Argosy All-Story Weekly — "The Purple Limited" — page 130: what you’re looking at

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

696 ‘“‘I am not,” I answered as curtly; the edge of nerves in his manner of question- ing doing nothing to soothe my own, “ and even if I were I would hardly expect to put all the burden of the present proplen upon you by going to sleep.” “For God’s sake don’t be a prima don- na!” he flared up. ‘I meant no offense.” . “Tm sorry, Dick,” I said. “ We’re both a littl—jumpy, I guess.” | He nodded; gripped my hand. “It wouldn’t be sd bad,” he muttered, ‘if all four of us were all right. But Vent- nor’s down and out, and God alone knows for how long. And Ruth—has all the trou- ble we have and some special ones of her own. I’ve an idea ’’—he hesitated—" an idea that there was no exaggeration in that story she told—an idea that if anything she underplayed it.” “JT, too,” I replied somberly. ‘‘ And to me it is the most hideous phase of this whole situation—and for reasons not all connected with Ruth,” I added. . “Hideous!” he repeated. ‘ Unthink- able—yet all this is unthinkable. And still —it is! And Ventnor — coming back—- that way, God! That was awful, too! Like a lost soul finding voice! “Was it raving, Goodwin? Or could he have been—how was it he put it in touch with that Thing and its purpose? Was that message—truth?”’ “Ask yourself that question, Dick,” I said. ‘‘Man— you know it was truth! Had not inklings of it come to you even before he spoke? They had to me. His message was but an interpretation, a syn- thesis of facts I, for one, lacked the cour- age to admit.” ““T, too,” he nodded. “ But he went further than that. What did he mean by the Keeper of the Cones—and that the— Things—were vulnerable under the same law that orders us? And why did he com- mand us to go back to the city? How could he know—how could he?” ‘““There’s nothing inexplicable in that, at any rate,” F answered. ‘ Abnormal sen- sitivity of perception due to the cutting off of all tactile impressions. There’s nothing uncommon in that. You have its most fa- miliar form in the sensitivity of the blind. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. You’ve watched the same thing at work in certain forms of hypnotic experimentation, haven’t you? ‘“‘ Through the operation of entirely un- derstandable causes the mind gains the power to react to vibrations that normally pass unperceived; through this keying up of perception into a wider area of consciousness than the nor- mal. Just as in certain diseases of the ear the sufferer, though deaf to sounds within the average range of hearing, is fully aware of sound vibrations far above and far be- low those the healthy ear registers.” “‘T know,” he said. ‘I don’t need to be convinced. But we accept these things in theory—and when we get up against them . for ourselves we doubt. “How many people are there in Chris- tendom, do you think, who believe that the Saviour ascended from the dead, but if they saw it to-day would insist upon medi- cal inspection, doctor’s certificates, a clinic, and even after that render a Scotch ver- dict? I’m not speaking irreverently—I’m just stating a fact. And my answer is, per- haps, one in a hundred thousand.” Suddenly he moved away from me, strode over to the curtained oval through which Norhala had gone. “ Dick,” I cried, following him hastily, ‘‘ where are you going? What are you go- ing to do?” . ‘I’m going after that Norhala devil,’ he answered, pausing for a moment. “ I’m going to have a show-down with her or know the reason why!” , ‘“‘ Drake,” I cried again, aghast, “ don’t make the mistake Ventnor did! That’s not the way to win through. Don’t—I beg you, don’t.” ‘* You're wrong,” he anewered stubborn- ly. “I’m going to get her. She’s got to talk.” He thrust out a hand to. the curtains. Before he could touch them they were parted. Out from between them slithered the black eunuch. He stood motionless, regarding us; in the ink-black eyes a red flame of hatred, menacing, diabolic. I pushed myself between him and Drake. _ “Where is your mistress, Yuruk?” I asked. is able to project itself . (C(O) nn) A DOO) KS (C(O)