Avon Fantasy Reader No. 8 — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

— 104 JOHN MICHEL ing down the opposition. The night I was elected to Congress I gave a little party. They were honest and sentimental. Somehow they understood the reason for the celebration and what lay behind the reason and, in a sense, partici- pated. They engaged in the little fest by keeping decently quiet when I wanted to talk and answering when requested. In the huge living room of my house, attired in a rich lounging robe, smoking my pipe which I held in one hand and drinking a Tom Collins which I held with the other, I sat in a deep, comfortable armchair and sur- ; veyed the scene. The familiar one. A dozen heads, the apex of a dozen spindly bodies, feet resting lightly on the floor, arms akimbo in most cases, folded in others. : I raised my glass. “To me,” I shouted, “and why not?” “Why not?” remarked the biggest-headed one tonelessly. “It is all in the rules.” | I ignored his redundancy. | “Yes, to me, to me because of my success and to you, my dear ones because you made it possible.” I drank deeply and set the glass down. I looked up. A. grave smile was upon their countenances. “Ummmmmmmm,” I noised. “What’s up?” 3 The group grew mournful. Their glow increased and cast dancing shadows about the room. They elongated and became taller. I felt suddenly a chill blow- ing through the room. The tiniest-headed one moved forward and stopped a foot away from my outstretched feet. : “We shall do it soon,” he said, working his thin jaws up and down almost comically. ber” “The conquest. We shall take you. All of you.” “Oh.” My heart sank. “Is there nothing that can be done about it?” “Nothing you could do about it.” I smoked my pipe silently for awhile. _ “I want you to know that I have enjoyed my association with you, I said, looking up and gazing at them sadly. - They all crowded closer. , “So have we,” they said mournfully and backed away again. i “And there is nothing that can be done about it?” I asked needlessly. I was aware of their power. The heads swung back and forth ponderously in the negative. “When do you plan to begin? How will you do it?” “Within a week,” said the biggest-headed one, “and it will not be pleasant.” { TO te oe com (Q) DOOKS.COM