Avon Murder Mystery Monthly No. 41 — page 109: what you’re looking at

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

A, MERRITT 111 had, sought us out through the mists, its messenger had caught us, delivered us to it. a The pillar leaned over—bent like that shining pillar that had bridged for us, at Norhala’s commands, the abyss. The floor of the valley arose to meet us. Further and further leaned the pillar. Again there was a rapid shifting of us to another surface of the crowning cube. Fast now swept up toward us the valley floor. A dizziness clouded my sight. — There was a little shock, a rolling over the Thing that had held us— We stood upon the floor of the Pit. : And breaking from the immense and prostrate shaft on whose top we had ridden downward came score upon score of the cubes. They broke from it, disintegrating it; circled about us, curiously, interestedly, twinkling at us from their deep sparkling points of eyes. Helplessly we gazed at those who circled around us. Then suddenly I felt myself lifted once more, was tossed to the surface. of the nearest block. Upon it I spun while the tiny eyes searched me. Then like a human ball it tossed me to another. I caught a glimpse of Drake’s tall _ figure drifting through the air. | The play became more rapid, breathtaking. It was play; I recognized that. But it was perilous play for us. I felt myself as fragile as a doll of glass in the hands of careless children. I was tossed to a waiting cube. On the ground, not ten feet from me, was Drake, swaying dizzily. Suddenly the cube that held me tightened . its grip; tightened it so that it drew me irresistibly flat down upon its surface. Before I dropped, Drake’s body leaped toward me as though | drawn by a lasso. He fell at my side. Then pursued by scores of the Things and like some mischievous boy bearing off the spoils, the block that held us raced away, straight for an open. portal. A blaze of incandescent blue flame blinded me; again as the dazzlement faded I saw Drake beside me—a skeleton form. Swiftly flesh melted back upon him, clothed him. | The cube stopped, abruptly; the hosts of little unseen hands raised us, slid us gently over its.edge, set us upright beside it. And it sped away. All about us stretched another of those vast halls in which on high burned the pale-gilt suns. Between its colossal columns streamed thou- sands of the Metal Folk; no longer hurriedly, but quietly, deliberately, sedately. : | We were within the City—even as Ventnor had commanded. GOGO .S (GO)