A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine, October 1950 — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

THE ELIXIR OF HATE 29 heeded, against the walls of masonry; an oubliette whence mevermore his_ voice could reach the outer world. What agonies—what mad, ingenious tortures—might not this aged scientist devise? Confidence violated, life-work negatived and swept away in one brief second by stark treachery, what vengeance too horrible to pay the debt? And, sick with sudden terror, Denni- son made a staggering run after the Italian. | “Stop! Hear me! Stop!” he screamed. Il Veechio whirled upon him. The old man stood transformed. His eyes glared, catlike, in his unnaturally pale face. Across his cheek glowered a dull red welt, where something had struck him as he had fallen across the bench. Through the trembling mustache and beard showed the worn teeth; and the veined fist, up- raised, vibrated with impotent passion. Dennison, horribly aghast, even despite the complex of strange sensatiorf$ that burned within him, started back at the sight of the old man. Head lowered and thrust forward, one shoulder turned toward II Vecchio, the other drawn back to give the clenched fist more impact if a blow were needed, Dennison stood there. Conventions all swept clean away, every scrap and shred of civilized veneer stripped from their naked souls, they glared upon each other, man against man, with only brute strength the arbiter be- tween them. d bees for a moment they remained, guest and host, betrayer and betrayed. No word from either. In the laboratory JUMPY NERVES HEADACHE no sound save the bubbling of the reac- tions, the drip-drip of the filter, the pant- ing breath of these two human creatures, which for a second had reverted to the beast, across ten million years of time. No word, no sound. Yet to Dennison it seemed as though the rapid throbbing of his heart filled the whole room with ham- mer-blows. He choked, gasped, tried to speak, and he found he could accomplish nothing. Again II Vecchio turned toward the door. “You—you lay a finger on that knob,” gasped the American with a supreme ef- fort, “and by Heaven [’ll—I’ll brain you!” Up he snatched a heavy earthen jug from the bench. He gripped it in a hand which, though still tremulous, now felt a strength unknown for years. He poised it, waiting. “Well?” he demanded, ‘“‘you hear? Make one move to lock me in and down you go—forever !”’ And toward II Vecchio he took a sud- den, menacing step. Erect to meet him stood the Patriarch. Their eyes clashed. Dennison’s hand tight- ened on the handle of the jug till his knuckles whitened. “So, then,” sneered Tl Vecchio, his face strange and wan under that vibrant purple glow, “‘so then, this 1s American honor ?”’ Raising his head, he crossed his arms upon his panting breast. “I—you—’”’ began Dennison, but the old man lifted a hand for silence. “So this 1s your payment for my con- fidence? I trust you, and you—you rob Upset sTOMACH Today more people than ever be- fore use Bromo-Seltzer. Because this time-proved product gives fast help. Not only for headache pain, butalso forthe upset stom- ach and jumpy nerves that often go with it. Quick! Pleasant! Bromo-Seltzer effervesces with split-second ac- tion, ready to go to work at once. And it is so refreshing! You must be satisfied or your money back! Caution: Use only as directed. Get Bromo-Seltzer at your drug store fountain or counter today. It's a product of the Emersoa Drug Co. since 1887. ! ™ 4 (C(O) 6)(0)©) (C(O)