Pulp Fiction, 1938 · page 72 of 116
10-Story Detective Magazine Cover — page 72: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains story prose from a hardboiled detective pulp magazine titled "10-Story Detective." The visible text depicts a detective named Gardner visiting a construction site office at night to examine payroll records, only to be ambushed and beaten by three men. The narrative shifts to Gardner being revived and kidnapped, his arms bound with a leather strap from his own boot, as he's carried toward a dark sedan. The action-heavy prose is typical of early-20th-century pulp crime fiction.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
N ey 14) Raia oa Ave bee a 5 ad RY As RSL ay Oh Pe ite BEES LS ht ye , MORON: MER RCSA RLS AeA SO NL Ao if , ns ae tae ne Nha Lae 4 ty’ Lai Vas. a PAY fi 4 iy : eu if ‘ BA fey ) a | a ; STE tp! Aha 3 ? a NSA tite AS by 4) vt . yt by an b Hy! sl min MAA Oe aa ¥ Ht ‘ y ‘ Pah aN Re Abst 52S WP he ee fd ERY ESET Ay Laue Pia Nat Ne REM at can , AS Wit) ak a RL Pave . BAYS) : ? ‘ fe) Wet Ree utr AA AN AS : } Ry Vee Tt Care as n Abr PWM HY he 3 Pee aku SN PARA SOR Nee) 4 wi) a ts, he ; ho :s Veh e ut ¢ i ¥ ‘hy Als rAd | Ve { cia, air iS ‘ air} wit A 5 3 5) Sas ia »! KK : Loe A UY, ¥ your hands.” And while he did it he made a mental note that fourteen men were chargeable to concrete placing; that Wednesday’s gang was twenty- two. “Let’s see, Tim. Wednesday you were pouring that retaining wall. Quite a sizable gang you run for con- crete, don’t you?” “Your own orders were to rap both sides of the form,” Tim retorted, bristling a little. ‘“Bedad, that took four extra men. Thin you wanted it spaded better and the iron rods shook more. Shure, I c’d kape down me costs if you fellas’d let me, Now on the Akron—” “I didn’t say you had more men than you need,” Gardner laughed, who had heard of that job several times from the loquacious foreman. “Well, I’m pushing along, Tim. Have to come out here tonight to catch up on my reports. S’long.” The construction office was dark at nine that night when he approached it, He locked his car near by and stood a moment looking down at the silent job. He thought he saw the watchman moving around, but the sky was over- cast and the visibility poor. Boldly switching on the lights at the front door, he went directly to the time- keeping office. He had the combina- tion from Emerson and it was the work of seconds to open the big safe. He was just examining the payroll _ book for Saturday’s pay when a board creaked, Then the lights went out. In one leap he was between the door and the pay window, reaching out for the knob. It was dead-locked and he had to use both hands. A flashlight flicked on and off before he could open the door. Three men, big and. burly in those shadows, leaped upon him. Speechless, deadly, they came. A heavy club glanced off his left arm as he slipped sidewise, paralyzing the muscles for a space. Between clutching hands he shot out his hard fist, but he was a -_ jittle off balanee and he connected aes with. a daw made of stone. The man 70——_____——_——10-STORY DETECTIVE— only snarled an oath as his thick arm clamped around Gardner’s neck. A vicious jab in the man’s stomach, a twist downward and Gardner was free. His right hand clutched a chair. Swung viciously at a second face looming ghastly in the pale, eerie light, That man dropped with a groan. But another hurtled at him from the passage at the same instant that num- ber one dived at his knees. : On the floor Gardner fought like a wounded tiger to avoid the upraised blackjack he saw coming. The first blow thudded close beside his ear. A man drove downward with both knees in his stomach and Gardner doubled up in agony. His breath whistled through his teeth as if he had asthma. Then the deteetive’s arms were flung down, his jaw thrust violently side- wise. He bit savagely on a finger over his mouth, heard.a yell of pain as the bludgeon fell. HILL night air revived the opera- tive. He was being carried to a dark sedan which had been backed up near the office door. His arms were bound behind by a leather thong from one of his own boots. He strained at them cautiously, but they were drawn tight. From the job came-a hoarse shout, a shot, then a sharp yell. “The watchman saw the fool after all,”” grumbled the man who stood be- side the car. There was a husk in that voice and Gardner tried vainly to re- call whose it was..Through half- opened lids he tried to recognize him, but the fellow’s slouch hat was pulled down and his chin was buried in his overcoat. Nor did the detective know the two plug ughes carrying him. “Dump ’m in,” ordered the husky voice. ‘We might have to take him some place else.” “Wait,” rumbled a deep-voiced thug, “here comes Ed—” “No names, you fool,” snapped a husky voice, who seemed to be boss- ing things. “Tl talk with him.” His feet crunched the snow three times, then he ee “Hit that Hawkshaw i a : Se eee poe com cbooks =€OM)