Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 50 — page 66: what you’re looking at

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

HIDDEN TREASURE OF KALIN “This is with noisy relish. good.” “Tharg killed last night.” The Pupil sat down and joined his master in the noisy meal. “A deer he slew on the brow of the hill. The village eats today.” “Tt is well.” For the rest of the meal both men ate in silence, their bone spoons dipping from wooden. bowl to. bearded mouth with steady monotony. Finally the old man belched, wiped his mouth on the back of his hand, and stuck his grease-smeared spoon back into a pouch which hung at his belt. “News, Pupil?” “Kalin the King is ill, and it is thought that he will die. Kalin the Warrior hunts to- wards the caves of the Hairies. Smuth bewails his dying son, and Jon fears for his crops. There is much murmuring.” “So?” “They say that Kalin is a fool to retain so much 65 treasure when there is so little food. They say that our por- tion is too high, and that too many men do nothing but guard the Books. ‘They say that is wrong.” “They say!” The old man sprang to his feet and glared at the boy. “Kalin the War- rior says, you mean. Kalin the son of the King who will be King himself ere long.” He slumped back in his chair and stared at the shelved books with sombre eyes. “For as long as we know this has been the treasure of Kalin. When the Gods punished men for daring too highly and flame shattered the Golden Towers, our ancestors came to this place and built this village. Slowly they gathered in their treasure, a Book here, another there, trading for some, going to war for others, until we have what we have. We must guard that treasure, Pupil, for there is not another like it in the whole wide world.” “As you say, Reader, but I have heard whispers . . .” “Of Books?” The old man comicbooks.com