A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine, April 1950 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

THE NINTH LIFE 27 ly. “And to anticipate your next remark —she is.” “What?” Tony asked. “All that, and then some. Did you take her back after lunch?” “Well, naturally!” | “Took the whole of the afternoon off, huh?” “T did not! I took her as: far as the Gravenor and then came back to work— in the same taxi. You seem to think I never work!”’ “Didn’t even go up to her flat with her for a quiet good-by? Tony, don’t strain my credulity too far!” “Honestly, old man! I saw her to the lift, and left her.” “T must have independent evidence on that. Get the one-headed Cerberus in that entrance hall to testify to it on oath.”’ “Oh, cut it out! Besides, he was no- where in sight—we nad the entrance hall to ourselves.” “Oho! Let me see... Three o'clock or thereabouts when you left the Berkeley, quarter of an hour to Gravenor Mansions, and call it twenty minutes from there to your office. Bet you a bob, Tony, with that entrance hall to yourselves, you weren't back before half past four.” “Hand over,” and Tony stretched out his hand, “I was well settled at my desk when I heard Big Ben chime a quarter past. Fast and honor, Gees. One shilling, please.” With apparent reluctance Gees took a shilling from his pocket and handed it over. He said, “Even allowing for traffic holdups, that gives you twenty minutes to say good-by in that entrance hall.” “What the blazes is it to you if it does?” Tony demanded irritably. “Sorry, Tony—you know I was only clowning. But you said on the phone she’s going away today. Where’s she off to— back to Egypt?” “Tf she were,” Tony said decidedly, “T’d find some excuse for going there too. No, she’s got a place she rented, furnished down in Gloucestershire, and I’m seeing her off for Cheltenham after lunch. Stay- ing there till Tuesday week, and I go down for two long weekends and come back with her after the second.” “Uh-huh! What’s your lady mother say about it?” “Oh, blast it, Gees, you’ve got a nasty mind! And this isn’t the Victorian age, either. Besides, she’s having Lady Ben- derneck to stay with her, and other people as well, probably.”’ “Cheltenham, eh? Sleepy place. I don't care for it.” apt she’s not in Cheltenham,’’ Tony said. “Her place is miles out— Barnby-under-something Grange, it’s called, but if she didn’t take an express through to Cheltenham she'd be pottering about half the day at wayside stations on a slow train. Her man meets her there with the car—meets me, too, tomorrow evening when I go down. So there you are. Do I step down from the witness box, or do you cross-examine further ?” “M’lud, no further questions.” Tony smiled. “You haven't told me what you thought of Cleo.” “What could I tell you?” Gees coun- tered. “You had only to see the way other people took her entry to realize you had far the most interesting woman—girl—in the place. She’s got a brain like—like a linotype machine, which they say is seven men’s brains, and she dresses as well as you do, which is saying much. I’ve never seen such eyes, and her voice is a revela- tion in perfection of tone. Any more?” - “That’s quite enough,” Tony said, rather grimly. “What's more important to me is her opinion of me.’ “To be absolutely frank,” Tony told him, “you did not make a good impres- sion. In fact—well—never mind, though.” Back to Gees’ recollection came Miss Brandon’s account. of the way in which Tony had charged through that entrance hall and out from the block of mansions the night before. He nodded, gravely. ‘I won't,” he said, and drank the last of his coffee. ei thought you were rather bristly, somehow,” Tony said. “Not quite your usual self, when you were talking to her.”’ Gees said nothing and presently they finished their coffee, paid up and spe: rated. Gees meandered thoughtfully along Whitehall, came to a full stop and made for a telephone booth, inserted two pen- nies, and dialed. After a brief delay he comicbooks.com ~