The Grim Inheritance by Carl Clausen Read online

  and an instinctive distrust of the man kept him Austin shook his head.

  silent. After much arguing pro and con it was

  “I am not going to go into obscure

  decided that the servants were to be medical terminology that would only confuse discharged, the heavily mortgaged house you: A cretin is a man or a woman in whom, offered for sale and that Austin was to live

  from some pathological defect, the cause or

  with the Stoddards in New York until other

  origin of which is as yet unknown, a certain

  arrangements could be made.

  gland functions improperly or not at all. By administering extracts of such a gland taken

  THE men gathered up their legal documents

  from animals, the missing ingredients can be

  and brief cases and left. Doctor Goldwin alone

  supplied artificially and with the identical

  remained. When the sound of their motor had

  results attained in nature’s most wonderful

  died away in the distance the physician laboratory, the human body.”

  stopped pacing the floor and said:

  “You were born a cretin. This need not

  “I’m going to tell you something, my

  frighten you. There are thousands of them. We

  boy—something that ought to have been told

  rub shoulders with them every day, but no one

  you long before this.”

  except the most intimate members of their

  Austin felt a shock pass through his

  families know it. They are being constantly

  body as his eyes met the serious, kindly ones

  watched and supplied with the missing

  of the old physician bent upon him ingredients which keeps them normal and searchingly.

  healthy. It is only when deprived of these

  Amazing Stories

  6

  through ignorance or by not being themselves

  all this for your own protection and to warn

  informed about their affliction, that the you not to be without it anywhere for more tragedy of retrogression occurs.”

  than twenty-four hours.”

  “What d’you mean?” Austin asked,

  breathlessly.

  Austin Crane’s Readjustment

  “I mean that they will return to the

  cretinous state if the supply of glandular HIS life with the Stoddards in New York was extract is cut off or withheld. The a series of adjustments and compromises for retrogression begins almost at once. Even in a

  Austin. Hitherto the world had revolved about

  few days there is a marked change. The pulse

  him; now he found himself suddenly in the

  becomes slow, the mind, sluggish. The body

  role of satellite. From the position of prince

  begins to shrink, the features change, the skin royal with every whim or wish anticipated and

  becomes dry and sallow and the hair brittle. If gratified, he had descended at once to the level you could have seen yourself four years ago

  of commoner. At home someone had always

  when we brought you back from your attempt

  stood between himself and the realities of life.

  at crossing the Atlantic in the sloop, after

  In the Stoddard mansion on upper Fifth

  being deprived of your medicine for ten days,

  Avenue, no one seemed to care what he did,

  you’d know what I mean.”

  nor when or how he did it. The most ordinary

  “I did see myself in the mirror of my

  things which every man does for himself as a

  room,” Austin replied in a small, tense voice.

  matter of course in the daily prosecution of

  The physician started.

  existence, presented themselves as problems

  “And you’ve been carrying that picture

  to Austin.

  in your mind unexplained ever since? You

  At first he was confused and unhappy

  poor lad.”

  but gradually his untrained mind began to

  “I—I thought that I dreamed it—

  adjust itself to the new manner of things. Little afterwards.”

  by little his dormant faculties began to react to

  “I see. I understand. The recovery the new influences and responsibilities. Each when the extract is again supplied is as rapid

  experience was a draft upon his resources that

  as the retrogression”

  must be honored at once. It became a game, a

  Austin was silent. The answers to a

  fascinating sport, with his soul and integrity as thousand questions crowded into his mind at

  the stakes.

  once. But one question was still burning there

  He was quick to learn. He did not

  unanswered.

  know that within the human brain lies the

  “What would happen to me if this knowledge of all things, and that only by medicine was cut off entirely and forever?” he

  contact with problems this knowledge comes

  asked.

  forth. He merely knew that he must learn or

  The physician held up his hand in perish. He was confronted with problems protest.

  which boys of ten had assimilated before their

  “The picture would be too unpleasant

  milk teeth were gone. His twenty-two year old

  for me to paint and for you to contemplate.

  mind bridged the chasm in an instant. There

  Remember what you saw in the mirror four

  was nothing to unlearn. His brain sensitized to years ago and imagine that magnified a receive whatever might come its way, was like hundred fold? But there is no reason to fear its a virgin phonograph record awaiting the

  supply being cut off. It is easily accessible and recording needle.

  not particularly expensive. I merely tell you

  The Stoddard household puzzled him.

  The Grim Inheritance

  7

  His dislike of the man Stoddard was deep-

  were aloof and impersonal, not like old

  rooted and it increased as time went on. He

  tender-hearted Sims and friendly, garrulous

  had never encountered a human of predatory

  Gulp. The only person he felt anything in

  habits before. There was no precedent to guide

  common with was the girl Ann. He was

  him. His distrust was instinctive.

  unable to account for this feeling, but there

  There was a Mrs. Stoddard, a florid

  were times when he wanted to take her aside

  coarse woman as heavy as her husband, with

  and tell her about his mother. At such times he prominent china-blue eyes and a great pile of

  wondered if her hands were soft and cool like

  over-bright yellow hair which in spite of its

  his mother’s.

  elaborate dressing, always seemed in

  Once a month He called at Doctor

  imminent danger of tumbling about her ears.

  Goldwin’s offices for a fresh supply of his

  Austin encountered her rarely except at medicine. He always looked forward to these mealtimes. She ignored him utterly. For both

  visits. They talked about his mother and the

  circumstances he was thankful. When she ate,

  old place on the North Shore of Long Island

  her tiered chin reminded him of the pouch of a

  which the doctor informed him was being

  pelican. She seemed to divide her time equally

  subdivided into suburban lots by the Stoddard

  between her suite of rooms in the east wing of

  Development Company. On one of these


  the big house and her showy automobile.

  visits, Austin asked the physician if Stoddard

  The Stoddards were childless but there

  knew of his affliction.

  was another member of the household whose

  “No one knows about it except

  exact status Austin was unable to determine.

  yourself and me,” the physician replied. “You

  Her name was Ann Barrert and she seemed to

  mustn’t think of it in the terms of an affliction.

  occupy the position of a servant, who was

  If anything, you’re a grade above the average,

  displayed as a poor relation only at mealtimes

  both physically and mentally. There’s no

  or when company was present for the sake of

  reason why you shouldn’t live a long and

  appearances. She also was a distant relative of useful life. What you need is an interest. Get

  Mr. Stoddard and had become indigent it that and forget the other and you’ll be happy.”

  seemed shortly after joining the household.

  He went to his desk and opened a

  She was a quiet, self-effacing creature, who

  drawer from which he took a slip of paper.

  rarely spoke except when addressed, and

  “This is the prescription for your

  whose brown eyes Austin caught now and

  medicine,” he said. “I meant to give it to you

  then regarding him with a sort of repressed

  last time you were here, but I forgot. You will warning across the table, or when he find the address of the laboratory that prepares encountered her in the dim, cavernous it on the reverse side. Don’t lose it. In the hallways. He had the curious feeling that she

  event of my death, they’ll supply it to you

  was forever on the point of telling him direct.”

  something, but that she was not sure whether

  Austin gripped the arms of his chair.

  she ought to.

  “But you’re not going to die—soon,”

  Altogether it was a strange household.

  he said in sudden panic.

  A person of experience would have been

  The physician smiled.

  warned, but in Austin’s limited contact with

  “I hope not. But one never knows.” He

  life he had not yet encountered knavery. He

  paused and regarded his frightened young

  felt merely a sense of restlessness and visitor sternly. “You must stop depending depression that was accentuated by the tomb-upon others, Son. Go out and mix with people.

  like air of the big house. Even the servants

  Make friends. Go into some sort of business,

  Amazing Stories

  8

  or learn a trade or a profession. Get away from digested.

  yourself. Learn to love work, and to—love,”

  He had been with the Stoddards a little

  he added.

  over a year when the first inkling of disaster

  “I—I will,” Austin replied, as he came to him. His monthly allowance was cut folded up the slip of paper and put it in his

  off. Stoddard explained to him in the library

  pocket.

  one evening a week or so later that due to

  unfortunate conditions over which he had no

  FOR days he thought about his talk with control, the remnants of the Crane fortune had Doctor Goldwin. At home on Long Island his

  been swept away.

  mother had set aside a small plot of ground for

  “You mean that I have no money at

  him for a garden. He had loved this little spot.

  all?” Austin asked.

  On summer mornings he would awaken while

  Stoddard replied that because of his

  it was still dark and lie waiting impatiently for mother’s mismanagement such was the case,

  the sun to rise, and then bolt his breakfast and but added magnanimously that Austin was

  hurry down to see how much his plants had

  welcome to the hospitality of his roof until he grown during the night He had felt an could find something to do. Austin glanced at immense responsibility for their welfare. the mottled face of his distant relative. The When a Spring gale broke one of his young

  man’s small furtive eyes seemed to flit about

  trees he had wept over it for days. A month

  the room as if in an effort to evade his own.

  later new shoots had appeared below the break

  The young man wondered if the documents

  and the wound was healed over with rosin. On

  which he had signed now and then at

  all sides he saw the constant feverish effort of Stoddard’s request, during the past year had

  all loving things to create, to perpetuate anything to do with the loss of the money.

  themselves against great odds.

  He went upstairs without a word. He

  “Learn to love work and to—love,”

  had seen enough of poverty in his wanderings

  Doctor Goldwin had said. It was odd that,

  about town to make him thoughtful. Beggars

  with this sentence running through his mind,

  had stopped him now and then with hands

  Austin should think of Ann Barrett. When he

  outstretched for alms, depressing-looking,

  met her in the halls, he felt the impulse to

  slinking creatures in soiled garments into

  gather her in his arms. Somehow, she seemed

  whose trembling palms he had dropped coins.

  to hold within her small, compact body the joy

  The thought of what might become of him, if

  of creating, the promise of perpetuation.

  there was no money for his monthly supply of

  He felt vaguely ashamed of himself.

  medicine, made his brain reel. He clutched the

  He was infinitely better equipped for battle

  bannister for support.

  than the poor broken tree.

  At a turn in the dark hall he was

  The months that followed were busy

  confronted by the girl, Ann. Her finger was

  ones for him. His talk with the physician raised to her lips in an admonitory gesture.

  awakened in him a desire to know all about

  “I was listening,” she whispered. “I

  himself and the world into which he had been

  heard what he told you in the library. Oh, why

  so suddenly projected. He spent his days didn’t I warn you long ago? He stole my wandering about the city, observing what men

  money and now he has stolen yours.”

  had done while his mind had been asleep. He

  Austin searched her face in the gloom.

  spent his nights in reading and study. His

  His mind was so full of his own problems that

  ability to assimilate was as great as his thirst the significance of what she told him did not

  for knowledge. He saw, noted, and mentally

  impress him at once.

  The Grim Inheritance

  9

  “He stole your money?” he reiterated.

  felt a sudden impulse to arise and denounce

  “Yes, yes. The court made him my

  him and to sink his fingers into the bovine

  guardian after my father’s death ten years ago.

  neck. The only thing that deterred him was the

  I’m doing the work of a servant here while

  warning glance from the brown eyes at the

  they live in luxury on my money.”

  other side of the table. They seemed to say:

  Austin drew a deep breath. His distrust

  “Not yet! Bide your-time. Plan; th
ink!”

  of Stoddard flamed into suspicion, then

  He slept not at all that night. His brain

  certitude, in an instant. He looked down at the was seething with vague plans and half-small face upturned to his in the darkness. Pity formed ideas. He had no definite notion of

  for her made him forget his own problems.

  what he intended to do. He only knew that the

  She seemed so small, so abandoned. He did

  girl’s kisses still burned on his lips. For her not know how it happened but somehow their

  sake he must find a way to bring Stoddard to

  lips met, and at that moment life with its

  account.

  infinite possibilities was opened to him. He

  kissed not only her lips but her eyes and her

  Crane Secures Employment

  hair, and when he finally released her,

  frightened at his own vehemence, she did not

  IT was with this thing in mind that he

  run away. They stood looking at one another

  approached Stoddard the following day with

  as if a miracle, which their senses could not

  the request that since he was now penniless,

  credit, had been performed before their eyes.

  he might take him into his office to learn the

  Then, at a sudden slamming of a door

  real estate business. Stoddard regarded him in

  behind them, the girl turned and fled down the

  heavy-lidded silence before replying, then

  ball in the direction of Mrs. Stoddard’s suite.

  said:

  Dinner was being served when Austin

  “I’ll give you a try-out. But mind you,

  entered the dining room that evening. Neither

  no foolishness. You’ve been pampered all

  Stoddard nor his wife as much as glanced at

  your life. I don’t pamper my employees. I’ll