10-Story Detective Magazine Cover — page 75: what you’re looking at

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

<a paying my expenses he could keep on - giving them Speer and Diane dropped weakly onto a wicker settee and let their eyes pop at the gun. It had a sort of fas- --cination for them. I rested it on my knees while we waited. I thought about the redhead, Win- nie Easton was her name, and the guy who'd brought her up here to Diane’s summer place, And I wondered if there was anything between them. - Frankly, I doubted it. Winnie was a - Sweet little kid who thrushed in a night club when she could get the ‘work. Not much of a voice, a small lyric soprano, but on her it sounded good. The reason I didn’t think there was anything between her and the guy was his age. Roger Holloway was a New York lawyer who wouldn’t see the short side of fifty again. Moreover, he didn’t look the type. A_ short, plumpish specimen with an oily man- ner and bald shining skull as flat as a griddle iron. I hoped Duke would arrive soon so _ that I could ge back and join Winnie on the glider. UKE arrived before I had finished the wish. Just what made Diane marry him I don’t know. In his own way he was good looking enough, tall, pale-faced, pale hair worn long above the ears. You know, the arty type. He had been an actor of sorts on Broad- Way, never a topnotcher, never a com- plete down-and-outer. “Well, Criqui?” he asked in that af- fected mellifluous voice of his. “A little cheating, Not much.” Speer jumped up. “See here—” he started, but Diane caught at his sleeve and stopped him. She stood up beside him and handed Duke a level took through her sea green orbs. Her crim- son mouth was drawn and deter- - mined. “Duke,” she said without pream- ble, “this is the last straw. I want a _ = divoree.” Poe: pale brows hiked dup. Fi want member of this family.” Speer said: “You don’t love her and you never did. You only married her for her money, And when she’d had too much to drink. She was engaged to me and you knew it. Glynn, you’re a skunk.” Duke shrugged. “Possibly. We’ll not argue the point.” “What do you want?” demanded Speer. “Money? All right. Give Diane her freedom and she’ll make a settle- ment on you.” Duke glanced at Diane. “Is that what you want?” She nodded. “‘Yes,” “Then it’s what I want, too.” Speer said: “Holloway is a lawyer. You brought him up here, Duke. Let him draw the papers tonight.” “No.” It popped out of Duke’s mouth like a pistol shot, ‘“Neither Hol- loway nor Winnie is to know anything about this. I want your lawyer to draw up the papers, Diane. Monday will be soon enough.” “Good enough,” Speer snapped curt- ly. “Now if you’ll order this hireling of yours to sheath his weapon and let us pass—” “Okay, Criqui. I stepped aside and they went out into the nizht. I looked at Duke Glynn, “The job over?” “Yes, but since there aren’t any trains back until Monday you can stick around.” “Good enough,” I said and made tracks back to the house. Winnie Easton was still on the glid- er. The glider was on the side lawn facing a fish pool. I dropped down be- side her. She said: “Hello, Sam.” “Hello. Miss me?” “Yes. Where have you been?” “Night gardening,” I said. “Dig- ging dirt.” “You’re a strange man, Do you al- ways talk in riddles, Sam?” “No.” I was silent for a moment. The moon and the stars lit the coun- ” _tryside up pretty well. I could make a divorce. My dear, I am the injured = a hk hy Wy 4 Ay 1 ‘| Pace et yi Watery ny yy 4 : + NORMA TEA ne Mt A) ~~ Par adh aed i? ' or Foti age ae ; ie al ip Bi 4 A i / a. fp id sy NA bic Uaahdh ities 4 . a) BvD | 44 ib abt fae ip i wal ayes ~~ f a 7 ' * + rare Tea ) iid . Ne q Dan Y : P ' “it ca 4 vs ¢ of ” i * Way. 4 7 ¥ iG ~ comicbooks.com