A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine, December 1949 — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

Vv an came to the casements, looked out, and _ Slammed them shut. It occurred to me that _ this was no place for a hatless, coatless, _ Shoeless fugitive to ask sanctuary. ‘So, I _ did the same crawl down to the next ter- face, and that was all boarded up. ' _ I climbed to the next, and that too was’ 2r. th hie ree - paras f i. tat boarded. By this time my shirt was a __wreck, my trousers ripped here and there _ and my feet bare. I realized that I was rapidly getting in such shape that it would _ take all my eloquence to get away no mat- ___ ter what lucky break might come. I looked _ up at Dahut’s terrace, and I thought the light was streaming more brightly from her windows. I hastily slipped over the __ coping and to the next terrace. 7a There was a brilliantly lighted room. _. Four men were playing poker at a table - fiterally loaded with bottles. I had over- _ _ turned.a big potted bush. I saw the men _ stare at the window. There was nothing _ to do but walk in and take a chance. [ did so. Ss HE man at the head of the table was yy fat, with twinkling little blue eyes and _ acigar sticking up out of the corner of his mouth ; next him was one who might have _ been an old-time banker; a lank and '+ sprawling chap with a humorous mouth _ anda melancholy little man with an aspect of indestructible indigestion. _ The fat man said: “Do you all see what _ Ido? All voting yes will take a drink.” _ They all took a drink and the fat man _ said: “The ayes have it.” _ The banker said: “If he didn’t drop » out of an airplane, then he’s a human fly.” _ The fat man asked: ‘Which was it, stranger?” | Isaid: “I climbed.” _ _ The melancholy man said: “I knew it.” _ I always said this house had no morals.” The lanky man stood up and pointed _ a warning finger at me: “Which way did ~ you climb? Up or down?” «> = Down,” I said. : “Well,” he said, “if you came down it’s all right so far with us,” Nad x does it make?” He said: “A hell of a lot of difference. _ We all live underneath here except the fat man, and we’re all married.” _The melancholy man said: “Let this a ey iS 5 ~! CREEP, SHADOW! _ I asked, puzzled: “What difference be a lesson to you, stranger. Put not your trust in the presence of woman nor in the absence of man.” | The lanky man said: “A sentiment, James, that deserves another round. Pass the rye, Bill.” ‘The fat man passed it. I suddenly real- ized what a ridiculous figure I must make. I said: “Gentlemen, I can give you my name and credentials, which you can veri- fy by phone if necessary. I admit, I prefer not to. But if you will let me get out of — i 4% ye 7 ih fh anh “ar rT, ve 4 this place you will be compounding neither - misdemeanor nor felony nor any other crime. And it would be useless to tell you the truth, for you wouldn’t believe me.” The lank man mused: “How often have I heard that plea of not guilty before, and in precisely those phrases. Stand right where you are, stranger, till the jury de-. cides. Let us view the scene of the crime, gentlemen.” They walked out to the terrace, poked - at the overturned plant, scanned the front of the building, and returned. They looked at me curiously. The lanky man said: “He has a hell of a nerve to take a climb like that.” The melancholy man, James, said bitter- ly: “There’s a way to tell if it’s nerve. Let him stack a couple of hands against that fat pirate.” The fat man, Bill, said, indignantly: “T’'ll play with no man who wears his shoes around his neck.” The lanky man said: “A worthy senti- ment, Bill. Another round on it.” They drank. : I slipped on my shoes. This was doing me good. It was about as far as possible from ancient Ys and the Demoiselle. I said: “Even under a torn shirt, ripped pants and footless socks a fearless heart may beat. Count me in.” The lanky man said: “A peerless senti- ment. Gentlemen, a round in which the stranger joins.” We drank, and I needed it. I said: “What I’m playing for is a pair of socks, a clean shirt, a pair of pants, an overcoat, a hat and a free and unques- tioned exit.” The melancholy man said: “What we're playing for is your money. And if you lose you get out of here how you can Eomichbooks if yo sy) * ay i; Jf PA ‘ A L 9% pe * , Eom ‘Y for: 4 Sic aha hf J ‘ Vv - u RS ROT i PP Aad (ld a eR RINT, 7 ") Fs * : NO Wy ve oains 7a ee yy 4