The Eye of Wilbur Mook
Page 6
jagged hole in the porchroof. At his feet was a chunk of plaster.
It took a minute for the realization to filter through that he wasstanding on the porch of 136 W. Erie Street. Wilbur recalled walking upthe stairs. After that everything was a blur. He scrutinized the door.There was no card bearing the name of A. J. Merlin. In fact, there was nocard at all!
"Hey, mister," a boy's voice called. Wilbur turned around and saw atattered urchin regarding him gravely. "Ain't nobody lived in that housefor years," the boy said. "It's haunted."
Wilbur shuddered and at the same instant became aware of a peculiarphenomenon. He seemed to be seeing the boy through only one eye. Theother was strangely blurred. Wilbur pulled out his handkershief andwiped his right eye. His vision improved but as he moved toward the headof the stairs he swayed slightly.
"You get hurt or something?" the boy asked as Wilbur came toward him.Wilbur rubbed his head.
"I'm all right," Wilbur told him. He said it partly to reassure himself.
He looked at his wrist watch and found he had only twenty minutes to getback to work. That was puzzling. There was a lapse of time. Being a manof imagination, Wilbur reflected that if he had actually been in thepast he would not have used up any time in the present.
On the other hand, it was more probable that he had been hit on the headby falling plaster and had incurred a slight lapse of consciousness,memory, or both. He was inclined to accept that explanation.
At any rate he was going to be late if he didn't hurry, and Pete Bellowswould be mad as a hornet. Wilbur speeded up his pace. Then he sloweddown again. If anyone should be angry it was himself. He had missed hislunch.
Riding up in the elevator Wilbur checked his watch again and found hewas only five minutes late. In his working life that represented twolines of doggerel. It didn't seem like much to get excited about. ButPete Bellows didn't see it that way.
"Mook!" he roared, as Wilbur came through the door. "You're late!"
If he had expected Wilbur to fall into his usual fit of trembling he wasdisappointed. Wilbur was staring at him.
"Your eye!" Wilbur gasped. Pete's left eye was swollen half shut and hada blue ring around it.
"He walked into the door," Miss Burnett said. "Honest."
Wilbur smiled at her. She was a very pretty girl. Too pretty to beworking for a wolf like Pete Bellows. Wilbur had a notion to tell herso.
"I said you're late, Mook," Pete told him ominously.
"So what?" Wilbur asked quietly. "If you don't like it you can fire me.In fact, considering that you find so much fault with my work I'msurprised you haven't discharged me long ago. But I'll save you thetrouble. I quit."
Pete was staring at him as though Wilbur had gone mad. Maybe he had,Wilbur thought. Maybe Pete was going to get sore and punch him in thenose. It didn't seem to matter.
"Not only that," Wilbur added. "I'm going into business for myself. Howwould you like to work for me, Miss Burnett?"
"I think I'd like that just fine," she said. She took her purse out of adrawer in her desk and got her coat and put it on.
Pete Bellows was a stricken man. For once he had nothing to say. Hismouth dropped open and he leaned against his desk. "W-wait a minute,Wilbur, old pal," he managed to gasp finally.
"Goodbye," was all Wilbur had to say. He held the door open carefullyfor Miss Burnett, then shut it behind them as carefully.
Wilbur knew that he was outwardly calm. Inside, he was filled withamazement at himself. Never had he thought to see the day when he wouldstand up to Pete Bellows. Now he had not only done it, he had got awaywith it! He took Miss Burnett's elbow. She was looking at him ratherqueerly, he thought.
"What's the matter?"
"I just noticed the strangest thing about you," she said. "You're thefirst person I've ever seen who had different colored eyes!"
Wilbur gasped. His knees felt weak, and out of the past he heard acreaky voice say, "... I can't tell them apart." Now he understood that_Arthur's_ right eye had been the last ingredient in the _Elixir ofFortitude_!
Wilbur smiled. There was nothing to be angry about. He certainly hadn'tgot the worst of the bargain! His shoulders were squared as he helpedMiss Burnett into the elevator car.
"Let's go, Jean," Wilbur said.
[Transcriber's Corrections
Changed "widow" to "window" (A fat grey cat sunned itself on the window ledge)
Removed extra "and" (He picked up the glass ball again and Wilbur felt himself grow faint)
Changed "is it" to "it is" ("Excalibur it is called," Merlin said.)
Changed "face" to "fact" (In fact, there was no card at all!)
Changed "handkershief" to "handkerchief" (Wilbur pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his right eye)
Removed extraneous doublequote at the end of the sentence (Arthur's right eye had been the last ingredient in the Elixir of Fortitude!)]