Amazing Stories — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

“A master key for a bolt,” WAG! desk, from 9 “eood morning. He seemed in rare good humor, and I noted the quizzical uplifting of Fen- ner's eyebrows as he ad- vanced to the desk and leaned lazily against it. “We received your mes- sage, Chief,” drawled Fen- ner, “and we came right down. What have we now —murder, mayhem, lar- ceny or abduction ?” Davidson laughed out- right. Involuntarily I started. It was the first Fenner said quictly. 7 FOLLOWED Fenner through the door aq) Of Davidson's office. Se, worthy Chief of Police seated behind his which vantage point he ereeted us with an unusually cheerful “A nice little electro magnet and some lamp cord, the lamp socket and shoot the bolts about at will.” We found the thing is going nicely, hear his story!” "I. TIE cleverness of this story like the cleverness of a great many things lies largely in its simplicity, The shooting of bolts whether for opening or closing a door involves an impenetrable mystery until it is eluet- dated by so simple a solution that we must wonder it did not occur to everybody on the first reading of the story, Read the story and see what the Master Key was, and see how surprised you will be at the simplicity of it all, You will even find a Mr. Watson in this story—not the one of Sherlock Holmes fame however. ——$$—_— ————————— ——————— EE SS EEE “Sounds interesting,’ admitted Fenner. The MASTER KEY by Charles §. Wolfe Simple, wasn't it, Hook right into “None of the bunch you so glibly named, Joe,” chuckled Davidson, “in fact, we have nothing. Every- I don’t need you at all. I’ve got a bird in my private office there who needs you badly. Ill say he does. Oh, boy! Wait till you But “What is it? Usually obedient daughter eloped with the family | chauffeur—some- thing of that sort?” Davidson rose. ‘Come on into the office and let him tell you the story him- self,” he said over his shoulder, as he led the way; and with curiosity aroused we followed after, him into the next room. Seated at the table was time that I had heard a laugh out of the usually taci- turn chief. In fact, I firmly believed that the very farthest he would ever get in that direction would be a broad grin. And I realized that something un- usually humorous must have come up to betray the police head into open mirth. 67 a well dressed young man whose face bore no trace of the mirth that seemed to have gotten the best of Davidson. As we entered, he glanced up quickly, and I imagined I saw the shadow of disappoint- ment cross his features as Davidson introduced Fenner. , COMME OO KSA COIN