Avon Murder Mystery Monthly No. 41 — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

98 THE METAL MONSTER “Something’s held them back—and they’re rushing to a climax,” he whispered. “Ventnor’s right about that—I feel it. And what can we do?” | “Go back to their city,” I said. “Go back as he ordered. I believe he knows what he’s talking about. And I believe he'll be able to help us, It wasn’t just a request he made, nor even an appeal—it was a com- mand.” — | “But what can we do—just two men—against these Things?” he groaned. ; “Maybe we'll find out—when we're back in the city,” I answered. “Well,” his old reckless cheerfulness came back to him, “in every crisis of this old globe it’s been up to one man to turn the trick. We're two. And at the worst we can only go down fighting a little before the rest of us. So, after all, whatever the hell, what the hell.” For a time we were silent. “Well,” he said at last, “we have to go to the city in the morning.” Fle laughed. “Sounds as though we were living in the suburbs, some- how, doesn’t it?” , | | “It can’t be many hours before dawn,” I said. “Turn in for a. while, I'll wake you when I think you’ve slept enough.” “It doesn’t seem fair,” he protested, but sleepily. “I’m not sleepy,” I told him; nor was I. But whether I was or not, I wanted to question Yuruk, uninter- rupted and undisturbed. Drake stretched himself out. When his breathing showed him fast asleep indeed, I slipped over to the black eunuch and crouched, right hand close to the butt of my automatic, facing him. CHAPTER XVII ots Vy Yuruk . URUK,” I whispered, “you love us as the wheat field loves the hail; we are as welcome to you as the death cord to the condemned. Lo, a door opened into a land of unpleasant dreams you thought ‘sealed, and we came through. Answer my questions truthfully and it may be that we shall return through that door.” Interest welled up in the depths of the black eyes. “There is a way from here,” he muttered. “Nor does it pass through —Them. I can show it to you.” ECOMC OOO (GO)