10 Story Detective, July 1942 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

——TAKEN FOR A SLAY RIDE Both men crawled in to join Stuart and they stared in open awe at the entrance. Stuart said, “Bates just went down this tunnel. It must lead into the cav- erns under the cliff, so it’s also prob- able this is the only exit. Are you two willing to follow me and try to corner him?” “Yes,” Gordon said quickly. ‘Get- ting a car started is out of the ques- tion, so I’d just as soon take the of- fensive as sit and wait for Bates to crack down on us. Let’s go.” ERRIGAN didn’t have to tell how he felt. His face indicated the fear that predominated. Stuart slipped into the tunnel, found crude steps cut into solid rock and went down them. He reached the floor. of a narrow passage which led in only one direction—toward the cliff. They had to practically crawl along because of the narrow confines, but Stuart derived some _§ satisfaction from seeing several more smears of blood. Bates had traveled this same route. The tunnel ended in a small cavern. They prowled this, found another ex- it and finally reached the cavern ad- jacent to the large one which opened onto the ledge overlooking the sea. Gordon, without waiting for orders, hurried through the passage to the big cave. Stuart moved to check him, but it was too late. Bates must be in that big cave. He’d hear Gordon and be ready. Stuart followed and Kerrigan came up at the rear, as far behind as he dared. Stuart heard a sharp blow, a moan and then a dragging sound. He reached the end of the passage, took a long breath and jumped clear. Bates, a heavy club in his hand, made a wild swing at Stuart and missed. Stuart moved in then, fast. Gun raised, he aimed it at Bates’ skull. Kerrigan blundered into the big cave too. He saw Bates, gave a yelp of alarm and tried to get out of the way. He shouldered Stuart enough | ——=-28 to throw him off balance and Bates moved in. The club smashed against the back of Stuart’s head and he dropped. Kerrigan started running. Bates hurled the club at him and Kerrigan went down too. Bates worked quickly then. He was wounded. His shirt was dark with blood, but the man’s stamina was remarkable. He disarmed Stuart, took his own gun away from Gordon and then searched Kerrigan without finding a weapon. He sat down on a boulder, both guns in his hands, and waited until the victims recovered. stuart got up first and kept his hands raised shoulder high. Gordon stumbled to his feet. Bates had ar- ranged all the flashlights so that they illuminated the cave and yet kept him well in the shadows. Gordon’s rage shone brightly in his narrowed eyes. “So you came to pay me a visit, huh?” Bates chortled. “Ain’t that nice, especially since I couldn’t have wished for anything better. Okay— you’re here. You know my secret, but you'll never talk. This place will be- come your tomb. I can seal up the door in the house so it will never be found, Maybe I’ll burn the joint to the ground.” “You’re going to kill all of us, are you?” Stuart asked. “‘Whom do you begin with, Bates?” “Gordon! That rotten heel. I know he’s the one who shot me. He was afraid I might get caught and talk too much.” “You fool,’”’ Gordon shouted. ‘“‘Don’t you know this man is an officer?” ‘“Sure—I aiso know youre a double-crosser,”’ Bates said smoothiy. “That’s why all of you are going to die. You were to pay me ten grand for pushing Leonard and Alexander off the cliff up in Alaska. You paid me one thousand on account and when I wrote for the rest, you wrote back that if I didn’t keep my mouth shut, I’d get the rope. Do you see a rope around my neck now, Gordon? It was smart of you to tie me up loose so I’d get away. Then you could gun COMmclooo S (C(O) nn