10-Story Detective Magazine Cover — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

ir ta) a) ay Steve saw what he meant, Even without those jet-black eyes of his on Gail, Steve would have understood. “Joe,” he said wildly. “I tell you I haven’t got it. The story I gave Cun- ningham was straight.” The man in the other corner of the seat tapped the driver’s shoulder. “Step on it.” he directed. “Looks like we're gonna have a picnic after all.” As the car sped forward, Steve squeezed Gail’s arm reassuringly: But there was more confidence in the pres- sure of his hand than he felt. Then something happened that fired a spark of hope inside him. The driver yelped startled words from the front seat: “Chief, some- body’s tailin’ us. That car’s lights ain’t gone out of my mirror for five min- utes!” Steve remembered Yellow Gloves. If that insurance dick were still trail- ing along, things might not be hope- less yet. Rinaldi said easily, “Shake him off.” The cab gained speed, squealed around corners, careened down alleys; then suddenly they were back on the main stem again. They slid through the north end of town, passed Jona- than Norton’s huge home, turned, and bounced for interminable minutes along a rocky country road. They skidded to a stop finally, the headlights focused on the rambling ruin of an old farmhouse. Steve stole a glance back down the road as they filed up to the building. There wasn’t a light in sight. The faint hope he’d nourished that the insurance dick had not been shaken died with him. The lights were on bright inside the house, and Steve realized the windows must be boarded. There was one man inside waiting. Steve stiffened his shoulders as he followed Rinaldi in, ready for what he knew was coming, HEN it eame, swiftly and with- out any preliminaries. Five min- utes after he stepped through the door he -eouldn’t remember anything ex- —DEAD MAN’S SNARE—— a ee ae 5 cept that Gail was there, helpless, watching him with horror-struck eyes; that if he gave out they’d start on her—unless he told them. And he couldn’t tell them, because he didn’t know! He came to suddenly to realize the blows had ceased—that Joe Rinaldi’s blaek eyes were on Gail. Steve shouted wildly, “I don’t know where that stone is, Rinaldi, You’ve got to believe that. The only thing Ed told me was that the diamond was hot, and always would be. And it will. You’d never get rid of it.” Rinaldi taughed without taking his eyes off Gail. “Sure, it'll be hot. But not after we cut it into a half-dozen stones. Hey, you listenin’?” Steve was gaping vacantly at the room, his eyes suddenly blank and far off. What was it Ed had said? “Nor- ton’]] never find it either. But he’ll al- ways be warm .:. . Norton warm and the diamond hot.” Steve jerked his eyes back into focus. suddenly, Rinaldi’s open hand slashed out, knocked Gail out of her chair, and sent her sprawling to the floor. Steve struggled in the grasp of the two men beside him. Rinaldi exposed even white teeth in a grin. “We'll see how long you take to tell us now, Craig.” : He bent, grasped Gail’s wrists, and jerked her to her feet. They were all looking at her, but her eyes were fixed on something behind them. Her mouth dropped open and she screamed. Then someone behind them said: “Gentlemen, shall we all submit peace- ably ?” They all whirled. Yellow Gloves stood in the doorway, his fingers wrapped around a big automatic, his jaws working tirelessly on a wad of gum. Steve thought, “Good old Yellow Gloves,” and swung at the man near- est him. Rinaldi’s voice came harshly in the tense silence: “Nick Hartwel]!” Steve’s fist hit the guy he’d swung at then, but there wasn’t any power ie | Phas i Ks aa = — rE ae oe ae ee , (tee - Way) a Ne P vf ‘ in as ie f TALL Uo 5 se mt a) 4 Y ee ee ha at: " rer) r é vet