10-Story Detective Magazine Cover — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

8 0nY SELECT LE. Shutting the door, he began going over the walls, seeking the switch which would tip up the bed. He couldn’t locate it. He heard footsteps approaching, opened the door. Dr. Lathan entered, fol- lowed by Unlaw and several men. Be- yond a narrowing of his eyes, Dr. Lathan -_betrayed no emotion. Kneeling beside the body he made a hasty examination, turned the body over. “This man is dead. Killed by a bullet through his heart.’ Race nodded. “Doctor, will you see that every male in the house is aroused and assembled in the reception room?” Dr. Lathan nodded. Race added, “And let me know when alt are there.” When the room-was clear, he shut the door, went to work again. He moved piec- tures, furniture, rugs. He tried the sides, back and bottom of the fireplace. Wher- ever that switch was, it was cleverly hidden. He finally had to stand back and admit he was stumped. The murder of the man on the floor, he felt, was the link which gave conclusive weight to his theory—fantastic as it had seemed at first, He heaved a sigh, started another search for that switch, comforted by the’ thought that if he didn’t know its loca- tion, no one else did. He boiled with frustration. Dr. Lathan opened the door. “All the. men are assembled except the butler. He wasn’t in his room.” Race didn’t look surprised. ‘“He must | be found, doctor.” The doctor looked at the body. “You think he—” “I think not a one of us will be safe as long as he roams this house. I suggest we divide the men into squads to go over the house. There’s no time to lose. It may mean the snuffing out of another life.” They went down to the reception room, and the search got under way. Race went to his own room. Unlocking the door, he stepped inside, froze with surprise. The big piece of furniture had been pulled aside. The blade of an axe had hewn a gaping hole through the panel. The axe lay on the floor. Pistol in hand, eyes never straying from the hole, he relocked the door. Tak- ing a flashlight from his bag he poked it through the panel, sent the spray of light up and down the narrow passage- . waa: He are his — se the opening, chose the route toward Ley- more’s room and set out. The spray of light picked up no sign of the butler. Leymore’s was a corner room. Race arrived there and quickly located the panel opening into it. Un- fastening the spring catch he slid it open. The body hadn’t been disturbed, the door was shut. Closing and fastening the panel, he retraced his steps to his own room, set out in the opposite direction. There were no signs of the butler. A bit mystified, he crawled into his room, hurried to the big reception hall. Janice Parmer was there with Dr. Lathan. “No sign of him yet,” the ladies said. “We're still searching.” “Keep it up.” Race started for Ley- more’s room, called back, “See that the searchers are armed.” Back in Leymore’s chamber, Race locked the door, started another hunt for the switch. He was lucky. His toe scraped against a hard object inches from the bed leg. Lifting the bearskin rug he found the switch. Working it, he heard a whirring noise from below. The bed tilted upward, exposing a narrow stair- way. Weapon in readiness, he descended and found himself facing a heavy door barring entrance to a concrete chamber. The bed slid back down into place. Pull- ing out his keys he attacked the door lock. The fifth key did the work. Turning the knob noiselessly he kicked the door open, pressing his body to one side, After a few moments’ wait he slid eatlike through the door—to suddenly stiffen in surprise. His pistol hand dropped to his side. One glance told him the theory he had been working on was quite correct. In that room was the an- swer to most of the teasers he’d been wrestling with. CHAPTER IV HEN Race presently emerged from Leymore’s room, locked the door, and started downstairs, his jaw was set grimly, Another surprise awaited him. The butler stood nonchalantly in the reception room, puffing on a cigar. Dr. Lathan glanced at his watch. “You were gone quite a time, Bennett. The butler walked in the front door, said he'd = outside oo. at the ee ” :