10-Story Detective, September 1941 — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

PLAYGIRL OF DESTINY TSD with lamplight and there were three men, One was big, burly, and a blue- black stubble covered his massive, dull face. The other was thin, stoop-shoul- dered, with a long nose and squinting eyes. The third was tied securely to a chair. It was Paul Walker! The soft, mocking voice chuckled. “You may turn around, Mr. Lillard.” Jim turned and faced Bradley Shenckl. The gaunt face was wreathed in a malevolent smile. Jim’s eyes wid- ened, then narrowed with sudden com- prehension. His own smile broke out. “A niece setup, Mr. Shenckl! Let’s see, you’re administrator of Ruth Miiler’s estate, and that fits neatly inte the picture. I’ll lay five to one you’ve embezzled through the years, and it won’t be long before she comes of age. You needed one hundred thousand to make up losses and the kidnap act was the answer. You paid yourself, straightening up the account. Right?” Shenckl nodded, smiling, but his eyes were cold. Jim looked at Paul Walker. “Our mutual friend over there was well on the way to marrying Ruth and you didn’t want to turn over her money just yet. So Paul Walker was slated to take the rap, Then you figured on another hundred thousand as clear gravy for yourself and placed a claim with the insurance company. It was all very neat, no clues, no way. to trace, just one little item.” Shenckl chuckled. “I know. The air- plane. You are really very clever, Mr. illard. Too bad you won’t be with us long. I had the boys pick up Walker to make everything look nice.” “The program?” Jim inquired and calmly lit a cigarette. HENCKL chuckled again. “You'll appreciate it. I have both you and Walker prisoners, and I have taken both your guns. My boys will shoot you with Mr. Walker’s gun, and Walker with yours. We walk off. When you’re found, I’!l be in a position to say you discovered Walker was the real kidnaper and you killed one an- —65 other in attempting to make the ar- rest.” Jim felt a grudging admiration for the man. Shenckl was talking again. “I made one serious slip, Mr. Lillard. When I learned the company was sending an investigator I became a lit- tle panicky. I had the boys arrange the bullet reception. That wasn’t good strategy, but this will make up for it.” His voice steeled. “All right, Cokie. Take them out and do the job!” The big fellow yanked Walker to his feet while Cokie prodded Jim out the door, taking the gun from Shenckl as he passed. Under Cokie’s urgings Jim walked toward the road. Walker was made to stop at the door. “This is as far as we go, brother,” Cokie growled, and the detective turned to face the shack. He could see Walker, arms still bound, standing in the light of the doorway. Shenckl came out and stood to one side. Jim distinctly heard the click as Cokie, behind him, pulled back the hammer. Jim felt his muscles tighten and the hair crawl on the back of his neck. There was a sudden commotion and loud curse from the roadway, a wild threshing of bushes. Jim heard Cokie’s gasp. In that split second Jim whirled. The gunsel had half turned, eyes probing in the darkness toward the road. Jim swung a powerhouse blow. Cokie sensed the move and his gun started to line. Jim’s fist connect- ed square on the weak chin and Cokie sailed backward, the gun dropping from his hand. | 3 Jim dived for it and a high whine over his head marked the passage of a bullet from the big torpedo in the doorway. Jim’s fingers caught the gun, he half turned, the weapon flash- ing up. Walker, tightly bound, had thrown himself at his captor, muffling the man’s movements, not letting him get set. Jim saw Shenckl fade away. He changed his target and his gun barked spitefully at the gaunt shad- ow. Shenckl screamed, threw up his hands and fell. Jim came to his feet, COMIC OO® S ©