Transcriber's Note:
This etext was produced from Amazing Stories March 1954. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
RING ONCE
FOR DEATH
BY ROBERT ARTHUR
Illustrator: Ernie Barth
The power of the old gods was certainly nothing for Markand Edith—a modern, twentieth-century couple—to worryabout. After all—everybody dies!
wenty years had left no trace inside Sam Kee's little shop on MottStreet. There were the same dusty jars of ginseng root and tigers'whiskers, the same little bronze Buddahs, the same gim-cracks mixedwith fine jade. Edith Williams gave a little murmur of pleasure as thedoor shut behind them.
"Mark," she said, "it hasn't changed! It doesn't look as if a thinghad been sold since we were here on our honeymoon."
"It certainly doesn't," Dr. Mark Williams agreed, moving down thenarrow aisle behind her. "If someone hadn't told us Sam Kee was dead,I'd believe we'd stepped back twenty years in time, like they do inthose scientific stories young David reads."
"We must buy something," his wife said. "For a twentieth anniversarypresent for me. Perhaps a bell?"
From the shadowy depths of the shop a young man emerged, American indress and manner despite the Oriental contours of his face and eyes.
"Good evening," he said. "May I show you something?"
"We think we want a bell," Dr. Williams chuckled. "But we aren't quitesure. You're Sam Kee's son?"
"Sam Kee, junior. My honored father passed to the halls of hisancestors five years ago. I could just say that he died—" black eyestwinkled—"but customers like the more flowery mode of speech. Theythink it's quaint."
"I think it's just nice, and not quaint at all," Edith Williamsdeclared. "We're sorry your father is dead. We'd hoped to see himagain. Twenty years ago when we were a very broke young couple on ahoneymoon he sold us a wonderful rose-crystal necklace for halfprice."
"I'm sure he still made a profit." The black eyes twinkled again. "Butif you'd like a bell, here are small temple bells, camel bells, dinnerbells...."
But even as he spoke, Edith Williams' hand darted to something at theback of the shelf.
"A bell carved out of crystal!" she exclaimed. "And rose-crystal atthat. What could be more perfect? A rose-crystal wedding present and arose-crystal anniversary present!"
The young man half stretched out his hand.
"I don't think you want that," he said. "It's broken."
"Broken?" Edith Williams rubbed off the dust and held the lovelybell-shape of crystal, the size of a pear, to the light. "It looksperfect to me."
"I mean it is not complete." Something of the American had vanishedfrom the young man. "It has no clapper. It will not ring."
"Why, that's right." Mark Williams took the bell. "The clapper'smissing."
"We can have another clap