10-Story Detective Magazine Cover — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

ee NS cigarets from an exquisitely wrought case, Winston Keith turned his atten- tion to his friend. His eyes gleamed with suppressed excitement as he sipped slowly at his drink. Curling wreaths of delicate blue smoke spi- raled gently upwards from his cig- aret, permeating the air with the acrid, pungent odor of Arabian to- bacco. “Well, Martyn,” pressed Keith with the intimacy of long years. “Just what is the campaign of action you intend to follow? You ought to get him this time. Y’ know, Martyn, the study of criminology is very interesting, and quite instructive. Take this note for in- stance. It is rather indicative of su- preme ego, Almost a case of solipsism, and bordering on—” But Keith didn’t get a chance to fin- ish his discourse on criminology. Gil- mardy interrupted him with an irrita- ble gesture. “Oh, come Keith. Can your irrele- vant meanderings, and your theories too,” grumbled the inspector. ‘‘What I want is facts. Facts and a feasible plan for catching that damned pest. You have helped me out of some rather awkward holes before, Keith, and I ~ need your help on this.” INSTON KEITH nodded, but said nothing. Instead he lis- tened closely to Gilmardy’s plan of action. The inspector seemed to think that it would be best to have one man in each of the ground-floor rooms of the Cranther home during the night, and several scattered throughout the grounds. Keith listened intently un- til the inspector had finished, then he added a few revisions of his own. “Y’know Martyn,” Keith murmured softly, “this Gray Ghost is a rather cagey bird, and from your own ac- counts, plus our papers, from scream- ing tabloids down to the more conserv- ative sheets, he seems to be quite a genius in the line of clever simplicity. That, in itself, is a dangerous quality, and it becomes more dangerous than ever when taken in conjunction with PHANTOM LOOTER his apparent knowledge of psychology. “Now take this note, he may be throwing a bluff, and he may not, but if you fill the house full of blun- dering, derby-topped dicks he may just give you the merry ha! ha! and postpone his little job. I, personally, would vote against carrying out such an obvious trap. “T would suggest that you read Professor Hans Goss’ Handbook on Kriminalpsychology.’ It’s quite illu- minating.”” Keith drew indolently on his cigaret, and then continued in the same thoughtful voice. “The Professor says, or he gives the impression, that every master crim- inal is eventually betrayed by his own egotism, which is just about the truth. Now, supposing this to be the betray- ing exhibition of the Ghost’s egotism, we must not discount his caution, his daring, nor his positive genius for details. | “From the note you have, one draws one of two possible inferences. Either the ghost is supremely egotistical, or he isn’t. Therefore, he must, then, be a consummate actor. That, however, is a chance we must take. “Y’know, Martyn, I rather admire this ‘Gray Ghost.’ He’s really clever. In this day of mediocre crimes and crim- inals he stands out like a rose among thorns. I rather hate to see him caught, yet my curiosity as a criminol- ogist is quite intrigued.—U’mm, yes. Suppose you bring two men with you and meet me here about ten o’clock to- night. I rather fancy that four of us can match him, and after all, it is more or less a matter of wits rather than brute force.” Inspector Gilmardy smiled his re- lief at the prospect of having Keith’s valuable assistance once again. “Then I can really count on you to go with me tonight, eh?” he asked, and for answer Keith summoned his valet, turning lazily in his chair as Quirt en- tered the room. “T say, Quirt,” he drawled, “haven’t I an engagement for this evening?” Quirt consulted a well-worn leather CORNICLOOOKS 3 ‘ |