THE GIRL FROM INFINITE SMALLNESS
By RAY CUMMINGS
Into a different space-sphere bursts Lea,
terrified Princess of the microcosmic Heanas,
searching for an earthling champion. For the
vicious Taroh had thieved the secret of
transcendant growth, and he's marching to
crush the gentle sub-world of Helos.
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Planet Stories Spring 1940.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Young George Carter had always particularly liked the little rockgarden which lay on the declivity behind his home. His mother, nowdead, had designed and planted it with loving care. In the spring, andparticularly on hot summer evenings when the moonlight patched thegarden with silver, it was his favorite spot, the place where he likedto sit alone, smoking and dreaming.
Despite his intention of following in his father's footsteps andbecoming a scientist, there was incongruously much of the dreamer, theromanticist, in young George Carter. At nineteen now, six feet tall, hewas lean and rangy, with a rugged, handsome face, dark eyes and unruly,longish black hair. Admiring college girls had sometimes told him thathe was a combination of Abe Lincoln and Lord Byron. That pleased him,though in his heart he knew it really wasn't very important.
He was finished with his studies now, ready for the world ofachievement. His father, a retired Professor of Ethnology, had arrangedthe financing of an exploring expedition. Alice—George's twin sister,who from birth had been blind—was going to visit distant relatives.George and his father would go to central Asia. Perhaps they wouldfind some Neanderthal skeletons, crumbling bones that could be piecedtogether thrillingly to throw more light upon the nature of our savageancestors of a few million years ago.
It was an exciting prospect to young Carter. All the spirit ofadventurous youth stirred within him at the thought of it. Butnevertheless, this summer more than ever, when the night breeze rustledthe leaves and the moonlight patched his mother's little rock garden,he found himself liking to lie out there alone, smoking and vaguelydreaming of things less remote than Asiatic Neanderthal skeletons of amillion years ago.
Undoubtedly—this particular July evening—young Carter drowsed offinto complete unconsciousness, with his long lanky figure sprawled inthe chair. He was awakened by a faint vague sound so abnormal to thesomnolent little garden that at once it snapped him into alertness.It sounded like a faint cry—a little gasp of human fear. He sat up,startled, but the sound was gone. There seemed nothing here but thepatches of moonlight and the dim outlines of the garden.... Then Cartersucked in his breath and tensed, with his hands gripping the sidesof his canvas chair. There was a girl standing off there between thesundial and the distant hedge—a girl smaller than Alice, with themoonlight shining on the pale fabric of her dress that hung from hershoulders to above her knees. A gray-blue cord crossed to divide herbreasts, encircled her slim waist and hung with tassels down one sideto her knees. He saw her face, with hair streaming down to frame it—aface that stared at him with terror.
"Well," he murmured. "Good Heavens, where did you come from?"
He jumped to his feet. Again she gave the little cry of fear, and likea faun darted backward until the hedge stopped her. She had come intoa brighter patch of moonlight now, and the sight made him gasp. Hershort