Avon Fantasy Reader No. 14 — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

But the crowning blow of terror came to Jeffry Wilburts when he felt a tug and pulling on his trousers and suddenly, as he looked down, a tiny figure pulled itself desperately into his lap. That part of Wilburts’ mind still func- tioning in a semi-rational manner dimly recognized the tin soldier as the ofliver of the ones he had given to Ronald. But now the officer, standing on Wilburts’ open notebook, had his revolver out of his holster and was shooting toward the center of the room—shooting upward, upward where something black was hovering over the bed upon which a little boy sat and stared with the gaze of one who cannot see beyond the inside of his eyes. The breathing sound was deafening and suffocating. The air was filled with a dampness, a vibration that was maddening, the armed resistance from the floor and bedtable had ceased. The monster—whatever it was—had won. Jeffry wished himself awake and with a terrific effort of will forced his hands upward. He pushed his notebook shut and drove himself up and toward the door. He had no memory of opening it and stepping out into the hall, or of getting into his own bed, throwing the notebook into his bag and falling on his bed. The next morning Ronald didn’t come down to breakfast. Wilburts, al- though he had a memory of a very bad dream, attached no significance to this —that was until Mrs. Frost went upstairs and let out a scream for the others. Jeflry and Mr. Frost ran up the stairs. Ronald was sitting up in bed grinning at them strangely. Briefly, Wilburts’ attention went to the floor. Everywhere were the soldiers—every one broken. Another pitiful cry came from Mes. Frost as the two men rushed closer, It was frightfully obvious. The boy was utterly mad; he had turned into a complete, raving idiot in the night! As he rode toward the city Jeffry Wilburts thought unpleasantly of that last day at the Frosts. He remembered the strange cawing noises the boy had made, the drooling from the mouth, Dr. Brown’s visit and the call! for special- ists. He shuddered. It was most unpleasant. And most of all the remembrance of his own terrifying dream. But he did remember planning to po down to Ronald's room and sit there for a while to see what would go on. Yes, of course, he'd even take a notetook to report anything of significance. On inspiration Jeffry reached into his bag and brought forth the large loose- leaf book. As he pulled it onto his lap he noticed the bulge. He flipped open the pages and caught the object as it fell out. Tt was the toy soldier-officer! Wilburts wet his lips and his head pounded. The one that had come with the soldiers be had given Ronald not so many weeks ago. The one that had crawled upon his lap and onto the notebook in his dreadful dream last night! Wilburts’ mind worked slowly over the details, chewing each fact slowly while his face tingled and dampened. He brought the soldier closer, much closer to his face. Wilburts’ fingers trembled. It was all quite impossible! 61 comiclsooks.com