A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine, December 1949 — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

asked: “What was that?” : “That they're Dick’s murderers,” he Eanswered. Before I could ask any more questions om + were seated at the table. Dr. Lowell ng for coffee, then dismissed the butler, He tipped a full glass of brandy into his _ coffee, and drank it. He said: tH a am shaken. Undeniably I. am shaken. An experience, a dreadful ex- be rience, which I had thought ended for- ever, has been reopened. I have told Helen of that experience. She has a Strong soul, a clear brain; she is a bright spirit. Am I to presume”—he addressed 3 Bill—“Helen was also in your confidence “this evening ; that she knew in advance the ' facts that so strongly surprised me?” a B: ab Bill answered: “Partly, sir. She knew - about the shadow, but she didn’t know “that the Demoiselle de Keradel had an Ys pinned in her name. No more did I. Nor had I any cogent reason to suspect 4 Sa de Keradels when they accepted your invitation. Before that, I did not go into the details of the Ralston case with you ES hee use, from the very first, I had the feeling that they would revive painful memories. And obviously, until de Kera- _ del himself revealed it, I could have had Re: no suspicion that he was so closely con- _ nected with the dark center of those “3 on ories.’ wel asked : ay “Did Dr. Caranac =< a O. I HAD determined, whether N -+%* or not my suspicions seemed = be - warranted, to spread Dick’s sto ce de Keradel. J had Seeded De ~ Caranac to anger him. I wanted to weateh th 2 reactions of himself and his daughter. That seemed important. I wanted to atch the reactions of Dr. Caranac and y ou lf. I hold myself justified. I wanted le Keradel to show his hand. If I had “o d my own hand before you, never wo! ild he have done so. You would have been on your guard, and de Keradel would have known it. He, also, would ave been on guard. s He was your palpable ignorance of my estigation, your involuntary betrayal horror you felt over some similar rience, that prompted him, con- Dy mp ptu jous now of you, to reveal his as- CREEP, SHADOW! and naturalness. sociation with the doll-maker and to — = = | liver his threat and challenge. Of course, — there is no doubt that some way, some-— how, he had discovered the part you took — in the matter of the doll-maker. He = 22 — the Ralston matter. that, never would he have risked fore- arming us by fore-warning.” Lowell nodded: must go on—” Helen said, sharply: “The three of us? } think Alan is in worse danger than any of us.” I spoke to Lowell: “I am still in the dark, sir. Bill's exposition of the Ralston case was luminously clear. But I know nothing of this doll-maker, and therefore cannot grasp the significance of de Kera- del’s references to her. If I am to enlist in this cause, manifestly I should be in possession of all the facts to be truly effective—also, for my own protection.” Bill said, grimly : “You're not only enlisted, you’re con- scripted.” Dr. Lowell said: “IT will sketch them for you, briefly. Later, William, you will put Dr, Caranac in possession of every detail, and answer all his questions. I encountered the doll- maker, a Madame Mandilip, through a puzzling hospital case; the strange illness and subsequent stranger death of a lieu- tenant of a then notorious underworld leader, named Ricori. It was most extra- ordinary. “Whether this woman was what is pop- ularly known as a witch, or whether she had knowledge of natural laws which to us, solely because of ignorance, seemed supernatural, or whether she was simply a most extraordinary hypnotist—I am still not certain. She was, however, a murderess. Among the many deaths for which she was responsible were those of Dr. Braile, my associate, and a nurse with whom he was in love. This Mme, Mandilip was an extraordinary artist— whatever else she might be. . “She made dolls of astonishing beauty She kept a doll-shop Lt “He is right. I am frightened. We are, the three of us, in_ unique peril, But, also, he is wrong. We _jieves you are terrified to the core... that through fear of what may happen to— Helen and me, you will force me to drop Unless he believed 4 4 f ad : : as OF f, a “at tat , MP ROE a 24. 4 A ef OF te) 4 f A WAV 4 iy fe th : yr he hi \ Ay hey d bo ht TARY, ae "j ot a fe Uy 1% rey, a uv y(t : i iW : 4 ber B a ab (Lh Fieh wat RAN, Sar YE ; sp } pak 4 aah Ve Gomircboo