SOULS?
In reply to Cabot’s question, the saurian, Boomalayla, King of the Whoomangs, the reply, “All that I am about to tell you of the of our is in the of antiquity. The is as follows:
“Many hundreds of years ago this was by of every size and form; and they were but creatures, for they had no souls. Souls existed, it is true, but as they no bodies, they had no learning, experience, or background. They were of but little use to themselves, each other, or the planet.
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“Then one day there was out of the ground a much like yourself. His name was Namllup. He it was who how to into by making a at the of the brain and there a soul.
“First he some very wild and gave them souls. With their he others, more fierce, and so on, until there was a left on this continent. Thus did he make of one all the of Poros to together on the of the continent. This we have up to this day.
“It is reported, however, that Namllup himself had no soul. There was no at the of his head, and no from his after death. Others he gave to, himself he not. This is the belief.”
All this was as clear as to Myles Cabot. He not make out of it. Boomalayla appeared to be talking in riddles, or allegories.
Nevertheless, Myles to try and make a in order to what this of was all about, so he wrote, “How can you tell? Surely you cannot see souls!”
“Surely we can,” the king replied, “for are just as as we are, and have an from the day they until they are in the brain of somebody. From the way you talk, I cannot that you have any soul.”
“Of I have,” Myles remonstrated.
“Prove it to me,” Boomalayla demanded. “Let me see the of your head.”
Myles complied.
“No,” the king continued, “you have no soul. There is no scar.”
This was in the extreme. It nowhere. Quivven and Doggo read all the correspondence, and were perplexed.
The writing. “I can see that you do not me,” he wrote.
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“This is not to be at, since you are soulless. Though I cannot how a like you, without a soul, can be as as you to be. Come to our temple, and I will you souls.”
So saying, Boomalayla, by Queekle Mukki, the serpent, Cabot and his two out of the and through the of the city to another edifice, which they entered.
What a on the religion of Cupia!
Within the temple there moved about a score or more of beasts—pterodactyls, reptiles, insects, creatures, and so forth—bearing no to each other the that each and every one of them a long with a triangle and swastika, of the true religion of Poros.
Among them was one slate-colored pterosaur, almost the exact of Boomalayla, the king, who this to his guests by means of the note: “This is the of the true religion. She is my mate. But come, let me you some souls.”
The then the party into an room, the of which were with cages, most of which of moths.
The king as follows: “When a Whoomang dies, his is to the temple and is day and night by a priest, in hand, to catch the when it emerges.”
What it had to do with Cabot couldn’t see for the life of him. Neither Quivven Doggo.
Having a complete of the party then returned to the palace, where they the of Vairkingi and Cupia with the king and Queekle Mukki, and then on and a fish.
“Be not to eat this,” Boomalayla urged. “It is fresh flesh. We these water for food.”
After the the three travelers were rooms in the palace.
At Cabot’s request, were from the plane, and the party retired for the night.
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The next they were up early, and assembled in Cabot’s room. The night had proved uneventful, but Doggo in great that he had talked with the green guards, who had to the of the plane, and had said that this was the king’s order.
Immediately after breakfast, which of and water, they an audience with the king—and, when it was granted, news of the plane. But Boomalayla them off with an answer.
“Tarry but a day or so,” he wrote, “and then your shall be returned to you, and you shall be permitted to depart. I promise it, on the word of of a king.”
So there was nothing but to wait, for it would not do to this powerful beast, and thus the to return which he had promised them.
The day was in a personally-conducted of the city, with Boomalayla as a most and and host. The Whoomangs appeared to be a race, if you can call them a “race”—a “congeries” would be the most term. Objects of all the abounded, and the would have been most if the three travelers had not been so to be on their way once more to Cupia.
The night was as before, uneventfully, but the next day Doggo was missing. In reply to all inquiries, the Whoomangs returned answers.
“He is gone on of his own,” was all they would say.
This day Queekle Mukki, the serpent, was their and guide. He used every to Boomalayla in courtesy, but his two guests were uneasy. Some to over them.
Late that evening, when they were in their quarters, Doggo in with excitement. He had something to tell them, and wanted to tell it quickly, but had his and stylus. Strange to relate, Cabot not his own materials either. Quivven her but no pad.
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Seizing the lead-tipped stick, Doggo on the of the room, “Quick, give me paper! Quick! Your upon it! Quick, it is too late!”
Cabot into the and twice with his against the of his mouth, but nothing happened. Again and again he the call, until one of the little into sight. To him the earth-man his wants by going through the of with the of his right hand upon the of his left. The little away, and after what an wait returned with and stylus.
Myles them and to Doggo. “What is the matter?” he wrote.
But Doggo replied, “Nothing. It was just a joke, to you. We are all perfectly safe here, and Boomalayla has a plan to our three days from now.”
It was not like Doggo, or any other of the of ant-men, to play a practical joke like this. Myles that his friend had been a moments ago. What have in the meantime to him?
The earth-man looked at the Formian through lids. His friend appeared to act strangely. Could this, in truth, be Doggo?
If they had been on any other Myles would have that some other ant-man, closely his friend, was attempting an impersonation, but that not be the case here, for Doggo was the only Formian on this continent.
It was Doggo’s body, all right, yet it did not act or look like Doggo.
Even Quivven noticed that something was wrong. Nervously she said good night, and Cabot after.
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Instead of retiring he to Quivven’s room, where the two puzzled together for some time, trying to what had come over their friend. What at last they for the night the was no nearer than before. In fact, they had up their minds that no existed, after all; and that the surroundings, and events, and talk of souls, had an of over their friend.
The next Doggo was on hand and early, but this time it was Quivven who was missing.
“My turn next,” Myles, “and then I shall out what it is all about.”
As before, the Whoomangs were as to the of the one, and Doggo was and of ideas on the subject.
This day the she-dragon high-priestess was their guide, but although she Boomalayla and Queekle Mukki, Cabot fretted, and worried, and put on an of interest.
Late that afternoon—the fourth—of their among the Whoomangs—as soon as the was over, Cabot left Doggo and to his own room.
Where was Quivven all this time, he wondered.
His question was answered by the Golden Flame herself into the room full of excitement.
“Thank the Builder I can talk to you with my mouth, and do not have to wait for pencil and paper,” she exclaimed. “The Whoomangs our powers of speech when they our materials as before.”
It was true; their and had again.
“Where have you been?” Cabot asked, testily. “I that in a moments you will say that all your has been a practical joke on me, the same as Doggo’s was.”
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“Yes,” she seriously. “I shall—undoubtedly. And therefore while there is yet time—while I am still Quivven.”
“What do you mean?” Myles exclaimed, at her.
“This,” she said. “In a moments I shall be Whoomang.”
He started to interrupt, but she stopped him with a gesture, and continued; “Know, then, the of all this talk of souls. The which they from their are personalities, devils, needing only a highly-developed in order to incarnate. Namllup, he was, this, ago.
“By a operation, the Whoomangs can one of these at the of a creature’s brain, where in a hours the of the the proper of the creature, and the until the dies. The then free, a moth, to other devil-souls for this usage.
“Yesterday these upon Doggo. For a time, his own and this brain-maggot for supremacy. While his own ascendant, and yet had knowledge to the situation, he to us of our danger. Would that he had been in time! But when the of paper had arrived, dear old Doggo was dead. His had a Whoomang, by one of their moth-grubs, ‘souls’ as they call them.
“This they on me!”
Myles shuddered, but Quivven on: “Two are now me for mastery. There can be but one outcome. Quivven must die, and her brain and must the vehicle for the and of an mind. My will is strong. At present it is in control. But any moment now, it may snap. So I you, by the Great Builder and your loved ones, and to to any which my mouth may give you.
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“Now, while there is yet time, I must tell you their plans. Boomalayla for more worlds to conquer. He was by your of your country. To-morrow he will on you. Then, when the of you and Doggo and I are all Whoomangs, and yet a amount of our own knowledge and skill, he plans to send us on to Cupia with a plane-load of moths, to on your countrymen, and up a second of Whoomangs there.”
Myles at the of the plan, a plan which might yet succeed; for, if he escaped, Doggo’s might still the plan into execution.
“Where is our plane?” he asked.
“Yes,” Quivven sadly replied, “I must lead you to the plane, while I am yet me. Come quickly.”
“But can we Doggo?”
“Yes,” she replied. “Not only must you Doggo, but you must me, too; for Doggo is no longer Doggo, and I shall not be Quivven in a minutes from now, for I the Whoomang-soul for me. Come!”
Quickly she him out of the room, and to a of the palace, where the plane, by a green dragon. This no to their approach. Quivven wanly.
“He will not stop you,” she said, “for already they me as one of them, and count on me to you. And now, Myles, good-by. I myself slipping. In a minute or two your Quivven will be no more. Whether my own will then go to the happy land, as though I had died, or it will be out, I know not; but one thing I do know, and that is that I love you with all my heart.”
She her arms around his and him.
Then she cried, “I’ve won! I you love me. It was all a scheme, up by Doggo and myself to you out of your and you to admit your love. The of the moth-grubs is a lie, out of the of Boomalayla. From now on, I know that you love me. From now on, I am that I can with that Lilla of yours.”
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He aghast. Could this be so? He was to believe. Then he her words: “Refuse and to to any which my mouth may give you.” Also he that Doggo would have been a party to a to Lilla.
So he the to one side, and toward the plane.
But she after him and to him, piteously, “Myles, Myles, surely you aren’t going to us just of this which we played on you. Surely you don’t to us to the of these terrible beasts.”
He did not know what to believe. There was a possibility that her about the was the truth. If so, then the safety of the whole of Cupia was at stake. And yet, if not, what an country to her and Doggo in!
He into the plane, then at the levers. He looked at the maid, who to the of the car. There was something about her face, something un-Quivven. And yet, as he gazed, he that it was Quivven after all. And he was right.
“Myles,” she shouted, go the plane, “Quick! By the of the Builder, my own is again in the for an instant. The I told you is true! Flee, it is too late.” Then she again and to the pterosaur, “Quick, stop him!”
Her as she spoke, but Myles on the power, and the machine rose quickly, the of little Quivven.
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After him a of of all sorts, but his fast soon them as it west toward a sky that had already to turn pink with the setting sun. On and on he until his from view. Then he to them off the trail; and then, after a while, west again, until, as night was about to fall, the steam-bank of the sea ahead.
Whereupon he landed. He must wait until attempting the passage. But as he prepared to the night he noticed that all the were gone from the cockpit.
How he the steam clouds without of some sort? And was he certain, after all, that he was not two perfectly good friends in the lurch?
