Avon Fantasy Reader No. 8 — page 51: what you’re looking at

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

| THE MAN WITH A THOUSAND LEGS 47 of glory. I was the marvelous boy of the scientific world, and then that. Frenchman advanced -his theory is “I suppose you mean Monsieur Paul Rondel,” I interrupted. “I recall the sensation his startling refutation made at the time. He completely eclipsed you in the popular mind, and later the scientific world declared you a fraud. : Your star set very suddenly.” “But it will rise again,” exclaimed my young visitor. “The world will discuss me again, ate cfids time I shall not be forgotten. I shall prove my theory. I shall demonstrate that the effect of etheric vibration on single cells is to change—to change ” He hesitated and then suddenly shouted, “But no, I shall not tell you. I shall tell no one. I came here tonight to unburden my mind to you. At first I thought of going to a priest. It is necessary that I should confess to someone. “When my thoughts are driven in upon themselves they become monstrous. I have an active and terrible brain, and I must speak out occasionally. I chose you because you are a man of intelligence and discrimination and you have heard many confessions. But I shall not discuss etheric vibrations with you. When you see J¢ you will understand.” He turned abruptly and walked out of the room and out of my house without once looking back. I never saw him again. a6 (2. Diary of Thomas Shiel, Novelist and Short-Story Writer July 21. This is my fourth day at the beach. I’ve already gained three pounds, and I’m so sunbaked that I frightened a little girl when I went swimming this morning. She was building sand castles and when she saw me she dropped her shovel and ran shrieking td her mother. “Horrible black man!” she shouted. I“suppose she thought I was a genie out of the Arabian Nighis. It’s pleasant here—I’ve almost got the evil taste of New York out of ~ » my mouth. Elsie’s coming down for the week-end. July 22. The little aint I frightened yesterday has disappeared. The police are searching for her and it is generally believed that she has been kidnaped. The unfortunate occurrence has depressed everyone at the beach. All bathing parties have been abandoned, and even the children sit about sad-eyed and dejected. No footprints were found on the sands near the spot where the ~ child was last seen. . . July 23. Another child has disappeared, and chs time the. abductor left a clue. A young man’s walking stick and hat were found near the scene of a’ violent struggle. The sand for yards around was stained with blood. Several mothers left the New Beach Hotel this morning with their children. _ July 24, Elsie came this morning. A new crime occurred at the very mo- ment of her arrival, and I scarcely had the. heart to explain the situation to YM PRES 6 Per Re ee RO Oe