Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 7, 1922 — page 165: what you’re looking at

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

COMMON KID GLOVES. while making his escape, and that would spell disaster. The business of the gloves was only a minor detail, but the way he had gone about it showed how thorough Oakes Radell was in this affair. For a time he thought of Harrison Hadler. He had hated him for years! Between the two men there had existed a peculiar enmity that had started from no man knew what. Even Hadler and Radell did not know. And now that Hadler had the chance to crush Radell, the latter was ready to re- move Hadler. The killing of Hadler was no more to him than ‘the robbing of some minor financier through an unscrupulous deal. He would emerge from the affair victorious, he would be saved financially and his fortune augmented—and Harrison Hadler would be out of his way forever! It was a little past five o’clock in the evening. Oakes Radell left his easy chair and retired to the bathroom. He bathed as usual, lighted another cigar, and dressed carefully. At precisely six by the clock he descended in the elevator as he had done almost every evening for years. He spoke to the elevator boy, to the clerk at the desk, stopped at the door to draw on his gloves, and then went off down the street, walking briskly and swinging his stick. He walked six blocks to his favorite club, entered, surrendered hat and coat and stick, and went into the lounging room. Half a score of men were there, and Oakes Radell greeted them distantly, like a man who has big business on his mind. He read the evening papers for about an hour, then went into the dining room. At his usual table, Oakes Radell ordered his dinner from the usual waiter. Another member sat down opposite, and Radell beld some slight conversation with him. ‘“‘ Busy days on the market,” Radell con- fided. ‘I’ve been planning all day, and I’m mighty tired. Meant to go to the opera, but instead I’m going home and to bed.”’ “TI can always sleep well at the opera,” the other said, chuckling. Oakes Radell lingered in the lounging- 311 room a short time after he had finished his dinner. He engaged in a minor political argument, discussed golf, and made a sub- scription for some benefit or other. He was trying to appear natural, calm, ordinary— and he succeeded. About nine o’clock he got hat and coat and stick and went out upon the street. An acquaintance walked three blocks with him and turned off. Oakes Radell went directly to the apartment-house and stopped at the desk to ask whether there were any telegrams. He knew there was none, but he wanted to register on the clerk’s mind the hour at which he had returned. “* Half past nine,” Radell said. “ A litthe early, but I think I'll retire. Got a big day ahead of me to-morrow, I’m afraid. Do not let me be disturbed.” ““ Very well, sir,” said the clerk. “Of course if my secretary, Mr. James, calls, I am to see him immediately,” Radell said, as an afterthought. “Yes, sir,” said the clerk. Oakes Radell thought that was very good. If anything happened in the questioning line, the clerk would repeat that conversa- tion. It would serve to show that Oakes Radell was in his suite, that he had been ready to talk with his secretary if the man wanted to see him. Oakes Radell happened to know that the secretary would not call —he was out-of the city for the night. In his suite, Radell undressed and donned dressing gown and slippers. Then he snapped out the lights, threw up the shade at one of the windows, and sat there look- ing down at the glistening lights of the avenue. Once more he contemplated the plans he had made, went over what he had done al- readyeto be sure he had neglected nothing, and considered what he had yet to ac- ‘complish. He could find no error, not the least flaw. He felt a glow of triumph. Then he thought of Harrison Hadler again. How he hated the man! His years of hatred had culminated in an intense will to destroy his enemy. And he would ac- complish it within a few hours. Harrison Hadler, a childless widower, lived in a suite in a building two blocks away. He had a Japanese servant who comicboooks 1e@