Weird Tales, Volume 1, Number 2, April, 1923: The unique magazine

2, APRIL, 1923 ***

Transcriber’s Note: Stories that were originally split over pages, with adverts and/or other stories in between, have been recombined.

[Illustration]

Electricity Needs You

I WILL TRAIN YOU AT HOME

Stop right here. This is YOUR opportunity! Electricity is calling you, and the Electrical Business is in for a tremendous increase. But it needs more trained men—at big pay. By my =Home Study Course= in =Practical= Electricity I can train you for these positions.

Earn $70 to $200 a Week

You’ve always had a liking for Electricity and a hankering to do electrical jobs. Now is the time to develop that talent; there’s big money in it. Even if you don’t know anything at all about Electricity you can quickly grasp it by my up-to-date, practical method of teaching. You will find it intensely interesting and highly profitable. I’ve trained and started hundreds of men in the Electrical Business, men who have made big successes. YOU CAN ALSO

Be a Big Paid ELECTRICAL EXPERT

What are you doing to prepare yourself for a real success? At the rate you are going where will you be in ten years from now? Have you the specialized training that will put you on the road to success? Have you ambition enough to =prepare= for success, and get it?

You have the ambition and I will give you the training, so =get busy=. I am offering you =success= and all that goes with it. Will you take it? I’ll make you an ELECTRICAL EXPERT. I will train you as you should be trained. I will give you the benefit of my advice and 20 years of engineering experience and help you in every way to the biggest, possible success.

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Good intentions never get you anywhere. It is action, alone, that counts. NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT.

L. L. COOKE, Chief Engineer

CHICAGO ENGINEERING WORKS 2150 LAWRENCE AVENUE Dept. 43-b, Chicago, U. S. A.

* * * * *

FREE!

BIG ELECTRICAL OUTFIT

A fine outfit of Electrical Tools, Instruments, Materials, etc., absolutely FREE to every student. I will also send you FREE and fully prepaid—Proof Lessons to show you how easily you can learn Electricity and enter this splendid profession by my new, revised and original system of Training by Mail.

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Special newly-written wireless course worth $45.00 given away =free=. Full particulars when you mail coupon below.

Earn Money While Learning

I give you something you can use _now_. Early in my _Home Study Course_ I show you how to begin making money in Electricity, and help you get started. No need to wait until the whole course is completed. Hundreds of students have made several times the cost of their course in spare time work while learning.

CHIEF ENGINEER COOKE Chicago Engineering Works Dept. 43-b. 2150 Lawrence Av. CHICAGO, ILL.

_Dear Sir_: You may send me entirely free and fully prepaid, a copy of your book, “How to Become an Electrical Expert,” and particulars about your =Home Study Course in Electricity=,

Name ____________________________________________________

Address _________________________________________________

City _______________________________ State ______________

WEIRD TALES

THE UNIQUE MAGAZINE

EDWIN BAIRD, Editor

Published monthly by THE RURAL PUBLISHING CORPORATION, 325 N. Capitol Ave., Indianapolis, Ind. Application made for entry as second-class matter at the postoffice at Indianapolis, Indiana. Single copies, 25 cents. Subscription, $3.00 a year in the United States; $3.50 in Canada. The publishers are not responsible for manuscripts lost in transit. Address all manuscripts and other editorial matters to WEIRD TALES, 354 N. Clark St., Chicago, Ill. The contents of this magazine are fully protected by copyright and publishers are cautioned against using the same, either wholly or in part.

Copyright, 1923, by The Rural Publishing Corporation.

VOLUME 1 25 Cents NUMBER 2

Contents for April, 1923

SIXTEEN THRILLING SHORT STORIES TWO COMPLETE NOVELETTES TWO TWO-PART STORIES INTERESTING, ODD AND WEIRD HAPPENINGS

The Scar CARL RASMUS 7 _A Thrilling Novelette._

Beyond the Door PAUL SUTER 23 _A Short Story of Gripping Interest._

The Tortoise Shell Comb ROYLSTON MARKHAM 34 _A Fantasy of a Mad Brain._

A Photographic Phantasm PAUL CRUMPLER 37

The Living Nightmare ANTON M. OLIVER 38 _A Night in a House of Death._

The Incubus HAMILTON CRAIGIE 42 _A Frightful Adventure in an Ancient Tomb._

The Bodymaster HAROLD WARD 49 _An Amazing Novelette._

Jungle Death ARTEMUS CALLOWAY 70 _A Story in Which Crocodiles and Voodooism Play the Stellar Roles._

The Snake Fiend FARNSWORTH WRIGHT 75 _A Tale of Diabolic Terror._

A Square of Canvas ANTHONY M. RUD 81 _A Story of an Insane Artist._

The Affair of the Man in Scarlet JULIAN KILMAN 91 _A Weird Story of the Thirteenth Century._

The Hideous Face VICTOR JOHNS 99 _A Grim Tale of Frightful Revenge._

The Forty Jars RAY MCGILLIVRAY 105 _A Strange Story of the Orient._

The Whispering Thing LAURIE MCCLINTOCK and CULPEPER CHUNN 116 _A Two-part Novel of Death and Terror._

The Thing of a Thousand Shapes OTIS ADELBERT KLINE 139 _The Concluding Chapters of a Weird Novel._

The Conquering Will TED OLSON 152 _Do the Dead Return to Life?_

Six Feet of Willow CARROL F. MICHENER 157 _The Strange Tale of a Yellow Man and His Beloved Reptile._

The Hall of the Dead FRANCIS D. GRIERSON 163 _An Occult Story of Ancient Egypt._

The Parlor Cemetery C. E. HOWARD 169 _A Grisly Satire._

Golden Glow HARRY IRVING SHUMWAY 173 _A “Haunted House” Story with a Touch of Humor._

The Eyrie BY THE EDITOR 179

YOUNG & WARD, 168 N. Michigan Boulevard, Chicago, Advertising Agents for WEIRD TALES

* * * * *

[Illustration: Copy this sketch]

FREE $80 Drafting Course

There is such an urgent demand for practical, trained Draftsman that I am making this special offer in order to enable deserving, ambitious and bright men to get into this line of work. I will teach you to become a Draftsmen and Designer, until you are drawing a salary up to $250.00 a month. You need not pay me for my personal instruction or for the complete set of instruments.

Draftsman’s Pocket Rule Free—To Everyone Sending Sketch

[Illustration: _Send above Sketch and Get This_ Ivorine Pocket Rule _FREE_]

To every person of 16 years or older sending a sketch I am going to mail free and prepaid the Draftsman’s Ivorine Pocket rule shown here. This will come entirely with my compliments. With it I will send a 6x9 book on “Successful Draftsmanship.” If you are interested in becoming a draftsman, if you think you have or may attain drafting ability, sit down and copy this drawing, mailing it to me today, writing your name, and your address and your age plainly on the sheet of paper containing the drawing. There are no conditions requiring you to buy anything. You are under no obligation in sending in your sketch. What I want to know is how much you are interested in drawing and your sketch will tell me that.

_Positions Paying Up to_ $250 and $300 per Month

I am Chief Draftsman of the Engineers’ Equipment Co. and I know that there are thousands of ambitious men who would like to better themselves, make more money and secure faster advancement. Positions paying up to $250 and $300 per month, which ought to be filled by skilled draftsmen, are vacant. I want to find the men who with practical training and personal assistance will be qualified to fill these positions. No man can hope to share in the great coming prosperity in manufacturing and building unless he is properly trained and is able to do first class practical work.

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[Illustration: FREE

this $25 Draftsman’s Working Outfit]

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Ambitious men interested in drafting hurry! Don’t wait! This is your opportunity to get into this great profession. Accept the offer which I am making now. Send in your sketch or request for free book and free Ivorine Pocket Rule,

Chief Draftsman, Engineers’ Equipment Co., 1951 Lawrence Av. Div. 13-94, Chicago

* * * * *

[Illustration]

“Good-Bye—I’m Very Glad to Have Met You”

But he _isn’t_ glad. He is smiling to hide his confusion. He would have given anything to avoid the embarrassment, the discomfort he has just experienced. _Every day_ people who are not used to good society make the mistake that he is making. Do you know what it is? Can you point it out?

He couldn’t know, of course, that he was going to meet his sister’s best chum—and that she was going to introduce him to one of the most charming young women he had ever seen. If he had known, he could have been prepared. Instead of being ill at ease and embarrassed, he could have been entirely calm and well poised. Instead of blustering and blundering for all the world as though he had never spoken to a woman before, he could have had a delightful little chat.

And now, while they are turning to go, he realizes what a clumsy boor he must seem to be—how ill-bred they must think him. How annoying these little unexpected problems can be! How aggravating to be taken off one’s guard! It must be a wonderful feeling to know exactly what to do and say at all times, under all circumstances.

“Goodbye, I’m very glad to have met you.” he says in an effort to cover up his other blunders. Another blunder, though he doesn’t realize it! Any well-bred person knows that he made a mistake, that he committed a social error. It is just such little blunders as these that rob us of our poise and dignity—and at moments when we need this poise and dignity more than ever.

What Was His Blunder?

Do you know what his blunder was? Do you know why it was incorrect for him to say “Goodbye, I’m very glad to have met you”?

What would you say if you had been introduced to a woman and were leaving her? What would you do if you encountered her again the next day? Would you offer your hand in greeting, or would you wait until she gave the first sign of recognition?

Are You Sure of Yourself?

If you received an invitation to a very important formal function today, what would you do? Would you sit right down and acknowledge it with thanks or regrets, or would you wait a few days? Would you know exactly what is correct to wear to a formal evening function? Would you be absolutely sure of avoiding embarrassment in the dining-room, the drawing-room, when arriving and when leaving?

Everyone knows that good manners make “good mixers.” If you always know the right thing to do and say, no social door will be barred to you, you will never feel out of place no matter where or with whom you happen to be.

Do you feel “alone” at a social gathering, or do you know how to make yourself an integral part of the function—how to create conversation and keep it flowing smoothly, how to make and acknowledge introductions, how to ask for a dance if you are a man, how to accept it if you are a woman?

Famous Book of Etiquette in Two Volumes, Sent Free for Five Days’ Examination

Here is your opportunity to read, study and examine the complete, two-volume set of the Book of Etiquette absolutely without cost. For 5 days you may keep the set and examine it at our expense. Read the chapter on wedding etiquette, on the bride’s trousseau, on speech, on dancing. Don’t miss the chapter called “Games and Sports” and be sure to read about the origin of our social customs—why rice is thrown after the bride, why black is the color of mourning, why a tea-cup is given to the engaged girl.

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NELSON DOUBLEDAY, Inc. Dept. 1504 Garden City, New York

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Name ____________________________________________ (Please write plainly)

Address _________________________________________

□ Check this square if you want these books with the =beautiful full-leather= binding at $5.00 with 5 days’ examination privilege.

Orders outside U. S. are payable $3.50 cash with order.

* * * * *

[Illustration]

What Every Criminal Fears

It’s easy enough to make a “getaway”—But

What will he leave behind him?

What will tell the police he has been there?

Just one tiny finger print—and his game is up! He might as well leave his name, address and photograph as leave a finger print at the scene of the crime.

He can change his name, he can change his appearance, but he can’t fool the finger print expert. The tiny patterns on the tips of his fingers are just the same now as on the day he was born. They cannot be changed. There are no other prints like his in the world.

That is why finger print identification has become one of the most important phases of detective work. That is why its uses are being increased every day. That is why ambitious men looking for jobs that offer real opportunity prepare themselves to take up this fascinating work.

There are more jobs now than trained men to fill them. And with the rapid growth of this science, new positions and offices are being created every day.

Be a Finger Print Expert

Learn at Home—30 Minutes a Day

30 minutes a day for a short time. That’s all that is necessary. You need not give up your present occupation while studying this fascinating profession. I am a finger print expert myself and I give you just the kind of training that prepares you to be a finger print expert—that assures you of a position. The finger print expert is always in demand. More men are needed right now. Get into this big paying profession.

FREE FINGER PRINT OUTFIT

To those who enroll right now I am going to give absolutely free a professional finger-print outfit—the kind that is used by all finger-print experts. Besides, a valuable course in Secret Service intelligence is given Free to all my students. This information in itself is worth many times the cost of the complete course. But you get it Free.

WRITE

Write to me today. I will send you full information about this fascinating big-paying profession. 30 minutes a day is all the time necessary to master this profession. You get free the finger-print outfit—Secret Service course is also free and you are guaranteed a position as soon as you have finished this course. Send in the coupon. Hurry.

U. S. SCHOOL OF FINGER PRINTS 7003 No. Clark St. Dept. 13-94 Chicago, Ill.

Positions Guaranteed

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U. S. SCHOOL OF FINGER PRINTS, Dept. 13-94, 7003 No. Clark St., Chicago, Ill.

Without any obligations whatsoever please send me full information about your “Guaranteed Position Offer—Free Finger Print Outfit.” Also tell me how I can become a Finger Print Expert.

Name _________________________________ Age ____

Address _______________________________________

City ____________________________ State _______

THE SCAR

_A Thrilling Novelette_

By CARL RAMUS, M. D.

“Thanks for the lift, Edwards. Come in for a minute, won’t you?”

“No. I was up nearly all last night, and must get some sleep.”

“To be sure! But you’ve time for a nip before you go.”

“Well—since you put it that way, and in these arid times——”

“Good! Come along.”

Dr. Herbert Carlson opened the door of his office on the first floor with his latch key, snapped on the lights, and entered with his colleague, Dr. Clark Edwards. Carlson hung up his overcoat and hat, and Edwards threw his own over a chair, and then Carlson produced from an inner room a bottle, two glasses, and a siphon of carbonic.

“Like the good old days,” smiled Edwards, sipping his glass. “_How_ do you get it?”

“A voluntary donation from a grateful patient, a second steward on board the—but that would be telling.”

Edwards took another sip. “I wish I had one or two patients like that!”

“You’re not likely to get them as long as you stick to _your_ specialty.”

“I suppose not—Hello! What’s all that shouting for?”

Both men listened. Newsboys were yelling an “Extra.” Carlson opened a window, leaned far out, and drew up a paper.

“Just another bank robbery. They’re so common now as to be hardly worth mentioning.”