Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 19, 1924 — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

WEP gh ete HPAES hs j - ~ before? Pe 502 - His back to a partition which ran across the rear of the garage, stood Nick. Not a sign was to be seen of the gigantic thing which had been in the doorway. - “Get out of here!” he shouted. - “ What’s the matter with you?” demand- ed Bill. “ Oh, Isee. You didn’t know me in this get-up.” ~ “Who would? You look like a regular tough. What’s the idea?” “Idea?” repeated Bill Murray. ‘‘ How about yourself? Where’s that—that thing gone?” - For a moment Nick did not answer. ~ “There’s nothing here,” he said at last. Bill looked at the young man thought- fully. ‘““T can see,” he said, “ that there’s only you and me here—now. But how about Who—what was it in that door- way?” Nick gave an odd laugh. you saw something,” he said. tion’s a wonderful thing.” “Imagination nothing,” retorted Bill. ‘“* There was something or somebody there; and it wasn’t you, either. Whoever it was, was three sizes bigger than you. Let me tell you something, it’s all right to try and kid me, but I was not the only one standing out there a minute ago. There was another fellow.” -“ Who?” asked Nick quickly. “Don’t know. He ran off.” ““T thought there was never any one around here this time of night,’ muttered Nick. ‘ Anyway, it doesn’t matter; he couldn’t see anything.” “So there was something to see!” ex- claimed Bill. ‘“ I knew it, and now I know that you do, too. Come across, Nick.” -“T can’t-—not just now. It’s not finished yet. I was just trying it out.” “What?” “‘ My invention.” Bill pushed his cap back from his fore- head. : “Vou’ve got me beat,” he muttered. “1 can’t make head nor tail of it. That thing looked like a real man, only—it was so big. Was it you dressed up in something? Sort of diving suit?” “Give it up,” suggested Nick with a “You think “* Tmagina- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, grin. “ You'll know all about it in a day or two. I'll show you. It wouldn’t be any good my telling you, for you wouldn’t be- lieve me. You’d say I was nutty.” ‘Tm not sure that I don’t think so now,” said Bill. “ You look all right, but looks are not everything. You been acting mighty queer lately. Why haven’t you been round?” “Working,” said Nick, and that was all there was to be got out of him. Full of curiosity and in a very doubtful state of mind, Bill went home. Apart from the puzzle of what Nick was up to, there was also the matter of that man who had run off. Was it by chance he had been spying, or—was it possible that he had fol- lowed Bill himself? “May,” said Bill when he gave the girl the promised box of candy, “if I was you I’d give Nick a look up in the morning. No, he’s not sick, but I guess he’s working too hard.” “Did he tell you about his invention?” ‘Just about as much as—as a clam,” said Bill, and went off to bed. He was not waiting for any more questions. May would surely want to know what it was that he had seen in the door of Nick’s garage, and Bill didn’t want to be made fun of. Besides—the thing was beyond the average man’s powers of description. “Tt Jooked like a man,” muttered Bill. as he got into bed. “Ii it wasn’t, what was it?” | CHAPTER II. MASKED IN WHITE. 25 ICK! Oh—Nick! Are you there? N-i-c-k! Don’t fool. Answer me, why don’t you?” May Murray banged at the door and called again. Then, getting tired of wait- ing, she pushed. Rather to her surprise, the big doors parted. They swung back easily. “Nick,” she repeated and looked around the place. ‘‘ Nobody home,” she mur- mured. ‘ Maybe Nick’s still asleep.” Going a few steps into the garage, May tried once more to get some answer. She (COMMIE OOKS4CO