mars man Wolfgar--in lovewith his Princess Maida. Y
ou--don't think it too impertinent of me--doyou? I mean--confessing it now--just at--the end?"

  "No," she whispered. "No, Wolfgar."

  "Thank you--very much." His breath exhaled with a faint sigh. "Thankyou--very much. I wanted to tell you that--before I--go. And--if youwouldn't mind--I want to--call you--just Maida."

  "Just Maida, Wolfgar. Yes, of course, I want you to call me that." Hervoice was broken. She brushed away her tears that he might not noticethem.

  "Yes," he agreed. His staring eyes were trying to see her. "My Maida.You're--very beautiful--my Maida. I--wonder--you see, I'm takingadvantage of you--I wonder if you'd say you--love me? I'd be sohappy--just to hear you say it."

  As I sat there behind them, I prayed then that she might say it.

  "I love you, Wolfgar."

  "Oh," he whispered. "You _did_ say it! My Maida says that she loves me!"Happiness transfigured his livid face. But his smile was whimsicalstill. "You're--very kind to me. Please--say it again."

  "I love you, Wolfgar."

  "Yes--that's how I always dreamed it would sound.I--love--you--Wolfgar."

  His voice trailed away; a film was settling over his staring eyes. Thenagain his lips moved. "Maida says--'I love you, Wolfgar' ... I'm--sohappy...."

  Quite suddenly she realized that he was gone. Her pent-up emotion camewith a sob.

  "Wolfgar! My friend--my wonderful, loyal friend--don't die, Wolfgar!Don't die!"