Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, December 1956 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

“People are watching. Come on. down.” “Who wants to live?” she de- manded, tugging. Cliff looked down at the beach and suddenly found himself laugh- ing a little. “You do,” he said. She swiveled her head around again and stared, her eyes and mouth 4 ye TERE LIES ... dark splotches in the shadowy face. Cliff laughed again. He let go the elbow. “Okay, go ahead. Jump.” She hung there, looking down at him and breathing noisily through her open mouth. Cliff said, “Go on, what’s keep- ing you? I just looked down. Did you? It’s only about five feet to the sand, and the tide’s out. You could- n’t even sprain an ankle.” She teetered a moment on the swaying wire and then crooked up one arm and hid her face against it. Cliff said pityingly, “Come on e down.” “Help me,” she said. She was like a bundle of dry twigs under the summer dress she wore. He had never seen a girl so thin. The little knot of loiterers who had slowed to watch moved on again, losing interest. Even the pink-striped woman had _ disap- peared. The show was over and nobody had been much interested, anyhow. Cliff said, ““That’s better. You didn’t really want to drown your- self. Come along and I'll buy you some popcorn.” “I hate popcorn,” “T need a drink.” Cliff pushed a hand in his pocket and turned the coins over with his fingertips. “I could buy you a beer.” the girl said. They sat with their elbows on the moist bar and their heels hooked over the stool rungs, feel- ing through bar and stool the deep 3 Gomichbooksico