Adventure Magazine Cover — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

116 holding out his hands, “you’ve got this wrong! Don’t believe her! She knew I was not dead—but she promised to give me mine when she married Holder!” Javotte gasped: “Oh, a lie! That is one beeg lie! Oh!” “You're the liar!”’ Burillo cried, thrusting out a clenched fist. Javotte was like a tigress hesitating to attack. Her sharp little teeth were bare, and claw-like fingers hovered at her side. Her breath was sharp as a hiss. Then something like the peck of a finger began to strike against the window-pane. Tick—click—click—click, over and over, one after another. Middleton knew it for the signal of dan- ger, big danger. A shower of dried peas hit the window. Then no more. Javotte and Burillo looked wonderingly about the room, toward Middleton, again about the room. Middleton waited. There was nothing else to do. In the motionless silence they heard the door of an auto slam shut; and a moment later the street door closed. “Oh, Santa Maria! Mr. Holder! He did not stay on the trip like he say. Oh I am sorry for heem, for he love me! I can do nothing—eet is over!” She had whispered it tensely, then sank weakly against the face of the safe, help- less, resigned. In the next three or four seconds of silence Middleton had looked from her to Burillo and back again; and he had no doubt at all as to Javotte’s honesty. Holder’s slow, heavy feet had scarcely. started up the stairs before Middleton gave her an urgent push as he whispered: “Get out of bed and pretend to hear burglars! Quick! Get into a nightdress. Quick!” The force of his urgency more than her own desire moved her. She gave him a second’s dazed look, her lips parted in puzzled wonder; then, understanding, van- ished. “You—put a handkerchief on your face. Quick. There by the doorway and be quiet.” Burillo, not realizing why or what was up, did as he was told. | Holder, heavy on his feet, puffing a little, came slowly along the hall to see what a Adventure light was doing in his library that time of night. If he thought of burglars the thought did not disturb him. He did not rouse up a servant or try to use caution. With a slow, tired gesture he pushed aside the portiéres and faced Middleton, who stood waiting for him. ‘Good evening,” said Middleton, masked but gracious. ‘““Un-n,” said Holder; or rather he grunted as if jarred slightly, and stared at Mid- dleton, then at the burglar in the white handkerchief. He was not sloppily fat, but massive, unwieldy. He was big-bodied, with a big head, big features and steady eyes. In appearance there was nothing combative about him; but he seemed solid, unmovable. “T know you are sorry to have inter- rupted us,” said Middleton. ‘‘Won’t you sit down? We were getting ready to begin. Oh, yes—”’ he noticed Holder’s glance to- ward his empty hands— ‘‘we are armed. But I didn’t want to startle you. There are those who serve under the Black Mask that never give a thought to their patrons’ nerves. I believe it is such thoughtlessness that has largely prejudiced the public against our profession.”’ “Un-n,” Holder repeated impassively, heavily turning his head from the white- masked one to the black mask. Then— “Middleton, how in did you know where that safe was?” He pointed toward the Bromley’s face, exposed by the cabinet that had been swung from against the wall. S out a quiver under various sur- prizes and shocks, but he had never got one that really jarred him any more than that. Holder was so completely casual about it, as if it were of no importance to have recognized him. “Who?” said Middleton. “TI didn’t quite catch the name.” Holder grunted at him, unimpressed, then gestured again toward the safe. There was something demanding, almost com- manding, in the gesture. “Oh,” Middleton answered pleasantly. “There are many ways of learning the secrets of our patrons. It is possible, you know, to buy plans from architects’ clerks. And when we find a house that has been fitted with such excellent burglar alarms as MIDDLETON had stood up with- NOOK (C@