10-Story Detective Magazine, April 1946 — page 37: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The first night Private Detective Bowen arrived to guard his wealthy client, that old colonel strangled to death.. And though Bowen didn’t see anything funny about it, the suspi- p cious heirs made it clear that they thought the choke was on him. - at ——_ ~~ - ee rw Se i ‘ ar eee — at ~ ra mx° a Ld » ert be i » ~ Fa ~ appointed. I had almost taken her for the maid. Leading me through a wide tile-dec- erated hallway past several darkened rooms,, she stopped at the bottom of a set of broad stairs, where she turned around. I got my first really good look at her. Her hair, soft and auburn-colored, would have been almost pretty if she had allowed it to fall naturally about her shoulders, but it was tied in a severe knot at the back of her head, Her facial 35 lines, fine and sensitive, showed breeding, but the absence of makeup made her look pale and tired. But her smile was pleasing, even though there was no color in the lips that lined her even white teeth. “Would you like me to .Lhow you to your room, Mister Bowen?” she said pleasant- ly. “I’ve given you the one next to Uncle Mort.” “Do you suppose he’s still up?” I payr- ried. “Vd kinda like to see him,” COmicloo S CO