by H. B. Hickey
up his back. There were such unusual items as_Essence of Dried Toad_, _Basilisk Oil_, _Chimera's Breath-Distilled_.
"Sit down," A. J. Merlin said suddenly. Wilbur sat down with suchabruptness that he almost went through an ancient sofa to the floor.Merlin's eyes lit up.
"You really are timid," he said.
"Yes, sir," Wilbur agreed hastily. "Do you think you can help me?"
"Depends. It isn't my regular line. I came here looking for a specialkind of person. If you're that person you can help me. In return I'll dothe same for you. All depends on how cowardly you are."
"I've never been brave about anything in my life," Wilbur saidtruthfully.
He went on in detail. In a short history of his life he made it clearthat he was a complete and abject coward. He was afraid of anything thatwalked or swam or flew, no matter how small. He was afraid of darkrooms. A dirty look made him tremble.
"Perfect," Merlin breathed. He rubbed his taloned hands together. "Not ashred of courage in you."
"Is that good?" Wilbur gasped.
Merlin smiled, and with his smile his eyebrows slanted more than ever.His ears were suddenly elongated.
"Ordinarily not," he said. Wilbur had a hunch that this time there wouldbe nothing extraordinary to alter the case.
"I've tried everything," he told Merlin. "I've gone to psychologists,read books, even tried Yoga. Nothing helps."
"Naturally," Merlin said. "I'll tell you why: Everyone is a mixture oftraits handed down from his ancestors. Somewhere in every man's ancestryis a brave person. Even if that bravery is hidden, it's still there, andit can be brought out."
"What happened to me?" Wilbur wanted to know.
"You got cheated," Merlin said as though he were immensely pleased. "Yougot only half the traits, and they were the cowardly ones. That's whyyou couldn't be cured. There was no bravery in you to be brought out."
"Oh," Wilbur gulped. "I guess I'd better be going." He started to rise.
"Sit down," Merlin said. Wilbur plunked back into the sofa. He watchedMerlin walk to the stand and lift the glass ball. The old man peeredinto the ball and its color changed to rose, then purple. Something wasgoing on inside it but Wilbur couldn't see what.
"Who's this fellow Pete Bellows?" Merlin wanted to know.
Wilbur was astonished. He hadn't mentioned Pete's name. When he told theold man who Pete was Merlin chuckled.
"Thinks he's quite a man with the ladies, doesn't he? I'll fix him."
Merlin made a pass over the glass ball and muttered a few words whichWilbur didn't catch. There was a sudden thump, clearly audible toWilbur, and Merlin chuckled gleefully.
"What happened?" Wilbur asked.
"The door opened just as he was going by and he walked into the edge ofit. He's got a black eye."
"Good-bye," Wilbur said. The hair on the back of his neck was standingon end as he moved toward the door of the room.
"Come back here," Merlin commanded. "You want me to make you brave,don't you?"
Wilbur's mind whirled. He had fallen into the hands of this old madmanand now he didn't know how to get away. Who knew what might happen tohim? He had to think of something.
"What do you charge?" he asked. No matter what Merlin said Wilbur wasprepared to say he didn't have that much. In no way was he prepared forMerlin's words.
"Your right eye."
* * * * *
A cold sweat formed on Wilbur Mook's brow. His teeth chattered. Down athis little toe a tremor started and worked its way up along his spine.The roof of his mouth turned dry as dust and his throat was parched.
"I haven't got it," he choked. Because he had been ready to say that hehad said it automatically. Too late he realized it was the wrong answer.
"Don't be a fool," Merlin told him sternly. "Wouldn't you rather be aone-eyed hero than a two-eyed coward?"
"No," Wilbur said.
Merlin glared at him balefully and Wilbur quailed and cringed. What sortof nightmare had he wandered into? He would gladly have given everythinghe owned to be back in the office. Even Pete Bellows was better thanthis maniac!
"Could I please go, Mr. Merlin?" Wilbur begged. "I'll be late if Idon't. Pete will be sore."
"Tell you what I'll do," Merlin said, in a manner of one offering anadded incentive. "You let me have your right eye and I'll see to it thatBellows falls down the stairs and breaks his neck."
He picked up the glass ball again and Wilbur felt himself grow faint.Now he was certain that this old man was not only a maniac but a_homicidal_ maniac!
"Wouldn't anything but my right eye do?" he asked plaintively.
"I don't think so, but I'll look it up," Merlin said. Out of the foldsof his white-starred gown he drew a book. Wetting his index finger,Merlin turned pages until he came to the one he wanted.
"_Elixir of Caution_," Merlin read aloud. "One part _Fawn's Breath_, onepart _Dove's Heart-Dried_, one part _Tears of Despair_, and _Right Eyeof Complete Coward_. Simmer for one hour with proper incantations."
"But I'm cautious enough already!" Wilbur protested. He got to his feethopefully. "Well, I guess this has been a mistake. I'd better be runningalong."
Merlin regarded him with a steady eye and Wilbur wished he could divinewhat was going on behind those black and glittering orbs. Maybe Merlinwas going to let him go. From the way Merlin was nodding his head itseemed that way.
"Very well," the old man said. "But we must have a drink together."
"Oh, I never drink," Wilbur assured him virtuously. Merlin waved asidethe protest.
"Nothing stronger than tea," he said.
He went to a far corner of the room and lifted a small vial which wasmade of some material that shimmered irridescently. Wilbur watchedfascinated as Merlin poured a small amount of a smoky liquid from thevial into a pair of tiny cups.
"Are you sure this isn't strong?" Wilbur asked as Merlin handed him oneof the cups. Inside the cup the strange liquid bubbled, and from itssurface a fine vapor rose.
"No." That was all. Then Merlin went to the sun-dial on the stand andturned it around several times. When he had adjusted it to hissatisfaction he turned back to Wilbur and lifted his cup.
"Here's how," Merlin said.
Wilbur lifted his cup to his lips and drank. Merlin was right. Theliquid seemed no stronger than tea. In fact it tasted much like tea,except that it had a smoky flavor, not at all unpleasant.
"Thank you," he said politely, and started for the door. But he had nomore than started than he turned back and sat down again.
It was a strange feeling which assailed Wilbur Mook. His legs seemedweak, yet through the rest of him a strength flowed which was likeliquid fire. Then there came a giddiness. His head was feather light.
Merlin receded, not walking but floating back and back. And as hisfigure drifted away from Wilbur it grew strangely taller. The eyebrowswere more slanted than ever and the ears were longer and more pointed.And as Merlin's figure grew larger it began to dissolve.
Now Wilbur's entire body seemed as light as air to him. It felt asthough he too could float if he tried. He saw, as through a haze and ata great distance, Merlin bending over the kettle which hung from thetripod.
From inside his flowing gown Merlin produced a wand and a packet. Out ofthe packet drifted a fine white powder into the kettle. There was a waveof the wand, and out of the kettle poured a thick black smoke whichfilled the room until there was nothing but blackness.
Wilbur's ears were filled with a roaring. He felt himself lifted andwhirled. Around and around he whirled, and faster and faster. He wasbeing sucked into a vortex, pulled down into a black tunnel that wasendless.
* * * * *
Somewhere nearby there was a crowd of people. Wilbur knew that becausehe could hear the murmur of many voices. But when he opened his eyes hefound himself in a forest glade. The sun was bright overhead and on alimb above him a bird sang.
He shook himself and looked around. He was not
alone. Only a few feetaway stood Merlin, still wearing his blue robe and his conical hat. Henodded when he saw that Wilbur was awake.
"How do you feel?" the old man asked.
"Fine, thank you," Wilbur answered without thinking.
It was when he looked down at his body that he sucked in his breath. Notonly was he no longer in that musty room, but he no longer wore his ownclothes! His body was encased in a gown of brown monk's cloth!
"Your clothes would have been out of place here," Merlin told him,guessing what