Page:Weird Tales volume 38 number 03 CAN.djvu/65

, soon seen to be that of a young woman.

OW came the unexpected, the treacherous bolt that left Planquette and Christian abashed and defeated before their plans were started. For Hynek suddenly left their sides and strode out to face the Wends. With sheer amazement they heard Hynek cry out in a loud voice:

"Zcerneboh! Loncu buh - neucen! Zcerneboh! seyb'n vendilahnzi!"

Holding forth an iron swastika which he had torn out from his undergarments, Hynek dropped to his knees as if in obeisance.

Planquette clutched his nephew's arm. "Hynek is a Wend! We has betrayed us!" he exclaimed with a hushed voice. "Come Christian—into the bushes—escape!"

The Wends, all but Zcerneboh, had stopped on beholding Hynek, though they registered no alarm. The monster Zcerneboh had continued alone into the grotto. But at this instant Hynek had risen and was pointing to his erstwhile confederates in the bushes. Now was Planquette's plotting of a moment before, in fact the whole venture, ruined. This was not Christian's concern, however; he had no desire to escapes—for he saw that the female captive was the girl he loved.

"Mina!" he cried, dashing impulsively toward the small but stocky man who bore her, and drawing his sword.

Mina's answer was a semi-smile of hopelessness.

These Wends seemed to respect Hynek. They spoke little themselves, but were quick to respond to his words. Christian and Planquette were overpowered easily. When their hands were bound Hynek faced them:

"Yes, my colleagues—my fools! I am a Wend and a proud one. Too proud to have relished such dirt as pretended colleagues! The Wends yet will destroy the Teutons and avenge the atrocities of the past. Charlemagne vainly tried to subdue us, Henry I exacted tribute from us, Otto I divided our country, and Albert the Bear drove, subjugated, and humiliated us.

"But now, my dear old tutor," he continued sarcastically, "perhaps it is well that I joined your class in Paris. Strange that I should have met up with you—you who probably are the only person in all Europe who knows too much about the Wends—and Zcerneboh. Strange fate!"

The anaemic, scowling Hynek now turned to his fellow Wends: "This is the Planquette I warned you of. I trust you received my messages. This fellow and his nephew played into my hands easily after I saw that they meant business. Both will serve as sacrifices. Ah, and my good Enoch—I see that you obtained the comely wench as requested. Zcerneboh will be pleased with her. He likes always the delicate blonde—and so do I! As she was betrothed to this Christian Nohl, who struck me down when I tried to seize her at Aix-la-Chapelle, I shall feel that my score is even with him. Now! how goes the work?"

It was Enoch who replied. He had set Mina on her feet. "It goes well," he said. "But Zcerneboh must not relinquish even slightly. His power has not yet reached the full extent that it must to annihilate the Teutons. We have, however, the complete support and obedience of the Wends throughout the land, wherever they are; and they pray to Zcerneboh faithfully and provide the sacrifices."