The Argosy, Vol. 84 No. 2 — page 150: what you’re looking at

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

332 THE pounced upon the envelope which Finch had sent to Swandorf the preceding after- noon. Running over the various docu- ments he found the package to be intact —except that the letter for the recovery of which the two young men had left their office was missing. Finch’s mind was upon other thoughts, and he took the packet from the other mechanically. Perston shook him by the shoulder. “Do you understand, Hal,” he cried impatiently, “that letter you wanted is missing?” “The letter we wanted, you mean,” re- plied Finch composedly. “ Yes, I see that it is. And yet, that means little or nothing. Mr. Swandorf may have placed it in his pocket. Or he may have mailed it to his lawyers.” “Yes, of course.” Preston ruefully stooped to pick up 4 litter of papers, then his eye caught a phonograph, with the receiving funnel lying upon the floor. - He glanced at the disk which was still in its place and found it to be but half covered with the delicate tracings of the needle. “ That,” said Cecil Hamilton, following his gaze, “‘is the dictaphone which Mr. Swandorf used for his correspondence. It is a very delicate instrument, and was made in Germany, I think.” Preston glanced at the disk, took it from the holder, and then changing his mind, set the machine for action and started it. Swandorf’s voice sounded ciearly: “Re report of Stanley J. Perkins in the matter of the proposed sale of the Aluminum Products Company I wish to say that—”’ It was Cecil who moved to the instru- ment and shut it off. “Forgive me, Mr. Preston, but the sound of that voice is so natural that I almost want to shriek. Can’t we do with- out the melodramatics?”’ Preston flushed and stepped away. ’ “Qh, of course,” he said, “ I was just ARGOSY. wondering whether he had been dictating. But let’s go on with this thing. What’s that, Sammis— What’s the matter with your” All eyes turned toward the butler who had been leaning out of the window and was now in the middle of the floor, his face contorted, his eyes staring. ‘Out there!” he muttered, pointing to- ward the window. ‘“ Look down there.” Preston stepped to the window and there, lying in about a foot of water, lay the body of Benjamin Swandorf. The coat had caught upon a hook projecting from the sea wall and this alone had pre- vented the remains from being washed away on the night’s high tide. Sammis was ordered to watch it, and while Preston led Miss Hamilton to a lounge, Finch hurried to a telephone. ‘We must have the police here,” he said. In response to his summons the chief answered. Harold informed him that a case requiring his immediate presence awaited him at the Swandorf bungalow and then hung up. ‘‘T have summoned the police,” he an- nounced on his return, “and I think, Jack, you had better take Miss Hamilton over to the house. She can do nothing here.” He fastened her with his eloquent eyes, smiling in gentle sympathy. “ Cecil, I want you to know that I shall stay and attend to everything,’ he told her. “Don’t worry at all. Preston will sit around with you.” Preston, who was inclined to choke Finch for his impudent assumption of au- thority and his suggestion that he, Pres- ton, would be more at home in the rdéle of an inactive comforter, was forced to nod acquiescence because Cecil was cling- ing to his arm. And her manner left no. doubt in his mind that she-needed atten- tion. ‘““T shall not go to the house,” she told him. “If you'll take me to the front veranda where I can get the air, Mr. Preston, I shall be all right.”” Gomichbook (©