Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

£ vy WAG, AY ¢ 698 I was looking into the main living room of the house, and met the direct gaze of a man who was lounging there! “I dropped the curtain hastily, but he had seen me and sprung to his feet—a powerful man, taller than myself, with gray, wide trousers and naked torso. I had re- treated back to the bedroom—the fear of what he might do to me, blind me or worse, made me anything but anxious to encounter him again. ‘“ He followed, and was upon me, twist- ing me by the shoulders to face him. He was a man of about thirty-five. Black hair, long to the base of his neck. Smooth- shaven—a strong, rugged face, with keen gray eyes beneath black, bushy brows; a nose a little like a hawk, and a wide mouth with thin lips. It was the sort of face that bespoke power—a nature born to dominate its fellows. And cruel, essentially cruel about the mouth. His gaze was searching —puzzled. I knew He was trying to make me out—wondering what manner of man I was—where I had come from. He spoke to me. I could not understand the words, but again I got the impression that they were familiar English words spoken differently. I answered; I don’t remember what; but he frowned, and pushed me from him, toward the couch. | ‘“T had decided to appear docile. I stumbled to the couch and sat down on it. He stood in the center of the room, regard- ing me; and I managed what I hoped might be an ingratiating smile. This seemed to appeal to him, for he smiled back. Then he swung about and left the room. “For a while I sat quiet. The giri— where she was I did not know. I would have escaped without her if I could—but escape did not seem possible. At least, it was more of a risk than I cared to take. The feeling came to me that even now as I sat on the couch, I might be observed. How could I tell that some one was not watching me from behind some hidden orifice, through which, as I turned my gaze that way, that tiny, blinding beam of light would spring at me? | = “ Tt was too big a chance. I would wait, and when I knew better with what I had to contend, watch my opportunity to escape. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “The room was fairly light now—that queer reddish light. I could see the sky, brilliant with a glorious red sunrise, through the little windows overhead. I moved the table and climbed on it. Outside was snow, tinged with red. I was at an east end of the house, perhaps next to the girl’s room. “At a corner of the building nearby, sat one of the dogs—like a gigantic shaggy wolf, quiet but alert. His head was fully six feet above the ground as he sat there squatting on his haunches. He heard me open the window, and trotted quietly over to look at me. My fascinated stare met his eyes squarely—eyes that seemed to hold an almost uncanny human intelligence. He seemed satisfied with the situation for he trotted back to the corner of the house, and sat down again. But he was still watching me. ‘““T dropped to the floor. The incident had left me shuddering. What manner of brutes were these, with gleaming tusk-like teeth, dripping jowls and a power in those tremendous muscles that must have far exceeded the strongest horse! And eyes that might have been human! I was further from thinking of escape that moment. than ever. “For three days they fed me in that room. A woman came mostly. She wore a loose, shapeless robe of dark cloth. It was dowdy-looking. Her hair was iron- gray, long, to her waist, twisted into a bundle and bound with strips of dark cloth. Her face was thin—careworn. She brought me my food—some kinds of cooked meats, and starchy vegetables, like potatoes. She was kind enough—but grim, as though I were an unpleasant task that her conscience made her discharge punctiliously. ‘“*T tried to talk to her, but she couldn’t understand me—nor I her. Afterward, I I learned she was the older man’s old maid daughter. The old man himself came in a few times—a smooth-shaven, stalwart man of seventy perhaps, dressed in wide flowing trousers, and naked above the waist. Some- times he wore a short little house jacket. His name was Bool. The younger man— the master of the house—was named Toroh. He came in and sat by me a few times, always intent to see that I was properly oO CORNIC LOOKS .ECO