The, Case of Charles Dexter Ward SEABUin^UINN,

CLARK ASHTHLSMITH

The Robot God

a novelette

RAY CUMIVIINGS
In 2453 A. D.-
The Man-Made Men
Revolt!
 It’s annoying when your
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but not half so

annoying as y

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 JULY, 1941 Cover by Hannes Eok

THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD . . H. P. Lovecraft 84

(Conclusion)
Final Terrifying Chapters of the Novel That Is
the "Last of the Lovectafts”

NOVELETTES
THE ROBOT GOD
. .
......
Beneath Whose Leadership an Army of Bandit Machines
.
-. . . . Ray Cummings 6

Limber Up for All Out Interplanetary Conquest!

SONG WITHOUT WORDS Seabury Quinn 54

Its Rhythm Rang Down the Corridors of Immortality . . .

SHORT STORIES
THE ENCHANTRESS OF SYLAIRE . . . Clark Ashton Smith 25
—
"See Her as She Really Is Unthinkably Old
and Hideous with Infamies/’

FIRST NIGHT Mindret Lord 35

"I Made Some Notes of Their Dialogue on the Cuff of My Shroud.”

THE BELIEVERS Robert Arthur 41

The Carriday Curse Was a Hoax—but Five Million Listeners Believed it . . .

I KILLED HITLER Ralph Milne Farley 71

A Time-Traveling Attempt to Foil Destiny Defeats Its Own Ends.

IT ALL CAME TRUE IN THE WOODS . Manly Wade WeDman 78

Fantasy Is Changed to Fact in the Glades of Amasookit . . .

VERSE
THE DEVIL’S TREE Denis Plimmer 24

SHADOWS OF HAN Gerald Chan Sieg 70

SUPERSTITIONS AND TABOOS Irwin J. Weill 52

THE EYRIE AND WEIRD TALES CLUB 122

Except for personal experiences the contents of this magazine is fiction. Any use
of the name of any living person or reference to actual events is purely coincident^.

Published bi-monthly by Weird Tales, 9 Bockefeller Plaza, New

York, N. Y« Reentered as second-class matter
January 26, 1940, at the Post Office at New
York, N. Y., under the act of March 3, 1879. Single copies, 15 cents.
Sviiseription rates: One year in the United States and possessions, 90c. Foreign and Canadian postage extra.
English Office: Charles Lavell, Limited, 4 Clements Inn, Strand, London, W.C.2, England. The publishers are not
responsible for the loss of unsolicited manuscripts although every care will be taken of such material while in their
possession. Copyright, 1941, by Weird Tales. Copyrighted in Great Britain. 173
Title registered in U. S. Patent Office.
PBINTBD IN TH» U. S. A. Vol. 35, No. 10

D. McILWRAITH, Editor, HENRY AVEUNE PERKINS, Associate Editor,

 Oi 041 <s>4-i(n44-

Can The Past

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 THE SHAPE OF THRILLS TO COME
Peer into the future with us for a few minutes — and
take a look at what is coming in the next

WEIRD TALES
JOIN US IN A NERVE-SHATTERING ADVENTURE
BEYOND THE THRESHOLD^
— title of the feature novelette by August W. Derleth in your next issue of
WEIRD TALES. Visit the house where weirdly beautiful music wells flute-
likefrom the surrounding darkness where the fury of the gale swoops
;

—
around the gables yet no movement disturbs the line of trees dark upon
the night sky.
What was that horrible caricature of a man rising to a semblance of a head
high in the heavens—with carmine stars where its eyes might have been?
What were those thunderous footsteps that echoed and re-echoed in the
valley before the house? What was that cold reeking of outer space?

Step — ^in —
the September issue across the forbidden threshold where waits
the bestial stone miniature of a hellish monstrosity
2/ , walking on the winds above the earth!

BIRTHMARK -A SORCERER
This novelette by Seabniy Qninn RUNS FOR SHERIFF
bringrs back those characters you
enjoyed in his TILKRE ARE —^nd menaces an entire city.
SUCH THINGS. And in BIRTH- From Robert Bloch comes a tale,
MARK it’s up to you to guess written in his usual brisk,
the link^ that lies be-

r ^‘inissinsr
tween beautiful Fedocia Watrous
and a series of fantastic murders
fast movinsr style, of
witchcraft in 1941.
deadly

The six other stories balancing the issue . . . fantasy, werewolves,

seamonsters, ghosts and ghost-breakers . . . guarantee that the
September number will be tops in exciting writing and thrilling
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 y^bot God
By RAY CUMMINGS
the Golden God ruled a nation of walking nightmare statues —machines
with lust and murder in their hearts!

CHAPTER I

Voyage of Doom

T
The
O YOUNG
girl
George Carter the
seemed more beautiful to-
night than he had ever seen her.
shine of spacelight was in her eyes
soft pale-blue glow of the million million
starry worlds. It filtered down through the
overhead glassite dome of the little space-
liner, bathing him and her in its soft
efifulgence.
" ”
'Flinging back a million starglints,’

"Thor's hollow, conunanclinf;

—
voice rang out first in one
language, then in another . .
the Great God of the
Machine introducing
his Goddess!”

6
 ”Tlie grey-black tnountamous landscape of
the little asteroid lay spread in a
dim troubled waste.”

"
he quoted softly, 'the depths of space re- The girl laughed; a little rippfc of silver
mind me of thine eyes.’ That’s literally laughter. But to Carter, somehow it seemed
true, tonight, Dierdre.” forced. He had known Dierdre Dynne
The Starfield Queen was a day out from about a year. She was traveling now to
Earth on voyage to Ferrok Shahn, capital
its Mars with her father; only by chance had
of the Martian Union. By Earth-time it they both taken this voyage on the Starf^ld
was August, 2453 A.D. By ship’s routine Queen.
the time could be called mid-evening And there was something, now, about
an hour or two after the passengers and her that was abnormal. He had noticed
crew of the little liner had had their eve- it at once. A restlessness; a vague un-
ning meal. Still within the giant cone of easiness?
the Earth’s shadow the great black firma- He stared into her blue eyes,
where the
ment blazed with its myriad white worlds. starshine was mirrored. Was it terror there,
It was an awe-inspiring sight to Carter glowing in the limpid depths? They were
his first voyage out of the Earth’s strato- on the upper deck of the hundred foot
sphere. He was a big, rather handsome spaceship —
^an oblong space on the super-

blond fellow in his early twenties. An structure roof, virith the glassite pressure
Anglo-American Mining chemist; and his dome Behind them, be-
close over them.
company was sending him now on a pros- yond the stern-peak, the great dull-red ball
pecting trip t« Mars. of Earth, with the cone of its giant shadow
7
8 WEIRD TALES
streaming out here from it, filled a qua- consult with some of the Martian Robot
drant of the heavens. Manufacturer’s. You see, what you don’t
For a moment silent, he gazed at know — ^what
— naturally has never been
Dierdre, who was stretched beside him in made public
her padded deck chair. Slim, beautiful
little figure in gray-blue traveling trousers, TTE STARED, silent, as she told him.
blue blouse with white neck ruff; and her Her father. Dr. Ely Dynne, was a
blond hair, pale as spun gold, braided and retiredRobot Manufacturer. A man in his
coiled on her head. The small platinum sixtiesnow; and it was his genius which
ornaments that dangled from her bare arms had developed these weird mechanisms in
clinked as with nervous fingers ^e toyed the guise of humans. "The Dynne domestic-
with them. servant robots were known throughout all
He said suddenly, "What’s the matter three of the inhabited worlds. Amazing
with you, Dierdre?” mechanisms, built to perform almost every
"Matter with me?” human with almost human intelli-
task,
It was terror in her eyes. No question gence —and with tireless machine pre-
of it now. He leaned toward her. The lit- cision. Machines that could talk, could
tle starlit deck space up here at the moment think and thus have independent uncon-
—
seemed empty a few deck chairs scattered trolled action —
^machines with a memory-
about, and squat metal vents of the ven- scroll, thus toremember a task done, so
tilators and air-pressure mechanisms. No that it might be done again without com-
one seemed here. But he lowered his mand
voice. Back in the Twentieth Century, robot-
"Something worrying you,” he in-
is building had started. And since then had
sisted. And then he smiled. "All right come four hundred years of the slow patient
but I asked you a while ago and you didn’t development of scientific genius. And Ely
answer. WTiy are you and your father Dynne, with a lifetime of work had crossed
going to Mars?” the line from mechanical perfection into
Her jeweled hand went out and touched pseudo-human action, so that the Dynne
his arm. "I guess I —
will tell you, George,” Robot Factories in Great New York were
she murmured. She was suddenly breath- now the largest on Earth.
less. "You know, of course ^these last — All this Carter knew, of course. But
few years, sevefal space-liners have van- now Dierdre Dynne was murmuring:
idied. Just —
never heard of again
— '"rhe Robot Industries —
^Earth, Mars

Five passenger ships, enroute between —

and Venus they had to keep it secret,
Earth, Venus and Mars, mysteriously had George. But these space-ships that have
been lost He knew that, of course. Little —
disappeared father has been worried that
space-vehicles in commercial service — ^like —
perhaps the ^the robots on them may have
—
Queen equipped with radio-
this Starfield — ^gotten deranged. We had one do tiiat,
helio and every modern safety device just — in the factory training ground, not so long
vanishing. And now, of course she was ago. Something went wrong —a big forty
timid, here on her first voyage
"Oh,” he said. "Well, I don’t blame
thousand gold-dollar model.
amok — be smashed
^had to — — — It it ran

you. But nothing is going to happen to She suddenly checked herself. Carter
us.” tensed. In the quiet of the vibrationless
"No, it’s more than that, George. starlit deck there was a faint clanking foot-
Father’s on hisway to Ferrok Shahn to step, and a metal figure appeared coming
 THE ROBOT GOD 9

toward them. was one of the Dynne

—
"Well ” Carter murmured. "Dierdre,
It

domestic-service robots in use here as a listen —what you were saying

—
steward. The spacelight gleamed on its "There comes fatlier and that Mar-—
alumite body —square-shouldered metal tian,” she murmured. "I’ll tell you later.”
torso, tubular jointed legs. It was rather Dr. Ely Dynne was small, wirey, thin-
a small model; five and a half feet tall. Its faced. His thin figure showed in the star-
round metal head, with square box-like light as he came up a side companion lad-
face of pseudo-human features, bore a der from the Starfield Queen’s little lower
peaked metal cap, emblazoned with the side deck, between the superstructure and
insignia of the space-line. the outer enclosing pressure hull. Behind
Carter and the girl sat silent as it clanked him was the towering, swaggering figure
forward. To Carter, all domestic-servant of one of the Martian passengers. Set
robots were weird, somewhat gruesome Maalc. Carter had already met him — ap-
things. He had never quite gotten used to parently wealthy space-traveler, bent only
them. And with what Dierdre had told on pleasure. A well-educated fellow; he
—
him now ^these weird machines thinking spoke English fluently. His guttural voice
for themselves —thinking thoughts of re- sounded as he and Dr. Dynne came for-
bellion —thought perhaps of murder—he ward.
found himself tense with a shudder. "Ah, Miss Dynne — the beautiful Ettle
The little robot came and stood balanced Earth-goddess. We were looking to find
on its wide-base metal shoes. Its electroid you. A
wonderful night. Miss Dynne.”
eyes, dull round grids of green-glowing Grudgingly Carter shifted aside as Set
light, swept him and Dierdre. Its voice, Maak opened two other chairs. Like most
soft, hollow with mechanical resonance, Martians he was a towering fellow. Heavy-
said obsequiously: featured, swarthy skin. He wore the
"You will have refreshments served familiar brown-suede jacket and short flar-

here. Miss Dynne? The captain ordered ing trousers of the Martian garb, out of
me. which his legs showed as great pillets of
On the nameplate of its bulging metal hairy strength. He tossed his plumed bat
chest beside the fuse-box, its factory serial aside and drew his brown-skin cloak
number was engraved: "Dynne Mfg. Co. around him.
4-41-42-4.” And
under it the machine’s "The little Earth-girl is quiet,” he pro-
standardized nickname: "Tora-4.” claimed presently. "Not afraid that the
Dierdre silently shook her head. Carter mysterious space-bandits will get us, Miss
said: "No thank you, go.” Dynne?”
Weird green eyegrids were staring at "No,” Dierdre murmured. Carter saw
him. Was he foolish that suddenly it her exchange a glance with her father.
seemed that he was seeing a menace there? Dynne said:
For an instant the robot hesitated. In the "Space bandits! Is that what Inter-
silence the faint hiss of its interior current planetary travelers generally figure caused
was audible. Then there was a tiny click those disappearances?”
of the automatic response grid within its "Of course. VJfliy not?” 'The big Mar-
skull. tian laughed. "\SHiat else could it be?
The voice said: Not — disaster from within the ships them-
"Thank you.” The body bent at the selves?”
waist-joint — ^grotesque gesture of servility The beautiful little Dierdre Dynne
as it turned and clanked away. seemed a magnet for men. Two others
10 WEIRD TALES
came now to join the starlit group. One of his face was ugly — a gargoyle face out
of
them was young Peter Barry, with whom which his deep-set dark eyes gleamed with
Carter w'as making this trip to Mars. He the light of genius. He was indeed an
was Carter’s assistant in the Anglo-Ameri- electroid wizard, this James Torrington.
can Mining Company a year younger — For years his name had been in the Dynne
than Carter. They had been close friends publicity, accredited with many of the im-
for many years —
perhaps because they were provements in the pseudo-hunun machines
such different types — Carter tall, blond, which bore Dynne’s name. But his picture
athletic with the look of a Viking; and was seldom published. Self-conscious at
Barry a smallish, red-headed, freckled fel- he lived al-
his ugliness, his deformities,
low. Wirey, pugnacious, always with a most the life of a recluse.
ready laugh and sly wit. But he wasn’t His booming voice dominated the little
laughing now. As he and his companion group now, and Carter turned from Barry
drew up chairs and joined the group, he to listen.
shifted next to Carter. And in a moment "Space bandits? Well, if that is what
he murmured: caused those ships to vanish, the space
"Something queer here on board, bandits certainly keep themselves well hid-
George. This voyage
’’
—
^the crew are all
— den. I’ve never heard any evidence of
frightened. Something weird such bandits, have you. Set Maak?”
'This voyage! Was that what Dierdre 'The big Martian shook his head. "Fas-
wanted to tell him? 'This particular voy- cinating, this discussion,” he grinned. "We
age of the little Starfield Queen — to be a torture ourselves with fear. The crew,
voyage of horror? this voyage, are frightened cold. How
"Frightened about what?” Carter whis- silly.”

pered tensely. 'Then suddenly the silent Carter was

Young Barry grimaced, with a finger aware that beyond the chatting group here
rubbing his pug nose. "I’m a motor-oiler in the starlight, a figure was lurking. A
if I know, George. Something about the blob of gray-white metal — ^the steward
cargo.” His voice sank to a whisper. "Our robot. Just a machine. It stood there.
cargo — isn’t what it’s supposed to be. But suddenly to the shuddering Carter the
That’s what the crew seem to think. I thing seemed more than a machine. Tom-4.
hinted at it to Torrington and he just Was he listening?
looked queer — *'
At the same instant the hunchback Tot-
James Torrington was the sixth member rington noticed the gray blob. He called
of the group sitting here now. Carter had abruptly:
heard of him for years; had just met him "You —^Tom-4? Come here.”
today. He was traveling with Dierdre and ’The little robot came obediently. Its

her father. Since Dr. Dynne’s virtual re- fingerswere sheathed; the hook of its right
tirement, James Torrington had been chief hand was out, dangling at its side.
Electroid Consultant at the Dynne Robot "What are you doing up here?” Tor-
factories. He was a man now in his for- rington demanded.
ties. A aipple; his short, thick, barrel- "Nothing, sir. Just waiting for orders.”
chested body was massive, with hunched ‘"rhere are no orders. Go back to your
shoulders and a lump on his back into station.”
which his leonine head was sunk almost "'Thank you, sir.”
without neck. It was a massive, overlarge The robot turned, clanked away and van-
head with touseled iron-gray hair. And ished. Carter, still silent, watdiing, saw
 THE ROBOT GOD 11

Dynne and Dierdre exchange glances of blue eyes, filled with anguished terror now,
apprehension with Torrington. As Dierdre were gazing beyond his shoulder, back at
had were worried, undoubtedly
said, they the bow deck of the vessel.
really perturbednow. But to Girter’s — —
"Oh, George dear God ” she faintly
knowledge there were only two robots in gasped.
service here on the Starfeld Queen this — He whirled. Cargo of horror this —
Tom-4, and another, fashioned somewhat voyage of doom — From the doorway oval
in the guise of a woman. Two robots of the little cabin superstmcture, a tower-
was no danger of them run-
surely there ing metal form had emerged. Ghastly
ning amok, seizing the ship? alumite mechanism. It stooped at the door-
way, and then it stood erect. A
giant field-
A ND then, an hour later. Carter under- worker robot. 'The eyes glared green; both
stood the apprehension of Dynne and curved hand-hooks were out, and as it
Torrington. He had found another op- raised them up blood w^s dripping from
portunity to be for a moment alone with them!
Dierdre. Almost at thebow-peak of the For that stricken second. Carter with his
ship, they stood at one of the bull’s-eyes arm around the girl, stood numbed with
gazing forward at the glittering firmament horror. And in that same second, the little
where red-Mars himg, small red ball now Stoffield Queen broke into wild chaos.
among the white blazing stars. Within the superstructure a woman
"Now’s your chance, Dierdre,” he mur- —
saeamed ^horrible scream of death agony.
mured. 'Tell me. Pete Barry told me Heavy footsteps sounded. Passengers
something queer about the cargo, this voy- were calling out, and then saeaming.
age? Machines of murder. Abruptly Carter
She nodded. "Yes, that’s what I meant. and the terrified girl saw a dozen at once;
There are twenty Dynne robots in the on the narrow dim side decks; up on the
cargo —
boxed for shipment to a Martian superstructure roof; and coming up the
company. Big models. 'Hie newest hatch incline from the hold. Gray-white
type—” towering figures. 'The starlight glistened
Carter sucked in his breath. "Twenty on their polished alumite body-plates. Mur-
robots
— derous machines, horribly pseudo-human
"But there could be no danger from now in their frenzied lust!
them, George. They’re crated — re-fused. Two of them, emerging from the for-
Just inert machines in boxes. 'The fuses ward hatch near at hand, saw Carter and
no robot can operate without its fuse-plug Dierdre. With swaying hand-hooks and
— and the fuses are locked in the captain’s their hollow voices gibbering, they came
steel strong-box.” with a clanking pounce!
Dierdre was gripping Carter’s arm; he
could feel her hands trembling. Her voice CHAPTER II

was a frightened murmur as she added:

God of the Machines
"But the queer part, George what —
frightens father —
you see he can’t under-
C AR'TER, frozen with a rush of horror,
stand why any Martian company would clutched the girl against him, strug-
order these rolx^. He has had no in- gling to keep his wits. Past the two on-
formation that
— coming giants, the pallid deck triangle
She got no further. Carter felt her grip gleamed with the darting, gray-white metal
spasmodically tighten on his arm. Her forms. Two deck-hands were cau^t.
 12 WEIRD TALES
knocked headlong with smashed skidls by thoughts wondering what to do about it.

the blow of a monstrous arm. The robot "Back!” Carter insisted. "Back, you
at the superstructure doorway was clutch-
woman now — Up
damn things
His voice
—was out
get of here!”
ing a passenger at the by the sudden
blurred
control turret the frightened captain was screaming of the ship’s alarm siren which
shouting commands. Men were running one of the panic-stricken officers had
toward him. Then the blob of a robot ap- touched off. It added to the chaos.

peared up there Ghostly chaos which dimly Carter could

All in a second or two. And Carter see beyond the looming bodies of the two
heard himself gasping, “Dierdre —drop robots — A metal form running with a
down, behind me!” struggling woman under each arm — The
Surely there was only one chance. He ship’s first officer, up on the bridge, firing
had seen at once that he and the girl could with a hiss of electroid gun —a stabbing
not get past the swaying robots. They little bolt that struck his huge metal ad-
came with outstretched hand-hooks. Mon- versary with a shower of sparks. Then the
strous six hundred pound metal giants. officer went down, his throat slashed with
And abruptly, shoving the girl behind him. a blow of the robot’s curved hand-hook
Carter took a step forward. A massacre. Back near the stern there
"Stop!” he commanded sharply. "Stop! were stabbing, hissing gunshots; human
Walk backward! Back!” screams; hollow voices and clanking
The sharply barked order struck at them thuds
almost like a physical blow. One of them "Back!” Carter rasped still again. One
stopped, stood irresolute. Deranged ma- of the robots was backing now; and the
chines. Were they that and no more? other shifted sidewise. And Carter mur-
"Walk backward!” Carter mured:
— —
reiterated
firmly. "Back now!” "Now, Dierdre ^run
Before his human voice, his menacing Run where? The thought struck at him
gesture, both of them now were standing as he and the girl ducked past the irreso-
motionless. Huge six and a half feet lute, wavering machine. And in that same
metal cases, intricate with the mysterious second Carter realized that to run was an
mechanisms the scientific genius of man error. He had an instant’s glimpse of the

had created. Their voices mumbled into a small thin figure of D)mne, standing up on
blur; the eyebeams wavered. As though the little balcony bridge outside the control
confused by combinations of thoughts at turret —
Dynne with blazing eyes trying to
varience with these new vibrations of Car- subdue a metal monster that confronted
ter’s stern voice, they seemed for an instant him. And then he saw Dierdre and Car-
imable to react. ter; he turned, startled, shouted something.

And "You have to

Dierdre said gently; It gave the menacing robot an opportunity

walk backward. It is necessary.” to lunge at him. Great mailed hand stab-

But now they were mumbling. To Car- bing with its knife finger. Dynne went
ter who had had practically no experience down with the knife-finger twisting in his
with Dynne robots of the modern types, heart.
the thing was grewsome, ghastly. The two And Dierdre had seen it. With Carter
metal giants stared at each other. Not clutching at her as they ran, she stopped,
like machines. Far more like gibbering, stood staring at the figure of her dead
murderous suddenly feeling them-
selves
idiots
balked, and with dim confused
father.
"Hurry
— ” Carter urged. "Run
—
 THE ROBOT GOD 13

Vaguely there was in his mind the idea "Easy Carter — so you’re all right now?
they could get into some sleeping cubby That’s good. Better not move too much.”
bar its door The voice was beside him; and as he
Humans Sign of weakness
in flight. . . . on the floor, the thick,
turned, he saw, here
that suddenly brought three towering metal deformed body of James Torrington.
figures from the shadows of the side deck. “They’ve got us. Carter
—
Carter had no time to do more than thrust "Yes. So I see.”
the girl behind him. He saw a metal arm Torrington was sitting hunched. His
swing up over his head. Its mailed fist gargoyle face was blood-streaked but he
crashed down; and for Carter all the world was trying to smile.
seemed to burst into a roaring white light. "Better just lie quiet,” he murmured.
Then soundless empty darkness engulfed "If we try to start anything, Dierdre will
him as he was hurled into the abyss of un- be killed. 'Thank heaven they seem to treat
consciousness her decently enough, so far.”
'The scene swayed before Carter as

CARTER’Sthe
next consciousness came with
dim knowledge that his head was
weakly he tried to
elbow. Then he
lift

fell back,
himself on one
and for an in-
roaring.
still He felt himself lying on a start his senses swooped again. Torring-
metal floor-grid; his body was bathed in ton murmured:
cold sweat; his hand fiunbling at his head
felt the blood which now was matted in
"You’ll be
friend
all

Barry— don’t know

I
——but
right soon your

his hair Then Carter saw young Barry lying here,

“All right. I’ll plot our course still unconscious, with blood streaming
Asteroid-40? Of course I know where it from a cut on his temple. Half a dozen
is. Get away from me, you damned thing, of the murderous robots were here. It was

I’ll do what you tell me.” obvious that there was no chance for any
'The still weak and diz 2 y Carter recog- human to control them now. With set pur-
nized the voice. It was Swanson, the Star- pose, one ordering the other, they were be-
field Queen’s Chief Navigator. Carter yond human direction. One stood over
could see now that this was the interior of Swanson. Others were backed against the
the little control turret. He was lying on wall immobile —
huge, grim metal statues,
its floor. Swanson sat at the control table, with swaying alert eye-beams roving the
with a giant robot standing over him. scene.
"Very good,” the robot’s hollow voice Carter was sitting up now. Dierdre,
said. "I have orders — ^you plot our course with relief on her strained pallid face, had
for Asteroid-40.” tried to smile at him.
Weird scene here in the circular, starlit "You’re all right?” Carter murmured to
little turret. From the floor Carter could her.
see a grewsome pile of dead human bodies — —
"Yes oh, yes don’t move too much
thrown into the opposite corner ^the First — you might anger them.”
Officer; the Captain;and Dynne. Swanson, A figure appeared from the doorway of
with blood on him, sat hunched in the the adjoining chartroom. It was the ship’s
navigating chair. And then Carter saw robot-stewardess. Weird metal figure
Dierdre. She was on a small metal bench narrow shouldered, with a rormd body
across the turret — Dierdre, seemingly un- fashioned like a woman blouse and knee-
harmed, her face pallid, her eyes wide with length skirt, with the tubular joined legs
terror. projecting beneath. She went to Dierdre.
14 WEIRD TALES
‘’G)me,” she said. "My orders — I have Carter was murmuring something of the
food for you.” kind, and Torrington agreed. "Damned
new weird,” Torrington commented. "By God
Dierdre hesitated, with a on
her face. Theo the robot woman’s hand
terror
it is. But it must be something like that
—
gripped her shoulder. "You come I am —
saying.” rpo CARTER that next hour was a blur
With impulsive protest Carter started to of weakness and terror for Dierdre.
his feet. Two of the metal figures erect Would that woman-robot treat her kindly?
by the wall quivered into sudden move- Itwas hardly like being in the hands of hu-
ment. It was a tense second, pregnant man criminals. Infinitely more terrifying,
with horrible action barely suppressed. gruesome. These unhuman metal mon-
And Torrington’s hand gripped Carter and sters.As Carter lay docile, with Torring-
drew him back. ton,watching them, he had the feeling of
"Easy!” Torrington whispered. "For —
watching irrationality as though here
God’s sake don't start anything. If any- were monstrous insane things. Quiet
one could control them, I could and I — now. Apparently with rational purpose.
can’t!” But at any instant, like maniacs, they might
The robot woman led Dierdre away change
Carter lay back, with his head still throb- Young Barry had recovered now. Like
bing and aching as he listened to Torring- Carter, for a time he lay weak, confused.
ton’s murmured words. The robots were And then Carter and Torrington were tell-
in control of the ship. They had killed ing him what had happened.
most of the officers and crew, and some of "Well, you’re right,” he murmured
All thehumans who were "My Gawd, wouldn’t dare
the passengers.
living were here in the turret, or locked in
lugubriously.
make a wrong move
— I

some of the sleeping cubbies, with robots An hour passed. Two hours. Grim,
guarding them. mechanical silence. There was just the
—^where?” Carter murmured.
“Taking us occasional murmur of the robot who was
"Asteroid-40 — ^what is that?” directing Swanson. Uncanny, this lade of
It was, as Torrington understood, one human movement; human talk—no
of the many dark, uninhabited little worlds thought of food or drink. No heed of the
lying in the belt between Earth and Mars. passage of time.
"I think it’s some five hundred miles in "You have the course right?” the robot
diameter— about
^gravity like Earth, be- at the control table said at last.
cause amazingly
it’s dense. Totally unin- "Yes,” Swanson agreed. "Look here
habited— barren
just metallic rock. The do I sit here forever? I’m tired.”
captain said we’d pass fairly close to it, this "I have orders. Someone will come
voyage.” later.”
>Xffiy were these murderous machines Orders. Carter remembered they had
going to Asteroid-40? And was that what all said that. Orders, from whom? From
had happened to those other space-ships what?
which bad vanished? A robot world? He
and Torrington and Barry had found
—
These newly-built mechanisms recruits that they could move around a little now.
on their way now to join the others in free- Swanson’s assistant a —
young fellow
dom? — Free machines; monsters turning —
named Rolf ^had been presently put in his
upon their human masters to make them place at the controls. Swanson was led
slaves? away, to rest and be given food and drink.
 THE ROBOT GOD 15

Then Carter and Barry tried With it. shoulders, square body, with massive
Torrington they were allowed down into jointed legs. Head and face oblong, with
one of the superstructure corridors; shown the head protruding upward where the
which cubbies they could use. golden plates were carved into an ornate
But certainly there was no chance to do kingly headdress.
anything. At least twenty robots were here, Thor the King! Here was no Dynne robot.
scattered over the ship on guard; grim Was this towering giant, golden machine
silent watchful figures ever3rwhere. The the product of some other Earth factory?
sounds of the imprisoned passengers were Or from some robot factory of Venus? Or
audible; they were being guarded in the Mars? Five hundred thousand gold-dol-
main lounge now. lars or more, such a mechanism would cost.

"If we could get some weapons,” Tor- Or was it the product of the robots them-
rington murmured once as they were The creation of their own mechani-
selves?
seated down on the lower deck-triangle. cal genius! Carter shuddered at the weird
"These robots here — let them guard you thought. Machines in' a sense thus to
— we’ll see if drey’ll let me get into the propagate themselves! Ghastly conception.
purser’s room. Might be some weapons But that here was a super machine, be-
there.” yond anything Carter and Barry had ever
He tried it. One of the robot guards imagined, was at once obvious. Deranged,
here on the deck growled with rasping rebellious mechanism —
it was surely that

"Or- if it had been built by human genius. But

den
—
voice; but Torrington said casually;
” Then he ducked into the ship’s the irresoluteness of the others seemed to
corridor. 'These ghastly, unpredictable be missing here. It was as though this one
machines! One of the guards here instantly were built for command. By its looks, its
clanked into the corridor. was the 'There voice, all the surety of its purposeful move-
faint sound of a rumbling mechanical ments, it was obviously master.
voice; and then Torrington’s human scream It came now into the turret; stood with

— scream of wild, futile conunand the — its greenish-red eyebeams gazing at its fel-

clanking of robot footsteps. And then low machines who backed before its ad-
Torrington’s scream of human agony. vance. Carter stared up at its burnished
Tlie white-faced, numbed Carter and golden breastplates. There was no serial
Barry had no time to try and do anything, number on the nameplate beside the ornate
even if they had dared chance it. 'The fuse-box. No manufacturer’s insignia. But
guards here, shaking with deranged ex- the name. 'Thor was engraved in great scroll
citement, stood over them menacingly. letters.

From up by the turret other guards came "Stand up,” Thor said suddenly. Kingly
clanking. man-robot. Carter could only think of him
'Then a mechanical voice was shouting: as masculine.The huge mailed burnished
"Thor comes! Thor comes with more or- hand went out with a kingly gesture of
ders! Take those men to the turret!” command tothe two humans on the floor at
'Thor! From the control turret floor, his feet. "Stand up, humans,” he re-
where Carter and Barry had been carried peated.
and thrown, they stared up at the huge They stood before him. Impassive
robot which now was entering. Great metal face. It was engraven into a mask
golden body-case almost seven feet tall. of pseudo-human form; more human than
The light glinted on its polished surface the box-like countenances of the others,
with a yellow sheen. Wide square for here was modeled cheeks and a nose.
16 WEIRD TALES
hawk-like, high-bridged, and a wide, grim nearly always was by the control table.
mouth of cruelty. Lips
set in carved metal, And Dierdre too, was allowed here now.
permanently to be smiling with a faint Occasionally she had a chance to whisper
ironic smile. to Carter. The little stewardess-robot was
His eyebeams glittered on Carter and keeping her locked in one of the cubbies.
Barry. Carter seemed almost to feel the Feeding her; ministering to her; treating
electronic heat of their green-red stare. her properly enough. But there was once
"You will say, 'I give you service, great that Dierdre whispered:
Thor,’ ” he intoned. "But George — that 'Thor — —I’m
I so
They said it obediently. afraid
— of it. Something —so horribly
"'nut is right.” There was satisfaction weird
in the hollow tones of the flexible mechani- She had no time to add more. 'Thor
cal voice. "I think you will be obedient. saw them whispering. Rage seemed to
And I think you will be able to help us dart from the red-green eyebeams. "You
—
Mechanoids when we get to our world.” — —
^human girl you come here by me.”
"Where is that?” Carter demanded. And then the voice weirdly softened. "You
"And what has happened to Dierdre are not afraid of me, are you? That should
Dynne? We want to see her.” never be. Thor would not harm you.”
"So you are not afraid to question me? It made Carter’s heart pound. What
She is safe. You will be fed now. Thor ghastly necromancy was this? Giant
has never harmed a human who caused no golden-cased conglomeration of machinery
trouble.” — intricate scrolls of electroidal memory-
thoughts, emotion-thoughts, deduction-

T 3 Carter the rest of that

journey was weird, terrifying in the
little space combinators mechanically to select actions
and reactions from given combinations of
— Carter could at least
extreme. By Earth routine it could have impulses all that

been another day and a half. The putty- vaguely understand. All that — just one of
colored little dot which he and yoimg the seeming miracles of man’s genius in the
Barry realized now was Asteroid-40 had building of an intricate machine. But here
visibly enlarged. A huge round disc, seemed something else. As though in
vaguely mottled with the blurred outlines truth this golden Thor in some horrible

of the cloud masses of its atmosphere. And way had crossed the border —had become
then as it grew to* fill a full quarter of the something more than a machine.
heavens, through cloud-rifts the sunlight Then at last the ball of Asteroid-40 had
showed brightening the ragged tops of its grown to fill all the forward firmament.
great metal moimtains. And then the spaceship was slackening,
Carter and Barry now were given even with repulsion in its hull gravity plates to
more freedom of movement. But wher- check its fall as it eased down through the
ever they went, a silent robot guard stalked planet’s heavy atmosphere.
watchfully with them. Once they were In the control turret. Carter and Barry
able to get near the Purser’s empty little sat tense. Dierdre as always now, was
cubby. Noweapons seemed here. On huddled on the little bench, with the huge
the floor, a gruesome red-brown dried stain yellow burnished form of 'Thor standing
seemed mute evidence of the deformed beside her. For hours at a time, all the
^unes Torrington. But the body was gone. ;^obots stood impassive; weird statues of

Much of the time they spent in the con- tireless mechanical patience.
trol turret where the golden robot, 'Thor, "Listen,” Barry whispered suddenly.
 THE ROBOT GOD 17

—
"That stewardess-rdx)t she gets pretty mered, "Why — ^why, yes, great 'Thor.
confused when you glare at her. And 'That’s very nice. I want to see it.”
that Tom-4 —
remember him?” "And "ITior will show you. And feed
"What about him?” Carter murmured. you — ^andkeep you warm when the air is

"He’s generally down on the stem-deck,

he?”
cold. Because you are only human —you
isn’t need such great care.”
"Sure. Been standing there for forty- Gruesome, horrible, hollow-toned words.
eight hours. Well, listen — I got down So suddenly gentle
there alone a while ago. Tried some com- Carter and Barry were still tensely alert,
mands on him.” Barry’s whisper was watchful for the least possibility of escape.
tense, vehement. "He gets more than con- But it was futile. '
None came.
fused. He’ll obey, if you go at him hard 'They were the only humans here now in
enough.” the turret, save Swanson who was at the
If,while they were disembarking, they controls to make the landing. And pres-
could get Tom-4 to oppose the other robots ently Dierdre, Carter and Barry were
—or to trick them —and then if they could herded down into the lower corridor. They
seize Dierdre, get her back into the ship, could hear the frightened voices of the
and escape. imprisoned humans and the hollow-toned
Futile plans. 'Thor called suddenly: commands of the robot-guards with them,
"You come here by me human-Carter — making them ready for disembarking.
human-Barry. You stay here by me.” And then the Starfield Queen was
landed. 'The lower exit door clanked open.
npHE Starfield Queen had burst below the With it came a rush of heavy, strange air;

-1- clouds now,, the gray-black motintain- and a blur of clanking sounds. Grinding,
ous landscape of the little asteroid lay —
pounding thuds the whirring roar of
spread in a dim tumbled waste. Bleak, whirling wheels; clanking grinding of
barren metal rocks; huge tiers of ragged, gears. 'The voice of Mechana.
naked mountains. For an hour, slanting 'The giant 'Thor was shoving them for-

down, the ship dropped lower. It was a ward. With the others Carter stumbled
wildly desolate surface, ragged as though out and down the landing incline. Out
split by some titanic cataclysm of nature. into a redand yellow glare, and the clank-
It was night now in this hemisphere ing, thumping sounds of machinery
night of dim blurred starlight overhead, Mechana, city of the robots. At the
with starshine on the metallic mountain bottom of the incline Carter stood numbed,
peaks. amazed by the weirdness of the scene.
"My world—^my of Mechana,”
city
’Thor’s voice murmured, ’"rhe dty I built. Chapter III

'Thor —master of you all Tlie will see.”

Empire of the Machines
robot’s red-green electronic eyebeams sud-
denly were bathing
lurid glow. "Mechana
little

—for
Dierdre in their
Thor and — The ing.
red-yellow glare at
'Then the dim weird
first was blind-
outlines of
for you, Dierdre? You would like that, the scene began taking form. 'The space-
wouldn’t you?” ship rested here on a small open rock-
'The great glistening golden face of the space. A hundred feet or so away, to the
robot was impassive; but the eyebeams right, there was a huddled group of metal
seemed to quiver with an intensity of glow. structures. A factory, belching turgid
Dierdre was shuddering; but she stam- smoke, illumined by the glare. 'The ma-
18 'WEIRD TALES
chine sounds came from there —a clank- right blobs were robots. A thousand of
ing, harsh cacophony of hissing, thump- them at least, standing motionless in
ing jangle. curved rows. Mechanical statues; tireless
Carter stared at the group of buildings. machines, waiting with timeless, mechani-
A dozen of them, one or two as large as a cal patience. Their green, wavering eye-
hundred feet, others smaller. Weird metal beams were a myriad tiny shafts, roaming
structures. Some were unfinished; others the gloom.
seemingly hastily or inexpertly put to- And now as the giant golden Thor,
gether. Crazy, drunken structures. The their leader, came from the ship’s door-
huge roof of one was awry, tilting at a way with his human captives, the robots’
weird angle —a roof of blue metal which hollow voices soxmded in a muttering of
seemed too small for the sloping walls triumph. It welled out, rose above the

beneath it so that red glare and smoke jangle of the factory machinery. Triumph-
surged up through the opening at its end ant, welcoming greeting.
— incongruous structures. There were little It was Carter’s glimpse, all in a few sec-
shacks of sheet metal, some square, others onds. "You stay close with me,’’ Thor’s
triangles, three walls leaning together, grinding, commanding voice said. "Come
with a towering, peaked oversized roof now — ^we go to my home. You two hu-
which seemingly belonged somewhere else. man-men —you are both chemists — ^you
Robot city? Carter gasped. There was will help with the food for our human
a weird irrationality about it. As though slaves, lliey need much food much —
here were something to simulate a great care.”
modern industrial plant: the grouped From the spaceship now the huddled,
structures; the glare of furnaces; belching terrified prisonerswere being herded away.
smoke and gases; clanking, roaring, blar- "No chance now,” Barry whispered to
ing sounds of intricate machines all in mo- Carter. "Better do what we’re told.”
tion. But without purpose! Irrational! Carter nodded. He tried to keep close
The glaring area there seemed weirdly de- by Dierdre, but the robot guards shoved
serted. No workman’s figures were mov- him aside. Ahead of them the great
ing about. No tasks seemed being accom- golden figure of Thor clanked with stiff
plished. Machinery of sound and fury and mechanical tread of his massive jointed
signifying nothing! legs. One of his mailed arms pressed the
Tliea Carter’s gaze shifted. Ahead and terrified, shuddering little Dierdre as he
to the left there was the dark vista of open led her toward the roaring, glaring fac-
landscape — wild, barren, desolate expanse tory.

of undulating, tumbled rocks, little buttes Human slaves. This weird world in re-
and crags. And then as he stared, the verse! Quite evidently this was a holiday

dim outlines of details began taking form. time, so that no human workers were at
Qose at hand, to the left of the glaring fac- the monstrous factory. And now Carter
tory area there seemed a weird natural could see the humans. They were gath-
amphitheatre of crags —a thousand foot ered at the edges of the dim amphitheatre
semi-circular area. A rocky ledge-plat- — little peering groups and then a fringe
form was at one side; and to the other, in of them straggling off into the murky dis-
a great crescent, lines of upright, gray- tance. A thousand, perhaps more. Numbed,
white blobs were ranged. Carter stared at the nearest group. Pitiful,
And Carter sucked in his breath with a motley collection. Humans of Earth
new rush of awed amazement. The up- Venus people —Martians. Men, women.
 THE ROBOT GOD 19

children —andsome of the women were you to it later. You will live better than
clutching infants who doubtless had been the other humans, because you are chemists.
born here. Ragged, forlorn little group. We need you—I was glad to get you. We
Some were weird metallic
briefly clad in had chemists here, but they died,” —
sheets; others covered their nakedness with "Take us there now,” Carter said. He
tattered remnants of their original cloth- exchanged a glance with Barry. The
ing. All were dirty with grit and grime servile-looking little Tom-4 was here. If
and oil of machinery. Unwashed from Tom-4 would be put to guard them
lack of water. Pallid, apathetic faces, Carter had shifted again to be beside
hopeless with near starvation. Humans in Dierdre; but one of the alumite robots
a sterile land, cared for, doubtless, with shoved him away. It was a new robot; it
scant synthetic food. Slaves to thema- had not been on the Starfield Queen. A
chines which on Earth, Venus and Mars different model from any Carter had seen
they had created! before.
"Martian make,”* Barry murmured.
rpHE murk of the mechanoid night Bandit outlaws, these weird machines.
blurred the distant rocky slope. But Not only the D)mne product, but doubtless
still Carter could glimpse the outlines of from Mars and Venus also. Carter could
the pitiful little human village there envisage the scope of the weird thing now
shacks of torn sheets of metal discarded — This monstrous golden
several years.
by the robots in their discarded factory. Thor, with dreams of an empire Aat he
And mound-dwellings of stones and slabs could rule. Recruiting machines from all
of the black metal-rock three worlds, patching together his weird
"My home,” Thor said. "You Carter mechanical world here on the barren little

—
you Barry ^you see how wonderful we asteroid, with marooned humans for his
robots can be? Building our world here.” slaves.
Thor had led them now to the broken en- And this motley building — this patch-
trance of the nearest building. His gold- work room — Carter could see now that its

face, illumined by his eyebeams, bent down walls and ceiling were built of the tom
to Carter. "My laboratory is here, where fragments of other structures. Raided
we make the food and the drink for the buildings of Earth, Mars, Venus, carried
humans. I shall put you in charge of it. off and brought here. One of these aazy
You will work hard? Faithful?” walls — obviously it had come from Mars
"Yes,” Carter said. its blue-white crystalline substance was pol-
Thor shoved them forward, into a room. ished Martian glorite. And here was a
Its sloping walls were of metal; overhead beam of black polished wood that might
the roof-ceiling sat askew. To one side once have graced a little Venus praying-
there was a rift where the walls failed to temple of the Free State.
meet. Gas-fumes were drifting in, turgid "You
will wait here,” Thor was saying.
in a shaft of red-yellow glare. But the "I shall takeyou to your own home later.
clanking out there now had suddenly died. We —
have a celebration tonight. A cere-
In the silence, there was only the sound mony. For you my ^Dierdre.” —
of the robots’ tread — ^Thor and three or heart leaped into his throat.
four guards as they ranged themselves "What —
Carter’s
” he began.
around Carter, Barry and Dierdre. "You shall watch,” Thor intermpted.
"I have a room with furniture for you "The robots are waiting. have promised
two men,” Thor was saying. "I will take them. And you shall see
I
it,
—
Dierdre " '
20 WEIRD TALES
The towering yellow moved sud-
figure An instant of tense silence. Would they
denly across the room; gazed out a window go? And then the green-gray one from
opening. It gave Dierdre a chance to move Mars mumbled something in the Martian
toward Girter; and suddenly she was mur- tongue; and one of the others said: “Yes,
muring: we have our orders.”
"Oh,
— George, he—— it that Thor — is Carter said: —
"You Tom-4 we do not
just need these others. You heard what the
She had no chance to say more. One of Master said?”
the guards gripped her, and as Carter and Carter relaxed. "Very good.” Again
Barry again tensed, two others clanked in he exchanged a glance with Barry. "Now,
front ofthem and shoved them back. And listen, Tom-4. We’re thirsty. Suppose
now Thor had turned. you bring us a drink? And some cradcers
"I will do well by you two humans, if and cheese?”
you serve me loyally. You shall have a Built for servility. Within the little

personal servant of your own.” The huge, steward-robot the memory-scroll must have
mailed golden arm gestured. "This Tom-4 yielded order-reactions out of the past
— ^he was built for servility. You will care this passenger, calmly ordering food and
for them, Tom-4.” drink
"Yes, Master.” "Crackers and cheese? Yes, sir. In a
"You keep them here, until I go to
will moment, sir.” But there was confusion in
the ceremony. And then I will have them Tom-4’s wavering eyebeams as he gave the
taken where they can watch.” His fist automatic response. He did not notice
struck his bulging polished chest with a that Carter and Barry were edging toward
thud. "Thor, the God. And your God- him. He was bowing stiffly at his jointed
dess, revealed to you tonight.” waist.
"Yes, Master.”
Tom-4 them! It was all
in charge of A ND then they leaped. Barry, with a
that Carter and Barry could have hoped. tackle, plunged down for the metal
Carter’s heart poimded as he stood tense, legs. Carter, with a desperate, frenzied
with Barry beside him. Dierdre’s look was lunge, gripped the machine at its jointed
terrified as now Thor was leading her to- throat. His hand fumbled at the
left
ward a door oval. And then they van- chest fuse-plug, found it, wrenched it,
ished. pulled it out. At the impact of the two
"Well,” Carter said. He struggled to human bodies, the upright mechanism was
keep his voice steady. "I’m glad we’re knocked over backward. And as it fell,
going to be made comfortable, Pete.” struggling, writhing with Carter and Barry
"Yes,” Barry agreed. "You, Tom-4— on top, the fuse-plug came out. There
you heard what the Master said. You serve was a little hiss; an interior flash of current
us welL” at the parting electrodes. And then Tom-4
"Yes, sir,” the little alumite robot said lay inert. De-charged.
mechanically. "I have my orders.” Barry and Carter leaped to their feet;
But still there were three other guards, stood tense. But no alarm came. The
standing here like silent statues against the cla nkin
g thud of Tom-4’s fall seemed to
wall. Could they get them? rid of have passed uimoticed.
Carter said: "You Tom-4 we do not — "He took her through that door over
need these others. You heard what the there —come on,” Carter murmured.
Master said?" He had no jdan, just that they must get
 THE ROBOT GOD 21

to Dierdrc — get her to the spaceships. 'There was a clank behind them! The
Quietly they shifted across the weird dim sudden sweep of mailed arms gripped
room. There was a sheen of light at the them, jerked them back into the passage-
doorway. They came to a little broken way. A robot voice muttered, "The Mas-
passage which lay beyond it, with the vista ter’s orders —
to take you now to the cere-
of another door, partly open, some ten feet mony.”
away. Both of them cautious now, with Futile to struggle against this vise-grip
pounding hearts they crept forward. of machinery! Carter saw Barry being
Amazing sight. The second room was lifted like a struggling, recalcitrant child
small, with sealed, well-fitted walls and and carried away.
roof. Windowless. An apartment fitted "That is right,” Carter said. "I am
in Earth style — ^Earth furniture, exotic coming. You lead me.”
drapes; a huge draped couch. Evidently the inert Tom-4 had not been
"George, good Lord
— ’’
Barry could discovered. Nor had these robots seen into
only clutch at Carter as for that instant the room where 'Thor was robing his hu-
they stood numbed, peering through the man goddess. Carter was docile; and pres-
door-slit. Two figures were in the room ently Barry too was on his feet, grim and
Thor, and another, like himself. The tense as the clanking machines led them
golden Goddess! Queenly metallic figure, outdoors, out to a little ledge between the
carved ornate of golden metal sheets in the dark, empty spaceship and an edge of the
fashion of a long, billowing dress, a bodice, amphitheatre. And on the six foot ledge
a carved, beautiful woman’s face with hair they crouched, with their metal guards
and head-dress above. Goddess of the robot watchfully beside them.
world. She stood, imperious golden statue Festival of the robots. The rocky amphi-
some six feet and a half tall. theatre was lighted now — a great red glare
But the hinged bodice chest-plate was of swaying light from a funnel to one side.
open now disclosing Dierdre’s head inside And the weird pseudo-factory again was in
—her pallid, terrified face staring out at operation. From this angle the interior of
Thor as he bent down over her. And his one of its huge sheds was visible. Motley
hollow voice was murmuring: conglomeration of machinery! There was
"My Goddess! You will find the con- a great clanking upright engine of treadles,
trols easy to work as I have told you, winches and a swaying crane. Eccentric
Dierdre. Goddess of our robots. They cams on another giant metal con-
clattered
are waiting for you —
I have told them you trivance, powered by the engine with an
are coming. But they must never know intricate system of gears and belts between

you are a human girl, you see? Humans them. Monstrous fly heels whirled. Pulleys
should be only slaves here. 'That is our and chains hoisted and dropped huge
secret, Dierdre —
^yours and Thor’s.” weights with rhythmic banging thuds.
Weird, ghastly thing. And the full im- A cacophony of stentorious metal
plication of it leaped now into Carter’s sounds. Raucous shrieks of electronic
mind. He felt Barry clutching at him. Both sirens reverberated out into the rocky dark-
of them confused, with no plans now save ness. A pandemonium clangor, clanking,
to stand here numbly staring. There were jangling —robot music, all in full blast

weapons dangling at Thor’s metal belt now for this festival of the machines.
electronic weapons of deadly Earth design. The thousand or more upright robots
"My God,” "What stood waiting in the amphitheatre. The
she was trying to
Carter whispered.
tell us — that Thor
— still

red glare painted their metal bodies. Mot-

22 WEIRD TALES
—
ley array of animate, thinking machines
score of the different Dynne models; and And then suddenly she toppled against
Thor and crashed down. Her golden
others of queer, unfamiliar design, prod- chest-plate burst open in the fall. The
ucts of various factories of Mars and blue-glare bathed Dierdre’s little face
Venus. Dierdre, pallid, swooning
At broken rocky fringes of the
the Carter felt Barry clutch at him; Barry,
amphitheatre the crowding tattered hu- with a startled, grim oath. For that second
mans were visible, attracted by the festival, the robots, the watching, pressing little

milling forward to overlook the scene. crowds of humans, all stared numbed —
Then suddenly from a slanting metal pole human girl to be Goddess of the mechani-
a blazing blue-white light sprang down to cal world! A thousand machine-minds
bathe the rocky platform which was still suddenly grasped it. Machines ia rebel-
empty. seemed the signal for which all
It lion. Taught to rebel against their human
the patient robots so long had been wait-
ing, so that a great hollow mechanical cry
creators; taught to
to revile
—
murder pillage; taught
humans; and here was a human
—
went up a thousand voice-grids vibrating girl, with the great Thor!

in a dozen language-tongues. Cry of ex- It was like a spark in gunpowder, that

pectancy — —
of awe of triumph. Triumph- —
sudden realization a thousand robots sud-
ant machines who now would see their denly confused, then with anger-reactions
God and Goddess. clicking inside them. Anger, hate, to be
''They’re coming,” Barry whispered. translated into the violence of murderous
—
"Listen if these guards get interested, action. There was a hollow, startled gasp;
watching maybe we can get still seemed to

away
— the thing, a wild, toneless cry that
carry tones of hate and vengeance. A robot
Vaguely Carter was trying to plan it stirredfrom his standing line; jumped for-
and he had been wondering where all ward. —
Then another and another. A
the other stolen space-vericles must be. wave of upright machines suddenly going
Smashed, doubtless. seemed to Carter
It into action. A little group of some fifty
that he could remember seeing a segment humans had pressed closely forward. The
of one of them, which now was a portion robots darted for them.
of the wall of a factory shed. Abruptly Carter came to himself. He
The robots’ cry rose higher; and then had felt Barry pulling at him; heard Barry
died into silent awe Us the two great golden mumbling. The guards here, distracted
came slowly, stiffly to the dais and
figures by the wild-spreading excitement, momen-
mounted it. And then Thor’s hollow com- tarily had turned away. In the darkness
manding voice rang out, first in one lan- Barry was running; and Carter jumped,
guage, then in another — the great God of ran. The mur-
Horrible spreading chaos.
the Machines introducing his Mistress- derous everywhere were darting
robots
Goddess! after thehumans. It was an inferno of red
Carter stared with pounding heart as the glare. Robots with fingers sheathed
huge golden metal figure in which little knife finger slashing —
field-workers, with
Dierdre was encased came into the blue- great scimitor-like hands of sharpened
white light-beam. awkward mechani-
Stiff, steel.

cal tread. For an instant she was standing Women were screaming; falling, to be
stiffly to bow, with red
beside Thor, trying trampled upon. A giant Martian robot
and green eyebeams sweeping the assem- seized a child by its ankles —a little girl

blage of motley metal forms. with flowing tousled hair, whirled her
 '

THE ROBOT GOD 23

aloft,crashed her down on a rock. Another plug. It came out. But there was no hiss.

was running with a woman a woman — He could feel Thor’s metal fingers still

whose head dangled with slashed throat. jerking at his shoulders. With the fuse
A wave of the milling chaos got between gone, still Thor was fighting.
Carter and the platform, separated him Then Carter wrenched at the chest-
from Barry who now had vanished. Carter plates. One of them, hinged, flew open.
ducked and ran to one side. Up on the
platform he could see the golden figure T revealed the gargoyle face of the de-
of Thor. The great God, commander of I formed James Torrington! Electroid
everything here. But Thor’s hollow, shout- wizard —maniacal little cripple —Dynne’s
ing voice was lost in the roaring pande- Electroid engineer, designer of robots. And
monium. Carter reachedin, seized him by the throat,

'Thor’s little empire. This place he had with frenzied fingers throttling him. It
built to rule. But he was nothing here set Torrington’s interior controls awry.
now. 'The metal fingers of Thor fell away; the
And then suddenly an alumite robot, great jointed golden case writhed and trem-
wholly frenzied, flung a chunk of metal. bled for an instant and then was inert. A
It thudded against Thor’s great mailed trap in which Torrington lay helpless, with
chest. And like a signal, other robots were Carter’s frenzied hands squeezing his
doing the same. The great Thor who had throat, shutting off his breath.
tricked them. It was a chaos to Carter. Cling to him!
For that instant 'Thor stood irresolute, Kill him! Carter pressed harder, with Tor-
gazing at the wreck of his little machine- rington’s eyes bulging now and his face
world. And then he stooped. His huge blackening, with thick purplish tongue
mailed fingers plucked the unconscious protruding from his goggling mouth.
Dierdre flung her golden case; and he Ghastly gargoyle face. Dimly Carter could
lifted her up in his arms. Then with a envisage this murderous, maniacal genius
giant leap he was off the platform, running — ^hideous so that he had been a recluse,
for the space-ship! hating his fellow man. Inferiority unhing-
Carter had been trying to get to the plat- ing his mind so that he had built himself
form. Then he saw the running golden this weird little empire, with humans as
figure carrying Dierdre. Carter veered. slaves — and he
^world of the machines —
He was closer to the ship than was 'Thor. the deformed Torrington was
hideous, —
Then ahead of him he saw Barry; caught the great golden Thor a God —
and little —
up with him. Dierdre to be his Goddess and in secret, —
And Carter gasped, "You snatch her! his slave.
I’ll try and bring him down —but the fall “George! Look out! George, hurry —my
would kill her!’’ God—”
"Yes, all right.” Barry’s frantic voice brought Carter to
'The rocks were shadowed here near the himself. Within the gold case the mur-
space-ship. They crouched; then leaped. derous Torrington was dead. Carter leaped
Barry’s clutch seized Dierdre; snatched her to his feet. Behind him, close at hand now,
away and he fell with her. Desperately a group of alumite robots with knives drip-
ping. crimson, were clanking forward.
Carter clutched one of the huge, clanking,
gold-plated legs. 'Thor fell. And Carter,
—
"George, my God ” Barry was in the
pouncing puma, was astride the bulg-
like a door of the space-ship, with Dierdre, re-
ing mailed chest. Pulling at the fuse- covering now, clutching at him. Carter
14 WEIRD TALES
jumped for them. They banged the door have been no more reports of trouble with
as the first of the robots came with a crash- any robots, of course; but neither George
ing metal thud against it. And then, in a Carter nor Dierdre Dynne seem interested
moment, the little Slarfeld Queen was ris- in mechanical servants. More than that,
ing. Barry, who in his post-academy days though living in this modern world they
had been a student space-navigator, was at would hardly admit it to each other per-
its controls. And at one of the bull’s-eye haps, both seem to hate machinery. They
turrets Dierdre and Carter gazed out and have a little palm-clad home in tropical
down. America. Primitive. One might say they
'The Empire of the Machines was a were living half a thousand years behind
shambles of still-running murderous metal the progressive, civilized world.
figures. But the last of the humans lay 'They "wanted to get back to nature"
crimsoned. as they laughingly told some of their
who came visiting from the North.
friends
ARTER and Dierdre are married now. And you who read this may well wonder
C The great Dynne Robot Industries is that not perhaps after all the best for-
have been sold out of the family. There mula for human happiness?

The Devil’s Tree

By DENIS PLIMMER

ritHE Devil’s tree is a Tiling apart

And the peasants cross themselves through fear.
Beside a pond in a woodland drear
A single cypress chills the heart.

In a savage place with his savage art

Hie sorcerer chants to the lonely mete
By the Devil’s tree.

To the cypress did sable Death impart

IBs ghoulish spirit that all might fear
The curse, and molest not the woodland drear
Nor the sorcerer plying his goblin’s art
By die Devil’s tree.
Wie T~^
X^nchantress of Sylaire
Her Land was old in evil and sorcery and —
all who dwelt therein were ancient as the By CLARK ASHTON SMITH
Land and equally accursed!
. . .

HY, you big ninny! I could ror that could show you to yourself for
\ / never marry you,” declared the fool that you really are.”
T the demoiselle Dorothee, "Why?” queried Anselme, hurt and
only daughter of the Sieur des Fleches. Her puzzled.
lips pouted at Anselme like two ripe ber- "Because you are just an addle-headed
ries. Her voice —
was honey but honey dreamer, poring over books like a monk.
filled with bee-stings. You care for nothing but silly old ro-
"You are not so ill-looking. And your mances and legends. People say that you
manners are fair. But I wish I had a mir- even write verses. It is lucky that you are
25
26 ‘WEIRD TALES
at least the second son of the Comte du girl’s unkindness? He could not deceive
Framboisier — for you will never be any- himself into thinking that he had become
thing more than tW.” a hermit through any aspiration toward
"But you loved me a little yesterday,” sainthood, such as had sustained the old
said Anselme, bitterly. A woman finds anchorites. By dwelling so much alone,
nothing good in the man she has ceased to was he not merely aggravating the malady
love. he had sought to cure?
"Dolt! Donkey!” cried Dorothee, toss- Perhaps, it occurred to him belatedly, he
ing her blonde ringlets in pettish arro- was proving himself the ineffectual
gance. you were not all that I have
"If dreamer, the idle fool that Dorothee had
said, you would never remind me of yes- accused him of being. It was weakness to
terday. Go, idiot —
and do not return.” let himself be soured by a disappointment.
Walking with downcast eyes, he came

A nselme, the hermit, had slept

tossing distractedly
row pallet. His bloed, it
on
little,

his hard, nar-

seemed, had been
unaware to the
pool. He
thickets that fringed the
parted the young willows with-
out lifting his gaze, and was about to cast
fevered by the sultriness of the summer off his garments. But at that instant the
night. nearby sound of splashing water startled
Then, too, the natural heat of youth had him from his abstraction.
contributed to his unease. He had not With some dismay, Anselme realized
wanted to think of women —a certain that the pool was already occupied. To his
woman in particular. But, after thirteen further consternation, the occupant was a
months of solitude, in the heart of the woman. Standing near to the center, where
wild woodland of Averoigne, he was still the pool deepened, she stirred the water
far from forgetting. Cnieler even than her with her hands till it rose and rippled
taunts was the remembered beauty of Doro- against the base of her bosom. Her pale
thy des Fleches: the full-ripened mouth,- wet skin glistened like white rose-petals
the round arms and slender waist, the dipped in dew.
breast and hips that had not yet acquired Anselme’s dismay turned to curiosity
their amplest curves. and then to imwilling delight. He told
Dreams had thronged the few short in- himself that he wanted to withdraw but
tervals of slumber, bringing other visitants, feared to frighten the bather by a sudden
fair but nameless, about his couch. movement. Stooping with her clear profile
He rose at sundawn, weary but restless. and her shapely left shoulder toward him,
Perhaps he would find refreshment by she had not perceived his presence.
bathing, as he had often done, in a pool
fed from the river Isoile and hidden among A WOMAN, young and beautiful, was
alder and willow thickets. The water, the last sight he had wished to see.
deliciously cool at that hour, would as- Nevertheless, he could not turn his eyes
suage his feverishness. away. The woman was a stranger to him,
His eyes burned and smarted in the and he felt sure that she was no girl of
morning’s gold glare when he emerged the village or countryside. She was lovely
frcan the hut of wattled osier wifiies. His as any diatelaine of the great castles of
thoughts wandered, still full of the night’s Averoigne. And yet surely no lady or
disorder. Had he been wise, after all, demoiselle would bathe unattended in a
to quit the world, to leave his friends and forest pool.
family, and seclude himself because of a Thick-curling chestnut hair, bound by
 THE ENCHANTRESS OF SYLAIRE 27

a light silver fillet, billowed over her shoul- slightly slanted eyes and pome-
lips red as
ders and burned to red, living gold where granate flowers. Apparently she was
the sun-rays searched it out through the neither frightened by the wolf nor em-
foliage. Hung about her neck, a light barrassed by Anselme’s presence.
golden chain seemed to reflect the lusters "There is nothing to fear,” she said, in
of her hair, dancing between her breasts a voice like the pouring of warm honey.
as she played with the ripples. "One wolf, or two, will hardly attack me.”
The hermit stood watching her like a "But perhaps there are others lurking
man caught in webs of sudden sorcery. His about,” persisted Anselme. "And there
youth mounted within him, in response to are worse dangers than wolves for one who
her beauty’s evocation. wanders alone and unattended through the
Seeming to tire of her play, she turned forest of Averoigne. When you have
her back and began to move toward the dressed, with your permission I shall attend
opposite shore, where, as Anselme now you safely to your home, whether it be
noticed, a pile of feminine garments lay near or far.”
in charming disorder on the grass. Step "My home lies near enough in one sense,
by step she rose up from the shoaling and far enough in another,” returned the
water, revealing hips and thighs like those lady, cryptically. "But you may accom-
of an antique Venus. pany me there if you wish.”
Then, beyond her, he saw that a huge She turned to the pile of garments, and
wolf, appearing furtively as a shadow from Anselme went a few paces away among
the thicket, had stationed itself beside the the alders and busied himself by cutting
heap of clothing. Anselme had never seen a stout cudgel for weapon against wild
such a wolf before. He remembered the beasts or other adversaries. A strange but
tales of werewolves, that were believed to delightful agitation possessed him, and he
infest that ancient wood, and his alarm was nearly nicked his fingers several times with
touched instantly with the fear which only the knife. The misogyny had driven
that
preternatural things can arouse. The beast him to a woodland hermitage began to ap-
was strangely colored, its fur being a glossy pear slightly immature, even juvenile. He
bluish-black. It was far larger than the had let himself be wounded too deeply and
common gray wolves of the forest. Crouch- too long by the injustice of a pert child.
ing inscrutably, half hidden in the sedges, By the time Anselme finished cutting his
itseemed to await the woman as she waded cudgel, the lady had completed her toilet.
shoreward. She came to meet him, swaying like a lamia.
Another moment, thought Anselme, and A bodice of vernal green velvet, baring the
she would perceive her danger, would upper slopes of her breasts, clung tightly
scream and turn in terror. But still she about her as a lover’s embrace. purple A
went on, her head bent forward as if in velvetgown, flowered with pale azure and
serene meditation. crimson, moulded itself to the sinuous out-
"Beware the wolf!” he shouted, his voice lines of her hips and legs. Her slender
strangely loud and seeming to break a feet were enclosed in fine soft leather
magic stillness. Even as the words left buskins, scarlet-dyed, with tips curling
his lips, the wolf trotted away and disap- pertly upward. The fashion of her gar-
peared behind the thickets toward the great ments, though oddly antique, confirmed
elder forest of oaks and beeches. The Anselme in his belief that she was a per-
woman smiled over her shoulder at An- son of no common rank. ,

selme, turning a short oval face with Her raiment revealed, rather than con-
28 WEIRD TALES
cealed, the attributes of her femininity. Her was accompanying them with a furtive sur-
—
manner yielded but it also withheld. veillance. But somehow his sense of alarm
Anselme bowed before her with a was dulled by the enchantment that had
courtly grace that belied his tough country fallen upon him.
garb. Now the path steepened, climbing a
"Ah! I can see that you have not always densely wooded hill. The trees thinned
been a hermit,” she said, with soft mock- to straggly, stunted pines, encircling a
ery in her voice. brown, open moorland as the tonsure en-
“You know me, then,” said Anselme. circlesa monk’s crown. The moor was
"I know many things. I am Sephora, studded with Druidic monoliths, dating
the enchantress. It is utdikely that you from ages prior to the Roman occupation
have heard of me, for I dwelt apart, in a of Averoigne. Almost at its center, there
place that none can find —
^unless I permit towered a massive cromlech, consisting of
them to find it.” two upright 'slabs that supported a third
“I know little of enchantment,” admit- like the lintel of a door. The path ran
ted Anselme. "But I can believe that you straight to the cromlech.
are an enchantress.” “This is the portal of my domain,”
said Sephora, as they neared it. "I grow
"n^OR some minutes they had followed faint with fatigue. You must take me in
-*-
a little used path that serpentined your arms and carry me through the an-
through the antique wood. It was a path cient doorway.”
the hermit had never come upon before in Anselme obeyed very willingly. Her
aH his wanderings. Lithe saplings and cheeks paled, her eyelids fluttered and fell

low-grown boughs of huge beeches as he lifted her. For a moment he thought

pressed closely upon it. Anselme, holding that she had fainted; but her arms crept
them aside for his companion, came often warm and clinging around his neck.
in thrilling contact with her shoulder and Dizzy with the sudden vehemence of
arm. Often she swayed against him, as if his emotion, he carried her through the
losing her balance on the rough ground. cromlech. As he went, his lips wandered
Her weight was a delightful burden, too across her eyelids and passed deliriously to
soon relinquished. His pulses coursed tu- the soft red flame of her lips and the rose
multuously and would not quiet themselves pallor of her throat. Once more she seemed
again. to faint, beneath his fervor.
Anselme had quite forgotten his eremitic His limbs melted and a fiery blindness

resolves. His blood and his curiosity were filled his eyes. The earth seemed to yield
excited more and more. He ventured vari- beneath them like an elastic couch as he
ous gallantries, to which Sephora gave pro- and Sephora sank down.
vocative replies. His questions, however,
she answered with elusive vagueness. He T IFTING head, Anselme looked
Ifis

could learn nothing, could decide noth- about him with

swiftly growing be-
ing, about her. Even her age puzzled him: wilderment, He
had carried Sephora only
at one moment he thought her a young a few paces —
and yet the grass on which
girl, the next, a mature woman. they lay was not the sparse and sun-dried
Several times, as they went on, he caught grass of the moor, but was deep, verdant
glimpses of black fur beneath the low, and filled with tiny vernal blossoms! Oaks
shadowy foliage. He felt sure that the and beeches, huger even than those of the
strange black wolf he had seen by the pool familiar forest, loomed umbrageously on
 THE ENCHANTRESS OF SYLAIRE 29

every hand with masses of new, golden- was a great castle here. Now the tower
green leafage, where he had thought to see alone remains, and I am its chatelaine, the
the open upland. Looking back, he saw last of my family. The tower and the
that the gray, lichened slabs of the crom- lands about it are named Sylaire.”
lech itself alone remained of that former Talldim tapers lit the interior, which
landscape. was hung with rich arrasses, vaguely and
Even the sun had changed its position. strangely pictured. Aged, corpse-pale
It had hung at Anselme’s left, still fairly servants in antique garb went to and fro
low in the east, when he and Sephora had with the furtiveness of specters, setting
reached the moorland. But now, shining wines and foods before the enchantress
with amber rays through a rift in the for- and her guest in a broad hall. The wines
est, it had almost touched the horizon on were of rare flavor and immense age, the
his right. foods were curiously spiced. Anselme ate
He had told him
recalled that Sephora and drank copiously. It was all like some
she was an enchantress. Here, indeed, was fantastic dream, and he accepted his sur-
proof of sorcery! He eyed her with curi- roundings as a dreamer does, untroubled
ous doubts and misgivings. by their strangeness.
"Be not alarmed,” said Sephora, with a The wines were potent, drugging his
honeyed smile of reassurance. "I told you senses into warm oblivion. Even stronger
that the cromlech was the doorway to my was the inebriation of Sephora’s nearness.
domain. We are now in a land lying out- However, Anselme was a little startled
side of time and space as you have hitherto when the huge black wolf he had seen that
known them. The very seasons are differ- morning entered the hall and fawned like
ent here. But there is no sorcery involved, a dog at the feet of his hostess.
except that of the great ancient Druids, "You see, he is quite tame,” she said,
who knew the secret of this hidden realm tossing the wolf bits of meat from her
and reared those mighty slabs for a portal plate. "Often I let him come and go in
between the worlds. If you should weary the tower; and sometimes he attends me
of me, you can pass back at any time when I go forth from Sylaire.”
through the doorway —
But I hope that you
— "He is a fierce-looking beast,” Anselme
have not tired of me so soon observed doubtfully.
Anselme, though still bewildered, was It seemed that the wolf understood the
relieved by this information. He proceeded words, for he bared his teeth at Anselme,
to prove that the hope expressed by Se- with a hoarse, preternaturally deep growl.
phora was well-founded. Indeed, he Spots of red fire glowed in his somber
proved it so lengthily and in such detail eyes, like coals fanned by devils in dark
that the sun had fallen below the horizon pits.
before Sephora could draw a full breath "Go away, Malachie,” commanded the
and speak again. enchantress, sharply. The wolf obeyed her,
"The air grows chill,” she said, press- slinking from the hall with a malign back-
ing against him and shivering lightly. "But ward glance at Anselme.
my home is close at hand.” "He does not like you,” said Sephora.
"That, however, is perhaps not surpris-
rpHEY came in the twilight to a high ing.”
round tower among trees and grass- Anselme, bemused with wine and love,
grown mounds. forgot to inquire the meaning of her last
"Ages ago,” announced Sephora, "there words.
30 WEIRD TALES
lyTORNING came too soon, with up- Curious, and a little alarmed, Anselme
-LVX ward-slanting beams that fired the watched in wonder while the wolf began
tree-topsaround the tower. to uproot with his paws certain plants that
"You must leave me for awhile,” said somewhat resembled wild garlic. These he
Sephora, after they had breakfasted. "I devoured with palpable eagerness.
have neglected my magic of late — and Anselme’s mouth gaped at the thing
there are matters into which I should in- which ensued. One moment the wolf was
quire.” before him. Then, where the wolf had
Bending prettily, she kissed the palms been, there rose up the figure of a man,
of his hands. Then, with backward glances lean, powerful, with blue-black hair and
and smiles, she retired to a room at the beard, and darkly flaming eyes. The hair
tower’s top beside her bedchamber. Here, grew almost to his brows, the beard nearly
she had told Anselme, her grimoires and to his lower eye-lashes.
His arms, legs,
potions and other appurtenances of magic shoulders and chest were matted with
were kept. bristles.
During her absence, Anselme decided "Be assured tliat I mean you no harm,”
to go out and explore the woodland about said the man. "I am Malachie due Ma-
the tower. Mindful of the black wolf, rais, a sorcerer, and the one-time lover of
whose tameness he did not trust despite Sephora. Tiring of me, and fearing my
Sephora’s reassurances, he took with him wizardry, she turned me into a were-wolf
the cudgel he had cut that previous day in by giving me secretly the waters of a cer-
the thickets near the Isoile. tain pool that lies amid this enchanted do-
There were paths everywhere, all lead- main of Sylaire. The pool
cursed from is
ing to fresh loveliness. Truly, Sylaire was old time with the infection of lycanthropy
a region of enchantment. Drawn by the —and Sephora has added her spells to its
dreamy golden light, and the breeze laden power. I can throw off the wolf shape for
with the freshness of spring flowers, An- a while during the dark of the moon.
little
selme wandered on from glade to glade. At other times I can regain my human
He came to a grassy hollow, where a form, though only for a few minutes, by
tiny spring bubbled from beneath mossed eating the root that you saw me dig and
boulders. Heseated himself on one of the devour. The root is very scarce.”
boulders, musing on the strange happiness Anselme felt that the sorceries of Syl-
that had entered his life so unexpectedly. aire were more complicated than he had
It was like one of the old romances, the hitherto imagined.But amid his bewilder-
tales of glamor and fantasy, that he had ment he was unable to trust the weird be-
loved to read. Smiling, he remembered ing before him. He had heard many tales
the gibes with which Dorothee des of werewolves, who were reputedly com-
Fleches had expressed her disapproval of mon in medieval France. Their ferocity,
his taste for such reading-matter. What, people said, was that of demons rather
he wondered, would Dorothee think now? than of mere brutes.
At any rate, she would hardly care "Allow me to warn you of the grave
His reflections were interrupted. 'There danger in which you stand,” continued
was a rustling of leaves, and the black wolf Malachie due Marais. "You were rash
emerged from the boscage in front of him, to let yourself be enticed by Sephora. If
whining as if to attract his attention. The you are wise, you will leave the purlieus
beast had somehow lost his appearance of of Sylaire with all possible despatch. The
fierceness. land is old in evil and sorcery, and all
 THE ENCHANTRESS OF SYLAIRE 31

who dwell within it are ancient as the land, tower’s lower hall. One glance at the ut-
and ate equally accursed. The servants of ter sweetness of her womanhood, and he
Sephora, who waited upon you yestereve, felt ashamed of the doubts with which
are vampires that sleep by day in the tower Malachie had inspired him.
vaults and come forth only by night. They Sephora’s blue-gray eyes questioned him,
go out through the Druid portal, to prey deep and tender as those of some pagan
on the people of Averoigne.” goddess of love. Reserving no detail, he
He paused as if to emphasize the words told her of his meeting with the werewolf.
that followed. His eyes glittered bale- "Ah! I did well to trust my intuitions,”
fully, and his deep voice assumed a hissing she said. "Last night, when the black
undertone. "Sephora herself is an ancient wolf growled and glowered at you, it oc-
lamia, well-nigh immortal, who feeds on curred to me that he was perhaps becom-
the vital forces of young men. She has ing more dangerous than I had realized.
had many lovers throughout the ages This morning, in my chamber of magic,
and I must deplore, even though I cannot I made use of my clairv'oyant powers
specify, their ultimate fate. The youth and I learned much. Indeed, I have been
and beauty that she retains are illusions. careless. Malachie has become a menace to
If you could see Sephora as she really is, my security. Also, he hates you, and would
you would recoil in revulsion, cured of destroy our happiness.”
your perilous love. You would see her “Is it true, then,” questioned Anselme,
unthinkably old, and hideous with infa- "that he was your lover, and that you
mies.” turned him into a werewolf?”
"But how can such things be?” queried —
"He was my lover long, long ago. But
Anselme. "Truly, I cannot believe you.” the w'erewolf form was his own choice, as-
Malachie shrugged his hairy shoulders. sumed out of evil curiosity by drinking
"At least I have warned you. But the from the pool of which he told you. He
wolf-change approaches, and I must go. If has regretted it since, for the wolf shape,
you will come to me later, in my abode while giving him certain powers of harm,
which lies a mile to the westward of Se- in reality limits his actions and his sorcer-
phora’s tower, perhaps I can convince you ies. He wishes to return to human shape,
that my statements are the truth. In the and if he succeeds, will become doubly
meanwhile, ask yourself if you have seen dangerous to us both.
any mirrors, such as a beautiful young "I should have watched him well — for
woman would use, in Sephora’s chamber. I now find that he has stolenfrom me the
Vampires and lamias are afraid of mirrors recipe of antidote to the werewolf waters.
— for a good reason.” My clairvoyance tells me that he has al-
ready brewed the antidote, in the brief
nselme
A went back to the tower with
a troubled mind. What Malachie had
Yet there was
intervals ofhumanity regained by chewing
a certain root.
as I think that
When he drinks the potion,
he means to do before long,
told him was incredible.
the matter of Sephora’s servants. He had he will regain human form permanently. —
hardly noticed their absence that morning He waits only for the dark of the moon,
— and yet he had not seen them since the when the werewolf spell is at its weakest.”
previous eve —
And he could not remem- "But why should Malachie hate me?.”
ber any mirrors among Sephora’s various asked Anselme. "And how can I help you
feminine belongings. against him?”
He found Sephora waiting him in the "That first question is slightly stupid.
32 WEIRD TALES
my dear. Of course, he is jealous of you. of movement from within. Anselme
As for helping me — ^well, I have thought shouted once more. At last, stooping on
of a good trick to play on Malachie.” hands and knees, he entered the den.
She produced a small purple glass vial, Light poured tlirough several apertures,
triangular in shape, from the folds of her latticed with wandering tree-roots, where
bodice. the mound had fallen in from above. The
"This vial,” she told him, "is filled with place was a cavern rather than a room. It
the water of the werewolf pool. Through stank with carrion remnants into whose
my clairvoyant vision, I learned that Ma- nature Anselme did not inquire too close-
lachie keeps his newly brewed potion in a ly. 'The ground was littered with bones,
vial of similar size, shape and color. If broken stems and leaves of plants, and
you can go to his den and substitute one shattered or rusted vessels of alchemic use.
vial for the other without detection, I be- A verdigris-eaten kettle hung from a tripod
lieve that the results will be quite amus- above ashes and ends of charred faggots.
ing.” Rain-sodden grimoires lay mouldering in
"Indeed, I will go,” Anselme assured rusty metal covers. 'The three-legged ruin
her. of a table was propped against the wall.
"The present should be a favorable It was covered with a medley of oddments,
time,” said Sephora. "It is now within among which Anselme discerned a purple
an hour of noon; and Malachie often hunts vial resembling the one given him by Se-
at this time. If you should find him in his phora.
den, or he should return while you are In one corner was a litter of dead grass.
there, you can say that you came in re- The strong, rank odor of a wild beast
sponse to his invitation.” mingled with the carrion stench.
She gave Anselme careful instructions Anselme looked about and listened cau-
thatwould enable him to find the were- tiously. Then, without delay, he substi-
wolf’s den without delay.Also, she gave tuted Sephora’s vial for the one on Ma-
him a sword, saying that the blade had lachie’s table. The stolen vial he placed
been tempered to the chanting of magic under his jerkin.
made it effective against such
spells that There was a padding of feet at the cav-
beings as Maladiie. "The wolf’s temper ern’s entrance. Anselme turned — to con-
has grown uncertain,” she warned. "If front the black wolf. The beast came to-
he should attack ypu, your alder stick ward him, crouching tensely as if about
would prove a poor weapon.” to spring, with eyes glaring like crimson
coals of Avernus. Anselme’s fingers
T WAS easy to locate the den, for well dropped to the hilt of the enchanted sword
I used paths ran toward it with little that Sephora had given him.
deviation. The place was the mounded The wolf’s eyes followed his fingers. It

remnant of a tower that had crumbled seemed that he recognized the sword. He
down into grassy earth and mossy blocks. turned from Anselme, and began to chew
'The entrance had once been a lofty door- some roots of the garlic-like plant, which
way: now it was only a hole, such as a he had doubtless collected to make possi-
large animal would make in leaving and ble those operations which he could hardly
returning to its burrow. have carried on in wolfish form.
Anselme hesitated before the hole. "Are This time, the transformation was not
you there, Malachie du Marais?” he complete. The head, arms and body of
shouted. There was no answer, no sound Malachie du Marais rose lip again before
 THE ENCHANTRESS OF SYtAIRE 33

Anselme; but the legs were tibe hind legs the young and lovely sweetheart whose
of a monstrous wolf. He was like some kisses were still warm on his lips.
bestial hybrid of antique legend. All such matters, however, were driven
"Your visit honors me,” he said, half from Anselme’s mind by the situation that
snarling, with suspicion in his eyes and he found when he re-entered the tower
voice. ‘Tew have cared to enter my poor hall. Three visitors had arrived during
abode, and I am grateful to you. In rec- his absence. They stood fronting Se-
ognition of your kindness, I shall make you phora, who, with a tranquil smile on her
a present.” lips, was apparently trying to explain some-

With the padding movements of a wolf, thing to Aem. Anselme recognized the
he went over to the ruinous table and visitors with much amazement, not un-
groped amid the confused oddments with touched with consternation.
which it was covered. He drew out an One of them was Dorothee des Fleches,
oblong silver mirror, brightly burnished, clad in a trim traveling habit. The others
with jeweled handle, such as a great lady were two serving men of her father, armed
or damsel might own. This he oflFered to with longbows, quivers of arrows, broad-
Anselme. swords and daggers. In spite of this ar-
"I give you the mirror of Reality,” he ray of weapons, they did not look any too
announced. "In it, all things are reflected comfortable or at home. But Dorothy
according to their true nature. The illu- seemed to have retained her usual matter-
sions of enchantment cannot deceive it. of-fact assurance.
You disbelieved me when I warned you "What are you doing in this queer place,
against Sephora. But if you hold this mir- Anselme?” she cried. "And who is this
ror to her face and observe the reflection, woman, this chatelaine of Sylaire, as she
you will see that her beauty, like every- calls herself?”
thing else in Sylaire, is a hollow lie the — Anselme felt that she would hardly un-
mask of ancient horror and corruption. If derstand any answer that he could give to
you doubt me, hold the mirror to my face either query. He looked at Sephora, tlien
— now; for I, too, am part of the land’s back at Dorothfc. Sephora was the essence
immemorial evil.” of all the beauty and romance that he had
Anselme took the silver oblong and ever craved. How could he have fancied
obeyed Malachie’s injunction. A moment, himself in love with Dorothee, how could
and his nerveless fingers almost dropped he have spent thirteen months in a hermi-
the mirror. He had seen reflected within tage because of her coldness' and change-
it a face tliat the sepulcher should have ability? She was pretty enough, with the
hidden long ago common bodily charms of youth. But she

rpHE horror of that sight had shaken him

was stupid, wanting in imagination prosy —
already in the flush of her girlhood as a
-*-
so deeply that he could not afterwards middle-aged housewife. Small wonder that
recall the circumstances of his departure she had failed to understand him.
from the werewolf s lair. He had kept "What brings you here?” he countered.
the werewolf s gift; but more than once 'T had not thought to see you again.”
he had been prompted to throw it away. "I missed you, Anselme,” she sighed.
He tried to tell himself that what he had "People said that you had left the world
seen was merely the result of some wizard because of your love for me, and had be-
tridc. He refused to believe that any mir- come a hermit. At last I came to seek you.
ror would reveal Sephora as anything but But you had disappeared. Some hunters
34 WEIRD TALES
had seen you pass yesterday with a strange "You have saved me! How wonder-
woman, across the moor of Druid stones. ful!’’ cried Dorothee. Anselme saw that she
They said you had both vanished beyond had started toward him with outthrust
the cromlech, fading as if in air. Today arms. A moment more, and the situation
I followed you with my father’s serving would become embarrassing.
men. We found ourselves in this strange He recalled the mirror, which he had
region, of which no one has ever heard. kept under his jerkin, together with the
And now this woman — vial stolen from Malachie du Marais.
"The sentence was interrupted by a mad What, he wondered, would Dorothee see
howling that filled the room with eldritch in its burnished depths?
echoes. The black wolf, with jaws foam- He drew the mirror forth swiftly and
ing and slavering, broke in through the held it to her face as she advanced upon
door that had been opened to admit Se- him. What she beheld in the mirror he
phora’s visitors. Dorothee des Fl&hes be- never knew but was startling.
the effect
gan to scream as he dashed straight toward Dorothee gasped, and her eyes dilated in
her, seeming to single her out for the first manifest horror. Then, covering her eyes
victim of his rabid fury. with her hands, as if to shut out some
Something, it was plain, had maddened ghastly vision, she ran shrieking from the
him. Perhaps the water of the werewolf hall. TTie serving men followed her. 'The

pool, substituted for the antidote, had celerity of their movements made it plain
served to redouble the original curse of that they were not sorry to leave this dubi-
lycanthropy. ous lair of wizards and witches.
The two serving men, bristling with their Sephora began to laugh softly. Anselme
arsenal of weapons, stood like effigies. An- found himself chuckling. For awhile they
selme drew the sword given him by the abandoned themselves to uproarious mirth.
enchantress, and leaped forward between Then Sephora sobered.
Dorothee and the wolf. He raised his "I know why Malachie gave you the
weapon, which was straight-bladed, and mirror,” she said. "Do you not wish to
suitable for stabbing. The mad werewolf see my reflection in it?”
sprang as if hurled from a catapult, and Anselme realized that he still held the
his red, open gorge was spitted on the out- mirror in his hand. Without answering Se-
thrust point. Anselme’s hand was jarred phora, he went over to the nearest win-
on the sword-hilt, and the shock drove dow, which looked down on a deep pit
him backward. The wolf fell threshing lined with bushes, that had been part of an
at Anselme’s feet. His jaws had clenched ancient, half-filled moat. He hurled the
on the blade. The point protruded beyond silver oblong into the pit.
the stiff bristles of his neck. "I am content with what my eyes tell

Anselme tugged vainly at the sword. me, without the aid of any mirror,” he
'Then the black-furred body ceased to declared. "Now let us pass to other mat-
thresh —and the blade came easily. It had ters, which have been interrupted too
been withdrawn from the sagging mouth long.”
of the dead ancient sorcerer, Malachie du Again the clinging deliciousness of Se-
Marais, which lay before Anselme on the phora was in his arms, and her fruit-soft
flagstones. The sorcerer’s face was now the mouth was crushed beneath his hungry
face that Anselme had seen in the mir- lips.

ror, when he held it up at Malachie’s in- The strongest of all enchantments held
junction.' them in its golden circle.
 ou
Y wright?
to
drama, and when
knew

farce,
My
I

rather
I
used to be a play-
taste and talent ran
than to turgid
invented characters or
thought about a plot, somehow they always
a large part of
ber of the roles.
One of my
it,

haunts
but had played a num-

is a small but rather

charming old inn. Its reputation (to which
I have contributed much) seems to recom-

seemed more at home in a cosy parlor, bed- mend it to honeymooning couples. Its
room and bath than in a gloomy mansion surroundings, deep in the woods and well-
of high tragedy. I suppose it's undignified away from town or village —
far frcwn
for one in my position to cling to such paved highways and ceaseless traffic its —
worldly interests, but I must confess that remoteness, its quiet, and above all, its rep-
even now, when I chance upon a more utation for harboring a pleasantly humor-
than usually dramatic incident, I am un- ous spirit, have made it quite famous as
able to leave it alone. I’m like an old a setting for love scenes and sequences of
firehorse when the alarm sounds. Yester- the more romantic sort.
day, for instance, I happened to dbserve My duties at the Inn are not hard ^an —
an occurrence in might have been
life that eerie laugh,an occasional light groan, a
the first comedy or a trag-
act of either a few hurried and
steps along the corridor,
—
edy depending upon its outcome. My whatever impish fancy happens to suit my
curiosity got the better of me, and before —
mood. But no chain clanking no screams.
the play was over I had not only written On the whole, the Inn is one of my least
35
36 WEIRD TALES
arduous appointments. It suits me
and — SUSAN
I suit it. I was resting in the deserted (In a low, but carrying voice)
lobby when a car drove up to the door. "You don’t love me!
While the handsome young couple climbed THOMAS
out, I had a hasty look at the papers in (Puts down the bags and returns to her,
the boy’s breast pocket and discovered them blushing)
to be Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Elwood. Ac- I do love you, darling. I adore you. I

cording to the marriage license, her name worship

had been Susan Vance; the documrat bore SUSAN
the current date. You swore at me.
Young Thomas was the soul of gallan-
try — he was making a strenuous effort
^yet THOMAS
to appear casual, blase —
as if this were I didn’t swear at you, darling. I swore
an old business and that on the whole, it at my fingers. Look! See where I scratched
was a bore. I made some notes of their the skin off?
dialogue on the cuff of my shroud: SUSAN
(With an agonized moan)
THOMAS
(Opening the trunk. Susan stands at his
Oh! My poor darling sweetheart! Does
it hurt simply terribly?
side, fidgeting)
Why don’t you go inside and wait for
A H, ME! As the opening of a play I
me, dearest?
wondered how I could improve upon
SUSAN
(Almost tearfully)
it. They were so young so sweet so — —
typical. I knew the characters and the plot
You mean you want me to leave you?
backwards and forwards; the dialogue was
THOMAS like the refrain of a familiar old song. I

(Swinging out a heavy bag and setting it could write it in my —

sleep ^yet the com-
down on his toes) edy always fun to watch especially for
is —
Of course not, darling. But don’t say the rather sentimental old ghost of a play-
things like that so loudly. Do you want wright.
everybody to know we’ve just been mar- Young Thomas walked up to the desk
ried? like a man in a trance, and Iactually had
• SUSAN to steady his hand as he signed the regis-
But we have, haven’t we? ter: Mr. and Mrs. Tom Elwood. We
looked at it for a moment, decided it wasn’t
THOMAS
quite correct, scratched it out and wrote:
(Jerking out the other bag and scraping
Thomas Elwood and Wife. To this, we
his knuckles painfully)
added a flourish.
Damn!
"Yes, sir,’’ said Miggle, the Inn’s gen-
SUSAN
Oh! You’re swearing at me — already!
eral
bridal
factotum.
suite, I
"You’ll be wanting the
presume?” Miggle is an
THOMAS egregious ass and has no tact whatever.
I’m not swearing at you. "I guess so,” said Tom, in faint, mis-
(He picks up the bags and starts toward erable tones.
tlie door. She remains beside the car. He Miggle picked up the bags and led the
stops and calls:) way, smirking in the security of the dark
Coming dear? corridor. I gave myself the pleasure of
 HRST NIGHT 37

tripping him up, so that he landed rather snatched up the wrong bag in her nervous
heavily on his stomach, causing consider- haste. '"I^is,” I said to myself, "begins
able damage to his sense of humor. to look more and more like a farce worth
I needn’t tell you. that there are some seeing.” But how wrong I was! or at —
things a respectable spectre will not do least, how nearly wrong.
and one is eavesdropping on such a charm- Though deeply rutted, the road ahead
ing young couple as the Elwoods. It’s not was straight for a mile or so, and I felt that
cricket, and even if it were, it is doubt- it would be safe to leave Susan for a few

ful if the most talented haunter in the field moments while I transferred myself to
could create enough of a stir to make his the presence of her deserted husband. I

effortsworthwhile. Like all actors, we have found him in the sitting room, incom-
our pride, and it is a melancholy thing to pletely clad in a pair of striped shorts and
play to an audience that sits on its hands. a shirt. Into the telephone he was shout-
As I left the bridal suite, not more than ing:
fiveseconds after Miggle’s departure, Tom "I knotv I sent my clothes out to be
and his bride were in each other’s arms pressed — ^but now I don’t want them
the living, breathing picture of true love. pressed — I want them back immediately!
I was so touched that I groaned a few bars At once! . . . What? Why must there be
of a love song and floated down the stairs some delay? . .

into the kitchen where I materialized a While he listened to Miggle’s stam-

dozen American Beauty roses for Dinah, mered apologies, I glanced at the note that
the cook. In the box was a card, saying, Tom clutched in his hand. It read:

"Be mine tonight!”

A couple of hours later, when I was "Since your silly old shower bath is

swooping around through the trees, outside more important than me —I’m going
the Inn, imagine my amazement to see home to Mother. This is all a terrible
Susan Elwood backing the car out of the mistake. It’s lucky we found out be-
garage — alone! Sitting beside her, I dis- fore it was too late.

covered that she was sobbing heart-brok- "Susan.

enly and that her eyes were blinded by "P. S. — ^You’ll find the car at Mother’s.”
tears. Certainly, she was in no condition
to drive the car herself, so I aided her,
though without any knowledge of where
Farce, again
stick! Now, I
—thought,unadulterated
pure,
moment
is the
slap-
for
we were going. I guessed that she had no the curtain to fall on the first act. 'The
particular destination in mind, and that husband is stranded in a most undigni-
she was merely trying to put as much dis- fied condition, and the wife is on her way
tance as possible between herself and her home to Mama. Only one thing was miss-
husband. ing —some bit of melodramatic suspense
What was it that had scuttled the matri- some menacing counter-plot involving
monial bark so early in its voyage? Some- stolen "papers,” espionage, sabotage, or
thing trivial, I felt sure —something that something of the sort.
could be patched up, and would be, if I But I had been gone too long from
had anything to say about it. Seeking a Susan. On my way back to her, I passed
clue to the cause of the trouble, I glanced through the kitchen and discovert the
through the contents of the suitcase on the reason for the "delay” in delivering Tom’s
floor. It was filled with male clothing trousers. Dinah had been so flustered by
her husband’s! Obviously, she had the roses that she had burnt a hole through
38 WEIRD TALES
their most vital section. In passing, I she paused and turned back to ask, "Can
counterfeited a ten dollar bill and left it you tell me how to get on to the high-
in her apron pocket to recompense her way?”
for the fault that was really more mine Menace made a gesture with a broken-
than hers. nailed thumb, and lied, "Turn to the right
at the graveyard and just keep going.” I

W HEN I rejoined Susan she was stop-

ping the car in front of a dilapi-
dated general store in the ugly little vil-
remembered
lessly
ended nowhere.
that road —wandered aim-
it

through desolate swamp land and

lage of Blackwoods. We entered the place With an evil smile on his repulsive face,
together. She went directly to the tele- the villain stared after the girl until the
phone booth, while I floated about under car drew away; then, moving with suspi-
the low, dirty ceiling. cious speed, he went to the telephone and
My first glimpse of the only other per- called a local number.
son in the store was a real thrill of pleasure "Jakely?” he said. "Get this — I just
— professional pleasure, that is. Never had started a dame down your road who’s got
I seen a character so perfectly fitted both a rock on her finger that must be worth five
in appearance and manner for the role of grand. You know what to do, don’t you?
villain. He was a hulking, lantern-jawed . . . Well, step on it! — she’ll be there in
brute, with piggish eyes, a cruel, lascivious about twenty minutes. Just take her up
mouth and a thatch of dank, straggling to your joint and wait for me.”
hair.
—
His skin was pale pasty pale prison — "The plot thickens!” said I to myself
pale. His shoulders slumped forward, and as I streaked back to Susan. The road was
his dangling arms hung in front of him terrible beyond belief, and by now the
like those of an ape. Here, I thought, is night was dark as pitch. At my side, the
just what the play has been wanting: a girl shivered and moaned, "Oh why did
good, strong menace. I should have been I ever leave him? Why?”
rather disappointed if the creature had "Why, indeed?” I almost asked. But at
failed to take advantage of the situation. that moment we came to a detour sign in
But my fears were groundless. While the middle of the road. ’The arrow pointed
Susan vainly attempted to reach her mother to a narrow, muddy path that twisted into
on the telephone, my Menace tiptoed to the black heart of a forest of gnarled,
the back of the booth and placed his ear misshapen oaks.
against the paper-thin partition. Presently, "Oh dear! Oh dear!” said Susan. "I’m
Susan’s number answered in the conde- lost —
I know I am. I’d go back if there
scending voice of a butler. were room to turn around.”
"Jeffries? This is Miss Vance Mrs. — There was no room, however. She had
Ellwood, I mean. Will you tell my no choice but to go on. But as for me,
Mother want to speak to her? . She’s
I . . I could choose a pleasanter means of loco-

not there? But where is she? She must motion than that lurching car. I got out
—
be there I need her! Very well . . . and hovered comfortably in the air. Here
when she comes in, tell her I’m on my way I waited for a moment, more than half ex-

home. ...” pecting what presently occurred.

Susan hung up, and Menace stepped When the ruby tail light vanished
away from the booth to stand, innocently through the trees, a dark figure appeared
picking his decayed teeth as she passed from behind a clump of bushes, picked up
him on the way to the car. At the door. the detour sign and set it down at the
 HRST NIGHT 39

entrance to the path Susan had taken. What longer speech, but I feared tlie play would
a simple device it was! This would cut suffer. In fact, I was afraid that it was
the poor child crff from the rest of the beginning to suffer, already not for lack —
world as effectually as if she were chained of action and suspense, but for lack of a
in a cellar. hero. If this was a melodrama, as it

Now, the second conspirator started seemed to have become, the hero’s trium-
on foot and I floated along at
after the car phant arrival just before the final curtain
his side. Jakely was a worthy companion was essential to its success.
to Menace (who was probably already on I whisked back to the Inn and found

his way to the criminal rendezvous). He Tom Elwood pacing the floor, his abbre-
was a squat, greasy, powerful man, with a viated costume unchanged. Coming to a
week’s growth of black beard on his oily quick decision, I rang the telephone bell,
cheeks. There was something predatory and when he put the receiver to his ear I
in his way of walking —
as if he were stalk- spoke in a mufiled voice:
ing an unsuspecting prey. In short, the "Darling, this is Susan. Oh, it’s terri-

casting of the partwas most satisfactory. ble— I’ve been kidnapped. No—don’t ask
When we had gone about a quarter of questions. 'There’s no time —they may find
a mile, we came upon Susan’s car, stranded me any moment. Just let me tell you
helplessly in a carefully prepared trap of where I am. .”. . Having described the
deep mud. The scene that followed was road to Jakely’s place, I added, "Darling,
in the best Broadway tradition — the weep- I’m so sorry I left you, I love you so!
ing, frightened heroine entrusting herself Come to me, darling save me!”—
with touching gratitude to the villain’s vile I think I ought to mention, right here,

treachery. Jakely played his role to perfec- that in this case I made my voice so low
tion. Carrying her through the mud and and so hurried that young Tom was not
setting her on her feet, he assured her that sure of the exact words. But that he was
she had nothing to worry about. sure enou^ of their import to play his
"Just come up and wait at the house,” role with vigorous realism I had no doubt.
he said, "while I harness up the team and Really, I felt that he would solve the prob-
drag that bus of yours out of the mud
— lem, unaided, of rescuing his hapless wife,
"I could wait here
— but to prevent any unnecessary delay, I
"No, if wouldn’t be safe for a young abstracted Miggle’s trousers (he was asleep
lady like you. Better come along and stay in bed), and dropped them in the hall for
where there’s no danger. It won’t take Tom to stumble over. In a pocket were
long — and you’ll be on your way again in the keys to Miggle’s car.
no time. Come along. Miss.” As you prcrfjably realize, timing is of
He took her by the arm and she allowed great importance in the production of any
herself to be led. I uttered a deep, shud- play,and especially in the case of a fast-
dering sigh for innocence so betrayed. moving melodrama is it so. If the action
"What’s that!” Susan cried. —
slows if either hope or despair too greatly
"Nothing to be afraid of.” Jakely out-balances the other in the delicate scales
laughed coarsely. "Just an owl.” of suspense —the audience is apt to yawn
"An owl, my Jakely?” said I soundlessly. and reach for its hat. As a craftsman I
"Nay! No owl was that, but Nemesis! saw that it was my duty to keep the play
Nemesis, Jakely!” going at a furious pace.
I rather liked that line, and the mood Returning to Jakely’s I discovered that
was upon me to extemporize an even Menace had arrived during my absence.
40 WEIRD TALES
The two men were standing outside the made a wide swing through the forest, re-
cabin, conferring in whispers: turning, at last, to Jakely’s cabin. (I had
"Look,” Jakely was saying, "why not looked in at intervals, always to find Susan
run this thing into something big?” patiently reading an old magazine.) Now,
"A snatch?” Menace guessed. as I floated toward the place, the two vil-
"Why not? Nobody knows she came me, bruised, bleeding
lains staggering after
this way. We’ll put the car where it’ll and completely exhausted I heard the —
never be found. All we need is a few throbbing of a motor, not far off. Jakely
letters in her own handwriting.” and Menace were panting so loudly that
"How we going to get ’em?” the sound could not reach their ears.
"You kidding?” Entering the cabin I my-
de-materialized
Menace grunted. "And then?” self and vanished. Within a few seconds,
"We won’t need her any more.” Jakely and Menace (with young Thomas
"Okay. Let’s get started. I’ll work her closing in behind them) tumbled over the
over while you figure out what we want door step and lurched into the room where
her to write.” Susan waited. She dropped her magazine
Obviously, the time had come for me and started to her feet in sudden fright.
to take a more active part in the play. As "Got you!” 'Their hands reached out
Menace and Jakely turned back to the for her like bloody claws.
cabin, I materialized myself as Susan’s "No!” she screamed, backing away to
double, and stepped over the threshold. the wall."Don’t touch me! Help! Help!
"Hey!” Jakely yelled. "Where you go- Help!”
mg? It was Tom’s cue, and he spoke his line
"I’ve decided to walk to the highway,” from the open door: "Touch one hair of
I said.
* ^ »
"I’ll send for the car in the morn- her head —
and you die!”
mg. The villains swung round and the hero
"I wouldn’t do that,” said Menace, mov- waded in. I don’t know whether it oc-
ing forward stealthily. "You better stay curred to Tom as somewhat strange that
right here.” Jakely was circling around to he was able to subdue two such gory giants
my other side. with such ease and despatch. Each took
—
"No thank you for your kindness, but
— one blow on the chin and fell fainting to
I’ll just be going the floor.
Together, the two men snarled, "Oh, no, So the play ended as all good melo-
you don’t!” and lunged at me. 'They met —
dramas end with the beautiful girl in the
in mid-air, their heads colliding with a brave hero’s arms. Susan delivered the
loud crack. From a distance of ten feet curtain speech:
I watched them imtangle. "Darling, never let me leave you again!
"Lhad her,” Menace said. "What hap- Never!”
pened?” As he bent to kiss her I noiselessly ap-
—
"/ had her but you got in the way. plauded, and neither walking nor running
Anyhow, there she is!” chose the nearest exit.
Cursing, they sprang at me again. Al- Purely as dramaturgy I was rather
ways just beyond their grasp, I led them pleased with my creation; the performance
through tearing brambles and ripping had been better than adequate — the produc-
thorns, over sharp rocks, through swamps tion excellent.
and pools of sucking mud. In short, it was quite an auspicious First
'The path taken by the mad pursuit Night.
 Vhe Oy
iJ)elievers
By ROBERT ARTHUR

Something nameless, formless. Something out of the night and the

swamp —out of the Unknown!

^HIS is it,” Nick Deene said Danny Lomax heaved a high of relief.
I with enthusiasm, after he had "Praise be to Allah!” he intoned.
JL stared down at the old Carri- "We’ve wasted almost a week finding a
day house for a couple of minutes. "This joint that suited you just right, and that
is what I had in mind. Right down to doesn’t leave us much time to start beating
the last rusty hinge and creaking floor- the drum. Although I’ll admit” —Danny
board.” squinted down at the brooding old pile of
41
42 WEIRD TALES
some nobody comes out here, and it’s spooky
stone and lumber that
traces of a one-time dignity
still
—
retained
"I’ll admit enough to make any casual passerby take
you’ve really turned up a honey at last. another road, but there’s no definite legend
If that ain’t a haunted house, it’ll do until attached to it, and that’s what I’ve been
one comes along.’’ —
looking for ^that, plus a proper back-
Nick Deene stood for a moment longer, ground. And this has the proper back-
appraising the Carriday mansion, on whose ground. Three generations of Carridays
arched entrance the carved figure 1784 —
died here malaria, probably; look at the
stilldefied the corroding elements. The swamp back there. The last Girriday ran
building was a long, L-shaped Colonial away and died in Java. The place’s
to sea
type house, with stone foundations and been empty fifteen years now, except for
hand-sawed clapboard upper structure. It a tramp found in it one winter, dead of
had been painted some dark color once, pneumonia. Nobody’s going to buy it, not
but the color had gone with the years, leav- away out here in a swampy section of
ing the structure a scabrous, mottled hue woods, and for a couple thousand dollars
that had, to the eye of one v/ho stared too the estate agent will be glad enough to
long at it in the uncertain light of dusk, let us have the key and do anything we

an unpleasant appearance of slow, sinuous want to it, including furnishing it with a

movement. nice, brand new ghost. Which is just what
The building was two-storied, with at- I’m going to do. And, believe me, it’ll
tics, and seemed to contain a number of be a lulu.”
rooms. Woods, once cut back, had crept "Nicholas Deene, Hand-Tailored Spooks,
up almost to the walls, and though it was Ghost Maker to the Nobility,” Danny Lo-
only second growth stuff, pine and cedar, max grunted, "You know, I used to read
they gave the place a cramped, crowded your books, and believe ’em. That chapter
feeling. A weed-grown dirt carriage drive where you told about the doomed virgin
connecting with a half-impassable county dancing girl in the old temple at Anghor
road that seemed never to be used any Vat, and how you saved her just before
more, and the tumbled ruins of a couple the priests came for her, gave me a big
of outbuildings finished off the scene. kick once. I was sap enough to think it

"It has everything, Danny!’’ Nick Deene had really happened!”

went on, with animation. “Absolutely "Well, there is a temple at Anghor Vat,”
everything but a ghost.’’ Nick Deene grinned. "And dancing girls
"Which is just fineand dandy with me,” too. For all I know, one of them may be
the technical assistant alloted him by his a virgin. So if you enjoyed the story, why
radio hour sponsors So-Pure Soaps pre- complain? You believed it when you read
sent "Dare Danger with Deene!” as- — it, didn’t you?”

serted. "Of course, I don’t believe in ghosts, "Yeah,” Danny Lomax agreed, stamp-
as the hill-billy said about the hippopota- ing out a cigarette. "I believed it.”

mus, but that’s all the more reason I don’t "Then you got your money’s worth,” the
want to go meeting one. I’m too old to go tall, —
bronzed man sun lamp treatments
around revising my beliefs just to please a every evening, carefully timed by his valet,
spook.” Walters, kept that bronze in good repair
Nick Deene told him.
“Tliat’s just it,” asserted. "And a million people still be-
"A resident ha’nt that somebody or other lieve it. Just as five million people are
had seen, or thought he’d seen, and de- going to believe in the Carriday Curse.”
scribed, would cramp my style. Of course. "Okay, okay,” the small, wiry man as-
 THE BELIEVERS 43

sented. "I’m not here to argue. Let’s stink to this thing they’ll horse-laugh it

scram. Even if the Carriday Curse is to death. There’s gotta be a ghost, and
strictly a Nick Dcene phony, I don’t like your audience’s got to believe in it. Don’t
this dump in these shadows. If I had a lot make any mistake about that.”
of baby spooks I wanted to raise to be nice, "There’ll be a ghost,” Nick Deene
big ha’nts. I’d bring ’em here and plant shrugged, putting the roadster into motion.
’em. The atmosphere is so unhealthy!’’ "And they’ll believe in I’ll be right
it.

in the room with

’em. I’m working on
XTICK DEENE grinned again, the flash- the script now. I’m going to ask them to
ing- toothed smile that had won him turn out the light when they listen, and
indulgence all around the globe, had been imagine they’re with me, waiting in the
photographed against the columns of the dark for the Thing that for a hundred
Athenaeum, halfway up Mount Everest, years has been the Curse of the Carridays
be armed only with a
atop an elephant going over the Alps, and
too many other places to list. He brushed
to appear.
light, a bible,
I’ll

and
— flash-

back the jet black hair that lay so smoothly "And a contract,” Danny interrupted.
against his skull, and started back toward "Sorry. Don’t mind my cynical ways. I
the road from the little knoll they’d was dropped from the Social Register on
climbed to get a view of the house. Danny my head while still a babe.”
Lomax followed, making plans out loud. "And a crucifix,” Deene continued, a
"We can have ’em run a rebroadcast little nettled by now. "They’ll hear
unit on a truck up to the road, here,” he boards creaking, and a death-watch beetle
decided. "You’ll have a portable sender ticking in the wall. And plenty of other
on your back, and the truck will pick it details. I’ll make them up as I go along.
up and retransmit to Hartford. Hartford Spontaneity always gives the most con-
will pipe it into New York and out through vincing effect. I’ve found. And they’ll be
the networks. We’ll give the equipment a convinced. Aren’t they always?”
thorough check, and there’s not much "Yeah,” the little advertising man
chance of anything going wrong. Your agreed reluctantly. "When you turn on
Crosley rating has been falling off lately, the heat, old ladies swoon with excitement
but hypo the box office up to the top
this’ll and little kids scream all night in their
again. Most of your listeners have already cribs. 'There was one heart-failure —an
read the stuff you’ve been dramatizing on old maid in —
Dubuque after last month’s
the ether, you know. This one, a direct show, the one in which you were fighting
broadcast from a haunted house at night an octopus forty feet beneath the surface,
on Friday the 13th, will pull ’em in. You’re down in the Malay pearling waters.”
a phony, Deene, but you got some good "There’ll be half a dozen this time,”
ideas, and this is one of the better ones. Nick Deene prophesied complacently.
"When I start into the Girriday house to
"If what?” Nick demanded challeng- meet the Thing with
ingly, as they reached the road and pre- oyster
— a face like an

pared to clamber into the gleaming road- "A face like an oyster, huh?” Danny
ster that had gotten them there. Lomax repeated, and swallowed hard.
"If you put it over.” Danny Lomax "'That’swhat it’s going to look like?”
took the right hand seat and slammed the Nick Deene chuckled and nodded.
door. “A lot of newspaper guys don’t "If there’s anything deader looking than
like you any too well, and if there’s any a watery blue oyster that’s been open too
44 WEIRD TALES
long,” he said, "I don’t know what it is. that danced and shifted in slow, stately
Where was I.^ Oh, yes. Well, when I movements. A quarter moon thrust a
start into that house to wait for the ap- weak finger of radiance down into the
proach of the Thing with an oyster face. woods. was eleven o’clock, and time
It
I’m going to scare the living livers out of for Dare Danger With Deene to hit the
five million people, if you guys do your ether with its special broadcast.
jobs right.” Danny Lomax had earphones clamped
“We will, we will,” Danny promised. to his ears, tentacles of wire trailing back
"We’ll ship out photos of the house. I’ll from them to the broadcast truck pulled
plant the story the locals should repeat to up beside the road, on the little rise that
a couple of fellows in the village, we’ll overlooked the house. The house was four
ballyhoo you all the way down the line. hundred yards away, and Danny Lomax
The only thing we won’t do is try to fix the was conscious of a vague regret it wasn’t
weatherman to make it a stormy night. four million as he snatdied off the ear-
You’ll have to take your chances on that.” phones and dropped his hand.
"It’s generally foggy down here in the Nick Deene caught the signal, which
swamps at night,” Deene replied, quite meant that the theme song was finished,
seriously. "Fog is as good as a storm any as well as the lengthy announcement out-
time.” lining the circumstances of the broadcast,
"Yeah,” Danny Lomax acquiesced, twist- from the New York studio. His deep, ex-
ing around to lookdown at the house in pressive voice took up the tale without a
the hollow below —
the road having taken hitch.
them up a slope behind it. Fog was al- "This is Nicholas Deene speaking,” he
ready forming in tenuous gray wisps, as said easily into the mike attached to his
the disappearance of the sun brought cool chest, and connected to the pack broad-
air currents rolling down into the swampy caster slung over his shoulder. "The old
dell. They made a little dancing approadi Girriday mansion lies in a depression be-
toward the empty, was
silent building that low me, some four hundred yards away.
quite unappetizing to any one with a good Wan moonlight illuminates it. Veils of
imagination. “Fog’s good enough for me, fog wrap around it as if to hide it from
any time. You know, Deene, maybe it’s man’s gaze. For fifteen years no human
a good thing you don’t believe in spooks being has spent a night beneath its roof
yourself.” alive.”
"Maybe it is,Nick Deene
at that,” His voice paused significantly, to let his
grinned as they topped a rise and the Car- imseen audience experience its first prickle
riday house disappeared from view. "May- of pleasurable terror.
oe it is, at that.” "But tonight I am going to brave the
curse of the Carriday’s. I am going to
TT WAS not a foggy night. Yet there enter the house, and in the great master
were mists about the Carriday house as bedroom where three generations of Carri-
Danny Lomax, Nicholas Deene, and two days died, I am going to wait for the un-
newspapermen —Ken Blake and Larry known Thing that legends tell of to ap-
Miller —prepared to enter it. pear.
Sitting as it did in the very bottom of a "lam going toward the house now, with
little glen, so that any cool, mist-producing two reputable newspaper men at my side.
air currents there might be would flow One of them has a pair of handcuffs, the
toward it, it was wrapped in pale vapor other the key. They are going to cuff me
 THE BELIEVERS 45

to the sturdy bedposts of the ancient four- “The door creaks open. Our lights

poster tiiat can be seen througli the win- probe the black throat of the hall. Dust
everywhere, seeming inches thick.
dow, dust-covered, in the master bedroom.
That is to insure that I shall not leave
is

rises and swirls about us as we enter

It
—
—
before midnight strikes before this ill- They went in, and Nick Deene’s tread
omened Friday the thirteenth passes away was the firmest of the four as they strode
into the limbo of the vanished days.” the length of a narrow hall and reached
Nick Deene’s voice went on, rising and the stairs. 'Their lights showed side rooms,
falling in carefully cadenced rolls, doing filled with old furniture whose dust covers

little tricks to the emotions of listeners a had not been removed in almost two dec-
mile, a thousand miles, three thousand ades. 'The stairs were winding, and
miles away. He and Danny Lomax and the creaked. 'Tlie air was as musty as it always
two reporters trudged on downhill toward is in houses long closed.
the house. 'They reached the upstairs, and a finger
This was a last-minute inspiration of of moonlight intruded through an end
Nick Deene’s, this handcuff business. The window. 'Tlieir flashlights reflected off a

press had taken a somewhat scoffing note dusty mirror, and Larry Miller jumped
toward the stunt broadcast But Nick uneasily. Nick Deene chuckled into the
Deene’s showman instinct had risen to the microphone, and a million listeners nodded
occasion. There was a compellingness to in quick approval of his courage.
the idea of a man being chained in a de- "My friends are nervous,” Nick Deene
serted house, haunted or not —
being un- was telling them. "They feel the atmos-
able to leave —which had impressed the phere that hangs so heavy in these silent
radio-column writers. rooms trod only by creatures of the un-
Deene kept on talking as they ap- seen. I do not blame them. I would feel
proached the old mansion, flashlight beams nervous too, if I did not have a complete
dancing ahead of them. He described the belief in the inability of any spiritual crea-
woods, the night sounds, the dancing mist, ture to harm a living man. Their exist-

man-
the appearance of the empty, silent ence I do not deny. I do, instead, affirm
sion ahead of them, and did a good job. it resolutely. But their harmlessness I am
Not that it was necessary for the three convinced of.
men with him. Even before they reached "We now bedroom where
the house, the carefully cultivated skep- shall wait
—
are in the I

ticism which, Blake and Miller had sported

was gone from their faces. Cynical though rpHE bedroom was big. The door lead-
they were, Danny Lomax thought he could -*- ing into it, though, was low,
and nar-
catch traces of uneasiness on their counte- row, and the windows were small. A
nances. 'The place had that kind of an broken shutter hanging outside creaked
atmosphere about it. ever so slightly in an unseen air current.
“We are standing on the rotten, creaking There was a bureau, two old chairs, a
porch now,” Deene was telling his audi- cedar chest, a rag rug —
and the four poster
ence. "One reporter is imlocking the door bedstead. A coverlet, gray with dust, lay
with the key given us reluctantly by the over the mattress. Nick Deene grimaced
white-haired agent for the proper^, a man as he saw it, but his voice did not falter.
whose expression tells us that he knows Danny Lomax snatched the coverlet off
many things about this house his closed the bed and shook it. Dust filled the air,
lips will not reveal and he coughed as he put the coverlet bade
46 WEIRD TALES
into place. He slid a chair up beside the and no one spoke until they were outside.
bed, and Nick Deene, without disturbing Then Blake drew a deep breath.
the broadcast, slid off his pack transmitter "He’s a phony,” he said, with a reluc-
and placed it on the chair. tant admiration. "And you know as well
He lay down on the bed, and Larry as I do that if he sees anything tonight, it’ll
Miller, with a pair of handcuffs from his be strictly the product of his imagination
pocket, linked one ankle to the left bed- or of that bottle in his coat pocket. But
post. Danny Lomax adjusted the mike so just the same, I wouldn’t spend an hour
that Nick Deene could speak into it with- in that joint, handcuffed to the furniture,
out having to hold it, and Deene waved his for a month’s pay.”
hand in a signal of preparedness. Without hesitating, they set off for the
"My friends are preparing to depart,” he waiting truck, and the small knot of men
told his audience, and his words leaped technicians, reporters, and advertising
from the room to the waiting truck, from agency men — clustered around it. And as
there to Hartford, twenty miles away, and they hurried — in Boston, in Sioux Falls,
thence to New York, then to the world, or Kalamazoo, Santa Barbara and a thousand
whatever part of it might be listening. "In other towns, lights went out in a house
a moment I will be alone. I have a flash- here, another there, as some of Nick
light, but to conserve the batteries I am go- Deene’s farflung audience obeyed his melo-
ing to turn it out. dramatic suggestion to listen to him in the
"May make a suggestion? Why do
I darkness. And two hundred thousand
not you, who listen, turn out your lights families settled themselves to wait with
too, and we will wait together in darkness him, hanging on his every word, their ac-
for the approach of the creature known as ceptance of everything he said complete,
the Curse of the Carridays — a creature their belief utter.
which I hope, before the next hour is over, When the three of them reached the re-

to describe to you. broadcast truck again, the little group of

"What it is or what it looks like, I do half a dozen men there were clustered
not know. The one man who could tell about the rear, where a half-circle of light
the agent for the property, faithful to his burned through the darkness and a loud-
trust though the last Carriday died long speaker repeated Nick Deene’s every word.
since in far-off Java will not speak. Yet, Deene was building atmosphere still.
if the portents are favorable, we, you and His resonant voice was picturing the house,
I, may see it tonight.” the shadows, the dust, the darkness that
Clever, Danny Lomax thought, his trick seemed to crouch within the hallways, and
of identifying the audience witli himself, as he spoke, not a man there but could see
making them feel as if they were on the the pictures he evoked rising up before
spot, too. One of the big secrets of his their eyes.
success. "Listen,” Nick Deene was saying, and
"Now,” Nick Deene was Danny Lomax could visualize the big
my leave of my companions
— saying, "I take
bronze man grinning sardonically as he
Then Danny and the two reporters were spoke, "and hear with me the small night
leaving. Nick Deene kicked his leg, the sounds that infest this ancient, spirit-rid-
chain of the handcuff rattled, and Larry den dwelling. Somewhere a board is creak-
Millet jumped. Nick waved a sardonic ing —perhaps for no tangible cause. I can-
—
hand after them. not tell. But it comes to me clearly
They went downstairs, not dawdling, Listening, they could hear it, too. 'Tlie
 THE BELIEVERS 47

eerie, chill-provoking creak of a floor Thirty-five minutes gone. Twenty-five to

board or stairway, in midnight silence. go. Time now for Deene to start turning
Nick Deene had two bits of wood in his on the heat. Time for the sock punch to
pocket that he rubbed together to get that start developing. He’d built up his back-
effect, but only Danny Lomax knew that. ground and sold his audience. Now he
And even knowing, he did not like the ought to begin to deliver.
sound. He A moment later,
"I hear the creaking
— Nick Deene’s
did. Nick Deene’s
The sudden si-
voice was low,
”
suspense-filled now — "I
voice paused abruptly.
lence held more suspense than any words
hear the creaking, and something else. A he could have spoken. It held for ten sec-
monotonous tick-tick-tick that seems to be- onds, twenty, thirty. Then he broke it
come louder and louder as I listen to it, only with a half-whispered announcement.
the frightening beat of the death-watch
beetle within the walls of this room
— "I think
outside the house
I
—
can hear something moving

They could hear that too, as Nick Around the sound truck, there was utter
Deene’s voice died out.
Hear it, and their silence, save for thewhine of the genera-
own breathing became diminuendo as if tor that was pumping the broadcast over
they too were in that room, listening with the hills andwoods to Hartford.
a man bound to the great four-poster there. —
"Whatever it is ” Nick Deene’s voice
was still low, still that of a man who
ND in Atlanta, in Rochester, in Cin-
cinnati, in Memphis, Mobile, Reno,
—
whispers an aside even while intent upon
som^ing else "whatever it is, it’s com-
Cheyenne, and a thousand other cities, a ing closer. It seems to be moving slowly
thousand other towns, a thousand other up from the small patch of swamp just
villages, in two hundred thousand homes south of the house.”
Nick Deene’s listeners heard it too in the Absently, Danny Lomax reached for a
hushed silence with which they listened, cigarette. Nick was sticking to the gen-
and swallowed a little harder, looked about eral script they’d outlined. Almost at the
them a little uneasily, and smiled smiles — last minute, they’d decided against a spir-

lieved —
that were palpably artijicial. And they be-

Danny Lomax would have believed, too,

itual
simple.
manifestation, a ghost, pure and

Instead, with his usual instinct for

ifhe hadn’t known of the small metal con- getting the right note, Nick Deene had
trivance by which Nick Deene managed the switched to a Thing. Something name-
"death watch beetle” noises. Even know- less, something formless, something un-

ing, he admitted to himself that it was an classifiable. Something out of the night and

impressive performance. When Nick the swamp and the unknown. Something
D^ne had boasted that he would make that might be alive and might not be alive.
five million people believe in the "curse But something that, when Nick Deene got
of the Carridays” he had exaggerated througfi describing it, would be very, very
but not about their believing. His audi- real
ence probably didn’t number more than a "Whatever it is, it’s coming closer,”
milli on. But he had that million by now Nick Deene reported then. *T hear a drag-
in a complete state of acceptance for any- ging, dull sound, as of something heavy
thing he might want to say next. moving through dead brush and over rough
Danny glanced at his watch, turning his ground. It may be just an animal, per-
wrist so that the timepiece caught the light. haps even a stray cow, or a horse, or a ^d
48 WEIRD TALES
pig escaped from a pen somewhere on an dow. He made his listeners hear the soft,
adjacent farm
— squashy sounds of something large and
A million listeners held their breath a flabby moving through the darkness of the
moment, then prepared to let it go. Of cellar of the house, finding the stairs, go-
course, just a starving horse, or a *cow. ing up them slowly, slowly, slowly
Something warm, something familiar, "Now it’s in the hall.” 'The big man’s
something harmless. Then — words were short, sharp, electric. "It’s com-
"It’s pulling at the boards which cover ing toward the door. I hear boards creak-
the cellar windows!” Nick Deene ex- ing beneath its wdght. It senses that I’m
claimed. "It’s trj'ing to get into the here. It’s searching for me. I confess
house!” I’m frightened. No sane mancould fail
to be. However, I am convinced it can’t

D anny LOMAX
lighted, until
held his cigarette un-
the flaring match
hurt me.
it’s
If it’s

harmless, however horrifying

a psychic manifestation,
its ap-
burned his fingers. In spite of their de- pearance may be. So I am keeping a firm
termined skepticism, there was an intent- grip on my nerves. Only if they betray
ness to the faces of the reporters and tech- me can I be endangered. 'They will not
nicians gathered around the end of the betray me.
sound tmck. They knew or guessed this "Whatever it is, it’s just outside the
was a phony. Yet the sudden jolt, after doorway now. I can s(?nse it lodcing in
Deene had given their nerves a moment in at me. The room is in darkness. The
which to relax, got them all. Just as it moon has set. I have my flashlight, though,
was getting the whole great, unseen audi- and I am
going to turn it full on the thing
ence. in the doorway.
Danny Lomax, from years of listening "I can smell a musty, damp odor, as of
to radio programs behind the scenes, had swamps and wet places. It is very strong.
developed a sixth sense of his own. He Almost overpowering. But now I’m going
could tell almost to a degree just how a to turn on the light
—
—
program was going over ^whether it was
smashing home or laying an egg. He could
feel the audience that listened reacting,
and he could sense what their reactions
N
as
ick DEENE’S
Lomax’s wristwatch ticked as loudly
an alarm clock. 'The seconds passed.
voice ceased. Danny

were. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. Forty. Someone

Now something was pulling at him shifted position. Someone’s breath was
something strained and tense and uneasy. rasping like that of a choking sleeper.
A million people or more was listening,
—
Then "It’s going!” Nick Deene’s voice
were believing, were living through the was a whisper. "It looked at me, and
scene with Nicholas Deene, and crouched would have entered. I could sense what
there in the chilly night beside the broad- it wished. It wished me. But I have
cast truck, Danny Lomax could feel the the bible and crucifix I brought tightly in
waves of their belief sweeping past him, my hand, the light has been shining full
impalpable but very real. into its — its face, if I can call it that. I did
Ni^ Deene’s voice had quickened. He not lower my gaze, and now it’s going. I
was reporting now the sound of nails can no longer see it. The light of my flash
shrieking as they pulled free, as boards falls on the black, empty frame of the
gave way. He described a heavy, squashy doorway. It is slithering back down the
body forcing its way through the tiny win- hall,toward the steps. It is returning to
 THE BELIEVERS 49

the swamp from which it came when it minds something that had never existed,
sensed my presence here. but which Nick Deene had created and put
"I can hardly describe it. I don’t know there.
what it was.It stood as high as a man, Tomorrow they might laugh. 'They
yet its were only stumps of grayness
legs might belittle and ridicule the very fact
without feet of any kind. Its body was they had listened. But they’d never be
long and bulbous, like a misshapen turnip, able to forget how they had felt. And
its flesh grayish and uneven. It shone a now, for the moment at lea.st, they be-
little, as if with slime, and I saw droplets lieved.
of water on it catch the light of my torch. Danny let out a breath, and looked at
"It had a head, a great round head that his watch. Almost midnight. Nick Deene
was as hairless as the rest of it. And a was speaking again.
face — I cannot make you see it as I saw it. "It’s gone, now. It’s outside again, seek-
Staring into it, I could only think of an ing the swamp from which it came. This
oyster. A monstrous, wet, blue-gray oyster, is Nicholas Deene speaking. I’m going to
with two darker spots that must have been sign oS now. I’ve been through quite a
eyes. nerve strain. Thanks for listening, every-
"It had arms. At least, two masses of body. I’m glad that you weren’t disap-
matter attached to either side of its body pointed, that something happened tonight
reached out a little toward me. There to make this broadcast worA your listen-
were no hands on the end of them. Just ing. Good night, all. 'This is Nicholas
strings of — corruption. Deene saying good night”
"That was all I could see. Then it Danny Lomax saw the chief of the re-
turned. Now it has gone. It has reached broadcast crew throw a switch, and nod
the bottom steps, going down with a to him. He leaned forward, toward a sec-
shuffling, bumping noise. It is moving ondary mike in the truck, slipping on a
toward the cellar stairs, the floor creaking pair of headphones.
beneath it, back to the cellar window "All right, Nick,” he said. "You’re off
through which it forced itself, back to the the air. We’re coming down to unlock
depths of the swamp from which it you now.”
emerged. Yet the sense of it still hangs "Okay,” Nick Deene’s voice came back,
in this room, and I know that if my will a little ragged. "Hurry, will you? Tm
should slacken, it could feel it, and re- getting sick of it here. The last couple
turn. But it must not. I will not let it. of minutes, I could swear I Aave heard
It must return to the bottomless muck Maybe I’m too good. I’m
from which it came
— ’’
noises outside.
believing myself. How’d it go?”
Danny Lomax touched his dry lips with "Went fine,” Danny told him. "They
his tongue. This was it. This was the ate it up. A million people are sitting in
high spot. This was where Nick Deene their parlors this minute, getting the stiff-
got over, or fell flat on his face. Danny ness out of their muscles, and trying to pre-
knew that whichever it was, he’d be able tend they didn’t believe you.”
to sense it. "I told you they would.” Deene’s voice
And he did. Not failure. Success! The was momentarily complacent. ’Then it
unseen currents that eddied around him became edged again. "Listen, hurry, will
were belief. The belief of a million people, you? Damn it, there /s something moving
wrapped in a skein spun of words. 'The around outside this house — You say they
belief of a million listeners seeing in their ate it up?”
50 WEIRD TALES
“Straight,” Danny Lomax told him. "I and ammonia. There’s something making
could feel it. They’re all still seeing that a slithery sound. I tell you something has
Thing you described, with the oyster face, got into this house from the swamp and
crawling in through the cellar window, is after me!"
up The
slithering
doorway
— the stairs, standing in your truck was jolting in second
the long unused road. The reporters
down
had
"Cut it!” Deene ordered abruptly. “And swung on. They were staring at Danny,
come down here. I’m There’s some- — sensing something, they didn’t know what,
thing coming in the cellar window where going wrong. Danny, the earphones tight,
we loosened the boards for the reporters to hung over the mike.
find.'” “Take it easy, take it easy,” he soothed.
Lomax turned. “Just had one drink too many, Nick. We
"Oh, Joe,” he called to the driver. “Take wrote all that down. It’s just on paper.
the truck down in front of the house, will You just said it. A million people believed
you? Save walking. . . . What did you say it, but you and I don’t have to, Nick.
then, Nick? I missed it.” We—”
“Christ!” Nick’s cry was a prayer, not
SAIDthere’s something coming in a curse, '"rhere’s something in the hall.
-L window!” Nick Deene’s
the cellar Something that scrapes and thumps. The
voice was almost shrill. “It’s knocking floorboards are creaking. Danny, don’t
around in the cellar. It’s coming toward you know I’m chained here and it’s com-
the stairs!” ing after me. It is! It is!” Nick Deene’s
“Steady, Nick, steady,” Danny Lomax voice was hysterical. "It’s at the doorway.
cautioned. "Don’t let your nerves go now. It’s—”
You and know just a gag. Don’t The voice was drowned out by a scrap-
go and
— I it’s

ing of gravel as the truck’s brikes went

"Mother of Heaven!” Deene’s breath on abruptly. Wheels fought for traction,
was coming in gasps. Danny could hear it lost it. A muddy spot underfoot had
whistle into the mike at the other end of slewed the broadcast truck to one side. 'The
the two-way hook-up. "There’s something long untended road gave no hold. 'The
coming up the stairs! Come and get me rear wheels slid toward the ditch beside
out of here!” the road, and in. The truck jolted, top-
Danny looked up, a frown between his pled, was caught as the hubs dug into a
eyes. clay bank. The newspaper men were jolted
he snapped,
“Joe, get going, will you?” off. Danny Lomax was bounced away from
and the driver looked around in annoyed the mike, his earphones torn off his head.
surprise. He scrambled back toward the mike,
“Right away,” he grunted, and the truck pulling himself up against the slant of the
jerked forward "This fast enougji to suit body. 'The earphones were cracked. He
you?” threw a switch cutting in the speaker.
Danny Lomax didn’t answer. “Nick!” he cried. “Nick!”
“Nick, you all right?” he demanded of “
— in the doorway now!” came the ter-
the mike, and Deene’s voice, almost un- ror-shrill wail from the speaker. “Coming
recognizable,came back. in! —
Oyster-face watery
^great, blank, oy-
"Danny, Danny,” it gobbled, “there’s ster-face —Danny, Danny, put me back on
something coming up the stairs with a sort the air, tell ’em all it’s just a joke, tell ’em
of thump-thump. I can smell marsh gas it isn’t so, teU ’em not to believe, not to
 THE BELIEVERS n
believe. Danny, do you hear, tell ’em not their had they stirred some
believing,
to believe! spark of force into life, had they jelled
"It’s coming in! It wants me! It smells, into the form of their belief a creature
and it’s all wet and watery and its face that
its face! Danny, tell ’em not to believe! Feet pounded behind him. Someone had
It’s ’cause they believe. It didn’t exist. I a flashlight. The beam of it, thrown out
thought it up. But they all believed me. ahead, stabbed the night. It played over
You said they did! A million people, all the house, and for a moment darted Into
believing at the same time! Believing the darkness beyond and to one side.
strong enough for you to feel! 'They’ve
made
It’s
Danny, they’ve brought it to life!
it,

just what I said it did, and it

doing
looks just like I I like I —
Danny! Help
AAnd Danny Lomax caught
of movement.
a glimpse

vague, gray- white glimmer of motion,

me! HELP ME!” a half-seen shape that moved with speed
The speaker saeamed, vibrated shrilly through the dense vegetation toward the
at the overload and was silent. And in half-acre swamp south of the house and
the sudden hush, an echo came from the for an instant shone faintly, as if with
night. No, not an echo, but the scream slime and wetness.
itself they had been hearing. Faint, and If there was any sound of movement,
dreadful, it reached them, and Danny Lo- Danny Lomax did not hear it, because the
max was quite unable to move for an in- scuffleof running feet and the hoarse
stant that stretched on and on as he lis- breathing of running men behind drowned
tened. it out. But as he listened intently, he
Then he galvanized into life, and as he thought he heard a single scream, muffled
darted into the darkness, the others fol- and cut abruptly short, as though a man
lowed. With horrifying abruptness, Nick had tried to cry out with his mouth almost
Deene’s faint screams had ceased. He could covered by something wet and soft and
see the Carriday house ahead, dark, silent, pulpy—
tomb-like. It was three hundred yards Danny Lomax pulled up and stood quite
away, and the curve of the road they — still,as the newspapermen and technicians
couldn’t go through the brush in black came up with him and ran past He
night —hid it momentarily. scarcely heard them, was scarcely aware of
'The three hundred yards took almost a them, for his whole body was cold, some-
minute. 'Then Danny, gasping, turned thing was squeezing his insides with a
into the old carriage drive, Nick Deene’s giant hand, and he knew that in just an
words still screamed in his mind. instant he was going to be deathly sick.
"They’ve made it, Danny! 'They’ve And he knew already that the bedroom
brought A million people, upstairs was empty. That the searchers
it to
believing at the same time
life!
— all

would find only half a handcuflf hanging

Could — Could —
His mind wouldn’t from the footboard of the bed, its chain
ask itself the question, or answer it. But twisted in two, some marks in the dust,
he had felt the currents of belief. In two and a few drops of slimy water to tell
hundred thousand homes a million people where Nick Deene had gone.
had sat, and listened, and believed. Be- Only those and an odor hanging pun-
lieved, and in the concentrated power of gent and acrid in the halls
 UPERSritlONS

^ lo SEAL THE FATE Of A VICTIM, THE

SiNCHALESB SORCERER SECUPES A
LOCK OF HAIP, PACINGS OF THE NAILS AND
A FEW SHPEDS OF CLOTHING FROM THE UN-
FOBTUNATE ONE. THESE ARE WORKED UP IN-
TO AN IMAGE OF THE VICTIM, AND WHEN COM-
PLETED, /iPf r//pi/sr /WO y///f/?f
///£ jo///rs k/0(///> ss. '
By this pro-
CEDUPE, THE VICTIM'S JOINTS ARE SUPPOSED
TO STIFFEN AND HIS bODH BECOME
SCORCHED WITH TLVT:^^ £//PWC /f^ U/S
In new Hebrides and .various othep
PARTS OF THE WORLD, HAIR AND NAIL CUTTINGS
APE HIDDEN SO THAT BLACK MAGIC MAU
WOT BE WROUGHT BH THEIR USE . . .
 %l BELIEF THAT CERTAIN 'RINGS HAVE
CURATIVE POWJERS DATES bkCK TO
ANCIENT POMAN PHySICIANS WHO CONSIDERED
THEM A PREVENTIVE OF MANH DISEASES.-.
A COPPER RING WAS BELIEVED /f Ct//?f
/"OP A PLAIN GOLD WED-
DING BAND fO/? JOjPjf A PING
MADE OF A SILVER COIN TAKEN FROM A
BEGGAR, /r ^O/? SP/lfPJS/ AND FOR
Q^AMPS AND ABDOMINAL PAINS,
pfppp or corr/^ sm/i/

.OVE tbriONS-MADE^ FROM THE

GROUND BONES OF A) BAT- ARE CONCOCTED
By WITCHES OF THE WE I
Balkans... This powder ILjT/?
IS THEN SOLD TO fc/
AN ARDENT
SWAlfi WHO
SLIPS IT INTO
HIS LADy'S COFFEE
ro pp/yf ppp
TO D/JTPPCr/OA/
wm io/£ or
 By SEABURY QUINN
What could they signify —those three little bitter oranges
piled in a pyramid on dead girl’s breast?

T. MARY’S CITY, Md., March 3. — who vanished from his house near Porto

S
as yet
Maryland
of St.
state police and authorities
Mary’s county report they have
been unable to find any trace of
Bello last Friday night.Gunnarson, who
bought the old manor house and what te-
mained of the once large plantation of
Chester Gunnarson, wealthy Brooklynite Elderwood last month, made a trip down
54
here to inspect the property two weeks ago, boxes in the orangery were found foot-
and lived in the old mansion several days, prints positively identified as his, but ex-
returning to his home in Brooklyn for a tended search has thus far failed to reveal
few days, then coming back here last Fri- any trace of his whereabouts.
day. Mr. Gunnarson was a cripple and had
He was last seen by a filling station been since early infancy, having been
attendant at St. Mary’s City about eight stricken by infantile paralysis before his
o’clock that night. Next morning his car, second birthday, and it would have been

an open sport roadster, was found parked physically impossible for him to have
in the driveway before the house. A ciga- walked any distance from the house. That
rette stump of the brand Gunnarson was he had not left by a vehicle other than the
known to smoke was found in an ashtray car in which he drove down from New
in the hall, in the soft eardi between flower York is believed proven by the fact that his
55
56 WEIRD TALES
car’s are the only tracks to have been found son of Brooklyn, N. Y., from my former
around tlie house. house at Elderwood, near Porto Bello, Md.
Eldcrwood, the house which Mr. Gun- Mr. Gunnarson’s purchase of the property
narson purchased, is one of the oldest, as was transacted through my attorney’s and
well as best preserved, of the pre-Civil his brokers, and we principals never came
War mansions in this locality. During the in touch with each other, but in the light
War Between the States it was the prop- of subsequent developments I have a feel-
erty of Judge Amos Pincliin, by whom it ing of remorse for not having made a point
was inherited from his grandfather, Gen. of meeting him and warning him of pos-
Jabez Pinchin, of Revolutionary War sible dangers attendant on occupancy of
fame. Miss Elaine Pinchin, Judge Pinch- those premises.
in’s only child, died there in tragic cir- Almost exactly one year ago I bought
cumstances shortly before Gen. Lee’s sur- Elderwood from a collateral descendant of
render, and war the place was
after the the late JudgeAmos Pinchin, and though
occupied by a succession of tenants, none the place was offered me at what seemed
of whom remained long in possession. an absurdly low price, I assumed this was
Portions of the plantation were sold off because of the shocking state of disrepair
successively until only thirty acres of the into which it had been allowed to settle.
original tract remained. These, together My first care was to modernize the house
with the house, fully furnished with au- completely, installing automatic oil heat,
thentic antiques, were offered for sale as electric lights and fixtures, and modern
a unit by George Hoffmann, wealthy Phila- plumbing. I then went down to look at it,
delphian, who bought and completely and found everything that could be de-
renovated the house a little more than a outward appearances. My wife
sired, to all

year ago. Mr. Hoffmann never assigned and daughters were also delighted with the
any reason for quitting the premises on place, and we spent several weeks there,
which he had exjTended so much money; entertaining friends from the Nortli. It

it is known only that he moved away after was a source of surprise and some little
living there less than three months, and disappointment to us that none of the local
that he thereafter advertised the place for gentry accepted invitations to evening par-
sale at less than its assessed value. ties, though they were all most cordial in
Until Mr. Gunnarson appeared there bidding us to their houses, and frequently
were no bidders for the property. The called on us during the day. We also
place has a bad reputation, and the colored found great difficulty in securing and re-
people and superstitious whites in the taining domestic help. None of the colored
neighborhood declare that it Is haunted by people in the locality could be induced to
a malignant spc-ctre. Mr. Gunnarson’s remain in the house, or even in the recon-
strange disappearance adds a note of eerie ditioned slave quarters, after night fall,

mystery to the history of a house about and we found that the white help brought
which mysterious stories have been whis- from the North were restless in the place,
pered for more than half a century. and soon found some excrise for leaving.
—
^New York Daily Sphere.
T WAS late last April, the 28th, as I

To the Editor of The Sphere. Sir-. It was I recall, that I found the reason for this.

with something like a feeling of blood- My family had gone North on a shopping
guiltiness that I read your article on the expedition, and in the absence of servants
strange disappearance of Chester Gunnar- I was left alone in the house. I distinctly
 SONG WITHOUT WORDS 57

remember hearing a hall clock strike times, "singing a song without words.”
11:30, but do not think it had struck 12:00 Of course, I had never taken any stock
when I noticed a peculiar light in the in that sort of absurdity, but as I looked
orangery, or conservatory, which was con- at that spectral figure I recalled the legend,
nected with the second drawing room by a and was more utterly afraid than I have
short glassed-in passage. As I recalled ever been before. I felt an almost over-
having shut off the lights in the conserva- mastering impulse to speak to the appari-
tory earlier in the evening, I rose to in- tionand demand what it wanted, but as I
vestigate. opened my lips to do so something within
You may imagine my surprise when I me seemed to sound a warning, and I ex-
found, upon going into the orangery, that perienced such a feeling of revulsion as
the illumination I had observed was not can only be compared to one’s feeling when
from the electric bulbs, but was a sort of he comes suddenly upon a copperhead or
cold glow, like a phosphorescent gleam, rattlesnake coiled in his^path. The feeling
appearing to emanate from a far comer was so strong that it amounted to a physical
of the greenhouse. That it was this sort of sickness, and I staggered, rather than ran,
weird, uncanny light, and not moonlight from the conservatory, and though it was
or other natural illumination, I am positive, late at night and threatening rain, jumped
and a storm was
for the sky was overcast into my car and drove as fast as I could to
blowing up from Chesapeake Bay. Leonardtown, where I spent the night.
As I walked further into the conserva- Next morning I returned to Elderwood,
tory to investigate the phenomenm I sud- bundled up all the family’s personal be-
denly perceived the figure of lyhat ap- longings and left the house, never to re-
peared to be a young woman stancfing with turn.
her face toward me. The odd greenish Not for anything would I have passed
light in which she stood was at her back, another night in that place, or permitted
and I could get no clear impression of any member of my family to do so. When
either her face or costume, though at the I offered the property for sale I had scarcely
time it stmck me she was wearing a dress any hope of acquiring a purchaser even
of antique vintage, something like the though my asking-price was much less than
styles we see depicted in old prints from the assessed value of the place. The fact
Gody’s Ladies’ Book. Whether she were that no one offered to buy the property till
fair or dark I could not make out, but Mr. Gunnarson’s brokers bid for it, and
there was something about her dimly-seen that he was a northern gentleman with no
face that was positively terrifying. She knowledge of the evil reputation of the
raised a hand and plucked an orange from place, confirms my belief that the residents
one of the trees that have been cultivated of that section of Maryland know whereof
by the Pinchin family since early in the they speak when they declare Elderwood
eighteenth century, and offered it to me. is haunted.
At the same time I noticed that her mouth I may add that I subsequently made at-

was open and her lips moving, as if she tempts to learn the legend of the house, but
were singing, but I could hear no sound. found that those to whom I talked either
Dimly, I recalled having heard that a could not, or would not enlighten me.
young woman had been murdered in that About was able to find out is that the
all I

greenhouse by a lover to whom she had spectre of a young woman appears in the
been unfaithful, and that her unquiet conservatory, and that she is always appar-
spirit was supposed to walk there some- ently singing. No one has ever heard her
58 WEIRD TALES
utter a sound, however, and it seems to be Odd how he’d come to buy it. 'They’d
generally believed that if she is addressed been looking over Rural Life one evening
the person speaking to her will thereupon when Geraldine had exclaimed, "Oh,
immediately heat "the song without words” lovely!” as she saw the advertisement: In
which she is singing, and as an immediate Southern Maryland, a fine pre-Civil War
consequence, will perish. house, modernized in all particulars, sur-
Who—or what— the mysterious woman rounded by a farm of thirty acres, running
in the conservatory was I have no accurate water through the meadow, river frontage
idea, but from the feeling of abysmal and with wharf -rights
instinctive terror w'ith which the mere sight "You’d like it?” he asked in that almost
of her inspired me, I have no moral doubt reverent tone he always used with her.
that shewas a manifestation of at least one "Oh, Chet, I’d simply love it!” she re-
phase of the dreadful Thing that haunts turned with bubbling enthusiasm. '"Think
Elderwood Manor. of it, that lovely, mellow old house, with
I fear this Thing is responsible for the rolling country all around it, and one’s own

unfortunate and crippled Mr. Gunnarson’s river-landing. Just like the colonial gen-
disappearance, and am certain that no trace And then, to have your own cows
of him will ever be found by anyone in
try.

and horses there and

—
or of this world. "And me?” he broke in gently, almost
I deeply regret not having carried out pleadingly.
my original intention of canceling the in- Her narrow, high-arched brows drew
surance on the house and then setting it down a moment in a mild frown, more of
afire, so that both house and haunting annoyance than of anger. "Yes,” she con-
Thing might have been destroyed for all ceded, "even you, Chet.” But the smile she
time. flashed him as she spoke took all the edge
Respectfully, off of her words.
George Hoffman, He said no more about it, but next day
Late owner of Elderwood Manor. he had his brokers get in touch with the
Philadelphia, Pa., March 6. attorneys who had advertised the place.
Now, with the deed in his pocket, he had
he sky was dappled like the breast of a come to look at the property. He’d have
T gray goose, and like tiny tufts of goose- another deed made out, and hand it to her
when she stepped across the threshold as
feathers little flakes of soft white snow
were wavering slowly through the twilight his bride. Too bad he couldn’t carry her in

as Gunnarson drew up before the tall stone the traditional manner, but

gateposts of his new house. It was lovely

GUNNARSON
in the winter dusk, that house, standing far
back from the macadamed highway, with
CHET
member when
could not
he had not been in love
re-

its long avenue of cedars stretched before with Geraldine She was three
Peters.

it straight as a plumb-lineand the lofty col- years his junior, and it seemed to him that
umns of its white glimmering
piazza he had loved her since that morning thirty
faintly in the half light. He
felt a sudden years before when his nurse had lifted him
warmth, almost like a glow of homecom- to look at the new baby in her frilled and
ing, as he looked at it. "Home,” the words rufiled carriage. "It’s little Geraldine,”
struck echoes in his heart, "this is to be the maid had told him. "She came to Mrs.
our home, mine and Geraldine’s, please Peters’ house last month. Isn’t she pretty?”
Fate.” Even as a three year old he had been
 SONG WITHOUT WORDS ^9

serious, with a quaintly adult manner of hips down he was the hopeless parody of a
expression. "She’s beautifid,” he answered man with trousers that hung limply about
fervently ashe looked into the little dim- legs shriveled tomere skeletal remains. His
pled pink and white face showing like a shoes would have been small for a ten year
flower between the knitted pink and white old lad.
bonnet and the pink and white eider-down And constant as his cruel deformity was
crib blanket. "She’s beautiful, an’ when his love for Geraldine. As a little girl
we grow up I’m goin’ to marry her.” she’d mocked his lameness, as an ado-
The nurse had turned her head away lescent belle she tolerated his companion-
quickly. "Poor lamb,” she muttered, half ship when better company was not avail-
a sob in her voice. able, as a woman she regarded him much
He hadn’t cau^t the words distinctly, as aMediaeval princess might have looked
but he understood their intonation, real- upon her fool. Occasionally she was kind
ized she negatived his expressed ambition. and gentle, more often she would whet the
"Yes, am, too,” he defended hotly. "You
I sharp edge of her wit*upon him; sometimes
just see if I don’t.Nobody’s goin’ to stop she was actually cruel. But she took his
me marryin’ her, even if I am differink!” lavish presents with an air of condescen-
His "differinks” from other children tion, let him call, or take her to the opera
was a thing he hardly understood, but it or theatre, and when he laid his heart, hb
was there, he knew that, even in those days. crippled, twisted body and his more than
Older people, ’specially ladies, made little merely satisfactory fortune at her childishly
deprecating clucking noises with their small feet, as he did periodically, she was
tongues against their teeth when they careful to make her refusals gentle, diplo-
passed him in the park or on the street. matic, and not too final.
He couldn’t run and play tag, roller-skate For Geraldine was poor. All her life
or roll a hoople like the other little boys she’d known the taste of genteel poverty,
and girls. While other lads were clothed and it was quinine-bitter on her tongue.
in shorts and sweaters, or snow suits, he She had no illusions. She was a merdiant-
was always dressed in trim blue sailor suits able article, definitely so, and she meant
with long, wide trousers that helped to to drive the shrewdest bargain possible.
hide the braces that were buckled to his She knew her beauty and allure, realized
shrunken, .puny little legs. When he the value of her pale-gold hair, her matte-
walked he hobbled with a lurching, stag- white skin, her straight, slim, softly, con-
gering roll. He often fell, he tired quickly. toured figure on which bargain basement
At thirty-three he still was "different.” dresses looked like Paris importations, her
Massage, electrotherapy and carefully su- gray eyes with their childish look of utter
pervised exercise had made it possible for innocence —
and which were so adeptly
him to move with less awkwardness, he able to put price tags on everything. Qiet
could even drive a motor car equipped with Gunnarson was her backlog, her reserve,
special treadles and a special driver’s seat, what her poker-playing friends referred to
but dancing, tennis, golf or any form of as an ace in the hole. So she rejected hb
sport except swimming was utterly beyond proposals with a gentle melancholy, as if

him. He was well-favored facially, with refusal pained her more than it did him,
smooth dark hair, a wide forehead and and always held out the faint, hopeful
sober dark eyes beneath delicately arched glimmer of "perhaps some day.”—
brows. Above the waist he was well made, 'The house was very dark, and cold with
deep chested, square shouldered. From the what seemed more than merely mortal
60 WEIRD TALES
chill. He played his pocket flashlight on tured face above the mantel, and as his liv-

the wall, found the electric switch and ing gaze locied wkh the picture’s painted
pressed it, then as gentle, moonlike light glance,he felt an odd, inexplicable thrill
spread from the shaded globes he formd run through him. 'There was nothing wan-
the switch controlling the oil furnace and ton or voluptuous in the painted face. The
flicked it In a moment came a subdued girl was dark, with pale, smooth skin and
whirring from the basement Everything sweetly curving lips. 'Therewas a tiny
was in order, it would be warm in a few mole, perhaps a beauty-patch, beneath her
moments, and he could spend the night left eye, a full-blown yellow rose was
quite comfortably there. tucked into her smoothly lustrous hair.
The advertisement had not overstated Her gown, cut low to show the shoulder-
matters. "Completely furnished with au- tips after the style of the eighteen-sixties,
thentic antiques,” it had announced, and was dark green silk, and round its waist
Chester took in the perfection of the fur- was bound a sash or scarf of yellow that ex-
nishings with a thrill of admiration. Mar- actly matched the flower in her tresses. But
ble vases, porcelain figurines, ormolu most of all the eyes were fascinating. Deep
clocks set off the solid lines of carved furni- blue they were, almost purple, and framed
ture. Here was a bit of beautifully shaped by long, thick, curling lashes. As he
mahogany, there a piece of walnut almost looked into them they seemed deepening
worth its weight in gold at any dealer’s in shade until they verged on black. Some-
and all of it was his. His and Geraldine’s. how, they seemed appealing to his chivalry,
'The little room behind the formal parlor begging piteoi:sly for something, but what
was especially attractive. Old-fashioned they pleaded for he could not tell.
chintz patterned with quaint bouquets For a long, pulse-pounding moment he
hung at the low windows, there were deep stood staring at the portrait, and it seemed
chairs and sofas covered with a warm rose- almost as if he’d stepped into a different
tone that complemented the gray wood- world. Even —he resented this, but it was
worL A coffee table of pear wood was so — as if he’d forgotten Geraldine and his
placed between a divan and the fireplace deep, almost hopeless love for her, and
where the split logs had been laid in readi- had somehow come to a goal he’d been
ness. Against the wall was a tall chest of —
seeking since ^was this remembering? he
drawers waxed to a satin finish, above it wondered. He could have sworn that he
was an antique mirrOr framed in gihr, an oil remembered this pale, fragile girl, that he
portrait framed in a narrow strip of gold recalled her soft, low laugh, the touch of
hung on the wall above the marble mantel. her soft hand, the sweetness of her voice
“
This is delightful!” he exclaimed. "So as she sang softly in the twilight ^when —
restful —homelike” —— his voice softened to did she sing — ^where —^how—
a tremulous whisper “our home; Ger- He shook his shoulders, closed his eyes
aldine’sand mine.” and opened them again, and he was stand-
Almost gaily he limped to the fireplace, ing once more in the charming little room
bent and set a flaring match to the piled with firelight brightening its walls, the
kindling underneath the logs, ffien, as a thrumming tune of a low winter breeze
little corkscrew-flame of orange fire curled was soiuiding at the window, and a picture
—
up:
softly,
“Welcome home,
“welcome to
dear,” he breathed
this house of yours
— — ^just an ordinary jMCture

wall before him.

^himg upon the

The sentence died half litered, for as he He woke suddenly to a vague sense
straightened he looked foil into the pic- of apprehension. An intangible tocsin
 SONG WITHOUT WORDS sr

seemed beating an alarm in his inner con- 'The door swung open to his touch, and
sciousness, a current of cold air seemed the cold, terrifying chill that froze the air
blowing over him. Like a dream-affrighted gave way to the rush of warm perfumed
child he roused to a sitting posture and air from the conservatory, ’The place was
looked round him. Now he remembered. almost literally alive with flowers: roses,
He had lain down on the sofa, comfortably gardenias, carnations, and the subtly-per-
aware of the log fire’s glow and the mount- fumed, star-bright blossoms of a pair of
ing heat in the radiators after his cold ancient orange trees. The greenery of wax-
drive. The chanting of the light wind bright leaves and slender, trailing tendrils
hurrying past the window and the softly seemed to move with a slow, gentle
hissing murmur of the firehad been a rhythm, as if they had been under water,
lullaby to him. How long had he been swaying with the flow and ebbing of small
sleeping.^ waves. Against the diamond-shaped panes
of the roof the snow drove with a faintly
piROM the hall there came the measured hissing sound. It was a stormy night; no
booming of the tall clock, a deep, delib- moon or stars could break through those
erate, echo-making stroke. One o’clock, or massed clouds that sifted down their
half-past something? he wondered. weight of snow-aystals; yet the whole con-
The flowered chintz that draped the servatory glowed with a faint lemon-
long French window opposite the entrance colored light.
fluttered forward with a wavering motion, He limped between the stands that held
as if blown upon by a light draft, and once the nodding flowers, wondering wheiKe
again he felt the breath of bitter, freezing that odd glow came. He could see every-
chill.He rose unsteadily on crippled legs, thing distinctly: the oranges that hung like
caught his balance and limped across the globes of gold upon the wax-leaved
room. branches, the climbing rosebush that shook
It was not a window, he discovered. It down its golden hoard of yellow blossoms,
was a door concealed by the hanging, and the
it let onto a short passage, glassed in on Involuntarily, he flinched from her. So
either side, like the entrance to a green- closehe could have touched her, she stood
house. Beyond, he saw the glimmer of the by the orange tree, the girl of the portrait.
small panes of a pair of glass doors; She had not been there when he entered,
through them gleamed a faintly greenish he could swear to that; indeed, he could
luminance, something like moonlight, have taken oath she had not been there two
rather like the pale dawn-radiance before 'Hie odd green glow that
breaths earlier.
the sun comes up, yet neither. He felt a seemed to come from nowhere, yet be
sudden reasonless tenseness; not fear ex- everywhere, illuminated her. He could
actly, but something not far from it. The see the yellow rose that nestled in her
old dark house seemed tense, too; breath- smooth dark hair, the yellow scarf that
less, waiting, listening. Why
should he bound her slim, slight waist; see her pale
be afraid? Of He
dropped his
burglars? face and great lustrous eyes, the bright,
hand where a little
into his jacket pocket smooth tresses of her hair, her full white
automatic rested. He might not be a match throat and gleaming ivory shoulders. She
for a prowler if they came to grips, but he stood so close to him that he could see
was an expert pistol shot. If he’d been the faint blue vein that traced itself across
followed here by someone who thought a her temple; her breath should have been on
cripple couldn’t resist his face, but he could feel no breath. Her
62 WEIRD TALES
lips were lightly parted and moved as if people fit to tunes that
less syllables that

she sang, but he heard nothing. have no words.

She was reaching for an orange from the Abruptly she stopped singing and
nearer tree, and he could see the tighten- smiled at him. He could see the laughter
ing of her bodice on her slender bosom as forming in her eyes, see the heavy lashes
she raised her white, bare arm. flickering, see the dimples showing in her
With a slow motion, like a wave, or like cheeks each side her mouth. Her teeth
a tree branch swaying in the lightest breath were very white against the redness of her
of breeze, she turned toward him, her great lips as she spoke: "Thank you. It’s good
eyes luminous, her face so pale, so sad, so to have someone speak to you.”
utterly entreating. One slender hand came His puzzled face showed he was fum-
forward, timorously. Like a little child bling for an answer to this wholly unex-
who fears rebuff she held the freshly pected statement, and she laughed, a
plucked orange toward him. tinkling, gurgling laugh that sounded like
purling of clear water over stones.
the
—
A WAVE of coldness almost nauseating
in intensity seemed through
to spread
"Yes, I’ve been so lonely here
"You came in earlier?”
wondering at her presence in his house.
he broke in,

him, beginning at his stomach-pit and

creeping slowly through his veins until it "Wasn’t it cold
—
toudied and paralyzed his hands and feet The laughter faded from her lips and
and throat. Yet, precisely as a person may eyes, leaving her face grave and sorrowful.
be frightened and attracted by a snake at "Very,” she responded earnestly. "And
the same time, he felt a sort of wondering dark.”
fascination. An impulsion to address this Here was a poser. He did not want to
strange pale girl whom he had never seen ask her why she trespassed on his property
before, yet for whom
he felt an inexplica- —probably she was a neighbor used to
ble affinity, swept over him. wandering through the old house, he re-
It was not in this man whom fate had flected. She couldn’t have known he was
hurt so cruelly to hurt anybody. He glanced coming, but —
To cover his embarrassment
down at the orange she held out, then up he began to peel the orange she had given
again to her sad, pleading eyes. "You” him. Its skin was tough and leathery, and
with a sobbing gasp he gathered his voice the pulp was hard and rather dry, and its
by supreme effort
—"you want me to take flavor had a bitter tinge to it that he dis-
it?” liked. She watched him intently, almost
And suddenly he was no longer afraid. with elation, as he ate. Another?” she
The chilling dread that had encased him asked as he finished.
like a glaze of ice fell from him, and she "No, thank you, but if you’d care to join
was just an ordinary girl —though more me in some more substantial food I’d be
than ordinarily attractive —holding out a delighted. I had a pantryful of things sent
orange to him.
bitter yesterday. 'That is,” he added ruefully,
Now he caught the snatch of song she "I hope they sent ’em in. I forwarded a
sang, a haunting, lilting little melody that set of keys to Blickenstein & Canby at

seemed to flutter like a black moth prisoned Baltimore, and asked that they put the sup-
in the web of its own tremulous cadences. plies in. Shall we look?”
But the words —
words they were—he
if As naturally as if she’d known him all

could not understand. They were in some her life she fell in step beside him, and
foreign tongue, or else the little meaning- he felt a sudden glow of appreciation when
 SONG WITHOUT WORDS 65

with perfect naturalness she stepped ahead it’s bad luck to come in one door and leave
of him, unlatched the passage door and by another?”
waited for him to pass through. Few Hesmiled tolerantly. These Southern-
young women showed such courtesy and ers! —
So superstitious and so charming.
consideration for his lameness. "I — hope,” he stammered diflSdently,
I

"Coming?” he called back as she hesi- "that I may have the pleasure of seeing you
tated. again — •”

"You want me to
into the house?” she asked,
—you are inviting
and he was
me "You will,” she broke in with a nod,
and though the words were lightly spoken
puzzled by the odd smile of elation that there seemed an underlying emphasis in
lighted up her rather somber features. them.
"Of course, I invite you. Come in.” Hewatched her thread the path between
He held his hand out and she dropped her the flower-boxes, saw her turn the angle
fingers into it. They were soft as rose of the aisle that led to the old orange trees
leaves, but so cold their touch chilled him. — then, with the swifl finality of a tropic
As she crossed the threshold, her hand sunset, she was gone.
in his, she bowed her head
moment, a "Odd,” he mused, "I didn’t realize there
still

as in acknowledgment of a favor. "Thank was a door there, but ” His mmination

—
you, again,” she told him softly. took another turn. The light. He could
not remember having turned it on, yet there
rpHE firm of fancy grocers had not dis- had been light here when he met her, the
appointed him. In the Frigidaire were same odd greenish glow had lighted the
eggs and butter and hors-d’oeuvres, the conservatory as she left. Now it was gone.
pantry shelves were lined with tinned and The place was dark and lightless as a
potted meats and fowl, the wine was neatly mausoleum. He shook his head again and
cased and waiting on the pantry floor. gave the puzzle up. It had been a night of
They made a merry meal of chicken mysteries, but very pleasant ones.
sandwiches and dry champagne, with little From his bedroom window he looked
&laires from a glassine package for dessert. out across the landscape. 'The snow had
Afterwards they sat before and
the fire stopped some time before, and the whole
talked, though what they spoke of he had countryside was like a giant frosted cake
little recollection later. He knew only with points of reflected starlight for can-
that she talked charmingly, and that she dles. ’There was no wind, the soft white
followed any conversational lead he took as flakes lay undisturbed as if —how was it?

aptly as a skillful dancer matches her step Almost beneath his window lay the
with her partner’s, and that when at last orangery. anyone had left it tracks
If
she rose to leave he had a feeling of regret. must have shown in the snow, but it was
"But I must go,” she told him with a virgin-smooth and unmarked, not even a
deprecating smile. "Think what the neigh- wind-riffle showed on its chaste surface.
bors might say.” For some reason this
seemed to amuse her, and she laughed un- TTIS sleep was troubled. Several times
seemed to him that little bells were
til it he roused to fitful wakefulness,
ringing in all comers of the room. prodded by the barb of a dream. Elaine—
"No,” she shook her head as he made she’d told him that was her name seemed —
toward the front door, "I came in that haunting him. Once he woke to semi-

—
—
way” with a nod toward the conservatory consciousness and lay with half-closed eyes
"and I’ll leave by it. Haven’t you heard to fancy that she bent above him in the
64 WEIRD TALES
cold white moonlight, that she looked into I come in?” And she was there. Her
his face with gloating eagerness, and that green silk gown had been changed for a
her lips were drawn away from teeth whose dress of brown wool stuff high necked,
whiteness was more frightening than beau- long sleeved, and tight about the waist and
tiful. Something seemed wrong with her hips. It looked archaic, like the dresses
face, too. It was not exactly changed, but one saw in the pictures of the belles of
in the moonlight it appeared less attractive, Civil War days. Still, this was Southern

gaunt and hollow-cheeked, as if it were the Maryland, perhaps there was a difference
face of one who had been starved a long, between their styles and the modes of New
—
long time, or he shrank from the com- York.
parison — dead, and brought back to a sem- “I’d been hoping you’d come,” he told
blance of life by the embalmer’s "Waited dinner for you, as a matter
Again he roused to fancy
art.

that she
her.
of
—
crouched upon the floor beside his bed, and "You did?” Delight showed in the long
that she put herhands up to her face and blue eyes that always seemed to hold a
wept between her fingers. She was sobbing hint of secrecy in their depths. "Oh, that
piteously, and he could make out some- was sweet of you. See” —
—she brought her
thing of the words she moaned between hand from behind her another
"here’s
her broken-hearted gasps. "I must not orange. plucked for you as came
hurt him—he is good and kind and gentle through
— I it I

—but the long, long waiting in the dark "How’d you manage he interrupted,
it?”

and cold, the loneliness of it —oh, I will not rudely, but curiously. “Fve been all
him
treat kindly, make him happy; I’ll give round that orangery, and the only door I
him love for love and trust for trust!” found was this one.”
Then he was fully awake and the lights Her long eyes seemed to slide away
were on, and he was lying in the great obliquely and lose themselves beneath their
four-poster bed with no one in the room silky ladies. "Perhaps I know a way no-
with him, and no sound in his ears except body else does,” she responded archly.
the muted crowing of a cock in some far- "Some day —^nuybe—show it to you.
I’ll
—
distant farmyard. 'Then you and I can come and go at will
Her words grew softer, trailed away before
He was
T he day passed like an age.
lonesome, nervous, distrait. He won-
the sentence was completed. She seemed
breathing faster, and a little patch of al-
dered where she lived, who she was, how most hectic color showed in either cheek.
she came to visit —
him how, indeed, she Silently she held the orange out to him.
had foimd entrance to the house, for he "No, thank you,” he declined. "It seems
had made a slow tour of inspection in the ungracious to refuse when the family who
orangery and found that save for the door built this house took such pride in their
leading from the little drawing room there orangery, but somehow I don’t care for the
was no entrance to the place. fruit. Ready for dinner?”
The dark fell early, long green shadows If she were disappointed she concealed
aeeping swiftly aaoss the snow, stars it admirably, and the candle-lighted dining
bursting out of the sky like a thousand room was soon achime with her gay laugh-
lamps all lighted at the same moment. And ter.

with the dusk she came. After dinner she played for him. She
He heard the rattle of the greenhouse had a lovely harpsidiord touch, and her
door, a little tinkling laugh, then, "May voice, though small, was sweet and true.
 SONG WITHOUT WORDS 65

The songs she sang were old, "Maid of His heart almost stopped beating as he
Athens, Ere We Part,” "Believe Me of read. After all these years Geraldine was
All These Endearing Young Charms,” going to marry him. They’d live together
finally "Darby and Joan.” in this lovely old house; they’d be so happy,
for he loved her so
"Always the same. Darby, my own,
'The scream that broke his blissful
Always the same to your old wife Joan,”
thoughts came from the orangery. It was a
she sang softly, then, tears on her lashes, woman’s, but it had the sexlessness, the
turned to him. utter impersonality of a thing of true hor-
"Tell me,” she demanded, "do you be- ror.
lieve there’s comfort for the miserable in It spouted up, a dreadful jet of ter-

having company?” rifying sound, then, witli an awful gur-

He pondered the odd question. "I don’t gling, sank again, as if it had been sucked
know, if the company were sympathetic back down into a drain.
and understanding
— He hobbled to the entrance of the green-
"Like the missionaries who go out to house. There was no light there, nothing
serve the lepers?” she pursued. but grim shadows lurking with a sort of
"Yes, like them. They go voluntarily; vengeful watchfulness to pounce on him.
but they must be comforted in serving, just He snapped the Iight-swit<±, called softly,

as the knowledge of their sacrifice must "Elaine!”

help the poor souls whom they serve.” There was no answer, but the echo of
"Could you make such a sacrifice?” She that dreadful scream seemed trembling on
was leaning forward, eyes alight, and he the closed-in air the way a bell-tone lingers
could see the movement of her bosom as long after the gong is struck. "Elaine?” he

her breath came faster. "If you felt sorry called again, and limped between the
for a person who had suffered dreadfully, flower-boxes toward the orange trees.
and you knew that you could help him by She lay full length upon the moist black
your sacrifice, could you give up your home earth, her little feet crossed one above an-
and friends to buy peace for that person, other, her arms stretched out from the
even though it might mean dying, as most shoulders, palms upward, as though she
people understand the term?” had been crucified against the ground, and
He shook his head. "I’m afraid not. from her throat a stream of bright blood
You see, there’s someone I slowly trickled. The blow that felled her
dearly. I couldn’t give her up
— love very
must have been a dreadful one, for her
"But she were neck was nearly severed by it. Her eyes
married
if

to
she didn’t love you;
somebody else
— if

were nearly closed, but not quite, and from

"Why, thatwould change matters. If her mouth, which hung a little open with
that were so, I don’t think I’d mind 'dying, a terrible, lax slackness, a little rill of blood
as most people understand the term’.” had dribbled till it ran across her cheek and
down her chin.
IT^HE message came next day at sunset, How long he bent above her he had no
curt with the brevity of a commercial idea. Time cannot be computed when the
telegram; breathing stops, and it seemed to him he

had not breathed for hours as he looked

Chet dear the answer is yes stop pok-
down at the ghastly, mangled form.
ing round that dismal hole and come
Elaine, poor little sweet Elaine! Who
back and marry me
•'
Geraldine had done this foul thing, who could have
66 WEIRD TALES
—he brought up suddenly, aghast. It was In Washington the fan-belt of his en-
a little thing, but somehow it seemed ter- gine broke, and as he waited in the service
rible as the murder. On the dead girl’s stationhe picked up a morning paper.
breast, arranged to form a little pyramid, "Are You Troubled?” ran the headline of
were three of the small, bitter oranges. A a small advertisement. "Madame Clear-
token of some sort, of course. But what? water, Clairvoyant and Noted Spiritualist,

What could they signify, those little bitter can help you. All sittings absolutely pri-
oranges piled on a dead girl’s bosom? vate.”
His mind began to work with cold logic. Laughing at his gullibility, but with the
There was some secret entrance to the hope the medium might have some
latent
place, of course, but there’d been scarcely explanation for his vision of the night be-
time for an escape. If the murderer were fore, he called a taxi and drove to the
hiding — He drew the pistol from his address given in the notice.
pocket, snapped its safety catch off and be-
gan a circuit of the greenhouse. «pOOD MORNING!” The medium
Slowly, limping painfully, he walked up came in bustling, her pink and white
one aisle, down another. Now he was face wreathed in a smile of professional
back where he had started. 'The body- cheeriness. She was the last person he
good heavens, there was none! would have taken to belong to her profes-
Where he had seen Elaine lie murdered sion. Plump, florid, in her middle fifties,
with the little oranges upon her breast she was attractively attired in a black crepe
there was nothing. No trace of blood, dress with cut-stcel accessories and blue
either. trimming. She might have been a matron
He knelt and pressed his hands against with grown children about to sally forth
the earth where she had bled. The to address a women’s club, or a church-
ground was moist, but when he brought committee-woman, devoted to guilds and
his fingers up they were unstained. Was good works. "Don’t rise!” she ordered
this the way that madness started? Had he hastily as he lurched upward in his chair.
seen a vision, been the victim of hallucina- "Just sit there and relax.
tion? "Now” —she fairly beamed on him as
Once more he made the circuit of the she dropped into an easy chair by a small
orangery, once more he failed to find a and drew a crystal ball out of a
trace or clue of murderer or victim. "Take
table
—
drawer "what can I do for you? Is it
it easy, boy,” he told himself. "Don’t let business,
—
romance, or ” With a little,
it get you down.” He had to get a firmer birdlike nod of her well marcelled head
grip upon his nerves. "Let’s think this she waited his disclosures.
business over.” Either the body was there, TTie change that spread across her broad
or it wasn’t. If it were there, and he could and rather homely features as he talked was
not see he was the victim of delusion.
it, almost frightening. Before he’d finished
If there had never been a corpse there, she was fairly squirming in her chair, the
he’d been "seeing things.” In either case bloom upon her full lips had receded, her
he was in need of medical assistance and rather large, protuberant blue eyes were
advice, and would be better far away. filled with such a look of dismay that he
Stumbling in his haste he hobbled to the would not have been surprised if she had
garage, set his motor going, circled down suddenly retreated from the room and
the long driveway and turned into the slammed the door behind her. At last:
highway heading northward. "You really saw all this?” she asked him
 SONG WITHOUT WORDS 67

in ahusky whisper. "You swear it on your never went to services held by the chap-
honor as a gentleman?” and he’d been heard to boast that he
"Of course. But why
— lains,

could put a curse which would endure

—
"Young man” she had her agitation in through all eternity on anyone he hated.

control somewhat, but spoke through trem- "This dreadful man was quartered at
bling lips
— "you’ve sto«d as close to the Elderwood during September, ’64. He
Beyond as anybody could, yet not go fell in love with Elaine, and though she

through the door. Do you know the his- swore she hated him, they became engaged.
tory of Elderwood?” You can understand that, can’t you? She
He shook his head and she drew a deep hated him and feared him, but her fear was
breath. "You are the first man to address greater than her hatred. So
that specter, though many have seen it. "When General Early
fell back after his

You remember how it frightened you at defeat at Creek Union soldiers

Cedar
first? That was nature’s warning; the in- pressed down to attack Richmond, and
stinctive fear of the living for the dead. Elderwood was requisitioned as a regimen-
You should have heeded it.” tal headquarters.
"But the moment I spoke the fear all "One night Beauchamp left his com-
seemed to slip away,” he returned. "I was mand, and
frightened at first
— in civilian clothes wriggled
through the Union lines till he reached
"Listen to me carefully,” she inter- Elderwood. Elaine was in the greenhouse
rupted, "and thank your lucky stars that picking an orange when he rapped on the
you’re alive to hear me. Judge Amos glass. She saw him looking through at
Pinchin lived at Elderwood in 1864. His her —and he must have been a fearful sight
daughter Elaine was the belle of all the with his clothes all rain-soaked, his hair
countryside, all the young Confederate offi- matted on his forehead and that fierce light
cers were wild about her, but she would people found so frightened glaring in his
give her hand to none of them. eyes. She screamed, and a Yankee sentry
"At last a young Lieutenant Beauchamp heard her. Beauchamp was captured, and
came to stay with them. He was a mem- since he was out of uniform, a court-
ber of a fine old Creole family from New martial sentenced him to be hanged for a
Orleans, and it was said his nurse had spy-
taken him as an infant to the voodoo rites "Perhaps Elaine could have saved him.
the slaves practiced in Congo Square. He had pleaded that his only reason for
There were strange stories about him. It coming through the lines was to see her,
was said he could take a rattlesnake in his but when the president of the court-martial
bare hands and stroke it till it fell asleep. A asked her if she loved him she took one

sergeant of his company swore that he’d look at him and screamed out that she
seen a Yankee rifleman fire pointblank at hated him.
his heart, yet Beauchamp was not only not "He asked as a special favor to be al-
killed, he kept right on and cut the Yan- lowed to say good-by to her in the
kee’s head ofli with his sword. Negroes on orangery. They put a sentinel at the door,
plantations where his troop was quartered and somehow Beauchamp overpowered
were terribly afraid of him; he’d speak to him and snatched his saber from its sheath.
them in some outlandish gibberish and A squad came running at the guard’s
they’d come crawling to him like whipped alarm. That’s how we have the tragedy
dogs, with a sort of sickly grayness under- so well authenticated, for these men saw
lying the dark pigment of their faces. He and heard all that transpired. Beauchamp
68 WEIRD TALES
had cut the girl’s head nearly oS with a library. Geraldine was in there, he knew,
single blow of the saber, and as the men but until he heard the man’s voice he
arrived he was arranging her so that she had not known anyone was with her.
lay cross-formed on the ground, with three She was sitting on a hassock by the fire,
oranges piled on her breast. He was curs- and her wine-red dinner dress splashed
ing her as she lay dying. out around her on the dark-blue carpet,
"He cursed her with unquiet rest in the blending with the ever-shifting highlights
grave; forbid her to find rest or peace till from the blazing empha-
logs. Its brilliance
she could find someone who would speak sized the ivory of her arms and shoulders
to her, notwithstanding a living man’s fear and the bright, metallic luster of her
of the dead, and would eat three bitter gleaming hair. Clive Van Ness was sitting
oranges from her hand. She must come by her. One of her hands was in his, the
singing when she appears, yet no one may other rested on his arm possessively. As
hear her voice until he’s spoken to her, and Chester halted at the door he heard the
no one may hear the words of her song last words of a sentence:

until he asks them. Until she’s been in- "

—
but you don’t love him, do you,
vited by a living person to leave it, she must Gerry?”
remain forever in the greenhouse where "Love him?”^ Her slow words were
she died
— ’’
heavy with contempt. "I loathe the filthy
"But why was I in peril?” Gunnarson Clive, but what are we to do?
demanded. "She didn’t seem
— cripple,
You’re poor as any mouse that ever went
'The medium interrupted with a bleak to church; so’m I. I’ve been that way all
smile. "You didn’t let me finish. She my life, but I’m through with all that now.
can find rest in the grave if someone eats 'The wealthy Mrs. Gunnarson is going
the oranges she gives him —but only if a places, mydear. Be a good lad, and she
person asks to hear the words of her song might you tag along. Divorce is easy
let

can she find entry into Paradise. And” these days, and I’ll get a cash settlement
—
” Her laugh was brit-
—
she shook her finger at him, as a teacher
might admonish a dull pupil "whoever
in lieu of alimony
tle, hard as the tinkle of a shattered glass.

hears the words of her song goes with her, Gunnarson drew back a half step, flinch-
whether it be to Paradise or torment.” ing as from a blow. It was a little thing,
"But how was it I heard her scream and that light, cruel laugh, but it had broken
saw her lying dead?” he pursued. his heart in a thousand pieces, and torn the
"Last night was the anniversary of her quivering fragments out by the roots.
murder. She has to re-enact it every year Everything he’d ever known or prized or
just after sunset. Had you waited an hour hoped for lay shattered into dust about
or two she would have come to you, just his malformed feet, and like a dreadful
as she always had.” soundless cry five words re-echoed through
As he rose she admonished: "Don’t ever the aching hollow where his heart had
go into that dreadful house again, young been: "I loathe the filthy cripple.” His
man. She might inveigle you into asking footsteps deadened by the thick carpet he
her to sing that wordless song, then” — she turned and crept out of the house, like a
threw her hands up in a gesture of com- wounded animal that seeks a place to die
plete finality
—
"please be advised by me. in solitude.
I know about these things.” All night he limped and hobbled back
Gunnarson paused in mid-step almost and forth across his room, contending with
in mid-breath, upon the threshold of the the dreadful emptiness that had engulfed
 SONG WITHOUT WORDS 69

his life. "Geraldine —Geraldine!” his half-light of gathering dusk as he wheeled

pulses seemed to sound the rhythm of her through the tall stone gateway. The after-
name in his ears, then, like a peal of glow of the sunset showed angrily behind
ghostly laughter roaring from the vastness long streaks of black clouds, as though a
of the winter sky, an answer beat upon him giant hand had been dipped in an ink-pot
bludgeoned him, crushed him
— "Filthy and drawn across the reddened sky with
cripple — filthy cripple — I loathe the filthy outspread fingers. The columns of the
cripple!” porch were tall pale bars that shut the pris-
He would put her out of his life, forget oned dark behind them.
her, never think of her or see her again. He was feverish with the onset of the
"Never see her?” He chuckled with a cold he’d caught from the exposure of his
rasping bitterness at the absurdity. Dear headlong coatless flight, but the fever of
God, he’d see her everywhere, in shop win- his haste was fiercer than the febrile racing
dows, in subways, crossing streets, in pass- of his blood as he flung himself out of the
ing cars! Reminders of her would come to car and clambered up the white steps of the
him every time he heard the quick tap-tap portico.
of a girl’s high heels, each time he caught The house was very still and quiet as he
the powder-sweet smell of an evening threw the front door open, it echoed small

wrap. He’d hear her voice in every note sounds hollowly, like an empty auditorium.
of music, every bird’s song; he’d hear the Somehow, it seemed to wait in breathless
mellow ripple of her laughter ha, her — silence, as an audience may wait the climax
laughter —
that was it! She’d laughed when of a play in tense expectancy.
she told Clive Van Ness, "I loathe the "Elaine!” he called as he drew back the
filthy cripple!” glass doors of the orangery. "Elaine!”
The lavender light of early morning was Only dusk-light, hardly more transpar-
just showing in the east above Jamaica Bay ent than a whorl of fog, was in the place.
when he unlatched the door, crept falter- Gloom blurred the outlines of the flower-
ingly to the garage, and set his car in mo- boxes, the orange trees were scarcely visi-
tion. He had not stopped for coat or hat. ble.
No matter. What were cold or heat to "Elaine!” he called again softly. "I’m
him? Men shivered with the cold, or here —I’ve come back!”
scorched with heat, and so did beasts, but A little glow of pale, cool light, no
he was neither beast nor man. What was larger than a firefly’s lantern, brightened at
it she had called him? Oh, yes, "filthy the far end of the orangery. It spread
cripple.” slowly, stealing through the shadows,
His tires drummed against the frost- seeming to absorb them rather than dispell
bound paving of Manhattan Bridge, lisped their gloom. It brightened steadily, until

and swished against the icy cobbles of he saw the nodding flowers in the boxes
Canal Street, whirred and thrummed plainly, even to the tiny veins that laced
against the smooth floor of the Holland their leaves.
Tunnel. Then she was there. Her face seemed
He was out of Jersey City now, heading forming from the drooping white buds of
toward the elevated highway. As the lode- the orange blossoms. The slim pale fingers
stone draws the iron Elderwood was draw- of her hands seemed paler than the flow-
ing him. He was heading southward; ers on the branches, the dark green of her
southward into M.aryland, to Elaine. sleeveless low-cut silken dress seemed al-
Elderwood was silhouetted against tlie most a continuation of the waxen leaves.
70 WEIRD TALES
She came toward him slowly, with a tears of pent-up yearning, shining with a
sort of rippling, flowing motion, both her rich, ripe look of promise.
hands outstretched. And both his hands "Sing to me,” he besought. "I want to
reached out to her. hear the words of your song!”
Her fingers tightened on his as she She threw her head back and sang smil-
smiled at him. It was as if a candle had ing.
been lit behind the sombre velvet of her Her voice was soft as water gently
eyes. Her became a soft, alluring
lips rippling in a moonlit stream, its cadences
curve. "My dear,” she whispered in a were gently seductive, with secret rhythms
throaty, husky voice, "I knew you would astir beneath them. He heard the words
come back to me!” Then she bent and and caught his breath in a quick gasp, then
kissed him, slowly, with her hands against let it slowly out.
his cheeks, as though she drank a long- Nor did he ever draw it in again. Hand
delayed draught and was savoring each in hand, with her song ringing down the
drop of it. timeless corridors of immortality, they
He reeled back from the aching sweet- stepped into that strange land which is

ness of her kiss. Her hands were still upon neither heaven, earth nor where
hell,

his cheeks, her face was very close to his, breathing is unnecessary, and words are
her eyes were luminous and dewy with the fitted to all wordless songs.

Shadows of Han
By GERALD CHAN SIEG
T)ENEATH the far, cold nimbus of the moon
Tlie palace rears its crumbling, ancient walls.
Old trees lean earthward, lean and lift their boughs
Against the curving roofs at intervals.
Across deserted courts and ruined rooms
A lonely quiet falls.

Yet in the inmost room, whose door was jade.

Whose panels teak, whose floor was patterned stone.
Pale dancers clad in ghostly peacock hues
Move softly as the leaves of flowers blown.
The scent of long-gone incense fills the air.

And specter lutes make moan.

 /Killed Hider

By RALPH MILNE FARLEY

SUPPOSE that I am a distant cousin ways kept my hair cut short and brushed
of the great Dictator who holds all back out of my eyes, and did not descend
I Europe in the hollow of his hand,
and menaces the peace of the rest of the
to the inanity of copying the little trick
mustache of Charley Chaplin.
world. For I too bear the name with I am a painter, a real painter, who does
—
which he was christened a name which portraits, good ones too. It is true that my
he later discarded. great artistic ability has not yet received,
I have been told that my looks resemble from my money-grubbing fellow-country-
those of my European cousin. But I al- men, the recognition which it deserves;
71
72 WEIRD TALES
but I was on the vferge of success when "Would you do it now, if you had the
this accursed "emergency” put a stop to chance?”
my painting. "Why not? It would be better than to
I have always hated my European cousin. rot in the trenches, as I now must do. And
Just think! So inferior to me in ability, my name would be remembered forever
and yet so famous, while I am still un- although, of course, I had rather be re-

known! But this hatred was merely im- membered as a great portrait-painter.”
personal, until by threatening the safety "Perhaps your heroic act would start a
of America, he brought about the enact- vogue for your paintings. Perhaps, when
ment of the draft, and I was called to the they have thus been brought to popular
colors. attention, the vogue for them would per-
"Selective service” — ball! What is there sist on their own merits.”

selective in taking a great artist, such as I, I stared eagerly at the Swami. "You are
away from his work? offering me a chance to do this?” I
*
There are some queer eggs in the artis- breathed. ,
tic and literary set which constitute most But Ananda shook his turbaned head.
of the population of Provincetown, Massa- His dark eyes bore a far-away expression,
chusetts, where my studio is located. One and a quizzical smile hovered over the red
of these queer eggs is Swami Ananda, who lips half -concealed in his bushy black
makes his living in devious ways by dab- beard.
bling in the occult. He is quite a pal of "No,” he declared. "What is written,
mine —admires my — art is one of the few is written. We mortals cannot thwart
who does. Karma — fate.”
"But perhaps it is written that I, the por-
came
H
service.
e
about
over to console with
my getting called into military
And I damned my cousin up and
me trait-painter of Provincetown,
the world of that other painter,
now become a colossus. Life and fate
am to
who
rid
has
hang
down to him. Also I damned the appeasers by a slender thread. Think of the acci-

who have treated with the Dictator. dents which the Dictator must have nar-
"Each of these men missed a chance rowly escaped throughout the entire fifty

to be a world hero,” I heatedly asserted. years of his life. Any one of those acci-

"When he conferred with the Dictator, dents might, by the turn of a hair, have
why did he not carry a pistol concealed be- spared the world —
and my art from what —
neath his left armpit? Why did he not we are now facing. Why could not some-
snatch it out and shoot the Dictator dead? one have killed him when he was a child!”
Of course he would have immediately been "You think so?” The Swami shook his
torn limb to limb. But what a glorious head. "Ah, no. For it is written that
death to die! To die like a true soldier, there must be a Dictator —
not only a Dic-
and thus save the lives of millions of his tator,but this particular Dictator to rule —
fellow countrymen, who must now perish over docile Europe, and plunge the world
in war, because the Dictator still lives. My- in war.”
relf perhaps included.”
"Would you have done in the place of UDDENLY a weird preposterous idea
these Ambassadors what you now say you S came to my mind. "If I could only
wish that he had done?” the Swami asked, travel backward in time,” I ruminated, "I
with an amused twinkle in his beady eyes. could seek out the boy, the Dictator-to-be,
"Most assuredly.” destroy him in advance, and thus undo all
 I KILLED HITLER 73

that thisworld has suffered since he first range it for you. And you can kill the
began his bloody march to power. Then boy, yes. It should be surprisingly easy.
I could return to my art-work undisturbed, You can change the past, yes. But you
and no-one but I would know what would cannot alter the present.”
have been.” "I can try!”
My mind drifted off on a time-traveling "Very well, try. Kill the boy, but the
journey into the past a dream of gran- — Gods of Karma will build up another Dic-
deur and glory, with myself in the role or tator, to take his place; for this man is but
arbiter of destiny, savior of the world. the symbol of what must be.”
Then I one flaw in the picture
realized the We ceased our arguing. Philosophic
— fly in the ointment —
was that I would bandying of words seemed banal, when
never get the credit for what I had done. there were deeds awaiting doing. I was

After that momentary glimpse of great- flushed and hot. My pulses were racing.
ness, the role of "unknown soldier” did I was eager to be gone upon my mission.
not hold much of appeal. Tomorrow would be too late, for I should
I sighed, thwarted. then be in uniform.
The booming voice of Swami Ananda But Ananda calmed me with uplifted
snapped me out of my day-dream. hand. Although I was in no mood to be
"It can be done, my friend. We Hin- calmed, I dissembled to humor him, for I

dus know many things not dreamed-of in needed his help.

Hamlet’s philosophy.” "We must first equip you for the jour-
"Will you show me how.?” I cried. Once ney,” he explained. "To when and to
more the glory of being the man to rid where do you propose to go?”
the earth of the great Dictator, swam be- "A certain little town in Central Eu-
fore my eyes. rope, in the summer of 1899; for that is
"Yes,” Ananda judiciously declared. "It when and where the Dictator was a boy of
can be done. I will help you. I will teach ten.”
you
But
—howhe shook
”
to travel backward
and
his turbaned head,
in time. "Then you will need clothes of that era,
and plenty of coin of a not later date.”
there was a sad distant look in his amber It was easily arranged. An appropriate
eyes.
"
—
it will do no good. Tlie world costume was found in the wardrobe of our
cannot be saved in that manner.” Little Theater group, and Swami Ananda
"Why not?” I demanded. produced some old Austro-Hungarian gold
"
'Der Mensch versuche die Cotter coins and small change. All was in readi-
nicht’,” he quoted. "It is not permitted ness by evening.
man to tempt the Gods. What is written,
is written.”
"Words! Mere words!” I shouted. I
was not a person to be brooked, when once
W
robe, the
E WERE alone together in my studio,
Ananda and I. From the folds of his
Swami produced a small glass
I had made up my mind to a course of ball, about four inches in diameter, se-
action. "If I can travel back to the time curely fastened to a spindle-shaped black
and place where the Dictator was a boy, base.
why can I not kill him, and tliereby pre- At his command, I seated myself in a
vent there ever having been this little man deep soft chair and stared up at his pene-
who now 'bestrides this narrow world like trating dark eyes. 'Then as he made passes
a colossus’?” in front of my face with his slender brown
"You can travel back, yes. I shall ar- hands, he droned, "Relax. Sleep. Sleep.
74 WEIRD TALES
There is no danger. Ail is well. It is a grass in the square of a quaint foreign
difficult task to force you backward through village. A young man in peasant costume
the years, but the return will be easy, almost was kneeling beside me, his arm support-
automatic, when the deed has been done. ing my shoulders. Quite a crowd had gath-
Now sleep. Relax.” ered.
The passes of his hands became more A portly woman bustled up carrying a
rapid before my blurring eyes. My ears stein of water. The young peasant took
hummed. My hammering pulses slowed. it,and held it to my lips. I took a deep
A delicious dizziness overwhelmed me. The draught, and shook my head vigorously
familiar studio sw’am about me. A fog to clear the cobwebs out of my brain.
drifted in and obscured it. "What — village ——is ^this?” I asked,
Out of the fog came Ananda’s slender hardly daring to hope.
brown fingers, handing to me the ball of They named the village for which I had
glass. set out.
And from far-off caverns boomed the My pulses raced.
echo of his voice, saying, "Now grasp "And what year is it?”
firmly the stem of this crystal globe. Stare "Hear him! He asks the year, rather
into its swirling depths. Concentrate on than the date. It is 1899, of course.”
the European village of your choice,
little Calming myself with an effort, which I

and on the year 1899. Concentrate. Con- am sure could not have been successfully
centrate. But always subconsciously re- made by a lesser man than I, I arose to
member to retain a firm hold on the stem my feet.
of the crystal ball. For that ball is your "I am a traveler from America," I ex-
—
return ticket ^your ticket back to now. plained. "The heat has been too much
When you have done your deed, focus your for me. You are all very kind, my friends.”
thoughts upon this studio and upon the I stared around the square. A nearby store

present time, gaze into the depths of this was marked "Mueller’s Delicatessen”; it
crystal, and you shall instantly return. I seemed to have .spacious quarters above. So
shall be awaiting you. Now concentrate. I asked the good lady who had brought me

Concentrate for your space-time journey!” the water, "Frau Mueller, have you rooms
I took the globe from his hand. With to rent?”
every remaining effort of my will, I stared Her bland face contracted into a slight
into its depths and pictured to myself the scowl, until I fished in my pockets and
boyhood home of the little child who was produced a gold mark. Then she beamed
destined to set the world aflame that is, — and nodded, with a: "Ja! Ja!” And soon
if I did not prevent him. I was ensconced in a comfortable room on

Complete darkness engulfed me, and I the second story, overlooking the village
fell —
or, rather, drifted —
backward, down, square. I made a few necessary purchases,
down, down, to the beating of ever louden- and then sat in my diamond-paned window
ing drums. and waited.
Later in the afternoon the square filled

V OICES around me,^

Central European dialect:
gentleman has fallen. He
Voices speaking a
"The tourist
appears to have
with children.
dirty, disheveled, snarling,
Instantly I noticed
whining, schnit-
faced brat, playing half-heartedly by him-
one

fainted. Quick Frau Mueller, fetch some self. From the black looks which he gave
water.” the other boys from time to time, it was
I opened my eyes. I was seated on the evident that he hated them —considered
 I KILLED HITLER 7?

them to be conspiring to oppress him. And Politxei might think to ask fcr my non-ex-
from the furtive glances which they occa- istent passport. Dumkopfs that they were,
sionally cast back in his direction, it was they had doubtless assumed that I must
evident that, they instinctively disliked him have had one in order to get thus far into

—perhaps even feared him somewhat. their country; and, so long as I paid my
Going downstairs into the shop, I bills, created no disturbance, and kept as
pointed him out to Frau Mueller, and in- inconspicuous as possible, the question
quired as to his identity. might not come up. Still, there was always
With a sniff and a snort, she mentioned the possibility.
a name the same as mine. As the days passed by, some imp of per-
Although I had instinctively known that versity
—hand
perhaps the actor in me that
—led me not
went
it was he, my pulses quicked at this con- hand in with the artist
firmation. I hastened out into the street, to shave the center of my upper lip, led
and approached my prospective victim. me to let my hair grow long. It would
"My "Can you direct me
lad,” I said, add to the irony of fate, .for the slayer of
to the Convent?” For I remembered that this little lad to resemble that which he
at this stage of his life, the great Dictator was now destined never to live to be.
had been a choir singer —of all things!

Ffe eyed me furtively, appraisingly. A S I studied the unattractive brat — tried

"Why should I!” he growled. to worm my way into his confidence
I held out a small coin. Instantly his by bribery with small coins — I could not
manner became subservient and ingratiat- help growing to admire him. Here he was,
ing. a ragged nobody, son of a ne’erdowell,
"Oh, most certainly, Herr — ?”
who did not know his rightful name. Hated
"Smith,” I added. It was the English and mistrusted by all the other boys, and
name which I had given to my plump land- hating them and the world in turn. Any-
lady. one who could build on that quicksand
The next several days I devoted to try- foundation the pillars of a great empire
ing to win the confidence of the little lad, was deserving of respect.
but proved very difficult to get under his
it The little fellow had a keen mind, and
hide. Fie was one of those "souls like a retentive memory. He asked innumer-
stars, that dwell alone in a fellowless firma- able, and very intelligent questions about
ment.” America. My America —damn — it the
Not only was it necessary to become in- country that refused to recognize my art.
timate with him, so that I might find a The boy had a real appreciation for finer
chance to lure him somewhere where I things, for he instinctively recognized my
could murder him and make a safe get- ability —even treasured some gloomy little

away, but also I was intrigued by this op- sketches which I made for him. Almost
portunity to study the beginnings of the was I tempted to let him live, let him over-
man who was destined some day to have run the world, until I remembered how
the whole world by the tail. No that — his War had disrupted my peaceful life
was not right. Rather the man who, but and had interrupted my incipient career.
for me, would have had the whole world So for my own sake, much as I had
by the tail. grown to admire him, the boy must die,
Almost unlimited time was at my dis- so that the man would never come into be-
posal. The only restriction was the extent ing. For I saw in him the possibility of
of my funds, and the danger that the local some day perhaps becoming even a greater
76 WEIRD TALES
artist than I —and I resented this intrusion What a relief to find the crystal globe
into my own exclusive field. still in the closet in my quarters! With
At last my opportunity came. By prom- trembling hands I seized it and sank into
ises of a painting lesson, I lured him to a a chair.
picnic in the woods. And there I wrung A step on the stairs — it might be the
his little neck. police, even now coming to arrest me for
The boy was dead. Now he would never the murder of a child.
grow up to bestride the world. I had saved I gazed fixedly into the crystal depths.
our generation from a useless, pointless I concentrated on my studio and Swami
massacre. Europe would be free. America Ananda.
would be And, what was more to the
free. Inasmuch as I am a —and
painter
point, I myself would be free free to re- — a very realistic one, I believe —my mem-
turn to my quiet seashore life, and my be- ory is a vivid pictorial one. In the
loved canvases. swirling interior of the glass globe I could
My first reaction was that of personal tri- actually see the tapestry-draped walls of
umph. I, a mere obscure American painter, my work-room, my canvases standing on
had overcome the greatest Dictator in the their easels and stacked along the walls,
history of mankind. And why not? Given and the turbaned swarthy visage of my
the opportunity, even I might have been Hindu friend, nodding and smiling at me.
a greater Dictator than my cousin. The lips beneath his thick black beard
At no I feel any compunction
stage did were moving. There was an inscrutable
at the deed. Something of my cousin’s something in his smile, as though he were
own conscienceless fixity of purpose had mocking me.
been contagiously bred in me by our close His parting words, on the eve of my
association together. journey back into time, flashed into my
And I had not the least fear of any re- memory.
prisals. No Politzeidiener could arrest me "You can change the past, yes. But you
and hold me for the murder of this little cannot thereby alter the present.”
boy; for long before the crime could pos- We should see! I had nipped the Dic-
sibly be discovered I would be forty years tator in the bud. It was inconceivable that

and half the width of the world away. All a dead man could ever rise to power. I
that I would have to do, in order to make squared my shoulders, with supreme con-
good my escape, would be to return to my fidence that I had saved the world and my
rooms over Frau Mueller’s delicatessen career as a painter.
shop, grasp my crystal gazing-globe firmly Ibegan to sway, and a dizziness en-
in my hands, concentrate on my studio, gulfed me, exactly as the time before. But
and on Swami Ananda there awaiting me. this time, as the waves of darkness swept
'That is, if my "return ticket,” the globe, over me, I fell forward rather than back-
were still there. ward.
Horrors! Suppose something had hap- My last reeling thought was to wonder
pened to it in my absence. Cold sweat what the Chancellory in Europe’s capital
broke out on my forehead, as —not waiting city would be like without the Dictator,
even to cover the twisted little body with whom I had prevented from ever existing.
leaves —
I turned from the grove where we I relaxed my grip on the stem of the
had been lunching, and rushed headlong, gazing globe. I should need it no more,
panting, back to my room on the village for I was going home, my mission accom-
square. plished.
 I KILLED HITLER 77

radually —
G blinked my
the light
eyes
returned.
and stared around
I given peace the only permanent peace,
peace of the sword. Then I shall resume
my
me. paintings. I have always wanted to

I was standing an ornate salon. Fac-

in paint. I had rather be known by posterity

ing me stood three men. One was a mas- asone of the world’s greatest painters, than
sive fat individual with beaming face. He even as the savior of my beloved country.”
was immaculately clad in a perfectly tail- My fat friend opened his mouth as
ored uniform. The second was a ferret- though to register an objection, but I si-
faced fellow, short and slim, with one lenced him with one flash from my blue-
clubbed foot. The third was a suave and gray eyes. He closed his lips and bowed
gentlemanly appearing personage, a typ- meekly.
ical high-class salesman. The interview was over.
In unison they raised their right arms "Heil, Hitler!”
aloft as they intoned the words, Heil to "Heil!”
our Fuehrer.” Instinctively I raised my The three backed out of the audience"
own hand and replied, "Heil.” chamber. I was alone.
"What are the wishes of the Fuehrer?” The reaction to my moment of exalta-
the resplendently uniformed fat man in- tion came. Suppose our assault on the
quired in an oily tone. Americas should fail. Suppose tlie scorned
My eyes narrowed, and I set my jaw. democracies should hold firm.
"My patience is exhausted,” I replied. Well, if worst came to worst, I could
"At dawn tomorrow we launch our ar- flee, as the last of the Kaisers had done be-

madas against America. That corrupt, fore me. And there would still remain
treacherous, democratic country must be my beloved painting. I was young yet. I
crushed. America has refused to recognize could still startle the world with my mas-
my greatness. And when, by my efforts, terpieces.
my people have resumed tlieir rightful Alone in my chancellory, I raised my
place in the sun, have won their Lebens- arm aloft, and shouted; "Deutchland fiber
raum, I shall retire, amid the plaudits of alles! Hitler fiber Deutchland! Heil Hit-
a grateful world to which I have at last ler!”
 ^'•i^ '

If you should speak in the i^oods

of AmasookH, your words are
clothed with flesh and blood. So
the Indians believed. . . .

Came True
in the Woods
By MANLY WADE WELLMAN
When the Horror passing speech In the teeth of things forbid
Hunted us along. And reason overthrown,
Each laid hold on each, and each Helen stood by me, she did,
Found the other strong. Helen all alone.
—
Rudyard Kipling

H elen

turned up to him.
called,
took long steps to keep
with her father. Her chubby face,
solemn in its pointed blue hood,
"What
Daddy?” she asked
are these
up

woods
for the fifth
Clay said patiently, blowing out blue
kit,”
smoke on the brisk autumn air. "Can’t
you remember, Helen? You’re six now,
and you recited 'Horatius’ for the people
at the cabin last night.”
"
time. 'Horatius’ is easy,” Helen explained,
"The Indians called them A-ma-soo- as her short legs in ski-pants made hoppy
78
 IT ALL CAME TRUE IN THE WOODS 79

haste to stay beside her father. "A-ma- little daughter might attempt. "Fairies and
soo-kit,” and she achieved it at last, "is dwarfs.”
QOt. That’s foreign.” She was silent, "Oooo!” squealed Helen again, and
catching her breath, and Clay slowed to a glanced around searchingly. "Daddy, there
saunter. —
was a dwarf right there with a long beard
No sense in wearing the child out,
and the walk along this trail was too beau-
and a red cap
that bush.”
—peeking out frtim under

tiful to hurry, anyway; the brush that She pointed excitedly. Clay smiled down
fenced them in on either hand offered every at her, and led the way around a bend of
fall tint that was richest and brightest the trail. The shrubbery was thicker here,
lemon, peach, orange, scarlet, royal purple. and its coloring even richer. Moss made
As for the trees of the wood, taller and the earth green under their boot-soles.
more distant, they might have been a sea- "It was something to see, then,” Clay
floor garden with their welters of warm red remarked, still grave. He knew some par-
and gold clumped on their boughs. ents, and despised them, who would call
"No, it isn’t foreign, Helen,” laughed any child who claimed to see dwarfs a liar.
Clay. "Why, the Indians were the first But Clay remembered his own childhood,
—
Americans they lived here for ages be- the vividness of his games and imaginings.
fore our people ever thought about the Helen put her hands in her jacket
Mayflower.” pockets, imitating her father. "Are there
"Before George Washington?” That witches here too?” she pursued her in-
was Helen’s ultimate conception of an- quiries.
tiquity. "Mmmmm—no.” Her father would
"Ever so long before. They had a right like to rule sucli thoughts out, ever since a
to name these woods.” night of awful dreams after Betty had
"What does the name mean. Daddy?” heard some Hallowe’en tales. "Whatever
Clay drew on his pipe. It was a favorite witches there were in this country got
of his, a big-bowled i^glish briar. Quite driven away by Cotton Mather, you know.”
a time would pass, he mused, before he’d "Is Cotton Matlier here?” she asked at
be buying any more pipes in England, once.
what with the war and all Helen was — "Cotton Mather is in heaven,” said Clay.
tugging at his hand to hurry the answer. "Let’s stop while Daddy fills his pipe.”
"Why, I’ve told you that, too,” he re- Waiting, Helen glanced up at the half-
minded. "A-ma-soo-kit —the Trees of hazy sky, as though she expected to see the
Truth. Because the Indians believed that old Puritan divine look out at her, dwarf
any words spoken here came true.” fashion. "Well,” she said, "are there giants
"Oooo!” Helen was again intrigued. She in these woods?”
liked outings of any kind, and had danced Tamping down the tobacco in the bowl.
when her parents took the cabin on the Clay held a match to it. He shrugged in
edge of this forest reserve for fall week- defeat —what can you do with kids? They
Now, the place had a story simply throve on stories of excitement and
ends.
tached
—"All if

words come true,” she re-

at-

danger and terror. He and Mrs. Clay had

peated with relish. "You mean, like fairies tried to hold Helen down to gentle fan-
and dwarfs?” tasies like Peter Rabbit, but Helen’s taste
"Exactly,” nodded Clay with the utmost ran stubbornly toRed Riding Hood’s wolf
gravity. Imaginative himself, he encour- and even grimmer gentry. It came to Clay
aged when he could any romancing his that in keeping the stories mild he might
80 WEIRD TALES
be frustrating an instinct. That would be bad things — spirits and witches and so on.
—
bad what did J. G. Fraser have to say Giants are bad things, just about the worst.
about such childhood tastes? Or Irvin S. They hate the smell of tobacco. Especially,”
Cobb? Or Freud? Clay decided not to and he exhaled a bigger cloud, "when it’s
deprive Helen further of giants. Bad in a magic pipe, like Daddy’s.”
dreams tonight would be on his own head. Helen glanced at the trees once more,
but not pallidly this time. Her chin was
YES, indeed,” he nodded. "The squared.
Trees of Truth would be full of "Well, then, I won’t be afraid of those
giants. Big ones.” old giants over there,” she announced
"Bigger than you?” suggested Helen, sturdily.
who considered her father to be of tremen- At her games again, thought Clay.
dous stature. "Good girl!” he applauded. "Let’s sit down
"Much bigger, darling. And bigger than here, on this nice soft rock, and I’ll tell
Uncle Frank, or the football boys you saw you more things.”
last week. —
Twice ^three or four times as He had meant to turn the conversation
big. Taller than those trees yonder.” to the autumn colors of the leaves, dis-
Helen glanced at the trees, and shivered. cussing them in simple terms Helen’s six-
"How many eyes do they have?” she al- year-old mind might digest. But, as she
most whispered. took a seat beside him, she had no such
"Only one eye apiece,” improvised Clay idea.
promptly, remembering the Cyclops who "What do giants wear. Daddy?” she
imprisoned Ulysses. "One eye in the continued on the subject which just now
middle of the forehead. But, on the other preoccupied her.
hand, they have each two or three rows of '"They wear skins,” he smiled down at
teeth —
sometimes more, and as sharp as her. "Deerskins and bearskins, sewed to-
swords. And
shaggy beards.” gether like patchwork, to make a piece big
She glanced over her shoulder at the enough to cover them.”
trees, and grew pale. Her eyes were still fixed on the middle
"I’m afraid of them,” she said. distance beyond the brush. "What kind
But Clay had been thinking hard and of shoes?”
fast, to deal with just such a contingency. "No shoes, of course. Their feet are
"Don’t worry,” he told her. "The giants too big for shoes, aren’t they now?”
can’t hurt us —
not when Daddy smokes "I suppose so,” agreed Helen seriously.
this magic pipe all the way from Eng- "I can’t see their feet from here —What
land.” He blew out a great cloud of blue do giants eat?”
vapor by way of punctuation. Because "Men,” said Clay impressively.
giants are afraid of it.” "Men who don’t have magic pipes?”
"Really truly?” And Helen squinted "Yes.” To comfort her, Clay blew
hopefully at the pipe. smoke. "Nobody had better come among
"Oh, yes. Terribly afraid. ’They’d the giants without tobacco.”
never dare come near enough to touch us.” "They look scared,” announced Helen,
Clay began to mix in fragments of half- and stood up as if to get a better view
forgotten Indian lore, learned a genera- of something. "Look at them. Daddy.”
tion ago in Boy Scout camp. "You see, the "Yes, yes, you’re right,” nodded Clay,
old Indians used tobacco for a charm. Their stooping to pick up a very brilliant maple
medicine men smoked it to drive away leaf. "Now, take this to Mummy when
 IT ALL CAME TRUE IN THE WOODS 81

we get back, dear. Say that it’s a souvenir over his head. At the top of his voice he
of this walk in the woods.” yelled:
"You’re not looking, Daddy. Not look- "Hi! Hi! Hi!”
ing at the giants.” Helen was pointing in- From his gaping mouth the pipe
sistently. dropped, bouncing on the mossy ground
To fall in with her humor. Clay lifted beside the rock. Clay turned and ran his
his head and looked. fastest down trail.

At almost the same moment he heard

rpHERE were three of them, and not a mighty crashing, as of elephants among
more than thirty yards away, taller than the timber. He permitted himself one back-
the topmost branches of the gorgeous red- ward look. The three great towers of flesh
and-gold trees. had sprung through the brushy hedge and
Clay could see them from the waist up- were lumbering after him. All three.
ward, above the thick trailside brush None had paused to hunt for Helen.
lumpy, hairy, skin-clad, like the ugliest of He felt a thrill of • elation. Thus the
colossal statutes come to life. Two had parent partridge saves its hidden young
beards —
one black, the other grizzled and by diverting danger and pursuit after it-
—
blond and the third wore long gun braids self. He flourished his arms and yelled
hanging like lengths of cable at either side again. 'Then he saved his breath for run-
of a gross, hairless face the width of a ning.
bureau. No use.
So Helen had not been imagining giants, 'Their legs were longer than his entire
after all. body. One of their strides made four of
In the back of a brain that throbbed and his. Behind, then above, he heard a fur-
whirled. Clay fenced off a tiny corner for nacelike panting. A upon
grip fastened
what sensible thoughts he could summon. him — fingers as long as his arms. He was
No time now, he told himself, to wonder lifted from the ground in mid-career. 'The
how or why. Thewas to get
necessity air rang with a deep stormy growl — a con-
away
rising
—from Helen
get away,
where he
Without
sat,
at least.
he caught Helen’s
cert of prodigious laughter.
After one convulsive stmggle, like a
shoulder and pressed her back and back, chicken in the jaws of a fox. Clay made
sliding her off the stone. himself go slack. He might have a chance
"Darling,” he said, wondering why his later, had best save his strength for that.
voice remained steady, "there are bushes If there was no chance, a doomed man
near us. Crawl under them. Far under. should have dignity — The three gathered
If there are thorny branches, get under and exulted grossly over him, the two
those. Don’t move or make a noise, until giants and the giantess. To them he was
Daddy has made those — those things go smaller than Helen would be to him like
away from here. When you can’t see or a doll or a baby. He saw at close hand
hear them any more, get up and run back their eyes —
each had but the one, deep set
along this trail we came. Get to the cabin.
— in the middle of the low forehead as —
Once you start running, don’t stop large as tennis balls; their mouths like open
Heheard the dry leaves rustle as she satchels, all studded inside with rows of
silently obeyed. She was doing her part. pointed sharky teeth; their hairiness, their
Now he must do his. patchwork skin garments, their bare feet
Springing up suddenly, as high into the like toe-fringed bolsters. Dangling in mid-

air as he could, he flourished both arms air, Clay recognized his own handiwork.
82 WEIRD TALES
Among the A-ma-soo-kit, the Trees of make sense. Even if searchers found his
Truth, any spoken word became fact. The bones, stripped and crushed
idle improvisations of a father diverting "You let my Daddy alone!” commanded
his little one had taken shape, flesh, life. someone close at hand.
The one who held him was the oldest,
with a mat of buckskin beard turning gray. CHHE voice was young, shrill and indig-
Some of myriad teeth were broken.
his nant. Clay bracing himself to feel the
This captor grunted to the younger black- crushing impalement of the cedar stake,
beard and the terrible woman-mountain knew and in despair counted his
that voice,
with the braids. The dark giant drew from sacrifice as useless —
Helen hadn’t hidden,
his girdle-thong a stone knife as long as a hadn’t escaped. She had followed his ab-
scythe, with which he began to whittle. horrent captors, was coming among them.
First he uprooted a. cedar sapling, and "Let him alone,” she was repeating, "or
pared away its branches with powerful I’ll
—” There was deadly, confident men-
slashing digs of his blade. Then he sharp- ace in her little-girl voice.
ened the tip, like a pencil. Beside the trail The grizzled giant lowered both his
lay a fallen trunk of pine, dead and begin- hands, with the spit in one and Clay in the
ning to rot. Setting down his pole, the other.
young giant caught this log in his huge His huge single eyes widened and
hands and with a single humping of his protruded grossly. The firelight made it
muscles wrenched it in two lengthwise. gleam like a very nasty jewel. The fulvid
Kneeling, he set the sharpened point of tangle of beard parted, the open mouth
cedar upon the exposed inside of one slab, writhed over the rows of broken fangs.
and began twirling the stake briskly be- Clay managed to turn his head as he
tween his palms. hung in the prisoning grip.
Thus spun, the point drilled a hole. He had never realized how small Helen
Wood meal crawled out. It smoked from was, how frail. She seemed barely as long
the friction, glowed. The giantess, with a as any one of the great bare feet among
fistful of shredded bark, evoked a flame which she had planted herself. Her arms
that greatened and put forth smudge were set akimbo, her head flung back so
fire made by rubbing sticks. Fire for that the hood drooped from it, her eyes
what? glittered. So Clay had seen her often be-
Beneath big skilful hands the fuel quick- fore, when her young temper was up. Only
ly caught. The flames grew and climbed. one thing was really strange about Helen.
The grizzled monster that held Clay In a corner of her mouth, clamped tight
nodded his big bushy head in approval. between her six-year molars, rode the Eng-
It was a cooking fire. lish briar pipe he had dropped. Above
His huge captor lifted him. The cedar and around Helen’s rufiled hair whirled a
point turned toward his stomach. The wreath of tobacco smoke. Even as he saw
other two giants watched with relish, and all this, she puffed out a bigger, bluer
the tongue of the giantess, like a red ban-
ner, came into view to moisten her lips.
cloud.
"Why did you
— ” Clay tried to begin,
This, Clay thought with the corner of but no words came. He was done
for, un-
was an end that
his brain kept sensible, able to move Helen looked, not
or speak.
nobody w'ould ever believe. He would at him, but at the giants.
never be seen again. Helen, back at the "I guess I’ll show you!” she squealed at
c.abin, would tell a story that would not the three staring hulks, just as she might
 IT ALL CAME TRUE IN THE WOODS 83

have defied the biggest and roughest boy Qay got up, shakily. Helen took his
in her school. hand, as though it represented to her the
One giant, the black-bearded one that surest pledge of safety.They turned home-
seemed youngest, was first to move. Very ward on the trail. "Helen,” he said, "what
raptly he lifted one foot and set it down has happened today? Before I slept?” —
again, well behind the other. Then he re- "Oh, you mean about those giants?
treated a second pace. A third. The giant- Why, just what you said.” She looked up
ess, who had crouched to blow upon the at him with a little wonder that he should
fire, also moved backward on all fours, not be sure.
rather tremendous and revolting
like a Then it had been true, among the Trees
crab. Helen favored these fugitives with of Truth. She, too, had seen and known.
no more than a flick of her bright eyes. She "Helen, how were they driven away?”
wheeled toward the grizzled one who still "With the magic pipe. Daddy. "You
stood his ground, holding Clay like a know. I smoked it.”

trapped frog. This as carefully and clearly as though

Rising on tiptoe, Helen hooked one hand she were the adult speaking to the child.
in her father’s trouser-cuff. "You put him "Why, Helen,” he
down,” she ordered terribly, "or I’ll blow ma — said, "this isn’t a

some more smoke, and you’ll wish you had.” Then he broke off. Better to be careful
She suited action to word. about talking away any protection. He
Above Clay sounded a great hacking cry, asked another question. "You weren’t
as the giant choked and strangled. He felt afraid?”
himself released, falling heavily to the "Not with the magic pipe. You told me
ground. The odor of burning tobacco they hated it. And everj'thing comes true
smote his nostrils. He heard the heaviest in these woods —^whether it’s about giants
of feet scrambling and stumbling away. or pipes.”
He heard Helen laugh, in harsh triumph, Clay agreed iq his heart that it was a
as Deborah might have laughed over the thing not to be explained only to tremble —
fall of Sisera’s army. over his whole life long. Helen was more
“They’re gone. Daddy,” she said fortunate. Six years old in a world of
brightly. "You shouldn’t have dropped wonders and importance, to her three hun-
your pipe in the first place. But I remem- gry giants were no more wondrous or im-

»
—
bered giants hate tobacco. I came to save portant than many another thing.
you. "Don’t tell Mummy about this, Helen,”
Mist swallowed Clay and he fainted he said. "We’ll have it for our secret.”
gratefully. She smiled and nodded, pleased by the
When he awoke, Helen was sitting word "secret.” Clay felt better. That
beside great dying fire, quite un-
the would help matters now. Some time when
concerned. "Did you have a nice sleep?” she was older, and mentioned the business
she asked. as a childhood memory, he could get her
He rose on his elbow. "How long was to agree that it was a dream grotesque, —
I like that?” frightening, but only a dream.
"Not very About long. five minutes, "Daddy,” said the little girl, "are there
I guess.” She offered him his pipe. "It squirrels here, too? Because I think I see
didn’t make me sick a bit.” one.”
 Gase of By H. P. LOVECRAFT

SECOND p«T
OF TWO
Charles Dexter Ward
"LaTi Of The Love crafts”

WHAT WENT BEFORE IN THIS STUPENDOUS giveup as a bad job, and which even a fly
LOVECRAFT NOVEL would hesitate to climb. And yet the win-
dow was the only possible exit. Those who
uite recently there disappeared came to look for him found a cloud of fine
Q from
Providence,
a private mental hospital near
Rhode Island — a certain' rather
bluish-gray dust —and
Charles’ troubles began
nothing more.
when he discov-
unusual young man. His name is (or per- ered through old documents and letters
haps,more correctly, was) Charles Dexter that a certain unsavory gentleman of the
Ward. Only twenty-six years of age, the 18th century (and if the truth be told, also
patient seemed strangely older, and dis- of the 17th) —one
Joseph Curwen was —
played a number of physical characteristics his Curwen’s neighbors whis-
ancestor.
which left medical science completely pered that he would never die, and at an
baffled. age which must have been well over a hun-
Charles Ward’s madness was of a most dred, he married an eighteen year old girl.
unusual type. An antiquarian since in- To this blasphemous alliance Charles owed
fancy, his knowledge of the 18th century his descent.
had become simply stupendous, and of a In the vast grim catacombs that lay deep
kind possible cmly to someone who had in beneath his lonely farmhouse on the moors
actual fact lived in those times; which was, beyond Providence, Curwen conducted un-
of course, impossible, for Charles was born speakably horrible experiments and rites
in 1902. of nameless and inconceivable obscenity,
This unwholesome insight into the 18th fast becoming a scandal and a terror to the
century he took great pains to conceal, and entire district. A few influential men kept
seemed to have wholly lost his taste for him under observation, and planned to rid
antiquarian delvings. • Instead he showed the world of the unutterably frightful old
an avid interest in ordinary 20th century man. One night they raided his farmhouse.
matters, absorbing greedily all the contem- The venture was apparently successful, for
porary knowledge upon which he could lay Curwen disappeared.
his hands. So, for a time at least, the earth was
His escape from Dr. Waite’s hospital free of JosephCurwen. But had the raiders
was itself practically a miracle certainly — only driven him
into another world, and
an almost insoluble mystery. Charles disap- would men be able to keep him there?
peared immediately after a conversation What is the next thing to happen after the
with his family doctor; and he has never portrait of the horrible old man is found
been seen since. His window opened onto scattered on the floor — in a thin coating of
a sheer drop of sixty feet —
an ascent which "fine bluish-gray dust’’? The answers are
the most accomplished cat burglar would waiting for you in this final instalment.
C4
"These cases of Vampirism involved victims of every age ana type.~
86 WEIRD TALES
4. A Mutation and a Madness which he would walk toward the north,
usually not reappearing for a very long
N THE week following that memor- while.
I able Good Ward was
Friday, Charles Later in May came a momentary revival
seen more often than and was con-
usual, of ritualistic sounds in the attic laboratory
tinually carrying books between his li- which brought a stern reproof from Mr.
brary and the attic laboratory. His actions Ward and a somewhat distracted promise
were quiet and rational, but he had a fur- of amendment from Charles. It occurred
tive, hunted look which his mother did not one morning, and seemed to form a re-
like, and developed an Incredibly ravenous sumption of the imaginary conversation
appetite as gauged by his demands upon noted on that turbulent Good Friday. The
the cook. youth was arguing or remonstrating hotly
Dr. Willette had been told of those Fri- with himself, for there suddenly burst forth
d-iy noises and happenings, and on the fol- a perfectly distinguishable series of clash-
lowing Tuesday had a long conversation ing shouts in differentiated tones like al-

with the youth in the library where the ternate demands and denials, which caused
picture stared no more. The interview, as Mrs. Ward to run upstairs and listen at the
always, inconclusive; but Willett is still door. She could hear no more than a frag-
ready to swear that the youth was sane and ment whose only plain words were "must
himself at the time. He held out promises have it red for three months,’’ and upon

of an early revelation, and spoke of the her knocking all sounds ceased at once.
need of securing a laboratory elsewhere. When Charles was later questioned by his
At the loss of the portrait he grieved singu- father he said that there were certain con-
larly little considering his first enthusiasm flicts of spheres of consciousness which
over it, but seemed to find something of only great skill could avoid, but which
positive humor sudden crumbling.
in its he would try to transfer to other realms.
About the second week Charles began to About the middle of June a queer noc-
be absent from the house for long periods, turnal incident occurred. In the early eve-
and one day when good old black Hannah ning there had been some noise and thump-
came to help wJ^ the spring cleaning she ing in the laboratory upstairs, and Mr.
mentioned his frequent visits to the old Ward was on the point of investigating
house in Olney Court, where he would when it suddenly quieted down. 'That mid-
come with a large valise and perform curi- night, after the family had retired, the but-
ous delvings in the cellar. He was always ler was nightlocking the front door when
very liberal to her and to old Asa, but according to his statement Charles appeared
seemed more worried than he used to be; somewhat blunderingly and uncertainly at
which grieved her very much, since she the foot of the stairs with a large suitcase
had watched him grow up from birth. and made signs that he wished egress. The
Another report of his doings came from youth spoke.no word, but the worthy York-
Pawtuxet, where some friends of the fam- shireman caught one sight of his fevered
ily saw him at a distance a surprising num- eyes and trembled causelessly. He opened
ber of times. He seemed to haunt the the door and young Ward went out, but in
resort and canoe-house of Rhodes-on-the- the morning he presented his resignation
Pawtuxet, and subsequent inquiries by Dr. to Mrs. Ward. ’Hiere was, he said, some-
Willett at that place brought out the fact thing unholy in the glance Charles had
that his purpose was always to secure access fixed on him. It was no way for a young
to the rather hedged-in river-bank, along gentleman to look at an honest person, and
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 87

he could not possibly stay another night. Members of the Weeden family, notified of the
happening, expresed their astonishment and regret;
Mrs. Ward allowed the man to depart, but
and were wholly unable to tliink of any enemy who
she did not value his statement highly. To would care to violate the grave of their ancestor.
fancy Charles in a savage state that night Hazard Weeden of 593 Angell Street recalls a fam-
ily legend according to which Ezra Weeden was
was quite ridiculous, for as long as she had
involved in some very peculiar circumstances, not
remained awake she had heard faint sounds dishonourable to himself, shortly before the Revo-
from the laboratory above; sounds as if of lution; but of any modern feud or mystery he is

sobbing and pacing, and of a sighing which frankly ignorant. Inspector Cunningham has been
assigned to the case, and hopes to uncover some
told only of despair’s profoundest depths.
valuable clues in the near future.
Mrs. Ward had grown used to listening for
sounds in the night, for the mystery of her Dogs Noisy in Pawtuxet
son was fast driving all else from her
Resident of Pawtuxet were aroused about three
mind.
A.M. today by a phenomenal baying of dogs which
The next evening, much as on another seemed to centre near the river just north of
evening nearly three months before, Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet. The volume and quality of
the howling were unusually odd, according to most
Charles Ward seized the newspaper very
who heard it; and Fred Lemdin, night watchman at
early and accidentally lost the main section. Rhodes, declares it was mixed with something very
This matter was not recalled till later, when like die shrieks of a man in mortal terror and .ngony.

Dr. Willett began checking up loose ends A sharp and very brief thunderstorm, which seemed
to strike somewhere near the bank of the river, put
and searching out missing links here and an end to the disturbance. Strange and unplea.sant
there. In the Journal office he found the odours, probably from the oil tanks along the bay,
are popularly linked with this incident; and may
section which Charles had lost, and marked
have had their share in exciting die dogs.
two items as of possible significance. They
were as follows:
The aspect of Charles now became very
More Cemetery Delving haggard and hunted, and all agree in re-

It wa.s this morning discovered by Robert Hart,

trospect that he may have wished at this
niglrt watchman at the North Burial ground, that period to make some statement or confes-
ghouls were again at work in the ancient portion sion from which sheer terror withheld
of the cemetery. The grave of Ezra Weeden, who
him. The morbid listening of his mother
was born in 1740 and died in 1824 according to his
uprooted and savagely splintered slate headstone, in the night brought out the fact that he
was found excavated and rifled, the work being evi- made frequent sallies abroad under cover
dently done with a spade stolen from an adjacent
of darkness, and most of the more aca-
tool shed.
Whatever the contents may have been after more demic alienists unite at present in cliarging
than a century of burial, all was gone except a few him with the revolting cases of vampirism
sliversof decayed wood. There were no wheel
which the press so sentationally reported
tracks, but the police have measured a single set of
footprints which they found in the vicinity, and about this time, but which have not yet
which indicate the boots of a man of refinement. been definitely traced to any known perpe-
Hart is inclined to link this incident with the trator. These cases, too recent and cele-
digging discovered last March, when a party in a
motor truck were frightened away after making a
brated to need detailed mention, involved
deep excavatiorg but Sergeant Riley of the Second victims of every age and type and seemed
Station discounts this theory and points to vital to cluster around two distinct localities;
differences in the two cases. In March the digging
the residential hill and the North End,
had been in a spot where no grave was known; but
this time a well-marked and cared-for grave had near the Ward home, and the suburban
been rifled with every evidence of deliberate pur- districts across the Cranston line near Paw-
pose and with a conscious malignity expressed in
tuxet. Both late wayfarers and sleepers
the splintering of the slab which had been intact
up to the day before. with open windows were attacked, and
58 WEIRD TALES
those who lived to tell the tale spoke unani- and reluctant escape that she owes her life

mously of a lean, lithe, leaping monster and continued sanity.

with burning eyes which fastened its teeth
in the throat or
ravenously.
upper arm and feasted

Dr. Willett, who refuses to date the

Not long after his mother’s departure
Charles Ward
the Pawtuxet bungalow.
began negotiating for
It was a squalid
madness of Charles Ward as far back as little wooden edifice with a concrete garage,
even this, is cautious in attempting to ex- perched high on the sparsely settled bank
plain these horrors. He has, he declares, of the river slightly above Rhodes, but for
certain theories of his own; and limits his some odd reason the youth would have
positive statements to a peculiar kind of nothing else. He gave the real-estate agen-
negation. "I will not,” he says, "state cies no peace till one of them secured it
who or what I believe perpetrated these at- for him at an exorbitant price from a some-
tacks and murders, but I will declare that what reluctant owner, and as soon as it
Charles Ward was innocent of them. I was vacant he took possession xmder cover
have reason to be sure he was ignorant of of darkness, transporting in a great closed
the taste of blood, as indeed his continued van the entire contents of his attic labora-
anaemic decline and increasing pallor prove tory, including the books both weird and
better than any verbal argument. Ward modem which he had borrowed from his
meddled with terrible things, but he has study. He had this van loaded in the black
paid for it, and he was never a monster or small hours, and his father recalls only a
a villain. drowsy realization of stifled oaths and
"As for now, I don’t like to think. stamping feet on the night the goods were
A change came, and I’m content to believe taken away. After that Charles moved
that the old Charles Ward died with it. His back to his own old quarters on the third
soul did, anyhow, for that iilad flesh that and never haunted the attic again.
floor,
vanished from Waite’s hospital had an- To
the Pawtuxet bungalow Charles
other.” transferred all the secrecy withwhich he
Willett speaks with authority, for he had surrounded his attic realm, save that
was often at the Ward home attending he now appeared to have two sharers of his
Mrs. Ward, whose nerves had begun to mysteries; a villainous-looking Portuguese
snap under the strain. Her nocturnal lis- half-caste from the South Main Street
tening had bred some morbid hallucina- Waterfront who acted as a servant, and a
tions which she confided to the doctor with thin scholarly stranger with dark glasses
hesitancy, and which he ridiculed in talk- and a stubbly full beard of dyed aspect
ing to her, although they made him ponder whose status was evidently that of a col-
deeply when alone. These delusions always league. Neighbors vainly tried to engage
concerned the faint sounds which she fan- these odd persons in conversation. The
cied she heard in tlie attic laboratory and mulatto. Gomes, spoke very little English,
bedroom, and emphasized the occurrence and the bearded man who gave his name
of muflJed sighs and sobbings at the most as Dr. Allen voluntarily followed his ex-
impossible times. Early in July Willett or- ample. Ward himself tried to be more
dered Mrs. Ward to Atlantic City for an effable, but succeeded only in provoking
indefinite recuperative sojourn, and cau- curiositywith his rambling accounts of
tioned both Mr. Ward and the haggard chemical research. Before long queer tales
and elusive Charles to write her only cheer- began to circulate regarding the all-night
ing letters. It is probably to this enforced burning of lights; and somewhat later.
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 89

after this burning had suddenly ceased, the robbers had been destined to receive
there rose still queerer tales of dispropor- the greater shock. For the long cases they
tionate orders of meat from the butcher’s seized proved upon opening to contain
and of the muffled shouting, declamation, some exceedingly gruesome things; so
rhythmic chanting, and screaming sup- gruesome, in fact, that the matter could not
posed to come from some very deep cellar be kept quiet amongst the denizens of the
below the place. Most distinctly the new underworld. The thieves had hastily buried
and strange household was bitterly disliked what they discovered, but when the State
by the honest bourgeoisie of the vicinity, Police got wind of the matter a careful
and it is not remarkable that dark hints search was made. A recently arrested
were advanced connecting the hated estab- vagrant, under promise of immunity from
lishment with the current epidemic of prosecution on any additional charge, at
vampiristic attacks and murders; especially last consented to guide a party of troopers
since the radius of that plagueseemed now to the spot; and there was found in that
confined wholly to Pawtuxet and the adja- hasty cache a very hideous and shameful
cent streets of Edgewood. thing. It would not be well for the na-
Ward spent most of his time at the bun- tional —or even the international— sense of
galow, but slept occasionally at home and decorum if the public were ever to know
was still reckoned a dweller beneath his what was uncovered by tliat awestruck
father’s roof. Twice he was absent from party. 'There was no mistaking it, even
the city on week-long trips, whose destina- by these far from studious officers; and
tions have not yet been discovered. He telegrams to Washington ensued with fev-
grew steadily paler and more emaciated erish rapidity.
even than before, and lacked some of his The were addressed to Charles
cases
former assurance when repeating to Dr. Ward Pawtuxet bungalow, and State
at his
Willett his old, old story of vital research and Federal officials at once paid him a

and future revelations. Willett often way- very forceful and serious call. They foimd
laid him at his father’s house, for the elder him pallid and worried with his two odd
Ward was deeply worried and perplexed, companions, and received from him what
and wished his son to get as much sound seemed to be a valid explanation and evi-
oversight as could be managed in the case dence of innocence. He had needed cer-
of so secretive and independent an adult. tain anatomical specimens as part of a pro-
The doctor still insists that the youth was gram of research whose depth and genu-
sane even as late as this, and adduces many ineness anyone who had known him in the
a conversation to prove his point. last decade could prove, and had ordered
About September the vampirism de- the required kind and number from agen-
clined, but in the following January, Ward cies which he had thought as reasonably
almost became involved in serious trouble. legitimate as such things can be. Of the
For some time the nocturnal arrival and identity of the specimens he had known
departure of motor trucks at the Pawtuxet absolutely nothing, and was properly
bungalow had been commented upon, and shocked when the inspectors hinted at the
at this juncture an unforeseen hitch ex- monstrous effect on public sentiment and
posed the nature of at least one item of national dignity which a knowledge of the
their contents. In a lonely spot near Hope matter would produce. In this statement
Valley had occurred one of the frequent he was firmly sustained by his bearded col-
sordid waylayings of trucks by "hi-jackers” league Dr. Allen, whose oddly hollow
in quest of liquor shipments, but this time voice carried even more conviction than his
90 WEIRD TALES
own nervous tones; so that in the end the dead. I shall not go there again, and you must not
believe it if you ever hear that I am there. I will
officials took no action, but carefully set
tell you why I when I see you. I have
say this
down theNew York name and address come home and wish you would call on
for good,
which Ward
gave them as a basis for a me at the very first moment
that you can spare five
or six hours continuously to hear what I have to
search which came to nothing. It is only
fair to add that the specimens were quickly
say. It will take that long —
and believe me when I
tell you that you never had a more genuine profes-

and quietly restored to their proper places, sional duty than this. My life and reason are the

public will never very least things which hang in the balance.
and that the general
I dare not tell my father, for he could not grasp
know of their blasphemous disturbance. the whole thing. But I have told him of my danger,
and he has four men from a detective agency watch-

ON February 9, 1928, Dr. Willett re- ing the house. I don’t know how much good they
can do, for they have against them forces which
ceived a letter from Charles Ward even you could scarcely envisage or acknowledge.
which he considers of extraordinary So come quickly if you wish to see me alive and
importance, and about which he has hear how you may help to save the cosmos from
stark hell.
frequently quarreled with Dr. Lyman. Ly- —
Any time will do I shall not be out of the
man believes that this note contains posi- house. Don’t telephone ahead, for there is no telling
tive proof of a well-deveoped case of who or what may try to intercept you. And let us
pray to whatever gods there be that nothing may
dementia praecox, but Willett on the other prevent this meeting.
hands regards it as the last perfectly sane In utmost gravity and desperation,
utterance of the hapless youth. He calls Charles Dexter 'Ward.

especial attention to the normal character

P. S. —Shoot Dr. Allen on sight and dissolve his
body in acid. Don's burn it.”
of the penmanship; which though shewing
traces of shattered nerves, is nevertheless Dr. Willett received this note about ten-
distinctly Ward’s own. The text in full thirty a.m., and immediately arranged to

is as follows: spare the whole late afternoon and evening

for the momentous
talk, letting it extend
100 Prospect St.,

Providence, R. I..
on long as might be
into the night as
March 8, 1928. necessary. He
planned to arrive about four
Dear Dr. Willett o’clock, and through all the intervening
I feel that at last the time has come for me to
hours was so engulfed in every sort of wild
make the disclosures which I have so long promised
you, and for which you have pressed me so often. speculation that most of his tasks were very
The patience you have shewn in waiting, and the mechanically performed. Maniacal as the
confidence you have shewn in my mind and integ-
letter would have sounded to a stranger,
rity, are things I shall flever cease to appreciate.
And now that I am must own
ready to speak, I
Willett had seen too much of Charles
with humiliation that no triumph such as I dreamed Ward’s oddities to dismiss it as sheer rav-
of can ever be mine. Instead of triumph I have ing. That something very subtle, ancient,
found terror, and my talk with you will not be a
boast of victory but a plea for help and advice in and horrible was hovering about he felt
saving both myself and the world from a horror quite sure, and the reference to Dr, Allen
beyond all human conception or calculation. You could almost be comprehended in view of
recall what those Fenner letters said of the old raid-
ing party at Pawtuxet. That must all be done
what Pawtuxet gossip said of Ward’s enig-
again, and quickly. Upon us depends more tlian matical colleague. Willett had never seen
can be put into words— all civilisation, all natural the man, but had heard much of his aspect
law, perhaps ever, the fate of the solar system and
the universe. I have brought to light a monstrous
and bearing, and could not but wonder
abnormality, but I did it for the sake of knowledge. what sort of eyes those much-discussed
Now for the sake of all life and nature you must dark glasses might conceal.
help me thrust it back into the dark again.
Promptly at four Dr. Willett presented
I have left that Pawtuxet place forever, and we

must extirpate everything existing there, alive or himself at the Ward residence, but found
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 91

to hie annoyance that Charles had not ad- the north wall, whence a year before the
hered to his determination to remain in- suave features of old Joseph Curwen had
doors. The guards were there, but said looked mildly down. After a time the
that the young man seemed to have lost shadows began to gather, and the sunset
part of his timidity. He had that morning cheer gave place to a vague growing terror
done much apparently frightened arguing which flew shadow-like before the night.
and protesting over the telephone, one of Mr. Ward finally arrived, and showed
the detectives said, replying to some un- much surprise and anger at his son’s ab-
known voice with phrases such as "I am sence after all the pains which had been
very tired and must rest awhile,” 'T can’t taken to guard him. He had not known
receive anyone for some time, you’ll have of Charles’ appointment, and promised to
to excuse me,” "Please postpone decisive notify Willett when the youth, returned. In
action we can arrange some sort of com-
till bidding the doctor good night he expressed
promise,” or "I am very sorry, but I must his utter perplexity at his son’s condition,
take a complete vacation from everything; and urged do
his caller to all he could to
I’ll talk with you later.” Then, apparently restore the boy to normal poise. Willett
gaining boldness through meditation, he was glad to escapefrom that library, for
had slipped out so quietly that no one had something frightful and unholy seemed to
seen him depart or knew that he had gone haunt it; as if the vanished picture had
until he returned about one o’clock and left behind a legacy of evil. He had never
entered the house without a word. He had liked that picture; and even now, strong-
gone upstairs, where a bit of his fear must nerved though he was, there lurked a qual-
have surged back; for he he was heard to ity in its vacant panel which made him feel
cry out in a high terrified fashion upon en- an urgent need to get out into the pure
tering his library, afterward trailing off air as soon as possible.
into a kind of choking gasp. When, how-
ever, the butler had gone to inquire
the trouble was, he had appeared at the
what
The next morning Willett received a
message from the senior Ward, saying
door with a great show of boldness, and that Charleswas still absent. Mr. Ward
had silently gestured the man away in a mentioned that Dr. Allen had telephoned
nunner that terrified him unaccountably. him to say that Charles would remain at
Then he had evidently done some rearrang- Pawtuxet for some time, and that he must
ing of his shelves, for a great clattering not be disturbed. This was necessary be-
and thumping and creaking ensued; after cause Allen himself was suddenly called
which he had reappeared and left at once. away for an indefinite period, leaving the
Willett inquired whether or not any mes- researches in need of Charles’ constant
sage had been left, but was told that there oversight. Charles sent his best wishes,and
was none. The butler seemed queerly dis- regretted any bother his abrupt change of
turbed about something in Charles’ ap- plans might have caused. In listening to
pearance and manner, and asked solici- this message Mr. Ward heard Dr. Allen’s
tously, if there was much hope for a cure voice for the first it seemed to
time, and
of his disordered nerves. excitesome vague and elusive memory
For almost two hours Dr. Willett waited which could not be actually placed, but
vainly in Charles Ward’s library, watching which was disturbing to the point of fear-
the dusty shelves with their wide gaps fulness.
where books had been removed, and smil- Faced by these baffling and contradictory
ing grimly at the paneled overmantel on Dr. Willett was frankly at a loss
reports.
92 WEIRD TALES
what to do. The frantic earnestness of Charles Ward, set boldly out for the bun-
Charles’ note was not to be denied, yet galow on the bluff above the river.
what could one think of its writer’s im- Willett had visited the spot before
mediate violation of his own expressed through sheer curiosity, though of course
policy? Young Ward had written that his never entering the house or proclaiming
delvings had become blasphemous and his presence; hence knew exactly the route
menacing, that they and his bearded col- to take. Driving out Broad Street one early
league must be extirpated at any cost, and afternoon toward the end of February in
that he himself would never return to his small motor, he thought oddly of the
their final scene; yet according to latest grim party which had taken that selfsame
advices he had forgotten all this and was road a hundred and fifty-seven years be-
back in the thick of the mystery. Common fore, on a terrible errand which none might
sense bade one leave the youth alone with ever comprehend.
his freakishness, yetsome deeper instinct The ride through the city’s decaying
would not permit the impression of that fringe was short, and trim Edgewood and
frenzied letter to subside. Willett read it sleepy Pawtuxet presently spread out
over again, and could not make its essence ahead. Willett turned to the right down
sound empty and insane as both its bom-
as Lockwood and drove his car as far
Street
bastic verbiage and its lack of fulfilment along that rural road as he could, then
would seem to imply. Its terror was too alighted and walked north to where the
profound and real, and in conjunction with bluff towered above the lovely bends of the
what the doctor already knew evoked too river and the sweep of misty downlands
vivid hints of monstrosities from beyond beyond. Houses were still few here, and
time and space, to permit of any cynical there was no mistaking the isolated bunga-
explanation. There were nameless hor- low with its concrete garage on a high
rors abroad; and no matter how little one point of land at his left. Stepping briskly
might be able to get at them, one ought to up the neglected gravel walk he rapped at
stand prepared for any sort of action at the door with a firm hand, and spoke with-
any time. out a tremor to the evil Portuguese mulatto
For over a week Dr. Willett pondered who opened it to the width of a crack.

on the dilemma which seemed thrust upon He must, he said, see Charles Ward at
him, and became more and more inclined once on vitally important business. No
to pay Charles a call at the Pawtuxet bunga- excuse would be accepted, and a repulse
low. No friend of tlie youth had ever ven- would mean only a full report of the mat-
tured to storm this forbidden retreat, and ter to the elder Ward, "l^e mulatto still
even his father knew of its interior only hesitated, and pushed against the door
from such descriptions as he chose to give; when Willett attempted to open it; but
but Willett felt that some direct conversa- the doctor merely raised his voice and re-
tion with his patient was necessary. Mr. newed his demands. Then there came from
Ward had been receiving brief and non- the dark interior a husky whisper which
committal typed notes from his son, and somehow chilled the hearer through and
said that Mrs. Ward in her Atlantic City through, though he did not know why he
retirement had had no better word. So feared it. "Let him in, Tony,’’ it said,
at length the doctor resolved to act; and "we may as well talk now as ever.” But
despite a curious sensation inspired by old disturbing as was the whisper, the greater
legends of Joseph Curwen, and by more fear was that which immediately followed.
recent revelations and warnings from The floor creaked and the speaker hove in
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 93

sight —and the owner of those strange and Instead, he merely asked Ward why he had
resonant tones was seen to be no other so belied the frantic note of little more
than Charles Dexter Ward. than a week before.
The minuteness with which Dr. Willett "I was coming to that,” the host replied.
recalled and recorded his conversation of "You must know, I am in a very bad state
that afternoon is due to the importance he of nerves, and do and say queer things I
assigns to this particular period. For at cannot account for. As I have told you
last he concedes a vital change in Charles often, I am on the edge of great matters;
Dexter Ward’s mentality, and believes that and the bigness of them has a way of mak-
the youth now spoke from a brain hope- ing me light-headed. Any man might well
lessly alien to the brain whose growth he be frighted of what I have found, but I
had watched for six and twenty years. Con- am not to be put off for long. I was a
troversy with Dr. Lyman has compelled dunce to have that guard and stick at
him to be very specific, and he definitely home; for having gone this far, my place
dates the madness of Charles Ward from is here. I am not well gpoke of by my pry-
the time the typewritten notes began to ing neighbors, and perhaps I was led by
reach his parents. Those notes are not in weakness to believe myself what they say
Ward’s normal style; not even in the style of me. There is no evil to any in what
of that last frantic letter to Willett. In- I do, so long as I do it rightly. Have the
stead, they are strange and archaic, as if goodness to wait six months, and I’ll show
the snapping of the writer’s mind had re- you what will pay your patience well.
leased a flood of tendencies and impres- "You may as well know I have a way
sions picked up unconsciously through boy- of learning old matters from things surer
hood antiquarianism. There is an obvious than books, and I’ll leave you to judge the
effort to be modern, but the spirit and occa- importance of what I can give to history,
sionally the language are those of the past. philosophy, and the arts by reason of the
doors I have access to. My ancestor had
FpHE past, too, was evident in Ward’s all this when those witless peeping Toms
every tone and gesture as he received came and murdered him. I now have it
the doctor in that shadowy bungalow. He again, or am coming very imperfectly to
bowed, motioned Willett to a seat, and be- have a part of it. This time nothing must
gan to speak abruptly in that strange whis- happen, and least of all through any idiot
per which he sought to explain at the very fears of my own. Pray forget all I writ
outset. you. Sir, and have no fear of this place or
"I am grown phthisical,” he began, any in it. Dr. Allen is a man of fine
"from this cursed river air. You must ex- parts, and I owe him an apology for any-
cusemy speech. I suppose you are come thing ill I have said of him. I wish I had
from my father to see what ails me, and I no need to spare him, but there were things
hope you will say nothing to alarm him.” he had to do elsewhere. His zeal is equal
Willett was studying these scraping to mine in all those matters, and I suppose
tones with extreme care, but studying even that when I feared the work I feared him
more closely the face of the speaker. Some- my greatest helper in
too as i^”
thing, he felt, was wrong; and he thought Ward paused, and the doctor hardly
of what the family had told him about knew what to say or think. He felt almost
the fright of that Yorkshire butler one foolish in the face of this calm repudia-
night. He wished it were not so dark, but tion of the letter; and yet there clung to
did not request that any blind be opened. him the fact that while the present dis-
94 WEIRD TALES
course was strange and alien and indubi- topics he waved aside quite summarily,
tably mad, the note itself had been tragic whilst regarding antique affairs he soon
in its naturalness and likeness to the shewed the plainest boredom. What he
Charles Ward he knew. Willett now tried wished clearly enough was only to satisfy
to turn the talk on early matters, and re- his visitor enough to make him depart
call to the youth some past events which without the intention of returning. To
would restore a familiar mood; but in this this end he offered to shew Willett the en-
process he obtained only the most gro- tire house, and at once proceeded to le^d
tesque results. It was the same with all the doctor through every room from cellar

the alienists later on. Important sections to attic. Willett looked sharply, but noted
of Charles Ward’s store of mental images, that the visible books were far too few and
mainly those touching modern times and trivial ever to have filled the wide gaps on

hisown personal life, had been unaccount- Ward’s shelves at home, and that the
ably expunged; while all the massed anti- meager so-called "laboratory” was the flim-
quarianism of his youth had welled up siest sort of a blind. Clearly, there were a
from some profound subconsciousness to library and a laboratory elsewhere; but just
engulf the contemporary and the individ- where, it was impossible to say. Essentially
ual. The youth’s ultimate knowledge of defeated in his quest for something he
elder things was abnormal and unholy, and could not name, Willett returned to town
he tried his best to hide it. When Willett before evening and told the senior Ward
would mention some favorite object of his everything which had occurred. They
boyhood archaistic studies he often shed agreed that the youth must be definitely
by pure accident such a light as no normal out of his mind, but decided that nothing
could conceivably be expected to possess, drastic need be done just then. Above all,
and the doctor shuddered as the glib allu- Mrs. Ward must be kept in as complete
sion glided by. an ignorance as her son’s own strange typed
It was not wholesome to know so much notes would permit.
about the way the fat sheriff’s wig fell off
as he leaned over at the play in Mr. Doug-
iy
/TR. WARD now determined to call in
lass’ Histrionick Academy in King Street IVl- person upon his son, making it
on the eleventh of February, 1762, which wholly a surprise visit. Dr. Willett took
fell of a Thursday; or about how the actors him in his car one evening, guiding him
cut the text of Steele’s "Conscious Lover” to within sight of the bungalow and wait-
so badly that one was almost glad the Bap- ing patiently for his return. The session
tist-ridden legislature closed the theater a was a long one, and the father emerged
fortnight later. That Thomas Sabin’s Bos- in a very saddened and perplexed state. His
ton coach was "damn’d uncomfortable” old reception had developed much like Wil-
letter^ may well have told; but what healthy lett’s, save that Charles had been an ex-

antiquarian could recall how the creaking cessively long time in appearing after the
of Epehetus Olney’s new signboard (the visitorhad forced his way into the hall and
gaudy Crown he set up after he took to sent the Portuguese away with an impera-
calling his tavern the Crown Coffee House) tive demand; and in the bearing of the al-
was exactly like the first few notes of the tered son there was no trace of filial affec-
new jazz piece all the radios in Pawtuxet tion. The lights had been dim, yet even so
were playing? the youth had complained that they daz-
Ward, however, would not be quizzed zled him outrageously. He had not spoke
long in this vein. Modern and personal out loud at all, averring that his throat
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 9 ‘)

was in a very poor condition; but in his the river bank which old manuscripts men-
hoarse whisper there was a quality so tioned. As to popular opinions of the
vaguely disturbing that Mr. Ward could bungalow’s various inhabitants, it was soon
not banish it from his mind. plain that the Brava Portuguese was
Now definitely leagued together to do loathed, the bearded and spectacled Dr. Al-
all they could toward the youth’s mental len feared, and the pallid young scholar
salvation, Mr. Ward and Dr. Willett set disliked to a profound extent. During the
about collecting every scrap of data which last week or two Ward had obviously
the case might afford. Pawtuxet gossip was changed much, abandoning his attempts at
the first item they studied, and this was affability and speaking only in hoarse but
relatively easy to glean since both had oddly repellent whispers on the few occa-
friends in that region. Dr. Willett obtained sions that he ventured forth.
the most rumors because people talked Such were the .shreds and fragments
more frankly to him than to a parent of gathered here and there; and over these
the central figure, and from all he heard he Mr. Ward and Dr. Willett held many long
could tell that young Ward’s lifehad be- and serious conferences. They strove to
come indeed a strange one. Common exercise deduction, induction, and construc-
tongues would not dissociate his household tive imagination to their utmost extent; and
from the vampirism of the previous sum- to correlate every known fact of Charles’
mer, while the nocturnal comings and go- later life, including the frantic letter which
ings of the motor trucks provided their the doctor now shewed the father, with the
share of dark speculation. Local trades- meager documentary evidence available
men spoke of the queerness of the orders concerning old Joseph Curwen. They
brought them by the evil-looking mulatto, would have given much for a glimpse of
and in particular of the inordinate amounts the papers Charles had found, for very
of meat and fresh blood secured from the clearly the key to the youth’s madness lay
two butcher shops in the immediate neigh- in what he had learned of the ancient wiz-
borhood. For a household of only three, ard and his doings.
these quantities were quite absurd. And yet, after all, it was from no step
Then there was the matter of the sounds of Mr. Ward’s or Dr. Willett’s that the
beneath the earth. Reports of these things next move in this singular case proceeded.
were harder to pin down, but all the vague The father and the physician, rebuffed and
Iiints tallied in certain basic essentials. confused by a shadow too shapeless and in-
Noises of a ritual nature positively existed, tangible to combat, had rested uneasily on
and at times when the bungalow was dark. their oars while the typed notes of young
They might, of course, have come from the Ward to his parents grew fewer and fewer.
known cellar; but rumor insisted that there Then came the first of the month with its
were deeper and more spreading crypts. customary financial adjustments, and the
Recalling the ancient tales of Joseph Cur- clerks at certain banks began a peculiar
wen’s catacombs, and assuming for granted shaking of heads and telephoning from
that the present bungalow had been se- one to the other. Officials who knew
lected because of its situation on the old Charles Ward by sight went down to the
Curwen site as revealed in one or another bungalow why every cheque of his
to ask
of the documents found behind the picture, appearing at this juncture was a clumsy
Willett and Mr. Ward gave this phase of forgery, and were reassured less than they
the gossip much attention; and searched ought to have been when the youth hoarsely
many times without success for the door in explained that his hand had lately been so
96 WEIRD TALES
mucli affected by a nervous shock as to change was
last frantic note. Certainly, the

make normal writing impossible. He could, radical and profound, and yet there was
he said,form no written characters at all something damnably familiar about the
except with great difficulty; and could new writing. It had crabbed and archaic
prove it by the fact that he had been forced tendencies of a very curious sort, and
to type all his recent letters,even those to seemed to result from a type of stroke ut-
his father and mother, who would bear out terly different from that which the youth
the assertion. had always used. It was strange —
but
What made the investigators pause in where had he seen it before? On the whole,
confusion was not this circumstance alone, it was obvious that Charles was insane. Of

for that was nothing unprecedented or fun- that there could be no doubt. And since it
damentally suspicious; nor even the Paw- appeared unlikely that he could handle his
tuxet gossip, ofwhich one or two of them property or continue to deal with the out-
had caught echoes. It was the muddled dis- side world much longer, something must
course of the young man which nonplussed quickly be done toward his oversight and
them, implying as it did a virtually total possible cure. It was then that the alien-
loss of memory concerning important ists were called in, Drs. Peck and Waite

monetary matters which he had had at his of Providence and Dr. Lyman of Boston,
fingertips only a month or two before. to whom Mr. Ward and Dr. Willett gave
Something was wrong; for despite the ap- the most exhaustive possible history of the
parent coherence and rationality of his case,and who conferred at length in the
speech, there could be no normal reason now unused library of their young patient,
for this ill-concealed blankness on vital examining what books and papers of his
points. Moreover, although none of these were left in order to gain some further no-
men knew Ward well, they could not help tion of his habitual mental cast. After scan-
observing the change in his language and ning this material and examining the mean-
manner. They had heard he was an anti- ingless note to Willett, they all agreed that
quarian, but even the most hopeless anti- Charles Ward’s studies had been enough to
quarians do not make daily use of obsolete unseat or at least to warp any ordinary in-
phraseology and gestures. Altogether, this tellect, and wished most heartily that they
combination of hoarseness, palsied hands, could see his more intimate volumes and
bad memory, and altered speech and bear- documents; but this latter they knew they
ing must represent some disturbance or could do, if at all, only after a scene at the
malady of genuine* gravity, which, no bungalow itself. Willett now reviewed
doubt, formed the basis of the prevailing the whole case with febrile energy; it be-
odd rumors; and after their departure the ing at this time that he obtained the state-
party of officials decided that a talk with ments of the workmen who had seen
the senior Ward was imperative. Charles find the Curwen documents, and
that he collated the incidents of the de-
O ON the sixth of March, 1928, there stroyed newspaper items, looking up the
was a long and serious conference in latter at the Journal office.
Mr. Ward’s office, after which the utterly On Thursday, the eighth of March, Drs.
bewildered father summoned Dr. Willett Willett, Peck, L5Tnan and Waite, accom-
in a kind of helpless resignation. Willett panied by Mr. Ward, paid the youth their
looked over the strained and awkward sig- momentous call; making no concealment

natures of the cheques, and compared them of their object and questioning the now
in his mind with the penmanship of that acknowledged patient with extreme mi-
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 97

nuteness. Charles, though he was ordi- trusted to his obviously unimpaired keen-
nately long in answering the summons and ness of absolute mentality to overcome all

was still redolent of strange and noxious the embarrassments into which his twisted
laboratory odors when he did finally make memory, his lost voice and handwriting,
his agitated appearance, -proved a far from and his secretive and eccentric bdiavior had
recalcitrant subject; and admitted freely led him. His mother, it was agreed, was
that his memory and balance had suffered not to be told of the change; his father
somewhat frc«n close application to ab- supplying typed notes in his name. Ward
struse studies. He offered no resistance was taken to the restfully and picturesquely
when hisremoval to other quarters was situated private hospital maintained by Dr.
insisted upon; and seemed, indeed, to dis- Waite on Conanicut Island in the bay, and
play a high degree of intelligence as apart subjected to the closest scrutiny and ques-
from mere memory. His conduct would tioning by all the physicians connected with
have sent his interviewers away in baffle- the case. It was then that the physical oddi-
ment had not the persistently archaic trend ties were noticed; the slackened metabo-
of his speech and the unmistakable replace- lism, the altered skin,and the dispropor-
ment of modern by ancient ideas in his con- tionate neural reactions. Dr. Willett was
sciousness marked him out as one definitely the most perturbed of the various examin-
removed from the normal. Of his work he ers, for he had attended Ward all his life

would say no more to the group of doctors and could appreciate with terrible keen-
than he had formerly said to his family ness the extent of his physical disorganiza-
and to Dr. Willett, and his frantic note tion. Even the familiar olive mark on his
of the previous month he dismissed as* hip was gone, while on his chest was a
mere nerves and hysteria. He insisted that great black mole or which had
cicatrice
the shadowy bungalow possessed no library never been there before, and which made
or laboratory beyond the visible ones, and Willett wonder whether the youth had ever
waxed abstruse in explaining the absence submitted to any of the "witch markings”
from the house of such odors as now satu- reputed to be inflicted at certain unwhole-
rated all his clothing. Neighborhood gos- some nocturnal meetings in wild and lonely
sip he attributed to nothing more than the places. The doctor could not keep his mind
cheap inventiveness of baffled curiosity. Of off a certain transcribed witch-trial record
the whereabouts of Dr. Allen he said he from Salem which Charles had shewn him
did not feel at liberty to speak definitely, in the old non-secretive days, and which
but assured his inquisitors that the bearded read: "Mr. G. B. on that Nighte putt ye
and spectacled man would return when Divell his Marke upon Bridget S., Jona-
needed. In paying off the stolid Brava who than A., Simon O., Deliverance W., Joseph
resisted all questioning by the visitors, and C., Susan P., Mehitable C., and Deborah
in closing the bungalow which still seemed B.” Ward’s face, too, troubled him hor-
to hold such nighted secrets. Ward shewed ribly, till at length he suddenly discovered
no sign of nervousness save a barely noticed why he was horrified. Above the young
tendency to pause as though listening for man’s right eye was something whidi he
something very faint. He was apparently —
had never previously noticed a small scar
animated by a calmly philosophic resigna- or pit precisely like that in the crumbled
tion, as if his removal were the merest painting of old Joseph Curwen, and per-
transient incident which would cause the haps attesting some hideous ritualistic in-
least trouble if facilitated and disposed of oculation to which both had submitted at
once and for all. It was clear that he a certain stage of their occult careers.
98 WEIRD TALES
While Ward himself was puzzling all Mr. Ward and Dr. Willett paused in
the doctors at the hospital, a very strict utter chaos before this apparent bit of un-
watch was kept on all mail addressed relieved insanity. Only by degrees did they
either to him or to Dr. Allen, which Mr. absorb what it seemed to imply. So the
Ward had ordered delivered at the family absent Dr. Allen, and not Charles Ward,
home. Willett had predicted that very lit- had come to be the leading spirit at Paw-
tle would be found, since any communica- tuxet? That must explain the wild refer-
tions of a vital nature would probably have ence and denunciation in the youth’s last
been exchanged by messenger; but in the frantic letter. And what of this address-
latter part of March there did come a let- ing of the bearded and spectacled stranger
ter from Prague for Dr. Allen which gave as "Mr. J. C.?’’ There was no escaping the

both the doctor and the father deep inference, but there are limits to possible
thought. It was in a very crabbed and ar- monstrosity. Who was "Simon O.’’; the

chaic hand; and though clearly not the ef- old man Ward had visited in Prague four
fort of a foreigner, shewed almost as years previously? Perhaps, but in the cen-
singular a departure from modern English turies behind there had been another Simon
as the speech of young Ward himself. It O. —Simon Orne, alias jedediah, of Salem,

read: who vanished in 1771, and whose peculiar

handwriting Dr. Willett now unmistakably
Kleinsttasse 11,
recognized from the photostatic copies of
Altstadt, Prague,
11th Feby. 1928.
the Orne formulae which Charles had once
Brother in Almousin-Metraton !
shewn him. What horrors and mysteries,
I this day receiv’d yr mention of what came up
what contradictions and contraventions of
from the Salts I sent you. It was wrong, and meanes
nature, had come back after a century and
clearly that ye Headstones had been chang’d when
Barnabas gott me the Specimen. It is often so, as you a half to harass Old Providence with her
must be sensible of from the Thing you gott from clustered spires and domes?
ye King’s Chapell ground in 1769 and what H. gott
'The father and the old physician, virtu-
from Olde Bury’g Point in 1690, that was like to
ende him. I gott such a Thing in Aegypt 75 yeares ally at a loss what to do or think, went to
gone, from the which came that Scar ye Boy saw see Charles at the hospital and questioned
on me here in 1924. As I told you longe ago, do
him as delicately as they could about Dr.
not calle up That which you can not put downe;
either from dead Saltes or out of ye Spheres beyond. Allen, and the Prague visit, and about
Have ye Wordes for laying at all times readie, and what he had learned of Simon or Jedediah
stopp not to be sure when there is any Doubte of
Orne of Salem. To all these inquiries the
Whom you have. Stones are all chang’d now in
Nine groundes out of 10. You are never sure till
youth was politely non-commital, merely
you question. I this day heard from H., who has barking in his hoarse whisper that he had
had ‘Trouble with the Soldiers. He is like to be found Dr. Allen to have a remarkable spir-
sorry Transylvania is pass’d from Hungary to Rou-
mania, and wou’d change his Seat if the Castel itual rapport with certain souls from the
weren’t so fulle of What we Knowe. But of this he past, and that any correspondent that the
hath doubtless writ you. In my next Send’g there bearded man might have in Prague would
will be Somewhat from a Hill tomb from ye East
that will delight you greatly. Meanwhile forget not
probably be similarly gifted. When thqr
I am desirous of B. F. if you can possibly get him left, Mr. Ward and Dr. Willett realized to
for me. You know G. in Philadelphia better than their chagrin that they had really been the
I. Have him up firste if you will, but doe not use

him soe hard he will be Difficult, for I must speake

ones under catechism; and that without im-
to him in ye Ende. parting anything vital himself, the confined
Yogg-Sothoth Neblod Zin youth had adroitly pumped them of every-
Simon O.
thing the Prague letter had contained.
To Mr. J. C in
Providence. Drs. Peck, Waite, and Lyman were not
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 99

inclined to attach much importance to the shew Wisdom in having about than Before;
lesse
for there was no Neede to keep the Guards in
strange correspondence of young Ward’s
Shape and eat’g off their Headcs, and it made much
companion; for they knew the tendency of to be founde in case of Trouble, as you too welle
kindred eccentrics and monomaniacs to know. You can now move and Worke elsewhere
band together, and believed that Charles or with no Kill’g Trouble if nedful, though I hope no
Thing will soon force you to so Bothersome a
Allen had merely unearthed an expatriated Course. I rejoice that you traffick not so much with
—
counterpart perhaps one who had seen
Ornc’s handwriting and copied it in an at-
Those Outside; for there was ever a Mortall Peril
in it, and you are sensible what it did when you
asked Protection of One not dispos'd to give it.
tempt to pose as the bygone character’s You excel me in getfg ye formulae so another may
reincarnation. Allen himself was perhaps saye them with Success, but Borellus fancy ’d it
a similar case, and may have persuaded the wou’d be so if just ye right Wordes were hadd.
Does ye Boy use ’em often? I regret that he growes
youth into accepting him as an avatar of squeamish, as I fear’d he wou'd when I hadde him
the long-dead Curwen. Such things had here nigh fiften Monthes, but am sensible you
been known before, and on the same basis knowe how to deal with him. You can’t saye him
down with ye Formula, for ffiat will Worke only
the hard-headed doctors disposed of Wil- ,
upon such as ye other Formula hath call’d up from
left’s growing disquiet about Charles Saltes; but you still have strong Handes and Knife

Ward’s present handwriting, as studied and Pistol, and Graves are not harde to digg, nor
Acids loth to bume. O. sayes you have promis’d
from unpremeditated specimens obtained
him B. F. I must have him after. B. goes to you
by various ruses. Willett thought he had soone, and may he give you what you wishe of that
placed its odd familiarity at last, and that Darke Thing belowe Memphis. Imploy care in what
you calle up, and beware of ye Boy. It will be ripe
what it vaguely resembled was the bygone
in a yeare’s time to have up ye Legions from Under-
penmanship of old Joseph Curwen him- neath, and then there are no Boundes to what shal
self; but this the other physicians regarded be oures. Have Confidence in what I saye, for you
knowe O. and I have hadd these 150 yeares more
as a phase of imitativeness only to be ex-
than you to consulbe these Matters in.
pected in a mania of this sort, and refused Nephreu — ^Ka nai Hadoh
to grant it any importance either favorable Edw: H.
or unfavorable. Recognizing this prosaic For J. Curwen, Esq.
Providence.
attitude in his colleagues, Willett advised
Mr. Ward to keep to himself the letter But if Willett and Mr. Ward refrained
which arrived for Dr. Allen on the second from shewing this letter to the alienists,
of April from Rakus, Transylvania, in a they did not refrain from acting upon it
handwriting so intensely and fundamen- themselves. No amount of learned sophis-
tally like that of the Hutchinson cipher that try could controvert the fact that the
both father and physician paused in awe strangely bearded and spectacled Dr. Allen,
before breaking theseal. This read as fol- of whom Charles’ frantic letter had spoken
lows: as such a monstrous menace, was in close
Gistle Ferenezy,
and sinister correspondence with two inex-
7 March 1928. plicable creatures whom Ward had visited
Dear C. in his travels and who plainly claimed to
Hadd Squd of 20 Militia up to talk about v/hat
a
Must digg deeper and have
be survivals or avatars of Curwen’s old
the Country Folk say.
less Hearde. These Roumanians plague one dam- Salem colleagues; that he was regarding
nably, being officious and particular where you himself as the reincarnation of Joseph Cur-
cou’d buy a Magyar off with a Drinke and food.
Monthe M. got me ye sarcophagus of ye Five
wen, and that he entertained or was at —
Last
Sphinxes from ye Acropolis where He whome I least advised to entertainmurderous de-—
call’d up say’d it wou’d be, and I have hadde 3 signs against a "boy” who could scarcely be
Talkes with What was therein inhum'd. It will go
other than Charles Ward. 'There was or-
to S. O. in Prague directly, and tlience to you. It is
stubborn but you know ye Way with Such. You ganized horror afoot; and no matter who
100 WEIRD TALES
had started it, the missing Allen was by this think — were in absolute possession of
time at the bottom of it. Therefore, thank- minds or personalities which had func-
ing Heaven that Charles was now safe in tioned as early as 1690 or before was like-
the hospital, Mr. Ward lost no time in wise almost unassailably proved even in
engaging detectives to learn all they could the face of all known natural laws. What
of the cryptic bearded doctor; finding these horrible creatures — and Charles
whence he had come and what Pawtuxet Ward as well —were doing or trying to do
knew of him, and if possible discovering seemed fairly clear from their letters and
his current whereabouts. Supplying the from every bit of light both old and new
men with one of the bungalow keys which which had filtered in upon the case. 'They
Charles had yielded up, he urged them to were robbing the tombs of all the ages,
explore Allen’s vacant room which had including those of the world’s wisest and
been identified when the patient’s belong- greatest men, in the hope of recovering
ings had been packed; obtaining what clues from bygone ashes some vestige of the con-
they could from any effects he might have sciousness and lore which had once ani-
left about. Mr. Ward talked with the de- mated and informed them.
tectives in his son’s old library, and they A hideous traffic was going on among
felt a marked relief when they left it at these nightmare ghouls, whereby illustrious
last; for there seemed to hover about the bones were bartered with the calm calcula-
Perhaps it was
place a vague aura of evil. tiveness of schoolboys swapping books;
what they had heard of the infamous old and from what was extorted from this cen-
wizard whose picture had once stared from turied dust there was anticipated a power
the paneled overmantel, and perhaps it was and a wisdom beyond anything which the
something different and irrelevant; but in cosmos had ever seen concentrated in one
any case they all half-sensed an intangible man or group. They had found unholy
miasma which centered in that carven ways to keep their brains alive, either in
vestige of an older dwelling and which at the same body or different bodies; and had
times almost rose to the intensity of a evidently achieved a way of tapping the
material emanation. consciousness of the dead whom they gath-
ered together. There had, it seems, been
5, A Nightmare and a Cataclysm some truth in chimerical old Borellus when
he wrote of preparing from even the most
nd now swiftly followed that hideous
A
mark of
experience which has left
on the soul of Marinus Bick-
fear
its indelible
antique remains certain "Essential Saltes”
from which the shade of
thing might be raised up.
a long-dead living
There was a
nell Willett,and has added a decade to the formula for evoking such a shade, and an-
visible age of one whose youth was even other for putting it down; and it had now
then far behind. Dr. Willett had con- been so perfected that it could be taught
ferred at length with Mr, Ward, and had successfully. One must be careful about
come to an agreement with him on several evocations, for the markers of old graves
points which both felt the alienists would are not always accurate.
ridicule. There was, they conceded, a ter- Willett and Mr. Ward shivered as they
rible movement alive in the world, whose passed from conclusion to conclusion.

—could—be
direct connection with a necromancy even Things some sort
presences or voices of
older than the Salem witchcraft could not drawn down from unknown
be doubted. That at least two living men places as well as from the grave, and in
— and one other of whom they dared not this process also one must be careful. Jo-
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 101

seph Curwen had indubitably evoked many young man’s life. In the meantime, since
forbidden things, and as for Charles the existence of some vast crypt beneath
what might one think of him? What forces the bungalow seemed virtually beyond dis-
"outside the spheres” had reached him pute, some effort must be made to find it.
from Joseph Curwen’s day and turned his Willett and Mr. Ward, conscious of the
mind on forgotten things? He had been sceptical attitude of the alienists, resolved
led to find certain directions, and he had during their final conference to undertake
used them. He had talked with the man a joint secret exploration of unparalleled
of horror in Prague and stayed long with thoroughness; and agreed to meet at the
the creature in the mountains of Transyl- bungalow on the following morning with
vania. And he must have found the grave valises and with certain tools and accessor-
of Joseph Curwen at last. That newspaper ies suited to architectural search and un-

item and what his mother had heard in derground exploration.

the night were too significant to overlook.
Then he had summoned something, and it rpHE morning of April sixth dawned
must have come. That mighty voice aloft clear, and both explorers were at the
on Good Friday, and those different tones bungalow by ten o’clock. Mr. Ward had
in the locked attic laboratory. What were the key, and an entry and cursory survey
they like, with their depth and hollowness? were made. From the disordered condi-
Was there not here some awful foreshad- tion of Dr. Allen’s room it was obvious
owing of the dreaded stranger Dr. Allen that the detectives had been there before,
with his spectral bass? Yes, that was what and the later searchers hoped that they had
Mr. Ward had felt with vague horror in found some clue which might prove of
his single talk with the man — if man it value. Of course the main business lay
were —over the telephone! in the cellar; so thither they descended
What hellish consciousness or voice, without much making the cir-
delay, again
what morbid shade or presence, had come cuit which had vainly made before in
eacli
to answer Charles Ward’s secret rites be- the presence of the mad young owner. For
hind that locked door? Those voices heard a time everything seemed bafiling, each
in argument
— "must have it red for three inch of the earthen floor and stone walls
—
months” Good God! Was not that just having so solid and innocuous an aspect
before the vampirism broke out? The that the thought of a yawning aperture was
rifling of Ezra Bowen’s ancient grave, and scarcely to be entertained. Willett reflected
—
the cries later at Pawtuxet whose mind that since the original cellar was dug with-
had planned the vengeance and rediscov- out knowledge of any catacombs beneath,
ered the shunned seat of elder blasphe- the beginning of the passage would repre-
mies? And then the bungalow and the sent the strictly modern delving of young
bearded stranger, and the gossip, and the Ward and his associates, where they had
fear. The final madness of Charles neither probed for the ancient vaults whose rumor
father nor doctor could attempt to explain, could have reached them by no wholesome
but they did feel sure that the mind of means.
Joseph Curwen had come to earth again The doctor tried to put himself in
and was following its ancient morbidities. Charles’ place and see how a delver would
Was demoniac possession in truth a possi- be likely to start, but could not gain much
bility? Allen had something to do with from this method, “rhen he
inspiration
it, and the detectives must find out more decided on elimination as a policy, and
about one whose existence menaced the went carefully over the whole subterranean
102 WEIRD TALES
surface both vertical and horizontal, trying not help thinking of what Luke Fenners
to account for every inch separately. He had reported on that last monstrous night.
was soon substantially narrowed down, and Then duty asserted itself and he made the
at last had nothing left but the small plat- plunge, carrying a great valise for the re-
form before the washtubs, which he had moval of whatever papers might prove of
tried once before in vain. Now experi- supreme importance. Slowly, as befitted
menting in every possible way, and exert- one of his years, he descended the ladder
ing a double strength, he finally found that and reached the slimy steps below. This
the top did indeed turn and slide horizon- was ancient masonry, his torch told him;
tally on a corner pivot. Beneath it lay a and upon the dripping walls he saw the
trim concrete surface with an iron man- unwholesome moss of centuries. Down,
hole, to which Mr. Ward at once rushed down, ran the steps; not spirally, but in
with excited zeal. The cover was not hard three abrupt turns; and with such narrow-
to lift, and the father had quite removed ness that two men could have passed only
it when Willett noticed the queerness of with difficulty. He had counted about thirty
his aspect. He was swaying and nodding when a sound reached him very faintly;
dizzily, and in the gust of noxious air and after that he did not feel disposed to
which swept up from the black pit beneath count any more.
the doctor soon recognized ample cause. It was a godless sound; one of those
In a moment Dr. Willett had his faint- low-keyed, insidious outrages of nature
ing companion on the floor above and was which are not meant to be. To call it a
reviving him with cold water. Mr. Ward dull wail, a doom-dragged whine, or a
responded feebly, but it could be seen that hopeless howl of chorused anguish and
the mephitic blast from the crypt had in stricken flesh without mind would be to
some way gravely sickened him. Wishing miss its most quintessential loathesomeness
to take no chances, Willett hastened out and soifl-sickening overtones. Was it for
to Broad Street for a taxicab and had soon this that Ward had seemed to listen on that
dispatched the sufferer home despite his day he was removed? It was the most
weak-voiced protests; after which he pro- shocking thing that Willett had ever heard,
duced an electric torch, covered his nostrils and it continued from no determinate
with a band of sterile gauze, and descended point as the doctor reached the bottom of
once more to peer into the new-found the steps and cast his torchlight around on
depths. The foul air had now slightly lofty corridor walls surmounted by Cy-
abated, and Willett was able to send a clopean vaulting and pierced by number-
beam of light down the Stygian hole. For less black archways. The hall in which he
about ten feet, he saw, it was a sheer cyl- stood was perhaps fourteen feet high to the
indrical drop with concrete walls and an middle of the vaulting and ten or twelve
iron ladder; after which the hole appeared feet broad. Its pavement was of large
to strike a flight of old stone steps which chipped flagstones, and its walls and roof
must originally have emerged to earth were of dressed masonry. Its length he
somewhat southward of the presort build- could not imagine, for it stretched ahead
ing. indefinitely into the blackness. Of the arch-
ways, some had doors of the old six-pan-

W ILLETT freely admits that for a

ment the memory of the
legends kept him from climbing down
mo-
old Curwen
eled colonial type, whilst others had none.
Overcoming the dread induced by the
smell and the howling, Willett began to
alone into that malodorous gulf. He could explore these archways one by one; find-
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 105

ing beyond them rooms with groined stone ough deciphering and editing. Once he
ceilings, each of medium size and appar- found large packets of letters with Prague
ently of bizarre uses. Most of them had and Rakus postmarks, and in writing
fireplaces, upper courses of whose
the clearly recognizable as Orne’s and Hutch-
chimneys would have formed an interest- inson’s; all of which he took with him as
ing study in engineering. Never before part of the bundle to be removed in his
or since had he seen such instruments or valise.

suggestions of instruments as hereloomed At last, in a locked mahogany cabinet

up on every hand through the burying dust once gracing the Ward home, Willett
and cobwebs of a century and a half, in found the batch of old Curwen papers;
many cases evidently shattered as if by the recognizing them from the reluctant
ancient raiders. For many of the cham- glimpse Charles had granted him so many
bers seemed wholly untrodden by modern years ago. The youth had evidently kept
feet, and must have represented the earliest them together very much as they had been
and most obsolete phases of Joseph Cur- when first he found them, since all the
wen’s experimentation. Finally there came titles recalled by the workmen were pres-

a room of obvious modernity, or at least of ent except the papers addressed to Orne
recent occupancy. There were oil heaters, and Hutchinson, and the cipher with its

bookshelves and tables, chairs and cabi- key. Willett placed the entire lot in his
nets, and a desk piled high with papers of valise and continued his examination of
varying antiquity and contemporaneous- the files. Since yoimg Ward’s immediate
ness. Candlesticks and oil lamps stood condition was the greatest matter at stake,
about in several places; and finding a match the closest searching was done among the
safe handy, Willett lighted such as were most obviously recent matter; and in this
ready for use. abundance of contemporary manuscript
In the fuller gleam it appeared tliat this one very baffling oddity was noted. That
apartment was nothing less than the latest oddity was the slight amount in Charles’
study or library of Charles Ward. Of the normal writing, which indeed included
books the doctor had seen many before, nothing more recent than two mcMiths be-
and a good part of the furniture had fore. On the other hand, there were lit-
plainly come from the Prospect Street man- erally reams of symbols and formulae, his-
sion. Here and there was a piece well torical notes and philosophical comment,

known to Willett, and the sense of famili- in a crabbed penmanship absolutely iden-
arity became so great that he half forgot tical with the ancient script of Joseph Cur-

the noisomeness and the wailing, both of wen, though of undeniably modern dating.
which were plainer here than they had been Plainly, a part of the latter-day program
at the foot of the steps. His first duty, as had been a sedulous imitation of the old
planned long ahead, was to find and seize wizard’s writing, which Charles seemed to
any papers which might seem of vital im- have carried to a marvelous state of per-
pedance; especially those portentous docu- fection. Of any third hand which might
ments found by Charles so long ago behind have been Allen’s there was not a trace.
the picture in Olney Court. As he searched If he had indeed come to the leader, he
he perceived how stupendous a task the must have forced young Ward to act as his
final unraveling would be; for file on file amanuensis.
was stuffed with papers in curious hands In this new material one mystic for-
and bearing curious designs, so that months mula, or rather pair of formulae, re-

or even years might be needed for a thor- curred so often that Willett had it by
104 WEIRD TALES
heart before he had half finished his quest. 'The next few rooms he tried were all

It consisted of two parallel columns, the abandoned or filled only with crumbling
left-hand one surmounted by the archaic boxes and ominous-looking leaden coffins;
symbol called "Dragon’s Head” and used but impressed him deeply with the magni-
in almanacs to indicate the ascending node, tude of Joseph Curwen’s original opera-
and the right-hand one headed by the cor- tions. He thought of the slaves and sea-
responding sign of "Dragon’s Tail” or de- men who had disappeared, of the graves
scending node. "The appearance of the which had been violated in every part of
whole was something like this, and almost the world, and of what that find raiding
unconsciously the doctor realized that the party must have seen; and then he decided
second half was no more than the first it was better not to think any more. Once
written syllabically backward with the ex- a great stone staircase mounted at his right,
ception of the final monosyllables and of and he deduced that this must have reached
theodd name Yog-Sothoth, which he had
come to recognize under various spellings
to one of the Curwen outbuildings per-
haps the famous stone edifice with the high
—
from other things he had seen in connec- slitlike windows —
^provided the steps he
had descended had led from the steep-
tion with this horrible matter. 'The for-
mulae were as follows — exactly so, as Wil- roofed farmhouse. Suddenly the walls
lett is abundantly able to testify —and the seemed to fall away ahead, and the stench
first one struck an odd note of uncom- and the wailing grew stronger. Willett
fortable latentmemory in his brain, which saw that he had come upon a vast open
he recognized later when reviewing the space, so great that his torchlight would not
events of that horrible Good Friday of the carry across it; and as he advanced he en-
previous year. countered occasional stout pillars support-
ing the arches of the roof.
After a time he reached a circle of pil-
n y larsgrouped like the monoliths of Stone-
Y’AI ’NG'NGAH, OGTHROD AI’F henge, with a large carved altar on a base
YOG-SOTHOTH GEB'L EE'H
of three steps in the center; and so curious
H'EE L’GEB YOG-SOTHOTH
F’AI THRODOG ’NGAH’NG AI'Y were the carvings onthat altar that he ap-
UAAAH ZHRO proached to study them with his electric
light. But when he saw what they were he
So haunting were, these formulae, and so shrank away shuddering, and did not stop
frequently did he come upon them, that to investigate the dark stains which dis-
before the doctor knew it he was repeating colored the upper surface and had spread
them under his breath. Eventually, how- down the sides in occasional thin Lines.
ever, he felt he had secured all the papers Instead, he found the distant wall and
he could digest to advantage for the pres- traced it as it swept around in a gigantic
ent; hence resolved to examine no more circle perforated by occasional black door-
till he could bring the sceptical alienists ways and indented by a myriad of shallow
en masse for an ample and more systematic with iron gratings and wrist and ankle
cells
raid. He had still to find the hidden labo- bonds on chains fastened to the stone of
ratory, so leaving his valise in the lighted the concave rear masonry. These cells
room he emerged again into the black were empty, but still the horrible odor and
noisome corridor whose vaulting echoed the dismal moaning continued, more in-
ceaselessly with that dull and hideous sistent now than ever, and seemingly varied
whine. at times by a sort of slippery thumping.
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 105

T^ROM that frightful smell and that un- blind, futile scrambling and slippery
canny noise Willett’s attention could thumping. The explorer trembled, un-
no longer be diverted. Both were plainer willing even to imagine what noxious thing
and more hideous in the great pillared hall might be lurking in that abyss; but in a
than anywhere else, and carried a vague moment mustered up the courage to peer
impression of being far below, even in over the rough-hewn brink; lying at full
thisdark nether world of subterrene mys- length and holding the torch downward at
tery. Before trying any of the black arch- arm’s length to see what might lie below.
ways for steps leading further down, the For a second he could distinguish nothing
doctor cast his beam of light about the but the slimy, moss-grown brick walls sink-
stone-flagged floor. It was very loosely ing illimitably into that half -tangible mi-
paved, and at irregular intervals there asma of murk and foulness and anguished
would occur a slab curiously pierced by frenzy;and then he saw that something
small holes in no definite arrangement, dark was leaping clumsily and frantically
while at one point there lay a very long up and down at the bottom of the narrow
ladder carelessly flung down. To this shaft,which must have been from twenty
ladder, singularly enough, appeared to to twenty-five feetbelow the stone floor
cling a particularly large amount of the where he lay. The torch shook in his
frightful odor which encompassed every- hand, but he looked again to see what
thing. As he walked slowly about, it sud- manner of living creature might be im-
denly occurred to Willett that both the mured there in the darkness of that un-
noise and the odor seemed strongest di- natural well; left starving by young Ward
rectlyabove the oddly pierced slabs, as if through all the long month since the doc-
they might be crude trap-doors leading torshad taken him away, and clearly only
down to some still deeper region of horror. one of a vast number prisoned in the kin-
Kneeling by one, he worked at it with his dred wells whose pierced stone covers so
hands, and found that with extreme difii- thickly studded the floor of the great
culty he could budge it. At his touch the vaulted cavern. Whatever the things were,
moaning beneath ascended to a louder key, they could not down in their cramped
lie

and only with vase trepidation did he per- spaces; but must have crouched and whined
severe in the lifting of the heavy stone. and waited and feebly leaped all those
A stench unnamable now rose from below, hideous weeks since their master had aban-
and the doctor’s head reeled diz2ily as he doned them unheeded.
laid back the slab and turned his torch But Marinus Bicknell Willett was sorry
upon the exposed square yard of gaping that he looked again; for surgeon and
blackness. veteran of the dissecting-room though he
If he had expected a flight of steps to was, he has not been the same since. It is

some wide gulf of ultimate abomination, hard to explain just how a single sight of
Willett was destined to be disappointed; a tangible object with measurable dimen-
for amidst that foetor and cracked whining sions could so shake and change a man;
he discerned only the brick-faced top of a and we may only say that there is about
cylindrical well perhaps a yard and a half certain outlines and entities a power of
in diameter and devoid of any ladder or symbolism and suggestion which acts
other means of descent. As the light shone frightfully on a sensitive thinker’s perspec-
down, the wailing changed suddenly to a tive and whispers terrible hints of obscure
series of horrible yelps; in conjunction with cosmic relationships and unnamable reali-
which there came again that sound of ties behind the protective illusions of com-
106 WEIRD TALES
mon vision. In that second look Willett imperfect salts, and which he kept for
saw such an outline or entity, for during servile or ritualistic purposes. If it had not
the next few instants he was undoubtedly had a certain significance, its image would
as stark mad as any inmate of Dr. Waite’s not have been carved on that damnable
private hospital. He dropped the electric stone. It was not the worst thing depicted
torch from a hand drained of muscular —
on that stone ^but Willett never opened
power or nervous coordination, nor heeded the other pits. At the time, the first con-
the sound of crunching teeth which told of nected idea in hismind was an idle para-
its fate at the bottom of the pit. He graph from some of the old Curwen data
screamed and screamed and screamed in a he had digested long before; a phrase used
voice whose falsetto panic no acquaintance by Simon or Jedediah Orne in that porten-
of his would ever have recognized, and tous confiscated letter to the bygone sor-
though he could not rise to his feet he cerer:
crawled and rolled desperately away over "Certainly, there was Noth’g butt ye
the damp pavement where dozens of Tar- liveliest Awfullness in That which H.
tarean wells poured forth their exhausted rais’d upp from What he cou’d gather onlie
whining and yelping to answer his own a Part of.’’
insane cries. He tore his hands on the 'Then, horribly supplementing rather
rough, loose stones, and many times than displacing this image, there came a
bruised his head against the frequent pil- recollection of those ancient lingering ru-
lars, but still he kept on. Then at last he mors anent the burned and twisted thing
slowly came to himself in the utter black- found in the fields a week after the Curwen
ness and stench, and stopped his ears raid. Charles Ward had once told the doc-
against the droning wail into which the tor what old Slocum said of that object;
burst of yelping had subsided. He was that it was neither thoroughly human, nor
drenched with perspiration and without wholly allied to any animal which Pawtuxet
means of producing a light; stricken and folk had ever seen or read about.
unnerved in the abysmal blackness and 'These words hummed in the doctor’s
horror, and crushed with a memory he mind as he rocked to and fro, squatting
never could efface. Beneath him dozens of on the nitrous stone floor. He tried to
those things still lived, and from one of drive them out, and repeated the Lord’s
the shafts the cover was removed. He Prayer to himself; eventually trailing oflf

knew that what he had seen could never into a mnemonic hodge-podge like the
climb up the slippery walls, yet shuddered modernistic "Waste Land” of Mr. T. S.
at the thought that some obscure foothold Eliot and finally reverting to the oft-re-
might exist. peated dual formula he had lately found in
Ward’s underground library: "Y’ai ’ng-

W HAT
tell.
the thing was, he
It

on the hellish altar,

was like
would never
some of the carvings
but it was alive. Na-
’ngah, Yog-Sothoth,”
final
soothe
underlined "Zhro.’\
him and he
and so on till the
It seemed to
staggered to his feet
ture had never made it in this form, for it after a time; lamenting bitterly his fright-
was too palpably unfinish ed. The deficien- lost torch and looking wildly about for any
cies were of the most surprising sort, and gleam of light in the clutching inkiness of
the abnormalities of proportion could not the chilly air. Think he would not; but he
be described. Willett consents only to say strained his eyes in every direction for
that this type of thing must have repre- some faint glint or reflection of the bright
sented entities which Ward called up from illumination he had left in the library.
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 107

After awhile he thought he detected a sus- of that last lamp which had brought him
picion of a glow infinitely far away, and to safety.
toward this he crawled in agonized caution
on hands and knees amidst the stench and TN ANOTHER moment he was hastily
howling, always feeling ahead lest he col- filling the burned-out lamps from an
lide with the numerous great pillars or oil supply he had previously noticed, and
stumble into the abominable pit he had un- when the room was
bright again he looked
covered. about to see he might find a lantern for
if

Once his shaking fingers touched some- further exploration. For racked though he
thing which he knew must be the steps was with horror, his sense of grim purpose
leading to the hellish altar, and from this was still uppermost, and he was firmly de-
spot he recoiled in loathing. At another termined to leave no stone unturned in his
time he encountered the pierced slab he search for the hideous facts behind Charles
had removed, and here his caution became Ward’s bizarre madness. Failing to find
almost pitiful. But he did not come upon a lantern, he chose the* smallest of the
the dread aperture after all, nor did any- lamps to carry; also filling his pockets with
thing issue from that aperture to detain candles and matches, and taking with him
him. What had been down there made a gallon can of oil, which he proposed to
no sound nor stir. Evidently its crunching keep for reserve use in whatever hidden
of the fallen electric torch had not been laboratory he might uncover beyond the
good for it. Each time Willett’s fingers terrible open space with its unclean altar
felt a perforated slab he trembled. His and nameless covered wells. To traverse
passage over itwould sometimes increase that space again would require his utmost
the groaning below, but generally it would fortitude, but he knew it must be done.
produce no effect at all, since he moved Fortunately neither the frightful altar nor
very noiselessly. Several times during his the opened shaft was near the vast cell-
progress the glow ahead diminished per- indented wall which bounded the cavern
ceptibly,and he realized that the various area,and whose black mysterious archways
candles and lamps he had left must be would form the next goals of a logical
expiring one by one. The thought of be- search.
ing lost in utter darkness without matches So Willett went back to that great pil-
amidst this underground world of night- lared hall of stench and anguished howl-
mare labyrinths impelled him to rise to his ing; turning down his lamp to avoid any
feet and run, which he could safely do now distant glimpse of the hellish altar, or of
that he had passed the open pit; for he the uncovered pit with the pierced stone
knew that once the light failed his only slab besideit. Most of the black doorways
hope of rescue and survival would lie in led merely to small chambers, some vacant
whatever relief party Mr. Ward might and some evidently used as store rooms;
send after missing him for a sufficient and in several of the latter he saw some
period. very curious accumulations of various ob-
Presently, however, he emerged from the jects. One was packed with rotting and
open space into the narrower corridor and dust-draped bales of spare clothing, and the
definitely located the glow as coming from explorer thrilled when he saw that it was
a door on his right. In a moment he had unmistakably the clothing of a century and
reached it and was standing once more a half before. In another room he found
in young Ward’s secret library, trembling numerous odds and ends of modern cloth-
with relief, and watching the sputterings ing, as if gradual provisions were being
108 WEIRD TALES
made body of men. But
to equip a large turn. From his cursory survey he saw that
what he disliked most of all were the huge two led merely to small storerooms; but
copper vats which occasionally appeared; these he canvassed with care, remarking
these, and the sinister incrustations upon the piles of coffins in various stages of
them. He liked them even less than the damage and shuddering violently at two
weirdly figured leaden bowls whose ruins or three of the few coffin-plates he could
retained such obnoxious deposits and decipher. There was much clothing also
around which clung repellent odors per- stored in these rooms, and several new and
ceptible above even the general noisome- tightly-nailed boxes which he did not stop
ness of the crypt. When he had completed to investigate. Most interesting of all, per-
about half the entire circuit of the wall he haps, were some odd bits which he judged
found another corridorthat like from to be fragments of old Joseph Curwen’s
which he had come, and out of which many laboratory appliances. These had suffered
doors opened. ' damage at the hands of the raiders, but
This he proceeded to investigate; and were still partly recognizable as the chem-
after entering three rooms of medium size ical paraphernalia of the Georgian period.

and of no significant contents, he came at

last to a large oblong apartment whose
businesslike tanks and tables, furnaces and The third archway led to a very sizeable
chamber entirely lined with shelves and
modern instruments, occasional books and having in the center a table bearing two
endless shelves of jars and bottles pro- lamps. 'These lamps Willett lighted, and
claimed it indeed the long-sought labora- in their brilliant glow studied the endless
tory of Charles —
Ward and no doubt of shelving which surrounded him. Some of
old Joseph Curwen before him. the upper levels were wholly vacant, but
. After lighting the three lamps which he most of the space was filled with small
found filled and ready. Dr. Willett exam- odd-looking leaden jars of two general
ined the place and all its appurtenances types; one tall and without handles like a
with the keenest interest; noting from the Grecian lekythos or oil-jug, and the other
on
relative quantities of various reagents with a single handle and proportioned like
the shelves thatyoung Ward’s dominant a Phaleron jug. All had metal stoppers,
concern must have been with some branch and were covered with peculiar-looking
of organic chemistry. On the whole, little symbols moulded in low relief. In a mo-
could be learned jrom the scientific en- ment the doctor noticed that these jugs
semble, which included a gruesome-look- were classified with great rigidity; all the
ing dissecting table; so that the room was lekythoi being on one side of the room
really rather a disappointment. Among with a large wooden sign reading "Custo-
the books was a tattered old copy of Borel- des” above them, and all the Phalerons on
lus in black-letter, and was weirdly in-
it the other, correspondingly labeled with a
teresting to note that Ward had underlined sign reading "Materia.” Each of the jars
the same passage whose marking had so or jugs, except some on the upper shelves
perturbed good Mr. Merritt at Curwen’s that turned out to be vacant, bore a card-
farmhouse more than a century and a half board tag with a number apparently re-
before. That older copy, of course, must ferring to a catalogue; and Willett resolved
have perished along with the rest of Cur- to look for the latter presently. For the
wen’s occult library in the final raid. Three moment, however, he was more interested
archways opened off the laboratory, and in the nature of the array as a whole; and
these the doctor proceeded to sample in experimentally opened several of the leky-
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 109

thoi and Phalerons at random with a view ard betook himself wholly beneath the
to a rough generalization. The result was earth. There had been, Smith and Weeden
invariable. Both types of jar contained a insisted, terrible colloquies wherein fig-
small quantity of a single kind of sub- ured Curwen, certain captives of his, and
stance; a fine dusty powder of very light the guards of those captives. Those guards,
weight and of many shades of dull neutral according to Hutchinson or his avatar, had
color. To the colors which formed the "eaten their heads off,” so that now Dr.
only point of variation there was no ap- Allen did not keep them in shape. And
parent method of disposal; and no distinc- if not in shape, how save as the "salts” to
tion between what occurred in the lekythoi which it appears this wizard band was en-
and what occurred in the Phalerons. A gaged in reducing as many human bodies
bluish-gray powder might be by the side or skeletons as they could?
of a pinkish-white one, and any one in a So that was what these lekythoi con-
Phaleron might have its exact counterpart tained; the monstrous fruit of unhallowed
in a lekythos. The most individual fea- rites and deeds, presumably won or cowed
ture about the powders was their non-ad- to such submission as to help when called
hesiveness. Willett would pour one into up by some hellish incantation, in the de-
his hand, and upon returning it to its jug fense of their blasphemous master or the
would find that no residue whatever re- questioning of those who were not so
mained on his palm. willing? Willett shuddered at the thought
The meaning of the two signs puzzled of what he had been pouring in and out
him, and he wondered why this battery of of his hands, and for a moment felt an
chemicals was separated so radically from impulse to flee in panic from that cavern
those in glass jars on the shelves of the of hideous shelves with their silent and
laboratory proper. "Custodes,” "Materia”; perhaps watching sentinels. Then he
that was the Latin for "Guards” and thought of the "Materia” —
in the myriad
"Material,” respectively —
and then there Phaleron jugs on the other side of the
came a flash of memory as to where he room. Salts too—and if not the salts of
had seen that word "Guards” before in "guards,” then the salts of what? God!
connection with this dreadful mystery. It Could it be possible that here lay the mor-
was, of course, in the recent letter to Dr. tal relics of half the titan thinkers of all
Allen purporting to be from old Edward the ages; snatched by supreme ghouls from
Hutchinson; and the phrase had read: cryptswhere the world thought them safe,
"There was no Neede to keep the Guards and subject to the beck and call of madmen
in shape and eat’g off their Heades, and it who sought to drain their knowledge for
made much to be founde in Case of some still wilder end whose ultimate effect
Trouble, as you too welle Knowe.” What would concern, as poor Charles had hinted
—
did this signify.^ But wait was there not in his frantic note, "all civilization, all nat-
still another reference to "guards” in this ural law, perhaps even the fate of the solar
matter which he had failed wholly to re- system and the universe?” And Marinus
call when reading the Hutchinson letter? Bicknell Willett had sifted their dust
Back in the old non-secretive days Ward through his hands!
had told him of the Eleazar Smith diary re- Then he noticed a small door at the far-
cording the spying of Smith and Weeden ther end of the room, and calmed himself
on the Curwen farm, and in that dreadful enough to approach it and examine the
chronicle there had been a mention of crude sign chiseled above. It was only a
conversations overheard before the old wiz- symbol, but it filled him with vague spirit-
110 WEIRD TALES
ual dread; for a morbid, dreaming friend the pad to see what notes young Ward
of his had once drawn iton paper and told might have been jotting down when inter-
him a few of the things it means in the rupted; but found nothing more intelligi-
dark abyss of sleep. It was the sign of ble than the following disjointed frag-
Koth, that dreamers see fixed above the ments in that crabbed Curwen chirography,
archway of a certain black tower standing which shed no light on the case as a whole:
alone in twilight —
and Willett did not like "B. dy’d not. Escap’d into walls and
what Randolph Carter had said
his friend founde Place below.
of its But a moment later he for-
powers. "Saw olde V. saye ye Sabaoth and learnt
got the sign as he recognized a new acrid ye Way.
odor in the stench-filled air. This was a "Rais’d Yog-Sothoth thrice and was ye
chemical rather than animal smell, and nexte Day deliver’d.
came clearly from the room beyond the all know’g howe
"F. soughte to wipe out
door. And it was, unmistakably, the same to raise 'Those from Outside.”
odor which had saturated Charles Ward’s As Argand blaze lit up the
the strong
clothing on the day the doctors had taken entire chamber the doctor saw that the wall
him away. So it was here that the youth opposite the door, between the two groups
had been intermpted by the final summons? of torturing appliances in the corners, was
He was wiser than old Joseph Curwen, for covered with pegs from which hung a set
he had not resisted. Willett, boldly de- of shapeless looking robes of a rather dis-
termined to penetrate every wonder and mal yellowish-white. But far more inter-
nightmare this nether realm might contain, esting were the two vacant walls, both of
seized the small lamp and crossed the which were thickly covered with mystic
threshold. A wave of nameless fright symbols and formulae roughly chiseled in
rolled out to meet him, but he yielded to the smooth dressed stone. 'The damp floor
no whim and deferred to no intuition. also bore marks of carving; and with but
There was nothing alive here to harm him, little difiiculty Willett deciphered a huge

and he would not be stayed in his pierc- pentagram in the center, with a plain circle
ing of the eldritch cloud which engulfed about three feet wide halfway between this
his patient. and each corner. In one of these four
circles, near where a yellowish robe had

The room beyond the door was of me-

dium size, and had no furniture save
been flung carelessly down, there stood a
shallow Kylix of the sort found on the
a table, a single chair, and two groups of shelves above the whip-rack; and just out-
curious machines with clamps and wheels side the periphery was one of the Phaleron
which Willett recognized after a moment jugs from the shelves in the other room,
as medieval instruments of torture. On its tag numbered 118. 'This was unstop-

one side of the door stood a rack of sav- pered, and proved upon inspection to be
age whips, above which were some shelves empty; but the explorer saw with a shiver
bearing empty rows of shallow pedestaled that the kylix was not. Within its shal-
cups of lead shaped like Grecian Kylikes. low area, and saved from scattering only
On the other side was the table; with a by the absence of wind in this sequestered
powerful Argand lamp, a pad and pencil, cavern, lay a small amount of a dry, dull-
and two of the stoppered lekythoi from the greenish efflorescent powder which must
shelves outside set down at irregular places have belonged in the jug; and Willett al-
as if temporarily or in haste. Willett most reeled at the implications that came
lighted the lamp and looked carefully at sweeping over him as he correlated little
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 111

by little the several elements and antece- "Dragon’s heading them as in

Tail”
dents of the scene. The whips and the in- Ward’s scribblings. But the spelling dif-
struments of torture; the dust or salts from fesred quite widely from that of the modern
the jug of "Materia,” the two lekythoi versions, as if old Curwen had had a
from the "Custodes” shelf, the robes, the different way of recording sound, or as if
formulae on the walls, the notes on the later study had evolved more powerful
pad, the hints from letters and legends, and perfected variants of the invocations
and the thousand glimpses, doubts, and in question. The doctor tried to reconcile
suppositions which had come to torment the chiseled version with the one which
the friends and parents of Charles Ward still ran persistently in his head, and found
— all these engulfed the doctor in a tidal it hard to do. Where the script he had
wave of horror as he looked at that dry memorized began "Y’ai ’Ng’ngah, Yog-
greenish powder outspread in the ped- Sothoth,” this epigraph stared out as "Aye,
estalled leaden kylix on the floor. engengah, Yogge-Sothotha” which to his
With an effort, however, Willett pulled mind would seriously interfere with the
himself together and began studying the syllabification of the second word.
formulae chiseled on the walls. From the Ground as the later text was into his
stained and incrusted letters it was obvi- consciousness, the discrepancy disturbed
ous that they were carved in Joseph Cur- him; and he found himself chanting the
wen’s time, and their text was such as to first of the formulae aloud in an effort to

be vaguely familiar to one who had read square the sound he conceived with the
much Curwen material or delved extensive- letters he found carved. Weird and men-
ly into the history of magic. One the doc- acing in that abyss of antique blasphemy
what Mrs. Ward
tor clearly recognized as rang his voice! its accents keyed to a dron-
heard her son chanting on that ominous ing sing-song either through the spell of
Good Friday a year before, and what an the past and the unknown, or through the
authority had told him was a very terrible hellishexample of that dull, godless wail
invocation addressed to secret gods outside from the pits whose inhuman cadences
the normal spheres. It was not spelled rose and fell rhythmically in the distance
here exactly as Mrs.Ward had set it down through the stench and darkness.
from memory, nor yet as the authority had
shewn it to him in the forbidden pages of “Y'AI 'NG’NGAH
"Eliphas Levi”; but its identity was un-
YOG-SOTHOTH
H'EE UGEB
mistakable, and such words as Sabaoth, F’AI’ THRODOG
Metraton, Almonsin, and Zariatnatmik UAAHr
sent a shudder of fright through the
searcher who had seen and felt so much of "DUT what was this cold wind which had
cosmic abomination just around the cor- -L' sprung into life at the very outset of
ner. the chant? The lamps were sputtering
This was on the left-hand wall as one woefully, and the gloom grew so dense that
entered the room. The right-hand wall the letters on the wall nearly faded from
was no less thickly inscribed, and Willett sight. 'There was smoke, too, and an acrid
felt a start of recognition as he came upon odor which quite drowned out the stench
the pair of formulae so frequently occur- from the far-away wells; an odor like that
ring in the recent notes in the library. They he had smelt before, yet infinitely stronger
were, roughly speaking, the same; with the and more pungent. He turned from the
ancient symbols of "Dragon’s Head” and inscriptions to face the room with its bi-
112 WEIRD TALES
zarre contents, and saw that the kylix on slowly when Mr. Ward gave him some
the floor, in which the ominous efflorescent brandy fetched from the car. ’Then he
powder had lain, was giving forth a cloud shuddered and screamed, crying out, "That
of thick, greenish-black vapor of surpris- — —
beard those eyes God, who are you?”
ing volume and opacity. That powder A very strange thing to say to a trim, blue-
Great God! had come from the shelf
it eyed, clean-shaven gentleman whom he
of "Materia” —^what was it doing now, and had known from the latter’s boyhood.
what had started it? The formula he had In the bright noon sunlight the bunga-
been chanting —the first of the pair low was unchanged since the previous
Dragon’s Head, ascending node Blessed — morning. Willett’s clothing bore no dis-
Saviour, could it be arrangement beyond certain smudges and
The doctor reeled, and through his head worn places at the knees, and only a faint
raced wildly disjointed scraps from all he aaid odor reminded Mr. Ward of what he
had seen, heard, and read of the frightful had smelt on his son that day he was taken
case of Joseph Curwen and Charles Dex- to the hospital. ’The doctor’s flashlight was
ter Ward. "I say to you againe, doe not missing, but his valise was safely there,
callup Any that you cannot put downe . . as empty as when he had brought it. Be-
Have ye Wordes for laying at all times fore indulging in any explanations, and
readie, and stopp not to be sure when there obviously with great moral effort, Willett
is any Doubte of Whom you have ^Three — — staggered dizzily down to the cellar and
Talkes with What was therein inhum’d tried the fateful platform before the tubs.
Mercy of Heaven, what is that shape be- It was unyielding. Crossing to where he
hind the parting smoke? had left his yet-unused tool satchel the day
before, he obtained a chisel and began to
ARINUS BICKNELL WILLETT has pry up the stubborn planks one by one.
no hope that any part of his tale will Underneath the smooth concrete was still
be believed except by certain sympathetic visible, but of any opening or perforation
friends, hence has made no attempt to tell there was no longer a trace. Nothing
it beyond his most intimate circle. Only yawned this time to sicken the mystified
a few outsiders have ever heard it repeated, father who had followed the doctor down-
and of these the majority laugh and remark stairs; only the smooth concrete underneath
that the doctor surely is getting old. He the planks —no noisome well, no world of
has been advised to take a long vacation subterrene horrors, no secret library, no
and to shun future cases dealing with men- Curwen no nightmare pits of stench
papers,
tal disturbance. But Mr. Ward knows that and howling, no laboratory or shelves or
die veteran physician speaks only a hor- chiseled formulae, no —
Dr. Willett turned
rible truth. Did not he himself see the pale, and clutched at the younger man.
noisome aperture in the bungalow cellar? "Yesterday,” he asked softly, "did you see
Did not Willett send him home overcome it here —
and smell it?” And when Mr.
and ill at eleven o’clock that portentous Ward, himself transfixed with dread and
morning? Did he not telephone the doc- wonder, found strength to nod an affirma-
tor in vain that evening, and again the next tive, the physician gave a sound half a

day, and had he not driven to the bunga- sigh and half a gasp, and nodded in turn.
low on that following noon, finding
itself "Then I will tell you,” he said.
his friend unconscious but unharmed on So for an hour, in the sunniest room they
one of the beds upstairs? Willett had been could find upstairs, the physician whispered
breathing stertorously, and opened his eyes his frightful tale to the wondering father.
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD in
There was nothing to relate beyond the
looming up of that form when the green-
ish-black vapor from the kylix parted, and
A t the library it was

these the
easy to find
manuals of palaeography, and over
two men puzzled till
good

the lights
Willett was too tired to ask himself what of evening shone out from the great chan-
had really occurred. There were futile, delier. In the end they found what was
bewildered head-shakings from both men, needed. The letters were indeed no fan-
and once Mr. Ward ventured a hushed tastic invention, but. the normal saipt of
suggestion, "Do you suppose it would be
of any use to dig?” The doctor was silent,
for it seemed hardly fitting for any human
brain to answer when powers of unknown
spheres had so vitally encroached on this TZccccxnr
side of the Great Abyss. Again Mr. Ward
asked, "But where did it go? It brought a very dark period. Tjiey were the pointed
you here, you know, and it sealed up the Saxon minuscules of the eighth or ninth
hole somehow.” century A. D., and brought with them
And Willett again let silence answer memories of an uncouth time when under
for him. a fresh Christian veneer ancient faiths and
But was not the final phase
after all, this ancient rites stirred stealthily, and the pale
of the matter. Reaching for his handker- moon of Britain looked sometimes on
chief before rising to leave. Dr. Willett’s strange deeds in the Roman mins at Caer-
fingers closed upon a piece of paper in his leon and Hexhaus, and by the Towers
pocket which had not been there before, along Hadrian’s cmmbling wall. The
and which was companioned by the candles words were in such Latin as a barbarous
and matches he had seized in the vanished age might remember "Corvinus, necan-
vault. It was a common sheet, torn obvi- dus est. Cadaver aq(ua) forti dissolven-
ously frexn the cheap pad in that fabulous dum, nec aliq(ui)d retinendum. Tace ut
room of horror somewhere underground, poles." —
which may roughly be translated,
and the writing upon it was that of an "Curwen must be killed. 'The body must
ordinary lead pencil —
doubtless the one be dissolved in aqua fortis, nor must any-
which had lain beside the pad. It was thing be retained. Keep silence as best
folded very carelessly, and beyond the faint you are able.”
acrid scent of the cryptic chamber bore no Willett and Mr. Ward were mute and
print or mark of any world but this. But baffled. They had met the unknown, and
in the text itself it did indeed reek with found that they lacked emotions to respond
wonder; for here was no script of any to it as they vaguely believed they ought.
wholesome age, but the labored strokes of With Willett, especially, the capacity for
mediaeval darkness, scarcely legible to the receiving fresh impressions of awe was
laymen who now strained over it, yet hav- well-nigh exhausted; and both men sat
ing combinations of symbols which seemed stilland helpless till the closing of the
vaguely familiar. 'The briefly scrawled mes- library forced them to leave. Then they
sage was this, and its mystery lent purpose drove listlessly to the Ward mansion in
to the shaken pair, who forthwith walked Prospect Street, and talked to no purpose
steadily out to the Ward car and gave or- into the night. "The doctor rested toward
ders to be driven first to a quiet dining morning, but did not go home. And he
place and then to the John Hay Library on was still there Sunday noon when a tele-
the hill. phone message came from the detectives
114 WEIRD TALES
who had been assigned to look up Dr. and watched for a wincing on Charles’ part
Allen. when he approached the matter of tlie cov-
Mr. Ward, who was pacing nervously ered pits and the nameless hybrids within.
about in a dressing-gown, answered the call But Ward did not wince. Willett paused,
in person; and told the men to come up and his voice grew indignant as he spoke
early the next daywhen he heard their re- of how the things were starving. He taxed
port was almost ready. Both Willett and the youth with shocking inhumanity, and
he were glad that this phase of the matter shivered when only a sardonic laugh came
was taking form, for whatever the origin in reply. For Charles, having dropped as
of the strange minuscule message, it useless his pretense that the crypt did not
seemed certain that the "Curwen” who exist, seemed to see some ghastly jest in
must be destroyed could be no other than this affair; and chuckled hoarsely at some-
the bearded and spectacled stranger. thing which amused him. Then he whis-
Charles had feared this man, and had said pered, in accents doubly terrible because
in the frantic note that he must be killed of the cracked voice he used, "Damn ’em,
and dissolved in acid. Allen, moreover, they do eat, but they don’t need to! That’s
had been receiving letters from the strange the rare part! A
month, you say, without
wizards in Europe under the name of Cur- food? Lud, Sir, you be modest! D’ye
wen, and palpably regarded himself as an know, that was the joke on poor old
avatar of the bygone necromancer. And Whipple with his virtuous bluster! Kill
now from a fresh and unknown source everything off, would he? Why, damme,
had come a message saying that "Curwen” he was half -deaf with the noise from Out-
must be killed and dissolved in acid. The side and never saw or heard aught from the
linkage was too unmistakable to be facti- wells. He never dreamed they were there
tious; and besides, was not Allen planning at all!Devil take ye, those cursed things
to murder young Ward upon the advice of have been howling down there ever since
the creature called Hutchinson? Of course, Curwen was done for a hundred and fifty-
the letter they had seen had never reached seven years gone!”
the bearded stranger; but from its text they But no more than this could Willett get
could see that Allen had already formed from the youth. Horrified, yet almost con-
plans for dealing with the youth if he grew vinced against his will, he went on with
too "squeamish.” Without doubt, Allen his tale in the hope that some incident
must be apprehended; and even if the most might startle his auditor out of the made
drastic directions Wfere not carried out, he composure he maintained. Looking at the
must be placed where he could inflict no youth’s face, the doctor could not but feel
harm upon Charles Ward. a kind of terror at the changes which recent
That afternoon, hoping against hope to months had wrought. Truly, the boy had
extract some gleam of information anent drawn down nameless horrors from the
the inmost mysteries from the only avail- skies. When the room with tiie formulae
able one capable of giving it, the father and the greenish dust was mentioned,
and the doctor went down the bay and Charles shewed his first sign of animation.
called on young Charles at the hospital. A quizzical look overspread his face as he
Simply and gravely Willett told him all heard what Willett had read on the pad,
he had found, and noticed how pale he and he ventured the mild statement that
turned as each description made certain the those notes were old ones, of no possible
truth of the discovery. The physician em- significance to anyone not deeply initiated
ployed as much dramatic effect as he could. in the history of magic. "But,” he added.
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 115

"had you but known the words to bring up he would converse no more, so Willett and
that which I had out in the aip, you had the father departed presently; leaving be-
not been here to tell me this. ’Twas Num- hind a caution against the bearded Allen,
ber 118, and I conceive you would have to which the youth only replied that this
shook had you looked it up in my list in individual was very safely taken care of,
t’other room. ’Twas never raised by me, and could do no one any harm even if he
but I meant to have it up that day you came wished.
to invite me hither.” ’This was said with an almost evil
Then Willett told of the formula he had chuckle very painful to hear. They did not
spoken and of the greenish-black smoke worry about any communications Charles
which had arisen; and as he did so he saw might write to that monstrous pair in Eu-
true fear dawn for the first time on Charles rope, since they knew that the hospital au-
Ward’s face. "It came, and you be here thorities seized all outgoing mail for cen-
alive!” As Ward croaked the words his sorship and would pass no wild or outre-
voice seemed almost to burst free of its looking missive.
trammels and sink to cavernous abysses of ’There however, a curious sequel to
is,

uncanny resonance. Willett, gifted with the matter of Orne and Hutchinson, if such
a flash of inspiration, believed he saw the indeed the exiled wizards were. Moved
situation, and wove into his reply a cau- by some vague presentiment amidst the
tion from a letter he remembered. "No. horrors of that period, Willett arranged
118, you say? But don’t forget that stones with an international press-cutting bureau
are all changed now in nine grounds out for accounts of notable current crimes and
of ten. You are never sure till you ques- accidents in Pragueand in eastern Transyl-
tion!” And then, without warning, he drew vania;and after six months believed that
forth the minuscule message and flashed it he had found two very significant things
before the patient's eyes. He could have amongst the multifarious items he received
wished no stronger result, for Charles and had translated. One was the total
Ward fainted forthwith. wrecking of a house by night in the oldest
quarter of Prague, and the disappearance
A LL this conversation, of course, had of the evil old man called Josef Nadeh,
been conducted with the greatest se- who had dwelt in it alone ever since any-
crecy lest the resident alienists accuse the one could remember. The other was a
father and the physician of encouraging a titan explosion in the Transylvania moun-
madman in his delusions. Unaided, too. tains east of Rakus, and the utter extirpa-
Dr. Willett and Mr. Ward picked up the tion with all its inmates of the ill-regarded
stricken youth and placed him on the Castle Ferenczy, whose master was so
couch. In reviving, the patient mumbled badly spoken of by peasants and soldiery
many times of some word which he must alike that he would shortly have been sum-
get to Orne and Hutchinson at once; so moned to Bucharest for serious question-
when his consciousness seemed fully back ing had not this incident cut off a career
the doctor told him that of those strange already so long as to antedate all common
creatures at least one was his bitter enemy, memory. Willett maintains that the hand
and had given Dr. Allen advice for his which wrote those minuscules was able to
assassination. 'This revelation produced no wield stronger weapons as well; and that
visible effect, and before it was made the while Curwen was left to him to dispose
visitors could see that their host had al- of, the writer felt able to find and deal with
ready the look of a hunted man. After that Orne and Hutchinson itself. Of what their
 116 WEIRD TALES
fate may have been the doctor strives sedu- In connection with the vampirism ruc-
lously not to think. tions of the preceding summer, a majority
of the gossips believed that Allen rather

The following morning Dr. Willett has-

tened to the Ward home to be present
than Ward was the actual vampire. State-
ments were also obtained from the ofiicials
when the detectives arrived. Allen’s de- who had visited the bungalow after the
struction or imprisonment or Curwen’s,— unpleasant incident of the motor truck rob-
if one might regard the tacit claim to re- bery. 'They had felt less of the sinister in
incarnation as valid —
he felt must be ac- Dr. Allen, but had recognized him as the
complished at any cost, and he communi- dominant figure in the queer shadowy cot-
cated this conviction to Mr. Ward as they tage. 'The place had been too dark for
sat waiting for the men to come. They them to observe him clearly, but they would
were downstairs this time, for the upper know him again if they saw him. His beard
parts of the house were beginning to be had looked odd, and they thought he had
shunned because of a peculiar nauseousness some slight scar above his dark spectacled
which hung indefinitely about; a nauseous- right eye. As for the search of Allen’s
ness which the older servants connected room, it yielded nothing definite save the
with some curse left by the vanished Cur- beard and glasses, and several penciled
wen portrait. notes in a crabbed writing, which Willett
At nine o’clock the three detectives pre- at once saw was identical with that shared
sented themselves and immediately deliv- by the old Curwen manuscripts and by
ered all that they had to say. They had the voluminous recent notes of young
not, regrettably enough, located the Brava Ward found in the vanished catacombs of
Tony Gomes as they had wished, nor had horror.
they found the least trace of Dr. Allen’s Dr. Willett and Mr. Ward caught some-
source or present whereabouts; but they thing of a profound, subtle, and insidious
had managed to unearth a considerable cosmic fear from this data as it was gradu-
number of local impressions and facts con- ally unfolded, and almost trembled in fol-
cerning the reticent stranger. Allen had lowing up the vague, mad thought which
struck Pawtuxet people as a vaguely unnat- had simultaneously reached their minds.
ural being and there was an universal be- The false beard and glasses, the crabbed
lief that his thick Vandyke beard was either —
Curwen penmanship ^the old portrait and
—
dyed or false a beliqf conclusively upheld its tiny scar —
and the altered youth in the
by the finding of such a false beard, to- hospital with such a scar — that deep, hol-
gether with a heavy pair of dark glasses, in low voice on the telephone was it not —
his room at the fateful bungalow. His of this that Mr. Ward was reminded when
voice, Mr. Ward could well testify from his son barked forth those pitiable tones
his one telephone conversation, had a depth towhich he now claimed to be reduced?
and hollowness that could not be forgot- Who had ever seen Charles and Allen to-
ten; and his glance seemed malign even gether? Yes, some officials had once, but
through his smoked and horn-rimmed who later on? Was it not when Allen left
glasses. One shopkeeper, in the course of that Charles suddenly lost his growing
negotiations, had seen a specimen of his frightand began to live wholly at the bun-
handwriting and declared it was very queer — —
galow? Curwen ^Allen Ward in what —
and crabbed; this being confirmed by pen- blasphemous and abominable fusion had
ciled notes of no clear meaning found in two ages and two persons become in-
his room and identified by the merchant. volved? That damnable resemblance of the
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 117

picture to Charles —had it not used to stare when had the final stage occurred? 'That
and stare, and follow the boy around the day when his frantic note was received
room with its eyes? Why,
both too, did he had been nervous all the morning, then
Allen and Charles copy Joseph Curwen’s there was an alteration. He had slipped
handwriting, even when alone and oflf out unseen and swaggered boldly in past
guard? And then the frightful work of the men hired to guard him. That was
those people —the lost crypt of horrors the time, when he was out. But no had—
that had aged the doctor overnight; the he not cried out in terror as he entered his
starved monsters in the noisome pits; the study —this very room? What had he
awful formula which had yielded such found there? Or wait what had found
nameless results; the message in minuscules him? 'That simulacrum which bmshed
found in Willett’s pocket; the papers and boldly in without having been seen to go
the letters and all the talk of graves and — ^was that an alien shadow and a horror
"salts” and discoveries —whither did every- forcing itself upon a trembling figure
thing lead? In the end Mr. Ward did which had never gone Out at all? Had not
the most sensible thing. Steeling himself the butler spoken of queer noises?
against any realization of why he did it, he
gave the detectives an article to be shewn
to such Pawtuxet shopkeepers as had seen
the portentous Dr. Allen. That article was
W ILLE'TT rang for the man and asked
him some low-toned questions. It
had surely, enough, been a bad business.
a photograph of his luckless son, on which —
There had been noises a cry, a gasp, a
he now carefully drew in ink the pair of chcJcing, and a sort of clattering or creak-
heavy glasses and the black pointed beard, ing or thumping, or all of these. And
which the men had brought from Allen’s Mr. Charles was not the same when he
room. stalked out without a word. The butler
For two hours he waited with the doctor shivered as he spoke, and sniffed at the
in the oppressive house where fear and heavy air that blew down from some open
miasma were slowly gathering as the empty window upstairs. Terror had settled defi-
panel in the upstairs library leered and nitely upon the house, and only the busi-
leered and leered. Then the men returned. nesslike detectives failed to imbibe a full
Yes, the altered photograph was a very measure of it. Even they were restless,
passable likeness of Dr, Allen. Mr. Ward for this case had held vague elements in
turned pale, and Willett wiped a suddenly the background which pleased them not at
dampened brow with his handkerchief. all. Dr. Willett was thinking deeply and
Allen —
^Ward Curwen — — it was becoming rapidly, and his thoughts were terrible
too hideous for coherent thought. What ones. Now and then he would almost
had the boy called out of the void, and break into muttering as he ran over in his
what had it done to him? What really head a new, appalling, and increasingly
had happened from first to last? Who was conclusive chain of nightmare happenings.
thisAllen who sought to kill Charles as too Then Mr. Ward made a sign that the
"squeamish,” and why had his destined conference was over, and everyone save
victim said in the postscript to that frantic him and the doctor left the room. It was
letter that he must be so completely obliter- noon now, but shadows as of coming night
ated in acid? Why, too, had the minuscule seemed to engulf the phantom-haunted
message, of whose origin no one dared mansion. Willett began talking very seri-
think, said that "Curwen” must be likewise ously to his host, and urged that he leave
obliterated? What was the change, and a great deal of the future investigation to
118 WEIRD TALES
him. There would he predicted, cer-
be, rustling of newspapers, that odd wrench
tain obnoxious elements which a friend and creaking were heard again; followed
could bear better than a relative. As fam- by a thumping which none of the eaves-
ily physician he must have a free hand, and droppers liked. Thereafter two suppressed
the first thing he required was a period criesof Willett’s were heard, and hard
alone and undisturbed in the abandoned upon these came a swishing rustle of in-
library upstairs, where the ancient over- definable hatefulness. Finally the smcJce
mantel had gathered about itself an aura that the wind beat down from the chim-
of noisome horror more intense than ney grew very dark and acrid, and everyone
when Joseph Curwen’s features themselves wished that the weather had spared them
glanced slyly down from the painted panel. this choking and venomous inundation of
Mr. Ward, dazed by the flood of gro- peculiar fumes. Mr. Ward’s head reeled,
tesque morbidities and unthinkably mad- and the servants all clustered together in a
dening suggestions that poured in upon knot to watch the horrible black smoke
him from every side, could only acquiesce; swoop down. After an age of waiting
and half an hour later the doctor was the vapors seemed to lighten, and half-
locked in the shunned room with the pan- formless sounds of scraping, sweeping, and
eling from Olney G)urt. The father, lis- other minor operations were heard behind
tening outside, heard fumbling sounds of the bolted door. And at last, after the
moving and rummaging as the moments slamming of some cupboard within, Wil-
passed; and finally a wrench and a creak, lett made his appearance, sad, pale and

as if a tight cupboard door were being haggard, and bearing the cloth-draped bas-
opened. Then there was a muffled cry, ket he had taken from the upstairs labo-
a kind of snorting choke, and a hasty slam- ratory. He had left the window open, and
ming of whatever had been opened. Al- into that once accursed room was pouring
most at once the key rattled and Willett a wealth of pure, wholesome air to mix
appeared in the hall, haggard and ghastly, with a queer new smell of disinfectants.
and demanding wood for the real fireplace The ancient overmantel still lingered; but
on the south wall of the room. The furnace it seemed robbed of malignity now, and
was not enough, he said; and the electric rose as calm and stately in its white panel-
log had little practical use. Longing yet ing as if it had never borne the picture
not daring to ask questions, Mr. Ward of Joseph Curwen. Night was coming
gave the requisite* orders and a man on, yet this time its shadows held no latent
brought some stout pine logs, shuddering fright, but only a gentle melancholy. Of
as he entered the tainted air of the library what he had done the doctor would never
to place them in the grate. Willett mean- speak. To Mr. Ward he said, "I can an-
while had gone up to the dismantled labo- swer no questions, but I will say that there
ratory and brought down a few odds and are different kinds of magic. I have made
ends not included in the moving of the a great purgation. 'Those in this house
July before. They were in a covered bas- will sleep the better for it.”
ket, and Mr. Ward never saw what they
were. I^HAT Dr. Willett’s "purgation” had
Then the doctor locked himself up in been an ordeal almost as nerve-racking
the library once more, and by the clouds of in its way as his hideous wandering in the
smoke which rolled down past the win- vanished crypt is shewn by the fact that the
dows from the chimney it was known that elderly physician gave out completely as
he had lighted the fire. Later, after a great soon as he readied home that evening. For
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 119

three days he rested constantly in his room, been able to go down to business since tlie
though servants later muttered something shock of Monday with its baffling reports
about having heard him after midnight on and its sinister "purgation,” but he found
Wednesday, when the outer door softly something calming about the doctor’s let-
opened, and closed with phenomenal soft- ter in spite of the despair it seemed to

ness. Servants’ imaginations, fortunately, promise and the fresh mysteries it seemed
are limited, else comment might have been to evoke.
excited by an item in Thursday’s Evening 10 Barnes St.,

Bulletin which ran as follows; Providence, R. I.,

April 12, 1928.

Dear Theodore;
North End Ghouls Again Active
I feel that I must say a word to you before doing
what I am going to do tomorrow. It will conclude
After a lull of ten months since the dastardly the terrible businesswe have been going through
vandalism in the Weeden lot at the North Burial (for that no spade is ever likely to reach that
I feel
Ground, a nocturnal prowler was glimpsed early monstrous place we know of), but I’m afraid it
this morning in the same cemetery by Robert Hart, won’t set your mind at rest unless I expressly assure
the night watchman. Happening to glance for a you how very conclusive it is.
moment from his shelter at about two a. m.. Hart You have known me ever since you were a small
observed a glow of a lantern or pocket torch not boy, so I think you will not distrust me when I hint
far to the northward, and upon opening the door that some matters are best undecided and unex-
left
detected the figure of a man with a trowel very plored. It is better that you attempt no further
plainly silhoueted against a nearby electric light. At speculation as to Charles’s case, and almost impera-
once starting in pursuit, he saw the figure dart hur- tive that you tell his mother nothing more than she
riedlytoward the main entrance, gaining the street already suspects. 'When I call on you tomorrow
and losing himself among the shadows before ap- Charles will have escaped. That is all which ne^
proach or capture was possible. remain in anyone’s mind. He was mad, and he
Like the of the ghouls active during the past
first escaped.
year, this intruder had done no real damage before So don’t ask me any questions when I call. It
detection.' A
vacant part of the 'Ward lot shewed may be that something will go wrong, but I’ll tell
signs of a little superficial digging, but nothing even you if it does. I don’t think it will. There will be
nearly the size of a grave had been attempted, and nothing more to worry about, for Charles will be
no previous grave had been disturbed.
Hart, who
cannot describe the prowler except as
very, very safe. He is now —
safer than you dream.
You need hold no fears about Allen, and who or
a small man
probably having a full beard, inclines what he is. He forms as much a part of the past as
to the view that all three of the digging incidents
Joseph Curwen’s picture, and when I ring your
have a common source; but police from the Second doorbell you may feel certain that there is no such
on account of the savage
Station think otlierwise person. And what wrote that minuscule message
nature of the second incident, where an ancient will never trouble you or yours.
coffinwas removed and its headstone violently shat- But you must steel yourself to melancholy, and
tered. prepare your wife to do the same. I must tell you
The first of the incidents, in which it is thought frankly that Charles’s escape will not mean his
an attempt to bury something was frustrated, restoration to you. He has been afflicted with a
occurred a year ago last March, and has been attrib- peculiar disease, as you must realize from the subtle
ued to bootleggers seeking a cache. It is possible, physical as well as mental changes in him, and you
says Sergeant Riley, that this third affair is of sim- must not hope to see him again. He stumbled on
ilar nature. Officers at the Second Station are tak- things no mortal ought ever to know, and reached
ing especial pains to capture the gang of miscreants back through the years as no one ever should reach;
responsible for these repeated outrages. and something came out of tliose years to engulf
him.
All day Thursday Dr. Willett rested as And now comes the matter in which I must ask

if recuperating ftom something past or you totrust me most of all. For there will be,
indeed, no uncertainty about Charles’s fate. In about
nerving himself for something to come. In
a year, say, you can if you wish devise a suitable
the evening he wrote a note to Mr. Ward, account of the end, for the boy will be no more.
which was delivered the next morning and You can put up a stone in your lot at the North
Burial ground exactly ten feet west of your father’s
which caused the half-dazed parent to pon-
and facing the same way, and that will mark the
der long and deeply. Mr. Ward had not true resting-place of your son. Nor need you fear
120 WEIRD TALES
that It will mark any abnormality or changeling. as though a cloud passed over the sun;
The ashes in that grave will be those of your own though there was no change in the shad-
unaltered bone and sinew —of the real Charles Dex-
ows on the floor. 'Then Ward ventured:
ter Ward whose mind you watched from infancy
the real Charles with the olive-mark on his hip "And is this what asks so hotly for a
and without the black witch-mark on his chest or reckoning? Suppose a man does find it
the pit on his forehead. The Charles who never did
actual evil, and who will have paid with his life
now and then useful to be twofold?”
for his "squeamishness." "No,” said Willett gravely, "again you
That is all. Charles will have escaped, and a year are wrong. It is no business of mine if
from now you can put up his stone. Do not ques-
tion me tomorrow. And believe that the honour of
any man seeks duality; provided he has any
your ancient family remains untainted now, as it right to exist at all, and provided he does
has been at all times in the past. not destroy what called him out of space.”
With profoundest sympathy, and exhortations to Ward now started violently. "Well,
fortitude, calmness, and resignation, I am ever
Sincerely your friend, Sir, what have ye found, and what d’ye
Marinus B. Willett. want with me?”
'The doctor let a little time elapse be-
O ON the morning of Friday, April 1 3, fore replying, as if choosing his words for
S 1928, Marinus Bicknell Willett visited an efliective answer.
the room of Charles Dexter Ward at Dr. "I have found,” he finally intoned,
Waite’s private hospital on Conanicut Is- "something in a cupboard behind an an-
land. After the interchange of a few where a picture once was,
cient overmantel
strained formalities, a new element of con- and I have burned it and buried the ashes
straint crept in, as Ward seemed to read where the grave of Qiarles Dexter Ward
behind the doctor’s masklike face a terri- ought to be.”
ble purpose which had never been there 'The madman choked and sprang from
before. the chair in which he had been sitting:
Ward actually turned pale, and the doc- "Damn ye, who did ye tell and who’ll—
tor was the first to speak. "More,” he said, believe it was he after these full two
"has been found out, and Imust warn you months, with me alive? What d’ye mean
fairly that a reckoning is due.” to do?”
"Digging again, and coming upon more though a small man, actually
Willett,
poor starving pets?” was the ironic reply. took on a kind of judicial majesty as he
It was evident that the youth meant to calmed the patient with a gesture.
shew bravado to the last. "I have told no one. This is no com-
"No,” Willett slowly rejoined, "this —
mon case it is a madness out of time and
time I did not have to dig. We have had a horror from beyond the spheres which no
men looking up Dr. Allen, and they found police or lawyers or courts or alienists could
the false beard and spectacles in the bun- ever fathom or grapple with. You cannot
galow!” deceive me, Joseph Curwen, for 1 know
"Excellent,” commented the disquieted that your accursed magic is true!
host in an effort to be wittily insulting, "I know how you wove the spell that
"and I trust they proved more becoming brooded outside the years and fastened on
than the beard and glasses you now have your double and descendant; I know how
on!” you drew him into the past and got him to
'"They would become you very well,” raise you up from your detestable grave;
came the even and studied response, '’as I know how he kept you hidden in his
indeed they seem to have done.” laboratory while you studied modem things
As Willett said this, it almost seemed and roved abroad as a vampire by night,
 THE CASE OF CHARLES DEXTER WARD 121

and how you later shewed yourself in beard But Willett was too quick for him. Even
and glasses that no one might wonder at as the dogs in the yard outside began to
your godless likeness to him; I know what howl, and even as a chill wind sprang
you resolved to do when he balked at your suddenly up from the bay, the doctor com-
monstrous rifling of the world’s tombs, and menced the solemn and measured intona-
at what you planned afterward, and I know tion of that which he had meant all along
how you did it. to recite. —
An eye for an eye magic for
"You left oflf your beard and glasses and —
magic let the outcome shew how well the
fooled the guards around the house. 'They lesson of the abyss had been learned! So
thought it was he who went in, and they in a clear voice Marinus Bicknell Willett
thought it was he who came out when you began the second of that pair of formulae
had strangled and hidden him. But you whose first had raised the writer of those
hadn’t reckoned on the different contacts —
minuscules ^the cryptic invocation whose
of two minds. You were a fool, Curwen, heading was the Dragon’s Tail, sign of the
to fancy that a mere visual identity would descending node —
be enough. Why didn’t you think of the
speech and the voice and the handwrit- "OGTHROD AI’F
ing? It hasn’t worked, you see, after all. GEB’L EE’H
You know better than I who or what wrote YOG-SOTHOTH
’NGAH NG AI’Y
that message in minuscules, but I will warn
ZHROr
you it was not written in vain. There are
abominations and blasphemies which must At the very first word from Willett’s
be stamped out, and I believe that the mouth the previously commenced formula
writer of those words will attend to Orne of the patient stopped short. Unable to
and Hutchinson. One of those creatures speak, the monster made wild motions with
wrote you once, 'do not call up any that his arms until they too were arrested.
you cannot put down.’ Curwen, a man can’t When the awful name of Yog-Sothoth was
tamper with Nature beyond certain limits, uttered, the hideous change began. It was
and every horror you have woven will rise not merely a dissolution, but rather a
up to wipe you out.” transformation or recapitulation; and Wil-
lett shut his eyes lest he faint before the
ut
B here the doctor was cut short by a
convulsive cry from the creature before
rest
nounced.
of the incantation could be pro-

him. Hopelessly at bay, weaponless, and But he did not faint, and that man of
knowing that any show of physical violence unholy centuries and forbidden secrets
would bring a score of attendants to the never troubled the world again. The mad-
doctor’s rescue, Joseph Curwen had re- ness out of time had subsided, and the case
course to his one ancient ally, and began a of Charles Dexter Ward was closed. Open-
series of cabalistic motions with his fore- ing his eyes before staggering out of that
fingers as his deep, hollow voice, now un- room of horror, Dr. Willett saw that what
concealed by feigned hoarseness, bellowed he had kept in memory had not been kept
out the opening words of a terrible for- amiss. 'ITiere had, as he had predicted,
mula. been no need for acids. For like his ac-
"PER ADONAI ELOIM, ADONAI cursed picture a year before, Joseph Cur-
JEHOVA, ADONAI SABAO'TH, ME- wen now lay scattered on the floor as a thin
”
TRATON coating of fine bluish-gray dust.
 Time-Machine in Your Backyard! ren asteroids. While its twin feature, the
second part of the Lovecraft novel, is a horror
ONE of our readers told us recently that
he found WEIRD TALES
keeping a time-machine in the backyard!
as good as
tale in the traditional manner. And in be-
tween are stories, each different to the other,
yet all blending into what we hope is a per-
"I just sit back and relax in my favorite
fect reading whole.
armchair,” he said, "and WEIRD TALES
does the rest —taking me back or forward in
We’re hoping that as many of you as have
time — to other planets — way or outside this
the time will write to us
feel about your magazine
and
—
tell

^for
us what you
such letters are
life.”
a great help to us in giving you the kind of
"WEIRD TALES is really better than a
time-machine,” he added, "for it means no stories that you really want to see in WEIRD
.” TALES.
more effort than the turning of a page. . .

We hope that all of you get equal pleasure

from your magazine. We’re doing all we One Reader’s Choice of the Best Stories in

can to see that your fireside adventuring into WEIRD TALES for 1940
the occult is and thrilling as rich in
as weird — From Elkhom, W. Va., Eugene Dixon
variety —
as it can be made. writes:
Horror, ancient and modern science fic- —
tion— fantasy of every kind weird tragedy, — I have before me the six
issued in
WEIRD
TALES
1940 and I’m listing the six best stories
weird humor, weird romance ghosts, vam- . . .

of 1940. Of course, this list may not agree with

pires, werewolves, monsters and sorcerers
everyone, but I sure liked them:
these and countless other kinds of stories i
1. A —
Million Years in the Future ^Thomas P.
make up WEIRD TALES. Kelly.
One reader prefers one type of story, an- 2. The Golden —Seabury Quinn.
Spider
other goes for something completely different.
3. Wind the Moonlight—Giretchen Ruediger.
in
4. The Dreadful Rabbits—Gans T. Field.
One likes science fiction, another likes horror.
3. The Unusual Romance of Ferdinand Pratt—
Some enjoy both. You are agreed upon two Nelson S. Bond.
things only: that each story be really inter- 6. The Last Waltz —Seabnry Quinn.
esting —
and that each issue be so varied that, Here’s hoping you go monthly next month!

no matter what your taste, you will be enter-

tained. We don’t expect each story to please Where You Can Get a Photo of Lovecraft
everyone. But wc do hope that in every issue From 2530 N. Oakland Avenue, Milwau-
the majority of tales will thrill and delight kee, Wisconsin, Harold Gauer writes:
you.
"The lead story in this issue — ^Ray Cum-
H.
I note an inquiry in the Eyrie about photos of
P. Lovecraft. August Derleth once sent me a
mings’ "Robot God” — is a futuristic affair of small picture of Mr. Lovecraft which I copied
rebellious machine-men, space ships and bar- and enlarged for use on the dust jacket of ’’The
122
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124 WEIRD TALES
Outsider.” I still have the negative and some

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I wonder if
it is

readers are
practically the only

interested in
Ac-

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A Weird Tales Omnibus? Who could, who
more soundly the whole night through. But be
sure to get GOBD —
it’s a genuine medicine would object? Is such a volume possible? Then
for weak kidneys. Don’t accept a substitute. by all means let us have one.
A Weird Tales Quarterly? Of course if the —
RUPTURED?
Way
Get Relief This Proven
stories are old favorites.
And

ideas.
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here’s another,
mulled over while thinking on the above two
If a quarterly is impracticable —why not
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 THE EYRBE 12?

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ELECTRICITY

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• Membership is very simple: just drop us
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family history, no fooling. And as proof I can
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From the village of St. Tremain she went to the
126 WEIRD TALES
SICKNESS « ACCIDENTThousands of people are dis-
sea port of PalafrugcH ia Spain.
my
There she aiet
Great, Great Grandfatiier who was a seaman,
abled every hour of the day. engaged in canying silks and tea from the Orient
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thU policy. very entertaining. I remain your friend,
ill/fed
L Svivonus, Edward Goodell.
W Pr«»*
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Having been a reader of WEIRD
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tual Casualty Cmnpany is a safe company not an — my first subject. Since that time, eighteen years
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ago, I have been an ardent student of Abnormal
Koepital
Expense Psychology and practical metaphysics.
* All as spaai- cran MO
nv MONITV
wlUHt I
^ust mail the coupon for
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alone jndgeand decide. Don’twaituntlllt’stoolate.
readers may wish to know of the art of hypnotism.
THE ARCADIA MUTUAL CASUALTY CO., Desk 22-D Ne Agent G. B. Surles.
75 East Wacker Drive. Chicago, III. Will Call
Please send me complete information and tell me how I may get 1215 Troy Hill Road, N. S.
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I Address 1
“Lovely Nightmares”
I just finished reading your March edition of
WEIRD TALES and it is the best Tve
REE^ SAMPLES OP REMARK*
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H. H, Bromley, of Shelburne, Vt,, Yours sincerely,
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me I had acid stomach ulcers and Chicago, III.
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—
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After taking Von*s Tablets, I felt
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 Ml IMS 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947
1950

leaders of Ae next
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Will you be one of them!

Will You Be Clerk or Manager

Ten Years from Now?
“ OtTEKLY, this covUd never happen to me,” you say
—
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—
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