Shock suspenstories 001 (r) by Insainment

BRACE YOURSELVES FOR THE IMPACT OF THE SHOCKING WIND-UP TO THIS YARN f

GOOD

LOUD, LADY/

WHAT MADE YOU DO') IT?

you'd better TELL us IT, MRS. BERDEEN/ START FROM T HE t

ABOUT

BEGINNING/

A CRIME SuspsnStoky

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

E LEANOR

BEROEEN'S FACE

VtHS

RIGID WHITE MASK WITH WIDE STARING EYES? SHE GAZED BLANKLY INTO THE SHADOWS OF THE CELLAR WORK SHOP? THE TWO DETECTIVES FROM

MARRIED ARTHUR THREE YEARS AGO? I DON'T KNOW

IT? I

YES, ARTHUR?

VERY' BUT... WHERE WILL WE LIVE AFTER THE HONEYMOON -

OVER?

OH. ARTHUR?

WAS GOING TO

[ 1

REALLY

SURPRISE YOUBUT

HOW WONDERFUL' WHAT

MIGHT AS

WELL TELL YOU

HAPPY, ELEANOR?

HOMICIDE WAITED IN SILENCE FOR HER TO START HER STORY? WHEN SHE BEGAN TO TALK, HER VOICE WAS UNEXPRESSIVE... A LOW DREARY

I...I

DID

ANY CASE, NEVER. LOVED HIM? I JUST NEEDED A J ^HUSBAND... BADLY..! [’...IN \

.NOW' IVE PUT A DEPOSIT ON A

HOUSE

[

BEXELY?

)

LOOK

LIKE?

IS IT

FURNISHED?

WHY l OID IT... PERHAPS I ^ WAS AFRAID OF THE PROSPECT OF BECOMING AN OLD MA/D..*

OF COURSE I'LL LIKE IT IF

ARTHUR

YOU BOUGHT SEE

IT?

COULDN'T WAIT FOR THE HONEYMOON TO BE OVER.' FRANKLY, I WAS] BORED STIFF.' NEVER HAVING LOVED ARTHUR, I FOUND THE J * WHOLE THING QUITE DULL ' I

»’I

...

FOR ME? DEAR? I CAN'T WAIT TO

[

LOOKED FORWARD TO THE PLEASURE j OF LIVING IN MY OWN HOUSE WITH I DELIGHTFUL ANTICIPATION? FINALLY | .WE ARRIVED,./ i ’

THERE

IT IS?

ISN'T IT

YES? VERY.. NICE?

ATTRACTIVE?

‘Arthur maoe a feeble attempt to carry me across .THE THRESHOLD BUT DIDN'T EXACTLY SUCCEED? AS HE STOOD BESIDE ME- BREATHING HARD... X SURVEYED THE HORROR HE'D DRAGGED ME INTO? THE PLACE WAS FURNISHED, ALL RIGHT-IN FACT IT WAS OVER-FURNISHED' EVERY AVAILABLE INCH OF SPACE WAS OCCUPIED BY SOME NAUSEATING DUST-CATCHER. '

COME? LET'S GO INSIDE? IT'S

^ COMPLETELY

FURNISHED /you'll r ADORE it?

? THE MINUTE I SAW THE \ OH, I PLACE X FELL IN LOVE J WOULDN'T WITH IT, ELEANOR' X CHANGE A WANT IT KEPT JUST THING, | EXACTLY AS IT IS...) ARTHUR' EXACTLY T—7 EVERYTHING ,

PERFECT?

HATED THE PLACE.' WHEN WE SETTLED DOWN TO A DAILY ROUTINE AND ARTHUR RETURNED TO WORK, I TRIED REARRANGING THE FURNITURE TO MAKE IT LOOK A LITTLE BETTER.' BUT.. THE NIGHT AFTER I DID IT...'' HAVE A HARD DAY) NOT BAD, EL. »T THE OFFICE, WHAT IN y-

YOU THOUGHT? NEVER

dear?

W M

WHAT D ID YOU DO? WHO TOLD YOU TO REARRAN6E THE FURNITURE?

blazes?)

MIND

WHAT YOU THOUGHT?1 TOLD YOU I WANTED THIS HOUSE LEFT EXACTLY AS IT WAS? I

HEART

IT'

NOW CHANGE

IT ALL BACK AGAIN?

Ie WAS - RIDICULOUS.. A FIEND FOR NEATNESS'EVERY NIGHT HE'D COME HOME FROM WORK AND GO THROUGH DRAWERS TO SEE THAT I HADN'T DISTURBED THEIR

HIS

ELEANOR' THE LAUNDRY ’

CAME BACK TODAY, didn't iTawB^rnr

PLACE FOR EVERYTHING.. AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PL AGE, ELEANOR? w

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU MY SHORTS GO ON THE y-< LEFT...FOLDED IN HALF... ) I

.BUTTONS UP? Hgj

It WAS MADDENING' HE'D 60 THROUGH THE HOUSE ON A WHITE-GLOVE INSPECTION.. TCH...TCH ? THE A TOP OF THIS DOOR J < JAMB IS DUSTY. ELEANOR f YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO BE >

Less SLOPPY

'He'd

THIS

even criticize the IS

NOT

LOOK AT TH/S TABLE. THE

* THERE'S DUST YOU'LL HAVE TO

ELEANOR

WAY WE FOLD NAPKINS, DEAR?

IT?

NEATER THAN

YOU MUST LEARN TO DO IT R/6HTL-

—r THAT i

r~f^ YES "

WHEN YOU CLEAN* J

;

'By our first anniversary, he'd made a NERVOUS WRECK OUT OF ME* IT WAS ABOUT THAT TIME THAT HE'D BEGUN BUILDING HIS WORKSHOP HERE IN THE CELLAR...'

spent a small fortune on the MACHINE TOOLS HE'D INSTALLED IN THE WORK-1 'He'd

SHOP*

HE'D

BOUGHT EVERY GADGET AVAILAB LEll IT LOOKS VERY NICE, DEAR J *

IT'S GOING TO STAY J THAT WAY, TOO? TAKE

YES * AND

LESSONS FROM

THE WAY r KEEP THIS PLACE, DEAR* YOU'LL

SEE WHAT NEAT-

NESS

AND

ORDERLINESS

MEAN*

'Oh, lord, he kept that workshop neat* EVERYTHING HAD A SPECIFIC PLACE WHERE IT WAS KEPT, STORED, OR HUNG* HE HAD SHELVES OF VARS. EACH LABELED CAREFULLY, WHERE TINY SCREWS, NUTS, AND OTHER ITEMS WERE SORTED AND FILED...' I KNOW WHERE EVERYTHING IS.1 £ VERYTHING/ THAT'S NEATNESS. YES ELEANOR? ^dr ARTHUR* .

YOU FORGOT? THAT'S NO EXCUSE / YOU MUSTN'T

THE SECOND YEAR I WAS READY .CHUCK EVERYTHING AND LEAVE/ HE'D KITCHEN WITH HIS PERVERTED MANIA r

FORGET/ DON'T LET HAPPEN A6AIN /

IT J

ELEANOR/ YOU USED A CAN OF TOMATO SOUP AND DIDN'T ) CHECK IT OFF THE LIST/AND A, YOU DIDNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T FILL IN THE EMPTY PLACE WITH ONE FROM THE BACK/,

ME/ HE HAD ONE FOR THE FOOD WHICH HE KEPT IN THE PANTRY/ IT WAS AN INVENTORY OF THE CANNED GOODS/ WHEN I USED A CAN, I WAS SUPPOSED TO CHECK IT OFF THE LI ST SO IT COULD BE REPLACED. f HMMM/ RUNNING

BATHROOM ON THE INSIDE OF THE MEDICINE CABINET DOOR/ IT LISTED ALL THE DRUGS AND THEIR QUANTITIES/ REGULARLY HE'D COUNT THE

PILLS IN

THE BOTTLES.'

ELEANOR/ YOU USED TWO ASPIRIN TABLETS AND DIDN'T r

HANDERS SHOULD ALL HOOK OYER THE / ROD FROM THE FRONT AND YOUR ( CLOTHES SHOULD ALL HANG THE SAME V WAY. BUTTON SIDE FACING LEFT& .

w_-

THAT'S

NEATNESS/

FROM NOW ON, POTS

AND PANS

WILL BE KEPT IN THEIR PROPER IN THE CUPBOARD/ NO MORE THROWING THEM HAP-

PLACES

HAZAROLY INTO THE STOVE

'll

CHECK THEM OF,

KEEP YOUR UNDIES TO THE RIGHT. STOCKINGS SMALL BOXES... SWEATERS TO THE LEFT. m BLOUSES IN THE MIDDLE... .

SEE

HIS

ORDERS HAD ELEANOR' THIS MAGAZ UPSIDE DOWN IN THE STAND? T/TLES UP.. COHENS OUT... tor-1 PLEASE.'

x needed a thumb tack and HAD SEARCHED ARTHUR'S WORKSHOP FOR r ONE? THAT NIGHT...' Y...YES, ARTHUR? X NEEDED A... -y

'One day,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

ELEANOR.' WERE YOU DOWN HERE /N NY--* to WORKSHOP? jJTll

'Then, yesterday.. .a picture'o come loose from the wall? the nail that

rushed down to the GLAZIER TO HAVE THE BROKEN 'I'd

V 'Then x'o taken down one of the hundreds OF LABELED JARS THAT LINED THE SHELVES... ONE WITH NAILS THAT LOOKED LIKE THE RIGHT SIZE..-'

‘X TOOK A NAIL OUT OF THE JAR AND STARTED TO PUT IT BACK IN ITS PROPER PLACE ON THE SHELF, WHEN...'

'JUST ONE NAIL' HE SURELY ^HASN'T COUNTED THESE '

I BEGAN TO CRY? THE TENSION... THE NERVOUSNESS OF VIOLATING ARTHUR'S WORKSHOP-SANCTUARY WAS TOO MUCH FOR ME? SUDDENLY... UPSTAIRS- A DOOR SLAMMED...' y* GASP? !.T HEN

THOUSAND PIECES ON THE CEMENT CELLAR FLOOR AND THE NAILS LAY SCATTERED CRAZILY ABOUT? FOR A MOMENT X STARED AT THE

MESS- DUMBFOUNDED. .

ARTHUR/

'X COULD HEAR HIM STAMPING TOWARD THE

CELLAR DOOR? HE WAS ANGRY? I COULD TELL? I WAS FRIGHTENED? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WHEN HE FOUND ME... AND THE

BROKEN JAR...' ELEANOR/ YOU DOWN THERE? ARE YOU

WORKSHOP?

YOU...

ARE

WH AT.. WHAT'S GOING

ter ON HERE?

'I LISTENED TO HIM MOVING

THROUGH THE HOUSE' X HEARD HIM STOP FOR A MOMENT? THEN X HEARD HIM SHOUT...'

ELEANOR.' WHAT’S

HAPPENED TO THE PICTURE...

HERE?*

'HE GLARED AT THE BROKEN JAR AND THE NAILS SCATTERED OVER THE WORKSHOP FLOOR? HIS FACE GREW RED... HIS EYES BLAZED-' f TOLD YOU TO X WANTED. ..TO HANG KEEP OUT OF THE PICTURE BACK HERE... DIDN'T X ? UP...SO YOU WOULDtfT X BE... ANGRY..

'His face was crimson' he raved WILDLY-' f you WANTED TO HANG

THE PICTURE UP...SO YOU CAME DOWN HERE FOR A NAIL, EH’ONLY YOU BROKE THE JAR, EH ? ^ SLOPPY. ..SLOPPY ELEANOR...

| BROKE THE JAR/

FELT EVERYTHING SPINNING.

CAN'T YOU DO

ANYTHING NEA1

CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING NEAT? CAN'T YOU? ,

CAN'T YOU? 1

*1 BACKED AWAY THING... A

PULLED

AND MY HAND CLOSED ON SOMEHANDLE OF ONE OF ARTHUR'S TOOLS ? I FROM ITS PLACE AS EVERYTHING WENT

REMEMBER DOING THAT/ 1 REMEMBER

WANTING TO

NEAT/ „

SHOW H/N

REMEMBER

I COULD BE WANTED IT TO BE

NEAT JOB/ ^EVERYTHING WHEN

CLEANED UP I WAS wwSai

finished?

The DETECTIVES FROM HOMICIDE TURNED TOWARD THE ROWS OF JARS THAT LINED THE SHELVES' EACH ONE IN ITS

PLACE, BUT ARTHUR'S PRECISE CAREFULLY LETTERED LABELS HAD BEEN REPLACED BY NEW ONES IN ELE*

NERVOUS SCRAWL? THEY EACH BRIEFLY DESCRIBED THE CONTENTS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE YEAH, LADY? YOU^BBTcHOKE... LOOK FOR YOURSELVES? VERY CERTAINLY DID A I CLEANED UP THE Mneat? Jga neat job/ blood every drop/

...

w—

JARS...

MUM 1

<J Jjttt]

TllSisa

HERE

A TALE OF TENSION WITH AN ELECTRIFYING FINISH!

The colonel strode back TO HIS DESK, LIT A CIGARETTE, ANO POTTED IT ANXIOUSLY' FINALLY, CAPTAIN MILLIKEN

STEPPED THR0U6H THE

MAURER,^ LOOKS REPORTS THAT) LIKE COMMUNICATION WITH /THEY'RE IS 1 TRYING TTO SURPROBABLY MEANS \ ROUND THEY'VE LOCATED 4 US, SIR?

Colonel henoerson pointed

SERGEANT

TO THE MAP... HIS FACE GRIM... THE SITUATION IS SERIOUS, CAPTAIN? THE GERMANS HAVE

HEADOUARTERS

HERE,

IMPOSSIBLE, WHICH

BROKEN THROUGH HERE... HERE— AND HERE? THEY'VE COMPLETELY BY-PASSED OUR LEFT FLANK ANO HAVE BEGUN MOVING THROUGH THE HEOGE ROWS AT OUR REAR? ^

DOORWAY AND SALUTED SHARPLY? COLONEL HENDERSON RETURNED THE SALUTE.

^AT

EASE, CAPTAIN? YOU

OUR PHONE LINES

CAN SMOKE IF

YOU LIKE

EXACTLY? X WANT THOSE PHONE J YES, SIR ? LINES REPAIRED, CAPTAIN... AT I'LL ORDER I ANY COST? WE'VE GOT TO GET A SQUAD THROUGH TO HEADQUARTERS OUT AT ONCE! FOR HELP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE? ^ ]

GOOD ? OH, BY THE WAY, 1 CAPTAIN? HOW'S MARTIN... ER... MY SON, LIEUTENANT HENDERSON, DOING? THIS IS HIS FIRST TIME'lN S

COMBAT?

PUT THIS. -BUT... WELL, SOME OF THE MEN IN HIS PLATOON / ARE 6RUMBL/NG / HIS SEP-

ITO

6EANT WHO’S AN OLD TIMER. TOLD ME...WELI HE CALLED s YOUR SON. ..THAT

WELL, man:

SPEAK UP? WHAT DID HE CALL HIM?

HE CALLED HIM 'YELLOW. SIR? HE ASKEO TO BE TRANSFEREO TO A DIFFERENT PLATOON? HE SAID L/EUTEN-

ART HENDERSON IS A COWARD... SIR?

m Colonel

Colonel Henderson saluted sharply, dismissing

henderson studied captain

MILLIKEN... SHOCKED AT WHAT HE'D JUST HEARD.' THEN HE BEGAN TO SPEAK... HIS VOICE WAS LOW AND HUSKY... WITH A GRIM DETERMINED TONE...

THAT MISSION. CAPTAIN.' THE ONE I JUST ASSIGNED to YOU ? I WANT t

THE CAPTAIN ? AS MILLIKEN DISAPPEARED OUT OF THE OPEN DOORWAY, THE COLONEL SANK INTO HIS CHAIR SLOWLY... STARING BLANKLY AFTER HIM? HIS EYES CLOUDED... REFLECTING THE LIGHT OF THE KEROSENE LAMP OVERHEAD... T T nn |

LIEUTENANT HENDERSON TO LEAD THAT SQUAD ON IT IS THAT CLEAR ?

Colonel henderson

The colonel watched the

sat, head

HANDS, FOR SOME TIME... LISTENING TO THE DISTANT

DULL REPORTS OF THE ENEMY BARRAGE? SUDDENLY THE CRUNCHING FOOTSTEPS OF MARCHING MEN OUTSIDE MADE HIM LEAP TO HIS FEET? A SQUAD ON A MISSION WAS PASSING BY...

BELIEVE IT.' MARTIN.' OWN SON f A COWARD THEY.. MUST BE MISTAKEN.'

THEY

Y0UN6 LIEUTENANT BREAK FROM THE HEAD OF THE SQUAD AND MOVE TOWARD HIM? MARTIN HENDERSON. ..LIEUTENANT... INFANTRY.. U.S. ARMY'HIS SON f YOU HAVE YOUR

ORDERS

SEE THAT YOU CARRY

THEM

OUT. LIEUTENANT

LIEUTENANT?

LIEUTENANT HENDERSON.'

THE COLONEL WATCHED THE SQUAD MOVE OFF IN

THE OARKNESS? HE WHISPERED UNOER

HIS

Overhead, a shell whined into the night, EXPLODING OFF TO THE WEST? THE COLONEL TURNED AND REENTERED THE SHELL- MARRED

MARTY.' MY BOY.' WHAT

COULDN'T'

GASP... THEY

WERE WAIT!NS

LINES?

US... GASP' WAS A TRAP.' SOB. ..SOB...

FOR IT

HAPPENED?J

THE LINES' DID YOU

HEPAIN THE

HEADQUAR TERS, GASPING FOR BREATH...

. t

It was toward morning when LIEUTENANT MARTIN HENDERSON STUMBLED INTO THE COLONEL'S

AMBUSH.'GASP... WIPED OUT THE GET AWAY?

CAPTAIN.' I... I.. J TELL HIM HEFNER? GO WHAT'S HAP-

TO i

PENED TO THE

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

SER6EANT,

THERE?

[The SERGEANT LIFTED HIS EYES... STARING AT THI [COLONEL'S TREMBLING SON? HE GRIMACED IN PAIN. COUGHING UP BLOOD -|r WHAT? IS THAT HE... HE RAN OUT ON US.' TRUE, L /EUTENANT? HE LEFT US... TO FIGHT THEM OFF..COUGH ..WHILE NO.'NOHE HIGH -TAILED IT OUT

OF THERE'

IS TRUE?

IT. ..COUGH-

COUGH _.it is.'nes YELLOW.' YELLOW.' YELLOW.' YELLOW

T AS LIEUTENANT HENDERSONS J

COMMANDING OFFICER

SIR, I INSIST HE BE

L PLACED UNDER ARREST r TO FACE COURT-MARTIAL... FOR NE6LECT OF DUTY AND DESERTION OF HIS

MEN WHILE UNDER FIRE'

THAT IS YOUR CHARGE, CAPTAIN Ton YOUR FEET MILLIKEN , LIEUTENANT HENDERSON ) LIEUTENANT? WILL STAND TRIAL... tfJ -

.AHEAD.'TELL

^ ^ HIM'

IMMEDIATELY

a move to COMFORT HIS TREMBLING SON.' SUDDENLY, A SOUND IN THE DOORWAY MADE HIM LOOK UP? CAPTAIN MILLIKEN STOOD THERE.SUPPORTING A WOUNDED DISHEVELED BLEEDING

SERGEANT-

WHOL E SQUAD.. GASP... MANAGED

The colonel made

Lieutenant henderson looked at his father.. HIS EYES PLEADING?THE COLONEL TURNED AWAY.

COURT-MARTIAL WILL CONVENE IN TWENTYMINUTES, CAPTAIN? NOTIFY THE OTHER < OFFICERS THAT ARE

im .

AVAILABLE/

YES, SIR?

LET'S GO,

LIEUTENANT?

Twenty minutes

later, a court-martial

Colonel henderson studied each of the SLIPS HANDED HIM' THE COLONEL WAS ARMYTHROUGH AND THROU6HY NO SIGN OF EMOTION OR FEELING EITHER CROSSED HIS FACE OR COLORED HIS VOICE AS HE ANNOUNCED... LIEUTENANT MARTIN HENDERSON* IT IS THE FINDING OF THIS COURTMARTIAL, THAT, IN VIEW OF THE TESTIMONY 6IVEN HERE, YOU

HEARD THE CHARGES AGAINST LIEUTENANT HENDERSON... p_ LIEUTENANT HENDERSON f HAVE YOU N...N1 ANYTHING TO SAY IN YOUR DENFENSE J SIR! BEFORE THIS COURT PASSES = JUDGEMENT UPON YOU ? ||

ARE GUILTY AS CHARGED.'

The colonel continued' HE LOWERED HIS GAZE SO HE WOULD NOT HAVE TO SEE THE

LOOK IN HIS SON'S EYES ... THE PENALTY FOR THIS OFFENSE, LIEUTENANT,

CHOICE THAN TO

SQUAD.'

HOW f

ORDER THE PEN- COULD ALTY TO BE CAR- i YOU? RIED OUT.'

DEATH BY A FIRING

HOW

COULD YOU? SOB

They took martin henderson away' the COLONEL LIT A CIGARETTE' THE OTHER OFFICERS OF THE COURT-MARTIAL GOT UP ONE OF THEM LEANED OVER AND SPOKE TO THE COLONEL. SILENTLY.'

X...KNOW HOW TOUGH THIS

MUST BE FOR .

YOU.'

GOT TO BE DONE, ^MAJOR.' DISCIPLINE

MUST BE MAINTAINED/ MAY JAVE TO F/6HT OUR WAY OUT OF -jf

we-

.HERE

YET...

VIEW OF THE SITUATION

AT HAND... THE EXECUTION WILL TAKE PLACE AT 0600..

TWO HOURS FROM NOW.'

...

HAVE ANY OF OUR MEN LOSING FAITH IN THEIR COMMANDING OFFICERS. EH? DON'T YOU AGREE. . CAPTAIN

SURE r WAS

I’M A

COWARD f SOB. STIFF.' I RAN .'

SCARED YOUBETX RAN.'

SOB...

AND I’M

SCARED NOR; TOOf I DON'T A

AS DAWN LIT OP THE OVERCAST SKY, AND THE ENEMY BARRAGE BEGAN ANEW, A FIRING SQUAD MOVED TOWARD THE SMALL SHACK THAT HOUSED LIEUTENANT MARTIN HENDERSON ? SUDDENLY THE COLONEL CROSSED FROM HIS HEAD-

THE COLONEL ENTERED THE GUARDED BUILDING. THE SENTRY TO HIS SON LOOKED UP AT HIM

''SHUT UR YOU' fool' you're

NOT GOING J TO DIE.'

RANT TO D/E/ I DON'T WANT TO DIET ^ _ JflM

iT?y

T IT'S FIXED LISTEN AND L ISTEM CAREFULLY/ IN m AN HOUR I'M GIY/NG ORDERS TO PULL OUTf YOU'LL BE V.

Ibut THE FIRING T THEIR RIFLES ARE LOADED W/T/t I SQUAD/ THEY'RE BLANKS' WHEN MILLIKEN GIVES L_. OUTSIDE.' > THE ORDER TO FIRE, YOU FALL...

AND LAY STILL, FOR GOD'S

SAKE / YOU'LL BE LEFT FOR DEADf I WON'T GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO BURT YOU?

I'M NOT YOU'RE GOING TO /

I...

YOU...

fix

BLANKS'

LEFT BEHIND.. SO YOU BE ON YOUR OWN.'

~ YES

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU... 1 AND FRANKLY, I DON'T CARE/\ MAYBE SOMEDAY WE'LL MEET AGAIN? GOOD-BYE, MARTIN?

Colonel henderson turned and WENT OUT OF THE SHACK...

Lieutenant martin henderson MARCHED BESIDE THE FIRING SQUAD TO THE LOW HILL THEY'D CHOSEN' HE SEEMED A LITTLE CALMER NOW... O'ja HEAR?') YELLOW The don't HE CRIED < BELLY. 7 SEEM SO

ALL NIGHT

The captain placed a cigarette IN

SCARED

The CAPTAIN RETURNED TO THE'

LIEUTENANT HENDERSON'S MOUTH IT? THE LIEUTENANT

AND BARKED THE ORDER TO GET READY? MARTIN HENDERSON SEARCHED THE FIRING SQUAD

AND LIT PUFFED

^^W^^NOW'.

SLOWLY-

OBSERVERS, FINALLY FINDING HIS FATHER? HE GRINNED AT H IM.,.

The firing squad's rifles barked and the 30 calibre LEAD SLUGS RIPPED THROUGH THE LIEUTENANT'S BOD !... KILLING HIM INSTANTLY.' THE GRIN FROZE ON

HIS

FACE AS HIS EYES GLAZED

AND HIS LEGS MELTED TO THE GROUND...

As THE COLONEL TURNED

AWAY, THE CAPTAIN PATTED HIM ON THE BACK...

AT LEAST YOU CAN BE I... FELT OF THE FACT <1 THAT HE

PROUD

HBY WOULD. SIRj^^APTAIN',

THAT YOUR SON FACED _DEATH LIKE A MAN,

young Canfield whirled and saw

a sheet of

paper settling to the floor at the base of the

Something the old man must’ve

attic steps.

been writing at the moment

Canfield thought to himself.

bum

interrupted him, I'll

get

body

after I’ve stowed the

and

in the

attic!

His uncle planned to change the provisions of his Will.

Young

tion first-hand

Canfield had the informa-

from

his uncle’s lawyer

last

week's bitter fight was undoubtedly the reason.

costs

all

he must keep that

and Testament from being

last

Will

altered, Canfield

was ten minutes

young Can-

later that

with the hiding place he had

field, satisfied

found for the body, started to descend from the

attic.

the very

first

step his foot en-

countered a slick spot and his legs shot out

from under him. With

his

arms

a scream of surprise issuing from his

forward

field

to inheriting one-half of his uncle's

vast estate, and

now

change

this last-minute

of mind, occasioned by their furious disagree-

ment, threatened to cut

off

young Canfield

without a dollar!

The knob

and

lips,

Can-

plunged headlong down the stairway.

his shrill wail stopped simultaneously

the landing below the

attic.

A look of surprise

seemed to animate Canfield’s

but except

face,

for that he remained strangely

turned easily under Canfield’s

and

flailing

thought to himself. For years he had looked

His neck

still.

was broken.

hand; the door opened noiselessly and he

From

the back of Canfield's head,

where

stepped into his uncle’s second floor library.

The

old

man

looked up in bewilderment, his

ening

"W-What do you

merged with the rapidly dark-

which made

a distinct path

from

the inside of the old man's library to the attic

Before he could complete the question, his

nephew had lunged scooped

trail

oozed

solid floor, blood

had struck the thin trickle.

hawk-eyes glittering suspiciously.

across

the

room and

up the massive iron paperweight

above. still

was

fluid ...

his uncle's blood

warm and

on which young Canfield had

skidded. Ironically,

was

his victim's

own

which dominated one side of the desk. With-

blood which led to young Canfield's sudden

out pausing for an instant, young Canfield

downfall!

hurled

was his

His

directly at his uncle's head.

a sickening crunch

lips

his feet.

worked spasmodically, but not forth.

The

old

man

sprawled his

Inches from his stiffening fingers lay the sheet of paper which Canfield's uncle had

clutched even after life had left his body.

Across

it,

in a

Trying to avoid the blood which spurted

"Knowing

wound, Canfield

recent stroke,

fatal

lugged the corpse out of the

library.

His hands

around the old man's ankles, he was dragging his victim

the

wavering handwriting, were the

words:

length on the carpet.

from the old man's

to his death!

There

then the old man,

head a bleeding pulp, lurched to

sound issued

And

wooden

attic steps

when he

heard a curious fluttering sound. Startled,

that I,

cannot survive

Wendell

Canfield,

this

most

do hereby

my last Will and Testament, as dictated my lawyers only two days ago. To my im-

alter

petuous nephew, Meredith Canfield, fore leave

my entire estate

I there-

ALIBI! As

they trudged through the rain in single

file,

Merrick thought to himself:

HERE,

was

right

only a month ago, that the two pros-

were discovered. The story go-

pectors' bodies

ing around was that the poor dirt-eaters had

and blood-flecked,

tered

hung limply

arms

lacerated

his

at his sides. Slowly, painfully, he

wobbled to his feet and opened the soggy knapsack which had fallen to the ground. His

roamed these lowlands. The two miners had

mud-caked face relaxed in a haggard grin as he removed a long strip of damp leather. Nice of his partner to carry it along and furnish

been strangled to death, their gold dust stolen.

Merrick with such a wonderful

been overrun by the band of

who

killers

Just the alibi Merrick needed!

Merrick's eyes slowly focused on the rain-

soaked shirt weaving in front of him. They a thousand dollars in dust

were each toting ... be awful nice

Merrick could

job with both thousands!

fermenting

memory

his

of those

The

finish this

idea

had been

mind for weeks, and the two strangled prospectors

crystallized the thought. Stealthily Merrick

glanced about him: not a soul

in sight

not

even tumbleweed scudding across the rain-

swept horizon!

was now or never!

alibi!

Merrick’s fumbling fingers com-

last

pleted their task: the leathery noose circled

around his victim’s throat. Then Merrick wrapped the remaining leather strip around his own throat. Not tight enough to tightly

choke, yet firmly enough to appear as

was

that

purpose. After he had buried the gold

its

in an obscurely marked grave, he sank to the wet ground beside his dead partner. A fleeting thought ran through his mind before he dozed off into exhausted sleep: other miners, soon passing along this path, would find the two

bodies and conclude that once again the ma-

The

was more gruelling than he had

fight

somehow

expected ... his partner had pated the for he

downward plunge

swerved

at the last

antici-

of Merrick's axe,

moment and

blade skiddered past his skull.

Weak

the

as they

were from weeks of maggoty food and makefrom hours of arduous toil in the searing sun and the lashing of sudden and

shift shelter

tempestuous rainstorms

the

two men were

able to call on hidden reserves of strength which even they did not know existed. For it was obvious from the first moment of onslaught that only one of them would survive! It

seemed agonized hours

rick’s fingers finally tightened

ner’s throat,

slump

and he

lifelessly.

pletely exhausted

The him

felt

later that

around

the

man

Mer-

his part-

sag and

epic struggle had com... his clothing

was

tat-

rauding

killers

had struck. They would rejoice

at Merrick's survival

and he could return

later to recover the fortune!

Aeons heat

he awoke, conscious of

later

drumming

against his flesh.

stopped; the sun burned

The

rain

knowing he had

fiery

had

mercilessly. In-

he reached for the noose

stinctively

neck,

down

to relieve the

at his

drowning

sensation which enveloped him. Instinctively

he clawed tried to

at the leather strip

gulp

air.

it,

tear

Then he understood

free.

frantically

But even though

pended on

his life de-

Merrick was too exhausted to his partner’s

had been rawhide, which shrinks in the sun after it has been dampened! He had been too groggy to notice what kind of leather it had been and now it was closing around leather

his throat

tighter

THIS SCIENCE -FICTION STORY WITH ITS SURPRISE ENDING SHOULD GIVE YOU A JOLT?

The huge gleaming needle-shaped space-ship STOOD LIKE A GIGANTIC FINGER POINTING SKYWARD ? ITS ROCKET TUBES STILL GLOWED RED-HOT FROM THE LANDING THAT HAD JUST BEEN COMPLETED { OFF ON. THE HORIZON, A TINY CLOUD OF DUST ROSE-DRIFTING LAZILY ...KICKED UP BY A JEEP SPEEDING ACROSS THE ARID WASTES TOWARD THE ALIEN CRAFT... ^

LOOK AT IT fy HURRY

ISN'T IT

H INKEL.

HURRY.')

HA SN/F/CENT?

' I'M DRIVING

AS FAST AS ~C

The dusty jeep with its four occupants BOUNCED AND ROLLED ON THE PARCHED NEW MEXICO DESERT SANDS, NEARING THE SILVER SPACE-GIANT... ' TO THINK... THAT THREE DAYS AGO, J > C YES 'THEN MOST OF US WERE DISCOUNT!NS jfTHEY MADE »THE THEORY THAT LIFE EXISTS f RADIO f ON OTHER PLANETS. AN OTHER 'CONTACT wrTH , \ SOLAR SYSTEMS... J 7^T>{ US, AND SHOOK .

THE ENTIRE

I CANTJji

THINK OF

SCIENTIFIC

EWORLD' y

ITT

/ A SHIP FROM OUTER SPACE...] ( FIRST VISITORS FROM ( [ANOTHER WORLD •

> EARTH'S

T HE ING

JEEP ROLLED TO A STOP BELOW THE TOWER-

SHIP—

JW ^M BEINGS

IT'S AMAI/NG HOW WELL IT APPEARS THA THEY CAN SPEAK ENGLISH, \EARTHMEN are CONSIDERING THAT THEY WNOT THE MOST LEARNED IT ONLY BY THE f INTELLIGENT

FEW HOURS OF RADIO CONTACT THEY

IN THIS

HAD^^A GREAT UNIVERSE, EH, GENTLEMEN? __

Scicnce-Fiction SuspcnStoky

;

As SOON AS THE SPHERE TOUCHED THE SANDY SURFACE, A LOUDSPEAKER BOOMED FROM THE SPACECRAFT...

HOW

SEARCH ME WHAT'S) PERHAPS

Y_i

AWFULLY

CLUMSY <

THAT'S ONE\ SPACE-l

GOING

ON?

OF THEM/] SUIT/ WA/Tf

BUT THERE

MUST BE SOME EXPLAHAT/ON

BUT YOU ARE SO MUCH MORE

WE SPENT THREE OAYi ARRANGING FOR THIS LANDING^ ARE THERE TOO MANT OF us

THAN WE' TO LET YOU GO NOW, WOULD MEAN GIVING

RTHMEN HERE

ADVANCED SCIENTIFICALLY UP A THOUSAND YEANS OF PNOGNESS FOR us ON

EARTH? THERE IS SO MUCH YOU COULD TEACH US... SO MUCH WE COULD LEANN.

YES. IT /J* REGRETTABLEFOR YOU f * ]

PERHAPS WE, CAN SIMPLIFY!

OUR REASONS FOR LEAVING SO YOU CAN |

UNDERSTAND

—

PLEASE DO' WTTHEY ARE* LET X’m SURE -- 3JS SEE IF WE t THEY CAN’T f CAN GIVE YOU g

^SUPPOSE YOUR RACE WAS TL FAR ADVANCED IN A TOM/CS.. 'MORE SO THAN YOU CLAIMED,

BE TOO <t rAN /LLUSTRA - 4 STRONG.'} t TION* SUPPOSE—

YOU

ARE

CONTACTS i

'Suppose that one oay...in ONE OF YOUR ATOMIC LABORATORIES.,.'

OUR RADIO x~< (YES...

GOOD

Zi'ui.

)

IpiiiliilIa^

THAT/LEAN SOME^ RAD!A TION -\W HERE? WE'VE

.LOOK AT '

READING *

BEEN -4

EXPOSED / 1

'SupposiiE THAT LATER ON, ONE OF THESE SCIENTISTS THAT WAS EXPOSED TO THE RADIATIONS BECAME A FATHER...’ DOCTOR.' WHAT IS IT? NO, ALEX' YOUR YOU’RE WHITE AS A WIFE IS FINE* IT..: SHEET' MT WIFE'S IT’s THE... THE Ji MY WIFE IS...T— 7" BABYr^SgA I

THE BABY

nr dead/

^X...X DON'T KNOvT^ TO SAY.

WHAT

IT... IT

ALEX!

MAY NOT vr

'And then, later on, a second scientist tha HAD ALSO BEEN EXPOSED TO THESE RADIATIONS BECAME A FATHER...' you’ve got to take BUT DID YOU SEEK HOLD OF YOURSELF/ IT? IT’S HIDEOUS THESE THINGS -r hideous f mri.

HAPPEN *

"Suppose the three mutants WERE TAKEN FROM THEIR PARENTS AND SENT TO THE SOVERNMENT LABORATORIES TO BE STUDIED.

'Suppose the government LABORATORIES RAISED THE MUTANTS-. STUDYING THEM CLOSELY. ' MUTANTS ARE CARNIVOROUS.. FEEDING ON OTHER FORNS lOF ANIMAL LIFE FOR

MUTANTS HAVE LITTLE -J IN TELL/GENCE' APPEAR J SELFISH. RUTHLESS. SADISTIC. EGOTISTICAL. .

MUTANTS' MAIN LIFE-DRIVE APPEARS TO BE HEPHODUCT/ON OTHER DRIVES ARE

—-"M

TO THIS'

SUSTENANCE/ -pri USH

MUTANTS APPEAR TO DESPISE AND MALTREAT LIFE-FORMS * INFERIOR TO THEIR OWN? IT possible that they would, IF THEY COULD, KILL US

Lis

DESTROYED

BEFORE THERE

X OF THEM 'Tl

WE DON’T SEE HOW YOUR ILLUSTRATION IN ANY WAY

U > MENTAL

WE HOPE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND, FRANKLY, NO' ) ^/T'MVE FORMED A ^

(THEREFORE, WHY WE ARE LEAVING.'

EXPLAINS WHY YOU NO LONGER -DESIRE TO MAKE PHYSICAL -r^ Q CONTACT WITH USf

HOW

.gC

PICTURE

( OF THESE MONSTERS -S- AS YOU WERE

THE ROCKET TUBES OF THE ALIEN CRAFT ...SENDING THE FOUR WELCOMING SCIENTISTS SCURRYING TO p* *=T J

SAFETY... ’

GOOD LORD.'

’

PRIHATIVE '

THEY SHOULD

-ARE TOO MANY

SUBSERVIENT "

GOOD-BYE,

EARTHLINGS!

SEE FOR YOURSELF7

The roar was deafening? the ship shudOERED... RISING INTO THE SKY ABOVE THE SANDS OF NEW MEXICO... SLOWLY l THEN... FASTER AND FASTER... f-7 , S'

-*•

THAT CAPSULE CONTAINS

m TWO OF THEM /

CAPSULE

V (THAT

^1(3ALL

METAL ) mTHERE THEY ) 60/

THEY LOWERED

The SCIENTISTS WATCHED the gray trail OF ROCKET EXHAUST DISAPPEAR INTO THE BLUE...

The metal ball was made up of two HEMISPHERES? A TOUCH OF A BUTTON RELEASED THEM ANO THEY FELL APART. \OOOD LORD/Ja MAN.. YthE ‘HORRIBLE MUTANTS\

NOT GOING TO LOOK AT THE .

H/OEOUS THINGS / NOT

UNARMED/

AND A XJHEY DESCRIBED. THEY'RE] WS?W0 "*n JkHUMAN BEINGS' .

Off

HERE

IS A STORY, TINGED WITH HORROR, WITH A STARTLING BLOOD-CURDLING CLIMAX'

horror]

[SusmnStokA

Conrad

Conrad cartwright, the wealthy socialite sportsMAN, UNLOCKED THE DOOR OF HIS IMPOSING NORTHWOODS RETREAT AND SWUNG IT OPEN / HE STEPPED ASIDE, ALLOWING HIS SUAVE, MILD-MANNERED COMRANION TO ENTER... U

vcni Ml imviivCi

smiled at his debonair play-boy guest*as HE CLOSED THE DOOR. |

WHAT IN HEAVENS ARE WE GOING TO DO FOR ANUSENENT?

HUNTING.'? UGH/

jHOW DISGUSTING/ .

WE'RE HUES A I FROM CIVILIZATION UP HERE/ J J

Â« CONNIE.' BUT

lit one of the polished kerosene LAMPS SCATTERED ABOUT THE LODGE AND THE ROOM GLOWED CHEERILY-

Conrad

OH... COME. COME, REGGIE!

ABHOR

IT'

YOU'RE NOT SQUEEMISH

ESPECIALLY WHEN

ABOUT

YOU DO THAT TO YOUR VICTIMS'

ARE YOU?

..'j’Twfj

Reggie shuddered as he gazed AT THE BEAR-SKIN RUG? CONRAD BEGAN TO \ OH? WELL, OH; REALLY NOW. REGGIE' THAT BEARJ THEY DO SKIN'S BEEN TANNED ) LOOK SO._ >

SO ALIVE ^ M ARE JUSTJM^I

HEAD STUFFED' THOSE ANO THE

GLASS'

DON'T WORRY, REGGIE t I'LL -

DO THE SHOOTING ANO SKINNING.' YOU JUST COME ALONG FOR THE RIDE.'

MAKE

F WHY '

EYES

F WHAT? SKIN

mOW’D YOU

irs

HORRIBLE'

RUGS OUT OF THEM?

A RUG LIKE THAT WORTH A FORTUNE'

TO OWN A RUG LIKE THAT;

[OH.NO' NOT THAT JNO, THANK ONE t WE'LL GO OUT TOU.'l'O JRATHER NOT TOMORROW AND HAVE ONE, GET YOU ONE'

^THENf

T HE NEXT MORNING, SHORTLY AFTER SUNRISE, CONRAD AND RE66IE STEPPED FROM THE CABIN INTO THE STILL DEW- LADEN GRASS ANO BEGAN MOVING INTO THE THICK WOODS ALONG AN OVERGROWN TRAIL

...

GOOD HEAVENS, CONNIE? I HAVE TO WATCH YOU KILL THE POOR THING?

WILL

(

POOR TH/HS f THAT'S LAUGH? ONE OF THOSE BABIES WEIGHS OVER A

THOUSAND POUNDS /

f UGH' WHAT A GODFORSAKEN) YOU'LL WAKE > HOUR TO BE PULLED OUT OF "SuP OUICK ENOUGH... BED'

I'M

STILL HALF ASLEEP? J SOON AS YOU SPOT A GRIZZLY*,

BETTER __ WATCH? YOU'VE GOT TO IT KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN WHEN YOU HUNT GRIZZLY?

YES. .YOU'D ...

“BEAR-HUG"? WELL, A BEAR'S HUG IS NO SIGN OF AFFECTION f IT USUALLY KILLS r you?

‘

IF YOU DON'T HIT HIM JUST RIGHT HE'LL KEEP COMING AT YOU AND CRUSH YOU

TO DEATH?

MOVEMENT IN THE THICKET AHEAD OF THEM CAUGHT CONRAD CARTWRIGHT'S

EYE...

'Krarr-lJ

The lumbering brown hulk nosed out into the OPEN? IT STOPPED AS IT CAUGHT THE HUMAN SCENT? IT TURNEO—STUOYING THE TWO HUNTERS WITH ITS CONRAD SLID THE BOLT

TINY BLACK BEADY EYES? |OF HIS RIFLE HOME., j

’

HE'S

-* ~ TOO EAR AWAY*

GOT TO GET CLOSER.'

I'VE

Conrad edged toward the bear? the furred GIANT WATCHED HIM... STUPIDLY FASCINATED ...

CONNIE

SHUT UP? JUST A LITTLE CLOSER.. A LITTLE MORE..

LOW GROWL RUMBLED OUT OP THE BEAR'S THROAT WARNING THE HUMANS TO KEEP BACK f CONRAD LIFTED

The shot exploded through! THE SILENT FOREST f THE BEAR TUMBLED OVER, HOWLING IN PAIN* CONRAD

HIS RIFLE TO HIS SHOULDER...

rBLAST IT.' GET 7 '

MISSED THE

VITAL

SPOT?

GOD.

CONRAD.' SHOOT.

SHOOT!

HE'S GOING <

TO CHARGE.'

' Conrad waited until the bear was ALMOST UPON HIM' CAREFULLY HE SIGHTED ALONG THE GLEAMING BLACK BARREL OF HIS

,ThE BEAR TRIPPED FORWARD ON ITS FACE, SKIDDING TO A STOP ALMOST AT CONRAD'S FEET ? HE SMILED DOWN AT IT...

EXPENSIVE RIFLE-THEN...

IE'S

CONRAD UNSHEATHED' HIS HUNTING' BENT.OVER THE OE A D A Nl M AL„— .

XL,

BACK, REGGIE

K N IFE

AND

A BEAUTY. REGGIE. REAL BEAUTY.' -

Conrad laughed at reggie clinging BEHIND THE NEARBY TREE. RETCHING f ..

THEN HE CALMLY PROCEEDED TO SKIN THE "HEH, HEH ? S'MATTER. REGGIE? EXCITEMENT TOO MUCH FOR YOU 9 HEH...HEH... Jj|

BEAR..

—

'got the skin

Y PLEASE/

THE ICE-HOUSE. REGGIE

KEEP

IT'S

CLIMB OFF IT, REGGIE DONE EVERY DAY?

LOTS OF PEOPLE HUNT AND SKIN THEIR KILLS ?

TILL

CONNIE

don't be s/LLY, Twit's HORREGGIE WHY R/BLE...

w NOT?

^INHUMAN?

SEEJ*

t^tZtThTIRED, CONRAD? X THINK

RATHER JNOT HAVE.

IT ?

MIST

OUGHT TO

BE STOPPED?

(

)

THAT'LL CtfD

FROM

WE CAN GET IT TO A TAX/DER-

OH,

ROTTING

X SEE THE COLOR'S rx FEEL FINALLY COME BACK' A LITTLE .INTO YOUR CHEEKS, * BETTER, REGGIE? NOW' I

WELL,

IT'S

BARBARIC?

DON'T

ANYTHING

IT?

YOU

WR0N6

DON'T WANT

^ GOOD

NIGHT

MYSELF?

EDOWf^iE^

(JONRAD W ATC H E D REGG E BO V AND ENTER HIS BEDROOM? HE LISTENED • FOR THE SNAP OF THE LOCK? THEN HE LIT A CIGARETTE AND SMILED AS HE. STARED INTO * ^THE DYING FIRE. I

X'LL GO TO BED? ,

THE BEAR SKIN RUG, KEEP IT FOR

X'LL

«•

^H ALL

REGGIE'S A

REAL CHARACTER SO TOUCHY.. SO PRUDISH THINKS BEARSKIN RUGS SHOULD BE OUT- 3? ...

LAMED? HAH? WHAT A J? RIOT? ixaAO> £3

Conrad sat for a while musing to himSELF? HIS HEAD NODDED SLEEPILY... HIS EYELIDS

GREW

^s/TURN

IN? GETTING TIRED... HO. HUM. ..SLEEPY?

Suddenly the silence outside the cabin was SHATTERED WITH AN EAR-SPLITTING ROAR? CONRAO JUMPED UP.. .REACHING INSTINCTIVELY FOR HIS RIFLE STANDING IN THE GUN-CASE-

Cartwright peered through the cabin window' OUTSIDE, THE NIGHT WAS THICK ANO BLACK? HE SHIELDED OUT THE GLARE OF THE FIRELIGHT... H IS GAZE SEARCHING THE SHADOWS OF THE CLEA RING JHAT SURROUNDEO THEj

WHAT^THE-^WHAT WAS THAT? [lodge. SOUNDED LIKE A GRIZZLY f 4

Conrad spun around .'on the MANTLE OF THE FIREPLACE STOOD A POWERFUL BATTERY LANTERN HE SNATCHED IT... FLICKED IT ON... FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR... AND SENT ITS POWERFUL BEAM KNIFING OFF NTO TIC GLOOM ... J WHAT’S THAT SOMETHING SHINING OUT THERE' I

—

The HUNTER MOVED TOWARD THE ’GLEA MING OBJECT.. .HIS GUN

READY...

Irt/'W^^^LOOKS LIKE^"^| LOOKS L/KE.ZA

4 THE OBJECT MORE AND MORE AS CARTWRIGHT NEARED IT? SOON HE COULD MAKE OUT ITS SHAPE QUITE

CLEARLY... ^ SjSSBT IT

IS.' IT’S A

iJaP- HUNTING KNIFE'

Suddenly a huge hairy paw, claws .

CAN’T MAKE OUT ANYTHING? 1

bared, reached

INTO THE CIRCLE OF LIGHT, CLOSING AWKWARDLY ON THE HUNTING KNIFE...

Cartwright swung the light over? the black [mountainous hairy beast loomed up.„ its tiny RED EYES GLOWING... ITS HIDEOUS MOUTH DRIPPING

.GRIZZLY?^

Conrad dropped

his lantern., the beam tilting THE SAVAGE GRIZZLY MOVED TOWARD HIM.' HE RAISEO HIS GUN, BUT...

CRAZILY.'

•Fora moment, conrad shrank back.. .horror CRAWLING UP HIS SPINE.' THEN HE TURNED TO RUN' THE BEAR UTTERED A LOW-THROATED SNARL AN D ,

SPRANG AT HIM...

YAAAA aaa hHHj

Conrad slipped tothe\GROUND ... THE BLACKNESS >

The huge beast encircled the STRUGGLING HUNTER WITH ITS GIGANTIC PAWS... CRUSHING THE AIR FROM HIS LUNGS...

.R-G-G-G-H-

\cHOKEch°k£-

j ]

CLOSING IN.' JUST BEFORE HE DRIFTED INTO UNCONSCIOUSNESS, HE FELT A STINGING PAIN IN HIS < CHEST AS THE KNIFE CUT TH RO UGH RIPPING DOWN .

OH... MY...

IN HIS ROOM, REGGIE STARTEO -FROM A SOUND SLEEP.' HE SAT UP, STARING INTO THE DARKNESS..

BLAZES WAS SOUNDED

^ THAT?

LIKE A

SCREAM/

GOD/

HE'S... HE'S...

.Reggie rushed down the hall into the cabin living-room.' the fire still glowed faintly. ..casting IT'S eerie glow on the bear-skin rug before it ( BUT NEARBY. BELOW THE CHAIR THAT CONRAD A CARTWRIGHT HAD FALLEN ASLEEPJN... WAS ANOTHER SKIN-RUG. A NEW ONE. .

GOOD 'IORD/HONRAdJ

-I