A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine, December 1949 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

CREEP, SHADOW! TT moiselle was simplified to a mist of silver- gold hair over two splotches of purple- blue in a white face. On the other hand, Helen’s was still the sharp-cut, antique coin. We sat down at the table. Dr. Lowell was at the head, at his left de Keradel, and at his right the Demoiselle Dahut. Helen sat beside de Keradel and I be- side the Demoiselle. Bill sat between me and Helen. It was a nicely ‘arranged table, with tall candles instead of elec- tric lights. The butler brought cocktails. I lifted mine to Helen and said: ~ “You are a lovely antique coin, Helen. Alexander the Great minted you. Some day I will put you in my pocket.” Dr. Lowell looked a bit startled. But Helen clinked glasses and murmured: “You will never lose me, will you, darling ?” I said: “No, sweetheart, nor will I give you away, nor let anybody steal you, my lovely antique coin.” There was the pressure of a_ soft shoulder against me. I looked away from Helen and straight into the eyes of the Demoiselle. They weren’t just purple- blue splotches now. They were the damnedest eyes—big, and clear as a tropic shoal and little orchid sparks darted through them like the play of the sun through a tropic shoal when you turn over and look up through the clear water. I said: “Demoiselle Dahut—why do you make ‘Vaseline’ Cream Hair Tonic is the only hair tonic containing VIRATOL. This special ba pound helps make your hair loo natural, feel natural-. « - stay in place hours longer. . : Just rub a little on your hair a morning - - - then comb it a forget it! ‘Vaseline’ Cream = Tonic is good for your alae Contains Triple-A LANO .,. checks loose dandruff. me think of the sea? I have seen the Mediterranean the exact color of your eyes. as white as your skin. And there was And the crests of the waves were — sea-weed like your hair. Your fragrance is the fragrance of the sea, and you like a wave—”’ Helen drawled: . “How poetic you are, darling. Per- haps you’d better eat your soup before you take another cocktail.” ~ | I said: “Sweetheart, you are my antique coin, But you are not yet in my pocket. Nor am I in yours. I will have another cock- tail before I eat my soup.” She flushed at that. i felt bad about saying it. But I caught a glance from Bill that heartened me. And the De- walk moiselle’s eyes would have repaid me ~ for any remorse—if I hadn’t just then felt stir that inexplicable hot hatred, and knew quite definitely now that fear did lurk within it. She laid her hand lightly on mine. It had a curious tingling warmth. At the touch, the strange re- pulsion vanished. I realized her beauty with an almost painful acuteness. She said : “You love—the old things. It is be- cause you are of the ancient blood—the blood of Armorica. Do you seem to re- member—”’ My cocktail went splashing to the floor. Bill said: “Oh, I beg your pardon, Alan, That Gives hair that “just-combed” look all day long! Vaseline» TRADE MARK ® CREAN VASELINE j owt trade Faded registered Chesebrough Mfg. Co., Cons’d Tops in entertainment: DR. CHRISTIAN, starring JEAN HERSHOLT, every Wednesday night, CBS coast-to-coast network comichook in) ~