Nor was that the end, for it roved the streets unsated, growing, devouring throughout the night, and in a few horrible hours had depopulated the cities that were so hostile to sorcerors.... Volnar, it is told, went unto the black crags near Zath, though discreetly distant from the inhabitants of that fearful place, and with occult aid constructed for himself a castle of black stone in a very short period, wherein he dwelt the remainder of his existence. This was not long because of his ungrateful creation's abnormal longevity and appetite. * * * * * GLEANINGS by Louis C. Smith A. Merritt's family were believers in that ancient custom of going to the Bible for the name of each new arrival. So when the future author of "The Ship of Ishtar," "The Moon Pool," and those other famous science fantasy classics was born, they rushed to the Book. Over his defenseless body, they argued at to whether the infant should be named Job, Hezekiah, Joshua, or Abraham. The Abes had it. So--A. Merritt. His parentage is traceable back to the French Huguenots. And while on the subject of Merritt--when his "Moon Pool" first appeared, a responsible critic compared it favorably in style with the best of Poe. We'll let Clark Ashton Smith have it out with Merritt for the title "Edgar Allan Poe, second." "I was once an industrious writer of short stories," states H. G. Wells, in a preface to his "Man who Could Work Miracles," reprinted last year in Golden Book. "I found that by taking almost any incident as a starting point, I could arrive at a story." Some thousands of scientifiction lovers may deplore the fact that he is no longer so industrious. But Mr. Wells finds more recreation nowadays in writing allegorically of such things as the "Bulpington of Blup." Frank Owen, of whose stories it has been said, "They are like delicate carvings in jade," is a surprising man. Contrary to expectations that would hope to reveal him a mystical, quiet, debonairly dreamy fellow, Mr. Owen is "pleasingly plump," jolly, generous, energetic, and voluminous in his writings. His work ranges from children's stories and poems--fairy tales, stories in church magazines--to novels of a "sexy" tang, and finally right down to our own back doorstep ... and the wonderful "Wind that Tramps the World" type of fantasy. In all, Frank Owen has written well over 500 published stories. A very well-known author of shuddery weird tales once wrote: "Otis Adelbert Kline is a typical writer--of the type of stories he writes. Rather large, inclined toward embonpoint, always perfectly dressed, pleasant in manner, but with an undeniable air of forcefulness about him, you can easily imagine him performing some of the things his characters do."