Amazing Stories, Vol. 2, No. 1 — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

: ; zy . ~ ‘ k ry mm ae Lt ow 7 * « = eh =. AMAZING STORIES metal itself in the vault,” he said. “The whole thing may turn upon that question, Barry. Once definitely established where the platinum came from, we would know where to begin our probing. “Can’t you get permission from the Washington officials for us to open the vault and look into it?” “Certainly, although I warn you we'll have our trouble for our pains,” was the reply. “It may take a day or two for the chief to cut the red tape and get that permit. In the meantime we can lay low and try to nab Mr. Pirate. I don’t suppose you would object to letting a couple of my men loaf around here within sight and hearing of that tele- phone? I want them to be on hand in case the quarry makes the foolish move of coming in.” “Send them right along. If he should happen to be close to this place they might be able to catch him before he got away.” Barry left then and Goodwin called his assistant. “IT will have two government operatives hanging around for awhile,” he explained. “I want them to hear whatever is said if the platinum seller calls up again, so you might get an amplifier that can be hooked on to the telephone receiver and throw his voice out distinctly into the room. Then—” He bent over and talked low and earnestly and in his eyes was the suspicion of a twinkle. The assis- tant nodded and went to work. The amplifier con- nected to the telephone, he wheeled up back of Goodwin’s chair and directly facing the mouthpiece of the amplifier, a cabinet-like piece of furniture with a projecting funnel-shaped contrivance not un- like the sounding horn of an old-time graphophone. “All set, sir,” he reported. “And here come Barry’s men,” said Goodwin. “Just in time, too, perhaps,” as the shrill clamor of the telephone bell smote the air. The assistant waited only for his superior’s con- firming nod to dash from the room. A moment later he was back and Goodwin, clapping his hand over the transmitter of the telephone, heard him call to the operatives: ‘“He’s talking from the Somer- ville Hotel—in the next block—from a private booth in the lobby.” CHAPTER IV Some Detective Work a la Sherlock Holmes a6 OW did the test of the metal pan out?” asked the platinum peddler as soon as he had established that it was Goodwin and no other on the telephone. “Perfectly satisfactory,” was the reply. “I am ready to take one thousand ounces at the price you quoted.” There was a whistle, subdued but surprised, from the unknown. “That,” he said, “is rather more than I expected you to buy. Of course I wouldn’t be carrying that much around. Would delivery in a week or ten days do? I amsuréI can have it here in that time.” “Suits me,” replied Goodwin. “T’ll let you know when I get back,” came crisply over the wire. ‘“‘Meanwhile arrange to have the payment for it in cash, no bills over a hundred dol- lars. I’ll make final arrangements later.” “Just a minute,” said Goodwin, but he was too late. The other man had hung up. The conversa- tion had lasted but little over a minute, not long enough for the detectives to have reached the hotel a block away. Goodwin took from his pocket the paper in which the box containing the platinum sample had been wrapped, studied it thoughtfully for a few minutes, took a magnifying glass, laid it on the paper and went to work. | After working a while, he put on his hat and coat, left word he would be back within an hour and left the laboratory. When he returned he busied himself with microscope, chemicals and deli- cate instruments until long after the place was deserted. At last with a sigh he, too, prepared to go. Half an hour later he was in Barry’s private office. The government man was plainly out of humor and his greeting was curt. “Missed «him, of course,” he said in answer to a question. “When my men got to the Somerville Hotel, two men were using the private telephone booths. They nailed both of them. One was a traveling salesman trying to buy a bottle of boot- leg, the other a small-town banker talking to a chorus girl. Bah!” His digust was so patent Goodwin roared with laughter. “Go ahead and laugh,” snapped Barry. “Without any sort of a description how could they be ex- pected to find either hide or hair of him?” “His hide will have to wait,” retorted Goodwin, “but if his hair is of any use to you—here you are.” He extracted an envelope from his pocket and, while Barry watched curiously, took out several blonde hairs, between three and four inches long, and held them out. “What’s the idea?” demanded the government man, making no effort to take them. “Is this a joke of some kind?” “Joke!” echoed Goodwin, replacing the hairs in the envelope. “Hardly a joke, Barry. These are from the head of the man you want. To those who ean see the story they tell, there is quite a lot to be learned from them.” “I’m blind,” injected Barry. ‘“At least, those hairs tell me nothing except that, if they came from his head, he has blonde hair like several million other men in this world. Have they whispered any- thing .else to you?” A Sherlock Holmes ‘Characterization of the Criminal OODWIN smiled. “Plenty,” he replied. “That the pirate is a man in his thirties, fair skinned, wears his hair brushed back from the forehead and rather long. Also he is tall, a neat dresser and left- handed.” Barry threw up his hands in mock surrender. “Don’t shoot,” he begged. “I'll come down. I have no way of disputing you, as you very well know, but how and where did you find out these things?” “Principally at the Somerville Hotel, where for two days our man has occupied Room 205 under the name of I. L. Porter,” was the reply. “No,” as — Barry shot to his feet, “It won’t do any good to look © for him there now. He had checked out before he called me the last time. By now he’s far away. I could hazard a very good guess where he is ‘house * > a ? tL - " , 4 ae ’ ee aG <7 ¢ ; ee + E = co 2. \ bie . : 2 ~~~ “s f * 4O-* 7 * « e é 4 iT rir ae ’ + fi F - * ‘ - a LY) Site 4 . 4 1 Fa 4