10-Story Detective Magazine Cover — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

LOOT OF THE LAUGHING GHOUL_——————23 Seated with his back to Sefior Pom- bal’s table, Paul Hammond could hear Snatehes of conversation. They were speaking in English. A trip to China- town was being discussed. Hammond’s eyes met the alert orbs of Arthur Haycox. The news- paperman smiled and glanced to- ward Sefior Pombal’s table. Hay- cox, too, had overheard what was being said, yet neither Hammond nor the newshasvk spoke of it. It was Nevel Nason who introduced the sub- ject. “T’ve often heard of the wonders of Chinatown,” she remarked to Hay- Cox. “Quite a place,” the newspaperman agreed. “Would you like to see it?’ “T’d love to,” Nevel’s eyes were flashing again, and her cheeks burned with animation. “We'll go right after dinner.” Then to Paul Hammond, “Unless our host has other plans.” Hammond nodded his approval. When their meal was finished, they hurried into their wraps. Hammond went to his room for his hat and coat, pausing to glance at the radio set. On the tape were several messages in dots and dashes, and the wax cylin- der which recorded conversations also showed signs of having picked up words or phrases. However, he had no time to study them. His guests were awaiting him below. He hurried downstairs, to find Arthur Haycox standing alone in the lounge. “Let’s take a cab by ourselves,” the reporter said in a low tone, “I have something to tell you.” N a few minutes the party was com- plete, and taxicabs were sum- moned. The two army officers and their women companions took the first car, while Hammond and the re- porter entered the second. Soon they were isolated in the heaviest fog the -young man had ever seen. He glanced - out as they started down the steep hill leading to the Oriental! section. & * . ~ “ — ae Sens Looking over the driver’s shoulder, = he could not see fifteen feet ahead. Street lamps were blobs of pale light at regular intervals. The ghost of a cable car swam out of the mists. In spite of their isolation, Haycox glanced around, as though he were looking to see if they could be over- heard. Then he said: “T’ve suspected for several days that something big was brewing in this man’s town. So I nosed around and came across—” “Hey, what’s the matter?’ they heard the chauffeur yell. Hammond glanced ahead, The rays of a red lantern were shining through the fog—a lantern that waved wildly as if it sought to give warning of immediate danger. The chauffeur threw on his brakes, and the taxicab came to a stop with shrill, complaining shrieks. Arms reached up to drag the driver from his seat. Then the side doors ‘were thrown open. Brown faces ap- peared in the dim rays of the cab’s dome light. A pistol flashed, and Hammond saw Arthur Haycox slump forward in his seat. Hammond snatched the weapon from a bandit’s hand. He raised the muzzle to fire, but a tongue of flame spat at him and he felt a hammerlike blow in the chest. Then the gun in his own hand roared, and the brown face disap- peared. Another shot rang out, and once more he felt the impact of a bul- let which struck his right side. Hammond leaped from the cab. He had one of the highwaymen’s pistols, and his own was in the other hand. But as he faced his assailants, they melted away into the fog. Only the red lantern was visible. Through the heavy mist came many sounds. Auto- mobile horns squawked, and there was the shrill call of a police whistle, and the clamor of a cable car that had | stopped when its gripman saw the taxicab squarely in his path, Hammond turned to Arthur Hay-— eox. The reporter was still sig but — “ mes breathing heavily. Hammond ¥(4 SS a ) a GPS te one 7 WN ty LAAy yAa ever Jo ‘lead SF Nd LUD fy ARS TRIP RRAE Te Pd ik Ov pe fi 4| 464 ‘Ny: Nyt és { * ’ LSC i ON hi 4, : e\h Pal Fe Me ay zx eNO bet P a d tay rae his hy ' MAK eo { 2.7 ‘F ee , \ ot be pee Vy Pilg Lda) ht UL ON waa tat ge 1A mal BNA yal Wel ay, Ae pe PU be at 7 OM AULT Anh ga i>