10 Story Book, August 1938 — page 47: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

50 INTRIGUING STORIES, SPICED WITH PRETTY GIRLS! (Continued from page 48) belonged to him, Zingare, Zingare the Mas- ter! “Came. ny, dear,” he said one-day, “give mea kiss.” She shook her head. He tried to be jocular. “Come, my dear, you've grown into a damned fine woman, and your kisses are too good to be wasted on anybody’s feet, even the feet of Jesus. Come, here are my lips—waiting. Isn’t it better to kiss a lve man’s lips than a dead pods fect?” But Meeka had become deathly pale. “No,” she said, “never! I shall never kiss you again.” Zingare seized her wrist and twisted it. ‘“You—you—” he began, choking with rage. She gazed at him steadfastly. “Go ahead, Zingare, beat me, kill me, 1f you hke. But beating me, killing me won’t make me kiss you. And that’s for always.” He raised his terrible arms as though to begin the beating then and there. She did not cringe; she did not move. He was dumbfounded; the awful arms lowered. What had come over her? Kissing the feet of Jesus had given her the unheard-of courage to defy her lord and master! And that was not the only miracle: her penance, instead of a thing of dolour, seemed a thing of joy; she wore her expiation’ not as a badge of shame, but as a decoration. This was a mystery—the Devil’s own. Zingare determined to fathom it. Late in the dusk of the next afternoon he preceded Meeka to the church and secreted himself in the confessional, whence he could see everything that happened. She was not long in coming. Immediately following her came 2 man A7imegares leatt beat. He strained his eyes and recognized—Sarras. Sarras tie few) So .... he had come back, and all the time they had been carry- ing on right here in church, in the house of God! The Jew’s lips, and not the feet of Jesus, had made her the lady! A maddened fury seized Zingare. He was about to burst from the confessional and confront them in their sin, but the strange actions of the pair made him wait. [nstead of turmng to preet her lover Meeka went on to the Crucifix, fell on her literally covered the sacred feet with kisses. knees and abandon of adoration And Sarras? He did not spring upon her and claim those kisses for himself. He simply waited motionless in the shadows, seemingly unmoved. could not comprehend this strange passivity any more than he could the passionate ferver of Meeka’s penance. Such wild kisses he him- self had never tasted, no man had ever tasted. She was kissing the feet of Jesus with her heart and soul, her whole body and her body’s passion, leaving on the sculptured flesh not only the imprint of her lips, but the very moisture of her mouth. The feet were wet—and not with the Dt- vine blood! in an Zingare Zingare marveled. But he was even more amazed when she suddenly sprang up and fled from the church, and Sarras, instead of followine her, hurried te the feet of Jesus himself and kissed them as lingering- ly, lovingly, passionately, madly as she had done. Sarras, the Jew, kissing the feet of Jesus! What monstrosity was this? While the watcher still wondered the youth rose and swiftly left the church. Zingare hurried to Was Meeka awaiting her lover? Ashamed to defile the house of God, would they hold their tryst outside? No! Meeka had already started home; already her form was dim in the time door and peered out, dusk. Sarras, hesitated, gazed after her a moment, then turned and walked rapidly away in the opposite direction. Zingare went home slowly, very slowly. He wanted to think; and he was stupefied yet. He was a dense man; but it did not Comicbooks.€© 5}