A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine, October 1950 — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

THE DEVIL-FISH (Continued from page 99) horror had paralyzed us. Finally I looked at Jorneaux. Ife seemed to feel my ques- tion, although he did not turn immediately toward me. “Native wailing,” he explained briefly. “Kanaka woman mourning for her dead. Perhaps a servant in the hotel has—” Suddenly for the second time he caught my arm ina grip that was excruciating. lLooking at him in astonishment I saw him pale and intent, with a genuine suffering of pity and apprehension in his eyes. Still at the open window were Salis- bury and Ruth Talbert. In the utter ab- sorption they might have been alone— save for the author of that thin, wild cry out in the dark. The girl stood, white and slenderly erect, against the scarlet mass of bougain- vellea, gazing with the incredulity of an outraged princess at her lover’s face, her fingers pressed protestingly against her breast. Salisbury with one arm half raised as if to ward off a blow, stared awfully into the velvety blackness outside. And still the cry quavered on, insis- tently, hideously, beating itself into our brain until the thing became almost un- endurable. At my elbow Jorneaux stirred. ‘‘Ah, so that is to be the way,” he mur- mured to himself. “I should perhaps have known.” As I watched, tense, motionless, I slowly got the horrid impact of Jorneaux’s meaning. The horror was reflected in the face of Ruth Talbert as she ran stumbling toward the door. Salisbury had almost imperceptibly wavered toward the window. His eyes were closed, and one shaking hand was pressed tightly against his brow. But I had seen. Upon his forehead, at first faintly etched in delicate needle pricks, then scar- let as the guilty blood rushed to the tiny scars, the spider-like image of a devil- fish was burning itself; loathsome, cling- ing tentacles were writing themselves across his cheeks. No. I should have had no light con- versation for the occasion had I met Ruth Talbert face to face this afternoon. ee eeemanr gum immtonmnekdtieeracmninmettatimateae OO install a MILES PER GALLOR & MOTOR TUNE-UP-GAUGE , & NEW Fits all Checks spark plugs—checks carburetor and 31 other mo- tor adjustments. Registers miles per gallon at every speed. Simple to read—Dial in 4 colors. No holes to drill— anyone can install in 1 minute. Complete instructions fur- ee 234” in dia. nished. DE LUXE MODEL CHROME PLATED 35g” in dia............... $12.95 GUARANTEED SEND FOR YOURS TODAY— GALE HALL ENGINEERING, INC. DEPT. 140 BOSTON 18, MASS. World’s Largest Mfrs. of Auto Cauges Learn Locksmithing and Keymaking from Experts in Your Seons Time at Home! Locksmiths in big demand! No layoffs, no seasons! Age or physical handicap no d vantage. Year-round, steady income in this per- manent, respected field. Full or part time. Prac- tical, tllustrated lessons show you how make money even while learning! All matert er: special tools supplied. Send for FREE LOCKSMITH SCHOOL SSA Park Ave. High School Course 1M LULA Many Finish in 2 Years Go as rapidly as your time and abilities permit. Course equivalent to resident schoo! work — prepares for college entrance exams. Standard H. S. texts supplied. Dipl Credit ects a slow (d- ahd ET. or H. S. a ening gl completed. Mr ae desired. High school education is very important for in business and industry and socially. Don’t be handicapped all your life. Be a High School graduate. Start your training oow. Free Bulletin on request. No ol tion American School, Dept, 649, Drexel at 58th, Chicago 37 WAKE UP YOUR LIVER BILE— Without Calomel—And You'll Jump Out of Bed in the Morning Rarin’ to Go The liver should pour out about 2 pints of bile juice into your digestive tract every day. If this bile is not flowing freely, your food may not digest. It may just decay in the digestive tract. Then bloats up your stomach. You get conetipe (at You feel sour, sunk and the world looks punk. ; ; It takes those mild, gentle Carter’s Little Liver Pills to get these 2 pints of bile flowing freely to make you feel ‘‘up and up.”’ Get a package today. Effective in making bile flow freely. Ask for Carter’s Little Liver Pills, 33¢ at any drugstore. 129 DOOKS (C(O)