All-Story Detective, October 1949 — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

Afraid to Live Mel’s house. There was a light on in his downstairs apartment. Ever since Dorothy had come to him for help tonight, Dan Skeels had had a strange feeling. She had seemed so small and afraid beside him. He had been scared too, probably more than she had ever been, but he hadn’t let on. He had acted almost like a man. He thought about what Mamber said. That most people were cowards about something, though they wouldn’t admit it. Maybe they were doing what’ he had done tonight—pretending. Maybe that’s what being a man meant. Being scared and sick inside, but not let- ting it show. Now that they were in front of Mel’s house, though, even the pretense left Dan, he stopped, clenching his fists in his pockets. Dorothy looked at him. “Aren’t—aren’t you coming in with me, Dan?” He ran his tongue over his dry lips. “I—maybe I’d_ better wait outside, Dorothy.” She stared at him. Then her shoulders slumped. Her eyes became bleak and dead. “For a while I thought—” She choked. “Oh, nothing.” She ran up the steps, rang Mel’s bell and then went in his apartment. : Dan stood there, hating himself. Hating what he had seen in Dorothy’s eyes. Wishing he were dead. He drew a shaking hand across his eyes. Then he slipped up on the front porch of the old building. One of Mel’s blinds were only half drawn. He could see into Mel’s living room. Duggard was standing there in a silk dressing gown, His red hair seemed to be standing straighter up than ever. He was grinning down at Dorothy. 1 WAS very quiet in this neighbor- hood. Dan could hear a cat mewing in some alley, the exhaust of a car in the next block. And he could hear Mel’s and Dorothy’s voices. . 91 Dorothy was saying, “Why did you phone me, Mel Duggard? What do you know about—about Sam Cockerell ?’” Duggard grinned at her. “Don’t be in such a hurry, baby. We got plenty of time. C’mon, sit down.” He tried to put his arm around her, pull her down be- side him on the couch. But she wrenched away from him, backed up. “Tell me what you know about Cock- erell.” His grin widened. “I know you're in a bad fix, baby. And you’d better start getting friendly with ol’ Mel if you want to get out of it.” Dan didn’t get this. Dorothy wasn’t acting as if she were in love with Mel. As if she wanted to marry him, the way he’d told Dan when he gave him the beating. She suddenly gasped. “You killed him, Mel Duggard. You were the man in the hall.” “Now my baby’s getting smart,” Mel said, “And if you'll get a little smarter, everything will be all right.” “But, why? Why did you do it?” “Why? Because ol’ Mel is smart, honey. He always. gets what he wants. One way or the other.” He shrugged. “TI knew you owed Sam Cockerell money. I knew what kind of a guy he is. I phoned his office today, told him you couldn’t pay the debt and you were leaving town early in the morning. If he wanted to collect, he’d better get to your apartment when you got off from work tonight. I followed him. I waited until he was in your room, then I opened the door and shot him. You begin to understand ?” Her face was like chalk. Her shoulders slumped. “I—I think I do—” “The gun I used is the one they keep in your desk down at the parking lot. I found it one day when I came to take you to lunch. You see how bad it looks for you?” . Mel chuckled. He walked over to a writing desk, opened a drawer, took the CoOnnicaoolk (©