10-Story Detective Magazine, April 1946 — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

out with one more poser. “Are there any servants?” Again there was the derisive snort. “They had a Chimese houseboy up until twe weeks ago, when he got fired.” “Why ?” An amused grin crossed the tough old medice’s face. “Miss Post claimed he was making improper advances. The Colonel had to dismiss him.” i theught of the unattractive, bellig- erent-looking nurse and stifled a laugh. “I hardly admire his taste.” The motor of the sedan caught with a roar. “Nor Ff,” he growled. “The bungling idiot I took it that he meant/ Miss Post. I sHd out of the seat. With another roar the old doctor sent the shiny sedan in reverse the length of the driveway. When the headlights flashed away from me, I pivoted, my eyes accidentally sweeping the row of upstairs windows. What I saw made something inside my tummy do a funny little flip-flop. As my eyes glanced past, the drape that lined the glass of the dimly lighted corner room trembled slightly and suddenly fell straight. “What the devil?” I thought. I walked back to the kitchen doing some worried thinking. CHAPTER II UPstarrs in the Colonel’s room, George Browning, the cocky Httle fat guy, his wife, a stout artificial blonde, and the other cousin, Lawrence Woods, a chinless character resembling more than faintly the Casper Miiyuetoast car- toon in the funnies, were waiting around for something to happen. I strolled im, borrowed a cigarette from Woods, and took a seat on .he window ledge above the little gas radiator near the Colonel's corpse. The nurse, who was evidently busy dressing in the next room, had laid a clean white sheet over the old gent’s lengthy frame. It looked a bit weird. I hadn't been sitting long before I realized that my south end was suddenly becoming strangely cold, and damp. Standing up, I saw that the seat of my pants were sopping wet. Then I looked at the window ledge. Where I haa been sit- ting it was as damp as the ocean. But the windows were closed! I remembered what the doctor had said, Asthma patients sleep with their win- THE CHOKE’S ON ME—————_-—__-39 during the night the windows had been open! Why? My curiosity aroused, I leaned down closer, my hand touching the gas radi- ator, Again I got a little sheek. Fhe radi- no was warm, although it was turned 0 Puzzked, I looked at it more closely. Ht was the gas type with the water jacket like that of an ordinary radiator above and with a gas burner below. In a eli- mate where central heating is not neces- sary, tt is the type used by the big houses and hotels in Florida, You simply turn on the gas and light the fire when needed. But the fire now was out, had been out for at least a couple of hours. Straight- ening, ] scratched my head. Bt didn’t add up. The windows open and the heater turned on. F couldn’t figure it out. Turning I saw Fat Boy giving me the - eye, “Something wrong, son?” he Inquired haughtily. I smiled my handsomest. “Nope. Just wondered how the darned thing worked,” I lied. “Never saw one before.” He gave me a cold scornful stare, then turned his attentions back to his wife. Feeling properly put in my plaee, I crossed to the far wall, where there was. 2 large desk, and found a dry seat. On top of the desk a pile of papers were scattered about m great disorder. A let- “ter on top of the pile addressed in the Colonel’s shaky handwriting caught my eye. There were two short syllables, then, in clearer script, a Miami address. Be- side it was a check, inscribed in a line at the bottom, Por services rendered. On top of that was a little eard which looked strangely similar to a social security tag. The last name, examined closely, seemed to be Lew or Lee. Suddenly some- thing clicked in my brain. The Chinese houseboy ! The next act was pure reflex, looking around, I seeoped the letter and two slips up and crammed them noiseless- ly into my pocket. Then I looked wp. From across the reom, Fat Boy was staring straight at me. Slowly, his jaw dropped. He started to speak. Again I flashed my prettiest smile. “Little chilly, isri’t it?” It threw him completely off guard, His jam clamped shut. I finished my ciga- CopmicooOokKs (CO