a powerful

werewolf
story
BY SEABURY QUINN

Harold Ward - Arlton Eadie - Otis Adelbert Kline

Paul Ernst - Clark Ashton Smith - Robert E, Howard
A Phantom from the Ether
Threatens the Lives
of all Mankind
c\4sT»

T he first warning of the stupen¬

dous cataclysm that befell the
earth in the fourth decade of the
Twentieth Century was recorded
simultaneously in several parts of
America. At twelve minutes past 3
o’clock a. m., during a lull in the
night’s aerial business, several of
the larger stations of the Western
hemisphere began picking up
strange signals out of the ether.
They were faint and ghostly, as if
coming from a vast distance. As
far as anyone could learn, the sig¬
nals originated nowhere upon the
earth. It was as if some phantom
were whispering through the; ether
in the language of another planet.

THE PHANTOM OF THE ETHER

T he inside story of a tremendous threat
engineered by a phantom from the
cost. You receive the magazine for six
months and this book is sent to you free
ether—a threat to gain control of the world of charge.
—is thrillingly told in "The Moon Terror,” Limited Supply
the most enthralling fantastic mystery of This offer may be withdrawn at any time,
the age. The gigantic powers and clever so we advise you to order now. Remember,
plans behind this super-dream will hold you the supply of books is limited. Send today!
spellbound. WEIRD TALES
840 N. Michigan Ave., Dept. S-29, Chicago, Ill.
Here Is How You Can Get
This Amazing Book FREE ‘ WEIRD TALES, Dept. S-29,
| 840 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IU.
For a limited time only, we offer this book I I enclose $1.50. Send at once, postage prepaid,
I the book “The Moon Terror,” and enter my sub-
to you without cost, with each subscription I scription to WEIRD TALES for six months to
1 begin^with the April^ issue. It is understood
to WEIRD TALES for six months. Sim¬
ply send $1.50, the regular six months’
subscription price for WEIRD TALES,
and this book is yours without further
A NEW LIFETIME BUSIMES
NO HIGH PRESSURE SELLING-
NO HOUSE-TO-HOUSE CANVASSING
INCOME EQUAL TO REQUIREMENTS
OF THE HIGH-GRADE BUSINESS MAN

INSTALLING NEW BUSINESS SPECIALTY ON FREE TRIAL¬

MAKING TREMENDOUS CASH SAVINGS IN OPERATING COSTS FOR
THOUSANDS OF CONCERNS THROUGHOUT THE U. S. AND CANADA
j Volume 21 CONTENTS FOR MARCH, 1933 Number 3 j

Cover Design — . — __ __M. Brundage

i "The Thing in the Fog’

The Thing in the Fog_Seabury Quinn 275

A goose-flesh werewolf novelette, replete with chills and shudders

The Tower of the Elephant_Robert E. Howard 306

A strange, blood-freezing story of an idol that wept on its throne

Germs of Death-Harold Ward 323

A sensational story about an aged Chinaman who kidnapped a human soul

Buccaneers of Venus (part 5)-Otis Adelbert Kline 335

A novel of breath-taking adventures amid the eery perils of another planet

The Devil’s Tower-Arlton Eadie 353

A startling tale of the Tower of London, haunted by ghosts of dead conspirators

The Isle of the Torturers_Clark Ashton Smith 362

A powerful story of terrific torments, and the onslaught of the Silver Death

Akkar’s Moth-Paul Ernst 373

An eery tale of the horrible thing that happened to Blaine Richardson

The Letter_S. Gordon Gurwit 386

An eldritch story of weird surgery—and a head that talked

In Memoriam:
Henry St. Clair Whitehead- 391
The Eyrie_ 392
A chat with the readers

A Witch Passes-M. C. Bodkin 396

Verse

The Look_Maurice Level 397

The dark shadow of a dead man came between the doctor and his wife

274
 A goose-flesh novelette, complete in this issue, about a spectacular
exploit of the little French scientist and occultist,
Jules de Grandin

**f W^flENS, on such a night as this amusement as I felt before me for the
M the Devil must congratulate him- curbstone with the ferrule of my stick.
self!” Jules de Grandin forced his "Why?”
chin still deeper in the upturned collar "Why? Pardieu, because he sits at
of his trench-coat, and bent his head ease beside the cozy fires of hell, and does
against the whorls of chilling mist which not have to feel his way through this
eddied upward from the bay in token eternally-to-be-execrated fog! If we had
that autumn was dead and winter come but the sense-
at last. "Pardon, Monsieur, one of us is very
"Congratulate himself?” I asked in clumsy, and I do not think that it is I!”
275
276 WEIRD TALES

he broke off sharply as a big young man, from the barrel of his stick and, point
evidently carrying a heavier cargo of advanced, circled round the struggling
ardent spirits than he could safely man¬ man and beast, approaching with a cau¬
age, lurched against him in the smother¬ tious, cat-like step as he sought an oppor¬
ing mist, then caromed off at an unsteady tunity to drive home the sword.
angle to lose himself once more in the By some uncanny sense the snarling
enshrouding fog. brute divined his purpose, raised its muz¬
"Dolt!” the little Frenchman muttered zle from its victim’s throat and backed
peevishly. "If he can not carry liquor he away a step or two, regarding de Grandin
should abstain from it. Me, I have no with a stare of utter hatred. For a moment
patience with these—grand Dieu, what I caught the smoldering glare of a pair
is that?” of fire-red eyes, burning through the fog-
Somewhere behind us, hidden in the folds as incandescent charcoal might burn
curtains of the thick, gray vapor, there through a cloth, and:
came a muffled exclamation, half of "A dog? Non, pardteu, it is-”
fright, half of anger, the sound of some¬ began the little Frenchman, then checked
thing fighting threshingly with some¬ himself abruptly as he lunged out swift¬
thing else, and a growling, snarling noise, ly with his blade, straight for the glaring,
as though a savage dog had leapt upon its fiery eyes which glowered at him through
prey, and, having fleshed its teeth, was the mist.
worrying it; then: "Help!” The cry was The great beast backed away with no
muffled, strangled, but laden with a apparent haste, yet quickly enough to
weight of helpless terror. avoid the needle-point of Jules de Gran-
"Hold fast, my friend, we come!” de din’s blade, and for an instant I beheld
Grandin cried, and, guided by the sounds a row of gleaming teeth bared savagely
of struggle, breasted through the fog as beneath the red eyes’ glare; then, with a
if it had been water, brandishing his sil¬ snarling growl which held more defiance
ver-headed sword-stick before him as a than surrender in its throaty rumble, the
guide and a defense. brute turned lithely, dodged and made
A score of quick steps brought us to off through the fog, disappearing from
the conflict. Dim and indistinct as shad¬ sight before the clicking of its nails
ows on a moonless night, two forms were against the pavement had been lost to
struggling on the sidewalk, a large one hearing.
lying underneath, while over it, snarling "Look to him, Friend Trowbridge,” de
savagely, was a thing I took for a police Grandin ordered, casting a final glance
dog which snapped and champed and about us in the mist before he put his
worried at the other’s throat. sword back in its sheath. "Does he sur¬
"Help!” called the man again, strain¬ vive, or is he killed to death?”
ing futilely to hold the snarling beast "He’s alive, all right,” I answered as
away and turning on his side the better I sank to my knees beside the supine
to protect his menaced face and neck. man, "but he’s been considerably chewed
"Cordieu, a war-dog!” exclaimed the up. Bleeding badly. We’d best get him
Frenchman. "Stand aside, Friend Trow¬ to the office and patch him up be-
bridge, he is savage, this one; mad, per¬
haps, as well.” With a quick, whipping "Wha— what was it?” our mangled
motion he ripped the chilled-steel blade patient asked abruptly, rising on his elbow
 THE THING IN THE FOG 277

and staring wildly round him. "Did you "Tele bleu, this night is full of action
kill it—did it get away? D’ye think it as a pepper-pot is full of spice!” ex¬
had hydrophobia?’’ claimed de Grandin, turning toward the
"Easy on, son,” I soothed, locking my summons of the whistle. "Can you
hands beneath his arms and helping him manage him, Friend Trowbridge? If so
to rise. "It bit you several times, but
you’ll be all right as soon as we can stop Pounding of heavy boots on the side¬
the bleeding. Here”—I snatched a hand¬ walk straight ahead told us that the offi¬
kerchief from the breast pocket of my cer approached, and a moment later his
dinner coat and pressed it into his hand— form, bulking gigantically in the fog, hove
"hold this against the wound while we’re into view. “Did anny o’ yez see-”
walking. No use trying to get a taxi to¬ he started, then raised his hand in half-
night, the driver’d never find his way formal salute to the vizor of his cap as
about. I live only a little way from here he recognized de Grandin.
and we’ll make it nicely if you’li lean on “I don’t suppose ye saw a dar-rg come
me. So! That’s it!” runnin’ by this way, sor?” he asked. "I

T hb young man leant heavily upon

my shoulder and almost bore me
wuz walkin’ up th’ street a moment since,
gettin’ ready to report at th’ box, when I
heard a felly callin’ for help, an’ what
down, for he weighed a good fourteen should I see next but th’ biggest, ugliest
stone, as we made our way along the baste of a dar-rg ye iver clapped yer eyes
vapor-shrouded street. upon, a-worryin’ at th’ pore lad’s throat.
"I say, I’m sorry I bumped into you, I wus close to it as I’m standin’ to you,
sir,” the youngster apologized as de sor, pretty near, an’ I shot at it twict,
Grandin took his other arm and eased but I’m damned if I didn’t miss both
me somewhat of my burden. "Fact is, times, slick as a whistle—an' me holdin’
I’d taken a trifle too much and was walk¬ a pistol expert’s medal from th’ depart¬
in’ on a side hill when I passed you.” ment, too!”
He pressed the already-reddened hand¬ "U’m?” de Grandin murmured. "And
kerchief closer to his lacerated neck as the unfortunate man beset by this great
he continued with a chuckle: "Maybe it’s beast your bullets failed to hit, what of
a good thing J did, at that, for you were him?”
within hearing when I called because "Glory be to God; I plumb forgot’im!”
you’d stopped to cuss me out.” the policeman confessed. "Ye see, sor, I
"You may have right, my friend,” de wuz that overcome wid shame, as th’
Grandin answered with a laugh. "A lit¬ felly says, whin I realized I’d missed th’
tle drunkenness is not to be deplored, and baste that I run afther it, hopin’ I’d find
I doubt not you had reason for your it agin an’ maybe put a slug into it this
drinking—not that one needs a reason, time, so-”
but-” "Quite so, one understands,” de Gran¬
A sudden shrill, sharp cry for help cut din interrupted, "but let us give attention
through his words, followed by another to the man; the beast can wait until we
call which stopped half uttered on a find him, and—mon Dteu! It is as well
strangled, agonizing note; then, in a mo¬ you did not stay to give him the first aid,
ment, the muffled echo of a shot, another, my friend, your efforts would have been
and, immediately afterward, the shrilling without avail. His case demands the cor¬
signal of a police whistle. oner’s attention."
278 WEIRD TALES

He did not understate the facts. "The dog, yes, let us call it that,” de
Stretched on his back, hands clenched to Grandin answered.
fists, legs slightly spread, one doubled "But—but-” the other stammered,
partly under him, a man lay on the side¬ then, with an incoherent exclamation
walk; across the white expanse of eve¬ which was half sigh, half groaning hic¬
ning shirt his opened coat displayed there cup, slumped heavily against my shoul¬
spread a ruddy stickiness, while his der and slid unconscious to the ground.
starched white-linen collar was already De Grandin shrugged in irritation.
sopping with the blood which oozed from "Now we have two of them to watch,”
his tom and mangled throat. Both ex¬ he complained. "Do you recover him as
ternal and anterior jugulars had been quickly as you can, my friend, while
ripped away by the savagery which had I-” he turned his back to me, dropped
tom the integument of the neck to shreds, his handkerchief upon the dead man’s
and so deeply had the ragged wound face and bent to make a closer examina¬
gone that a portion of the hyoid bone tion of the wounds in the throat.
had been exposed. A spate of blood had I took the handkerchief from my over¬
driveled from the mouth, staining lips coat pocket, ran it lightly over the trunk
and chin, and the eyes, forced out be¬ of a leafless tree which stood beside the
tween the lids, were globular and fixed curb and wrung the moisture from it on
and staring, though the film of death had the unconscious man’s face and forehead.
hardly yet had time to set upon them. Slowly he recovered, gasped feebly, then,
"Howly Mither!” cried the officer in with my assistance, got upon his feet,
horror as he looked upon the body. "Sure, keeping his back resolutely turned to the
it were a hound from th’ Divil’s own grisly thing upon the sidewalk. "Can—
kennels done this, sor!” you—help—me—to—your—office?” he
"I think that you have right,” de Gran- asked slowly, breathing heavily between
din nodded grimly. "Call the depart¬ the words.
ment, if you will be so good. I will I nodded, and we started toward my
stand by the body.” He took a kerchief house, but twice we had to stop; for once
from his pocket and opened it, prepara¬ he became sick, and I had to hold him
tory to veiling the poor, mangled face while he retched with nausea, and once
which stared appealingly up at the fog¬ he nearly fainted again, leaning heavily
bound night, but: against the iron balustrade before a house
“My God, it’s Suffrige!” the young while he drew great gulps of chilly, fog-
man at my side exclaimed. "I left him soaked air into his lungs.
just before I blundered into you, and—
oh, what could have done it?” A t last we reached my office, and help-
"The same thing which almost did as c ing him up to the examination table
much for you, Monsieur," the French¬ I set to work. His wounds were more
man answered in a level, toneless voice. extensive than I had at first supposed. A
"You had a very narrow escape from deep cut, more like the raking of some
being even as your friend, I do assure heavy, blunt-pointed claw than a bite, ran
you.” down his face from the right temple al¬
"You mean that dog-” he stopped, most to the angle of the jaw, and two
incredulous, eyes fairly starting from his deep parallel scores showed on his throat
face as he stared in fascination at his above the collar. A little deeper, a little
friend’s remains. more to one side, and they would have
 THE THING IN THE FOG 279

nicked the anterior jugular. About his rabies, the human victim develops hy¬
hands were several tears, as though they drophobia. However, if you wish, we
had suffered more from the beast’s teeth can arrange for you to go to Mercy Hos¬
than had his face and throat, and as I pital early in the morning to take the
helped him with his jacket I saw his shirt- Pasteur treatment; it is effective and pro¬
front had been slit and a long, raking cut tective if you are infected, quite harmless
scored down his chest, the animal’s claws if you are not.”
having ripped through the stiff, starched "Thanks,” replied the youth. "I think
linen as easily as though it had been we’d better, for-”
muslin. "Monsieur,” the Frenchman cut him
The problem of treatment puzzled me. short again, "is your name Maxwell, by
I could not cauterize the wounds with any chance? Since I first saw you I have
silver nitrate, and iodine would be with¬ been puzzled by your face; now I remem¬
out efficiency if the dog were rabid. Fi¬ ber, I saw your picture in le journal this
nally I compromised by dressing the chest morning.”
and facial wounds with potassium per¬ "Yes,” said our visitor, "I’m John
manganate solution and using an electric Maxwell, and, since you saw my picture
hot-point on the hands, applying lauda¬ in the paper, you know that I’m to marry
num immediately as an anodyne. Sarah Leigh on Saturday; so you realize
why I’m so anxious to make sure the
"And now, young fellow,” I an¬
dog didn’t have hydro—rabies, I mean.
nounced as I completed my work, "I
think you could do nicely with a tot of I don’t think Sallie’d want a husband she

brandy. You were drunk enough when had to muzzle for fear he’d bite her on

you ran into us, heaven knows, but you’re the ankle when she came to feed him.”
cold sober now, and your nerves have The little Frenchman smiled acknowl¬
been badly jangled, so-” edgment of the other’s pleasantry, but
though his lips drew back in the mechan¬
"So you would be advised to bring
ics of a smile, his little, round, blue eyes
another glass,” de Grandin’s hail sounded
were fixed and studious.
from the surgery door. "My nerves have
"Tell me, Monsieur," he asked abrupt¬
been on edge these many minutes, and
ly, "how came this dog to set upon you
in addition I am suffering from an all-
in the fog tonight?”
consuming thirst, my friend.”
The young man gulped the liquor
down in one tremendous swallow, seeing
Y oung Maxwell shivered at the recol¬
lection. "Hanged if I know,” he an¬
which de Grandin gave a shudder of dis¬ swered. "Y’see, the boys gave me a fare¬
gust. Drinking fifty-year-old brandy was well bachelor dinner at the Carteret this
a rite with him, and to bolt it as if it evening, and there was the usual amount
had been common bootlegged stuff was of speech-making and toast-drinking,
grave impropriety, almost sacrilege. and by the time we broke up I was pretty
"Doctor, do you think that dog had well paralyzed—able to find my way
hydrophobia?” our patient asked half about, but not very steadily, as you know.
diffidently. "He seemed so savage-” I said good-night to the bunch at the hotel
"Hydrophobia is the illness human be¬ and started out alone, for I wanted to
ings have when bitten by a rabid dog or walk the liquor off. You see”—a flush
other animal, Monsieur,” de Grandin suffused his blond, good-looking face—
broke in with a smile. "The beast has "Sallie said she’d wait up for me to tele-
280 WEIRD TALES

phone her—just like old married folks! guess I must have been drunk,” he ad¬
—and 1 didn’t want to talk to her while mitted with a shamefaced grin, "for I
I was still thick-tongued. Ray Suffrige, could have sworn the thing talked to me
the chap who—the one you saw later, as it growled.”
sir—decided he’d walk home, too, and
"Eh? The Devil!” Jules de Grandin
started off in the other direction, and the
sat forward suddenly, eyes wider and
rest of ’em left in taxis.
rounder than before, if possible, the
"I'd walked about four blocks, and was needle-points of his tightly waxed wheat-
getting so I could navigate pretty well, blond mustache twitching like the whis¬
when I bumped into you, then brought kers of an irritated tom-cat. "What is it
up against the railing of a house. While that you say?”
I was hanging onto it, trying to get steady
"Hold on,” the other countered, quick
on my legs again, all of a sudden, out of blood mounting to his cheeks. "I didn’t
nowhere, came that big police-dog and say it; I said it seemed as if its snarls
jumped on me. It didn’t bark or give were words.”
any warning till it leaped at me; then it
"Precisement, exactement, quite so,”
began growling. I flung my hands up,
returned the Frenchman sharply. "And
and it fastened on my sleeve, but luckily
what was it that he seemed to snarl at
the cloth was thick enough to keep its
you, Monsieur? Quickly, if you please.”
teeth from tearing my arm.
"Well, I was drunk, I admit, but-”
"I never saw such a beast. I’ve had a
"Ten thousand small blue devils! We
tussle or two with savage dogs before,
bandy words. I have asked you a ques¬
and they always jumped away and rushed
tion; have the courtesy to reply, Mon¬
in again each time I beat ’em off, but this
sieur."
thing stood on its hind legs and fought
me, like a man. When it shook its teeth ' Well, it sounded—sort of—as if it kept
loose from my coat-sleeve it clawed at repeating Sallie’s name, like this-”
my face and throat with its forepaws— he gave an imitation of a throaty, growl¬
that’s where I got most of my mauling—• ing voice: " 'Sarah Leigh, Sarah Leigh—
and kept snapping at me all the time; you’ll never marry Sarah Leigh!’
never backed away or even sank to all- "Ever hear anything so nutty? I reckon
fours once, sir. I must have had Sallie in my mind, sub¬
"I was still unsteady on my legs, and consciously, while I was having what I
the brute was heavy as a man; so it wasn’t thought was my, death-struggle.”
long before it had me down. Every time It was very quiet for a moment. John
it bit at me I managed to get my arms Maxwell looked half sullenly, half de¬
in its way; so it did more damage to my fiantly from de Grandin to me. De
clothes than it did to me with its teeth, Grandin sat as though lost in contempla¬
but it surely clawed me up to the Queen’s tion, his small eyes wide and thoughtful,
taste, and I was beginning to tire when his hands twisting savagely at the waxed
you came running up. It would have ends of his mustache, the tip of his pat¬
done me as it did poor Suffrige in a lit¬ ent-leather evening shoe beating a devil’s
tle while, I’m sure.” tattoo on the white-tiled floor. At length,
He paused a moment, then, with a abruptly:
shaking hand, poured out another drink "Did you notice any smell, any pe¬
of brandy and tossed it off at a gulp. "I culiar odor, when we went to Monsieur
 THE THING IN THE FOG 281

Maxwell’s rescue this evening, Friend Grandin, you are generally right, but once
Trowbridge?” he demanded. in many times you may be wrong. See
"Why-” I bent my brows and what Friend Trowbridge has to say.’
wagged my head in an effort at remem¬ And you, parbleu, you said the very
brance. "Why, no, I didn’t-” I thing I needed to confirm me in my diag¬
stopped, while somewhere from the file- nosis.
cases of my subconscious memory came a "Monsieur,” he turned to Maxwell
hint of recollection: Soldiers’ Park— with a smile, "you need not fear that you
a damp and drizzling day—the open- have hydrophobia. No. You were very
air dens of the menagerie. "Wait,” I or¬ near to death, a most unpleasant sort of
dered, closing both eyes tightly while I death, but not to death by hydrophobia.
bade my memory catalogue the vague, Morbleu, that would be an added re¬
elusive scent; then: "Yes, there was an finement which we need not take into
odor I’ve noticed at the zoo in Soldiers’ consideration.”
Park; it was the smell of the damp fur "Whatever are you talking about?” I
of a fox, or wolf!” asked in sheer amazement. "You ask me
De Grandin beat his small, white hands if I noticed the smell that beast gave off,
together softly, as though applauding at and if I saw its eyes, then tell Mr. Max¬
a play. "Capital, perfect!” he announced. well he needn’t fear he’s been inoculated.
"I smelt it too, when first we did ap¬ Of all the hare-brained-”
proach, but our senses play strange tricks He turned his shoulder squarely on me
on us at times, and I needed the corrobo¬ and smiled assuringly at Maxwell. "You
ration of your nose’s testimony, if it could said that you would call your amoureuse

be had. Now-” he turned his fixed, tonight, Monsieur; have you forgotten?”
unwinking stare upon me as he asked: he reminded, then nodded toward the
"Have you ever seen a wolf’s eyes—or ’phone.
a dog’s—at night?”
"Yes, of course,” I answered wonder-
T he young man picked the instru¬
ment up, called a number and
ingly. waited for a moment; then: "John speak¬
"Tres bien. And they gleamed with a ing, honey,” he announced as we heard
reflected greenness, something like Ma¬ a subdued click sound from the mono¬
dame Pussy’s, only not so bright, n’est-ce- phone. Another pause, in which the
pas?" buzzing of indistinguishable words came
"Yes.” faintly to us through the quiet room;
"Tres bon. Did you see the eyes of then Maxwell turned and motioned me
what attacked Monsieur Maxwell this to take up the extension ’phone.
evening? Did you observe them?” "-and please come right away,
"I should say I did,” I answered, for dear,” I heard a woman’s voice plead as
never would I forget those fiery, glaring I clapped the instrument against my ear.
orbs. "They were red, red as fire!” "No, I can’t tell you over the ’phone,
"Oh, excellent Friend Trowbridge; oh, but I must see you right away, Johnny—
prince of all the recollectors of the I must! You’re sure you’re all right?
world!” de Grandin cried delightedly. Nothing happened to you?”
"Your memory serves you perfectly, and "Well,” Maxwell temporized, "I’m in
upholds my observations to the full. Be¬ pretty good shape, everything considered.
fore, I guessed; I said to me, 'Jules de I had a little tussle with a dog, but-”
282 WEIRD TALES

"A—dog?” Stark, incredulous horror announced gravely, "it means that Made¬
sounded in the woman's fluttering voice. moiselle Sarah knows more than any of
"What sort of dog?” us what this business of the Devil is about.
"Oh, just a dog, you know; not very Come, let us go to her without delay.”
big and not very little, sort o’ betwixt and As we prepared to leave the house he
between, and-” paused and rummaged in the hall coat-
closet, emerging in a moment, balancing
"You’re sure it was a dog? Did it look
a pair of blackthorn walking-sticks in his
like a—a police-dog, for instance?”
“Well, now you mention it, it did look
"What-” I began, but he cut me
something like a police-dog, or collie, or
short.
airedale, or something, but-”
"These may prove useful,” he an¬
"John, dear, don’t try to put me off
nounced, handing one to me, the other
that way. This is terribly, dreadfully im¬
to John Maxwell. “If what I damn sus¬
portant. Please hurry over—no, don’t
pect is so, he will not greatly relish a
come out at night—yes, come at once,
thwack from one of these upon the head.
but be sure not to come alone. Have you
No, the thorn-bush is especially repug¬
a sword, or some sort of steel or iron
nant to him.”
weapon you can carry for defense when
"Humph, I should think it would be
you come?”
particularly repugnant to any one,” I an¬
Young Maxwell’s face betrayed bewil¬
swered, weighing the knotty bludgeon in
derment. “A sword?” he echoed. "What
my hand. “By the way, who is 'he’?”
d’ye think I am, dear, a knight of old?
"Mademoiselle Sarah will tell us that,”
No, I haven’t a sword to my name, not
he answered enigmatically. "Are we
even a jack-knife, but—I say, there’s a
ready? Bon, let us be upon our way.”
gentleman I met tonight who has a bully
little sword; may I bring him along?”
"Oh, yes, please do, dear; and if you
T he mist which had obscured the
night an hour or so before had
can get some one else, bring him too. thinned to a light haze, and a drizzle of
I’m terribly afraid to have you venture rain was commencing as we set out. The
out tonight, dearest, but I have to see Leigh house was less than half a mile from
you right away!” my place, and we made good time as we
"All right,” the young man answered. marched through the damp, cold darkness.
"I’ll pop right over, honey.” I had known Joel Leigh only through
As he replaced the instrument, he having shared committee appointments
turned bewilderedly to me. "Wonder with him in the local Republican organ¬
what the deuce got into Sally?’ he asked. ization and at the archdeaconry. He had
"She seemed all broken up about some¬ entered the consular service after being
thing, and I thought she’d faint when I retired from active duty with the Marine
mentioned my set-to with that dog. What’s Corps following a surgeon’s certificate of
it mean?” disability, and at the time of his death
Jules de Grandin stepped through the two years before had been rated as one of
doorway connecting surgery with con¬ the foremost authorities on Near East
sulting-room, where he had gone to lis¬ commercial conditions. Sarah, his daugh¬
ten to the conversation from the desk ex¬ ter, whom I had never met, was, by all
tension. His little eyes were serious, his accounts, a charming young woman,
small mouth grimly set "Monsieur," he equally endowed with brains, beauty and
 THE THING IN THE FOG 283

money, and keeping up the family tradi¬ thing like embarrassment in her eyes.
tion in the big house in Tuscarora Ave¬ "If-” she began, but de Grandin di¬
nue, where she lived with an elderly vined her purpose, and broke in:
maiden aunt as duenna. "Mademoiselle, a short time since, we
Leigh’s long residence in the East was had the good fortune to rescue Monsieur
evidenced in the furnishings of the long, your fiance from a dog which I do not
old-fashioned hall, which was like a royal think was any dog at all. That same crea¬
antechamber in miniature. In the softly ture, I might add, destroyed a gentleman
diffused light from a brass-shaded Turk¬ who had attended Monsieur Maxwell’s
ish lamp we caught gleaming reflections dinner within ten minutes of the time
from heavily carved blackwood furniture we drove it off. Furthermore, Monsieur
and the highlights of a marvelously in¬ Maxwell is under the impression that this
laid Indian screen. A carved table flanked dog-thing talked to him while it sought
by dragon-chairs stood against the wall, to slay him. From what we overheard
the floor was soft as new-mown turf with of your message on the telephone, we
rugs from China, Turkey and Kurdistan. think you hold the key to this mystery.
"Mis’ Sarah’s in the library,” announced You may speak freely in our presence,
the negro butler who answered our sum¬ for I am Jules de Grandin, physician and

mons at the door, and led us through the occultist, and my friend, Doctor Trow¬

hall to the big, high-ceilinged room where bridge, has most commendable discre¬
Sarah Leigh was waiting. Books lined tion.”

the chamber’s walls from floor to ceiling The young woman smiled, and the
on three sides; the fourth wall was de¬ transformation in her taut, strained face
voted to a bulging bay-window which was startling. "Thank you,” she replied;
overlooked the garden. Before the fire "if you’re an occultist you will under¬
of cedar logs was drawn a deeply padded stand, and neither doubt me nor demand
divan, while flanking it were great arm¬ explanations of things I can’t explain.”
chairs upholstered in red leather. The She dropped cross-legged to the hearth
light which sifted through the meshes of rug, as naturally as though she were more
a brazen lamp-shade disclosed a tabouret used to sitting that way than reclining in
of Indian mahogany on which a coffee a chair, and we caught the gleam of a
service stood. Before the fire the mistress great square garnet on her forefinger as
of the house stood waiting us. She was she extended her hand to Maxwell.
rather less than average height, but ap¬ "Hold my hand while I’m talking,
peared taller because of her fine carriage. John,” she bade. "It may be for the last
Her mannishly dose-cropped hair was time. Then, as he made a gesture of dis¬
dark and inclined toward curliness, but sent, abruptly:
as she moved toward us I saw it showed "I can not marry you—or any one,”
bronze glints in the lamplight. Her eyes she announced.
were large, expressive, deep hazel, almost Maxwell opened his lips to protest,
brown. But for the look of cynicism, al¬ but no sound came. I stared at her in
most hardness, around her mouth, she wonder, trying futilely to reconcile the
would have been something more than agitation she had shown when telephon¬
merely pretty. ing with her present deadly, apathetic
Introductions over, Miss Leigh looked calm.
from one of us to the other with some¬ Jules de Grandin yielded to his curios-
284 WEIRD TALES

ity. "Why not. Mademoiselle?” he asked. begged me to say I loved him, and—and
"Who has forbid the banns?” I did. He held me in his arms and kissed
She shook her head dejectedly and my eyes and lips and throat. It was like
turned a sad-eyed look upon him as she being hypnotized and conscious at the
answered: "It’s just the continuation of same time. Then, just before we said
a story which I thought was a closed chap¬ good-night he told me to meet him in an
ter in my life.” For a moment she bent old garden on the outskirts of the city
forward, nestling her cheek against young where we sometimes rested when we’d
Maxwell's hand; then: been out riding. The rendezvous was
made for midnight, and though I thought
“Tt began when Father was attached it queer that he should want to meet me
A to the consulate in Smyrna,” she con¬ at that time in such a place—well, girls
tinued. "France and Turkey were both in love don’t ask questions, you know.
playing for advantage, and Father had to At least, I didn’t.
find out what they planned, so he had to
"There was a full moon the next night,
hire secret agents. The most successful of
and I was fairly breathless with the beauty
them was a young Greek named George
of it all when I kept the tryst. I thought
Athanasakos, who came from Crete. Why
I’d come too early, for George was no¬
he should have taken such employment
where to be seen when I rode up, but
was more than we could understand; for
as I jumped down from my horse and
he was well educated, apparently a gen¬
looked around I saw something moving
tleman, and always well supplied with
in the laurels. It was George, and he’d
money. He told us he took the work be¬
thrown a cape or cloak of some sort of fur
cause of his hatred of the Turks, and as
across his shoulders. He startled me
he was always successful in getting in¬
dreadfully at first; for he looked like
formation, Father didn’t ask questions.
some sort of prowling beast with the
'When his work was finished he con¬
animal’s head hanging half down across
tinued to call at our house as a guest, and
his face, like the beaver of an ancient
I—I really didn’t love him, I couldn’t
helmet. It seemed to me, too, that his
have, it was just infatuation, meeting
eyes had taken on a sort of sinister green¬
him so far from home, and the water
ish tinge, but when he took me in his
and that wonderful Smyrna moonlight,
arms and kissed me I was reassured.
and-”
"Perfectly, Mademoiselle, one fully 'Then he told me he was the last of a
understands,” de Grandin supplied softly very ancient clan which had been wiped
as she paused, breathless; "and then-’’ out warring with the Turks, and that it
"Maybe you never succumbed to was a tradition of their blood that the
moonlight and water and strange, roman¬ woman they married take a solemn oath
tic poetry and music,” she half whis¬ before the nuptials could be celebrated.
pered, her eyes grown wider at the recol¬ Again I didn’t ask questions. It all
lection, "but I was only seventeen, and seemed so wonderfully romantic,” she
he was very handsome, and—and he added with a pathetic little smile.
swept me off my feet. He had the softest, "He had another skin cloak in readi¬
most musical voice I’ve ever heard, and ness and dropped it over my shoulders,
the things he said sounded like something pulling the head well forward above my
written by Byron at his best. One moon¬ face, like a hood. Then he built a little
lit night when we’d been rowing, he fire of dry twigs and threw some incense
 THE THING IN THE FOG 285

on it. I knelt above the fire and inhaled "My astonishment quickly passed,
the aromatic smoke while he chanted however, and somehow I didn’t seem to
some sort of invocation in a tongue I mind having been transformed into a
didn’t recognize, but which sounded beast; for something deep inside me kept
harsh and terrible—like the snarling of a urging me on, on to something—I didn't
savage dog. quite know what.
"What happened next I don’t re¬ "When we’d drunk we trotted through
member clearly, for that incense did a little patch of woodland and suddenly
things to me. The old garden where I my companion sank to the ground in the
knelt seemed to fade away, and in its underbrush and lay there, red tongue
place appeared a wild and rocky moun¬ lolling from its mouth, green eyes fixed
tain scene where I seemed walking down intently on the narrow, winding path be¬
a winding road. Other people were walk¬ side which we were resting. I wondered
ing with me, some before, some behind, what we waited for, and half rose on my
some beside me, and all were clothed in haunches to look, but a low, warning
cloaks of hairy skin like mine. Suddenly, growl from the thing beside me warned
as we went down the mountainside, I be¬ that something was approaching. It was
gan to notice that my companions were a pair of farm laborers, Greek peasants I
dropping to all-fours, like beasts. But knew them to be by their dress, and they
somehow it didn’t seem strange to me; were talking in low tones and looking
for, without realizing it, I was running fearfully about, as though they feared an
on my hands and feet, too. Net crawl¬ ambush. When they came abreast of us
ing, you know, but actually running— the beast beside me sprang—so did I.
like a dog. As we neared the mountain’s "I’ll never forget the squeaking scream
foot we ran faster and faster; by the time the nearer man gave as I leaped upon
we reached a little clearing in the heavy him, or the hopeless, terrified expression
woods which fringed the rocky hill we in his eyes as he tried to fight me off.
were going like the wind, and I felt my¬ But I bore him down, sank my teeth into
self panting, my tongue hanging from his throat and began slowly tearing at his
my mouth.
flesh. I could feel the blood from his
"In the clearing other beasts were torn throat welling up in my mouth, and
waiting for us. One great, hairy creature its hot saltiness was sweeter than the most
came trotting up to me, and I was ter¬ delicious wine. The poor wretch’s strug¬
ribly frightened at first, for I recognized gles became weaker and weaker, and I
it as a mountain wolf, but it nuzzled me felt a sort of fierce elation. Then he
with its black snout and licked me, and ceased to fight, and I shook him several
somehow it seemed like a caress—I liked times, as a terrier shakes a rat, and when
it. Then it started off across the unplowed he didn’t move or struggle, I tore at his
field, and I ran after it, caught up with it, face and throat and chest till my hairy
and ran alongside. We came to a pool and muzzle was one great smear of blood.
the beast stopped to drink, and I bent "Then, all at once, it seemed as though
over the water too, lapping it up with a sort of thick, white fog were spreading
my tongue. Then I saw our images in the through the forest, blinding me and shut¬
still pond, and almost died of fright, for ting out the trees and undergrowth and
the thing beside me was a mountain my companion beasts, even the poor boy
wolf, and I was a she-wolf! whom I had killed, and—there I was,
286 WEIRD TALES

kneeling over the embers of the dying instant I felt a biting sting as his teeth
fire in the old Smyrna garden, with the met in my flesh. See-”
clouds of incense dying down to little
curly spirals. W ith a frantic, wrenching gesture
she snatched at the low collar of
"George was standing across the fire
her red-silk lounging pajamas, tore the
from me, laughing, and the first thing I
fabric asunder and exposed her ivory
noticed was that his lips were smeared
flesh. Three inches or so below her left
with blood.
axilla, in direct line with the gently swell¬
"Something hot and salty stung my
ing bulge of her firm, high breast, was
mouth, and I put my hand up to it.
a small whitened cicatrix, and from it
When I brought it down the fingers were
grew a little tuft of long, grayish-brown
red with a thick, sticky liquid.
hair, like hairs protruding from a mole,
"I think I must have started to scream; but unlike any body hairs which I had
for George jumped over the fire and ever seen upon a human being.
clapped his hand upon my mouth—ugh, "Grand Dieuexclaimed de Grandin
I could taste the blood more than ever, softly. "Foil de loup!”
then!—and whispered, 'Now you are "Yes,” she agreed in a thin, hysterical
truly mine, Star of the Morning. To¬ whisper, "it’s wolf’s hair! I know. I cut
gether we have ranged the woods in it off and took it to a biochemist in Lon¬
spirit as we shall one day in body, O true don, and he assured me it was unques¬
mate of a true vrykolakas!’ tionably the hair of a wolf. I’ve tried and
"Vrykolakas is a Greek word hard to tried to have the scar removed, but it’s
translate into English. Literally it means useless. I’ve tried cautery, electrolysis,
'the restless dead’, but it also means a even surgery, but it disappears for only
vampire or a werewolf, and the vryko- a little while, then comes again.”
lakes are the most dreaded of all the host For a moment it was still as death in
of demons with which Greek peasant- the big dim-lighted room. The little
legends swarm. French-gilt clock upon the mantelpiece
"I shook myself free from him. 'Let ticked softly, quickly, like a heart that
me go; don’t touch me; I never want to palpitates with terror, and the hissing of
see you again!’ I cried. a burning resined log seemed loud and
" 'Nevertheless, you shall see me again eery as night-wind whistling round a
—and again and again—Star of the Sea!’ haunted tower. The girl folded the tom
he answered with a mocking laugh. 'You silk of her pajama jacket across her breast
belong to me, now, and no one shall take and pinned it into place; then, simply,
you from me. When I want you I will desolately, as one who breaks the news of
call, and you will come to me, for’—he a dear friend’s death:
looked directly into my eyes, and his own "So I can not marry you, you see, John,
seemed to merge and rim together, like dear,” she said.
two pools of liquid, till they were one "Why?” asked the young man in a
great disk of green fire—'thou shalt have low, fierce voice. "Because that scoun¬
no other mate than me, and he who tries drel dragged you with his devilish incense
to come between us dies. See, I put my and made you think you’d turned into a
mark upon you!’ wolf? Because-”
"He tore my riding-shirt open and "Because I’d be your murderess if I
pressed his lips against my side, and next did so,” she responded quaveringly.
 THE THING IN THE FOG 287

"Don’t you remember? He said he’d call the night, diminished to a moan, then
me when he wanted me, and any one suddenly crescendoed upward, from a
who came between him and me would moan to a wail, from a wail to a howl,
die. He’s come for me, he’s called me, despairing, pleading, longing as the cry
John; it was he who attacked you in the of a damned spirit, fierce and wild as the
fog tonight. Oh, my dear, my dear, I love rally-call of the fiends of hell.
you so; but I must give you up. It would "Sang du diable, must I suffer inter¬
be murder if I were to marry you!” ruption when I wish to talk? Sang des
"Nonsense!” began John Maxwell tous les saints—it is not to be borne!” de
bruskly. "If you think that man can-” Grandin cried furiously, and cleared the
Outside the house, seemingly from un¬ distance to the great bay-window in two
derneath the library’s bow-window, there agile, cat-like leaps.
sounded in the rain-drenched night a "Allezl” he ordered sharply, as he
wail, long-drawn, pulsating, doleful as flung the casement back and leaned far
the cry of an abandoned soul: "O-u-o— out into the rainy night. "Be off, before
o-u-oo—o-u-o—o-u-oo!” it rose and fell, I come down to you. You know me,
quavered and almost died away, then re¬ hein? A little while ago you dodged my
surged with increased force. "O-u-o— steel, but-”
o-u-o-o—o-u-o—o-u-oo! ’ ’ A snarling growl replied, and in the
The woman on the hearth rug cowered clump of rhododendron plants which
like a beaten beast, clutching frantically fringed the garden we saw the baleful
with fear-numbed fingers at the drugget’s glimmer of a pair of fiery eyes.
pile, half crawling, half writhing toward "Parbleu, you dare defy me—me?” the
the brass bars where the cheerful fire little Frenchman cried, and vaulted nim¬
burned brightly. "Oh,” she whimpered bly from the window, landing sure-footed
as the mournful ululation died away, as a panther on the rain-soaked garden
"that’s he; he called me once before to¬ mold, then charging at the lurking horror
day; now he’s come again, and-” as though it had been harmless as a kitten.
"Mademoiselle, restrain yourself,” de "Oh, he’ll be killed; no mortal man
Grandin’s sharp, whip-like order cut can stand against a vrykolakas!” cried
through her mounting terror and brought Sarah Leigh, wringing her slim hands to¬
her back to something like normality. gether in an agony of terror. "Oh, God
"You are with friends,” he added in a in heaven, spare-”
softer tone; "three of us are here, and we A fusillade of crackling shots cut
are a match for any sacre loup-garou that through her prayer, and we heard a short,
ever killed a sheep or made night hideous sharp yelp of pain, then the voice of Jules
with his howling. Parbleu, but I shall de Grandin hurling imprecations in min¬
say damn yes. Did I not, all single- gled French and English. A moment
handed, already put him to flight once later:
tonight? But certainly. Very well, then, "Give me a hand, Friend Trowbridge,”
let us talk this matter over calmly, he called from underneath the window.
for-” "It was a simple matter to come down,
With the suddenness of a discharged but climbing back is something else
pistol a wild, vibrating howl came through again.
the window once again. "O-u-o—o-u-oo "Merci," he acknowledged as he re¬
—o-u-o!” it rose against the stillness of gained the library and turned his quick.
288 WEIRD TALES

elfin grin on. each of us in turn. Dusting harder metal than lead, and the olden
his hands against each other, to clear guns they used in ancient days were not
them of the dampness from the window¬ adapted to shoot balls of iron. The pis¬
sill, he felt for his cigarette case, chose tols of today shoot slugs encased in cupro¬
a "Maryland” and tapped it lightly on nickel, far harder than the best of iron,
his finger-nail. and with a striking-force undreamed of
"Tiens, I damn think he will know in the days when firearms were a new in¬
his master’s voice in future, that one,” vention. Tiens, had the good Saint George
he informed us. “I did not quite suc¬ possessed a modem military rifle he could
ceed in killing him to death, unfortunate¬ have slain the dragon at his leisure while
ly, but I think that it will be some time he stood a mile away. Had Saint Michel
before he comes and cries beneath this had a machine-gun, his victory over Luci¬
lady’s window again. Yes. Had the sale fer could have been accomplished in thirty
poltron but had the courage to stand seconds by the watch.”
against me, I should certainly have killed Having delivered himself of this scan¬
him; but as it was”—he spread his hands dalous opinion, he reseated himself on
and raised his shoulders eloquently—"it the divan and smiled at her, for all the
is difficult to hit a running shadow, and world like the family cat which has just
he offered little better mark in the dark¬ breakfasted on the household canary.
ness. I think I wounded him in the left "And how was it that this so valiant
hand, but I can not surely say.” runner-away-from-Jules-de-Grandin an¬
nounced himself to you, Mademoiselle?"
He paused a moment, then, seeming to
he asked.
remember, turned again to Sarah Leigh
with a ceremonious bow. ' 'Pardon, Made¬
“T was dressing to go out this mom-
moiselle,” he apologized, "you were say¬
-S. ing,” she replied, “when the ’phone
ing, when we were so discourteously in¬
rang, and when I answered it no one re¬
terrupted-” he smiled at her expect¬
plied to my 'hello.’ Then, just as I be¬
antly.
gan to think they’d given some one a
"Doctor de Grandin,” wondering in¬ wrong number, and was about to put the
credulity was in the girl’s eyes and voice instrument down, there came one of those
as she looked at him, "you shot him— awful, wailing howls across the wire. No
wounded-him?” word at all, sir, just that long-drawn,
"Perfectly, Mademoiselle ” he patted quavering howl, like what you heard a
the waxed ends of his mustache with af¬ little while ago.
fectionate concern, "my marksmanship "You can imagine how it frightened
was execrable, but at least I hit him. That me. I’d almost managed to put George
was something.” from my mind, telling myself that the
"But in Greece they used to say—I’ve vision of lycanthropy which I had in
always heard that only silver bullets were Smyrna was some sort of hypnotism, and
effective against a vrykolakas; either sil¬ that there really weren’t such things as
ver bullets or a sword of finely tempered werewolves, and even if there were, this
steel, so-” was practical America, where I needn’t
"Ah bah!" he interrupted with a laugh. fear them—then came that dreadful
"What did they know of modern ord¬ howl, the sort of howl I’d heard—and
nance, those old-time ritualists? Silver given!—in my vision in the Smyrna gar¬
bullets were decreed because silver is a den, and I knew there are such things
W. T.—1
 THE THING IN THE FOG

as werewolves, and that one of them pos¬ "Ah, so? Une barbe bleu?” de Gran¬
sessed me, soul and body, and that I’d din answered sharply. "One might have
have to go to him if he demanded it thought as much. Such beards, ma chere,
"Most of all, though, I thought of are the sign-manual of those who traffic
John, for if the werewolf were in Amer¬ with the Devil. Gilles de Retz, the vilest
ica he’d surely read the notice of our monster who ever cast insult on the hu¬
coming marriage, and the first thing I man race by wearing human form, was
remembered was his threat to kill any one light of hair and blue-black as to beard.
who tried to come between us.” It is from him we get the most unpleas¬
She turned to Maxwell with a pensive ant fairy-tale of Bluebeard, though the
smile. "You know how I’ve been worry¬ gentleman who dispatched his wives for
ing you all day, dear,” she asked, "how showing too much curiosity was a lamb
I begged you not to go out to that din¬ and sucking dove beside the one whose
ner tonight, and when you said you must, name he bears.
how I made you promise that you’d call "Very well. Have you a photograph
me as soon as you got home, but on no of him, by any happy chance?”
account to call me before you were safely "No; I did have one, but I burned it
back in your apartment? years ago.’’
"I’ve been in a perfect agony of appre¬ "A pity, Mademoiselle; our task would
hension all evening,” she told us, "and be made easier if we had his likeness as
when John called from Doctor Trow¬ a guide. But we shall find him other¬
bridge’s office I felt as though a great wise.”
weight had been lifted from my heart.” "How?” asked Maxwell and I in
"And did you try to trace the call?” chorus.
the little Frenchman asked. "There was a time,” he answered,
"Yes, but it had been dialed from a "when the revelations of a patient to his
downtown pay station, so it was impos¬ doctor were considered privileged com¬
sible to find it.” munications. Since prohibition came to
De Grandin took his chin between his blight your land, however, and the gang¬
thumb and forefinger and gazed thought¬ ster’s gun has written history in blood,
fully at the tips of his patent-leather eve¬ the physicians are required to note the
ning shoes. "U’m?” he murmured; then: names and addresses of those who come
"What does he look like, this so gallant to them with gunshot wounds, and this
persecutor of women, Mademoiselle? information is collected by the police each
'He is handsome,’ you have said, which day. Now, we know that I have wounded
is of interest, certainly, but not especially this one. He will undoubtlessly seek
instructive. Can you be more specific? medical assistance for his hurt. Voila, I
Since he is a Greek, one assumes that he shall go down to the police headquarters,
is dark, but-” look upon the records of those treated
"No, he’s not,” she interrupted. "His for injuries from bullets, and by a process
eyes are blue and his hair is rather light, of elimination we shall find him. You
though his beard—he used to wear one, apprehend?”
though he may be smooth-shaven now— "But suppose he doesn’t go to a physi¬
is quite dark, almost black. Indeed, in cian?” young Maxwell interposed.
certain lights it seems to have an almost "In that event we have to find some
bluish tinge.” other way to find him,” de Grandin an-
W. T.—2
290 WEIRD TALES

swcred with a smile, "but that is a stream ly Italian laborer who had quarreled with
which we shall cross when we have ar¬ some fellow countrymen over a card
rived upon its shore. Meantime”—he game, while the fourth was a thin-faced,
rose and bowed politely to our hostess— tight-lipped gangster who eyed us satur-
"it is getting late. Mademoiselle, and we ninely and murmured, "Never mind who
have trespassed on your time too long done it; I’ll be seein’ ’im,” evidently under
already. We shall convoy Monsieur Max¬ the misapprehension that we were emis¬
well safely home, and see him lock his saries of the police.
door, and if you will keep your doors The next day and the next produced
and windows barred, I do not think that no more results. Gunshot wounds there
you have anything to fear. The gentle¬ were, but none in the hand, where de
man who seems also to be a wolf has his Grandin declared he had wounded the
wounded paw to nurse, and that will nocturnal visitant, and though he fol¬
keep him busy the remainder of the lowed every lead assiduously, in every
night.” case he drew a blank.
With a movement of his eyes he bade
He was almost beside himself on the
me leave the room, following closely on fourth day of fruitless search; by eve¬
my heels and closing the door behind ning I was on the point of prescribing
him. "If we must separate them the least triple bromides, for he paced the study
which we can do is give them twenty lit¬ restlessly, snapping his fingers, tweaking
tle minutes for good-night,” he mur¬ the waxed ends of his mustache till I
mured as we donned our mackintoshes. made sure he would pull the hairs loose
"Twenty minutes?” I expostulated. from his lip, and murmuring appalling
"Why, he could say good-night to twenty blasphemies in mingled French and
girls in twenty minutes!” English.
"Out-da, certainement; or a hundred,”
At length, when I thought that I could
he agreed, "but not to the one girl, my
stand his restless striding no longer, di¬
good friend. Ah bah, Friend Trowbridge,
version came in the form of a telephone
did you never love; did you never wor¬
call. He seized the instrument peevishly,
ship at the small, white feet of some be¬
but no sooner had he barked a sharp
loved woman? Did you never feel your
"Alio?” than his whole expression changed
breath come faster and your blood pound
and a quick smile ran across his face,
wildly at your temples as you took her
like sunshine breaking through a cloud.
in your arms and put your lips against
"But certainly; of course, assuredly!”
her mouth? If not—grand Dieu des pores
he cried delightedly. Then, to me:
—then you have never lived at all, though
"Your hat and coat, Friend Trowbridge,
you be older than Methuselah!”
and hurry, pour l’amour d’un tetard—
R unning our quarry to earth proved they are marrying!”
"Marrying?’ I echoed wonderingly.
- a harder task than we had antici¬
pated. Daylight had scarcely come when "Who-”
de Grandin visited the police, but for all "Who but Mademoiselle Sarah and
he discovered he might have stayed at Monsieur Jean, parbleu?” he answered
home. Oily four cases of gunshot wounds with a grin. "Oh, la, la, at last they
had been reported during the preceding show some sense, those ones. He has
night, and two of the injured men were broken her resistance down, and she con¬
negroes, a third a voluble but undoubted¬ sents, werewolf or no werewolf. No'wr
 THE THING IN THE FOG 291

we shall surely make the long nose at pane, and for the first time we realized
that sacre singe who howled beneath her it had been toward this window the boy
window when we called upon her!” had looked when his sacrilegious ex¬
The ceremony was to be performed in clamation broke in on the service.
the sacristy of St. Barnabas’ Church, for Staring at us through the glass we saw
John and Sarah, shocked and saddened a great, gray wolf! Yet it was not a
by the death of young Fred Suffrige, who wolf, for about the lupine jaws and jowls
was to have been their best man, had re¬ was something hideously reminiscent of
called the invitations and decided on a a human face, and the greenish, phos¬
private wedding with only her aunt and phorescent glow of those great, glaring
his mother present in addition to de Gran- eyes had surely never shone in any face,
din and me. animal or human. As I looked, breath¬
less, the monster raised its head, and
strangling horror gripped my throat with
“T'\early beloved, we are gathered
fiery fingers as I saw a human-seeming
U together here in the sight of God
neck beneath it. Long and grisly-thin it
and in the face of this company to join
was, corded and sinewed like the desic¬
together this man and this woman in holy
cated gula of a lich, and, like the face,
matrimony,” began the rector, Doctor
covered with a coat of gray-brown fur.
Higginbotham, who, despite the informal¬
Then a hand, hair-covered like the throat
ity of the occasion, was attired in all the
and face, slim as a woman’s—or a mum¬
panoply of a high church priest and ac¬
my’s!—but terribly misshapen, fingers
companied by two gorgeously accoutered
tipped with blood-red talon-nails, rose up
and greatly interested choir-boys who
and struck the glass again. My scalp was
served as acolytes. "Into this holy estate
fairly crawling with sheer terror, and my
these two persons come now to be joined.
breath came hot and sulfurous in my
If any man can show just cause why they
throat as I wondered how much longer
should not lawfully be joined together,
the frail glass could stand against the
let him now speak, or else hereafter for
impact of those bony, hair-gloved hands.
ever hold his peace-”
A strangled scream behind me sounded
"Jeez!” exclaimed the choir youth who
from Sarah’s aunt, Miss Leigh, and I
stood upon the rector’s left, letting fall
heard the muffled thud as she toppled to
the censer from his hands and dodging
the floor in a dead faint, but I could no
nimbly back, as from a threatened blow.
more turn my gaze from the horror at the
The interruption fell upon the solemn window than the fascinated bird can tear
scene like a bombshell at a funeral, and its eyes from the serpent’s numbing stare.
one and all of us looked at the cowering Another sighing exclamation and an¬
youngster, whose eyes were fairly bulg¬ other thudding impact. John Maxwell’s
ing from his face and whose ruddy coun¬ mother was unconscious on the floor be¬
tenance had gone a sickly, pasty gray, so side Miss Leigh, but still I stood and
that the thick-strewn freckles started out stared in frozen terror at the thing be¬
in contrast, like spots of rouge upon a yond the window.
corpse’s pallid cheeks. Doctor Higginbotham’s teeth were
"Why, William-” Doctor Higgin¬ chattering, and his ruddy, plethoric coun¬
botham began in a shocked voice; but: tenance was death-gray as he faced the
Rat, tat-tat! sounded the sudden sharp staring horror, but he held fast to his
clatter of knuckles against the window- faith.
292 WEIRD TALES

"Conjuro te, sceleratissime, abire ad charity as you do can not be competent

tuum locum”—he began the sonorous to judge. Have it as you wish. As soon
Latin exorcism, signing himself with his as we have recovered these fainting ladies,
right hand and advancing his pectoral we shall leave, and may the Devil grill
cross toward the thing at the window me on the grates of hell if ever we come
with his left—"I exorcise thee, most foul back until you have apologized.”
spirit, creature of darkness-”
The corners of the wolf-thing’s devil¬ T vro hours later, as we sat in the Leigh
library, Sarah dried her eyes and faced
ish eyes contracted in a smile of malevo¬
lent amusement, and a rim of scarlet her lover with an air of final resolution:
tongue flicked its black muzzle. Doctor “You see, my dear, it’s utterly impossible
Higginbotham’s exorcism, bravely begun, for me to marry you, or any one,” she
ended on a wheezing, stifled syllable, and said. “That awful thing will dog my
he stared in round-eyed fascination, his steps, and-”
thick lips, blue with terror, opening and “My poor, sweet girl, I’m more deter¬
closing, but emitting no sound. mined than ever to marry you!” John
"Sang d’un cochon, not that way, Mon¬ broke in. “If you’re to be haunted by a
sieur—this!” cried Jules de Grandin, and thing like that, you need me every min¬
the roar of his revolver split the paralysis ute, and-”
of quiet which had gripped the little "Bravo!” applauded Jules de Grandin.
chapel. A thin, silvery tinkle of glass “Well said, mon vieux, but we waste
sounded as the bullet tore through the precious time. Come, let us go.”
window, and the grisly face abruptly dis¬ “Where?” asked John Maxwell, but
appeared, but from somewhere in the the little Frenchman only smiled and
outside dark there echoed back a braying shrugged his shoulders.
howl which seemed to hold a sort of ob¬
“To Maidstone Crossing, quickly, if
scene laughter in its quavering notes.
you please, my friend,” he whispered
"Sapristi! Have I missed him?” de when he had led the lovers to my car and
Grandin asked incredulously. "No mat¬ seen solicitously to their comfortable seat¬
ter; he is gone. On with the service, Mon¬ ing in the tonneau. “I know a certain
sieur le Cure. I do not think we shall be justice of the peace there who would
interrupted further.” marry the Witch of Endor to the Emperor
"No!” Doctor Higginbotham backed Nero though all the wolves which ever
away from Sarah Leigh as though her plagued Red Riding-Hood forbade the
breath polluted him. "I can perform no banns, provided only we supply him with
marriage until that thing has been ex¬ sufficient fee.”
plained. Some one here is haunted by a Two hours’ drive brought us to the
devil—a malign entity from hell which little hamlet of Maidstone Crossing, and
will not heed the exorcism of the Church de Grandin’s furious knocking on the
—and until I’m satisfied concerning it, door of a small cottage evoked the pres¬
and that you’re all good Christians, ence of a lank, lean man attired in a pair
there’ll be no ceremony in this church!” of corduroy trousers drawn hastily above
"Eh bien, Monsieur, who can say what the folds of a canton-flannel nightshirt.
constitutes a good Christian?” de Gran¬ A whispered colloquy between the rus¬
din smiled unpleasantly at Doctor Hig¬ tic and the slim, elegant little Parisian;
ginbotham. "Certainly one who lacks m then: “O. K., Doc,” the justice of the
 THE THING IN THE FOG 293

peace conceded. "Bring ’em in; I’ll mar¬ key-hen, to boot. His clothes looked skin¬
ry ’em, an’—hey, Sam’l!” he called up the tight on ’im, an’ he had on a cap, or sum-
stairs. "C’mon down, an’ bring yer shot¬ pin with a peak that stuck out over his
gun. There’s a weddin’ goin’ to be pulled face. I first seen 'im cornin’ up th’ road,
off, an’ they tell me some fresh guys may kind o’ lookin’ this way an’ that, like as
try to interfere!” if he warn’t quite certain o’ his way.
"Sam’l,” a lank, lean youth whose cos¬ Then, all of a suddent, he kind o’ stopped
tume duplicated that of his father, de¬ an’ threw his head back, like a dawg
scended the stairway grinning, an auto¬ sniffin’ th’ air, an’ started to go down on
matic shotgun cradled in the hollow of his all-fours, like he wuz goin’ to sneak
his arm. "D’ye expect any real rough up on th’ house. So I hauls off an’ lets
stuff?” he asked. ’im have a tickle o’ buckshot. Don’t know
whether I hit ’im or not, an’ I’ll bet he
"Seems like they’re apt to try an’ set
don’t, needier; he sure didn’t waste no
a dawg on ’em,” his father answered, and
time stoppin’ to find out. Could he run!
the younger man grinned cheerfully.
I’m tellin’ ye, that feller must be in Har-
"Dawgs, is it?” he replied. "Dawgs is
risonville by now, if he kep’ on goin’
my dish. Go on, Pap, do yer stuff. Good
like he started!”
luck, folks,” he winked encouragingly at
John and Sarah and stepped out on the
porch, his gun in readiness. T wo days of feverish activity ensued.
Last-minute traveling arrangements
"Do you take this here woman fer yer
had to be made, and passports for "John
lawful, wedded wife?” the justice in¬
Maxwell and wife, Harrisonville, New
quired of John Maxwell, and when the
Jersey, U. S. A.,” obtained. De Grandin
latter answered that he did:
spent every waking hour with the newly
"An’ do you take this here now man to
married couple and even insisted on oc¬
be yer wedded husband?” he asked
cupying a room in the Leigh house at
Sarah.
night; but his precautions seemed un¬
"I do,” the girl responded in a trem¬
necessary, for not so much as a whimper
bling whisper, and the roaring bellow of
sounded under Sarah’s window, and
a shotgun punctuated the brief pause be¬
though the little Frenchman searched
fore the squire concluded:
the garden every morning, there was no
"Then by virtue of th’ authority vested
trace of unfamiliar footprints, either brute
in me by th’ law an’ constitootion of this
or human, to be found.
state, I do declare ye man an’ wife—an’
whoever says that ye ain’t married law¬ "Looks as if Sallie’s Greek boy friend
fully ’s a danged liar,” he added as a sort knows when he’s licked and has decided
of afterthought. to quit following her about,” John Max¬
"What wuz it that ye shot at, Sam’l?” well grinned as he and Sarah, radiant
asked the justice as, enriched by fifty dol¬ with happiness, stood upon the deck of
lars, and grinning appreciatively at the the lie de France.

evening’s profitable business, he ushered "One hopes so,” de Grandin answered

us from the house. with a smile. "Good luck, mes amis, and
"Durned if I know, Pap,” the other may your lune de miel shine as brightly
answered. "Looked kind o’ funny to me. throughout all your lives as it does this
He wuz about a head taller’n me—an’ night.
I’m six foot two—an’ thin as Job’s tur¬ "La lune—ha?” he repeated half mus-
294 WEIRD TALES

ingly, half with surprize, as though he has dreadful powers of destructiveness;

just remembered some important thing for the man who is also a wolf is ten
which had inadvertently slipped his mem¬ times more deadly than the wolf who is
ory. "May I speak a private warning in only a wolf. He has the wolf’s great
your ear. Friend Jean?” He drew the strength and savagery, but human cunning
bridegroom aside and whispered earnest¬ with it. At night he quests and kills his
ly a moment. prey, which is most often his fellow man,
"Oh, bosh!” the other laughed as they but sometimes sheep or hares, or his an¬
rejoined us. "That’s all behind us. Doc¬ cient enemy, the dog. By day he hides
tor; you’ll see; we’ll never hear a sound his villainy—and the location of his lair
from him. He’s got me to deal with now, —under human guise.
not just poor Sarah.” "However, he has this weakness: strong
"Bravely spoken, little cabbage!” the and ferocious, cunning and malicious as
Frenchman applauded. "Bon voyage.” he is, he can be killed as easily as any
But there was a serious expression on his natural wolf. A sharp sword will slay
face as we went down the gangway. him, a well-aimed bullet puts an end to
"What was the private warning you his career; the wood of the thorn-bush
gave John?” I asked as we left the French and the mountain ash are so repugnant
Line piers. "He didn’t seem to take it to him that he will slink away if beaten
very seriously.” or merely threatened with a switch of
either. Weapons efficacious against an
"No,” he conceded. "I wish he had.
ordinary physical foe are potent against
But youth is always brave and reckless
him, while charms and exorcisms which
in its own conceit. It was about the
would put a true demon to flight are
moon. She has a strange influence on
powerless.
lycanthropy. The werewolf metamor¬
phoses more easily in the full of the "You saw how he mocked at Mon¬

moon than at any other time, and those sieur Higginbotham in the sacristy the

who may have been affected with his other night, by example. But he did not
stop to bandy words with me. Oh, no.
virus, though even faintly, are most apt
to feel its spell when the moon is at the He knows that I shoot straight and quick,
full. I warned him to be particularly and he had already felt my lead on one
occasion. If young Friend Jean will al¬
careful of his lady on moonlit nights, and
ways go well-armed, he has no need to
on no account to go anywhere after dark
fear; but if he be taken off his guard—
unless he were armed.
eh bien, we can not always be on hand
"The werewolf is really an inferior
to rescue him as we did the night when
demon,” he continued as we boarded the
we first met him. No, certainly.”
Hoboken ferry. "Just what he is we do
not know with certainty, though we know "But why do you fear for Sarah?” I
he has existed from the earliest times; persisted.
for many writers of antiquity mention "I hardly know,” he answered. "Per¬
him. Sometimes he is said to be a mag¬ haps it is that I have what you Americans
ical wolf who has the power to become a so drolly call the hunch. Werewolves
man. More often he is said to be a man sometimes become werewolves by the aid
who can become a wolf at times, some¬ of Satan, that they may kill their ene¬
times of his own volition, sometimes at mies while in lupine form, or satisfy their
stated seasons, even against his will. He natural lust for blood and cruelty while
 THE THING IN THE FOG 295

disguised as beasts. Some are transformed tice’s son drove off with his shotgun was
as the result of a curse upon themselves the same, according to his description.”
or their families, a few are metamor¬ Surprizingly, he did not take offense
phosed by accident. These are the most at my interruption. Instead, he frowned
unfortunate of all. In certain parts of in thoughtful silence at the dashboard
Europe, notably in Greece, Russia and the lights a moment; then: "Sometimes the
Balkan states, the very soil seems cursed werewolf is completely transformed from
with lycanthropic power. There are cer¬ man to beast,” he answered; "sometimes
tain places where, if the unwary traveler he is a hideous combination of the two,
lies down to sleep, he is apt to wake up but always he is a fiend incarnate. My
with the curse of werewolfism on him. own belief is that this one was only partly
Certain streams and springs there are transformed when we last saw him be¬
which, if drunk from, will render the cause he had not time to wait complete
drinker liable to transformation at the metamorphosis. It is possible he could
next full moon, and regularly thereafter. not change completely, too, because-”
You will recall that in the dream, or he broke off and pointed at the sky sig¬
vision, which Madame Sarah had while nificantly.
in the Smyrna garden so long ago, she "Well?” I demanded as he made no
beheld herself drinking from a woodland further effort to proceed.
pool? I do not surely know, my friend,
"Non, it is not well,” he denied, "but
I have not even good grounds for sus¬
it may be important. Do you observe
picion, but something—something which
the moon tonight?”
I can not name—tells me that in some
"Why, yes.”
way this poor one, who is so wholly inno¬
cent, has been branded with the taint of "What quarter is it in?”
lycanthropy. How it came about I can "The last; it’s waning fast.”
not say, but-” "Prechement. As I was saying, it may
be that his powers to metamorphose him¬
My mind had been busily engaged with
self were weakened because of the wan¬
other problems, and I had listened to his
ing of the moon. Remember, if you
disquisition on lycanthropy with some¬
please, his power for evil is at its height
thing less than full attention. Now, sud¬
when the moon is at the full, and as it
denly aware of the thing which puzzled
wanes, his powers become less and less.
me, I interrupted:
At the darkening of the moon, he is at
"Can you explain the form that were¬ his weakest, and then is the time for us
wolf—if that’s what it was—took on to strike—if only we could find him. But
different occasions? The night we met he will lie well hidden at such times,
John Maxwell he was fighting for his never fear. He is clever with a devilish
life with as true a wolf as any there are cunningness, that one.”
in the zoological gardens. O’Brien, the "Oh, you’re fantastic!” I burst out.
policeman, saw it, too, and shot at it, "You say so, having seen what you
after it had killed Fred Suffrige. It was have seen?”
a sure-enough wolf when it howled under "Well, I’ll admit we’ve seen some
Sarah’s window and you wounded it; yet things which are mighty hard to explain,”
when it interrupted the wedding it was I conceded, "but-”
an awful combination of wolf and man, “But we are arrived at home; Mon¬
dr man and wolf, and the thing the jus¬ sieur and Madame Maxwell are safe upon
296 WEIRD TALES

the ocean, and I am vilely thirsty,” he We tendered our congratulations to

broke in. "Come, let us take a drink and the homing newlyweds; then de Grandin
go to bed, my friend.” plucked me by the sleeve. “Come away,
my friend,” he whispered in an almost
W ith midwinter came John
Sarah Maxwell, back from their
and tragic voice. "Come quickly, or these
thirsty ones will have drunk up all the

honeymoon in Paris and on the Riviera. punch containing rum and champagne and

A week before their advent, notices in left us only lemonade!”

the society columns told of their home¬ The evening passed with pleasant
coming, and a week after their return swiftness, and guests began to leave.
an engraved invitation apprised de Gran- “Where’s Sallie—seen her?” asked John
din and me that the honor of our pres¬ Maxwell, interrupting a rather Rabelaisian
ence was requested at a reception in the story which deGrandin was retailing with
Leigh mansion, where they had taken gusto to several appreciative young men
residence. "... and please come early in the conservatory. “The Carter-Brooks
and stay late; there are a million things are leaving, and-”
I want to talk about,” Sarah pencilled at De Grandin brought his story to a close
the bottom of our card. with the suddenness of a descending
Jules de Grandin was more than usual¬ theater curtain, and a look of something
ly ornate on the night of the reception. like consternation shone in his small,
His London-tailored evening clothes were round eyes. “She is not here?” he asked
knife-sharp in their creases; about his sharply. "When did you last see her?”
neck hung the insignia of the Legion "Oh,” John answered vaguely, "just
d’Honneur; a row of miniature medals, a little while ago; we danced the 'Blue
including the French and Belgian war Danube’ together, then she went upstairs
crosses, the Medaille Militaire and the for something, and-”
Italian Medal of Valor, decorated the "Quick, swiftly!” de Grandin inter¬
left breast of his faultless evening coat; rupted. "Pardon, Messieurs," he bowed
his little, wheat-blond mustache was to his late audience and, beckoning me,
waxed to needle-sharpness and his sleek strode toward the stairs.
blond hair was brilliantined and brushed "I say, what’s the rush-” began
till it fitted flat upon his shapely little John Maxwell, but:
head as a skull-cap of beige satin. "Every reason under heaven,” the
Lights blazed from every window of Frenchman broke in shortly. To me:
the house as we drew up beneath the "Did you observe the night outside.
porte-cochere. Inside all was laughter, Friend Trowbridge?”
staccato conversation and the odd, not "Why, yes,” I answered. "Its a beau¬
unpleasant odor rising from the mingling tiful moonlit night, almost bright as day,
of the hundred or more individual scents and-”
affected by the women guests. Summer "And there you are, for the love of
was still near enough for the men to re¬ ten thousand pigs!” he cut in. “Oh, I
tain the tan of mountain and seashore on am the stupid-headed fool, me! Why did
their faces and for a velvet vestige of I let her from my sight?”
veneer of painfully acquired sun-tan to We followed in wondering silence as
show upon the women’s arms and shoul¬ he climbed the stairs, hurried down the
ders. hall toward Sarah’s room and paused be-
 THE THING IN THE TOG 297

fore her door. He raised his hand to rap, “TTThat-” began John Maxwell,
but the portal swung away, and a girl v v but the Frenchman motioned him
stood staring at us from the threshold. to silence.

"Did it pass you?” she asked, regard¬ "Behold, regard each item carefully;
ing us in wide-eyed wonder. stamp them upon your memories,” he
ordered, sweeping the charming chamber
"Pardon, Mademoiselle?” de Grandin
with his sharp, stock-taking glance.
countered. "What is it that you ask?”
A fire burned brightly in the open
"Why, did you see that lovely collie,
grate, parchment-shaded lamps diffused
it-” soft light. Upon the bed there lay a pair
"Cher Dieu,” the words were like a of rose-silk pajamas, with a sheer crepe
groan upon the little Frenchman’s lips negligee beside them. A pair of satin
as he looked at her in horror. Then, re¬ mules were placed toes in upon the bed¬
covering himself: "Proceed, Mademoi¬ side rug. Across the chaise-longue was
selle, it was of a dog you spoke?” draped, as though discarded in the ut¬
most haste, the white-satin evening gown
"Yes,” she returned. "I came upstairs
that Sarah had worn. Upon the floor beside
to freshen up, and found I’d lost my
the lounge were crumpled wisps of ivory
compact somewhere, so I came to Sallie’s
crepe de Chine, her bandeau and trunks.
room to get some powder. She’d come up
Sarah, being wholly modern, had worn
a few moments before, and I was posi¬
tive I’d find her here, but-” she no stockings, but her white-and-silver

paused in puzzlement a moment; then: evening sandals lay beside the lingerie,

"But when I came in there was no one one on its sole, as though she had stepped
here. Her dress was lying on the chaise- out of it, the other on its side, gaping
longue there, as though she’d slipped it emptily, as though kicked from her little

off, and by the window, looking out with pink-and-white foot in panic haste. There
was something ominous about that silent
its paws up on the sill, was the loveliest
silver collie. room; it was like a body from which the
spirit had departed, still beautiful and
"I didn’t know you had a dog, John,”
warm, but lifeless.
she turned to Maxwell. "When did you
"Humph,” Maxwell muttered, "the
get it? It’s the loveliest creature, but it
Devil knows where she’s gone-”
seemed to be afraid of me; for when I
went to pat it, it slunk away, and before "He knows very, exceedingly well, I

I realized it had bolted through the door, have no doubt,” de Grandin interrupted.
"But we do not. Now—ah? Ah-ah-ab?”
which I’d left open. It ran down the
his exclamation rose steadily, thinning to
hall.”
a sharpness like a razor’s cutting-edge.
"A dog?” John Maxwell answered be-
"What have we here?”
wilderedly. "We haven’t any dog, Nell;
Like a hound upon the trail, guided by
it must have been-”
scent alone, he crossed the room and
"Never mind what it was,” de Gran¬ halted by the dressing-table. Before the
din interrupted as the girl went down the mirror stood an uncorked flask of per¬
hall, and as she passed out of hearing fume, lovely thing of polished crystal
he seized us by the elbows and fairly decorated with silver basketwork. From
thrust us into Sarah’s room, closing the its open neck there rose a thin but pene¬
door quickly behind us. trating scent, not wholly sweet nor wholly
298 WEIRD TALES

acrid, but a not unpleasant combination when all were gone, the young man
of the two, as though musk and flower- turned to Jules de Grandin, and:
scent had each lent it something of their "Now, out with it,” he ordered gruf¬
savors. fly. "I can tell by your manner some¬
The little Frenchman put it to his thing serious has happened. What is it,
nose, then set it down with a grimace. man; what is it?”
"Name of an Indian pig, how comes this De Grandin patted him upon the
devil’s brew here?” he asked. shoulder with a mixture of affection and
"Oh, that?” Maxwell answered. commiseration in the gesture. "Be
"Hanged if I know. Some unknown ad¬ brave, mon vieux," he ordered softly. "It
mirer of Sallie’s sent it to her. It came is the worst. He has her in his power;
today, all wrapped up like something she has gone to join him, for—pitie de
from a jeweler’s. Rather pleasant-smell¬ Dieu!—she has become like him.”
ing, isn’t it?”
"Wha—what?” the husband quavered.
De Grandin looked at him as Torque- "You mean she—that Sallie, my Sallie,
mada might have looked at one accusing has become a were-” his voice balked
him of loving Martin Luther. "Did you at the final syllable, but de Grandin’s nod
by any chance make use of it, Monsieur?” confirmed his guess.
he asked in an almost soundless whisper. "Helas, you have said it, my poor
"I? Good Lord, do I look like the sort friend,” he murmured pitifully.
of he-thing who’d use perfume?” the
"But how?—when?—I thought surely
Other asked. we’d driven him off-” the young man
"Bien, I did but ask to know,” de faltered, then stopped, horror choking
Grandin answered as he jammed the sil¬ the words back in his throat.
ver-mounted stopper in the bottle and "Unfortunately, no,” de Grandin told
thrust the flask into his trousers pocket. him. "He was driven off, certainly, but
"But where the deuce is Sallie?” the not diverted from his purpose. Attend
young husband persisted. "She’s changed me.”
her clothes, that’s certain; but what did From his trousers pocket he produced
she go out for, and if she didn’t go cut, the vial of perfume, uncorked it and let
where is she?” its scent escape into the room. "You
"Ah, it may be that she had a sudden recognize it, hein?” he asked.
feeling of faintness, and decided to go "No, I can’t say I do,” Maxwell an¬
out into the air,” the Frenchman tem¬ swered.
porized. "Come, Monsieur, the guests “Do you, Friend Trowbridge?”
are waiting to depart, and you must say I shook my head.
adieu. Tell them that your lady is in¬ "Very well. I do, to my sorrow.”
disposed, make excuses, tell them any¬ He turned once more to me. "The
thing, but get them out all quickly; we night Monsieur and Madame Maxwell
have work to do.” sailed upon the lie de France, you may
recall I was explaining how the innocent
J ohn maxwell lied gallantly, de became werewolves at times?” he re¬
Grandin and I standing at his side minded.
to prevent any officious dowager from "Yes, and I interrupted to ask about
mounting the stairs and administering the different shapes that thing assumed,”
home-made medical assistance. At last, I nodded.
 THE THING IN THE FOG 299

"You interrupted then,” he agreed sends to Europe for the essence of these
soberly, "but you will not interrupt now. flowers, prepares a philtre from it, and
Oh, no. You will listen while I . talk. I sends it to Madame Sarah today. Its scent
had told you of the haunted dells where is novel, rather pleasing; women like
travelers may unknowingly become were¬ strange, exotic scents. She uses it. Anon,
wolves, of the streams from which the she feels a queerness. She does not realize
drinker may receive contagion, but you that it is the metamorphosis which comes
did not wait to hear of les fleurs des upon her, she only knows that she feels
loups, did you?” vaguely strange. She goes to her room.
"Fleurs des loups—wolf-flowers?” I Perhaps she puts the perfume on her
asked. brow again, as women do when they feel

"PricisSment, wolf-flowers. Upon those faint; then, pardieu, then there comes the

cursed mountains grows a kind of flower change all quickly, for the moon is full

which, plucked and worn at the full of the tonight, and the essence of the flowers
very potent.
moon, transforms the wearer into a loup-
garou. Yes. One of these flowers, known "She doffed her clothes, you think?
popularly as the fleur de sang, or blood- Mats non, they fell from her! A woman’s
flower, because of its red petals, resem¬ raiment does not fit a wolf; it falls off
bles the marguerite, or daisy, in form; the from her altered form, and we find it on
other is a golden yellow, and is much like the couch and on the floor.
the snapdragon. But both have the same "That other girl comes to the room,
fell property, both have the same strong, and finds poor Madame Sarah, trans¬
sweet, fascinating scent. formed to a wolf, gazing sadly from the
"This, my friends,” he passed the window—la pauvre, she knew too well
opened flagon underneath our noses, "is who waited outside in the moonlight for
a perfume made from the sap of those her, and she must go to him! Her friend
accursed flowers. It is the highly concen¬ puts out a hand to pet her, but she shrinks
trated venom of their devilishness. One away. She feels she is ’unclean’, a thing
applying it to her person, anointing lips, apart, one of 'that multitudinous herd
ears, hair and hands with it, as women not yet made fast in hell’—les loups-
wont, would as surely be translated into garous! And so she flies through the
wolfish form as though she wore the open door of her room, flies where? Only
cursed flower whence the perfume comes. le bon Dieu—and the Devil, who is mas¬
Yes. ter of all werewolves—know!”

"That silver collie of which the young "But we must find her!” Maxwell
girl spoke. Monsieur”—he turned a wailed. "We’ve got to find her!”
fixed, but pitying look upon John Max¬ "Where are we to look?” de Grandin
well—"she was your wife, transformed spread his hands and raised his shoul¬
into a wolf-thing by the power of this ders. "The city is wide, and we have no
perfume. idea where this wolf-man makes his lair.
"Consider: Can you not see it all? The werewolf travels fast, my friend;
Balked, but not defeated, the vile vryko- they may be miles away by now.”
lakas is left to perfect his revenge while "I don’t care a damn what you say.
you are on your honeymoon. He knows I’m going out to look for her!” Maxwell
that you will come again to Harrisonville; declared as he rose from his seat and
he need not follow you. Accordingly, he strode to the library table, from the draw-
300 WEIRD TALES

er of which he took a heavy pistol. "You set it to his lips there came a sudden
shot him once and wounded him, so I interruption. An oddly whining, whim¬
know he’s vulnerable to bullets, and when pering noise it was, accompanied by a
I find him-” scratching at the door, as though a dog
"But certainly,” the Frenchman inter¬ were outside in the night and importun¬
rupted. “We heartily agree with you, my ing for admission.
friend. But let us first go to Doctor Trow¬ "Ah?” de Grandin put his glass down
bridge’s house where we, too, may secure on the hall table and reached beneath his
weapons. Then we shall be delighted to left armpit where the small but deadly
accompany you upon your hunt.” Belgian automatic pistol nestled in its
As we started for my place he whis¬ shoulder-holster. "Ah-ha? We have a
pered in my ear: "Prepare the knock-out visitor, it seems.” To me he bade:
drops as soon as we are there, Friend "Open the door, wide and quickly,
Trowbridge. It would be suicide for him Friend Trowbridge; then stand away, for
to seek that monster now. He can not I shall likely shoot with haste, and it is
hit a barn-side with a pistol, can not even not your estimable self that I desire to
draw it quickly from his pocket. His kill.”
chances are not one in a million if he
I followed his instructions, but instead
meets the wolf, and if we let him go we
of the gray horror I had expected at the
shall be playing right into the adversary’s
door, I saw a slender canine form with
hands.”
hair so silver-gray that it was almost
I nodded agreement as we drove along, white, which bent its head and wagged
and when I’d parked the car, I turned to its tail, and fairly fawned upon us as it
Maxwell. "Better come in and have a slipped quickly through the opening,
drink before we start,” I invited. “It’s then looked at each of us in turn with
cold tonight, and we may not get back
great, expressive topaz eyes.
soon.”
"Ah, mon Dteu,” exclaimed the French¬
"AH right,” agreed the unsuspecting
man, sheathing his weapon and starting
youth. "But make it quick, I’m itching
forward, "it is Madame Sarah!”
to catch sight of that damned fiend. When
"Sallie?” cried John Maxwell incredu¬
I meet him he won’t get off as easily as
lously, and at his voice the beast leaped
he did in his brush with Doctor de
tow'ard him, rubbed against his knees,
Grandin.”
then rose upon its hind feet and strove

H astily I concocted a punch of

to lick his face.
"Ohe, quel dommage!” de Grandin
Jamaica rum, hot water, lemon
juice and sugar, adding fifteen grains of looked at them with tear-filled eyes; then:
chloral hydrate to John Maxwell’s and "Your pardon, Madame Sarah, but I
hoping the sugar and lemon would dis¬ do not think you came to us without a
guise its taste while the pungent rum reason. Can you lead us to the place
would hide its odor. "To our successful where he abides? If so we promise you
quest,” de Grandin proposed, raising his shall be avenged within the hour.”
steaming glass and looking questioningly The silver wolf dropped to all fours
at me for assurance that the young man’s again, and nodded its sleek head in an¬
drink was drugged. swer to his question; then, as he hesi¬
Maxwell raised his goblet, but ere he tated, came slowly up to him, took the
 THE THING IN THE FOG 301

cuff of his evening coat gently in its rush into the apartment. To me he added:
teeth and drew him toward the door. "Have your gun ready, good Friend
"Bravo, ma chere, lead on, we follow!” Trowbridge, and keep by me. He shall
he exclaimed; then, as we donned our not take us unawares.”
coats, he thrust a pistol in my hand and Shoulder to shoulder we entered the
cautioned: "Watch well, my friend, she dark doorway of the flat, John Maxwell
seems all amiable, but wolves are treach¬ and the wolf behind us. For a moment
erous, man-wolves a thousand times more we paused while de Grandin felt along
so; it may be he has sent her to lead us to a the wall, then click; the snapping of a
trap. Should anything untoward trans¬ wall-switch sounded, and the dark room
pire, shoot first and ask your foolish ques¬ blazed with sudden light.
tions afterward. That way you shall in¬
The wolf-man’s human hours were
crease your chances of dying peacefully
passed in pleasant circumstances. Every
in bed.”
item of the room proclaimed it the abode

T he white beast trotting before us,

we hastened down the quiet, moon¬
of one whose wealth and tastes were well
matched. The walls were hung with
light gray paper, the floor was covered
lit street. After forty minutes’ rapid walk,
with a Persian rug, and wide, low chairs
we stopped before a small apartment
upholstered in long-napped mohair in¬
house. As we paused to gaze, the little
vited the visitor to rest. Beneath the
wolf once more seized Jules de Grandin’s
arch of a marble mantelpiece a wood fire
sleeve between her teeth and drew him
had been laid, ready for the match, while
forward.
upon the shelf a tiny French-gilt clock
It was a little house, only three floors beat off the minutes with sharp, musical
high, and its front was zigzagged with clicks. Pictures in profusion lined the
iron fire escapes. No lights burned in walls, a landscape by an apt pupil of
any of the flats, and the whole place had Corot, an excellent imitation of Botti¬
an air of vacancy, but our lupine guide celli, and, above the mantel, a single life-
led us through the entranceway and down sized portrait done in oils.
the ground floor hall until we paused be¬
Every item of the portrait was por¬
fore the door of a rear apartment.
trayed with photographic fidelity, and we
De Grandin tried the knob cautiously, looked with interest at the subject, a man
found the lock made fast, and after a in early middle life, or late youth, dressed
moment dropped to his knees, drew out in the uniform of a captain’ of Greek
a ringful of fine steel instruments and cavalry. His cloak was thrown back from
began picking the fastening as methodi¬ his braided shoulders, displaying several
cally as though he were a professional military decorations, but it was the face
burglar. The lock was "burglar-proof” which captured the attention instantly,
but its makers had not reckoned with the making all the added detail of no conse¬
skill of Jules de Grandin. Before five quence. The hair was light, worn rather
minutes had elapsed he rose with a pleased long, and brushed straight back from a
exclamation, turned the knob and thrust high, wide forehead. The eyes were blue,
the door back. and touched with an expression of gen¬
"Hold her, Friend Jean,” he bade John tle melancholy. The features were
Maxwell, for the wolf was trembling markedly Oriental in cast, but neither
with a nervous quiver, and straining to coarse nor sensual. In vivid contrast to
302 WEIRD TALES

the hair and eyes was the pointed beard do not think that he is far away. The
upon the chin; for it was black as coal, window, you observe her?”
yet by some quaint combination of the
"Well?”
artist’s pigments it seemed to hide blue
lights within its sable depths. Looking "Precisement. She is a scant four feet
from the ground, and overlooks the alley.
from the blue-black beard to the sad blue
Also, though she was once fitted with
eyes it seemed to me I saw a hint, the
bars, they have been removed. Also,
merest faint suggestion, of wolfish cruelty
again, the sash is ready-raised. Is it not
in the face.
all perfect?”
"It is undoubtlessly he," de Grandin
"Perfect? For what?”
murmured as he gazed upon the portrait.
"For him, parbleu! For the werewolf’s
"He fits poor Madame Sarah’s descrip¬
entrances and exits. He comes tunning
tion to a nicety. But where is he in per¬
son? We can not fight his picture; no, down the alley, leaps agilely through the
open window, and voila, he is here. Or
of course not.”
leaps out into the alleyway with a single
Motioning us to wait, he snapped the bound, and goes upon his nightly hunts.
light off and drew a pocket flashlight He may return at any moment; it is well
from his waistcoat. He tiptoed through that we await him here.”
the door, exploring the farther room by
the beam of his searchlight, then re¬
joined us with a gesture of negation.
T he waiting minutes stretched inter¬
minably. The dark room where we
"He is not here,” he announced softly;
crouched was lighted from time to time,
"but come with me, my friends, I would
show you something.” then cast again into shadow, as the
racing clouds obscured or unveiled the
He led the way to the adjoining cham¬ full moon’s visage. At length, when I
ber, which, in any other dwelling, would felt I could no longer stand the strain, a
have been the bedroom. It was bare, ut¬ low, harsh growl from our four-footed
terly unfurnished, and as he flashed his companion brought us sharply to atten¬
light around the walls we saw, some three tion. In another moment we heard the
or four feet from the floor, a row of soft patter-patter, scratch-scratch of a
paw-prints, as though a beast had stood long-clawed beast running lightly on the
upon its hind legs and pressed its fore¬ pavement of the alleyway outside, and
feet to the walls. And the prints were in a second more a dark form bulked
marked in reddish smears—blood. against the window's opening and some¬
"You see?” he asked, as though the an¬ thing landed upon the floor.
swer to his question were apparent. "He For a moment there was breathless si¬
has no bed; he needs none, for at night lence; then: "Bon soir, Monsieur Loup-
he is a wolf, and sleeps denned down garou,” de Grandin greeted in a pleasant
upon the floor. Also, you observe, he has voice. "You have unexpected visitors.
not lacked for provender—le bon Dieu
"Do not move,” he added threatening¬
grant it was the blood of animals that
ly as a hardly audible growl sounded
stained his claws!”
from the farther comer of the room and
"But where is he?” asked Maxwell, we heard the scraping of long nails upon
fingering his pistol. the floor as the wolf-thing gathered for a
"S-s-sh!" warned the Frenchman. "I spring; "there are three of us, and each
 THE THING IN THE FOG 303

one is armed. Your reign of terror draws light, which one was tnan and which was
to a dose, Monsieur.” beast.

A narrow, dazzling shaft of light shot Then came a deep, low growl of pent-
from his pocket torch, dove through the up, savage fury, almost an articulate curse,
gloom and picked the crouching wor¬ it seemed to me, and like a streak of sil¬
thing’s form out of the darkness. Fangs ver-plated vengeance the little she-wolf
bared, black lips drawn back in bestial leaped upon the gray-brown brute which
fury, the gaunt, gray thing was backed growled and worried at the young man’s
into the corner, and from its open jaws throat.
we saw a thin trickle of slabber mixed We saw the white teeth bared, we saw
with blood. It had been feeding, so much them flesh themselves in the wolf-thing’s
was obvious. "But what had been its- shoulder, we saw her loose her hold, and
food?” I wondered with a shudder. leap back, avoiding the great wolfs
counter-stroke, then close with it again,
"It is your shot, Friend Jean,” the lit¬
sinking needle-fangs in the furry ruff
tle Frenchman spoke. "Take careful aim,
about its throat.
and do not jerk the pistol when you fire.”
He held his flashlight steadily upon the The great wolf shook her to and fro,
beast, and a second later came the roar battered her against the walls and floor
of Maxwell’s pistol. as a vicious terrier mistreats a luckless
rat, but she held on savagely, though we
The acrid smoke stung in our nostrils,
saw her left forepaw go limp and knew
the reverberation of the detonation al¬
the bone was broken.
most deafened us, and—a little fleck of
De Grandin watched his chance, crept
plaster fell down from the wall where
closer, closer, till he almost straddled the
Maxwell’s bullet was harmlessly em¬
contending beasts; then, darting forth his
bedded.
hand he put his pistol to the tawny-gray
"Ten thousand stinking camels!” Jules wolf’s ear, squeezed the trigger and leaped
de Grandin cried, but got no further, for back.
with a maddened, murderous growl the
A wild, despairing wail went up, the
wolf-man sprang, his lithe body describ¬
great, gray form seemed suddenly to stif¬
ing a graceful arc as it hurtled through
fen, to grow longer, heavier, to shed its
the air, his cruel, white fangs flashing
fur and thicken in limbs and body-struc¬
terribly as he leaped upon John Maxwell
ture. In a moment, as we watched the
and bore him to the floor before he could
horrid transformation, we beheld a hu¬
fire a second shot.
man form stretched out upon the floor;
"Nom de Dieu de nom de Dieu de the body of a handsome man with fair
nom de Dieu!” de Grandin swore, play¬ hair and blade beard, at the throat of
ing his flashlight upon the struggling man which a slender silver-gray she-wolf was
and brute and leaping forward, seeking worrying.
for a chance to use his pistol. "It is over, finished, little brave one,”
But to shoot the wolf would have de Grandin announced, reaching out a
meant that he must shoot the man, as hand to stroke the little wolf’s pale fur.
well; for the furry body lay upon the "Right nobly have you borne yourself
struggling Maxwell, and as they thrashed this night; but we have much to do be¬
and wrestled on the floor it was impos¬ fore our work is finished.”
sible to tell, at times, in the uncertain The she-wolf backed away, but the
304 WEIRD TALES

hair upon her shoulders was still bristling, killed the man-wolf if Sarah must be
and her topaz eyes were jewel-bright with bound in wolfish form henceforth?
the light of combat. Once or twice, de¬ "Tiens, my friends,” de Grandin an¬
spite de Grandin’s hand upon her neck, nounced himself at the library door, "he
she gave vent to throaty growls and took a lot of disposing of, that one. First
started toward the still form which lay I had to clean the blood from off his
upon the floor in a pool of moonlight, bedroom floor, then I must lug his filthy
another pool fast gathering beneath its carcass out into the alley and dispose of
head where de Grandin’s bullet had it as though it had been flung there from
crashed through its skull and brain. a racing motor. Tomorrow I doubt not
John Maxwell moved and moaned a the papers will make much of the myste¬
tortured moan, and instantly the little rious murder. 'A gangster put upon the
wolf was by his side, licking his cheeks spot by other gangsters,’ they will say.
with her pink tongue, emitting little And shall we point out their mistake? I
pleading whines, almost like the whim¬ damn think no.”
pers of a child in pain. He paused with a self-satisfied chuckle;
When Maxwell regained consciousness then: "Friend Jean, will you be good
it was pathetic to see the joy the wolf enough to go and fetch a negligee for
showed as he sat up and feebly put a Madame Sarah?” he asked. "Hurry, mon
groping hand against his throat. vieux, she will have need of it anon.”
As the young man left us: "Quick, my
"Not dead, my friend, you are not
friends,” he ordered. "You, Madame
nearly dead, thanks to the bravery of your
Sarah, lie upon the floor before the fire,
noble lady,” de Grandin told him with a
thus. Bien.
laugh. Then, to me:
"Friend Trowbridge, prepare bandages
"Do you go home with them, Friend
and splints for her poor arm. We can
Trowbridge. I must remain to dispose
not set it now, but later we must do so.
of this”—he prodded the inert form with
Certainly.
his foot—"and will be with you shortly.
"Now, my little brave one,” he ad¬
"Be of good cheer, ma pauvre,” he dressed the wolf again, "this will hurt
told the she-wolf, "you shall be soon re¬ you sorely, but only for a moment.”
leased from the spell, which binds you; I Drawing a small flask from his pocket
swear it; though never need you be he pulled the cork and poured its con¬
ashamed of what you did this night, what¬ tents over her.
ever form you might have had while do¬ "It’s holy water,” he explained as she
ing it.” whined and shivered as the liquid soaked
into her fur. "I had to stop to steal it
J OHN MAXWELL sat upon the divan, from a church.”
head in hands, the wolf crouched at A knife gleamed in the firelight, and
his feet, her broken paw dangling piti¬ he drove the gleaming blade into her
fully, her topaz eyes intent upon his face. head, drew it forth and shook it toward
I paced restlessly before the fire. De the fire, so that a drop of blood fell hiss¬
Grandin had declared he knew how to ing in the leaping flames. Twice more
release her from the spell—but what if he cut her with the knife, and twice more
he should fail? I shuddered at the dropped her blood into the fire; then,
thought. What booted it that we had holding the knife lightly by the handle,
 THE THING IN THE FOG 305

he struck her with the flat of the blade alive and healthy. A broken arm mends
between the ears three times in quick suc¬ quickly, and she has youth and stamina.
cession, crying as he did so: "Sarah Max¬ Put on her robe and bear her up to bed.
well, I command that you once more as¬ She will do excellently when she has had
sume your native form in the name of the some sleep.
Most Holy Trinity!” "But first observe this, if you please,”
A shudder passed through the wolf’s he added, pointing to her side. Where
frame. From nose to tail-tip she trem¬ the cicatrix with its tuft of wolf-hair had
bled, as though she lay in her death- marred her skin, there was now only
agony; then suddenly her outlines seemed smooth, unspotted flesh. "The curse is
to blur. Pale fur gave way to paler flesh, wholly lifted,” he declared delightedly.
her dainty lupine paws became dainty hu¬ "You need no more regard it, except as
man hands and feet, her body was no an unpleasant memory.”
more that of a wolf, but of a soft, sweet "John dear,” we heard the young wife
woman. murmur as her husband bore her from
But life seemed to have gone from her. the room, "I’ve had such a terrible dream.
She lay flaccid on the hearth rug, her I dreamed that I’d been turned into a
mouth a little open, eyes dosed, no move¬ wolf, and-”
ment of her breast perceptible. I looked "Come quickly, good Friend Trow¬
at her with growing consternation, but: bridge,” de Grandin plucked me by the
"Quickly, my friends, the splints, the arm, "I, too, would dream.”
bandages!" de Grandin ordered. "Dream? Of what?” I asked him.
I set the broken arm as quickly as I "Perchance of youth and love and
could, and as I finished young John Max¬ springtime, and the joys that might have
well rushed into the room, been,” he answered, something like a
"Sallie, beloved!” he fell beside his tremble in his voice. "And then, again,
wife’s unconsdous form, tears streaming perchance of snakes and toads and ele¬
down his face, phants, all of most unauthentic color—
"Is she—is she—•—” he began, but such things as one may see when he has
could not force himself to finish, as he drunk himself into the blissful state of
looked imploringly at Jules de Grandin. delirium tremens. I do not surely know
"Dead?” the little man supplied. "By that I can drink that much, but may the
no means; not at all, my friend. She is Devil bake me if I do not try!”

W. T.—3
 A strange, blood-freezing story
of an idol that wept on its throne,
and a valiant barbarian from the
fringes of an elder civilization

Vhe
"Conan set his teeth

^/ower of and drove the

sword deep."

the Elephant
By ROBERT E. HOWARD
T ORCHES flared murkily oh the
revels in the Maul, where the
staggered, roaring. Steel glinted in the
shadows where wolf preyed on wolf, and
thieves of the east held carnival by from the darkness rose the shrill laughter
night. In the Maul they could carouse and of women, and the sounds of scufflings
roar as they liked, for honest people and strugglings. Torchlight licked luridly
shunned the quarters, and watchmen, well from broken windows and wide-thrown
paid with stained coins, did not interfere doors, and out of those doors, stale
with their sport. Along the crooked, un¬ smells of wine and rank sweaty bodies,
paved streets with their heaps of refuse clamor of drinking-jacks and fists ham¬
and sloppy puddles, drunken roisterers mered on rough tables, snatches of ob-
506
 THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT 307.

scene songs, rushed like a blow in the face. He blew a slobbery kiss in the air.
In one of these dens merriment thun¬ "I know lords in Shem who would
dered to the low smoke-stained roof, trade the secret of the Elephant Tower for
where rascals gathered in every stage of her,” he said, returning to his ale.
rags and tatters—furtive cut-purses, leer¬
ing kidnappers, quick-fingered thieves,
swaggering bravoes with their wenches,
A touch on his tunic sleeve made him
L turn his head, scowling at the inter¬
strident-voiced women clad in tawdry ruption. He saw a tall, strongly made
finery. Native rogues were the dominant youth standing beside him. This person
element — dark-skinned, dark-eyed Za- was as much out of place in that den as a
morians, with daggers at their girdles and gray wolf among mangy rats of the gut¬
guile in their hearts. But there were ters. His cheap tunic could not conceal
wolves of half a dozen outland nations the hard, rangy lines of his powerful
there as well. There was a giant Hyper¬ frame, the broad heavy shoulders, the
borean renegade, taciturn, dangerous, massive chest, lean waist, and heavy arms.
with a broadsword strapped to his great His skin was brown from outland suns,
gaunt frame—for men wore steel openly his eyes blue and smoldering; a shock of
in the Maul. There was a Shemitish tousled black hair crowned his broad fore¬
counterfeiter, with his hook nose and head. From his girdle hung a sword in a
curled blue-black beard. There was a worn leather scabbard.
bold-eyed Brythunian wencli, sitting on The Kothian involuntarily drew back;
the knee of a tawny-haired Gunderman-— for the man was not one of any civilized
a wandering mercenary soldier, a desert¬ race he knew.
er from some defeated army. And the fat "You spoke of the Elephant Tower,”
gross rogue whose bawdy jests were caus¬ said the stranger, speaking Zamorian with
ing all the shouts of mirth was a profes¬ an alien accent. "I’ve heard much of this
sional kidnapper come up from distant tower; what is its secret?”
Koth to teach woman-stealing to Za- The fellow’s attitude did not seem
morians who were born with more knowl¬ threatening, and the Kothian’s courage
edge of the art than he could ever at¬ was bolstered up by the ale, and the evi¬
tain. dent approval of his audience. He swelled
This man halted in his description of with self-importance.
an intended victim’s charms, and thrust "The secret of the Elephant Tower?”
his muzzle into a huge tankard of froth¬ he exclaimed. "Why, any fool knows
ing ale. Then blowing the foam from that Yara the priest dwells there with the
his fat lips, he said, "By Bel, god of all great jewel men call the Elephant’s Heart,
thieves, I’ll show them how to steal that is the secret of his magic."
wenches: I'll have her over the Zamorian The barbarian digested this for a space.
border before dawn, and there’ll be a "I have seen this tower,” he said. "It
caravan waiting to receive her. Three is set in a great garden above the level of
hundred pieces of silver, a count of Ophir the city, surrounded by high walls. I
promised me for a sleek young Brythu¬ have seen no guards. The walls would be
nian of the better class. It took me weeks, easy to climb. Why has not somebody
wandering among the border cities as a stolen this secret gem?”
beggar, to find one I knew would suit. The Kothian stared wide-mouthed at
And is she a pretty baggage!’’ the other’s simplicity, then burst into a
308 WEIRD TALES

roar of derisive mirth, in which the others that greeted this remark. He saw no par¬
joined. ticular humor in. it, and was too new to
"Harken to this heathen!” he bellowed. civilization to understand its discourtesies.
"He would steal the jewel of Yara!— Civilized men are more discourteous than
Harken, fellow,” he said, turning porten¬ savages because they know they can be im¬
tously to the other, "I suppose you are polite without having their skulls split, as
some sort of a northern barbarian-” a general thing. He was bewildered and
"I am a Cimmerian,” the outlander an¬ chagrined, and doubtless would have
swered, in no friendly tone. The reply slunk away, abashed, but the Kothian
and the manner of it meant little to the chose to goad him further.
Kothian; of a kingdom that lay far to the "Come, come!” he shouted. "Tell these
south, on the borders of Shem, he knew poor fellows, who have only been thieves
only vaguely of the northern races. since before you were spawned, tell them
"Then give ear and learn wisdom, fel¬ how you would steal the gem!”
low,” said he, pointing his drinking-jack "There is always a way, if the desire be
at the discomfited youth. "Know that in coupled with courage,” answered the
Zamora, and more especially in this city, Cimmerian shortly, nettled.
there are more bold thieves than anywhere The Kothian chose to take this as a
else in the world, even Koth. If mortal personal slur. His face grew purple with
man could have stolen the gem, be sure anger.
it would have been filched long ago. You "What!” he roared. "You dare tell us
speak of climbing the walls, but once hav¬ our business, and intimate that we are
ing climbed, you would quickly wish cowards? Get along; get out of my
yourself back again. There are no guards sight!” And he pushed the Cimmerian
in the gardens at night for a very good violently.
reason—that is, no human guards. But in "Will you mock me and then lay hands
the watch-chamber, in the lower part of on me?” grated the barbarian, his quick
the tower, are armed men, and even if you rage leaping up; and he returned the
passed those who roam the gardens by push with an open-handed blow that
night, you must still pass through the sol¬ knocked his tormenter back against the
diers, for the gem is kept somewhere in rude-hewn table. Ale splashed over the
the tower above.” jack’s lip, and the Kothian roared in fury,
"But if a man could pass through the dragging at his sword.
gardens,” argued the Cimmerian, "why "Heathen dog!” he bellowed. "I’ll
could he not come at the gem through the have your heart for that!”
upper part of the tower and thus avoid Steel flashed and the throng surged
the soldiers?” wildly back out of the way. In their
Again the Kothian gaped at him. flight they knocked over the single candle
"Listen to him!” he shouted jeeringly. and the den was plunged in darkness,
"The barbarian is an eagle who would fly broken by the crash of upset benches,
to the jeweled rim of the tower, which is drum of flying feet, shouts, oaths of peo¬
only a hundred and fifty feet above the ple tumbling over one another, and a sin¬
earth, with rounded sides slicker than pol¬ gle strident yell of agony that cut the din
ished glass!” like a knife. When a candle was relighted,
The Cimmerian glared about, embar¬ most of the guests had gone out by doors
rassed at the roar of mocking laughter and broken windows, and the rest hud-
 THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT 309

died behind stacks of wine-kegs and under His sandalled feet made no sound on
tables. The barbarian was gone; the cen¬ the gleaming pave. No watchmen passed,
ter of the room was deserted except for for even the thieves of the Maul shunned
the gashed body of the Kothian. The the temples, where strange dooms had
Cimmerian, with the unerring instinct of been known to fall on violators. Ahead
the barbarian, had killed his man in the of him he saw, looming against the sky,
darkness and confusion. the Tower of the Elephant. He mused,
wondering why it was so named. No one
2 seemed to know. He had never seen an
elephant, but he vaguely understood that
T he lurid lights and drunken revelry
fell away behind the Cimmerian. He
it was a monstrous animal, with a tail in
front as well as behind. This a wandering
had discarded his tom tunic, and walked Shemite had told him, swearing that he
through the night naked except for a loin¬ had seen such beasts by the thousands in
cloth and his high-strapped sandals. He the country of the Hyrkanians; but all
moved with the supple ease of a great men knew what liars were the men of
tiger, his steely muscles rippling under his Shem. At any rate, there were no el¬
brown skin. ephants in Zamora.
He had entered the part of the city re¬ The shimmering shaft of the tower rose
served for the temples. On all sides of frostily in the stars. In the sunlight it
him they glittered white in the starlight— shone so dazzlingly that few could bear its
snowy marble pillars and golden domes glare, and men said it was built of silver.
and silver arches, shrines of Zamora’s It was round, a slim perfect cylinder, a
myriad strange gods. He did not trouble hundred and fifty feet in height, and its
his head about them; he knew that Za¬ rim glittered in the starlight with the
mora’s religion, like all things of a civ¬ great jewels which crusted it. The tower
ilized, long-settled people, was intricate stood among the waving exotic trees of a
and complex, and had lost most of the garden raised high above the general level
pristine essence in a maze of formulas of the city. A high wall enclosed this gar¬
and rituals. He had squatted for hours in den, and outside the wall was a lower level,
the courtyards of the philosophers, listen¬ likewise enclosed by a wall. No lights
ing to the arguments of theologians and shone forth; there seemed to be no win¬
teachers, and come away in a haze of dows in the tower—at least not above
bewilderment, sure of only one thing, and the level of the inner wall. Only the gems
that, that they were all touched in the high above sparkled frostily in the star¬
head. light.
His gods were simple and understand¬ Shrubbery grew thick outside the lower,
able; Crom was their chief, and he lived or outer wall. The Cimmerian crept close
on a great mountain, whence he sent and stood beside the barrier, measuring
forth dooms and death. It was useless to it with his eye. It was high, but he could
call on Crom, because he was a gloomy, leap and catch the coping with his fin¬
savage god, and he hated weaklings. But gers. Then it would be child’s play to
he gave a man courage at birth, and the swing himself up and over, and he did not
will and might to kill his enemies, which, doubt that he could pass the inner wall in
in the Cimmerian’s mind, was all any god the same manner. But be hesitated at the
should be expected to do. thought of the strange perils which were
310 WEIRD TALES

said to await within. These people were At last curiosity overcame him. Leap¬
strange and mysterious to him; they were ing lightly he grasped the wall and swung
not of his kind—not even of the same himself up to the top with one arm. Lying
blood as the more westerly Brythunians, flat on the broad coping, he looked down
Nemedians, Kothians and Aquilonians, into the wide space between the walls.
whose civiliied mysteries had awed him in No shrubbery grew near him, though
times past. The people of Zamora were he saw some carefully trimmed bushes
very ancient, and, from what he had seen near the inner wall. The starlight fell on
of them, very evil. the even sward and somewhere a foun¬
He thought of Yara, the high priest, tain tinkled.
who worked strange dooms from this The Cimmerian cautiously lowered
jeweled tower, and the Cimmerian's hair himself down on the inside and drew his
prickled as he remembered a tale told by sword, staring about him. He was shaken
a drunken page of the court—how Yara by the nervousness of the wild at stand¬
had laughed in the face of a hostile ing thus unprotected in the naked star¬
prince, and held up a glowing, evil gem light, and he moved lightly around the
before him, and how rays shot blindingly curve of the wall, hugging its shadow,
from that unholy jewel, to envelop die until he was even with the shrubbery he
prince, who screamed and fell down, and had noticed. Then he ran quickly toward
shrank to a withered blackened lump that it, crouching low, and almost tripped over
changed to a black spider which scam¬ a form that lay crumpled near the edges
pered wildly about the chamber until of the bushes,
Yara set his heel upon it. A quick look to right and left showed
Yara came not often from his tower of him no enemy in sight at least, and he
magic, and always to work evil on some bent close to investigate. His keen eyes,
man or some nation. The king of Za¬ even in the dim starlight, showed him a
mora feared him more than he feared strongly built man in the silvered armor
death, and kept himself drunk all the and crested helmet of the Zamorian royal
time because that fear was more than he guard. A shield and a spear lay near him,
could endure sober. Yara was very old and it took but an instant’s examination to
—centuries old, men said, and added that show that he had been strangled. The
he would live for ever because of the barbarian glanced about uneasily. He
magic of his gem, which men called the knew that this man must be the guard he
Heart of the Elephant, for no better rea¬ had heard pass his hiding-place by the
son than they named his hold the El¬ wall. Only a short time had passed, yet
ephant’s Tower. in that interval nameless hands had
The Cimmerian, engrossed in these reached out of the dark and choked out
thoughts, shrank quickly against the wall. the soldier’s life.
Within the garden some one was pass¬
ing, who walked with a measured stride.
The listener heard the clink of steel. So
S training his eyes in the gloom, he
saw a hint of motion through the
after all a guard did pace those gardens. shrubs near the wall. Thither he glided,
The Cimmerian waited, expected to gripping his sword. He made no more
hear him pass again, on the next round, noise than a panther stealing through the
but silence rested over the mysterious gar¬ night, yet the man he was stalking heard.
dens. The Cimmerian had a dim glimpse of a
 THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT 311

huge bulk dose to the wall, felt relief for months, but you, I think, have acted
that it was at least human; then the fel¬ on a sudden impulse, my friend.”
low wheeled quickly with a gasp that "You killed the soldier?”
sounded like panic, made the first motion
"Of course. I slid over the wall when
of a forward plunge, hands clutching,
he was on the other side of the garden.
then recoiled as the Cimmerian’s blade
I hid in the bushes; he heard me, or
caught the starlight. For a tense instant
thought he heard something. When he
neither spoke, standing ready for any¬
came blundering over, it was no trick at
thing.
all to get behind him and suddenly grip
"You are no soldier,” hissed the his neck and choke out his fool’s life.
stranger at last. "You are a thief like He was like most men, half blind in the
myself.” dark. A good thief should have eyes like
' And who are you?” asked the Cim¬ a cat.”
merian in a suspicious whisper. "You made one mistake,” said Conan.
"Taurus of Nemedia.” Taurus’ eyes flashed angrily.
The Cimmerian lowered his sword. "I? I, a mistake? Impossible!”
"I’ve heard of you. Men call you a "You should have dragged the body
prince of thieves.” into the bushes.”
A low laugh answered him. Taurus "Said the novice to the master of the
was tall as the Cimmerian, and heavier; art. They will not change the guard until
he was big-bellied and fat, but his every past midnight. Should any come search¬
movement betokened a subtle dynamic ing for him now, and find his body, they
magnetism, which was reflected in the would flee at once to Yara, bellowing the
keen eyes that glinted vitally, even in the news, and give us time to escape. Were
starlight. He was barefooted and carried they not to find it, they’d go beating up
a coil of what looked like a thin, strong the bushes and catch us like rats in a trap.”
rope, knotted at regular intervals. "You are right,” agreed Conan.
"Who are you?” he whispered. "So. Now attend. We waste time in
"Conan, a Cimmerian,” answered the this cursed discussion. There are no
other. "I came seeking a way to steal guards in the inner garden—human
Yara’s jewel, that men call the Elephant’s guards, I mean, though there are sentinels
Heart.” even more deadly. It was their presence
Conan sensed the man’s great belly which baffled me for so long, but I final¬
shaking in laughter, but it was not de¬ ly discovered a way to circumvent them.”
risive. "What of the soldiers in the lower
"By Bel, god of thieves!” hissed Tau¬ part of the tower?”
rus. "I had thought only myself had "Old Yara dwells in the chambers
courage to attempt that poaching. These above. By that route we will come—and
Zamorians call themselves thieves—bah! go, I hope. Never mind asking me how.
Conan, I like your grit. I never shared I have arranged a v/ay. We’ll steal down
an adventure with any one, but by Bel, through the top of the tower and stran¬
we’ll attempt this together if you’re gle old Yara before he can cast any of
willing.” his accursed spells on us. At least we’ll
"Then you are after the gem, too?” try; it’s the chance of being turned into
"What else? I’ve had my plans laid a spider or a toad, against the wealth and
312 WEIRD TALES

power of the world. All good thieves two great eyes blazed from the waving
must know how to take risks.” shadows, and behind them other sparks
"I’ll go as far as any man,” said Conan, of fire glinted in the darkness.
slipping off his sandals. "Lions!” muttered Conan.
"Then follow me.” And turning, "Aye. By day they are kept in subter¬
Taurus leaped up, caught the wall and ranean caverns below the tower. That’s
drew himself up. The man’s suppleness why there are no guards in this garden.”
was amazing, considering his bulk; he Conan counted the eyes rapidly.
seemed almost to glide up over the edge
"Five in sight; maybe more back in
of the coping. Conan followed him, and
the bushes. They’ll charge in a mo¬
lying flat on the broad top, they spoke in ment-”
wary whispers.
"Be silent!” hissed Taurus, and he
"I see no light,” Conan muttered. The moved out from the wall, cautiously as if
lower part of the tower seemed much treading on razors, lifting the slender
like that portion visible from outside the tube. Low rumblings rose from the
garden—a perfect, gleaming cylinder, shadows and the blazing eyes moved for¬
with no apparent openings. ward. Conan could sense the great slav¬
"There are cleverly constructed doors ering jaws, the tufted tails lashing tawny
and windows,” answered Taurus, "but sides. The air grew tense—the Cimmerian
they are closed. The soldiers breathe air gripped his sword, expecting the charge
that comes from above.” and the irresistible hurtling of giant
The garden was a vague pool of shad¬ bodies. Then Taurus brought the mouth
ows, where feathery bushes and low of the tube to his lips and blew power¬
spreading trees waved darkly in the star¬ fully. A long jet of yellowish powder
light. Conan’s wary soul felt the aura of shot from the other end of the tube and
waiting menace that brooded over it. He billowed out instantly in a thick green-
felt the burning glare of unseen eyes, yellow cloud that settled over the shrub¬
and he caught a subtle scent that made bery, blotting out the glaring eyes.
the short hairs on his neck instinctively Taurus ran back hastily to the wall.
bristle as a hunting dog bristles at the Conan glared without understanding.
scent of an ancient enemy. The thick cloud hid the shrubbery, and
"Follow me,” whispered Taurus, "keep from it no sound came.
behind me, as you value your life.” "What is that mist?” the Cimmerian
asked uneasily.
T aking what looked like a copper tube
from his girdle, the Nemedian
"Death!” hissed the Nemedian. "If a
wind springs up and blows it back upon
dropped lightly to the sward inside the us, we must flee over the wall. But no,
wall. Conan was close behind him, the wind is still, and now it is dissipating.
sword ready, but Taurus pushed him Wait until it vanishes entirely. To breathe
back, close to the wall, and showed no it is death.”
inclination to advance, himself. His Presently only yellowish shreds hung
whole attitude was of tense expectancy, ghostlily in the air; then they were gone,
and his gaze, like Conan’s, was fixed on and Taurus motioned his companion for¬
the shadowy mass of shrubbery a few ward. They stole toward the bushes, and
yards away. This shrubbery was shaken, Conan gasped. Stretched out in the shad¬
although the breeze had died down. Then ows lay five great tawny shapes, the fire
 THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT 313

of their grim eyes dimmed for ever.

sweetish cloying scent lingered in the at¬
A T aurus threw the line with a smooth,
ripping motion of his mighty arm.
mosphere. The hook curved upward and inward in
"They died without a sound!” mut¬ a peculiar manner, hard to describe, and
tered the Cimmerian. "Taurus, what was vanished over the jeweled rim. It ap¬
that powder?” parently caught firmly, for cautious jerk¬
"It was made from the black lotus, ing and then hard pulling did not result
whose blossoms wave in the lost jungles in any slipping or giving.
of Khitai, where only the yellow-skulled "Luck the first cast,” murmured Tau¬
priests of Yun dwell. Those blossoms rus. "I-”
strike dead any who smell of them.” It was Conan’s savage instinct whidi
Conan knelt beside the great forms, made him wheel suddenly; for the death
assuring himself that they were indeed that was upon them made no sound. A
beyond power of harm. He shook his fleeting glimpse showed the Cimmerian
head; the magic of the exotic lands was the giant tawny shape, rearing upright
mysterious and terrible to the barbarians against the stars, towering over him for
of the north. the death-stroke. No civilized man could
"Why can you not sky the soldiers in have moved half so quickly as the bar¬
the tower in the same way?” he asked. barian moved. His sword flashed frostily
"Because that was all the powder I in the starlight with every ounce of des¬
possessed. The obtaining of it was a feat perate nerve and thew behind it, and man
which In itself was enough to make me and beast went down together.
famous among the thieves of the world. Cursing incoherently beneath his
I stole it out of a caravan bound for breath, Taurus bent above the mass, and
Stygia, and I lifted it, in its cloth-of-gold saw his companion’s limbs move as he
bag, out of the coils of the great serpent strove to drag himself from under the
which guarded it, without awaking him. great weight that lay limply upon him.
But come, in Bel’s name! Are we to waste A glance showed the startled Nemedian
the night in discussion?” that tire lion was dead, its slanting skull
They glided through the shrubbery to split in half. He laid hold of the car¬
the gleaming foot of the tower, and cass, and by his aid, Conan thrust it aside
there, with a motion enjoining silence, and clambered up, still gripping his drip¬
Taurus unwound his knotted cord, on one ping sword.
end of which was a strong steel hook. "Are you hurt, man?” gasped Taurus,
Conan saw his plan, and asked no ques¬ still bewildered by the stunning swift¬
tions as the Nemedian gripped the line ness of that touch-and-go episode.
a short distance below the hook, and be¬ "No, by Crom!” answered the barba¬
gan to swing it about his head. Conan rian. "But that was as close a call as I’ve
laid his ear to the smooth wall and lis¬ had in a life noways tame. Why did not
tened, but could hear nothing. Evidently the cursed beast roar as he charged?”
the soldiers within did not suspect the "All things are strange in this gar¬
presence of intruders, who had made no den,” said Taurus. "The lions strike si¬
more sound than the night wind blowing lently—and so do other deaths. But.
through the trees. But a strange nervous¬ come—little sound was made in that
ness was on the barbarian; perhaps it slaying, but the soldiers might have
was the lion-smell which was over every¬ heard, if they are not asleep or drunk.
thing. That beast was in some other part of the
314 WEIRD TALES

garden and escaped the death of the Taurus,” he whispered; but the Nemedian
flowers, but surely there are no more. answered impatiently, "Come on! If we
We must climb this cord—little need to secure the Heart, these and all other
ask a Cimmerian if he can.” things shall be ours.”
"If it will bear my weight,” grunted Conan climbed over the sparkling
Conan, cleansing his sword on the grass. rim. The level of the tower’s top was
"It will bear thrice my own,” answered some feet below the gemmed ledge. It
Taurus. "It was woven from the tresses was flat, composed of some dark blue
of dead women, which I took from their substance, set with gold that caught the
tombs at midnight, and steeped in the starlight, so that the whole looked like
deadly wine of the upas tree, to give it a wide sapphire flecked with shining gold-
strength. I will go first—then follow dust. Across from the point where they
me closely.” had entered there seemed to be a sort of
The Nemedian gripped the rope and chamber, built upon the roof. It was of
crooking a knee about it, began the as¬ the same silvery material as the walls of
cent; he went up like a cat, belying the the tower, adorned with designs worked
apparent clumsiness of his bulk. The in smaller gems; its single door was of
Cimmerian followed. The cord swayed gold, its surface cut in scales, and crusted
and turned on itself, but the climbers with jewels that gleamed like ice.
were not hindered; both had made more Conan cast a glance at the pulsing
difficult climbs before. The jeweled rim ocean of lights which spread far below
glittered high above them, jutting out them, then glanced at Taurus. The
from the perpendicular of the wall, so Nemedian was drawing up his cord and
that the cord hung perhaps a foot from coiling it. He showed Conan where the
the side of the tower—a fact which added hook had caught—a fraction of an inch of
greatly to the ease of the ascent. the point had sunk under a great blazing
Up and up they went, silently, the jewel on the inner side of the rim.
lights of the city spreading out further
"Luck was with us again,” he mut¬
and further to their sight as they climbed,
tered. "One would think that our com¬
the stars above them more and more
bined weight would have torn that stone
dimmed by the glitter of the jewels
out. Follow me; the real risks of the ven¬
along the rim. Now Taurus reached up
ture begin now. We are in the serpent’s
a hand and gripped the rim itself, pull¬
lair, and we know not where he lies
ing himself up and over. Conan paused
hidden.”
a moment on the very edge, fascinated
by the great frosty jewels whose gleams
dazzled his eyes—diamonds, rubies, em¬
eralds, sapphires, turquoises, moonstones,
I ike stalking tigers they crept across the
J darkly gleaming floor and halted out¬
set thick as stars in the shimmering sil¬ side the sparkling door. With a deft and
ver. At a distance their different gleams cautious hand Taurus tried it. It gave
had seemed to merge into a pulsing without resistance, and the companions
white glare; but now, at close range, looked in, tensed for anything. Over the
they shimmered with a million rainbow Nemedian’s shoulder Conan had a glimpse
tints and lights, hypnotizing him with of a glittering chamber, the walls, ceiling
their scintillations. and floor of which were crusted with great
"There is a fabulous fortune here, white jewels which lighted it brightly.
 THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT 315

and which seemed its only illumination. had stricken him. Conan glared bewil-
It seemed empty of life. deredly at the cryptic golden door. In
"Before we cut off our last retreat," that empty room, with its glittering
hissed Taurus, "go you to the rim and jeweled walls, death had come to the
look over on all sides; if you see any sol¬ prince of thieves as swiftly and mysteri¬
diers moving in the gardens, or anything ously as he had dealt doom to the lions
suspicious, return and tell me. I will await in the gardens below.
you within this chamber.” Gingerly the barbarian ran his hands
Conan saw scant reason in this, and a over the man’s half-naked body, seeking
faint suspicion of his companion touched a wound. But the only marks of violence
his wary soul, but he did as Taurus re¬ were between his shoulders, high up near
quested. As he turned away, the Nemed- the base of his bull-neck—three small
ian slipt inside the door and drew it shut wounds, which looked as if three nails had
behind him. Conan crept about the rim been driven deep in the flesh and with¬
of the tower, returning to his starting- drawn. The edges of these wounds were
point without having seen any suspicious btack, and a faint smell as of putrefac¬
movement in the vaguely waving sea of tion was evident. Poisoned darts? thought
leaves below. He turned toward the door Conan—-but in that case the missiles
—suddenly from within the chamber should be still in the wounds.
there sounded a strangled cry. Cautiously he stole toward the golden
The Cimmerian leaped forward, elec¬ door, pushed it open, and looked inside.
trified—the gleaming door swung open The chamber lay empty, bathed in the
and Taurus stood framed in the cold cold, pulsing glow of the myriad jewels.
blaze behind him. He swayed and his In the very center of the ceiling he idly
lips parted, but only a dry rattle burst noted a curious design—a black eight-
from his throat. Catching at the golden sided pattern, in the center of which four
door for support, he lurched out upon the gems glittered with a red flame unlike the
roof, then fell headlong, clutching at his white blaze of the other jewels. Across
throat. The door swung to behind him. the room there was another door, like the
Conan, crouching like a panther at bay, one in which he stood, except that it was
saw nothing in the room behind the not carved in the scale pattern. Was it
stricken Nemedian, in the brief instant from that door that death had come?—
the door was partly open—unless it was and having struck down its victim, had it
not a trick of the light which made it retreated by the same way?
seem as if a shadow darted across the
gleaming floor. Nothing followed Tau¬
rus out on the roof, and Conan bent
C losing the door behind him, the
Cimmerian advanced into the cham¬
above the man. ber. His bare feet made no sound on the
The Nemedian stared up with dilated, crystal floor. There were no chairs or
glazing eyes, that somehow held a terrible tables in the chamber, only three or four
bewilderment. His hands clawed at his silken couches, embroidered with gold and
throat, his lips slobbered and gurgled; worked in strange serpentine designs, and
then suddenly he stiffened, and the several silver-bound mahogany chests.
astounded Cimmerian knew that he was Some were sealed with heavy golden
dead. And he felt that Taurus had died locks; others lay open, their carven lids
without knowing what manner of death thrown back, revealing heaps of jewels
316 WEIRD TALES

in a careless riot of splendor to the Cim¬ saved himself as the monstrosity swerved
merian’s astounded eyes. Conan swore at him, fangs clicking fiendishly. But the
beneath his breath; already he had looked creature did not press the pursuit; turn¬
upon more wealth that night than he had ing, it scuttled across the crystal floor and
ever dreamed existed in all the world, ran up the wall to the ceiling, where it
and he grew dizzy thinking of what must crouched for an instant, glaring down at
be the value of the jewel he sought. him with its fiendish red eyes. Then
He was in the center of the room now, without warning it launched itself
going stooped forward, head thrust out through space, trailing a strand of slimy
warily, sword advanced, when again death grayish stuff.
struck at him soundlessly. A flying shad¬ Conan stepped back to avoid the hurt¬
ow that swept across the gleaming floor ling body—then ducked frantically, just
was his only warning, and his instinctive in time to escape being snared by the fly¬
sidelong leap all that saved his life. He ing web-rope. He saw the monster’s in¬
had a flashing glimpse of a hairy black tent and sprang toward the door, but it
horror that swung past him with a clash¬ was quicker, and a sticky strand cast
ing of frothing fangs, and something across the door made him a prisoner. He
splashed on his bare shoulder that burned dared not try to cut it with his sword; he
like drops of liquid hell-fire. Springing knew the stuff would cling to the blade,
back, sword high, he saw the horror and before he could shake it loose, the
strike the floor, wheel and scuttle toward fiend would be sinking its fangs into his
him with appalling speed—a gigantic back.
black spider, such as men see only in Then began a desperate game, the wits
nightmare dreams. and quickness of the man matched against
It was as large as a pig, and its eight the fiendish craft and speed of the giant
thick hairy legs drove its ogreish body over spider. It no longer scuttled across the
the floor at headlong pace; its four evilly floor in a direct charge, or swung its body
gleaming eyes shone with a horrible in¬ through the air at him. It raced about the
telligence, and its fangs dripped venom ceiling and the walls, seeking to snare him
that Conan knew, from the burning of in the long loops of sticky gray web-
his shoulder where only a few drops had strands, which it flung with a devilish ac¬
splashed as the thing struck and missed, curacy. These strands were thick as ropes,
was laden with swift death. This was the and Conan knew that once they were
killer that had dropped from its perch in coiled about him, his desperate strength
the middle of the ceiling on a strand of would not be enough to tear him free
its web, on the neck of the Nemedian. before the monster struck.
Fools that they were not to have suspected All over the chamber went on that
that the upper chambers would be guard¬ devil’s dance, in utter silence except for
ed as well as the lower! the quick breathing of the man, the low
These thoughts flashed briefly through scuff of his bare feet on the shining floor,
Conan’s mind as the monster rushed. He the castanet rattle of the monstrosity’s
leaped high, and it passed beneath him, fangs. The gray strands lay in coils on
wheeled and charged back. This time he the floor; they were looped along the
evaded its rush with a sidewise leap, and walls; they overlaid the jewel-chests and
struck back like a cat His sword severed silken couches, and hung in dusky fes¬
one of the hairy legs, and again he barely toons from the jeweled ceiling. Conan’s
 THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT 317

steel-trap quickness of eye and muscle had come so far, and overcome so much
had kept him untouched, though the peril, he was determined to go through to
sticky loops had passed him so close they the grim finish of the adventure, whatever
rasped his naked hide. He knew he could that might be. And he felt that the jewel
not always avoid them; he not only had he sought was not among the many so
to watch the strands swinging from the carelessly strewn about the gleaming
ceiling, but to keep his eye on the floor, chamber.
lest he trip in the coils that lay there. Stripping off the loops that fouled the
Sooner or later a gummy loop would inner door, he found that it, like the
writhe about him, python-like, and then, other, was not locked. He wondered if
wrapped like a cocoon, he would lie at the the soldiers below were still unaware of
monster’s mercy. his presence. Well, he was high above
The spider raced across the chamber their heads, and if tales were to be be¬
floor, the gray rope waving out behind it. lieved, they were used to strange noises in
Conan leaped high, clearing a couch— the tower above them—sinister sounds,
with a quick wheel the fiend ran up the and screams of agony and horror.
wall, and the strand, leaping off the floor Yara was on his mind, and he was not
like a live thing, whipped about the Cim¬ altogether comfortable as he opened the
merian’s ankle. He caught himself on his golden door. But he saw only a flight of
hands as he fell, jerking frantically at the silver steps leading down, dimly lighted
web which held him like a pliant vise, or by what means he could not ascertain.
the coil of a python. The hairy devil was Down these he went silently, gripping his
racing down the wall to complete its cap¬ sword. He heard no sound, and came
ture. Stung to frenzy, Conan caught up a presently to an ivory door, set with blood¬
jewel chest and hurled it with all his stones. He listened, but no sound came
strength. It was a move the monster was from within; only thin wisps of smoke
not expecting. Full in the midst of the drifted lazily from beneath the door,
branching black legs the massive missile bearing a curious exotic odor unfamiliar
struck, smashing against the wall with a to the Cimmerian. Below him the silver
muffled sickening crunch. Blood and stair wound down to vanish in the dim¬
greenish slime spattered, and the shattered ness, and up that shadowy well no sound
mass fell with the burst gem-chest to the floated; he had an eery feeling that he was
floor. The crushed black body lay among alone in a tower occupied only by ghosts
the flaming riot of jewels that spilled and phantoms.
over it; the hairy legs moved aimlessly,
the dying eyes glittered redly among the
3
twinkling gems.
Conan glared about, but no other hor¬
ror appeared, and he set himself to work¬
C autiously he pressed against the
ivory door and it swung silently in¬
ing free of the web. The substance clung ward. On the shimmering threshold
tenaciously to his ankle and his hands, but Conan stared like a wolf in strange sur¬
at last he was free, and taking up his roundings, ready to fight or flee on the
sword, he picked his way among the gray instant. He was looking into a large
coils and loops to the inner door. What chamber with a domed golden ceiling; the
horrors lay within he did not know. The walls were of green jade, the floor of
Cimmerian’s blood was up, and since he ivory, partly covered by thick rugs. Smoke
318 WEIRD TALES

and exotic scent of incense floated up horror froze him again when the being
from a brazier on a golden tripod, and spoke, in a strange, stammering voice that
behind it sat an idol on a sort of marble never changed its key or timbre. The
couch. Conan stared aghast; the image Cimmerian knew that those jaws were
had the body of a man, naked, and green never built or intended for human speech.
in color; but the head was one of night¬ "Who is here? Have you come to tor¬
mare and madness. Too large for the ture me again, Yara? Will you never be
human body, it had no attributes of done? Oh, Yag-kosha, is there no end to
humanity. Conan stared at the wide flar¬ agony?”
ing ears, the curling proboscis, on either Tears rolled from the sightless eyes,
side of which stood white tusks tipped and Conan’s gaze strayed to the limbs
with round golden balls. The eyes were stretched on the marble couch. And he
closed, as if in sleep. knew the monster would not rise to at¬
This then, was the reason for the name, tack him. He knew the marks of the
the Tower of the Elephant, for the head rack, and the searing brand of the flame,
of the thing was much like that of the and tough-souled as he was, he stood
beasts described by the Shemitish wan¬ aghast at the ruined deformities which his
derer. This was Yara’s god; where then reason told him had once been limbs as
should the gem be, but concealed in the comely as his own. And suddenly all fear
idol, since the stone was called the El¬ and repulsion went from him, to be re¬
ephant’s Heart? placed by a great pity. What this monster
As Conan came forward, his eyes fixed was, Conan could not know, but the evi¬
on the motionless idol, the eyes of the dences of its sufferings were so terrible
thing opened suddenly! The Cimmerian and pathetic that a strange aching sad¬
froze in his tracks. It was no image—it ness came over the Cimmerian, he knew
was a living thing, and he was trapped in not why. He only felt that he was look¬
its chamber! ing upon a cosmic tragedy, and he shrank
That he did not instantly explode in a with shame, as if the guilt of a whole race
burst of murderous frenzy is a fact that were laid upon him.
measures his horror, which paralyzed him "I am not Yara," he said. "I am only
where he stood. A civilized man in his a thief. I will not harm you.”
position would have sought doubtful "Come near that I may touch you,” the
refuge in the conclusion that he was in¬ creature faltered, and Conan came near
sane; it did not occur to the Cimmerian to unfearingly, his sword hanging forgotten
doubt his senses. He knew he was face to in his hand. The sensitive trunk came out
face with a demon of the Elder World, and groped over his face and shoulders,
and the realization robbed him of all his as a blind man gropes, and its touch was
faculties except sight. light as a girl’s hand.
The trunk of the horror was lifted and "You are not of Yara’s race of devils,’*
quested about, the topaz eyes stared un- sighed the creature. "The clean, lean
seeingly, and Conan knew the monster fierceness of the wastelands marks you. I
was blind. With the thought came a know your people from of old, whom I
thawing of his frozen nerves, and he knew by another name in the long, long
began to back silently toward the door. ago when another world lifted its jeweled
But the creature heard. The sensitive spires to the stars. There is blood on your
trunk stretched toward him, and Conan’s fingers.”
 THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT 319

"A spider in the chamber above and a terrible forms of life which then walked
lion in the garden,” muttered Conan. the earth, so that we became feared, and
"You have slain a man too, this night,” were not molested in the dim jungles of
answered the other. "And there is death the east, where we had our abode.
in the tower above. I feel; I know.” “We saw men grow from the ape and
“Aye,” muttered Conan. "The prince build the shining cities of Valusia, Kame-
of all thieves lies there dead from the bite lia, Commoria, and their sisters. We saw
of a vermin.” them reel before the thrusts of the heathen
"So—and so!” the strange inhuman Atlanteans and Piets and Lemurians. We
voice rose in a sort of low chant. "A saw the oceans rise and engulf Atlantis
slaying in the tavern and a slaying on the and Lemuria, and the isles of the Piets,
roof—I know; I feel. And the third will and the shining cities of civilization. We
make the magic of which not even Yara saw the survivors of Pictdom and Atlantis
dreams—ch, magic of deliverance, green build their stone age empires, and go
gods of Yag!” down to min, locked in bloody wars. We

Again tears fell as the tortured body saw the Piets sink into abysmal savagery,

was rocked to and fro in the grip of varied the Atlanteans into apedom again. We

emotions. Conan looked on, bewildered. saw new savages drift southward in con¬
quering waves from the arctic circle to
Then the convulsions ceased; the soft,
build a new civilization, with new king¬
sightless eyes were turned toward the
doms called Nemedia, and Koth, and
Cimmerian, the trunk beckoned.
Aquilonia and their sisters. We saw your
"Oh man, listen,” said the strange people rise under a new name from the
being. "I am foul and monstrous to you, jungles of the apes that had been At¬
am I not? Nay, do not answer; I know. lanteans. We saw the descendants of the
But you would seem as strange to me, Lemurians who had survived the cata¬
could I see you. There are many worlds clysm, rise again through savagery and
besides this earth, and life takes many ride westward, as Hyrkanians. And we
shapes. I am neither god nor demon, but saw this race of devils, survivors of the
flesh and blood like yourself, though the ancient civilization that was before At¬
substance differ in part, and the form be lantis sank, come once more into culture
cast in different mold. and power—this accursed kingdom of
Zamora.
"I am very old, oh man of the waste
countries; long and long ago I came to "All this we saw, neither aiding nor
this planet with others of my world, from hindering the immutable cosmic law, and
the green planet Yag, which circles for one by one we died; for we of Yag are
ever in the outer fringe of this universe. not immortal, though our lives are as the
We swept through space on mighty wings lives of planets and constellations. At last
that drove us through the cosmos quicker I alone was left, dreaming of old times
than light, because we had warred with among the ruined temples of jungle-lost
the kings of Yag and were defeated and Khitai, worshipped as a god by an ancient
outcast. But we could never return, for yellow-skinned race. Then came Yara,
on earth our wings withered from our versed in dark knowledge handed down
shoulders. Here we abode apart from through tire days of barbarism, since
earthly life. We fought the strange and before Atlantis sank.
320 WEIRD TALES

“T7irst he sat at my feet and learned altar indicated, and took up a great round
•T wisdom. But he was not satisfied jewel, clear as crimson crystal; and he
with what I taught him, for it was white knew that this was the Heart of the El¬
magic, and he wished evil lore, to enslave ephant.
kings and glut a fiendish ambition. I "Now for the great magic, the mighty
would teach him none of the black secrets magic, such as earth has not seen before,
I had gained, through no wish of mine, and shall not see again, through a million
through the eons. million of millenniums. By my life-blood
"But his wisdom was deeper than I had I conjure it, by blood born on the green
guessed; with guile gotten among the breast of Yag, dreaming far-poised in the
dusky tombs of dark Stygia, he trapped great blue vastness of Space.
me into divulging a secret I had not in¬ "Take your sword, man, and cut out my
tended to bare; and turning my own heart; then squeeze it so that the blood
power upon me, he enslaved me. Ah, will flow over the red stone. Then go you
gods of Yag, my cup has been bitter since down these stairs and enter the ebony
that hour! chamber where Yara sits wrapped in lotus-
“He brought me up from the lost jun¬ dreams of evil. Speak his name and he
gles of Khitai where the gray apes danced will awaken. Then lay this gem before
to the pipes of the yellow priests, and him, and say, 'Yag-kosha gives you a last
offerings of fruit and wine heaped my gift and a last enchantment.’ Then get
broken altars. No more was I a god to you from the tower quickly; fear not, your
kindly jungle-folk—I was slave to a devil way shall be made clear. The life of man
in human form.” is not the life of Yag, nor is human death
Again tears stole from the unseeing the death of Yag. Let me be free of this
eyes. cage of broken blind flesh, and I will once
"He pent me in this tower which at his more be Yogah of Yag, morning-crowned
command I built for him in a single night. and shining, with wings to fly, and feet to
By fire and rack he mastered me, and by dance, and eyes to see, and hands to
strange unearthly tortures you would not break.”
understand. In agony I would long ago Uncertainly Conan approached, and
have taken my own life, if I could. But Yag-kosha, or Yogah, as if sensing his
he kept me alive—mangled, blinded, and uncertainty, indicated where he should
broken—to do his foul bidding. And for strike. Conan set his teeth and drove the
three hundred years I have done his bid¬ sword deep. Blood streamed over the
ding, from this marble couch, blackening blade and his hand, and the monster
my soul with cosmic sins, and staining my started convulsively, then lay back quite
wisdom with crimes, because I had no still. Sure that life had fled, at least life
other choice. Yet not all my ancient as he understood it, Conan set to work on
secrets has he wrested from me, and my his grisly task and quickly brought forth
last gift shall be the sorcery of the Blood something that he felt must be the strange
and the Jewel. being’s heart, though it differed curiously
“For I feel the end of time draw near. from any he had ever seen. Holding the
You are the hand of Fate. I beg of you, still pulsing organ over the blazing jewel,
take the gem you will find on yonder he pressed it with both hands, and a rain
altar.” of blood fell on the stone. To his sur¬
Conan turned to the gold and ivory prize, it did not run off, but soaked into
W. T.—S
 THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT 321

the gem, as water is absorbed by a sponge. were a magnet to draw the shuddering
Holding the jewel gingerly, he went soul from his body. And as Conan looked,
out of the fantastic chamber and came he thought that his eyes must be playing
upon the silver steps. He did not look him tricks. For when Yara had risen up
back; he instinctively felt that some sort from his couch, the priest had seemed
of transmutation was taking place in the gigantically tall; yet now he saw that
body on the marble couch, and he further Yara’s head would scarcely come to his
felt that it was of a sort not to be wit¬ shoulder. He blinked, puzzled, and for
nessed by human eyes. the first time that night, doubted his own
senses. Then with a shock he realized that

H e closed the ivory door behind him the priest was shrinking in stature—was
growing smaller before his very gaze.
and without hesitation descended the
silver steps. It did not occur to him to With a detached feeling he watched,
ignore the instructions given him. He as a man might watch a play; immersed in
halted at an ebony door, in the center of a feeling of overpowering unreality, the
which was a grinning silver skull, and Cimmerian was no longer sure of his own
pushed it open. He looked into a cham¬ identity; he only knew that he was look¬
ber of ebony and jet, and saw, on a black ing upon the external evidences of the un¬
silken couch, a tail, spare form reclining. seen play of vast Outer forces, beyond
Yara the priest and sorcerer lay before his understanding.
him, his eyes open and dilated with the
Now Yara was no bigger than a child;
fumes of the yellow lotus, far-staring, as
now like an infant he sprawled on the
if fixed on gulfs and nighted abysses
table, still grasping the jewel. And now
beyond human ken.
the sorcerer suddenly realized his fate,
“Yara!” said Conan, like a judge pro¬ and he sprang up, releasing the gem. But
nouncing doom. "Awaken!” still he dwindled, and Conan saw a tiny,
The eyes cleared instantly and became pigmy figure rushing wildly about the
cold and cruel as a vulture’s. The tall ebony table-top, waving tiny arms and
silken-clad form lifted erect, and towered shrieking in a voice that was like the
gauntly above the Cimmerian. squeak of an insect.
"Dog!” His hiss was like the voice of Now he had shrunk until the great
a cobra. "What do you here?” jewel towered above him like a hill, and
Conan laid the jewel on the great Conan saw him cover his eyes with his
ebony table. hands, as if to shield them from the glare,
"He who sent this gem bade me say, as he staggered about like a madman.
'Yag-kosha gives a last gift and a last en¬ Conan sensed that some unseen magnetic
chantment.’ ” force was pulling Yara to the gem.
Yara recoiled, his dark face ashy. The Thrice he raced wildly about it in a nar¬
jewel was no longer crystal-clear; its rowing circle, thrice he strove to turn and
murky depths pulsed and throbbed, and run out across the table; then with a
curious smoky waves of changing color scream that echoed faintly in the ears of
passed over its smooth surface. As if the watcher, the priest threw up his arms
drawn hypnotically, Yara bent over the and ran straight toward the blazing globe.
table and gripped the gem in his hands, Bending close, Conan saw Yara clamber
staring into its shadowed depths, as if it up the smooth, curving surface, impos-
W. T.—4
322 WEIRD TALES

sibly, like a man climbing a glass moun¬ large chamber at the foot of the gleaming
tain. Now the priest stood on the top, stairs. There he halted for an instant; he
still with tossing arms, invoking what had come into the room of the soldiers.
grisly names only the gods know. And He saw the glitter of their silver corselets,
suddenly he sank into the very heart of the sheen of their jeweled sword-hilts.
the jewel, as a man sinks into a sea, and They sat slumped at the banquet board,
Conan saw the smoky waves close over their dusky plumes waving somberly
his head. Now he saw him in the crimson above their drooping helmeted heads; they
heart of the jewel, once more crystal- lay among their dice and fallen goblets
clear, as a man sees a scene far away, tiny on the wine-stained lapis-lazuli floor. And
with great distance. And into the heart he knew that they were dead. The promise
came a green, shining winged figure with had been made, the word kept; whether
the body of a man and the head of an el¬ sorcery or magic or the falling shadow of
ephant—no longer blind or crippled. great green wings had stilled the revelry,
Yara threw up his arms and fled as a Conan could not know, but his way had
madman flees, and on his heels came the been made clear. And a silver door stood
avenger. Then, like the bursting of a bub¬ open, framed in the whiteness of dawn.
ble, the great jewel vanished in a rainbow Into the waving green gardens came the
burst of iridescent gleams, and the ebony Cimmerian, and as the dawn wind blew
table-top lay bare and deserted-—as bare, upon him with the cool fragrance of luxu¬
Conan somehow knew, as the marble riant growths, he started like a mao wak¬
couch in the chamber above, where the ing from a dream. He turned back un¬
body of that strange transcosmic being certainly, to stare at the cryptic tower he
called Yag-kosha and Yogah Had iain. had just left. Was he bewitched and en¬
The Cimmerian turned and fled from chanted? Had he dreamed ali that had
the chamber, down the silver stairs. So seemed to have passed? As he looked he
mazed was he that it did not occur to him saw the gleaming tower sway against the
to escape from the tower by the way he crimson dawn, its jewel-crusted rim spark¬
had entered it. Down that winding, shad¬ ling in the growing light, and crash into
owy silver well he ran, and came into a shining shards.
I T HAD been a hard day at the labora¬
tory and every nerve in my body
Every faculty was paralyzed. I wanted
to shriek—to summon my servant—but
shrieked for rest. I drowsed through my vocal cords would make no sound.
dinner like a man in a trance, attempted My tongue clove to the roof of my
to read afterward and, catching myself mouth. Only my brain seemed alive and
napping, finally threw down my book it was a seething mass of panicky terror
in disgust and retired. —an inferno of overmastering horror of
I awoke with a start. An alien pres¬ the unknown.
ence seemed to permeate the room. Shud¬ What was it? What evil spell was op¬
dering, I attempted to reach the cord on pressing me like an incubus? I was lying
the reading-lamp by the side of my bed, on my side facing the window. The night
but some strange power held me back;. was dark and starless; even as I gazed
323
324 WEIRD TALES

into the blackness the room commenced dragged at me, pulling at me as a mag¬
to fill with a soft, phosphorescent light. net attracts a bit of iron. I felt myself
It grew stronger and stronger. I tried to lifted ... I was floating. . . .
tell myself that it was the moon filtering The window-screen was jerked from its
through some fleecy cloud, but my fear- hooks by strange hands; they were my
filled subconsciousness refused to swal¬ hands—I noted my seal ring on one of
low the lie. the fingers—yet they were the hands of
some one else. How can I describe my
Slowly the strange, weird glow divided
sensations? I was myself, John Dolby,
itself into two rays. They darted here and
yet I was another person. I was like a
there like beacon-fires, circling and danc¬
man who sees his own figure projected
ing from place to place until they finally
upon the screen.
settled full upon my face. My eyes
I dropped. Down . . . down . . .
glared back at them unblinkingly, for
down. . . .
their peculiar brightness had no effect
Then sudden blackness engulfed me.
upon my pupils. It seemed as if I could
trace them on and on through the star¬
less sky to where they found birth on a
I opened my eyes and gazed wonder-
ingly at the crushed and bleeding fig¬
mountain peak protruding above the
ure that lay upon the cold, hard pave¬
clouds.
ment beneath my window. I knew that
Somewhere outside a night bird
it was I—that I had succumbed to the
shrieked raucously. The grating sound
urge of those cruel eyes and had com¬
startled me out of the panic which
mitted suicide. Yet—and here comes
gripped me. I tried to bring cold logic
again one of the strange oddities of my
and reasoning to bear upon my condition,
fantastic tale—it was not 1. I was di¬
but in vain. The very atmosphere seemed
vided again; I was two separate and dis¬
filled with evil.
tinct entities. I was lying, a battered
Slowly the scene changed. My vision, heap, upon the stones of the street, yet I
following the twin beams to their source, was standing beside my own body look¬
saw the rocky eminence dissolve into a ing at myself as one gazes upon an old
human face partly hidden behind a mass suit of clothes that he has discarded. A
of black, scurrying clouds. A human face, huge policeman came running up; he
I say, but what a face! Hard, ruthless, muttered a startled curse. Then, jerking
crafty, age-weathered, demoniacal, it his whistle from his pocket, he shrilled
glared at me through slanting, almond- for help. He paid no attention to me.
shaped eyes, that glittered like fires of It was my body that attracted his atten¬
hell, piercing the darkness like projectiles tion. I floated around him like vapor.. ..
of molten metaL I tried to dose my lids Again I was drifting through space,
against them, but in vain. They burned dragged onward and upward and yet held
themselves into my pupils until they to earth. I felt myself stretching like a
seared the very core of my brain. rubber band. Two attractions were at
An urge crept over me—an overmas¬ work, one holding me back, the other
tering desire to hurl myself through space. pulling me upward. . . .
Invisible hands seemed to tear me from Next I was standing by the side of a
my bed. I fought against them with rude bed. Around me danced those hard,
every bit of will-power at my command; cruel eyes. There were thousands of
but those glittering, menacing orbs them now; they filled the space, it seemed,
 GERMS OF DEATH 325

for millions and millions of miles. Yet "Good morning!” he said. The voice
there was a man upon the bed. And he, was harsh, stilted and metallic.
too, was twain, for he stood beside me, I gazed at him wonderingly. His face,
a tall, wraith-like figure in flowing robes, distinctly Mongolian, was thin, seamed
his saffron face convulsed with fury. with age, ruthless. He was unusually tall,
"Back! Back!” he shrieked. "I will emaciated; his yellow skin as dry as
not die to make a place for you!” parchment; his eyes, sunken into their
I gazed down at the quiet form upon sockets, black as coals; they glittered like
the bed. I knew that it was not I—that those of a snake. His left arm hung use¬
it belonged to this lemon-skinned man less by his side. I noted, too, that his
who sought to hold me away—yet it was left leg was withered and twisted and that
also I. The dancing eyes pulled me the side of his face twitched and jerked
closer. A quiet voice whispered in my spasmodically. A crutch leaned against
ear that I must claim my own. The va¬ the chair. He was clad in a loose, flow¬
porish figure gnashed his teeth. His ing garment of white, arid a black skull¬
hands were against my shoulders. He cap adorned his hairless head.
attempted to push me away. Slowly the There was something strangely familiar
pressure relaxed, and he dissolved into about the fellow. I blew that I had seen
nothingness. . . . him before. I strove to recollect.
Again I awoke with a start. For a Then, suddenly, it flashed over me. His
moment I lay stretching and yawning, was the face that I had seen in the night
wondering at my strange dream. I was —the face behind the mass of clouds
still weary, and for an instant I was high in the heavens. His were the eyes—
tempted to roll over and go to sleep those cruel, evil-filled eyes—that had
again. Then, remembering the task that dragged at me. . . .
I had left unfinished at the laboratory, I
forced myself to open my eyes. I sat up 2
with an exclamation of surprize.
God in heaven! It was not a dream!
H ad my senses tricked me? Was I
still dreaming? For an instant
The morning sun was shining through longer I lay there gazing at the hideous
the window. The room was strangely face. Then I pulled myself to a sitting
unfamiliar—a huge, Oriental-appearing position.
chamber with stone walls. It was over¬ "Where the devil am I?” I demanded.
flowing with lavish trappings and rare "And, by the same token, who are you?”
draperies. Even the bed was not my own. The aged yellow man chuckled low,
What had happened? Where was I? mockingly.
Had I met with an accident? Was my "I am Yah Hoon,” he rasped. "Doubt¬
fantastic nightmare the result of an ether- less the name is unfamiliar to you, but
fuddled brain? Was this a hospital? fame is only a fleeting thing at best; so
A movement beside me brought my what matters whether you know me or
ruminations to a sudden close. I turned not? We will grow better acquainted as
my head, expecting to be greeted by a time goes on. As to your whereabouts—
white-clad nurse. Instead, a man was you are in Tibet-”
sitting by my bedside. He looked up "Tibet?” I gasped.
from the book he was reading and greeted He nodded. Then he went on, his
me with a slight nod. rasping voice fairly crackling with energy.
326 WEIRD TALES

"I needed you; what I need I take. "Explain!” I demanded, a wave of

Like yourself, I am a scientist. And anger surging over me.
science, as you, a scientist, must admit, He spread his right hand out, palm up,
refuses to be bound by the so-called in a gesture of impatience.
human law.”
“You, one of the world’s greatest
I leaped out of bed in a spasm of fury.
scientists, asking for an explanation?” he
“What chicanery is this?” I roared.
mocked with an amused glitter in his
snake-like eyes. "All right, my friend,
He held up his gaunt right hand in a
you shall have it. You are in Koko-Nur,
gesture of impatience.
a lost city on an island in the Chaidam
“Dress!” he commanded curtly. “And
marsh in the province of Tasidam in
cease arguing.” He indicated a loose robe
Tibet. A glance through the window
similar to the one he was wearing. "Un¬
will prove my statement. As to how you
fortunately I could not transport your
got here—there you have a question more
clothes through the ether, so you will
difficult for me to answer.”
have to content yourself with those you
He arose and, leaning on his crutch,
find. The man whose body I borrowed
pointed down to his crippled side.
for you did not find them uncomfortable,
"I am old—very old,” he said with
I assure you. At least, he was loth to give
a touch of sadness in his voice, "so old
them to you.”
that death long ago marked me for his
He chuckled grimly at his jest. Then,
own. I fear death—hate it! Only by
with a jerk of his thumb, he indicated a
force of will have I staved it off. And I
long mirror set into the rocky wall. I
will cheat it yet, even though it creeps
took a step toward it, only to leap back
upon me like a wolf in the dark, seek¬
with an exclamation of horror. The man
ing to catch me unawares.”
who stared back at me was a Mongolian
—a slant-eyed, yellow-skinned creature He cackled mirthlessly at his own
with high forehead. It was he whose words.
body I had seen lying upon the bed. It "You ask me how you got here,” he
was the wraith-like thing who had tried went on. "You demand an explanation.
to drive me back. Listen: Broken and withered though my
My brain was whirling. Who was I? body is, within this skull of mine is
I knew that I was Doctor John Dolby, stored the wisdom of the ages. With
the man who had discovered and segre¬ the power of thought man can do any¬
gated the previously unsuspected para¬ thing, even fight off death for a short
noiac germ and made it possible for med¬ space of time. But with your help, my
ical science to combat that dread disease friend, I will renew my life. I will live
successfully. I knew that I was a well- for ever!
known figure in the world of medicine "I have heard of your work,” he went
and science because of my researches in on. "For even here in this God-forsaken
the field of bacterioscopy and pathogeny. hole news seeps in; my agents are every¬
Yet how could I be Doctor John Dolby where seeking out that which they think
when I was this strange being whose re¬ will aid me in my experiments. There
flection scowled back at me from the are thousands of other scientists, any one
glass? I turned to Yah Hoon, my lips of whom would make me an efficient
drawn back over my fangs in a wolfish laboratory assistant. But you—ah, my
snarl. friend, I have not forgotten your out-
 GERMS OF DEATH 327

standing work in pathogenic bacteria. It They would kill me rather than allow me
has made you an outstanding figure in to continue. That is why I buried myself
the world of vaccinotherapy. No one else in this forgotten hole, that I might work
has the technical learning for my ad¬ undisturbed. There was another reason,
vanced needs. I, crippled and pain- too, a reason that you will soon under¬
racked, could not go to you. So I willed stand. But I must rest for a moment.
that you should come to me. You an¬ The strain is too great for me.”
swered my call.” He leaned back against the cushions,
"I do not understand?” I gasped, still his breath coming in great gasps.
bewildered. "One can not transport a "Death!” he murmured to himself.
body through the ether.” "Death! God, what a filthy thing it is!
"No,” he smiled. "But remember that I hate it—hate it with an intensity such
there is no life, intelligence or substance as man has never had before. I-”
in matter. All is mind—thought. I cap¬ His voice died away in a tired whisper.
tured your intellect—your soul, as it were. He closed his eyes. For a moment I
I care not a whit for your carcass. By the thought that he slept.
power of my will I threw Huang, the
man whose body you wear, into a death¬
like trance last night. Perhaps he is dead
I stepped softly across the room to
where a narrow window was carved
as we .know death. Be that as it may, out of the rock. For a moment I devoured
your thought—your intelligence—obeyed the scene spread out before me. Then I,
my command and took possession of his too, dropped into a chair with a groan.
stalwart young frame. And it is your in¬ Great heavens! It was not a dream.
tellect that will finish this great experi¬ Around me on all sides, as far as the eye
ment for me. could see, stretched a strange city—a city
"Understand me,” he went on, "after of quaint, box-like, white, almost win¬
death intellect still functions, for it is dowless buildings—a city of distinctly
the soul—the germ of everything. But I foreign aspect. Men and women in out¬
fear dissolution and do not wish tc go landish garb walked its streets and jos¬
that route. I would live for ever—on tled in the market-place: Mongols, Tibet¬
and on to the very end of time. Perhaps ans, Chinese, Burmese—a mixture of
I may even allow you to taste the fruits many nationalities.
of my discovery. Who knows?” Little wonder I gasped again as it all
His face was twisted into a sardonic flashed over me. I, John Dolby, Master
grin. He cackled mirthlessly in a cracked of Science, Doctor of Medicine, Bachelor
treble, his almond eyes narrowed and of Arts, Doctor of Laws, possessor of
twitched. The effort was too great for many degrees, had gone to sleep in my
him, and he dropped back into his chair own apartment in New York, only to
with a groan of pain. wake up next morning in a strange bed
"Oldage! Old age!” he shrieked. "God, in this far-off city. And, even worse, I
what a tragedy! Power! I shall have was not John Dolby. I was some one
power when death has ceased to be. The else—a man called Huang—a saffron¬
world will worship at my feet. Even¬ skinned man with crafty, slanted eyes
tually I will rule the earth. Kings and and cunning, tricky features.
dictators will bow to me; thrones will Yet I was not this creature. I was
totter and fall. That is why I came here. John Dolby.
328 WEIRD TALES

3 comes. But when it does come, they are

Y ah hoon was mad. That much was

lightning-like in their rapidity. Some¬
times they strike in childhood; often not
apparent to me from the very first.
until we have reached mature years. But
Yet he was a genius—a Chinaman of rare
once they gain a foothold, disease in¬
intelligence who had, in some manner,
variably follows—a war to the finish be¬
found his way to this city hidden in the
tween the body and the germ—a conflict
marshes, to use it for his own foul pur¬
in which the Grim Reaper is always the
poses. He was bewildering, horrifying,
victor.”
like a walking dead man with the face
"Old age?” I interrupted, interested
of a devil.
in spite of myself in his weird philoso¬
"Death is a disease,” he remarked,
phy. "Your own case, for instance?”
leaning t adk in his chair and refilling his
"Ah!” he snarled, his right hand rest¬
long-stemmed pipe from a bowl of to¬
ing on the arm of the chair closing until
bacco at his side. He lit it from a brazier the knuckles showed white under the saf¬
suspended from the ceiling and, puffing
fron skin. For an instant there was si¬
slowly, gazed at me cynically through
lence— dreadful, awesome. Then he
half-closed eyes. His spasm of weakness
leaned forward, his jet-black eyes glaring
had passed away and he was, apparently,
into my own.
himself again. "Death causes sickness.
"The natural decay of the organs
Wrong, did I hear you say? But I am
brought about by these germs of death,”
not wrong. Let me explain. Stricken
he rasped. "That is my answer to your
down with this accursed paralysis at the
question regarding old age. My brain
very height of my experiments, I have
has been too active. I weakened certain
had plenty of time to reflect.
cells by over-thinking. The bacteria were
"The atmosphere which surrounds us in my system; they found my weakness
is filled with germs of death. We draw and commenced their accursed work. That
these tiny bacteria into our systems with is why you are here. You can do things,
every breath. They are constantly at while I can only think, and think and
work seeking to undermine our bodies. think—of death.”
Every blow we strike, every step we take, He refilled his long-stemmed pipe
every thought that flashes through our again and relighted it with an almost de¬
brains is accompanied by the disintegra¬ fiant glance at me as if he dared me to
tion of a certain amount of muscular or dispute his statement.
nervous fiber. Thus each action of our "You have read Jenner?” he demanded.
corporeal life, from its beginning to its “Naturally,” I answered.
end, takes place at the expense of the "Then you understand my theory. I
vitality of a part of our organized struc¬ propose to cope with death as Jenner
ture.” coped with smallpox,” he resumed.
He smiled at my look of incredulity. "With your help I will isolate these germs
Then, with a gesture of impatience, he of death of which I spoke. After segre¬
went on. gating them, I will prepare a virus from
"These germs of death fill every lung them for the prevention and treatment
cell. They course through our veins. They of death. Jenner’s theory of vaccination
find resting-places amid our bones and has been extended to several other dis¬
tissues, waiting an opportunity to strike. eases, among them asthma, typhoid fever,
Perhaps years pass before the chance pneumonia, hay-fever and others. Jenner
 GERMS OF DEATH 329

was right in his hypothesis, but he, to use It seemed to me that the world was filled
one of your Americanisms, got off on the with age-worn faces and sulfurous eyes.
wrong foot. He sought to prevent the They danced around me, dragging me
disease that caused death. He should— forward against my will. The room swan,
and he is not the first physician to err— in circles, the floor swaying up and down
have vaccinated against the death which like the deck of a ship in a choppy sea.
created the disease. If we inoculate I swayed and would have fallen had I not
against disease, we have simply halted clutched the carved back of one of the
death for an instant; if we inoculate chairs.
against death, there will be no disease. "Fool!” Yah Hoon snapped. '.'Now
Have I made myself clear?” follow me.”
I stared at him aghast. The mist cleared away. I rubbed my
"Then there will be no death,” I said eyes sleepily. He was hobbling painfully
in an awed whisper. toward a narrow door at the end of the
He nodded. room without giving'me a second glance.
"Once this bacterium is discovered and And I, like a dog that has been chastised,
prepared in the form of virus, its injec¬ followed in his wake.
tion will stop all human ills and life will He opened the door. From it a circular
be prolonged for ever,” he answered. flight of steps led downward, ending in
He raised his clenched right fist and a passageway cut in the stone. It, in
shook it in a sudden spasm. turn, led to a second door. Yah Hoon
"Life! Eternal life!” he shrieked. threw it open and, stepping inside, halted
"God, how I long for it! I feel the Grim and waited for me to enter. I stepped
Reaper creeping upon me. We must past him, then paused in astonishment.
work fast.”
The man’s mood changed. He got up
from his seat with an effort and, adjust¬
I T was a large room—as big, in fact,
as that used for laboratory purposes
ing his crutch beneath his arm, indicated in some of our best colleges—a compart¬
that I was to follow him. ment seemingly carved out of solid rock
"My efforts have, so far, been mere and lighted by braziers set in wrought-
gestures in the right direction,” he went iron sconces fastened to the walls. Its
on. "But let us start at the beginning. I shelves and benches and tables were also
will first show you the laboratory. It is of stone; they were covered with flasks
best that you inspect the tools with which and beakers and bottles of every size and
you will work.” . description. I drew closer and inspected
A flush of anger mounted to my face them. There v/ere chemicals of which
at his tone and I doubled my fists until even I, with my long experience, had no
the nails bit into the flesh. knowledge. Here, too, were microscopes
"I am not yours to command!” I of the finest quality, test-tubes, pipettes,
snarled. "I-” Bunsen burners—everything needed for
He turned his head slowly in my di¬ research work. Even my own workshop
rection, his beady eyes glaring at me. A in the college was a paltry thing com¬
cold chill chased up and down my spine. pared to this gigantic scientific array.
I halted midway in my speech, my tongue My face must have betrayed the ex¬
cleaving to the roof of my mouth. A citement under which I labored, for Yah
nebulous haze appeared in front of my Hoon’s countenance twisted into a wry
face. I tried to fight it off, but in vain. smile as I turned to him.
330 WEIRD TALES

"You like it?” he questioned. location. The rocky mountain into which
“Wonderful!” I exclaimed. "To think it is cut is hollow—perhaps a small, ex¬
that such a magnificent laboratory is bur¬ tinct volcano. Be that as it may, they
ied so far from civilization.” have a curious custom of burial here—a
"I am a Chinaman,” he answered custom I never encountered before. I
proudly. "From the beginning of time brought many of my countrymen with me.
the Chinese have been the leaders in Under my direction they hewed these
scientific research. I have been years steps and tunnels into the very womb of
gathering this collection. As I told you the hill. Later they died—for it is not
before, my agents have searched the globe well that too many should share my se¬
for the latest in apparatus and chemicals. cret. So now you, of all the world, possess
I am old, Dolby, much older than you the knowledge of this entrance.”
imagine, and wealthy, too, beyond the Again he stopped, a twisted grin
dreams of avarice. Yet the greater part creeping over his leathery face. I shud¬
of my life has been spent in this very dered in spite of myself, for it was easy
room. I have dedicated myself to the one to guess the meaning of his words.
objective—the search for eternal life. For "As I just told you, because of the
what value has gold, and what does my custom of the inhabitants of this place
more precious store of knowledge avail of burying their dead en masse in the hol¬
me, if my bones are moldering in the low mountain, I picked this town for the
tomb?” center of my activities,” he went on.
He stopped suddenly. "And, now, Dolby, gaze upon my treas¬
"We scientists are all alike,” he grunt¬ ure trove.”
ed with a shrug of his thin shoulders.
He chuckled mirthlessly as he stuck
"We are what you in America call 'nuts.’
the lighted taper into a niche in the wall.
But enough. I have other wonders to
“Note where I press,” he warned,
show you—the reservoir from which you
touching a certain spot in the stone.
will draw your material.”
He hobbled over to what looked like A slab of rock in front of us rolled
a solid section of the wall and pressed away. I stepped back with an exclamation
against one of the shelves. A portion of horror as a draft of fetid air struck
of rock slid noiselessly to one side, re¬ me full in the face. Then, at a sign from
vealing another flight of steps leading Yah Hoon, I drew closer.
to the bottom of a narrow well. We We were standing at the edge of an
followed them downward; the end of the enormous cavern, many acres in extent
shaft disclosed a tunnel hewn out of the and towering upward several hundred
rocks. Yah Hoon led the way along this feet. In the roof was a small hole through
tunnel, lighting braziers set in the walls which the sun was streaming, bringing
from the taper which he carried. At the out the horrors of the place in curious
end of the defile was another set of steps highlights and shadows.
leading downward. They ended in a It was a gigantic charnel-house. The
cul-de-sac. floor was covered with human skeletons
The Chinaman turned to me again. —thousands of them. Upon them, piled
"This workshop of mine is, like many almost to the ceiling, were corpses—men,
others in Tibet, built into the side of a women, children—in various stages of
hill,” he said. "I selected it from many dissolution. They formed a huge pyramid
when I came here because of its peculiar caused by the slipping down of the bodies
 GERMS OF DEATH 331

from the apex as fresh ones were dropped seems as if I had always been Huang, a
in from above. native of Koko-Nur; again I have misty
There they lay, the new-dead mingling recollections of a former life in Tibet.
with the bones of their ancestors, naked My only explanation is that, in inherit¬
corpses with glassy eyes and twisted ing the body of Huang, Yah Hoon’s as¬
limbs. They glared at us from all sides sistant, I also came into possession of a
—horrible, grotesque caricatures of hu¬ bit of his brain that had not died with
manity. Even as we gazed, a fresh body him and that this piece of gray matter
was dropped in from above. It rolled functions subconsciously.
down at us, bounding, dancing, arms And yet another thought comes to me.
flopping like those of a scarecrow, bring¬ Was Huang really dead when I took pos¬
ing down an avalanche of other carcasses session of his framework? Or was he
with it. Singularly, it ceased movement merely in a trance? Is it not possible that
almost at our feet and, rolling on its he, in striving to regain his mortal body,
back as it stopped, stared up at us icily, sometimes gains possession of my
its lips drawn back in a leering grin. thoughts? Who knows? But why specu¬
late? It gets me nowhere. I am a crea¬
"God!” I shrieked, dropping back
ture accursed.
with a shudder.
Fear! God, what a reign of fear I went
Yah Hoon cackled gleefully.
through in the great stone house of Yah
"Yet you wonder why I fear death,”
Hoon the Chinaman in Koko-Nur—a
he said grimly. "Can you blame me,
procession of nightmares in which the
knowing as I do that I shall soon be as
parchment-like face of Yah Hoon was
that thing unless I can find a way to stave
intermingled with the spawn of the char¬
off the king of terrors? How do you
nel-house. Even now I wake up with a
know, my friend, that you are not dead
start, the cold sweat standing out on my
even now? It is in my mind that the
forehead in great globules, imagining
body of John Dolby lies in some Amer¬
that I am back there in that huge labora¬
ican undertaker’s shop. Yet you are
tory hewn in the solid rock, a dozen dead
here, and the body you inhabit is that of
bodies surrounding me, while on the
another man. Explain that.”
other side of the door the carrion is piled
Again he chuckled. His voice echoed
high within the cavern. And over every¬
and re-echoed through the cavern.
thing is the sickening stench of death and
The world was swimming before my
dissolution. Would I have these dreams
eyes. I turned away, drawn by another
if I had not passed through the horrors
will than my own. It seemed as if an¬
of which I write?
other man—the one whose body I wore
I was a prisoner within that rock-bound
—was standing beside me, warning me,
cavern. Not a prisoner in the sense that
trying to drag me back. . . .
I was guarded, for I was not; but never¬
theless I was confined within the four
4

T here is one puzzling thing about

these memories of mine. The time
walls as securely as if surrounded by a
million armed guards, for I was tied
down by the power of thought. Time
element is vague, indistinct. I can only after time I tried to break away—to get
tell the passage of time by going back out—to shriek my fantastic story to the
over the newspapers dating from my world; for even in Koko-Nur, in far-off
death up to the present. Sometimes it Tibet, I believe that there were men of
332 WEIRD TALES

brains—men who would listen to reason.- in the right direction, went on and on
Yet I was never able to combat the su¬ and on until I reached the end of the
perior will of Yah Hoon—the will that road.
ordered me to remain. And the dead! Ugh! That charnel-
From the time I arrived until the fatal house filled with stark, naked bodies, their
day when Yah Hoon died I never left fishy eyes glaring at me from out of the
that grim, stone building with its rear darkness. I was a ghoul, a despoiler of
cut into the hillside. Yah Hoon, wise graves, the lowest thing that mortal man
old fox that he was, sensed my feelings, can sink to. I surrounded myself with
without a doubt, yet he said nothing. cadavers. The tables were covered with
Only many, many times I have seen him them; they were stacked on all sides like
gazing at me from under his drooping cordwood. The great laboratory was per¬
lids, a cynical smile twisting across his meated with their horrible stench.
wrinkled face. He reminded me of some
And Yah Hoon—may his foul soul
huge gargoyle—some unclean monster
burn in hell!—forced me to do these
carved out of the rock from which his
things. His beady eyes were always upon
dwelling was made. Yet he held me in a
me. Hunched up in his great armchair
mesmeric spell, just as a serpent hypno¬
by the side of the dissecting-table, he
tizes a bird. There must have been a touch
watched my progress day by day. He
of cruelty in his make-up, for I am cer¬
drove me. He knew that his life was fast
tain that he got a quiet satisfaction out
ebbing away—that he was living on bor¬
of watching me writhe beneath the pres¬
rowed time—and he was ever in a rush
sure of his thought.
to finish the task and stave off death be¬
I am not going into detail. Suffice to
fore it struck him down. There was a
say that day after day I bent over my
panicky look on his aged face at every
test-tubes and burners, experimenting,
failure. Under his direction I cut and
testing, laboring like a work-horse at Yah
experimented — wallowing like a hog
Hoon’s command. Under the impetus of
amid the filth of the charnel-house. At
his powerful will I carried on the work
his command I distilled, brewed, segre¬
that he had started. But since I was un¬
gated and refined. He scarce allowed me
der the dictation of Yah Hoon’s mind,
time to eat and sleep. I became an autom¬
how was it possible for me to carry on
aton—a machine—my brain so dulled
my experiments independent of him?
by loss of sleep that I worked in a trance.
For had I not been allowed to use my own
scientific knowledge—had Yah Hoon Yah Hoon ate little. There were no
suggested every move I made—I would servants. From some unknown source
have been nothing more than a mere he obtained provisions of a sort for my
laboratory assistant. And, remember, use, and I prepared my own simple
Yah Hoon had seized me for what I meals.
knew. Perhaps I can explain, even though Guinea-pigs! The place teemed with
the task is a difficult one. Yah Hoon them. Upon them we tried the results
held me in his spell, he forced me to of our experiments, inoculating them
work; yet he merely presented the prob¬ with the virus we made. And the result
lem to be solved, never interfering with was always the same—death. With each
the methods used. Results were what he failure he pushed me the harder, forcing
demanded, caring not how they were ob¬ me on and on in his mad search for the
tained. I was a machine which, started germ that snuffed the divine spark, but
 GERMS OF DEATH 333

which, he believed, when properly pre¬ turn when I checked through the files of
pared, would result in eternal life. the newspapers from the time of my
Time after time it seemed that success "death” up to the present. Time existed
was almost within our grasp. Once a for me only as a hazy, misty fantasma-
guinea-pig we inoculated lived for hours. goria of horrors, each one more dreadful
It was only by sheer force of will that than the preceding. There are great
Yah Hoon kept from toppling over in blanks in my memory. I recall only the
the excess of his joy. From somewhere highlights of what happened in that in¬
his powerful thought brought a man ferno of Yah Hoon’s. The details are
through the door—a poor, slinking crea¬ missing.
ture of the dregs of Koko-Nur. He at¬ There was never a time during my
tempted to draw back when his terror- stay there that I was not John Dolby. My
filled eyes fell upon the pile of dead. thoughts were those of John Dolby. It
But Yah Hoon’s will held him. Slowly, was his brain that directed me in the final
reluctantly, like a man walking in his act of the tragedy, even though my body
sleep, he advanced until he stood before was that of Huang, the Tibetan.
us cringing and fawning like a mongrel What caused me to attempt suicide?
dog. That is a question I am unable to answer.
I leaped forward like a tiger that smells I only know that I ran amuck—that
blood. I tried to hold myself back, but something in John Dolby’s brain finally
the urge was communicated to me by my snapped under the strain. A man tempo¬
master’s will. I had no control over my¬ rarily deranged can not be hypnotized,
self as I seized the frightened creature’s nor can an unconscious man become a
arm and, jabbing the needle to the hilt hypnotist. There are but two solutions:
in the flabby flesh, shot home the plunger either I was mad or Yah Hoon had suf¬
that injected into his throbbing veins the fered another stroke which, for the nonce,
virus we had made. caused him to lose his mental hold over
For a full sixty seconds the poor devil me. The preceding events are missing
made no move. Then he gave a sudden from my memory and, strive as I will, I
shriek as the death vaccine struck his can not recall them.
heart. He plunged forward and fell in I know that I found myself standing
a heap upon the smooth, stone floor. I in the middle of the great laboratory.
turned my head to see how the guinea- That is my first recollection of what hap¬
pig fared. It, too, had died. pened. Around me was the wreckage of
Yah Hoon filled his pipe with fingers the costly apparatus that Yah Hoon had
that trembled. accumulated through the years.
"Another failure!” he snarled, apply¬ We had completed an experiment a
ing a lighted taper to the soothing weed. short time before. How long before I do
"Another failure—and my time is almost not know, since, as I have already stated,
up. I feel it—sense it.” I have no remembrance of details. The
From that time on he worked me hard¬ body of our latest victim—a pink-nosed
er than ever. guinea-pig—lay upon the table. Beside
it was a cadaver from which we had ex¬
5

T he time element was entirely lacking

in my life in Koko-Nur. I was there
tracted the poison for the virus sealed in
the test-tube almost at my elbow.
The door opened and Yah Hoon hob¬
for ten years. I learned this upon my re¬ bled in. As his beady eyes viewed the
334 WEIRD TALES

scene of destruction, he gave a gasp of face. For an instant he stood swaying;

astonishment. For the nonce I was free then the crutch dropped from his nerve¬
from his domination. The thought made less grasp and he sprawled in a heap at
me wild. I shrieked with maniacal laughter my feet. The shock had killed him.
as I hurled a beaker at his snarling face. It Then recollection left me.
crashed against the stone wall. Seizing
the syringe, half filled with the vaccine H ow did I return to America? I do
we had made, I jabbed the needle into my not know. I only know that I am
arm and pressed the plunger home. here and that I am John Dolby. I did
The eyes of Yah Hoon danced around not die in Koko-Nur, nor did I die in
me. They dazzled me. I felt my senses that fall from the window ten years ago.
slipping. My ears rang with the com¬ I can never die. The virus I injected into
mand to desist. As well argue with the my veins that mad day will force me to
devil as with me just then. I believed live for ever. I must spend an eternity
that I was to die; I leaned against the behind the bars of this dreadful place.. . .
stone dissecting-table and waited for Huang is with me again. He is stand¬
death to strike. ing beside me as I write, reading each
But instead of death came a renewal word as my pen puts it down. He whis¬
of life. We had succeeded at last. Some¬ pers that I am wrong—that freedom is
thing—some one of the elements we had mine if I but claim it. He has told me
used—needed only time to develop. As the way. He waits to claim his body. . . .
the virus ranged through my veins a sense But the intellect never dies. Yah Hoon
of exultation surged over me—a pecu¬ claimed. I do not understand it all. Why
liar feeling of lightness. I seemed to be should Huang wish his mortal body,
floating in midair. since he can live in it but a few short
"At last!” Yah Hoon shouted gleefully, years, while his soul goes on and on? Why
forgetting in seeing me still alive the de¬ does something keep drawing me to the
struction I had wrought. "We have suc¬ crypt in the mausoleum at Riverview
ceeded! Life is for ever mine! Mine!” Cemetery wherein the body of John
With his words came recollection again. Dolby lies?
The thought flashed over me that Yah Huang bids me hasten. . . .
Hoon would, after all these years, inherit *****
eternal life—that he would be free to NOTE: A Mongolian known as
work his hellish will upon an unsus¬ Huang, a patient in this institution, be¬
pecting world. lieved to be a native of Tibet, committed
Already his palsied hand was stretched suicide in his cell this morning by open¬
forth to seize the test-tube. I jerked it ing a vein in his wrist. The foregoing
from him and hurled it to the floor. It manuscript was found hidden beneath
broke into a thousand fragments. the blankets of his bunk.
Yah Hoon shrieked. God, how he (Signed) ROBERT MONTGOMERY,
shrieked! It was the wail of a lost soul. Managing Officer, Stateville
A look of grim despair came into his Hospital for the Insane.
 By OTIS ADELBERT KLINE
A powerful weird-scientific story by a master of science-fiction—a
swift-moving tale of piracy, and weird monsters
on another planet

R The Story Thus Far

OBERT GRANDON, young Chi¬

cago clubman who had fought his
managed to escape in Huitsen, the hidden
port of the pirates, and join forces with
the Chispoks, a secret society opposed to

** way to the throne of Reabon, piratical practises. With the help of the
Chispoks, Grandon and Kantar were able
nightiest empire of the planet Venus,
to get into the royal palace, where Gran¬
was honeymooning on the sea-coast with
lis beautiful young bride, Vernia, Princess don beheaded Yin Yin, the ruler. Kan¬
tar, who was supposed to rescue Vemia,
of Reabon, when she was carried off by
carried off by mistake another captive
the Huitsenni, a hairless, toothless yellow
princess, Narine, daughter of Ad of
race of buccaneers against which Grandon
Tyrhana, one of Grandon’s allies. Vemia,
had previously formed a secret alliance
with three other Venusian rulers. meanwhile, was abducted by Heg, Rogo
of the Ibbits, a race of fur-covered sav¬
Grandon instantly set out in pursuit of
ages inhabiting the antarctic wastes south
the pirate fleet in a small fishing-boat, ac¬
of Huitsen.
companied by Kantar the Gunner, who
was an expert with the Venusian machine- Kantar and Narine, with the help of the
guns, known as torks and mattorks. Chispoks, managed to escape from Huit¬
they were captured by the buccaneers, but sen in a small boat. But they had not gone
Tkis story beg^m in WEOtD TALES for November
335
336 WEIRD TALES

far when their mast was shot away by a "Stop shooting,” he said, "or the pirates
pursuing pirate vessel. will blow us to pieces. They are bound to
In the meantime, Grandon, who had hit us when they get a little closer.”
heard Vernia’s cry as she was being car¬ "I hope they do,” she replied as she
ried off by Heg, followed and rescued fired another shot, which, on account of
her, killing the savage chieftain. They the rocking of the boat, went wide of the
managed to escape his followers by riding mark. "To me death is preferable to fall¬
away in a blizzard on the strange mounts ing again into their hands.”
of these people, huge beasts called zan- As if in answer to her wish a shell
dars. They passed the night in a cave, struck them aft, the next moment, com¬
but in the morning when they awoke, they pletely demolishing the stern. Kantar and
discovered their riding-animals were gone. Narine were both hurled against the
They separated to search for them, and cabin by the force of the concussion, and
Vernia was seized by a gigantic web¬ San Thoy shot from his steersman’s seat
spinning scorpion which had previously to a point on the deck quite near them.
captured their zandars. She was hung up The hold filled almost instantly, and the
in its web beside the monster’s cocoon, as boat plunged beneath the waves.
food for its young. Shortly thereafter, As they went down, Kantar seized
one of the young scorpions broke out of Narine’s wrist. A moment later they
the cocoon, and ambled toward her. came up, struggling and sputtering in the
water.
"Let me go,” she demanded, as soon
CHAPTER 16
as she could get her breath. "I can take
ZINLO OF OLBA care of myself.”

ITH its mast shot away, the little The gunner relinquished her wrist, and
sailboat in which rode Kantar the grinning maliciously, said: “Well, you
Gunner, Narine of Tyrhana, and San had your wish. I hope you are enjoying
Thoy, would not respond to the rudder, the consequences.”
but came about and drifted broadside to Without replying, she turned and swam
the waves, rocking precariously, while for a bit of wreckage larger than the
mattork shells exploded all around it. The others that bobbed around them. It had
two pursuing pirate ships now bore down once been part of the after deck. Kantar
on the helpless boat. looked around for San Thoy, and seeing
him clinging to a heavy beam which could
Despite the increased difficulty of aim¬
easily support him in the water, he leisure¬
ing his weapon, occasioned by the erratic
ly followed Narine. The pirate ships
plunging of the little craft, the skilful
gunner succeeded in shattering a few ceased firing, and one of them was now

spars and damaging the rigging of one of only about three hundred yards distant.

their pursuers with his explosive bullets. Swimming up beside the girl’s bit of
But as the two ships drew closer, he wreckage, Kantar rested an arm upon it.
ceased firing, knowing that in surrender "May I share this luxurious float with
now lay their only hope of life. Aban¬ you?” he asked, smiling.
doning his weapon, he hurried forward, "If you will try to be agreeable,” she
where he found Narine still endeavoring answered. "But one more word of sar¬
to manage the other mattork. casm and I’ll-”
 BUCCANEERS OF VENUS 337

"You’ll what?” "There is another man?”

"Duck you.” "Yes. My father. He would never con¬
"Tty it.” sent.”
She did, forcing his head, unresisting,
"Perhaps he could be brought to rea¬
under water. She held it there until she
son.”
considered that his punishment had been
"Impossible. You see my older sister
sufficient, then removed her hand. But he
disappointed him in his plans for a matri¬
didn’t come up. Instead, his face re¬
monial alliance, and fell in love with
mained under water and he floated limply
another man. She won her point with
there beside the wreckage. She pulled his
him, but he will not be turned again from
hair, but got no response. Alarmed, she
his purpose. Her disappointed lover has
moved closer and lifted his head from
agreed to solace himself with me. My
the water.
father will not give in so easily a second
The gunner, who had been shamming,
time.
peered at her beneath lowered lids—saw
"But all this talk is futile. We are once
the consternation in her pretty face—saw
more in the power of the Huitsenni, and
her red lips so close to his. A maddening
only they may decide our fate. Here is the
desire for them overcame him.
boat. Farewell, my gunner, and may
"Kantar!” she cried. "Oh, what have
Thorth guide and keep you.”
I done?”
"I’ll never give you up,” he cried.
Suddenly he swept her to him, crushed
her lips to his. Yellow hands seized them, dragged
She trembled there in his embrace for them into the boat. Then Kantar sudden¬
a moment, then broke from him, her face ly saw what he had had no opportunity to
scarlet. see before. When the boat had gone
"You would dare!” she exclaimed. down, Narine’s improvised cloak had
"Oh, you beast! You are worse than the floated from her. Later, all but her head,
Huitsenni, none of whom has ventured to arms and shoulders had been under
so affront me.” water. But now he observed that she wore
"Narine,” he pleaded, "I love you. I the scarlet of royalty and on the golden
must tell you this before I go to my death plate which connected her two jeweled
at the hands of those yellow pirates, for breast-shields he saw the insignia of an
they will surely slay me after what I have imperial princess of Tyrhana. All the
done. Your lips drew me—twin lode- hopes which her words had aroused died
stones I could not resist. If you can not in his heart. For Kantar was but a com¬
return my love, can you not at least for¬ mon soldier. His father had been an offi¬
give me?” cer in the Uxponian army, but without
Her look softened* "The pirates have even the purple of nobility.
lowered a boat,” she said, "so I must put Narine saw the despair in his eyes and
maidenly modesty aside and answer you guessed his thoughts. She smiled, a little
briefly and truthfully. I do love you, my wistful smile.
brave gunner. I have loved you from the "I understand, now,” said the gunner.
moment I first saw you, there in the cabin Then he resolutely turned his head away,
of the little fishing-boat. But even had I and meekly permitted his captors to bind
hope of life and freedom, I could never his wrists. A moment later, San Thoy
marry you.” also was dragged out of the water.
W. T.—5
338 WEIRD TALES

S WIFTLY the rowers propelled the boat I wonder—ah! I have it. Zinlo, Torrogo
back to the ship. The prisoners were of Olba, is the fiance of Loralie, the Tor-
hoisted aboard. Narine was hurried away rogina of Tyrhana. Naturally he would,
by the mojak of the vessel. And with kicks on being advised of the disappearance of
and cuffs, Kantar and San Thoy, bound her younger sister, assist in the search for
hand and foot, were thrown into an evil¬ her. And just as naturally, he would at¬
smelling room in the hold, quite similar to tack the ships of the Huitsenni, who are
the one in which they had been confined enemies to all Zorovia, wherever he
with Grandon when first taken to Huit- should find them.”
sen. Immediately Kantar set about trying For several minutes the bombardment
to loose the bonds of his companion. became more intense, and Kantar was
But his tedious labors were suddenly much concerned for Narine’s safety. Then
interrupted by an explosion which tore a a huge shadow darkened the waters before
hole in the planking above their heads. them, the bombardment ceased, and there
There followed the rapid booming of was the noise of grappling-hooks scraping
mattorks, the screaming of projectiles, and across the splintered decks. These sounds
the almost continuous bursting of shells. were succeeded by the tramping of many
"Our captors must have found new vic¬ feet above them, the clashing of arms in¬
tims,” said Kantar, springing to his feet. termingled with the spitting of tork fire,
"Judging by the number of shells and a medley of shouts, groans and
which are striking this ship, I would say shrieks.
that they are more likely to become the "The Olbans have boarded us,” said
victims,” replied San Thoy, also getting Kantar. "I trust that they arrive in time
to his feet. to save Narine.”
Both men hopped to the side of the
The fighting was soon over. Presently
boat—they could not walk because of their
the gunner heard the tramp of warriors,
bound feet—and peered through the loop¬
evidently searching the ship, passing their
holes. door. "Ho, Olbans,” he called, "open
"Bones of Thorth!” exclaimed San
the door.”
Thoy. "There are ships floating in the
"Who is it?” a voice asked, cautiously.
air!”
"A warrior of Reabon and a fellow
Looking out, Kantar saw a fleet of
prisoner,” he replied.
aerial battleships. They were shaped like
duck-boats, surmounted by heavy trans¬ The door was unbolted and flung open.
parent turrets mounting heavy mattorks, Three Olban warriors, with the muzzles
and flew without wings, rudders or pro¬ of their torks elevated, peered in, while
pellers. a fourth flashed a light about the room.
"They are Olban airships*,” he said. Seeing the two bound men, they entered
"I once saw a fleet of them in Reabon.” and quickly released them.
"Never before have I seen or heard of "Have they found the princess?” Kan¬
such marvellous craft above the Azpok,” tar inquired, rubbing his numbed wrists.
said San Thoy. "Is she safe?”
"It’s strange that they should be here. "What princess?” asked the soldier
* The airships are levitated and projected by a who had removed his bonds. "We know
mechanism which amplifies the power of telekinesis, naught of a princess.”
that mysterious mind force which enables terrestrial
mediums to lift and move tables and other pon¬ "Why3 Narine, Torrogini of Tyrhana,
derable objects without physical contact.
 BUCCANEERS OF VENUS 339

replied the gunner. "She was captured "I swear to you, Majesty, by the beard
and brought aboard with us.” and body of Thorth, by all I hold sacred,
"Ha! It is as His Majesty suspected,” that I have no prisoners, white or yellow,
cried another soldier. "From a distance on board.”
we saw them sink a small boat, and "So. You persist in your falsehood.”
later lower a boat to bring away three Zinlo frowned at the yellow man who
people from the wreckage. Yet their groveled before him. Then his eyes fell
mojak has stoutly denied that he had on Kantar and San Thoy.
prisoners aboard. Come. The Torrogo
"Whom have we here?” he asked one
must hear of this at once.”
of the warriors who had released them.
With the four Olbans, they hurried to
The mojak looked around, and seeing
the deck. A group of Huitsenni prisoners
who stood behind him, turned a pale,
huddled, weaponless, in the stern, under
sickly yellow.
the watchful eyes of several guards.
"They are two prisoners we found in
Warriors were heaving the bodies of the
slain overboard, and Olban surgeons were a room below the deck, Your Majesty,”
replied the warrior.
tending the wounded, both friend and
foe. Attached to the side of the vessel by Kantar made obeisance, with right hand
hooks and chains was an immense aerial extended palm downward.
battleship with twelve gun-turrets. A set "I am Kantar the Gunner, of Reabon,
of collapsible aluminum stairs led from Your Majesty,” he said, "and my com¬
an open door in one of these turrets to panion is San Thoy, a former mojak in
the deck of the ship. On the opposite side the navy of Huitsen. If you don’t mind,
another aerial battleship was similarly I would prefer to tell you our story after
fastened. A fleet of a dozen more airships Her Imperial Highness has been found.”
floated overhead, and Kantar saw that the
"Her Imperial Highness?”
other pirate ship had also been boarded by
"I refer, Your Majesty, to Narine, Tor-
the crews of two aerial battleships, and its
rogini of Tyrhana.”
men subdued.
"Ha!” Zinlo suddenly whipped out his
They hurried forward. On the fore¬
scarbo and presented its point to the breast
deck stood a handsome young man of
of the frightened mojak. "Now, you yel¬
about the gunner’s own age, whom Kan¬
tar instantly recognized as Zinlo, Torrogo low hahoe, we have caught you lying.

of Olba. He was clad in scarlet apparel, Either you will tell us, this instant, where

gold-trimmed and glittering with precious the Princess is concealed, or I will slay
you and if need be, tear this ship apart
stones. On his feet were sandals of soft
to And her.”
frella hide, and his scarlet, turban-shaped
headpiece was decked with gold fringe "Mercy, Majesty! Have mercy!” qua¬
and set with a huge ruby that blazed vered the mojak. "I will show you.”
above the center of his forehead. Beside Rising, and backing away from the
him stood an equally youthful soldier, royal presence, he stooped and seized a
whose insignia proclaimed him Romojak ring in the deck. Pulling this, he lifted a
of the Aerial Navies of Olba. trap-door from which a short ladder led
On his knees before the young Torrogo down into a small cabin. Lying on the
was the mojak of the vessel. As Kantar sleeping-shelf of the cabin was Narine,
came up with the others he was saying: gagged, and bound hand and foot.
340 WEIRD TALES

D isdaining the ladder, Kantar dropped ed hand, and kneeling, raised it to his
into the cabin, closely followed by lips. "Shall we adjourn to more comfort¬
the young Torrogo. Together they able quarters?”
quickly unbound the princess and re¬ "Let’s. I’ve always wanted to ride in
moved her gag. She was limp, and ap¬ one of your Olban airships. What of my
parently lifeless. father and sister?"
"Narine! Narine!” For the moment "Both well, but almost frantic with
Kantar, who had knelt beside the sleep¬ worry on account of you.”
ing-shelf, forgot the presence of Zinlo of
When they reached the deck, the young
Olba—forgot that the girl before him
romojak, who had been standing beside
was an imperial princess.
Zinlo when Kantar first saw him, came
Narine opened her eyes and saw Kan¬
up and saluted.
tar bending over her. But Zinlo she did
"What is it, Lotar?” asked Zinlo.
not see. Her right arm went around the
gunner’s neck—her hand caressed his "We have disposed of all the prisoners
sandy hair. "I’m just a little faint, my in accordance with Your Majesty’s com¬
gunner. That gag made breathing diffi¬ mands,” replied the romojak. "There re¬
cult. I could not have lasted much mains, however, the yellow man we found
longer.” imprisoned with this warrior of Reabon.”
He caught up her left hand, lying limp¬ "Take him aboard the flagship,” said
ly beside her, and covered it with kisses. Zinlo, "and see that he has every com¬
"I’m glad, so glad, we came in time.” fort.”
"My lips, Gunner. Have they lost Lotar saluted and withdrew. Then the
their allure so quickly?” She drew his three climbed the aluminum stairs, and
face down to hers. after passing through a narrow hallway,
Zinlo raised a quizzical eyebrow. entered the luxurious saloon of Zinlo’s
Then, with a fierce gesture, he waved off flagship. The young Torrogo placed
the gaping warriors who were peering cushioned chairs for both of them, and
down at them. summoned a slave. "Bring us kova,” he
"I heard explosions—men fighting on commanded.
the decks. Tell me what happened,” He drew up a chair and sat down.
said Narine, a moment later. Then he noticed that Kantar, conform¬
"His Imperial Majesty, Zinlo of Olba, ing to the usages of the court, had not
rescued vs,” replied Kantar, suddenly re¬ seated himself because he was in the pres¬
membering the presence of the Torrogo, ence of royalty. "Sit, Gunner,” he said.
and blushing furiously in consequence. "We will have no formality here.”
"What!” Narine sat up quickly, then, This was a command, and Kantar,
seeing Zinlo, turned to face him, her whose feeling of embarrassment had
shapely legs dangling from the sleeping- only slightly lessened since the incident
shelf. in the cabin, took the chair which had
"Your Majesty!” she cried in conster¬ been placed for him.
nation. "I did not know you were here.” The slave bustled in with kova, and
She rose and made the customary obei¬ Zinlo himself served his guests in tiny
sance. bowls of gold lined with mother of pearl.
"I surmised as much, Your Highness,” "Now,” he said, "as soon as my romo¬
smiled Zinlo. Then he took her extend¬ jak comes aboard, we’ll fly to the flagship
 BUCCANEERS OF VENUS 341

of Ad of Tryhana. But in the meantime, west at a tremendous speed. Kantar, who

Your Highness, suppose you tell me what had never ridden in one of these craft
you have been doing these many days.” before, but had heard that the swiftest
"My father’s flagship!” exclaimed Na¬ ones were capable of traveling at the
rine. "Where is he?” speed with which the planet revolved on

"Only a little way from here,” replied its axis at the equator—approximately a

Zinlo, "and Loralie is with him. But thousand miles an hour—nevertheless

let’s hear that story.” marveled at the speed with which the
ocean appeared to move beneath them as
Swiftly, Narine sketched for him the
he watched through one of the side win¬
story of her adventures—the storm, her
dows. Sailing on the waves of the Azpok
capture by the Huitsenni, her sale to Heg
he now saw six large battle fleets, all with¬
and rescue by Kantar, and their escape
in a few miles of the spot where their
with the aid of San Thoy.
little craft had been sunk by the Huit¬
Zinlo frowned. "These yellow pirates
senni.
must be wiped out,” he said, "and there
is no better time than now to do it.
what of my friend Grandon and his beau¬
But
T he airship reached a point over the
flagship of one of these fleets and
tiful bride?” he asked Kantar. "Do you
swiftly descended.
think they were both carried off by the
Narine placed a hand on Zinlo’s arm<
white-furred barbarians?”
"You won’t tell my father?” she asked.
"I think it probable,” replied Kantar,
"About what?” Zinlo appeared puz¬
"that Her Majesty was carried off by Heg.
zled.
It is possible that the Ibbits also took
She looked tenderly at Kantar. "About
Grandon prisoner, but I think it more
us. We know it is hopeless, our love,
probable that he found some way to fol¬
and have agreed to—to-”
low the savages, in an effort to rescue his
bride.” "Try to forget,” suggested Zinlo.
"I’ll send a squadron after them,” said "You’re so helpful, my brother to be.
Zinlo. "As I judge from what Her High¬ But there in the cabin, for the moment,
ness just told me that the capital of the love mastered us.”
furry Rogo is five days’ journey from "I understand, perfectly,” said the
Huitsen, my swift airships can easily over¬ young’ Torrogo.
take them before they reach their destina¬ "Of course. You and Loralie-”
tion.” "Exactly.”
At this moment, Lotar came in and "But my father will not be moved from
saluted. his purpose again. I know him well
"To the flagship of Ad of Tyrhana,” enough for that.”
commanded Zinlo. "Signal the fleet to "Oh, I don’t know. What has been
attend us. You have placed the prize done before can be done again. Perhaps
crews aboard the two pirate vessels?” I can do something.”
"Yes, Majesty.” He saluted and with¬ "You are so kind. Now I know why
drew. Loralie just can’t help loving you. But,
A moment later the ship rose smoothly for the present at least, you will say noth¬
and swiftly to a height of about two thou¬ ing.”
sand feet, then shot away toward the "In that cabin, I was deaf, dumb and
342 .WEIRD TALES

blind, as were my warriors who happened tured. Land some of them near the city
to be peering down at us. But here we under cover of darkness. Let them in¬
are at the flagship.” vestigate, and report back to you.”
Kantar heard the clank of chains and "A splendid idea,” said Zinlo, "And
the thud of grappling-irons. Then Zinlo I would suggest a further plan. Suppose
rose, and they followed him down the we form an alliance with the Chispoks,
ladder to the deck of an immense battle¬ overthrow the present regime, if indeed
ship which flew the flag of Ad, Torrogo they have not done so already, and put
of Tyrhana. them in power. That would be better
Just as they reached the deck, the gun¬ than indiscriminately wiping out the en¬
ner saw two people emerge from one of tire yellow race, all of whom are certainly
the cabins—a tall, straight, athletic-ap¬ not responsible for the piratical outrages
pearing man about forty years of age, of Yin Yin’s men. The port of Huitsen
with a square-cut, jet-black beard, and a could then be opened for peaceful trade
girl who closely resembled Narine, with all Zorovia, and if the Huitsenni
though she appeared a trifle more mature. should ever again develop piratical lean¬
Both wore the scarlet of royalty, and Kan¬ ings, we would know how to stop them.”
tar knew that they must be Ad of Tyrhana "I’m sure the alliance can be arranged,
and his daughter, Loralie. Your Majesty,” said Kantar. "Suppose
Narine ran into the open arms of her we send for San Thoy.”
father, then embraced her sister. All Zinlo called a servant. "Tell my romo-
three shed tears of joy, and Kantar, whose jak to bring San Thoy, the yellow man,
own eyes were overflowing, saw that here,” he directed.
Zinlo was in like case.
The gunner was presented, and all were I N A few moments Lotar came in, ac¬
ushered into Ad’s sumptuous cabin, where companied by San Thoy. Kantar pre¬
the customary kova was served. sented the former mojak of the navy of
After Narine had related the story of Huitsen to the assemblage. Then Zinlo
her adventures, Kantar was pressed to tell addressed Lotar. Briefly he told him why
his, and those of Grandon and Vemia they suspected that Grandon and Vernia
with which he was acquainted. might be traveling southward with a party
When the gunner had finished, Ad of Ibbits, and gave him his instructions:
echoed the previously expressed senti¬ "Dispatch six ships,” he commanded,
ment of Zinlo. "We must wipe out the "with orders to fly high above Huitsen,
Huitsenni,” he declared. "But first we deep enough in the first cloud stratum so
must try to rescue Their Majesties of they will not be seen from that city. Then,
Reabon.” when they have their bearings, let them
"I’m going to send a squadron after the spread out, and fly southward until they
Ibbits,” said Zinlo. come to a column of furry white savages
"But suppose Grandon and his bride riding on three-homed beasts. If Gran¬
are still in Huitsen.” don of Terra and his bride are with this
"I believe we can ascertain whether or party they must rescue them as best they
not they are there,” said Kantar. can, and bring them here at once.”
"How?” asked Ad. Lotar saluted. "I hasten to carry out
"The Chispoks. There must be some Your Majesty’s commands,” he replied,
members among the pirates you have cap¬ and hurried out.
 BUCCANEERS OF VENUS 343

As soon as Lotar had gone, San Thoy was ' 'Good. Let me hear it, my boy.”
quizzed about a possible alliance with the And so Kantar related to them a plan
Chispoks. He not only felt positive that he had conceived on the spur of the mo¬
he could arrange this, but stated that he ment, whereby he believed they could not
had received secret signs from several of only get the gates opened for them, but
the yellow sailors on board the vessel from keep them open for the entrance of the
which he had been rescued, which proved battle fleets of the three great nations.
to him that they were members of the
brotherhood. After a short conference, CHAPTER 17
he was dispatched in one of Zinlo’s air¬
THE DEATH SENTENCE
ships to visit both captured pirate vessels
and cull the Chispoks from among the ome time after Grandon and Vemia
prisoners. separated at the mouth of the cave to
"What of our allies?” Zinlo asked Ad, look for their riding-beasts which had
after San Thoy had departed. "Shall we disappeared, and which they believed had
let them help in the assault on Huitsen?” strayed in search of food, there came
Ad stroked his black beard thoughtful¬ faintly to the ears of the Earth-man a
ly. "Hum. Let’s see. We have two sound that caused him to stop, whirl
squadrons here, of our own. Lying near around, and listen intently. So slight
by are two from Adonijar, and a little was the sound that he could not quite
farther away, two from Reabon.” make it out, yet it had a quality which
"In addition to their battleships, the made him suspicious that Vernia had
Reabonians have two-score transports, and called him. Though he strained his ears
as many munition ships, with a large army to catch a possible repetition, none was
and munitions and equipment for a land audible.
offensive,” said Zinlo. Alarmed, he retraced his steps as
”1 was thinking of that,” said Ad. swiftly as possible, but the soft, newly
"How or where could they land their fallen snow retarded his progress consid¬
army?” erably. Fuming impatiently at the delay,
"The Chispoks know a secret way,” he floundered past the mouth of the cave
said Kantar. "San Thoy or one of his in which they had passed the night and
fellows could guide them.” anxiously took up Vernia’s trail, shouting
"Splendid. We can now plan a united her name as he went. But there was no
offensive. The Reabonians will disem¬ reply.
bark at night, and guided by the Chispoks, The tracks led him close to the irreg¬
will march on Huitsen, prepared for an ular base of the cliff, and as Grandon
offensive tomorrow at an hour we shall stumbled around a bend, he saw the same
set. You, Zinlo, will mass your aerial sight which Vemia had beheld only a
battleships above the city to join in the short time before, and which had led to
attack at the same time, and to convey her entrapment—a bristly white and green
signals from one force to another. Mean¬ object curving outward from behind a
while, the battleships of Tyrhana, Adoni¬ projection, which looked like a segment of
jar and Reabon must find some way to get Zorovian cactus. Like her, he thought it
through the secret entrance.” part of some antarctic plant, and proceed¬
"I’ve thought of a plan for that, also. ed incautiously toward it. He came to a
Your Majesty,” said Kantar. sudden pause, however, and presented the
344 WEIRD TALES

spiral point of bis lance, as the apparent denly reached beneath its abdomen with
segment resolved itself into one of the its foremost pair of hairy legs, and draw¬
chelae of an immense white scorpion, ing therefrom a section of gleaming,
which shot out from behind the projection sticky web as thick as a rope, it cast a loop
and charged swiftly toward him. about him and dragged him forward. He
clung to the lance-shaft with all his might,
Pointing his lance, Grandon pulled back
the lever which set the spiral head to and succeeded in severing the sticky loop

whirling. Fearlessly, and without swerv¬ with a stroke of his scarbo. Not so a sec¬

ing or endeavoring to evade the weapon, ond loop, however, which it unexpected¬

the monster sprang at the Earth-man with ly flung around him, breaking his hold

its immense pincers extended to seize him. on the shaft, as it jerked him toward its
ugly gaping mandibles with his right
Right in the thorax the lance-point struck,
and bored in up to the knob. Grandon arm bound to his side.

was thrown backward by the impact of He had previously refrained from

that charge, but by diverting the butt of using his tork for fear the sound would
his lance downward and plunging it bring enemies, but in this extremity he
through the snow until it struck the frozen elevated the muzzle, depressed the firing-
ground beneath, was able to hold the button, and sent a stream of bullets
scorpion away from him. straight into the gaping jaws. With muf¬
Then, still clinging to the shaft with fled detonations, the projectiles exploded
his left hand, he drew his scarbo with his in the huge, armored body. A half-dozen
right and struck at the nearest chela. It of them sufficed to blow the hard-shelled
was quite tough and homy, and the blade cephalothorax to bits, and reduced the
did not bite more than half-way through segmented abdomen to a shapeless quiver¬
it. Clenching his teeth, he struck again ing mass.
with all his strength, and this time suc¬ Quickly shifting his scarbo to his left
ceeded in severing it near the middle. hand, Grandon cut himself free of the
Having mastered the art of it, he was able sticky loop that encumbered him. Then,
to cut off the other claw at the first joint perceiving the yawning cave mouth, and
with two sharp blows. suspecting that it was here that Vernia
But no sooner had these menaces been had been taken, he rushed inside. Despite
removed than he was threatened with their wrappings, he was able to identify
another, even more dangerous. With the two zandars, one hanging in the cen¬
lightning swiftness, the monster suddenly ter of the huge web, the other at the edge
elevated its long, jointed tail, and stabbed beside a large spherical cocoon. But what
at him with the terrible telson with which was that smaller object beside the cocoon?
the tip was armed. His heart stood still as he recognized the
Avoiding the deadly thrust of the poi¬ slender form of Vernia, and saw that a
son sting by leaning sideways, Grandon young scorpion, which had evidently just
hacked at the thing with his scarbo. To emerged from the cocoon, was crawling
his surprize, it was quite brittle, and broke toward her.
off with the first blow. Although the newly hatched monster
Although the monster was now unable was not more than six feet from Vernia,
to injure him except at very close quar¬ and he could not shoot without endanger¬
ters, it was not without resource. It sud¬ ing her, he knew that there was nothing
 BUCCANEERS OF VENUS 345

else to do. Accordingly, he brought his devour me, I fainted. Let me rest for a
tork to bear on the hairy youngster, and little while, and I’ll be ready to walk.”
fired. There was a muffled explosion, "Perhaps you won’t need to walk,”
and the menace was removed. But now said Grandon. "One zandar appears to
he saw another pair of chelae emerging be alive. I’ll see if I can cut it down.”
from the cocoon. Again he fired, and the Utilizing the dust as he had done be¬
second young scorpion was blown to bits. fore, Grandon succeeded in making a
He watched for a moment, but as no more path up the web for himself to where the
appeared, decided that the other eggs had zandar hung beside the immense cocoon.
not yet hatched, and set about trying to With his scarbo he first cut the heavy,
find a way to climb to where Vcrnia was rope-like strands above it. Then, as the
suspended. great bulk of the beast swung downward,
The stickiness of the web made this al¬ he cut the cross strands in succession, and
most impossible, until he thought to util¬ with each cut, the zandar descended a
ize the dust and debris which littered the little further. When at last the beast was
floor. Catching this up in double hand¬ on the floor, it was still helpless because
fuls, he flung it against the section of the of the thorough manner in which it had
web which he wished to climb, and found, been trussed. But its heaving flanks
as he had hoped, that it prevented the ad¬ showed that it was still very much alive
hesive surface of the strands from cling¬ and not a little frightened by the expe¬
ing to his hands and feet. rience it had just gone through. Employ¬
ing his knife, Grandon quickly cut the
Swiftly he climbed up to Vernia, cut
strands which held it, and it struggled to
the surrounding strands, and as swiftly
its feet, trembling and panting heavily.
descended to the floor with his burden.
"It seems unhurt,” said Vernia, who
With his knife he quickly slit open the
had recovered from her faintness and
wrappings and found his wife, limp, and
come over to watch the proceedings.
apparently lifeless. He opened her great
"Its legs are sound, at any rate,” re¬
fur cloak, and the sight of several scratch¬
plied Grandon.
es on her white skin engendered the fear
that she had been poisoned by the venom
of the monster. But when he held his
T he beast followed them docilely
enough through the mouth of the
ear to her breast, he was relieved to hear
cave. Then, after helping Vernia into the
her heart beating.
saddle, Grandon returned for a moment,
With a handful of snow taken from the
to apply his flame-maker to the bottom of
cave mouth, he touched her temples. The
the web. It caught fire with a roar, and
cold shock revived her. She looked
he plunged out of the cave followed by a
about wildly for a moment; then, recog¬
billowing cloud of black, oily smoke.
nizing Grandon, she relaxed contentedly
"That will do for the rest of the ugly
in his arms.
brood,” he said as he came up beside
"Are you hurt, dear?” he asked. Vernia.
"Only a few scratches. Bob,” she re¬ He was about to mount behind her,
plied. "It was the fright that made me when he suddenly saw, riding swiftly
swoon. When I saw that young strid toward them, a large band of warriors
coming toward me, as I hung there help¬ mounted on zandars. They were not Ib-
less, and realized that its purpose was to bits, as he could see at a glance, but Huit-
346 WEIRD TALES

senni, and had evidently heard his tork throne room, each guarded by two of his
fire and come to investigate. Instantly warriors.
the riders deployed in a wide semicircle, Up to the time they were ushered into
cutting off all possibility of escape across that vast room, Grandon had entertained
the snow. As they could not climb the the hope that one of tire Chispoks had
sheer face of the cliff behind them, nor succeeded Yin Yin, but his hopes were
retire into the cave, which was now belch¬ dashed as he recognized the individual
ing great clouds of acrid smoke, they re¬ who squatted in the center of the crystal
mained where they were, Vernia still in throne. It was the bestial Thid Yet,
the saddle and Grandon beside her. former Romojak of the Navies of Huit¬
Had he been alone, Grandon would sen. Like his predecessor, he was sur¬
have resisted desperately, but he knew rounded by numerous attendants and
that if he should use his tork the enemy nobles, and his gross body was loaded
would retaliate in kind, and Vernia might with flashing jewels. The porcine mon¬
be injured or slain. A moment more, and arch grinned toothlessly as they were
he was looking into the mouths of fully brought before him.
a hundred torks leveled at him by a close¬
"It is apparent that our men have per¬
ly packed semicircle of riders. Then the
suaded Your Majesties to avail yourselves
mojak in command ordered a halt, and
once more of our cordial if humble hos¬
called out to Grandon: "Surrender, in
pitality,” he said. "We are honored.”
the name of the Rogo of Huitsen, or we
"Your Majesty’s warriors have persua¬
fire.”
sive ways,” replied Grandon. "Perhaps,
Seeing that resistance was useless,
now that you are Rogo, we can persuade
Grandon unbuckled the belt which con¬
you to permit us to depart to our own tor-
tained his weapons and flung it on the
rogat, where duty calls us.”
snow in front of him. Then he clasped
his hands behind his head in token of sur¬ "Perhaps,” replied Thid Yet, dipping
render. his thumb into a spore-pod which one of
At the order of the mojak, two men de¬ the former slave-girls of Yin Yin present¬
scended and swiftly bound him, hand and ed, and thrusting the red spores into his
foot. Then he was slung across the sad¬ fat cheek. "Just what is your proposi¬
dle-bow of one of the riders as if he had tion?”
been a sack of grain, and the cavalcade "Say, a million keds of gold.”
rode away. Vernia was not bound but "Humph! We are offered more for Her
was permitted to retain her place in the Majesty alone.”
saddle with a guard on each side of her. "Two million.”
Several hours later it seemed to Gran¬ "Not enough.”
don that all of Huitsen had turned out to Three — —
stare at the two prisoners that their rid¬ "Wait,” interrupted Thid Yet. "You
ers were bringing in, so dense were the but waste your breath. Her Majesty will
crowds along the streets. Their captors remain here as was previously arranged,
took them straight to the palace, where until it is time to take her to the rendez¬
they were deprived of their Ibbit furs, vous. Though she has been deprived of
which were not needed here in the warm the pleasure of Yin Yin’s company, we
lowlands. Then the mojak, quite obvious¬ trust that we will make a satisfactory sub¬
ly proud of his success, led them to the stitute.”
 BUCCANEERS OF VENUS 347

"Why you--1” Grandon would CHAPTER 18

have sprung at the throat of die man on
THE ALLIES ATTACK
the throne had he not been seized by the
guards. IN the flagship of Zinlo of Olba rode
"One moment, Majesty. Permit me to Kantar the Gunner and Narine, look¬
finish. We are grieved that we can not ing down at the city of Huitsen through
entirely comply with your request, yet we several feet of the lowest cloud stratum.
will in part fulfill it.” The ship was flying in this stratum that
it might remain invisible to the Huitsenni
“In part?”
in the streets below, yet be able to keep
"Yes. We will permit you to leave, watch. The offensive which the allies had
but not for your own country. Although planned the day before was now sched¬
you left no witnesses, we have consider¬ uled to take place.
able evidence that it was you who behead¬ Ten thousand of Reabon’s brave war¬
ed our just and generous predecessor. We riors, guided by the Chispoks that San
also remember that it was due to you that Thoy had selected, were converging on
we nearly lost our own head. So we will the city in an immense semicircle, and
allow you to leave—will, in fact, speed five thousand more, a contingent of
you on your way, for it would be danger¬ Reabonian artillery, had their mattorks
ous to have you near us. But instead of ready to make breaches in the walls and
sending you to your own torrogat, we will lay a barrage in front of the infantry as
dispatch you to the Kingdom of Thorth.*” soon as the charge should commence or
He beckoned to one of the two brawny the enemy discover their presence.
guards who stood behind the throne Zinlo, who had been looking over the
leaning on their immense two-handed scene with his glass, said: "I wonder what
scarbos. "Come, Ez Ben. Clip me the has become of San Thoy and the two
head from this fine fellow, and see that pirate vessels he was so positive he could
you cut it cleanly, as I would retain it bring through the gate. I see no sign of
for a souvenir.” them in the canal. And our fleets still
ride at anchor outside, waiting for our
Swinging his heavy scarbo to his shoul¬
signal.”
der, the headsman mardhed forward.
"Perhaps we should fly down and in¬
Grandon’s two guards quickly forced him
vestigate,” suggested Narine,
to his knees. Ez Bin took a position be¬
"Hardly,” replied Kantar. "They
side him, tested the keenness of his blade
would be sure to see us and precipitate a
with his thumb, and carefully measured
battle before we are ready.”
the distance and position of Grandon’s
"There’s nothing to do but wait,” said
neck, closing one eye and squinting the
Zinlo, impatiently.
other. Then, with the swift assurance of
an expert, he raised his blade.
Vernia, who had been watching the
Meanwhile San Thoy, standing in
the commander’s cabin of the fore¬
scene, too horrified even to utter a sound,
most of the two ships which had been
covered her eyes with her hands. Then
converted to the purpose of the allies, its
she suddenly went limp in the hands of
crew augmented by a band of Reabonian
her two guards.
warriors who kept out of sight below
• Heaven, decks, and which was just then entering
348 WEIRD TALES

the fiord which led to Huitsen, was issu¬ all our ships. We are sinking rapidly.
ing swift orders to the mojak of the vessel. Besides, the enemy follows closely.
"Put three men on each oar,” he com¬ Would you have them find us here?”
manded. "The steel bar which we are to Evidently his words, or the fact that
drop between the stone gates to prevent their rigging and upper works were dam¬
their closing after us, is dragging on the aged by shell-fire, decided the guardians,
bottom.” for the gates slowly slid apart.
"Can we not raise it a trifle?” asked the San Thoy snapped an order to the row¬
mojak. ers. “Pull, men, with all your might.”
"No, idiot. The guardians are already The channel was quite shallow here,
watching us. To touch those chains now and the bar dragged heavily, but the men
would make them suspicious. Do as I worked with a will. Soon the boat was
say, and quickly, for the time for the of¬ half through the gateway. "Now,” com¬
fensive is almost at hand.” manded San Thoy, "let go the bar.”
Under the added propulsion of the ex¬ The chains were released, and struck
tra rowers, the boat moved slowly for¬ the water with a loud splash.
ward, dragging the heavy steel bar which "Ho, sailors. What was that you
the smiths of the fleet of Reabon had dropped?” one of the guards shouted
forged especially for this occasion by from above.
working all the previous night. Behind it Freed from the heavy drag of the bar,
came the second pirate ship, manned like the ship shot forward under the exertions
the first by Chispoks culled from the two of the rowers. At the same time, its mat-
crews and a concealed contingent of torks were trained on the grotto above,
Reabonian warriors. Its mojak, puzzled by where the guards manipulated the ma¬
the slow progress of the ship ahead, or¬ chinery that worked the gates and kept
dered his rowers to back water and wait watch for ships. Without replying to the
until a suitable distance should be estab¬ question of the guard, the Chispoks
lished between the two ships. opened fire.
As San Thoy’s vessel approached the The guards were sheltered behind a
massive stone gates, they did not open. wall of stone, and in addition, were
Instead, there came a hail from one of armed with mattorks. These instantly
the guardians. went into action, replying to the guns of
"What ails you? Why do you move so San Thoy’s ship and riddling her upper
slowly?” works with shells.
"We were crippled in a battle with the The second ship had, meanwhile, come
Reabonian fleet,” replied San Thoy. up more slowly. Warriors clung to her
“Our hold is filling with water. Let us masts and rigging. As she came half-way
through quickly or we will sink and block through the gate, she dropped anchor.
the channel.” The men in the rigging flung grappling-
There was some delay. Evidently the hooks up over the walls, and swarmed up
guardians were not entirely satisfied with the ropes. Many were hurled back, but
San Thoy’s explanation. The mojak enough succeeded in getting over to
knew that they were being subjected to quickly conquer the guards. Then a mojo
minute scrutiny from above. with twenty men took charge of the gate,
"Fools!” he cried, at length. "Open and the two ships passed on through the
the gate or the channel will be closed to immense black cavern.
 BUCCANEERS OF VENUS 349

Swiftly San Thoy ran to the foredeck must have seen our signal, long since, and
of his craft With an immense brush and notified the fleets of Reabon, Tyrhana
a can of red pigment, he painted the and Adonijar.”
word "open” in patoa, so it could be seen
from the air. A moment later his craft Z inlo, in his aerial battleship, had or¬
nosed out into the canal. He dropped dered his commander to soar to the
anchor about five hundred feet from the southeast of the city of Huitsen. They
mouth of the cave and waited. Presently were hovering just above the ship canal.
the other ship came up and anchored be¬ Kantar and Narine were watching the
hind him. landscape below through one of the keel
A mojak with a company of warriors, windows.
whose duty it was to patrol the canal "Look!” cried Narine. "A ship is
bank, came hurrying up and hailed him. coming out of the cave.”
"What was the firing?” he asked. Zinlo, who had been consulting with
"We were pursued by the Reabon- Lotar, seized his glasses and leveled them
ians,” San Thoy replied. "They nearly on the ship.
had us. We just got through the gates in "It’s San Thoy,” he announced, "and
time.” the way is open. To the flagship of Ad,
"But did they not see the gates? Per¬ Lotar.”
haps the secret way is not known to The ship shot forward with a tremen¬
them.” dous burst of speed. In less than a min¬
"Perhaps,” agreed San Thoy. ute it was far out over the Azpok, where
"You have lied to me,” accused the the ships of the allies waited. The fore¬
mojak. "That firing was inside the most of these was the flagship of Ad of
cave.” Tyrhana.
"Go and see for yourself,” suggested With a swiftness that made Kantar’s
San Thoy. ears ring, the airship dropped. It came
"I will. Let me take a boat.” to a stop beside Ad’s flagship as lightly as
"Not you. You are too uncivil.” if it had fallen into a bed of thistledown.
"Then I’ll take one by force.” Zinlo opened a side door. Not twenty
"Try it.” San Thoy waved his hand, feet from him, Ad stood on the foredeck
and fully two-score mattorks were trained of his fighting-craft.
on the mojak and his warriors. At this, "The way is open,” announced the
the officer turned and whispered to a fat Prince of Olba.
mojo who stood beside him. The fellow "Good! I’ll see you in the palace of
evidently counseled retreat, for they Huitsen,” replied Ad. Then he waved
turned and marched away, leaving only a his hand to a sailor, who instantly ran &
dozen men to watch the ships. pennant to the masthead. Almost imme¬
"They go to warn the city,” said San diately, similar flags were hoisted by the
Thoy’s mojo. other ships, showing that they had caught
'What odds?” replied San Thoy. "The the signal. Then the sails were unfurled,
romojak will order an investigation. A and with the assistance of a swift land¬
body of troops will be mobilized and ward breeze, the allied flotillas rapidly
marched back here. By that time our al¬ made their way toward the secret entrance
lies will have arrived, and the Reabonian to Huitsen.
army will be storming the city. Zinlo Once more the flagship of Zinlo darted
350 WEIRD TALES

back above the city, this time just over the "On coming out, however, we noticed
lowest cloud stratum. Kere the air fleet and followed another trail, which led
of Olba hovered, waiting orders. The from a near-by cave. It was the trail of
Torrogo’s signal man stood forth on the a man and woman. They had not re¬
deck just in front of the forward turret. turned to the cave from which they had
In his right hand he held an immense come, neither were their remains in the
red disk, and in his left, a yellow. He cave of the strid; so we judged they had
began making motions withrone, then the been captured by the party of mounted
other, then both, repeating them in nu¬ Huitsenni. The fact that the return trail
merous combinations which were evident¬ of the yellow men led straight back to the
ly understood by the mojaks of the other city confirmed our belief.”
battleships, as they immediately moved "You have done well,” said Zinlo.
from their places and formed an immense "Now take your squadron and get into
circle which corresponded to the circum¬ the formation above. I’ll signal you when
ference of the city beneath. There they to descend." He closed the door.
hovered, awaiting further orders. Kantar, who had been listening to the
Zinlo’s own ship dropped once more conversation, said: "Your Majesty, I
into the lowest cloud stratum, high have a favor to ask.”
enough to be out of sight, but low enough "Name it,” replied Zinlo. "You will
so that he could watch developments. deserve any favor within my power to
Presently another ship dropped down be¬ confer.”
side him. He opened a side door, and "I would be set on one of the balco¬
the commander of the ship did likewise. nies of the palace of Huitsen, with two
"What news?” asked Zinlo. men to assist me.”
"We caught up with the column of "Impossible,” replied Zinlo. "Our
Ibbits, Your Majesty,” replied the mojak. plans would be betrayed, and we would
"Their Majesties of Reabon were not lose every advantage which a surprize at¬
with them. The officer in command tack would bring us.”
swore that Grandon of Terra had slain "I am convinced. Majesty,” said Kan¬
their Rogo and ridden away with his tar, "that Their Majesties of Reabon are
wife. He said they would have followed, prisoners in the palace. Grandon of
but a blizzard obliterated the trail, so they Terra slew Yin Yin, Rogo of Huitsen.
decided to continue southward, bearing Under the circumstances, Yin Yin’s suc¬
the body of their Rogo.” cessor can not do less than order his execu¬
"Then what did you do?” tion. Perhaps he has already done so, in
"We circled the snowy plain in all di¬ which event I shall be too late. But I
rections, and presently found a trail. would be there to prevent it, if I can.”
From the tracks and the kerra juice which "What could three men do?”
spattered the snow, we knew it was the "If I could reach one of the inner bal¬
trail of a party of Huitsenni, mounted on conies that overlook the throne room,
zandars. It led us to the mouth of a cave, with a man or two to guard my back and
before which an enormous white strid lay a tork in my hands, I could do much.”
dead. Inside the cave we found the smol¬ "You are right, Gunner. A tork in
dering remains of a web, the charred car¬ your hands is worth a hundred in the
casses of three young strids, and a num¬ hands of ordinary men. And, after all,
ber of charred eggs. we’re more anxious to save Grandon and
 BUCCANEERS OF VENUS 351

Vemia than to take the city.” He called fire, and great breaches began appearing
to Lotar. "Send me two warriors. Then in the city walls.
you will drop suddenly beside one of the Then a long shout went up, and the
outer balconies of the palace. As soon as long line of Reabonian infantry, whidi
the warriors have disembarked, you will had been waiting in hiding, sprang for¬
swiftly return to this position.” ward, the light glinting from the barrels
"I hear and obey,” replied Lotar. of its torks, and from its scarbos and long-
bladed spears.
Zinlo’s orders were swiftly carried out.
The drip canal was now filled with
Kantar bent over Narine’s hand, but
enemy vessels, following one another in
she snatched it free, and threw her arms
close formation. Entering the land¬
around his neck.
locked harbor were the two captured pi¬
"It may be that you go to your death, rate vessels—the first commanded by San
my brave gunner," she cried. "Hold me Thoy.
tight. Tell me again that you love me.” The vessels which were anchored in the
Zinlo halted the two warriors in the harbor immediately opened fire, concen¬
doorway. Then he coughed discreetly. trating on these two ships. San Thoy’s
"We have arrived at the palace, Gun¬ vessel was riddled by shell-fire and began
ner. Come quickly, or we shall be shot to sink rapidly. He instantly ran it up
down.” beside an anchored vessel, and leading
A side door was flung open. Her eyes his mixed crew of white and yellow war¬
sparkling with love and pride, Narine riors, boarded the new craft. Only a few
watched Kantar and the two warriors sailors were aboard, and these were quick¬
leap to the balcony. Then the door was ly cut down.
closed, and before a single enemy mat-
tork could be trained on it, the ship shot I N the meantime, tire mighty flagship of
aloft and disappeared in the clouds. Ad of Tyrhana had nosed into the har¬
Hovering there in the lower cloud bor. The withering blasts from its heavy
stratum, Zinlo kept his glasses focused on mattorks literally blew some of the small¬
the canal. Presently he cried: "There is er pirate craft out of the water, and
Ad’s flagship. Another follows, and wrought havoc with the larger vessels.
another. It is time for the offensive.” It was closely followed by the huge
He turned and gave swift orders to flagships of Reabon and Adonijar, whose
Lotar. The flagship rose above the first powerful mattorks were equally efficient.
cloud stratum where the fleet waited, still And close on the heels of these crowded
in circular formation. The signal man the battleships of the allied fleet.
flashed his red and yellow disks. Then One by one, every pirate vessel that of¬
Zinlo’s ship took a place in the circle and fered resistance was sunk or captured.
began spiraling downward. Behind it Soon the allies were in complete com¬
followed the entire air fleet. mand of the harbor. This accomplished,
As soon as the flagship was through they landed warriors under cover of a
the lower cloud stratum, its keel mattorks heavy barrage, took the docks and ware¬
went into action. The mattorks of the houses with virtually no resistance, and
fleet instantly followed suit. There was marched into the city.
a burst of flame from the ground beneath In the meantime, the Reabonian infan¬
them as the Reabonian artillery opened try was meeting with desperate resistance
352 WEIRD TALES

around the city walls. Time and again, Now they, too, charged into the city, soon
Grandon’s brave warriors charged into the enveloping the mounted Huitsenni until
breaches made by their artillery, only to all chance of retreat for tire yellow cav¬
be hurled back by the desperate defenders. alry was lost. Seeing that further resist¬
Presently, however, a contingent of ance was hopeless, they threw down their
fighting Traveks, Grandon’s fierce war¬ arms, and clasped their hands behind their
riors from the mountain fastnesses of heads in token of surrender.
Uxpo, broke through and charged Leaving a few of their comrades to
straight for the palace. guard the prisoners and aid the wounded,
The commander of the Huitsenni had the Traveks again charged forward with
anticipated just such an emergency, and the Reabonians, helping to drive the yel¬
v/as prepared to meet it. Mounted on low infantry toward the palace. "For
zandars, firing their torks and brandish¬ Grandon and Vernia!” they shouted.
ing their heavy scarbos, a yelling horde of "Down with Huitsen!”
reserves thundered straight at the charg¬ From beyond the palace, a tremendous
ing Traveks. cheer answered them, as the allied war¬
The Uxponian mountaineers in the riors from the battleships drove the Huit¬
first line instantly knelt and presented senni back.
their long-bladed spears, while their com¬ While his keel mattorks kept up a con¬
rades immediately behind them fired over tinuous bombardment of the yellow army
their heads at the swiftly approaching beneath, Zinlo watched these beginnings
enemy. The two forces met with a ter¬ of victory with satisfaction. Then he sud¬
rific shock in which tough spear-shafts denly saw that for which he had been
were splintered, scarbos flashed, and torks waiting. Out from those buildings sur¬
spat incessantly. In an instant the first rounding and closest to the palace, and
line was a bloody shambles of dead and from the fishing-holes in the vicinity, there
wounded men and zandars. At this poured a swarm of Huitsenni, armed and
point, wave after wave met, until the pile dressed like the others, with the exception
of dead, inextricably mingled with wound¬ that each man wore a white scarf knotted
ed men and maimed and struggling around his neck and thrown over his
beasts, was so high that neither side shoulders.
could advance, both using it as a rampart Part of this new force charged straight
over which to fire their torks. for the palace, and the remainder formed
The Reabonians, however, fighting a great skirmish line to cut off the ap¬
shoulder to shoulder witn their Uxponian proach of the retreating Huitsenni.
brothers on either side, had quickly wid¬ "It’s the Chispoks!” cried Zinlo. “To
ened the breach made by the Traveks. the palace, Lotar.”

The fleets of the allies and the powerful air navy of Olba unite in their final
effort to crush the power of the buccaneers, while Grandon battles desperate'
ly for his life and the honor of his lovely bride in the palace of Huitsen.
Read the smashing denouement to this thrill'pac\ed tale in the April
issue of WEIRD TALES, on sale March 1st

W. T.—S
 A startling tale of the Tower of London, haunted by the
ghosts of dead conspirators

T HE Tower of London! Every stu¬

dent of history must be acquainted,
walls have echoed to the din of war, the
trumpet-blast of proud chivalry, the mirth
by repute at least, with that ancient of kingly revels, the sighs of languishing
stronghold which rears its gray, many- captives, and the groans of the hapless
turreted head on the north bank of the victims of "foul and midnight murder.”
River Thames, seeming still to be keeping Its history is the history of England itself,
watch and ward over the great city which for few indeed are the events recorded
stretches on every side as far as the eye therein in which it has not played its part.
can reach. Yet, in spite of its interesting associa¬
Figuring at different times as British tions, it was with very mixed feelings that
earthwork, Roman fortress, Plantagenet I learnt, in February, 1917, that I was to
palace, and Tudor prison, its time-stained have the privilege of residing within its
W. T.—6 353
354 WEIRD TALES

walls. Like so many other mounted regi¬ among us. There was but one blot on our
ments during that time of national emer¬ fair fame in this respect, and that was
gency, my unit, the Honorable Artillery Private Michael Maloney.
Company, had been converted into in¬
fantry, and as such had been ordered to
relieve the Guards’ battalion which then
B y what series of mischances Maloney
managed to find his way into the H.
formed the garrison of the Tower. A. C. is a problem that I have never been
Of course, this does not imply that the able to solve. He had previously served in
military authorities contemplated utilizing France with the Royal Munsters, and had
the old relic as a part of (die defenses of there behaved with such gallantry that he
the capital. Formidable though the mas¬ had been awarded the Military Medal and
sive walls may have been in the age in promoted to the rank of sergeant. Then
which they were built, a modern howitzer he had been wounded, sent to England,
battery could have shelled the whole place and then—probably at the instigation of
into a heap of rubble for an afternoon’s some well-meaning "brass hat” who
practise. From time immemorial it had thought thereby to enhance Maloney’s
been the custom to keep an armed force prospects of further promotion—trans¬
there; and so, when we marched in and ferred to us. As it turned out, this was
took possession with much pomp and about the worst thing that could have
ceremony, we were but carrying on the happened to him. Rough, uneducated,
tradition which had existed from pre- though with a heart of sterling gold and
Norman times. We were the legitimate as brave a soldier as one would wish to
successors to the mail-clad billmen and command, poor Maloney was like a fish
bowmen who had fought at Agincourt out of water among the rather high-toned
and Crecy, the dour Puritan pikemen of company in which he found himself.
Cromwell’s day, and the red-coated grena¬ Being unable to live up to his new sur¬
diers from whose bayonets Napoleon’s roundings, he took to seeking his diver¬
Old Guard had recoiled at Waterloo. sions among the rather questionable char¬
It would be invidious for me to express acters who at that time were always to be
an opinion as to why our particular unit found not far away from a military sta¬
was selected for this honor, but I do not tion, and who were only too willing to
think I will be accused of undue esprit de help him get rid of his pay in the local
corps when I describe the Honorable Ar¬ public-houses. Troubles soon began to ac¬
tillery Company as a crack regiment. Pro¬ cumulate around his not over-intelligent
fessional men, artists, actors, men of let¬ head. He became slack in his duties and
ters, together with a fair sprinkling of col¬ slovenly on parade; and—an unpardon¬
lege undergraduates, formed the bulk of able offense in war time—began to allow
the rank and file, and I must admit that his hours of alcoholic indulgence to en¬
they proved themselves a remarkably effi¬ croach on his hours of duty.
cient and well-disciplined body of men. First he lost the stripes he had so
Considering that nearly everybody was bravely won at Ypres; then he was initi¬
keen on getting a commission (the other ated into the irksome mysteries which are
units used to call us the "Unofficial Offi¬ indicated by the letters C.B.; finally figur¬
cers’ Training Corps”), it is scarcely sur¬ ing in a general court-martial, by which
prizing that crime—I use the word in its he was awarded twenty-eight days’ deten¬
military sense—was almost non-existent tion in "the clink.”
 THE DEVIL’S TOWER 355

"He’s getting to be a positive disgrace ing the action to the word, "I’m going to
to the regiment,” Major Faversham, the take off my tunic.”
adjutant, said to me as we sat together in "Yis, sor.” Maloney answered in his
the smoke-room of the Mess. "And the rich brogue. Except that his eyes opened
funny part about it is that he had an ex¬ a trifle wider, he showed no surprize at
emplary record-sheet before he came to Faversham’s unusual behavior.
us.” "Can you guess why I’ve done that?”
I nodded in agreement. Much as I liked the major asked as he tossed his discarded
the erring Irishman, the fact of his numer¬ coat and Sam-Browne belt on the couch.
ous sentences spoke for itself. "Still,” I "Oi can not, sor.”
added, "there must be some reason at the "It’s because I want you to look on me
back of it all. A good soldier does not for the next half-hour or so, not as your
suddenly start going wrong for nothing.” superior officer, but as a human being like
For a few moments Major Faversham yourself. You needn’t stand there as if
sat smoking thoughtfully; then he sprang you’re on 'general inspection.’ Sit your¬
to his feet. self down and try one of these cigarettes.
I’m going to talk to you like a father."
"You’re right,” he cried, "and I’m de¬
"Oi niver knew my father, sor-”
termined to get to the bottom of the mat¬
"You’re going to know one now, Ma¬
ter. I just hate to see a promising man
loney. Sit down. And now,” he went on
going to tire bad as he’s going. I’ll have
him up here for a friendly, informal chat, when Maloney had reluctantly and un¬

and talk to him like a father.” easily lowered his bulk into one of the
easy-chairs, "what about it, eh?”
Considering that Maloney stood sue
“About phwat, sor?” asked the wonder¬
feet in his socks and was built in propor¬
ing private.
tion, the major’s observation was not with¬
"About the way you’ve been carrying
out its humorous side. But I managed to
on lately. Aren’t you about tired of doing
keep a straight face, and merely asked:
C.B. and pack-drill? What about keeping
"Do you wish me to be present, sir?”
straight for a bit of a change?”
"Yes, I think it would be better. You’re It was evident that Faversham had care¬
his company commander, and I’ve noticed fully rehearsed his speech, for he reeled it
that he seems to have rather a liking for off with the breathless eloquence of a ser¬
you. You may be able to suggest some¬ geant-instructor detailing "Slope arms by
thing.” numbers.” During the oration I stole a

A pparently the orderly who was sent

to round up the black sheep had no
glance into the face of the man for whose
benefit it was being delivered, and I was
rejoiced to see, by the uneasy shuffling of
difficulty in locating his quarry. In a few his feet and the embarrassed blush on his
minutes Maloney entered, clicked his heels open and ingenuous countenance, that the
smartly as he came to the salute, and re¬ major’s good seed was not falling on
mained standing stiffly to attention, his stony ground. By the time the peroration
features frozen into that wooden, blank¬ had come to an end—it was an appeal to
eyed expression that all good soldiers are save the good name of the regiment, such
apt to assume in the presence of their as no soldier can listen to unmoved—poor
superior officer. Maloney was almost reduced to tears.
"Now, Maloney,” said the major, suit¬ "Oi know it’s all thrue, sor, iwery
356 WEIRD TALES

worrd uv it,” he said dolefully. "Oi know heerd ’em, too! Didn’t Oi, whin shovel¬
it’s worse than a baste Oi am whin Oi’ve ling the colonel’s coal into thim dungeons
taken dhrink. But Oi can’t help getting ahint the Boochump Tower, didn’t Oi
dhrunk, and that’s the honest truth, sor— hear the groans of the poor divils that had
at least not whoile Oi’m living in this dis¬ been imprisoned there, maybe hunnerds
tressing ould place.” of years ago? Didn’t Oi hear the clank of
I raised my eyebrows at this. "Is there their chains and their prayers to be put out
anything wrong with your quarters?” I of their misery? Whin Oi mounted guard
asked. at noight, on the path by the Traitors’
"Oh, they’re comfortable enough, sor,” Gate, didn’t Oi see a boat row up where
he admitted readily. "It’s the place itself. there was niver a dhrop of water, and the
Faith, niwer a minute’s pace of moind prisoners come up the steps? Didn’t Oi
have Oi had at all since the moment Oi hear the muffled tolling of the bell when
came here. It’s haunted, the place is, sor!” Oi saw the little percession make its way
"Haunted?” I felt inclined to laugh, to the railed-off spot near the chapel, wid
but the intense, almost pathetic earnest¬ a man carrying a whacking great ax on
ness with which he made the statement his shoulder lading the way? Oi tell ye,
caused me to refrain. "Who’s been tell¬ sor, what Oi’ve seen since Oi’ve been here
ing you that nonsense?” is enough to sind anybody on the dhrink!”
“Niwer a soul said a worrd, sor. It’s During this extraordinary recital I
what Oi’ve seen wid me own eyes.” caught Major Faversham’s eyes fixed on
mine with a quizzical, half-humorous ex¬
1 looked at him curiously before re¬ pression. It was dear that Maloney’s
plying. He was of that dark-haired, novel explanation of his lapses had taken
dark-eyed type of Irish which one occa¬ him by surprize, and, recalling the major’s
sionally encounters among the coast- oft-expressed disbelief in things super¬
dwellers of Munster and Connaught. In natural, I surmised that it obtained scant
features and complexion strongly resem¬ credence in his mind. But with me it was
bling the natives of southern Europe, their otherwise. At that time I had not, it is
presence among a light-haired population true, any settled opinions regarding the
has long been a puzzle to ethnologists; possibility or otherwise of spirits from
so much so, indeed, that they have been another sphere revisiting the earth. But I
forced to adopt the theory that they are was intensely interested in the subject;
the descendants of the soldiers and mari¬ and here, ready to hand, was a case which
ners of the Spanish Armada, the bulk of might possibly repay investigation.
whose ships were wrecked on that rock- After all, I argued to myself, medium-
bound coast. But, be his ancestry what it ship is not confined to the educated classes.
might, there could be not the slightest If one could credit the utterances of emi¬
doubt but that he was in deadly earnest in nent spiritualists, the gift might be pos¬
his assertion that the Tower was haunted. sessed—sometimes quite unknowingly—•
I allowed no inkling of my real feelings by those in the humblest walks of life.
to show as I asked carelessly: Might not this man, rude and unlettered
"And what have you seen, Maloney?” though he was, yet have that mysterious
"Things that didn’t ought to be seen at psychic power of perceiving things invis¬
all, sor—-things that aren’t of this world,” ible to other less delicately attuned minds?
was his hushed answer. "Aye—and Oi Cases have certainly been recorded of
 THE DEVIL’S TOWER 357

such; might not the man before me be and reg’lations, sor?” he asked in an un¬
another? steady voice.
A grim laugh from Major Faversham In spite of his assumed gravity, I could
interrupted my train of thought. see the corners of Faversham’s mouth
"So you’ve been seeing ghosts, have twitch.
you?” he was saying. "Well, I’m going "The War Office does not take cogni¬
to give them the job of reforming you.” zance of the unseen world,” he replied,
"Reforming me, sor?” There was an controlling his amusement. "Solitary con¬
uneasy look in Maloney’s eyes as he re¬ finement is quite in order, and I’ll throw
peated the words. in the ghosts free gratis. So let’s have no
more trouble, Maloney. Have a glass or
"Yes, I’m going to give you one last
two and welcome, if you wish to, but
chance of keeping off the drink and be¬
don’t mix up duty and drinking. If you
coming a decent soldier. But the next
do-”
time you’re 'on the peg’ I’m going to take
"Yis, sor?”
your case myself and sentence you to a
"You’re for a night alone with the
night’s solitary confinement — in the
ghosts of the Devil’s Tower!”
Devil’s Tower!”
Maloney did not seem to comprehend.
"Beggin’ yer pardon, sor, but which one
D uring the days which followed this
serio-comic interview I kept an anx¬
is that? There’s so many different towers
ious eye on the behavior of Private Ma¬
about the place that Oi mix up the
loney. In my mind I had but little faith
names.”
that the major’s threat of an enforced so¬
Unseen by the other man. Major Faver¬ journ among disembodied spirits would
sham turned to me and gave me a slow, outweigh the allurements of the spirits of
expressive wink, which I assumed to mean a more potent and material nature, the
that he had some deep-laid scheme in effects of which had hitherto formed a
hand. lively accompaniment to such pay-nights
"It is the tower which stands at the as Maloney had been at liberty to indulge
northwestern angle of the outer walls,” he in them. But one Friday came and went
explained in a solemn and impressive without alcoholic celebrations; then
voice. "It contains the ancient torture- another and another, until I began to
chamber. Within it, Guy Fawkes—to think that the impossible had happened,
mention only one case—was racked, to and that he had been weaned from his
make him confess who were his fellow besetting failing by a bogy which existed
conspirators in the Gunpowder Plot. It is only in Major Faversham’s fertile imag¬
the place that has more ghosts hanging ination. For at that time we had no rea¬
around it than all the rest of the other son to regard his statement that the Dev¬
dungeons put together—and that’s where il’s Tower was haunted as otherwise than
you’re going to spend the night the next a somewhat grim jest.
time you get drunk!” This tower, which forms a defense of
Maloney was visibly impressed by the the outer walls, is commonly known as
threat. To a disbeliever in ghosts the pun¬ the "Devereux Tower,” but that was not
ishment might have appeared absurdly its original name. In an ancient survey of
light, but for him it had real terror. the fortress, taken in the reign of Henry
"Is that punishment in the King’s rules VIII, it is called "Robyn the Devyll’s
358 WEIRD TALES

Tower,” but in a later plan of 1597 it had the red-cloaked yeoman-porter com¬
figures as the "Develin Tower.” It is only menced to close the massive gates than a
when we come to 1601 after Robert wild and dishevelled figure appeared on
Devereux, Earl of Essex, had been con¬ the bridge that spans the moat. My heart
fined there, that we find it referred to as sank as I recognized it. It was Private
the "Devereux Tower.” Maloney, hatless, coatless, and fighting
There can be not the slightest doubt drunk. Heaven knows by what miracle
that it is an extremely antique structure—- he had forced his way past the picket at
some authorities assigning to it a date an¬ the other end of the bridge, but his grazed
terior to the square Norman keep known knuckles and swollen lip showed that his
as the White Tower, and it retains for the passage had not been undisputed.
most part its original character, having Half a dozen flying strides took him
undergone little or no alteration. In form across the bridge; then, lowering his head,
it approaches almost to a circle, and con¬ he charged the gate like a bull. The next
sists of two stories, with one apartment on few minutes were more like a night raid
each, ascended by a narrow winding stair¬ in the trenches than the peaceful cer¬
case of stone. The basement floor, which emony of locking up the Tower. Taken
is vaulted and groined, is about nineteen by surprize, the venerable old gentleman
feet in diameter, and the walls are eleven with the keys performed a complicated
feet thick. evolution not to be found in the drill-
Though undoubtedly used as a state book, which ended by his assuming the
prison from the earliest times, there was supine position on top of the equally ven¬
not the slightest evidence of it ever having erable old gentleman who carried the lan¬
contained the ancient torture-chamber— tern. The next instant a smashing left
that part of the story had been an entirely from Maloney had sent the sergeant of
gratuitous assumption on the major’s part. the guard down to keep them company.
But we were soon to receive tragic proof But Maloney’s triumph v/as short-lived.
that his words, lightly uttered though Recovering from their astonishment, the
they were, had come surprizingly near the guard laid aside their rifles and closed
truth. round him, a pair of handcuffs clicked on
his wrists, and he was helpless. But his
“TTalt! Who goes there?” spirit was far from subdued, even then.
ri "Keys.” "Take these bracelets off, ye dhirty
"Whose keys?” blackguards, and Oi’ll show ye-”
"King George’s keys.” "Silence!” I roared in my best parade
"Advance, King George’s keys, and manner. "Are you mad?”
all’s well.'’ "Divil a bit of it—’tis only dhrunk Oi
It was the ancient ceremony of "The am, Captain darlint. Faith, and what ’ud
King’s Keys,” that quaint, old-world rit¬ Saint Pathrick’s Day be widout a sup or
ual which for centuries has been repeated two to remimber it by? Sure, for the
nightly at the main guard-house when the honor of ould Oireland Oi had to-”
gates of the Tower are locked for the "Now then, what’s all this row about?”
night. said a voice out of the darkness. Major
On the particular occasion of which I Faversham, attracted by the din, had come
write, however, there was a new and un¬ from his quarters to ascertain the reason
rehearsed incident introduced. No sooner of it.
 THE DEVIL S TOWER 359

There was no need for explanation, when I fell asleep, and it was the first
however. No sooner did his eyes rest on thing that leapt to my mind when, some
our prisoner than he had grasped the two hours later, I was awakened by an
situation. urgent and insistent knocking. Leaping
"So it’s you again, eh? Well, I warned from my bed and snapping on the lights,
you what was going to happen the next I found it was the sergeant of the guard.
time. You’re going to have a night’s lodg¬ "What’s the trouble, sergeant?”
ing in the Devil’s Tower—with the ghosts "There’s something queer going on in
to keep you company.” the Devil’s Tower, sir—something I can’t
An instantaneous change took place in make head or tail of.”
the bearing of Private Maloney. The "The Devil’s Tower?” I cried in amaze¬
words seemed to sober him like a dash of ment. "Why, that’s where we put Private
ice-cold water. His truculent attitude Maloney!”
dropped from him like a cloak, and in its "Yes, and it’s from his cell that the
place there came an emotion very much noises are coming.”
like fear. "What kind of noises?" I demanded, as
"You’re going to lock me up in that I began to dress hurriedly.
place ye spoke about—the Devil’s Tow¬ "Talking in different voices, and sounds
er?” he said slowly. I can’t put a name to. There seemed to
"You’ve stated my intentions exactly.” be three people in there. Maybe more.”
"But—think, sor”—there was undis¬ "Then why on earth didn’t you open
guised terror in the man’s voice now— the door?”
"the place is haunted!” "I tried to, sir—it was the first thing I
I stepped forward and called the guard did—but the key wouldn’t fit.”
to attention. Then I turned to Maloney. "Nonsense!” I cried. "It opened easily
"You knew perfectly well what you enough when we put him in. You must
were up against if you got drunk again,” have taken the wrong key.”
I told him sternly, as I placed myself at The sergeant shook his head positively.
the head of the little squad. "Sergeant, "I tried every one on the bunch, sir.”
get the keys of the Devil’s Tower. Guard Telling the sergeant to arouse Major
. . . slope arms! By the right . . . quick Faversham and apprise him that some¬
march!” thing was amiss, I buckled my belt,
Five minutes later the iron-studded slipped my revolver into its holster, and
door had clanged to, and Private Maloney made my way along the path in the
was a prisoner in the Devil’s Tower. shadow of the battlements and a few min¬
utes later stood before the door of Ma¬
I must confess that my mind was not loney’s cell. I had the bunch of keys in
entirely at ease as I made my way to my hand, but before attempting to use
my quarters and turned in. Had Major them I stood still and listened.
Faversham been as clever as he had There was a confused low muttering
thought? Not that I thought for a mo¬ coming from within. I bent my ear close
ment that the old place was really haunt¬ to the nail-studded door.
ed; it was rather its possible effect on the "Lave me alone, will ye?”—it was ob¬
mind of the man who did think so that viously Maloney’s voice—"For what d’ye
left me filled with vague misgivings. want to kape botherin’ me? Oi don’t
I was still worrying over the problem know what ye’re talking about at all.”
360 WEIRD TALES

Then, to my surprize, there came anoth¬ son. At once the creaking was resumed,
er voice. It was clear and bell-like, as but this time it sounded as if the wheel
much removed from the Irishman’s brogue were revolving more slowly.
as is possible to imagine. I turned to look at Faversham, and I
"Tell me the names of thine associates remember wondering if my own face was
in thine enterprise,” it said. "It is useless as deathly white as his.
to prevaricate—it will but make thy pun¬ "This is beyond me,” he muttered.
ishment more terrible. Confess everything, "There’s something so cursedly strange
and His Majesty will show his clemency about the business that--
by having thee executed forthwith.” A terrible cry came from behind the
"Then ye can thank him from me for locked door—a sobbing, gasping shriek
nothing!” returned Maloney emphatically. such as is wrung by direct agony.
"Thy treasonable speech showeth that "He’s being murdered in there!” shout¬
thou art hardened in thy guilt,” said the ed Faversham. "Break down the door!”
silvery voice. "Methinks there is naught to With one accord we threw ourselves
do but put thee to the torment. So Robin against it, but the massive, iron-bound oak
and his fellows must persuade thee with remained unmoved by our puny efforts.
their arts. Ho, knaves! Seize him!” Desperately we panted and sweated, and
I waited to hear no more. Quickly all the while we could hear the devilish
selecting the key, I thrust it into the lock. creaking from within, interspersed with
Strange!—the key was much too small. faint groans and the sound of the ice-cold
Withdrawing it, I examined it by the voice urging, "Confess—confess.”
light of my electric torch. Surely it was At last Faversham staggered back
the right key, for there was the name of against the wall and thrust his fingers in
the tower engraved on the haft. Could I his ears to keep out the sounds.
be at the wrong door? Impossible—had I "I can stand it no longer!” he gasped.
not heard Maloney speaking inside? "Sergeant, go to the bomb-store and bring
I was still trying to straighten out the me a Mills number two. We must blow
chaos of my thoughts when hurried steps open the door.”
on the spiral stairs announced the arrival
of Faversham and the sergeant. In a hur¬
ried whisper I explained what I had heard,
T he sergeant saluted and clattered
downstairs, returning in a few sec¬
and immediately afterward, as though to onds with the bomb. Loosely tying the
confirm my words, there came the sounds four comers of my handkerchief together,
of a short, sharp struggle from within, I placed the deadly, egg-shaped engine of
followed by a prolonged creaking like that destruction inside, and hung the knotted
of an ill-greased cart-wheel. loop on the door-handle so that the bomb
"Thou seest, we do not jest,” said the rested against the ponderous lock. With
bell-like voice. "For the last time, who a warning to the others to take cover, I
are thine accomplices?” pulled out the safety-pin, allowing the
"Ye’re crazy! How can Oi tell ye what lever to fly up, then ran for my life.
Oi don’t know meself?” demanded Ma¬ I had barely time to wedge myself
loney wrathfully. behind a neighboring stone pillar before
"I fear me thou art obdurate. So . , the fuse reached the ammonal. There
The voice ceased as though the speaker came a flash of white fire, a sharp, ear-
had made a gesture to some unseen per¬ splitting detonation, a whirring and tink-
 THE DEVIL’S TOWER 361

ling of flying fragments against the stone I did so, hiding nothing. When I had
walls. finished there was a queer, brooding light
Coughing and choking with the acrid in the doctor’s eyes.
fumes of the explosion, I dashed through "So Major Faversham told the man
the splintered door and swept the beam of that he was about to be confined in the
my torch round the apartment. Then I old torture-chamber?”
staggered and leant, sick and trembling, I nodded, and after a long, thoughtful
against the door-post, utterly unmanned pause he went on:
by the horrible and unexpected sight "Auto-suggestion in a suitable subject
which met my eyes, is sometimes liable to go to incredible
Our unfortunate prisoner lay on the lengths. It is scarcely necessary for me to
floor in a stiff and constrained attitude, his cite the well-attested phenomena which
arms and legs stretched out rigidly to have resulted from time to time from pro¬
their fullest extent. His face was livid and longed mental stress; no doubt many of
wet with the sweat of mortal agony. His the miracles of the Middle Ages were due
eyes were wide open and fixed with a to this cause, possibly accentuated by re¬
stony stare straight in front of him. And ligious ecstasy. But I have certainly never
although he had been untouched by the known any form of self-hypnotism capable
fragments of the bomb, he was quite dead. of dislocating a man’s arms and legs!”
For a few moments I stood swaying as "What?” I cried, aghast at this new
I tried to realize the meaning of it all. horror.
Then, for the first time in my life, I sup¬ “The dead man’s limbs had been
pose I must have fainted. wrenched from their sockets, and violent¬
ly, too. I suppose this could not have hap¬
I have not the slightest idea whether I pened in the struggle when he was ar¬
rested?”
walked back to my own quarters or was
carried there. My first clear recollection is "Impossible! He was well enough
feeling the tang of raw spirits in my when we left him.”
mouth, and seeing the face of our Medi¬ The M.O. pressed his lips together and
cal Officer bending over me. a line of perplexity barred his forehead.
"Yes, the poor fellow was past all aid "Nor v/as that all,” he said. "Around
when I arrived," he said in answer to my each wrist and ankle I found broad, red
first question. "And it wasn’t the explo¬ weals, such as might have been made by
sion that killed him, either. He just died the ropes that used to stretch the victim on
of mortal terror.” the rack-"
I uttered some words—heaven knows "The rack!” A dim light of under¬
what. Probably they were half-hysterical, standing began to dawn on my mind.
for the M.O. again held the brandy to my "The rack—in that old torture-chamber
lips. ... I wonder . . .”
"Sip this; then tell me everything that "So do I,” said the doctor softly.
occurred.” And we’re wondering still.
 horror
iigk t

L sle of
the Torturers
By CLARK ASHTON SMITH
A powerful story of terrific torments, and the strange, sudden
onslaught of the Silver Death

B ETWEEN the sun’s departure and

return, the Silver Death had fallen
having sealed the flesh of a myriad men
with its bright, metallic pallor, the plague
upon Yoros. Its advent, however, would still go on in time and space, borne
had been foretold in many prophecies, by the dim currents of ether to other
both immemorial and recent. Astrologers worlds.
had said that this mysterious malady, Dire was the Silver Death; and none
heretofore unknown on earth, would de¬ knew the secret of its contagion or the
scend from the great star, Achernar, which cure. Swift as the desert wind, it came
presided balefully over all the lands of into Yoros from the devastated realm of
the southern continent of Zothique; and Tasuun, overtaking the very messengers
362
 THE ISLE OF THE TORTURERS 363

who ran by night to give warning of its many predictions that foretold the Silver
nearness. Those who were smitten felt Death; and moreover he had read its im¬
an icy, freezing cold, an instant rigor, as minent coming in the stars, with the aid
if the outermost gulf had breathed upon of the old astrologer and sorcerer, Vem-
them. Their faces and bodies whitened deez. This latter knowledge he and Vem-
strangely, gleaming with a wan luster, deez had not cared to promulgate, know¬
and became stiff as long-dead corpses, all ing full well that the doom of Yoros was
in an interim of minutes. a thing decreed from all time by infinite
In the streets of Silpon and Siloar, and destiny; and that no man could evade the
in Faraad,the capital ofYoros, the plague doom, unless it were written that he
passed like an eery, glittering light from should die in another way than this.
countenance to countenance under the Now Vemdeez had cast the horoscope
golden lamps; and the victims fell where of Fulbra; and though he found therein
they were stricken; and the deathly bright¬ certain ambiguities that his science could
ness remained upon them. not resolve, it was nevertheless written
The loud, tumultuous public carnivals plainly that the king would not die in
were stilled by its passing, and the merry¬ Yoros. Where he would die, and in what
makers were frozen in frolic attitudes. manner, were alike doubtful. But Vem¬
In proud mansions, the wine-ffushed revel¬ deez, who had served Altath the father
lers grew pale amid their garish feasts, of Fulbra, and was no less devoted to
and reclined in their opulent chairs, still the new ruler, had wrought by means of
holding the half-emptied cups with rigid his magical art an enchanted ring that
fingers. Merchants lay in their counting- would protect Fulbra from the Silver
houses on the heaped coins they had be¬ Death in all times and places.
gun to reckon; and thieves, entering later, The ring was made of a strange red
were unable to depart with their booty. metal, darker than ruddy gold or copper,
Diggers died in the half-completed graves and was set with a black and oblong gem,
they had dug for others; but no one came not known to terrestrial lapidaries, that
to dispute their possession. gave forth eternally a strong, aromatic
There was no time to flee from the perfume. The sorcerer told Fulbra never
strange, inevitable scourge. Dreadfully to remove the ring from the middle fin¬
and quickly, beneath the clear stars, it ger on which he wore it—not even in
breathed upon Yoros; and few were they lands afar from Yoros and in days after
who awakened from slumber at dawn. the passing of the Silver Death: for if
Fulbra, the young king of Yoros, who once the plague had breathed upon Ful¬
had but newly succeeded to the throne, bra, he would bear its subtle contagion
was virtually a ruler without a people. always in his flesh; and the contagion
would assume its wonted virulence with
F ulbra had spent the night of the the ring's removal. But Vemdeez did not
tell the origin of the red metal and the
plague’s advent on a high tower of
his palace above Faraad: an observatory dark gem, nor the price at which the pro¬
tower, equipped with astronomical ap¬ tective magic had been purchased.
pliances. A great heaviness had lain on With a sad heart, Fulbra had accepted
his heart, and his thoughts were dulled the ring and had worn it; and so it was
with an opiate despair; but sleep was re¬ that the Silver Death blew over him in
mote from his eyelids. He knew the the night and harmed him not. But wait-
364 WEIRD TALES

ing anxiously on the high tower, and as a foster-father, the king went slowly
watching the golden lights of Faraad on. And in the suites and halls below, he
rather than the white, implacable stars, found the bodies of his courtiers and ser¬
he felt a light, passing chillness that be¬ vants and guardsmen. And none re¬
longed not to the summer air. And even mained alive, excepting three slaves who
as it passed the gay noises of the city warded the green, brazen portals of the
ceased; and the moaning lutes faltered lower vaults, far beneath the palace.
strangely and expired. A stillness crept Now Fulbra bethought him of the
on the carnival; and some of the lamps counsel of Vemdeez, who had urged him
went out and were not re-lit. In the pal¬ to flee from Yoros and to seek shelter in
ace beneath him there was also silence; the southern isle of Cyntrom, which paid
and he heard no more the laughter of his tribute to the kings of Yoros. And
courtiers and chamberlains. And Vem- though he had no heart for this, nor for
deez came not, as was his custom, to join any course of action, Fulbra bade the
Fulbra on the tower at midnight. So Ful- three remaining slaves to gather food and
bra knew himself for a realmless king; such other supplies as were necessary for
and the grief that he still felt for the a voyage of some length, and to carry
noble Altath was swollen by a great sor¬ them aboard a royal barge of ebony that
row for his perished people. was moored at the palace porticoes on the
Hour by hour he sat motionless, too river Voum.
sorrowful for tears. The stars changed Then, embarking with the slaves, he
above him; and Achernar glared down took the helm of the barge, and directed
perpetually like the bright, cruel eye of the slaves to unfurl the broad amber sail.
a mocking demon; and the heavy balsam And past the stately city of Faraad, whose
of the black-jewelled ring arose to his streets were thronged with the silvery
nostrils and seemed to stifle him. And dead, they sailed on the widening jasper
once the thought occurred to Fulbra, to estuary of the Voum, and into the ama¬
cast the ring away and die as his people ranth-colored gulf of the Indaskian Sea.
had died. But his despair was too heavy A favorable wind was behind them,
upon him even for this; and so, at length, blowing from the north over desolate
the dawn came slowly in heavens pale as Tasuun and Yoros, even as the Silver
the Silver Death, and found him still on Death had blown in the night. And idly
the tower. beside them, on the Voum, there floated
seaward many vessels whose crews and
I N the dawn, King Fulbra rose and de¬ captains had all died of the plague. And
Faraad was still as a necropolis of old
scended the coiled stairs of porphyry
into his palace. And midway on the time; and nothing stirred on the estuary
stairs he saw the fallen corpse of the old shores, excepting the plumy, fan-shapen
sorcerer Vemdeez, who had died even as palms that swayed southward in the fresh¬
he climbed to join his master. The wrin¬ ening wind. And soon the green strand
kled face of Vemdeez was like polished of Yoros receded, gathering to itself the
metal, and was whiter than his beard and blueness and the dreams of distance.
hair; and his open eyes, which had been Creaming with a winy foam, full of
dark as sapphires, were frosted with the strange murmurous voices and vague
plague. Then, grieving greatly for the tales of exotic things, the halcyon sea was
death of Vemdeez, whom he had loved about the voyagers now beneath the high-
 THE ISLE OF THE TORTURERS 365

lifting summer sun. But the sea’s en¬ Fulbra clung to the useless helm, and
chanted voices and its long, languorous, the slaves, at his command, took shelter
immeasurable cradling could not soothe in the forward cabin. For countless hours
the sorrow of Fulbra; and in his heart a they were borne onward at the will of the
despair abided, black as the gem that was mad hurricane; and Fulbra could see
set in the red ring of Vemdeez. naught in the lowering gloom, except the
Howbeit, he held the great helm of the pale crests of the beetling waves; and he
ebon barge, and steered as straightly as could tell no longer the direction of their
he could by the sun toward Cyntrom. The course.
amber sail was taut with the favoring Then, in that lurid dusk, he beheld at
wind; and the barge sped onward all that intervals another vessel that rode the
day, cleaving the amaranth waters with storm-driven sea, not far from the barge.
its dark prow that reared in the carven He thought that the vessel was a galley
form of an ebony goddess. And when such as might be used by merchants that
the night came with familiar austral stars, voyaged among the southern isles, trad¬
Fulbra was able to correct such errors as ing for incense and plumes and vermilion;
he had made in reckoning the course. but its oars were mostly broken, and the
For many days they flew southward; toppled mast and sail hung forward on
and the sun lowered a little in its circling the prow.
behind them; and new stars climbed and
clustered at evening about the black god¬
dess of the prow. And Fulbra, who had
F or a time the ships drove on together;
till Fulbra saw, in a rifting of the
once sailed to the isle of Cyntrom in boy¬
gloom, the sharp and somber crags of an
hood days with his father Altath, thought
unknown shore, with sharper towers that
to see ere long the lifting of its shores of
lifted palely above them. He could not
camphor and sandalwood from the winy
turn the helm; and the barge and its com¬
deep. But in his heart there was no glad¬
panion vessel were carried toward the
ness; and often now he was blinded by
wild tears, remembering that other voy¬ looming rocks, till Fulbra thought that
age with Altath. they would crash thereon. But, as if by
some enchantment, even as it had risen,
Then, suddenly and at high noon, there
the sea fell abruptly in a windless calm;
fell an airless calm, and the waters be¬
and quiet sunlight poured from a clear¬
came as purple glass about the barge. The
sky changed to a dome of beaten copper, ing sky; and the barge was left on a broad

arching dose and low; and as if by some crescent of ocher-yellow sand between the
evil wizardry, the dome darkened with crags and the lulling waters, with the gal¬
untimely night, and a tempest rose like ley beside it.

the gathered breath of mighty devils and Dazed and marvelling, Fulbra leaped
shaped the sea into vast ridges and abys¬ on the helm, while his slaves crept timidly
mal valleys. The mast of ebony snapped forth from the cabin, and men began to
like a reed in the wind, and the sail was appear on the decks of the galley. And
torn asunder, and the helpless vessel the kingwas about to hail these men, some
pitched headlong in the dark troughs and of whom were dressed as humble sailors
was hurled upward through veils of and others in the fashion of rich mer¬
blinding foam to the giddy summits of chants. But he heard a laughter of strange
the billows. voices, high and shrill and somehow evil,
366 WEIRD TALES

that seemed to fall from above; and look¬ that all who landed upon it unaware, or
ing up he saw that many people were de¬ were cast thither by the seas, were im¬
scending a sort of stairway in the cliffs prisoned by the inhabitants and were sub¬
that enclosed the beach. jected later to unending curious tortures
The people drew near, thronging about whose infliction formed the chief delight
die barge and the galley. They wore fan¬ of these cruel beings. No man, it was
tastic turbans of blood-red, and were clad rumored, had ever escaped from Ucca¬
in closely fitting robes of vulturine black. strog; but many had lingered for years in
Their faces and hands were yellow as saf¬ its dungeons and hellish torture-cham¬
fron; their small and slaty eyes were set bers, kept alive for the pleasure of King
obliquely beneath lashless lids; and their Ildrac and his followers. Also, it was be¬
thin lips, which smiled eternally, were lieved that the Torturers were great ma¬
crooked as the blades of simitars. gicians who could raise mighty storms

They bore sinister and wicked-looking with their enchantments, and could cause
weapons, in the form of saw-toothed vessels to be carried far from the mari¬

swords and double-headed spears. Some time routes, and then fling them ashore
upon Uccastrog.
of them bowed low before Fulbra and ad¬
dressed him obsequiously, staring upon Seeing that the yellow people were all
him all the while with an unblinking gaze about the barge, and that no escape was
that he could not fathom. Their speech possible, Fulbra asked them to take him
was no less alien than their aspect; it was at once before King Ildrac. To Ildrac he
full of sharp and hissing sounds; and would announce his name and royal rank;
neither the king nor his slaves could com¬ and it seemed to him, in his simplicity,
prehend it. But Fulbra bespoke the peo¬ that one king, even though cruel-hearted,
ple courteously, in the mild and mellow- would scarcely torture another or keep
flowing tongue of Yoros, and inquired him captive. Also, it might be that the in¬
the name of this land whereon the barge habitants of Uccastrog had been some¬
had been cast by the tempest. what maligned by the tales of travelers.
Certain of the people seemed to under¬ So Fulbra and his slaves were sur¬
stand him, for a light came in their slaty rounded by certain of the throng and were
eyes at his question; and one of them an¬ led toward the palace of Ildrac, whose
swered brokenly in the language of Yoros, high, sharp towers crowned the crags be¬
saying that the land was the Isle of Ucca- yond the beach, rising above those clus¬
strog. Then, with something of covert tered abodes in which the island people
evil in his smile, this person added that all dwelt. And while they were climbing
shipwrecked mariners and seafarers would the hewn steps in the cliff, Fulbra heard
receive a goodly welcome from Ildrac, the a loud outcry below and a clashing as of
king of the Isle. steel against steel; and looking bade, he
At this, the heart of Fulbra sank within saw that the crew of the stranded galley
him; for he had heard numerous tales of had drawn their swords and were fighting
Uccastrog in bygone years; and the tales the islanders. But being outnumbered
were not such as would reassure a strand¬ greatly, their resistance was borne down
ed traveler. Uccastrog, which lay far to by the swarming Torturers; and most of
the east of Cyntrom, was commonly known them were taken alive. And Fulbra’s
as the Isle of the Torturers; and men said heart misgave him sorely at this sight;
 THE ISLE OF THE TORTURERS 367

and more and more did he mistrust the So Fulbra’s sword was taken from him
yellow people. by one of the palace guardsmen; and a
Soon he came into the presence of small ruby-hilted dagger that he carried
Ildrac, who sat on a lofty brazen chair in was also removed. Then several of the
a vast hall of the palace. Ildrac was taller guards, hemming him in with their scythed
by half a head than any of his followers; weapons, led him from the hall and by
and his features were like a mask of evil many corridors and downward flights of
wrought from some pale, gilded metal; stairs into the solid rock beneath the pal¬
and he was clad in vestments of a strange ace. And he knew not whither his three
hue, like sea-purple brightened with fresh¬ slaves were taken, or what disposition was
flowing blood. About him were many made of the captured crew of the galley.
guardsmen, armed with terrible scythe¬ And soon he passed from the daylight
like weapons; and the sullen, slant-eyed into cavernous halls illumed by sulfur-
girls of the palace, in skirts of vermilion colored flames in copper cressets; and all
and breast-cups of lazuli, went to and fro around him, in hidden chambers, he heard
among huge basaltic columns. About the the sound of dismal moans and loud,
hall stood numerous engineries of wood maniacal howlings that seemed to beat
and stone and metal such as Fulbra had and die upon adamantine doors.
never beheld, and having a formidable In one of these halls, Fulbra and his
aspect with their heavy chains, their beds guardsmen met a young girl, fairer and
of iron teeth and their cords and pulleys less sullen of aspect than the others; and
of fish-skin. Fulbra thought that the girl smiled upon

T he young king of Yoros went for¬

ward with a royal and fearless bear¬
him compassionately as he went by; and
it seemed that she murmured faintly in
the language of Yoros: "Take heart, King
ing, and addressed Ildrac, who sat motion¬ Fulbra, for there is one who would help
less and eyed him with a level, unwink¬ you.” And her words, apparently, were
ing gaze. And Fulbra told Ildrac his name not heeded or understood by the guards,
and station, and the calamity that had who knew only the harsh and hissing
caused him to flee from Yoros; and he tongue of Uccastrog.
mentioned also his urgent desire to reach After descending many stairs, they came
the Isle of Cyntrom. to a ponderous door of bronze; and the
"It is a long voyage to Cyntrom,” said door was unlocked by one of the guards,
Ildrac, with a subtle smile. "Also, it is and Fulbra was compelled to enter; and
not our custom to permit guests to depart the door clanged dolorously behind him.
without having fully tasted the hospitality The chamber into which he had been
of the Isle of Uccastrog. Therefore, King thrust was walled on three sides with the
Fulbra, I must beg you to curb your im¬ dark stone of the island, and was walled
patience. We have much to show you on the fourth with heavy, unbreakable
here, and many diversions to offer. My glass. Beyond the glass he saw the blue-
chamberlains will now conduct you to a green, glimmering waters of the under¬
room befitting your royal rank. But first sea, lit by the hanging cressets of the
I must ask you to leave with me the sword chamber; and in the waters were great
that you carry at your side; for swords are devil-fish whose tentacles writhed along
often sharp—and I do not wish my guests the wall; and huge pythonomorphs with
to suffer injury by their own hands.” fabulous golden coils receding in the
368 WEIRD TALES

gloom; and the floating corpses of men till he complied. And then they led him
that stared in upon him with eyeballs from the dungeon and took him before
from which the lids had been excised. King Ildrac, in the great hall of tortures.

There was a couch in one corner of the Fulbra saw, by the level golden light
dungeon, close to the wall of glass; and through the palace windows and the long
food and drink had been supplied for shadows of the columns and machines of
Fulbra in vessels of wood. The king laid torment, that the time was early dawn.
himself down, weary and hopeless, with¬ The hall was crowded with the Torturers
out tasting the food. Then, lying with and their women; and many seemed to
close-shut eyes while the dead men and look on while others, of both sexes, busied
the sea-monsters peered in upon him by themselves with ominous preparations.
the glare of the cressets, he strove to for¬ And Fulbra saw that a tall brazen statue,
get his griefs and the dolorous doom that with cruel and demonian visage, like some
impended. And through his clouding implacable god of the underworld, was
terror and sorrow, he seemed to see the now standing at the right hand of Ildrac
comely face of the girl who had smiled where he sat aloft on his brazen chair.
upon him compassionately, and who, alone
of all that he had met in Uccastrog, had
spoken to him with words of kindness.
F ulbra was thrust forward by his
guards, and Ildrac greeted him briefly,
The face returned ever and anon, with a with a wily smile that preceded the words
soft haunting, a gentle sorcery; and Fulbra and lingered after them. And when Ildrac
felt, for the first time in many suns, the had spoken, the brazen image also began
dim stirring of his buried youth and the to speak, addressing Fulbra in the lan¬
vague, obscure desire of life. So, after a guage of Yoros, with strident and metallic
while, he slept; and the face of the girl tones, and telling him with full and mi¬
came still before him in his dreams. nute circumstance the various infernal tor¬
The cressets burned above him with un¬ tures to which he was to be subjected on
diminished flames when he awakened; that day.
and the sea beyond the wall of glass was When the statue had done speaking.
thronged with the same monsters as be¬ Fulbra heard a soft whisper in his ear,
fore, or with others of like kind. But and saw beside him the fair girl whom
amid the floating corpses he now beheld he had previously met in the nether cor¬
the flayed bodies of his own slaves, who, ridors. And the girl, seemingly unheeded
after being tortured by the island people, by the Torturers, said to him: "Be coura¬
had been cast forth into the submarine geous, and endure bravely all that is in¬
cavern that adjoined his dungeon, so that flicted; for I shall effect your release be¬
he might see them on awakening. fore another day, if this be possible.”
He sickened with new horror at the Fulbra was cheered by the girl’s assur¬
sight; but even as he stared at the dead ance; and it seemed to him that she was
faces, the door of bronze swung open with fairer to look upon than before; and he
a sullen grinding, and his guards en¬ thought that her eyes regarded him ten¬
tered. Seeing that he had not consumed derly; and the twin desires of love and
the food and water provided for him, they life were strangely resurrected in his heart,
forced him to eat and drink a little, men¬ to fortify him against the tortures of Ii-
acing him with their broad, crooked blades drac.
 THE ISLE OF THE TORTURERS 369

Of that which was done to Fulbra for screamed with the agony. And when his
the wicked pleasure of King Ildrac and breath failed him and he could scream
his people, it were not well to speak ful¬ no longer, the hairy serpents were induced
ly. For the islanders of Uccastrog had to relinquish their hold by a languorous
designed innumerable torments, curious piping of which the islanders knew the
and subtle, wherewith to harry and ex¬ secret. They dropped away and left him;
cruciate the five senses; and they could but the mark of their coils was imprinted
harry the brain itself, driving it to ex¬ redly about his limbs; and around his
tremes more terrible than madness; and body there burned the raw branding of
could take away the dearest treasures of the girdle.
memory and leave unutterable foulness in King Ildrac and his people looked on
their place. with a dreadful gloating; for in such
On that day, however, they did not tor¬ things they took their joy, and strove to
ture Fulbra to the uttermost. But they pacify an implacable obscure desire. But
racked his ears with cacophonous sounds; seeing now that Fulbra could endure no
with evil flutes that chilled the blood and more, and wishing to wreak their will
curdled it upon his heart; with deep drums upon him for many future days, they took
that seemed to ache in all his tissues; and him back to his dungeon.
thin tabors that wrenched his very bones.
Then they compelled him to breathe the
mounting fumes of braziers wherein the
I ying sick with remembered horror, fev-
J erish with pain, he longed not for the
dried gall of dragons and the adipocere clemency of death, but hoped for the com¬
of dead cannibals were burned together ing of the girl to release him as she had
with a fetid wood. Then, when the fire promised. The long hours passed with a
had died down, they freshened it with the half-delirious tedium; and the cressets,
oil of vampire-bats; and Fulbra swooned, whose flames had been changed to crim¬
unable to bear the fetor any longer. son, appeared to fill his eyes with flowing
Later, they stripped away his kingly blood; and the dead man and the sea-
vestments and fastened about his body a monsters swam as if in blood beyond the
silken girdle that had been freshly dipt wall of glass. And the girl came not; and
in an acid corrosive only to human flesh; Fulbra had begun to despair. Then, at
and the acid ate slowly, fretting his skin last, he heard the door open gently and
with infinite fiery pangs. not with the harsh clangor that had pro¬
Then, after removing the girdle lest it claimed the entrance of his guards.
slay him, the Torturers brought in certain Turning, he saw the girl, who stole
creatures that had the shape of ell-long swiftly to his couch with a lifted finger¬
serpents, but were covered from head to tip, enjoining silence. She told him with
tail with sable hairs like those of a cater¬ soft whispers that her plan had failed;
pillar. And these creatures twined them¬ but surely on the following night she
selves tightly about the arms and legs of would be able to drug the guards and ob¬
Fulbra; and though he fought wildly in tain the keys of the outer gates; and Ful¬
his revulsion, he could not loosen them bra could escape from the palace to a hid¬
with his hands; and the hairs that covered den cove in which a boat with water and
their constringent coils began to pierce his provisions lay ready for his use. She
limbs like a million tiny needles, till he prayed him to endure for another day the
W. T.—7
370 WEIRD TALES

torments of Ildrac; and to this, perforce, upon them, became marked with the green
he consented. And he thought that the and bluish marbling of corruption; and
girl loved him; for tenderly she caressed the withering flesh fell in on the sharp
his feverous brow, and rubbed his torture- bones, and displayed the visible fretting
burning limbs with a soothing ointment. of the worm. Hearing meanwhile the
He deemed that her eyes were soft with dolorous groans and agonizing cries of his
a compassion that was more than pity. So fellow-captives all about the hall, he be¬
Fulbra believed the girl and trusted her, held other faces, dead, swollen, lidless and
and took heart against the horror of the flayed, that seemed to approach from be¬
coming day. Her name, it seemed, was hind and to throng about his own face in
Ilvaa; and her mother was a woman of the mirror. Their looks were dank and
Yoros who had married one of the evil dripping, like the hair of corpses recov¬
islanders, choosing this repugnant union ered from the sea; and sea-weed was min¬
as an alternative to the Haying-knives of gled with the locks. Then, turning at a
Ildrac. cold and clammy touch, he found that
Too soon the girl went away, pleading these faces were no illusion but the actual
the great danger of discovery, and closed reflection of cadavers from the under-sea
the door softly upon Fulbra. And after by a malign sorcery, that had entered the
a while the king slept; and Ilvaa returned hall of Ildrac like living men and were
to him amid the delirious abominations peering over his shoulder.
of his dreams, and sustained him against His own slaves, with flesh that the sea-
the terror of strange hells. things had gnawed even to the bone, were
At dawn the guards came with their among them. And the slaves came toward
hooked weapons, and led him again be¬ him with glaring eyes that saw only the
fore Ildrac. And again the brazen, de¬ voidness of death. And beneath the sor-
moniac statue, in a strident voice, an¬ cerous control of Ildrac, their evilly ani¬
nounced the fearful ordeals that he was to mated corpses began to assail Fulbra,
undergo. And this time he saw that other clawing at his face and raiment with half-
captives, including the crew and merchants eaten fingers. And Fulbra, faint with
of the galley, were also awaiting the ma¬ loathing, struggled againsthis dead slaves,
lefic ministrations of the Torturers in the who knew not the voice of their master
vast hall. and were deaf as the wheels and racks of
Once more in the throng of watchers torment used by Ildrac. . . .
the girl Ilvaa pressed close to him, un¬
reprimanded by his guards, and mur¬ A non the drowned and dripping
mured words of comfort; so that Fulbra b corpses went away; and Fulbra was
was enheartened against the enormities stripped by the Torturers and was laid
foretold by the brazen oracular image. supine on the palace floor, with iron rings
And indeed a bold and hopeful heart was that bound him closely to the flags at
required to endure the ordeals of that knee and wrist, at elbow and ankle. Then
day. . . . they brought in the disinterred body of a
Among other things less goodly to be woman, nearly eaten, in which a myriad
mentioned, the Torturers held before Ful¬ maggots swarmed on the uncovered bones
bra a mirror of strange wizardry, wherein and tatters of dark corruption; and this
his own face was reflected as if seen after body they placed on the right hand of
death. The rigid features, as he gazed Fulbra. And also they fetched the car-
 THE ISLE OF THE TORTURERS 371

rion of a black goat that was newly bound King Fulbra to the adamantine
touched with beginning decay; and they wheel with thongs of dragon-gut. And
laid it down beside him on the left hand. after they had done this, the girl Ilvaa,
Then, across Fulbra, from right to left, smiling with the shameless exultation of
the hungry maggots crawled in a long and open cruelty, appeared before Fulbra and
undulant wave. . . . stood close beside him, holding a golden
After the consummation of this torture, cup that contained the drugged wine. She
there came many others that were equally mocked him for his folly and credulity in
ingenious and atrocious, and were well trusting her promises; and the other
designed for the delectation of King II- women and the male Torturers, even to
drac and his people. And Fulbra endured Ildrac on his brazen seat, laughed loudly
the tortures valiantly, upheld by the and evilly at Fulbra, and praised Ilvaa for
thought of Ilvaa. the perfidy she had practised upon him.

Vainly, however, on the night that fol- So Fulbra’s heart grew sick with a dark¬
-lowed this day, he waited in his dungeon er despair than any he had yet known.
for the girl. The cressets burned with a The brief, piteous love that had been
bloodier crimson; and new corpses were born amid sorrow and agony perished
among the flayed and floating dead in the within him, leaving but ashes steeped in
sea-cavern; and strange double-bodied ser¬ gall. Yet, gazing at Ilvaa with sad eyes,
pents of the nether deep arose with an he uttered no word of reproach. He
endless squirming; and their horned wished to live no longer; and yearning
heads appeared to bloat immeasurably for swift death, he bethought him of the
against the crystal wall. Yet the girl Ilvaa wizard ringofVemdeez and of that which
came not to free him as she had prom¬ Vemdeez had said would follow its re¬
ised; and the night passed. But though moval from his finger. He still wore the
despair resumed its old dominion in the ring, which the Torturers had deemed a
heart of Fulbra, and terror came with bauble of small value. But his hands were
talons steeped in fresh venom, he refused bound tightly to the wheel, and he could
to doubt Ilvaa, telling himself that she not remove it. So, with a bitter cunning,
had been delayed or prevented by some knowing full well that the islanders
unforeseen mishap. would not take away the ring if he should
At dawn of the third day, he was again offer it to them, he feigned a sudden mad¬
taken before Ildrac. The brazen image, ness and cried wildly:

announcing the ordeals of the day, told "Steal my memories, if ye will, with
him that he was to be bound on a wheel your accursed wine—and send me through
of adamant; and, lying on the wheel, was a thousand hells and bring me back again
to drink a drugged wine that would steal to Uccastrog: but take not the ring that I
away his royal memories for ever, and wear on my middle finger; for it is more
would conduct his naked soul on a long precious to me than many kingdoms or
pilgrimage through monstrous and infa¬ the pale breasts of love.”
mous hells before bringing it back to the
hall of Ildrac and the broken body on the
wheel.
Hearing this, King Ildrac rose from
his brazen seat; and bidding Ilvaa
Then certain women of the Torturers, to delay the administration of the wine,
laughing obscenely, came forward and he came forward and inspected curiously
372 WEIRD TALES

the ring of Vemdeez, which gleamed women. And the plague passed along the
darkly, set with its rayless gem, on Ful- immense hall; and the other captives of
bra’s finger. And all the while, Fulbra King Ildrac were released thereby from
cried out against him in a frenzy, as if their various torments; and the Torturers
fearing that he would take the ring. found surcease from the dire longing that
So Ildrac, deeming that he could plague they could assuage only through the pain
the prisoner thereby and could heighten of their fellow-men. And through all the
his suffering a little, did the very thing palace, and throughout the Isle of Uccas-
for which Fulbra had planned. And the trog, the Death flew swiftly, visible in
ring came easily from the shrunken fin¬ those upon whom it had breathed, but
ger; and Ildrac, wishing to mock the royal otherwise unseen and impalpable.
captive, placed it on his own middle digit. But Ildrac, wearing the ring of Vem¬
Then, while Ildrac regarded the cap¬ deez, was immune. And guessing not the
tive with a more deeply graven smile of reason of his immunity, he beheld with
evil on the pale, gilded mask of his face, consternation the doom that had over¬
there came to King Fulbra of Yoros the taken his followers, and watched in stu¬
dreadful and longed-for thing. The Silver pefaction the freezing of his victims.
Death, that had slept so long in his body Then, fearful of some inimic sorcery, he
beneath the magical abeyance of the ring rushed from the hall; and standing in the
of Vemdeez, was made manifest even as early sun on a palace-terrace above the
he hung on the adamantine wheel. His sea, he tore the ring of Vemdeez from
limbs stiffened with another rigor than his finger and hurled it to the foamy bil¬
that of agony; and his face shone brightly lows far below, deeming in his terror that
with the coming of the Death; and so he the ring was perhaps the source or agent
died. of the unknown hostile magic.
Then, to Ilvaa and to many of the Tor¬ So Ildrac, in his turn, when all the
turers who stood wondering about the others had fallen, was smitten by the Sil¬
wheel, the chill and instant contagion of ver Death; and its peace descended upon
the Silver Death was communicated. They him where he lay in his robes of blood-
fell even where they had stood; and the brightened purple, with features shining
pestilence remained like a glittering light palely to the unclouded sun. And ob¬
on the faces and hands of the men and livion claimed the Isle of Uccastrog; and
shone forth from the nude bodies of the the Torturers were one with the tortured.
o//fkkar s Moth
By PAUL ERNST

A tale of the amazing and horrible thing that

happened to the railroad lawyer, there in the
old man’s shack, with a great white moth beat¬
ing its wings against the kerosene lamp

"Richardson drew in a deep

breath, with his face directly
over the bowl."

“ITT WAS a horrible thing,” said turned for a visit, I wanted to get caught
I Malcolm in a low tone. "And the up on all the local happenings.
*“■ fact that I know so little of what
Particularly I wanted to find out what
really happened makes it seem all the had happened to Richardson. I’d saved
more horrible.” him till the last, however; with half my
We were speaking of the fate of Rich¬ interest centering on what Malcolm was
ardson, a man who had been to school saying about other old schoolmates, and
with us. Several years had passed since the other half absorbed by the haunting
I’d seen Malcolm; several years since I’d tale told by the newspaper clipping that
left my home town. Now that I’d re¬ was even at that moment in my pocket.
373.
374 WEIRD TALES

Now I had asked directly concerning that they were morally sure he’d come
him. And Malcolm—had answered! here from somewhere in the Orient.
"A horrible thing,” he repeated. His Well, old Akkar, long white beard and
face twitched with a minor nervous dis¬ shabby white hair and all, tangled with
order—something new for him; he’d the Darlington Railroad. You wouldn’t
never owned to a nerve in the years I think one old man, poor as dirt and sup¬
knew him before. "Simply unbelievable. posedly half-witted, could interfere much
And yet, I’m afraid I believe it. I’ve in the workings of a big railroad cor¬
never told any one about it. I’ll tell you, poration, would you? But Akkar did!
though. Perhaps you’ll laugh. . . You remember his reputation. He was
But at no time during his low-toned said to have the Evil Eye, all that sort of
conversation that evening did I have the rot. Folks from the back country used to
slightest desire to laugh—unless it were cross themselves when they passed him.
hysterically. When I had heard him to The kids were all afraid of him, though
the end I felt I should never laugh they jeered him behind his back. We
again. At anything! used to laugh at the ignorance of those
who feared him. But there were a lot
A s you and I have often agreed [said of them who did; and over them old Ak¬
kar seemed to have an evil sort of power.
>■ Malcolm], Blaine Richardson could
have gone to the city and made a brilliant The start of the whole business was a
career in law. He was bom with a legal silly little thing. The Darlington used to
mind, I think, and no man had better let gondolas of coal lie over on the siding
schooling and training. next Akkar’s shack by the swamp; and
Akkar used to keep his rusty old stove
But, as you know, he decided to stay
in fuel from those cars. Then one day
here in this little town of ours. Wasting
the division superintendent decided there
his talents, most folks said. But he liked
was no reason why Akkar should help
it here and turned down offers from the
himself to several tons of company coal
city.
every year. He made a formal complaint
Of course, a mind like his set down in
and a deputy was sent to Akkar’s place.
this small place was bound to shine high
The deputy never would say much
in a hurry. Shortly after you left here he
about what had happened when he went
was retained by the Darlington Railroad
into Akkar’s shack on his errand. Ap¬
to handle all their law cases in this part
parently the old hermit had managed to
of the country. Other important people
throw an awful scare into him. How¬
turned their business over to him. In
ever, Akkar stopped taking coal and it
about a year and a half, so fast did he
was thought the little affair was over.
grow, he found himself one of the big
But it wasn’t over. And what had started
men of our town.
as a small affair, instigated by a peevish
But it was his work for the Darling¬ division superintendent, became a terribly
ton Railroad, in an indirect sort of way, big affair.
that finished him. As you’ll remember, the Darlington
You remember old Akkar, who used to was building a small railroad yard here
live down by the swamp alongside the at that time. They had perhaps a hun¬
Darlington spur? Some said he was Ar¬ dred men, mainly Mexicans and cheap
menian, and some insisted he was Persian. labor from the hills, working on the
But no one knew anything about him save tracks.
 AKKAR’S MOTH 375

Suddenly, a short time after the coal usual. Only twenty-eight, but a powerful
business, they began to have trouble with and commanding figure. It seemed a lit¬
these laborers. There was no open strike, tle ridiculous that such a man should be
but things went badly. Little things. It set on a frail, aged hermit.
seemed that nothing could be done right I guess it seemed that way to Richard¬
the first time. Everything had to be done son himself, for he said, as I joined him:
over—and sometimes over again. In no "I’m going easy on the old fellow.
time they found themselves ’way behind We don’t want to make trouble for him,
their schedule. only he’s got to stop making trouble
The Darlington people set their de¬ among the Darlington laborers.”
tective on the affair. The detective trailed "How are you going to handle him?”
one of the men, a big hillman, to Akkar’s I asked.
hut one night, and there he heard Akkar We started down the street, toward
give him orders to set fire to a carload the outskirts of town. It was a nice
of ties. He was to soak them with gaso¬ night, and the distance to the hut was
line which Akkar would supply. only half a mile or so. No use driving.
This was penitentiary stuff. But the "Threaten him with a ninety-day sen¬
Darlington didn’t want to put an old tence in the workhouse if he doesn’t quit
and apparently feeble man behind bars. scaring the men into doing his dirty work
The milk of human kindness isn’t often for him,” Richardson replied. "That
found in big corporations. It seems ought to put him in his place.”
ironical that in this, one of the few cases We walked along, in the comfortable
on record, it could have been so mis¬ silence possible between old friends. We
placed. Pity for Akkar! That white- got to the end of the street, down by the
bearded, rheumy-eyed old fiend! sawmill, and strode out on the gravel
The division superintendent took the back-road that leads down to the swamp
affair up with Richardson. Would he and the spur track where Akkar had
please see Akkai, unofficially, and warn built his patchy shack.
him to stop stirring up trouble among Over the horizon swung a yellow
the men? moon, big as a pumpkin. Trees and
Richardson would. At the first oppor¬ bushes lined the road now, and the wind
tunity. sifted through them with a sighing sound.

I ’ll never forget the night he whistled

"Just the night for bats and lost souls
to go moaning about, eh?” Richardson
to me from the sidewalk—I was sit¬ laughed.
ting on the porch here after dinner—and I looked at the moon, and I listened
asked me if I wanted to go wizard-hunt¬ to the rattling tree-leaves. And you know,
ing. just the faintest chill feeling touched my
"Wizard-hunting?” I repeated. spine. I think I laughed louder than I
“Yes. Old Akkar’s supposed to be a need have as I answered:
first-class magician, isn’t he? And I’m on "Better not speak too jokingly of lost
my way to his shack to pull his claws. souls, old man. 'There are more things
Want to come along?” in heaven and on earth-’ ”
There he stood, on the sidewalk by "Pshaw!” said Richardson lightly.
the gate, six feet or more tall, with his But you know how he was. Not a
deep-set, rather cold gray eyes and his nerve in his body. Cold and clear of
heavy, black hair—he was bareheaded as thought and intellect.
376 WEIRD TALES

Some crazy impulse led me to go on “He’s home, all right,” muttered

with it. Richardson, pointing.
“Akkar has the reputation of being I saw it too. A light, shining mistily
very learned in the Black Arts. Ask any behind the burlap that hung down as a
of the old women living around here. He curtain over the shack’s one window.
might send you up in a puff of vapor if We walked to the door, stumbling
you come meddling with his affairs.” over tin cans and refuse. Richardson
"You don't say,” Richardson yawned. knocked on the rusted iron sheet.
"Remember the time he got annoyed "Who knocks?”
at Hutch, the dairy man, and made all A thin and quavering voice, almost as
his cream sour three nights running?” high as a woman’s. We heard movement
Richardson grinned. behind the iron door; shaky footsteps.
"And remember the time he cast his "Who knocks?”
evil eye on that cow of Macey’s—and the Richardson grimaced. It was distaste¬
cow had a two-headed calf?” ful, this whole affair—threatening a se¬
Richardson’s grin broadened. nile old man who was alone in the world
“And look at what happened to Mrs. and had nothing but this shack to shelter
Jensen’s baby. She irritated old Akkar him. But the business had to be done.
and he made it dumb for three months!” "It’s Blaine Richardson, Akkar. I’d
We both burst out laughing. Laughing! like to speak to you a moment.”
It was like two lunatics laughing as they “Ah! Richardson!”
stood on the edge of a bottomless abyss Was it my imagination that a touch
with one more step to take them over of ferocity lay in the high, cracking voice
and down into blade depths. But we —that the s in the name was drawn out
laughed—and went on. in a sibilant, exultant way?
The iron sheet was painfully tugged
I t was quite dark when we got to Ak- aside. In the doorway, framed by yellow
kar’s shack. We stood a moment, eye¬ light from an old kerosene lamp, stood
ing it from the road. Akkar.
The old man wasn’t much of a car¬ You remember how Akkar looked, of
penter. You wondered, as you looked at course, from seeing him on the street.
this hovel of his that was made from tags But he was different tonight, visited in
of lumber from the sawmill and sheets his own home!
of rusted galvanized iron discarded by His bent, gnarled body was covered
the Darlington supplies department, how by a black robe of some cheap stuff. On
on earth it managed to stand up. it he had crudely sewed stars and crescent
"Now there,” said Richardson joking¬ moons of equally cheap tinsel. I’ve no
ly, “is real proof that the old man is a doubt that in daylight the costume would
wizard of the first order. If he weren’t, have brought a smile; but in that feeble
his confounded shack would blow over yellow light it looked rather impressive,
in a summer zephyr.” with his scant white hair seeming almost
We started across the rubbish-littered like a blasphemous halo, and his white
yard toward the "door” of the place, beard cascading half-way to his waist.
which was nothing but another rusted "There are two of you,” said Akkar,
sheet of iron which Akkar propped almost with accusation. "Is it that you
against the entrance when he wanted to were afraid to see me alone, Mr. Rich¬
close it. ardson?”
 AKKAR’S MOTH 377

"Hardly,” said Richardson with a tol¬ and your friend are not to be taken in by
erant smile. "But you wouldn’t blame me my poor display,” he said. "But sit
at that, if I thought I needed some pro¬ down, pray.”
tection, would you? After all, your repu¬ I rather marveled at his command of
tation. . . English, he who had so obviously hailed
Akkar bowed, as though the compli¬ from some far corner of the Orient. It
ment had been sincere instead of rooted was a little stiff, but it was excellent
in jest. nevertheless. The man had a mind, it
"You might well need protection, Mr. seemed.
Richardson—you who come to fight with The interior of the shack was as poor¬
me.” ly furnished as you might have imagined
"How do you know I come to fight? it to be. There was an old pine table in
I’m quite sure we’ve never met or spoken. the center, on which was the lamp. There
And I’m quite sure the Darlington peo¬ was a broken-backed kitchen chair near
ple didn’t send you an advance notice of it; and farther off, in the shadows, was a
my visit.” discarded easy-chair with the stuffing
I was surprized at the question. Surely coming out in half a dozen places.
no imagination was needed to tell Akkar Richardson sat on the kitchen chair.
that a fight was coming. Everybody knew Somewhat gingerly, I started to sit in the
Richardson’s connection with the rail¬ easy-chair. . . .
road. But then I understood. Richard¬ There was a wailing shriek. I started,
son, for his own amusement probably, and jumped up. But it was only a cat,
was giving the old man a chance to show which had been curled in the seat of the
off his alleged mystical powers. And chair and hidden from me by the shadow
Akkar took the chance. Cleverly! of the arm.
"I know all things,” he said. "My "A black cat, by George!” exclaimed
moths tell me.” Richardson. "This is perfect.”
With that, he stepped aside, both as My gaze went up from the big black
an invitation for us to enter and to let cat, which stood beside Akkar and spat
us see what he was talking about. at us while with glaring yellow eyes it
watched us, to the white moth that flut¬
M y eyes went first to that which al¬ tered about the lamp, and then to the
ways attracts the gaze in darkness rather tawdry, star-spangled black robe
—the light. And I saw something flutter¬ Akkar had on.
ing about the mantle of the kerosene It was too perfect, I thought. Cheap
lamp. A moth. A pure white moth, gi¬ and theatrical. But even as I thought it,
gantic in size, probably four inches in Akkar spoke.
wing-spread. "I use these things in my business,
Richardson chuckled as we stepped gentlemen,” he said, humbly, as though to
into the room. admit at -once that he knew we would
"A variation on the bat idea,” he said not be moved by the stage props. "As
in an undertone. "Moths instead. Good. you may know, I sometimes tell a for¬
Though bats would look more grue¬ tune. It helps me live.”
some. ...” Was the man a mind-reader? I de¬
Low as the words were, Akkar’s old cided not. He had simply caught the
ears caught them. question in our eyes. But he was smart,
"I can see, Mr. Richardson, that you all right; much smarter than one would
378 WEIRD TALES
have thought just from seeing him go It was oppressively hot in the shack.
mumbling around the streets. The heat, I thought, had made me a lit¬
I could see now why he would have tle dizzy. Anyway, the black cat, as I
so much power over the ignorant Dar¬ glanced at it, seemed to grow enormously.
lington track laborers. I guess Richard¬ And the white moth, banging with faint
son saw it, too, for he abruptly got down thuds against the glass mantle of the
to business. lamp, seemed to turn and stare at me
with beady black eyes.
"Akkar, I’ve come to tell you that you
“Save that talk for somebody else,”
must stop making trouble with the rail¬
said Richardson, in his cold, emotionless
road construction men. Yes, must. If
voice. "The detective will live to testify,
you don’t, you’ll find yourself in serious
trouble.” all right, and you’ll be put behind bars.”
“But think how it would look,” Akkar
Akkar looked at that moment like a
wily, white-bearded fox. said, oilily spreading his palms. Was he
pleading, as he seemed to be—or was
"How is it thought that I make trou¬
there mockery in his voice? "A great rail¬
ble?” he evaded.
road—persecuting an old and lonely man.
"It isn’t thought,” responded Richard¬
son tartly. "It is known.” He smiled It might be made into a very scandalous
coldly. "Your telltale moths don’t seem affair, Mr. Richardson.”
to be always on the job, Akkar. For in¬ And this was the man most folks in
stance, the other night they didn’t tell our town thought was half-witted!
you that a company detective was hiding It was a good, keen thrust. But Rich¬
out beyond your window, and that he ardson sat unmoved. As a clever lawyer,
heard you order a laborer to set fire to he would of course try to go around the
some ties.” obstacle of threatened adverse public
Akkar only shrugged. opinion. But I knew—and Akkar must
"Sometimes I am careless, Mr. Rich¬ have known, too—that if the provocation
ardson,” was all he said. were big enough, public opinion could go
"You’ve been too careless, for too to the devil!
long,” said Richardson. "In your talk, I "The railroad would not have to ap¬
mean. I repeat, you must stop making pear in the case, in any event,” said Rich¬
trouble.” ardson. And a new note in his voice told
"If I don’t?” me that he had re-measured this opponent,
The old body seemed to swell with found him worthy of serious attention,
hidden strength. The old eyes—have I and was moving accordingly. "I could
said that, though they looked black us¬ have you run out of town for pretending
ually, they seemed to flash at times with to be what you’re not.”
a greenish fire?—glowed with defiance. "And that is?” murmured Akkar, his
“If I don’t, Mr. Richardson?” white eyebrows lifting.
“If you don’t, we’ll have to send you “A wizard! A magician! Faugh! Think
to jail. And we can do it, with the testi¬ of such faking going on in the Twentieth
mony of the detective.” Century!”
"You couldn’t—if the man died of "Faking?” said Akkar. "Well, perhaps
some strange disease.” it is.”
The old man’s voice was calm and More and more I was distrusting the
low. But for the second time that night humility in that old voice. Akkar did not
I felt a chill creep along my spine. feel humble. I could sense that. Some-
 AKKAR’S MOTH 379

how, power seemed to fill that bent old Akkar’s bent shoulders seemed to
frame, and every moment I was wishing straighten. The hawk nose above the
more heartily that we were away from white beard compressed at the nostrils.
there. Not for anything on earth would Did I see raw hate flaming from his
I have admitted it—then—but I was greenish eyes? I thought I did!
beginning to feel that we were in some "Your company has persecuted me, an
sort of danger. Frightful danger! old man, Mr. Richardson. Because of a
"But, Mr. Richardson,” said Akkar few lumps of coal-”
with a thin smile, "the public always likes
"Three or four tons in the course of a
to be fooled. I doubt if you could run me
winter, Akkar,” Richardson cut in. But
out of town because I pretend to super¬
the old man ignored him.
natural powers.”
"-because of a few lumps of coal,
"I think I could. But we’ll let that pass,
you have persecuted me. And it is not
too, and go on to still a third count
safe for any group of men—or any man
against you. That is—fortune-telling.
they may employ, such as yourself—to
There’s a law against that, in this state, in
persecute Akkar!”
case you don’t know it.”
The man straightened yet more, and
Akkar sighed.
twenty years seemed to drop from his
"Perhaps you could win on that point,”
aged shoulders. As though in time with
he admitted.
his thoughts, his monstrous black cat spat

I sat up straighter. Even Richardson

at us again. It was very eery.
"Yet will I do as you wish,” Akkar
started a little. It was too easy. As I
went on, "if in return you will do some¬
say, power fairly radiated from the man
thing for me.”
as you sat longer and longer in his pres¬
ence. Power, and a certain impression of "About the coal?” Richardson guessed.
ominous intelligence. And now he was "Oh, all right. I’ll keep you in coal out of

giving in without further struggle. my own pocket, simply to avoid a fuss.”

"Then you will stop interfering with "I am not speaking of the coal, Mr.
the Darlington Railroad construction Richardson. It is in regard to a smaller
work?” matter. A trifling matter.”
"Yes,” said Akkar. Silence, while we waited for him to go
"And you will quit troubling the men on. He seemed to loom over us. The
by calling them here and playing on their black of his robe, as I stared at it, ap¬
superstitions with your silly magician’s peared to take on bottomless depths, as
tricks?” though suddenly I were staring not at
"Yes.” fabric but into the black sky itself,
"I have that as a promise, then, with studded with stars and crescent moons.
my friend Malcolm Davis as witness?” Silence, while a faint, agitated squeak¬
"You have,” said Akkar. ing came from the white moth at the
"Good.” Richardson started briskly to lamp. The thing left the light and darted
rise. But the old man held out his hand. toward the window. And now a curious
"On one condition, Mr. Richardson!” thing happened.
Richardson sank back onto the chair. A single syllable cracked from Akkar’s
"So there’s a catch in it, Akkar? Well, lips. A word in some language I’d never
what is it?” heard before.
380 WEIRD TALES

The white moth stopped its dash "No!” I cried, springing to my feet.
toward the window, and headed back for "No, Richardson! Don’t let him-”
the lamp. Submissively? In active obedi¬ Then I realized what I was saying, and
ence to the flashing look in Akkar’s eyes how I was acting. I sat down, with a
and the single syllable? God knows; I sheepish smile on my lips. But I was
don’t. But the moth did act as though trembling a little. I don’t mind admitting
possessed. that—now.
Richardson glanced at me, and smiled. "Are you crazy, Malcolm?” said Rich¬
"Always the showman,” that look said to ardson, staring. “Of course I’ll let him do
me. But I did not smile back. what he pleases. Why not?”
"The favor you wanted?” Richardson
Well, I didn’t know why not. All I
reminded Akkar.
knew was that, in spite of all reason and
The old man’s piercing eyes left the
logic, I felt suddenly sick to the soul. And
white moth. He nodded.
when the white moth, abruptly leaving
"Ah, yes. The favor. It is simply this.
the lamp and flying almost into my eyes,
You have made several accusations tonight
as though the thing hated me, bumped
concerning my powers. I am no magician,
into my cheek, it was all I could do to
you say. I am a cheat, fooling ignorant
choke down a scream.
people only. Now I do not say, in so
"Are you going to tell my fortune,
many words, that you are wrong. But I
Akkar?” Richardson asked. "Or are you
do desire permission to show you a few
going to make an orange tree sprout up
of my tricks-”
out of the floor?”
"To prove that you are a wizard?”
snorted Richardson, interrupting bluntly. Akkar smiled. And the light in his
"Save your time, my friend.” eyes seemed to match in feline hatred the
"It is a little thing to ask.” The humil¬ light in the golden eyes of the cat.
ity in Akkar’s tone! The submissiveness! "Those are little things, Mr. Richard¬
But—what a look in his eyes! son. I shall do a greater. But your friend,
"Sorry, I haven’t time,” said Richard¬ he seems nervous. Would he perhaps
son curtly. Again he started to rise. But care to step outside for a few minutes?”
again Akkar held up his hand. Akkar gazed squarely at me, and the
"You will grant me the favor, Mr. impact of his gaze came with a physical
Richardson, or the trouble among your shock. Until this moment he had concen¬
men will continue—and you can take such trated all his attention on Richardson.
legal steps against me as you please!” Now I got the full force of his personality
Richardson frowned. for an instant, and I was shaken.
"This seems to be a moment when sur¬ There was a definite command in the
render is in order,” he said lightly. “All green-glinting dark eyes of Akkar. He
right, Akkar. Set about your work. Give was ordering—willing—me to leave the
me a lesson in Black Magic.” shack. At least, so I thought; and later
Now something happened that left me the thought was confirmed. I could see
ashamed for quite awhile. I couldn’t help how Akkar would have been very glad if
it, though. To save my life I could not I had gone away from that place for
have repressed the move; it sprang from awhile. The fact that, in a few moments,
some deep-rooted instinct that knew far he went right ahead with his devil’s work
more than my brain did. in spite of my presence as a material wit-
 AKKAR’S MOTH 381

ness, only shows how sure he was that my who have persecuted me, is about to be
testimony later could do him no harm. yours.”
And events proved him right. . . . He started moving about his place,
Richardson laughed. "Want to step then; and my eyes followed apprehensive¬
outside and sniff the clean evening ly his every move. Later I could recon¬
breeze?” he said to me. struct the scene detail by detail. And a
I did want to. Whether my intuitions lot of good it did!
are more sensitive than his were, or
He got a dirty piece of wrapping-paper
whether his will was firmer than mine, I
from a cupboard and spread it over the
don’t know. But I do know that he was
bare table. On this he set a cracked earth¬
far less perturbed than I was. With all
enware bowl. Then he began collecting
my heart I wanted to get out of that place.
withered, evil-looking herbs from various
I am rather proud of myself that I did
corners of the room. Some were familiar
not. to me, some were not. All came, I think,
"I’ll stick around,” I said, as calmly as
from the swamp across the road from
I could. But Akkar’s thin lips writhed as
his hut.
he turned from me. He knew the panic
He crushed the dry and brittle herbs
in my heart, all right!
to fragments, while Richardson and I
"What particular demonstration of the
watched him intently. He put the result¬
Black Arts are you going to stage for
ing debris into the earthenware bowl, and
me?” persisted Richardson. added a colorless fluid from a tin can.
"That of second sight,” said Akkar.
"Just a minute,” snapped Richardson.
He said it quickly, glibly. The words
"The dried weeds are harmless enough, I
came too easily, I thought vaguely, to be
guess, but what is that other stuff?”
words of truth. "I shall show you things
"It is but water, Mr. Richardson,”
few men have seen, and when I am fin¬
murmured Akkar. "Will you taste it?”
ished you can think of my powers what
He offered the can to me. I shrank
you please.”
away, instinctively.
"Second sight it is,” said Richardson
gayly. "I am in your hands, Akkar.” "It is safe enough to taste,” said Akkar,
smiling his oily smile. "Would I dare let

A t these words, as though at a signal, harm come to you in my own home?”

At that, I tasted; and found it was in¬
- the big white moth left the lamp¬
light again. It darted to Akkar, circled deed plain water. At least, if any foreign
once around his head, then sped on silent ingredients were in it, the amount was too
wings to Richardson and repeated the per¬ small for my tongue to detect.
formance. Richardson tasted too. "All right,” he
"Ay, my little white beauty,” Akkar said bruskly. "I simply wanted to make
purred. "It would make friends with sure. ... I know you don’t exactly love
you, Mr. Richardson.” me, Akkar!”
His senile, cracked laugh rang out in "I do not, Mr. Richardson,” mumbled
the room. I bit my lip at the sound of it. Akkar, his eyes flashing again. "But as I
Richardson frowned. have said, I would not dare attempt bodily
"Get on with it, please, Akkar.” violence in my own home.”
"Very well,” the old man said. "I And still we stayed! It seems incredible
will. The second sight, servant of people now, after hearing from his own lips what
382 WEIRD TALES

his feeling for us was. But we were so Instantly the contents of the bowl sent
sure of ourselves, simply because we were up a thin, greenish vapor. The mess was
two able-bodied young men pitted against stone-cold, so it could not have been the
a feeble old man. No wonder those of the fumes of heat. I had watched him intent¬
Orient think us children in wisdom! ly enough to know that nothing had
"You will not be asked to drink this dropped from his hand, in the nature of
potion, anyway,” said Alckar. "Only to a chemical reagent, when he passed it
inhale its fumes.” across the bowl. Yet the greenish vapor
Richardson nodded in a bored way. coiled up from the devil’s brew for sev¬
And Akkar began to stir the mess in the eral minutes.
earthenware bowl. As he stirred, I saw
"And now, Mr. Richardson,” purred
his lips move as though with words. But
Akkar, his tongue flickering over his lips
no sound came from them, and I don’t
to moisten them, "if you and your friend
know to this day whether he was repeat¬
will but breathe deeply of the fumes—
ing actual syllables for some sinister rea¬
you will be very greatly surprized at what
son of his own, or whether his lips, slack
may occur.”
with age, were simply moving uncertainly
Well, Akkar himself had called the
with the movements of his old arm as he
turn a few minutes before. A man can’t
stirred.
harm two guests—known to be under his
I left the easy-chair, now, and came to
roof—and hope to get away with it.
stand by the table so I could see more
Akkar was too clever to do anything so
closely what was being done. I saw that
crude as try to poison us. Certainly it
the water and herbs in the bowl had
would be all right to breathe the fumes.
united to form a thin oaste, like green
soup. "I’ll try a whiff first,” said Richardson
"That is all, gentlemen,” said Akkar. lightly. "You watch and see what hap¬
"It is not a very elaborate preparation for pens.”
so great a boon as second sight, is it?” "We’ll both tty it,” I said promptly,
His eyes were glittering feverishly. His crushing down the inner voices that were
nostrils were white with some inner ex¬ whispering things to me.
citement. The way he stared at Richard¬
"No, no!” said Richardson quickly. “If
son was enough in itself—or should have
we both did,” he explained, "we’d both
been—to send us on the run from that
see the same hallucinations. If only one
den of the abnormal and supernatural.
of us indulges, the other can check up on
"One last thing remains to be done,”
the 'magic’ results.”
mumbled Akkar. "One little thing. . . .”
He straightened up from the bowl. He "But it seems your friend wishes to join

stood tall and commanding above it. Old? you,” muttered Akkar, bending his pierc¬
ing gaze on me again.
His years must have been close to ninety,
but in that instant he was fired with youth. Once more I trembled in the hypnotic
Black youth, unwholesome and unnatural. force of the old man’s glare. I think my
A sharp sentence sounded from his hand went up as if to brush away an in¬
lips, a string of guttural words that visible chain that seemed to bind me to
seemed to be part of no known language. him. The Evil Eye! I used to laugh at
At the same time he passed his hand over the childish phrase. . . .
the bowl, thumb raised and palm flat. But, summoning all my remaining will-
 AKKAR’S MOTH 383

power, I managed to resist his glared com¬ black cat, lashing its swollen tail, seeming
mand. Thank God, thank God. . . . to be now in one place and now in
"I’ll be the spectator, I think,” I said to another. Then sight seemed to fade
Akkar. "Perhaps it would be better if one altogether.
of us remained clear-headed—to see what One last thing I saw—that damned
happens to the other.” white moth flying around and around
"Very well,” said Akkar. "But you Richardson’s head—was it fancy that my
gentlemen seem to me to be making a friend’s face seemed green and sick-
very significant thing out of what was pro¬ looking?—and then I must have lost con¬
posed as a humble trick of magic—faked, sciousness.
of course!” A sensation of cold on my forehead
"All set, Malcolm?” Richardson asked. and wrists brought me around again.
"I’m going to try a sniff of this second How many minutes later? I don’t know.
sight, simply as the price of peace with
I looked up to find old Akkar leaning
Akkar; and then we’ll go home.”
over me with a wet cloth.
He was still sitting on the broken chair
"Richardson!” I shouted, springing to
beside the table. Now he bent over the
my feet and pushing Akkar aside. I stared
still fuming brew in the bowl. . . .
frenziedly around. "Richardson!”
No, no, no, no, no! those inner voices
Then I saw him, slumped in the easy-
shrieked silently to me in a sort of des¬
chair, half hidden by the shadows. I
perate chant. Don’t let him! Don’t let
jumped to his side.
him! Don’t let him!
But I said nothing—as any other man "Are you all right? Tell me—you’re
of our set would have said nothing. After all right?”
all, didn’t we learn at college that there "Not a hair of his head has been
are no such things as supernatural phe¬ harmed,” I heard Akkar say. And then
nomena? he laughed. God, how he laughed! High
However, my fingers ached, they were and shrill and cracked his laughter rang
clenching themselves so rigidly; and my out, tearing at my nerves like a jagged
breathing hurt my chest as I watched. knife-blade. "Not a hair of his head has
been harmed.”
R ichardson calmly drew in a deep Richardson, meanwhile, said no word.
He simply sat, slumped back in the chair,
- breath, with his face directly over the
bowl. Nothing seemed to happen to him. staring up at me with eyes that neither
Another deep inhalation. Still he ap¬ saw me nor would have known me had
peared perfectly normal and all right. they seen.

And then—then—I began to feel "Richardson,” I whispered, "don’t look

dizzy. I don’t know why that was. I can’t at me like that! Say something. ..."
imagine what Akkar did to make my I whirled toward Akkar.
senses reel as they were reeling at that "What have you done to him? Answer
moment. Richardson was the one who me! I’ll kill you if you don’t bring my
was breathing in the fumes, and appar¬ friend back to normal instantly!”
ently without effect—but 1 got dizzy and "Normal?” His eery laugh sounded
faint. out again. "Have I not said I wouldn’t
Things in the room began to swim harm a hair of his-”
around before my eyes. I saw the big With that I jumped for him, blindly,
384 WEIRD TALES

hands spread to take that scrawny old “Your friend will not die.” Weariness
throat between them. But before I got sounded in old Akkar’s voice, now. Utter
within six feet of him, I was stopped. By fatigue. As if he had been under an
what? I don’t know. But he might have immense strain for a long time. But in
surrounded himself with invisible steel spite of the fatigue, there was fiendish
rods for all the progress I could make triumph—and boundless power—in his
toward him. high, thin voice. "Your friend will not
So we stood for a moment, Akkar’s die. I do not wish him to die. That
gaze mocking me. I could hear Richard¬ would be too easy. Come, now, and I will
son panting heavily in the chair. Then tell you where you may find him. If you
something white fluttered before my eyes. do not listen, you never will see him
The moth. again.”

I lashed out at it, distractedly.

caped my hand, fluttered back out of
It es¬
I N spite of myself, I left the window,
reach, but continued to wheel and turn my gaze still searching, over my shoul¬
before my face on a level with my eyes, as der, the black line of the swamp. I came
though trying to distract my attention back to the table, where Akkar had sunk
from Akkar. wearily into the broken chair.
And then a horrible, squeaking cry "You will find your friend under—or
sounded out behind me. I half turned. perhaps in—the branches of the great
Out of the corners of my eyes I saw Rich¬ sycamore that spreads its boughs a half-
ardson get up from the easy-chair. The mile to the north and west of this house.
cry sounded again—and it came from his You understand?”
lips! The words only vaguely reached me.
Stunned, I stood there, watching. And My eyes were on the white moth.
as I stood, too dazed to think, Richardson An odd thing had happened to it. In
sprang for the window. A third time the some way, it had fallen into the bowl of
high, squeaking cry came from his blood¬ greenish paste on the table. Now it was
less lips. Then he dashed the burlap cur¬ struggling laboriously to climb up the
tain aside and leaped out into the night. slippery, sloping sides to freedom again.
I could move, then—when it was too Back it slipped, to climb up again, and
late. I ran to the window. . . . yet again, till the rim was reached at last.
"Richardson!” I shouted after him. Two powerful, vital impulses tore at
But already he was across the road, and me. One was to try again to reach Akkar
plunging into the swamp. and stamp his life out. The other was to
I started to jump out and follow him. run into the swamp and rescue Richard¬
"Wait!” said Akkar. son.
I snarled at him. “Go to hell!” Neither was quite strong enough to
"Wait, I say!” rouse me from the odd daze in which I
Again that hypnotic power of his bit at watched that white moth. I stared at it
my will. I halted a little longer at the with all my eyes, Akkar forgotten, every¬
window. thing forgotten.
“But Richardson!” The words were It had reached the rim at last, as I said.
wrung from me. "There are parts of that It hung there for an instant, then fell to
swamp that are bottomless. He’ll die out the wrapping-paper on which the bowl
there!” was set.
W. T.—7
 AKKAR’S MOTH 385

It wasn’t white now. It was green, a "But, good Lord, Malcolm!” I ex¬
feebly moving thing with wings mired claimed. “This Akkar—what did you do
together and green slime trailing after it to him?”
as it toiled across the paper. "Nothing. . . . Oh, I tried, all right.
But how erratically it was moving on I couldn’t testify to the entire, terrible
that paper! Up and down—here and truth. But I did press a charge of poison¬
there—with no seeming direction. . . . ing against him, said the fumes of the
Why, it was- brew he mixed up had stolen Richard¬
*'Ay!” Akkar screamed suddenly. His son’s reason. But Akkar let chemists
withered hand shot out to smash the analyze it, and they found nothing harm¬

moth. ful in it. The case was finally dropped,

and Akkar left town shortly afterward.”
But my hand was quicker. I caught his
wrist, and I think I broke his arm when I I stared over the porch rail into a velvet
twisted it. I hope so. darkness which an instant ago had seemed
Then I snatched up the wrapping-paper, pleasant and which now seemed awful.
dying moth and all, and ran from that "The wrapping-paper, and the white
place as though all the fiends—instead of moth,” I said. "Have you still got them?”
but one of them—were after me. "The moth got away while I was floun¬
dering through the swamp after Richard¬

1 stirred uneasily in the silence that

son. Or should I say, after Richardson’s
body? I could only hold the fragile thing
followed Malcolm’s words. It was loosely for fear of crushing it. I never
warm and pleasant on the porch, where saw it again. ... I suppose it died, with
we were sitting. But in spite of that I its secret, in a few hours. I have the
felt cold. wrapping-paper, though; anyway, I have
"You found Richardson?” I said at the part which is significant. I’ll show
last. you.”
"Yes, I found him.” Malcolm’s tone He got up and went into the house,
was so low I barely caught it. "He was returning with a tom fragment of brown
squatting in the lower branches of the paper. He held it up to the window
sycamore Akkar directed me to. He behind us, through which came the light
leaped down as I came near, and kept of a floor-lamp.
darting at the flashlight I carried, all the I gazed intently at it, and saw meander¬
time uttering those terrible moth-like ing tracks of fading, sticky green stuff.
cries. . . He sighed deeply. "You And then I sat down abruptly, feeling
read the rest in the papers?” that my knees could no longer be trusted
I nodded, feeling the clipping in my not to give under me.
pocket. For the tracks on the paper—the green
"His case is considered utterly hope¬ trail of the moth—were:
less,” said Malcolm. "Not a trace of that
fine intelligence of his is left. He—he
has to be kept in a strait jacket. Other¬
wise he would try to jump out the win¬
dow and fly. Toward the street lights.
Always toward the light.”
W. T.—8
 ^^etter
By S. GORDON GURWIT
A strange story of weird surgery—of the head that talked—and the eery death of\
an experimenter in forbidden fields of science

I T WAS during my term as district at¬

torney that I received the letter. And
scious of what went on around him.
casionally he looked up, blinked, and was
Oc¬

it has haunted me ever since. Of apparently surprized by his surroundings.

course, during my occupation of the office, When the one witness was being ques¬
many letters came, oddities of confessions, tioned, Krueger seemed to awaken as if
threats, warnings, appeals; but I soon for¬ from a drugged sleep and listened intent¬
got them. However, the letter I received ly. Noticing this, I stressed my next
from Philip Krueger seared itself into my question:
subconscious mind as relentlessly as aqua¬ "Would you mind, Mr. Dean,” I said,
fortis bites into metal. to the witness, "telling the court just
If I am to make any sort of a coherent what you heard and saw that night? Tell
tale out of this, it would, perhaps, be best it in your own way.”
to give you the facts at once. "Well, sir—it’s just what I said before.
Believing him guilty, I had prosecuted I heard ’em shouting—the furniture
and convicted Philip Krueger on a charge breaking, and Krueger, he yelled, 'Alve¬
of murder. He was a young medical stu¬ rez, you devil—I’ll smash it’-”
dent, apparently of more than ordinary "Object!” snapped the attorney for the
ability, who had killed another student defense. "The witness is using his imagi¬
named Lucien Alverez—his roommate. nation and presuming to look through the
These two young men lived together in floor! How could he know it was the de¬
an unsavory rooming-house on the lower fendant talking? I move that reply be
east side—to be near the university clinic; stricken from the records!”
and one night, Krueger had hit Alverez "I recognized his voice,” responded the
a fearful blow on the head with a chair, witness, dryly, before the judge could
killing him instantly. sustain or overrule the objection.
Another roomer had testified that he I cautioned the witness and asked him
had been awakened by an unusual com¬ to continue, the attorney for the defense
motion, the frenzied cries of both men— asking an exception.
as if engaged in mortal combat—and had "Well,” continued the witness, mali¬
arrived upon the scene to find the upper ciously, "I recognized the voice of Alverez
part of the house burning fiercely. yelling, 'Stop! For God’s sake, don’t!’
It was contended that Krueger set fire And then there were sounds as if some
to the house to conceal his crime, but one was smashin’ things with a baseball
Krueger denied this wildly. In fact, his bat.”
entire demeanor during the trial was un¬ "Yes, go on. Then what happened?”
usual. He sat, for the most part, in a "Well, I ran upstairs and the place was
deep, voiceless apathy, seemingly uncon- ablaze. Looked like gasoline had been
386
 THE LETTER 387

spilled all over and half the room was honest man, a servant of the State sworn
burning fiercely-” to do your duty.
The prisoner jumped to his feet sud¬ But there are many things connected
denly. "It was that damned liquid!” he with this case that I could not tell in a
cried, wildly. "Alverez made it—and it courtroom. Not in the white light of day,
spilled! I wasn’t near him—I was trying although I intend to take the witness chair
to crush and smash the head-” He at the next trial—if I get one. And I
stopped abruptly. His eyes glazed with don’t always remember just what hap¬
some unspeakable horror and he threw pened that night. Sometimes I fear that
up his hands as if to ward off some fear¬ I am losing my mind when I do recall the
some specter, and collapsed. vivid horror of that night

There was a recess after this. Although Let me tell you the whole story as it

the evidence was purely circumstantial, it actually happened, and let me say here

was overwhelming. True, no one had that everything I write, in this letter is

actually seen the crime committed, but I true—so help me God!

got a conviction. Not the maximum pen¬ As you know, Alverez and I had been

alty. The jury gave him life imprison¬ living together for a year. We were the

ment. best of friends, and we had much in com¬

mon, both being interested in revolution¬
Then, on a technicality, his attorney ap¬
izing the pharmaceutical world. Alverez,
pealed for a new trial, promising new
I confess, was far my superior in every
evidenced by putting his client on the wit¬
branch of science, knowledge and imag¬
ness chair—something that Krueger had
ination. He was a genius—nothing less
refused to do before. It was during this
—but a genius with a satanic tendency, a
period—while Krueger was in jail—that
morbid, devilish humor. His idea of
he must have written the letter.
something funny was to put a smoldering
I could not verify all of his statements
pipe into the grinning jaws of a human
because the upper part of the house where
skull we had in the room, cock a cap
the two students had lived was utterly
jauntily over one vacant eyesocket and
destroyed by the fire; but I did find enough
grin at the grotesque combination.
charred bones to make the explanation in
"There you are!” he would observe.
his letter possible, but, then, there were
"Old man death on a holiday! Looks like
so many pieces, scorched and burned, de¬
a smoke makes him grin harder, doesn’t
formed by the fierce blast of the chemical
it? Wonder what he would say if there
blaze, as to make certainty impossible. As
was still a brain in that cranium?”
the matter stands now, I don’t know if
Then he would turn to his enormous,
Krueger was guilty—or mad. I know
heterogeneous collection of bottles and
little of the things he wrote me about. I
jars and begin his never-ending experi¬
place the case before you, without com¬
ments in flesh culture.
ment, for judgment.
Ever since the remarkable researches
and revolutionary discoveries of Doctor
ere is Krueger’s letter: Von Geyso had been made public, Alverez
Even though you—as district attor¬ had undertaken a similar effort with as¬
ney—have convicted me of a crime I tonishing results. He concocted a formula
know nothing about, I feel that you acted wherein the growth of living cells had be¬
in all honesty—that you are an upright, come a fact.
388 WEIRD TALES

Naturally, this uncanny achievement "Just so. It would prove disastrous.”

filled both our minds with dreams; but "What are you going to do with it?”
Alverez stopped short of nothing—even "Experiment, of course! As soon as
the rebuilding of life itself began to we can get the proper specimen-”
seem a certainty to him. In all this I "As, for instance?”
acted purely as an intelligent assistant. His eyes glowed darkly. "A human
He had jars of strange, saline liquids heart—from our dissecting-room!”
in which he kept chicken hearts beating "And then?”
for months. He had a culture of paste ' 'I want to make it beat again! I’ll keep
that smelled to the high heavens, where it living for years! Or a human brain—•
he tried to create an original life cell— perhaps I can make it function-”
like the ancestral ameba in the primeval "You’re crazy!” I charged.
morass. "Am I?” he countered, mysteriously.
"Life,” he would say to me, his thin, "Just wait and see!”
eager face glowing, "is eternal. The liv¬ Some few days later, he obtained the
ing cell goes on. The natural law of the objects for his experiment, and I watched,
conservation of matter is greater than the fascinated, as he went about his work;
thing we know as death. Look at that but it was a failure. His subjects were
chicken heart! The chicken is gone—but reduced to a pulp. He muttered excitedly
the heart beats on!” over the bowl, his lanky figure stooped,
He thrilled me as his voice, eager, in¬ looking for all the world like some gaunt,
tense, rose, but I was always uneasy. It ancient alchemist, concocting a magical
was soon after this that he concocted the philtre and venturing into the realms of
terrible liquid that he called "flame.” the forbidden. There was something
"There!” he shouted to me. "There! eery about his muttering, his attitude, his
It’s sunlight and earth and the crucible for pointed face and flashing eyes.
gestation-” "Not quite right,” he said to me later.
"Oh, nonsense! What’s the formula?” "I’ve got to change the formula a bit, but
"Formula? Wait till we try it—then I’m convinced that I’m on the right track.”
I’ll tell you. Phil, I think I’ve got it this
time! If I only had a subject worthy!”
His feverish eyes swept the room. "I’ll
I T was several evenings later that he
came in late at night, with a large bun¬
save it until we can get a good subject.” dle under his arm, his brilliant eyes flam¬
In truth, the liquid was extraordinary. ing.
It never stood still for a moment. It "I’ve got it!” he cried to me, throwing
writhed and swirled and bubbled with an the bundle on the table. "I’ve got it,
endless energy, constantly changing color Phil!”
—from blue to orchid, to red, to flame, "What?” It was after one and I want¬
then to venomous greens; and constantly ed to go to bed. "What now?”
it contorted and twisted uneasily. "Professor Kinkaid’s expedition got
Alverez had it in a huge glass bowl— back today from the Philippines and the
we had emptied our aquarium of germi¬ South Seas. They’ve brought back a lot
nating specimens to accommodate it—and of interesting things—that’s one of ’em
it fascinated me. —a head!”
"By no means touch it!” he cautioned. "A—what?”
"Why not?” "A head! They were in the Moro
 THE LETTER 389

head-hunting country and they brought flesh seemed to creep down my back. I
back some of the heads the Moros keep stared, uncomprehendingly, and a shout
for ornaments. This one used to belong came from Alverez.
to a white man. They had a bunch of "It’s working!” he cried, and ran to the
them, so the professor let me take this one bowl.
for my experiment. It’s a beauty!” I shambled over as if in a trance. Some
I shuddered and edged away from the prescience of violences unutterable, of
bundle. "You’re off your mind!” I horrors unspeakable, swelled my tongue
charged. "What do you want with that and constricted my throat. The cigarette
thing? Why bring it here, where we have fell from my fingers, unheeded.
to live? Gosh! The place is like a Entranced by some incomprehensible
morgue now!” force, I watched the head in its turbulent
He hardly heard me. He was slipping bath, and to my excited, overstrung nerves
off his coat, the light of the eager fanatic it seemed that the eyelids flickered.
glowing in his face. Alverez crouched in front of the glass
"Tonight we’ll know!” he whispered bowl like a huge frog, intent, his lips
tensely, unwrapping the package with moving. I stood rooted to the spot, un¬
trembling fingers. able to voice the agitation that threatened
Hardened as I am to human suffering, to overwhelm me.
I could not help exclaiming over the ter¬ And a remarkable thing happened—I
rible expression that death had etched swear it, Mr. Breckenridge! A contortion
upon that long-dead face. The utter pa¬ swept the face in the bowl, and the eyes
ralysis of sheer fascination fettered my —they seemed full of an evil intelli¬
eyes upon the head of what had once gence—turned to Alverez. The lips
been a white man before the Moro head¬ trembled as if something audible was go¬
hunters had decapitated him. ing to issue from them.
Alverez took it in his hands, gloating Panic possessed me. Alverez had dis¬
over it, flashed me a triumphant look and covered something epoch-making.
slowly immersed the head in the mixture "It’s working!” the sibilant whisper
he called "flame.” Seen through the came from his lips. He motioned for me
translucent, writhing liquid, it took on a to come nearer. “Come here! Watch!
still more sinister aspect; but nothing hap¬ The head will live—and it will tell us
pened. everything! Wa-”
We sat and watched, in silence, for a I cried out in sheer fright as the eyes
disquieting hour, Alverez intent, mutter¬ left Alverez and swung to meet mine. I
ing; I, fascinated at first, finally walked saw reason in their depths, I tell you—
away to get a cigarette. Alverez followed. and my flesh crawled and my skin
His nervousness was apparent and he hun¬ prickled as the lips began to writhe and
gered for the solace of nicotine fully as contort themselves in an apparent effort
much as I did. at expression.
Then a peculiar impression that I was It was uncanny. It defied every natural
being observed obsessed me. We both law—but there it was!
whirled around at the same moment and Alverez reached into the bowl with his
stared, awe-struck. The eyes of the head metal forceps and raised the head until
had opened! only the ragged neck was touching the
My heart thundered suddenly, and the solution. Here he perched it on a cross
390 WEIRD TALES

member of glass he had rigged, and "Alverez, you devil,” I shouted, beside
stepped back. The eyes glowed; the lips myself, "let me smash it-”
seemed to be making a Herculean effort "Stop!” he cried, wildly. "For God’s
to speak. Color flowed in the gaunt sake—don’t!”
cheeks and I saw the throb of a vein in But a frenzy of fear possessed me. I
one temple. picked up another chair and struck blind¬
Mute, hardly believing my eyes, I ly, again and again. Suddenly, I saw Al¬
watched, too frightened to speak or move. verez on the floor, quiet, as if dead. The
head lay in a corner and the "flame” bowl
"Talk!” commanded Alverez, in a high,
was broken. The liquid ran like a red
thin voice. "Talk, damn you! Who were
stream of fire toward the head. I was
you? What's your name? Can you hear
conscious of one glance of unearthly
me? Can you understand me?”
hatred from those ghostly eyes, and then
The face glowed redly, as with burst¬
flame suddenly enveloped the room.
ing blood; the lips snarled away from the
Maybe it was the cigarette; maybe not;
yellow fangs of teeth—and by the gods!
but I remember nothing else until I awak¬
—a sound came from the mouth—not of
ened in the hospital.
vocal chords or lung pressure—but a
And here I found that I was charged
chuckling so eery that my blood froze in
with the murder of my best friend. It’s
my veins. And then, as Alverez, stunned,
not true! I did not kill him. It is, of
fell back a step, the head seemed to sway
course, possible that I hit him with the
slightly as with some mighty effort.
chair in my unseeing frenzy, but if so,
A cold perspiration broke out over my
God knows it was unintentional. This is
body and it seemed to me that I could not
the truth, Mr. Breckenridge, and I wanted
breathe. Alverez was pale as chalk; but
you to know it.
the zealot triumphed.
Philip Krueger.
"It will live!” he shouted, like a ma¬
niac. "It lives, Phil! See?
live—and I will make it talk!
I can make it
I’ll take
T hat was the letter. I immediately
called the jail and identified myself,
the vocal chords from another body—and stating that I wanted to talk to Krueger.
make them function with this head! I The warden answered me.
can do it—I know I can!” "Krueger? Sorry, sir! He went com¬
The head contorted its features convul¬ pletely haywire last night and passed out
sively, the eyes rolled from Alverez to me this morning. Yep! Dead! Well, I guess
in an agony of inarticulate pleading, fear, that ends his appeal to a higher court,
pain—and something snapped in my brain eh?”
like the bursting of a bomb. I picked up I hung up. "No,” I told myself, “it
a chair and flung it, panic-stricken, at the doesn’t. He has gone before a higher
head. Words poured from my lips: court!”
 3n JWemortam

HENRY ST. CLAIR WHITEHEAD

R EADERS of Weird Tales will be grieved to hear of the death of that dis¬
tinguished author, the Reverend Henry S. Whitehead, Ph. D., who was a
■ regular contributor to this magazine. His death was caused by a painful
gastric illness of more than two years’ duration.
Doctor Whitehead, descended paternally from an old Virginian family and
maternally from a noted line of Scottish West Indian planters, was born in 1882
in Elizabeth, New Jersey. As a boy he attended the Berkeley School in New York
City, and in 1904 was graduated from Harvard University, a classmate of Presi¬
dent-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt. Studying under men like Santayana and Miin-
sterberg, he later took his degree as Doctor of Philosophy. His first literary work
was published in 1905, and from that time forward he was an increasingly well-
known writer in many fields.
In 1912, having graduated from the Berkeley Divinity School, Doctor White-
head was ordained a deacon of the Episcopal Church; and was advanced to the
priesthood in 1913. From 1913 to 1917 he was rector of Christ Church in Mid¬
dletown, Connecticut, and was later children’s pastor at St. Mary the Virgin’s in
New York City. During 1919-23 he was senior assistant at the Church of the
Advent in Boston, and in 1923-5 was rector of Trinity Church at Bridgeport, Con¬
necticut. Subsequently Doctor Whitehead served as acting archdeacon in the Vir¬
gin Islands, where he had previously served several winters in a similar capacity.
As an author Doctor Whitehead specialized in fiction, though writing much on
ecclesiastical and other subjects. Beginning in 1923, when his story. The lntarsia
Box (in Adventure), received a first-class rating as a story of distinction from the
O. Henry Memorial Committee, many similar honors were accorded his work. In
1927 he contributed to the Free Lance Writers’ Handbook an article on the tech¬
nique of weird fiction which is still a standard text on the subject.
It is for weird fiction of a subtle, realistic and quietly potent sort that he will
be best remembered by readers of this magazine, in which twenty-five of his great¬
est tales have been published. Deeply versed in the somber folklore of the West
Indies, and of the Virgin Islands in particular, he caught the inmost spirit of the
native superstitions and wrote them into tales whose accurate local background
created an astonishing illusion of genuineness. His "jumbee” stories—popularly
so-called because of their frequent inclusion of a typical Virgin Island belief—form
a permanent contribution to spectral literature, while his recurrent central character
and narrator, "GeraldCanevin” (embodying much of his own personality), will al¬
ways be recalled as a life-like and lovable figure.
Prominent among Doctor Whitehead’s tales are Sea Change, Jumbee, The Tree
Man, Black Tancrede, Hill Drums, and Passing of a God—the latter perhaps rep¬
resenting the peak of his creative genius.
 FLOOD of letters in praise or denunciation of interplanetary stories was
called forth by our query in the January issue as to whether you want us
to drop that type of story entirely from Weird Tales. We quote first from
two letters which summarize the arguments against such stories:
A. B. Leonard, of Portsmouth, Ohio, writes to the Eyrie: "In your January
number you ask the question, Do the readers like interplanetary stories? and make
the comment that only a few readers have written complaints about this type of
story. The rest of us are so enraged that we can’t see straight enough to write to
you. Interplanetary stories are not weird. They are merely thrillers. The same
events could be at home in any of the adventure magazines merely by changing the
locale. Take the present serial for instance: the yellow men of Venus are Chinamen,
and the red juice they are constantly spitting is the betel-nut juice of the Orient.
The toads are merely African savages, and the hairy men are Bolsheviks. The hero
and heroine are the typical characters of adventure stories. And such people as these
interplanetary authors depict! Bugs, crawdads, iron statues, square men, gaseous
men, toads and what not. Oh, and the usual globular men. Why do all interplan¬
etary stories have to have globular men? I have read countless of these stories and
practically all of them have globular men in them. And returning to the other
freaks we meet in these stories, I can just picture the author sitting at his desk
scratching his head and muttering to himself, 'Now what kind of a queer duck can
I use here?’ And another thing, if one—if even one—of these stories ever had a
different plot from the one laid down by Mr. Burroughs in his Mars books, I might
be able to condone the fact that they are not weird tales. But no—every one is
cut to the same pattern. The superman from the earth outfights, outruns, outjumps,
outthinks, outloves every man on the new planet and tears in tooth and toenail and
whips them all to a frazzle, grabs the most beautiful girl of the most advanced
kingdom, becomes king and conquers the entire planet, and introduces universal peace.
And another thing. If the heroine is as beautiful as the stories say she is, why get
mad at the villain for wanting her?”
A letter from Howard Charlton, of Berkeley, California, says: "Since you put the
question to Weird Tales readers, whether you should publish interplanetary sto¬
ries, allow me, as a confirmed WT hound, to utter a loud and hearty NO. These
stories are not weird. The reason is, that since the setting is purely imaginary, the
wildest flights of fancy have no normalcy to contrast with, in the story. On Mars
or Venus anything can happen—all hell can pop without causing one to bat an eye.
392
 THE EYRIE 393

If you get few kicks about this, it is because the stories themselves are good of their
kind, and it seems unkind to object to a writer doing good work. But these tales are
not—quod ante dixeramus—weird, and have no place in a magazine the purpose of
which is to curdle the blood, raise the hair, and make one heartily hope that such
things ain’t! Also let me register an objection, though I suppose I shall be in a still
smaller minority, against 'weird-scientific’ tales. Weirdness appeals to the emotions
more than to the reasoning powers, and the cold light of science, or even pseudo¬
science, calls too much reason into play to give the weird feeling a chance to devel¬
op. Seabury Quinn knows his stuff in this respect—he introduces very convincing,
because actual, bits of science, especially medicine, as contrast to the weirdness, not
as weird material per se. This is the way pure science should be used in fiction. If
you must have weird-scientific tales, cut them short. The reader should be knocked
breathless by the astounding idea, not given time to realize that it is really impos¬
sible, which he will in a long tale of this kind. No amount of detail (as in The
Monsters) can keep up the illusion. Also the human element is almost ignored
by these authors. In weird fiction it should be stressed. We can only appreciate
the horror of people we seem to know, like Jules de Grandin in Quinn’s fine tales.”

Gifton Amsbury, of Lincoln, Nebraska, who signs himself Secretary of the In¬
ternational Scientific Association, writes to the Eyrie: "The common run of inter¬
planetary stories is getting overdone, but so far I have not seen any of the common
run' in Weird. Such stories as Kline’s Venus tales can no more be called merely
'interplanetary’ than Howard’s tales about Conan can be called ’historic.’ There was
an element of the occult in the way Grandon got to Venus, but that is gone now and
the only claim to weirdness is in the monsters and strange races. The point may be
stretched but a little variety is good. And as to the crack about being suitable for ado¬
lescents, aren’t a good many of your readers adolescents? I was when I first started
reading Weird Tales.”

"I have been a reader of Weird Tales ever since the first copy,” writes Wil¬
liam Moore, of Waverly, New York, "and I have not missed one since that. I
have not written to the Eyrie before, but when I see all the criticism about Otis Adel-
bert Kline I can’t keep still any longer. I think we should have interplanetary
stories by all means. I think Kline is one of the best writers you have, though I
have never found a poor story in your magazine yet.”

A letter from W. H. Pope, of Bradford, Arkansas, says: “If it isn’t too late to
get in on this controversy. I’d like to register an emphatic vote in favor of the con¬
tinuance of Weird Tales' policy regarding interplanetary yarns. Hamilton is
O. K., and as for Kline’s current serial, well, Buccaneers of Venus would separate me
from a quarter any time. Let Weird Tales alone! A steady diet of supernatural
stuff would pall, and the interplanetary stories and weird-scientific dope balance the
magazine perfectly, adding the necessary zest. By all means keep 'em.”
Katherine Turner writes from Laguna in the Philippine Islands: "I am a bit
late in telling you which stories I like best in your September Weird Tales, but as
I live far away, the numbers are slow getting to me. I was delighted with The Sher¬
aton Mirror by August W. Derleth, a delicately written and unusually interesting
piece of imaginative writing. Also, as usual, Clark Ashton Smith’s story, The Em-
394 WEIRD TALES

pire of the Necromancers, deserves special credit. Mr. Smith’s stories, always written
with die hand of an artist, are a continued source of pleasure. I would not hes¬
itate to name him your best writer.”
"In your January issue,” writes Claude H. Cameron, of Toronto, Canada, "I
vote first place to Seabury Quinn for A Gamble in Souls. Quinn is getting better
and better. I am glad to see him use the plot he did; I half suspect that Mr. Quinn
is a member of a certain mystic order and that his plots are taken from facts that
he can not definitely put forth. I understand that Mr. Quinn knows much about the
art of embalming. Why not a story based on a soul returning to its body as the
mortician is about to begin work? If Mr. Quinn really knows as much as I think,
he can hatch out a good story somewhat along the lines of Marie Corelli’s Ardath.”

Henry Hasse, of Indianapolis, laments in a letter to the Eyrie: "Why, oh, why
did you do it? Discontinue 'The Unique Magazine’ on the cover, I mean. From
any angle I look at it, I can not see how it was a change for the better. Please put
it back. A foolish request, you may think. But—one of my most valued collec¬
tions is a set of Weird Tales, almost complete, back to the first number, March,
1923. And as I look through them, and see The Unique Magazine on every cover,
I have become proud of that trademark; it exemplifies the literary quality of Weird
Tales, puts it into a class in which it reigns alone. Why, those three words belong
to the magazine; I am almost angry; you had no right to take them from the cover.”

Readers, what is your favorite story in this issue? The most popular story in
our January number, as shown by your votes and letters to the Eyrie, was that utterly
strange story by Robert E. Howard entitled The Scarlet Citadel. This received more
than twice as many votes as its nearest competitor. Your second choice was the third
installment of Otis Kline’s interplanetary serial, Buccaneers of Venus.

My favorite stories in the March WEIRD TALES are:

Story Remarks
(1).....
(2)- -
(3)---

I do not like the following stories:

(!)• Why?

(2).

It will help us to know what kind of I Reader's name and address:

stories you want in Weird Tales if you
will fill out this coupon and mail it to I-
The Eyrie, Weird Tales, 840 N. Michigan
Ave., Chicago, III. I—
 Coming Next Month
I OPENED my eyes, and saw that I was in a vast, high-ceiled room pervaded
with a phosphorescent greenness that quivered and glowed and flickered mad¬
deningly. I was lying near the wall. My hands and feet were tied with cords.
My clothing still reeked from the foulness of that which had brought me here, al¬
though the stench was rapidly becoming less intense. I shivered frorfi the memory
of that repugnant contact.
In the dim light of the room, I could distinguish hooded and robed figures.
Some sat cross-legged, each on a bench scarcely larger than a coffee-table. Others,
shadowy, ominous presences, conferred in low tones. A heavy haze of incense from
several wrought-iron tripods clouded the room with its dizzying, breath-taking fumes.
From another apartment, beyond the brocaded draperies, that concealed a doorway,
I could hear the muttering of kettle-drums, and the whine of single-stringed kemen-
jahs, and the sobbing notes of pipes. The weird, minor harmony sent chills up my
spine.
Then a man garbed in formal evening attire emerged from the shadows. He
was tall and aquiline-featured; his eyes were glittering and phosphorescent, like those
of a great cat.
This was the Master of the show, who had defiled the very order of life in his
attempt to gratify his ghastly whim; and those robed, hooded figures that moved
through the spectral haze of the room were his acolytes, and his adepts in the devil¬
ish hierarchy which he had assembled.
One of the adepts strode across the tile floor and halted within a few paces of
the Master. . . .
You can not afford to miss this thrill-tale of modern sorcery, of murder and
fighting and sudden death, and the return of the ancient Queen of Sheba from the
shadows, by the author of The Stranger from Kurdistan. It will be printed complete
in the April WEIRD TALES:

THE RETURN OF BALKIS

By E. HOFFMANN PRICE
—ALSO—
THE STAR ROAMERS THE ICE-DEMON
By Edmond Hamilton By Clark Ashton Smith
An interplanetary story of many thrills—a bat- A fantastic tale of an animate, sentient sheet of
tie of leaping flames on the world of Alpha ice, and the wild adventure of Quanga the hunt-
Centauri, our nearest neighbor in space—by the er, who sought to dig royal rubies from a glacial
author of Crashing Suns. tomb.
GOLDEN BLOOD
By Jack Williamson
A fascinating novel of weird adventures in the hidden
land beyond the cruel Arabian desert of the Rub' A1
Khali, and a golden folk that ride upon a golden-yellow
tiger and worship a golden snake.
TIGER DUST REVELATIONS IN BLACK
By Bassett Morgan By Carl Jacobi
Another thrilling tale of brain-transplantation. An utterly strange story of three mad volumes
and the eety vengeance of a weird tiger, by the and a weird woman who sat by a fountain in the
author of The Devils of Po Sung. house of the twenty-six bluejays.

April WEIRD TALES Out March

395
i
 Witch Passes
By M. C. BODKIN

Shrive me, father,

Shrive my soul
Ere 1 am laid
In the deep black hole.

Curuck, curoo, curuck, curoo

How high we flew, how fast we flew
Over the steeple, over the roof,
Fair young witch and cloven hoof,
Snout and claw and shaggy hide,
Faggots are horses when witches ride
Down the wind in screaming flight—
But who will be his bride tonight?
Ave, Sathanas, ora pro nobis!

Light three tapers

At my head,
Give me the oil
And the holy bread.

Curuck, curoo, curuck, curoo

The bog fires glimmered green and blue
While we greased the pot with gallows’ sweat
Wiped from the thing a-dangling yet
Dead on the creaking gibbets’ shank—
The dark brew bubbled and boiled and sank
Spattering warm blood left and right—
But who will be his bride tonight?
Ave, Sathanas, ora pro nobis!

Give me the cross

That I may kiss
The one who died
To give me bliss.

Curuck, curoo, curuck, curoo

Thrice the sable cockerel crew;
Chant your masses, demon choir,
Prepare the couch and the crown of fire!
Shriek, O fiends and devils, shout,
Turn the holy cross about!
Sharper his kiss than Death’s own bite
Though I shall be his bride tonight!
Ave, Sathanas, ora pro nobis.
 WEIRD TALES 397

By MAURICE LEVEL
The dark shadow of a dead man came
between the doctor and his wife—a new
story by the author of "Cruel Tales”

T HE log fire was dying in the

grate. About the whole room,
lighted by a too heavily shaded
lamp, there was something vaguely men¬
acing that chilled my blood the moment
I entered it. !LF! It pays! IpaidJ.D.
ia, $300 for a single copper
My friend came forward. "I am glad ..—js$740fo
w..« __all kinds of old coins, m-_
to see you, very glad,” he said, holding and stamps. I pay big cash premiums.
WILL PAY $100 FOR DIME ,
out his hand. 1894 S. Mint; $50 for 1918 Liberty Head Nickel
(not buffalo) and hundreds of other amazing
He had aged and altered so that I prices for coins. Get in touch with me. Send
4c for Large Illustrated Coin Folder and further
should hardly have recognized him. Ex¬ particulars. It may mean muoh profit to you.
Write today to
tending his hand in the direction of the NUMISMATIC COMPANY^OF TEXAS
fireplace, he said in a low voice, "My (Largest Raw Coin Establishment In U. S.)
friend Janville ... my wife.”
I discerned a very pale face and a
slender form that bowed slightly, while
a subdued voice, a melancholy, weary
voice, murmured, “We are pleased to see
you here. Monsieur.”
My friend offered me a chair. The
white form relapsed into immobility; and
SECRET SERVICE
silence, a deadened silence through which Wo Want Mon and Women of Average School Ed¬
ucation, gifted with common sense, to study Secret
flitted indefinable thoughts, fell upon us. Service and Scientific Crime Detection. If in this
class and interested, write Joseph A. Kavanagh,
I could think of nothing to say. These Former Agent, V. S. Secret Service, Director, Inter¬
national Secret Service Institute, Dept. WT-33,
two had been man and wife for some 68 Hudson St., Hoboken, N. J.
months. They had been in love for years
BACK ISSUES
before they were free to marry. And this
For complete list and prices write to Weird
was how I found them now! Talbs, 840 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, 111.
My friend broke the silence with a hesi¬
THE PRINCE OF PERIL
tating inquiry as to my health, and his
By OTIS ADELBFJIT KLINE
thought seemed far from the words that (Limited Autographed First Edition)
fell from his lips. Price $2.00
"Fine,” I replied, and speaking lower,
I added, "You are happy?”
398 WEIRD TALES

"Yes,” he muttered. frequently, I obtained an introduction to

His wife coughed slightly, and rose. the husband. I cultivated his acquaint¬
ance. I came to be his constant' guest,
"Forgive me. Monsieur, but I am a
his intimate friend.
little tired. You will excuse me, I am
sure. . . . Please do not go.” "I made that despicable third in a
She crossed the dining-room, presented household who, under the shelter of its
her forehead to her husband, and left us. welcome, steals in cold blood from its
master his peace and happiness.
My friend got up and paced the floor
with long strides, gnawing his mustache, "I spent my holidays with them. He
then, stopping abruptly before me, put was a great sportsman; while he was out
his hand on my shoulder. in the woods and fields I passed my time
"I said I was happy. That’s a lie!” with her.

I looked at him in mute astonishment.

"No doubt you think I am out of my “/\ne day we two were startled by
mind,” he continued. "Not yet, but I’m v-r loud cries. I ran downstairs, and
likely to be before long. . . . Don’t you found the terrified servants gathered
feel some sinister influence brooding over around the husband.
this house?” "Stretched upon a couch, he was fight¬
"Your wife and you appear to be un¬ ing for breath with quick, short gasps,
der some cloud, certainly. Some worry, as he clutched at a wound in his abdomen.
no doubt, the importance of which you “ 'Ah, Monsieur,’ faltered the man who
exaggerate.”
carried his game-bag, 'how suddenly it
"No! No! No! There’s a horror hang¬ happened! Monsieur had just shot a
ing to these walls . . . there’s a terror woodcock ... it fell in the rushes, he ran
creeping about these floors. Between my toward the spot, and all in a moment, I
wife and me there’s the shadow of Crime don’t know how it happened, but I heard
... of Crime! a report—a cry—and I saw Monsieur
"As you know, she who today is my fall forward. ... I brought him here.’
wife was for long months my mistress.
"I cut away the clothes and examined
You know how desperately I loved her
his injuries. The charge had plowed
... or rather you do not know ... no
through his side. Blood flowed in jets
one can know. ... I worshipped her,
from a terrible wound extending from
that creature, worshipped her to the point
above the hip to the thigh.
of devotion ... of frenzy. From the day
"Years of training made me regard
she came into my life, there was no other
him solely as a patient. I examined him
life for me. She became a need in my
as if it had been a hospital case. I even
nature, a flaw in my sanity, a vice in my
gave a sigh of satisfaction as I learned
blood.
that his injuries were really superficial.
"I thought of running away with her,
The intestines did not appear to be in¬
of challenging the voice of scandal. But
volved, but on the wound’s internal sur¬
neither of us had any means. I had only
face a small artery was spurting freely.
my profession to support me. And our
being together openly in Paris was not to "Hearing footsteps, I looked up, and
be thought of ... so I put aside honor, saw Her standing in the doorway. A
every moral scruple. To see her more strange and unaccountable agony gripped
 WEIRD TALES 399

my heart. It was with a great effort that

I said, 'Don’t come here. ... Go away.'
" ’No,’ she said, and drew nearer.
"I could not take my eyes from hers—
she had fascinated them. My finger still
pressing upon the artery, the sufferer full
in her view, I watched that look of hers
as a man watches a dagger pointed at his WHICH CONTROLS YOU?
Science says that the chemical elements compos¬
throat, a wavering dagger, the gleam of ing a man’s body may be bought (or sixty cents at
a pharmacy shop. But the real part of you is the
which hypnotizes him. Infinite, creative power within—it makes YOU *,
living, vital being. , , . ,
She drew still nearer, and a cloudy By the proper use of this creative, steeping force •
within you, you can DOMINATE YOUR LIFE
impotence fell upon my will. That look and MASTER THE CONDITIONS WHICH
SURROUND YOU. The Rosicrucians have shown
spoke things of terrible import. It seized
upon my soul, that look; it spoke—no
need of words to make me understand This Free Book Explains
The Roscicrucians will send the SINt-
what it asked of me. It said: SEEKER a free copy of the new book, “The
* -e Sages," which t»” '-
" 'You can have me for your own. . ..
You can take me and keep me. ... I
shall thrill to no other joy, faint under
no other fondness ... if only you
will-’
"Once more I faltered: 'You must not
stay here. ... Go away.’
"But the look spoke again:
" 'Soul without resolution . . . heart
that dares not. . . what have you always
longed for? . . . Look! . . . Chance
changes your dream to reality.’
"The artery pulsed under my finger
and, little by little, strive as I would to
maintain it, the pressure diminished.
"She was close to me. She bent above
me. Her breath played in my hair; the
emanation from her body stole into every
fiber of my being, impregnated my hands,
my bps—that exhalation of love which
was madness to me.
"All conception of time, of danger, of
duty, fled from my mind.
"Suddenly the door opened, and a ser¬
vant appeared with my surgical case. The
stupor was dispelled.
" 'Quick! Give it to me!’ I shouted
rather than called.
"But then ... I saw that my finger had
400 WEIRD TALES

deserted its post . . . that there was now

NEXT MONTH no pulsation under it... that the stricken
man’s lip was drawn upward into the

GOLDEN mocking semblance of a smile . . . and

. . . that it was all over.
"Our eyes met. And in that moment

BLOOD a shadow fell between us, a shadow with

a mocking smile—the shadow of the dead
By JACK WILLIAMSON man. . . .

H ere is a novel that reads like a new

Rider Haggard masterpiece—a fas¬
“T THOUGHT at first that this nightmare
A would fade away. I strove to assure
cinating tale of weird adventures in the
hidden land that lies in Arabia beyond myself that the fatal issue was an acci¬
the Rub’ A1 Khali, crudest and least- dent, unavoidable. But since she became
known of the world’s deserts. In that my wife, that shadow is between us, al¬
so-called "golden land” of Arabian leg¬ ways, everywhere. Neither speaks of it,
end live a golden folk that ride upon a
but it comes between our meeting eyes.
golden-yellow tiger and worship a golden
snake. A group of adventurers from the "I—I see once more her eyes, the look,
outside world—renegade Bedouins, hard¬ saying, 'Take me. Let us be free.’ She—
bitten Americans from the French For¬ she sees once more my hand, as, by slow
eign Legion, thrill-hunting soldiers of
degrees, it lets the life of her husband ebb
fortune—follow a trail of skulls across
away. And hatred has come, a silent ha¬
the desert to the "golden land,” and find
themselves enmeshed in a web of the tred, the hatred of two murderers who are
most sensational, dramatic and amazing in the bonds of a mutual fear.
happenings since the human race began.
"We remain for hours as you have

T hrills, shivers, chills and shudders

will chase one another up and down
seen us tonight. Words rush up within
us, smite asunder the clenched teeth, half
your spine as you read this glamorous open the lips—and we keep silence.”
and glorious story, which will begin He took a dagger from the table, tried
the edge with his finger.
in the April issue of
"Cowards .. . both of us!”

WEIRD TALES He flung the weapon, clanging, to the

table, and burying his face in his hands,
On sale March 1st
burst into tears.
To avoid missing your copy, clip and mail this
coupon today for SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION
OFFER.

WEIRD TALES
Coming soon—
840 N. Michigan Art.,
Chicago, IU.
Enclosed find $1.00 for which send me the next
flve issues of WEIRD TALES to begin with the
Dead Man’s Belt
April issue ($1.75 in Canada). Special offer void By Hugh B. Cave

▼
unless remittance is accompanied by coupon.

A powerful and utterly different

weird story
City-State.
W.T.-8
 Do You Read

The MAGIC CARPET Magazine?

The Vagabond-at-Arms
By SEABURY QUINN
The current issue contains this brilliant novelette describing the adventures
of Carlos de la Muette, swashbuckling soldier of fortune, and his amazing career
as a. fighter and a rescuer of the downtrodden and oppressed. Book your passage
now aboard the MAGIC CARPET and fly with us to Spain to share in the exploits
of this swaggering grandee.

—ALSO—
THE DESERT HOST KALDAR, WORLD OF ANTARES
By Hugh B. Cave By Edmond Hamilton
A mighty story of Babylon, and Semiramis the A stupendous novelette of a world far removed
Great Queen—a tale of stupendous heroism, and from Earth, of the Chan of Kaldar, and the Cosps,
the slave-pens under the temple of Marduk, and huge spider-people from beyond the metal moun-
an armed host that came riding out of the desert.
THE GARDENS OF THE NAWWAB
By Grace Keon
A fascinating tale of stolen love, and harem
intrigues at the court of an Indian potentate.

THE PICTURE OF JUDAS THE TRUTH ABOUT SINBAD THE SAILOR

By Francis Hard By Allan Govan
The Magic Carpet flies to Italy of the Renaissance A tale which tells facts about Sinbad’s voyages that
to let you gaze at the great painter, Leonardo da do not agree with the story in the "Arabian
Vinci, and take part with him in a strange hap¬ Nights”—a tale which gives the lie to Sinbad’s
pening. maritime pretensions.

if your magazine dealer is sold out mail 15c to the Publishers at 840 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill.