HANDS UNSEEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 876, 21 January 1930, Page 5

HANDS UNSEEN

A New Grey Phantom Detective Story

By

HERMAN LANDON

Copyright by street and Smith Corp. Serialized by Ledger Syndicate

CHAPTER VlV.—Continued.

till this thing came up. Then something had to be done in a hurry. He lay awake nights figuring how to do it and still keep his promise to you. He almost went woozy in the head. That’s why he flunked on one or two details of the job. He was up against a hard one. Tried to walk straight on a road that was laid crooked. It simply can’t be done. In the old days, when he wasn’t bound by any promises, he would have handled a job like that as easily as —as ” Wade's impassioned flow of words ended in a gasp. The lamp on the table blinked three times in rapid succession. A sharp mutter escaped Vanardy. “The signal!” exclaimed the fat man, scampering out of the chair. “The joint is pinched!” CHAPTER X. THE SEARCH Again, while no sound was heard in the room, the signal was repeated, in fascination Helen watched the three swift flashes, then turned to where Vanardy had stood only a moment ago. He was gone, and the chair in front of the desk was occupied by Wade. "Keep cool.” he said blandly. “A little thing like a raid doesn’t worry The Grey Phantom. This outfit is prepared for anything that may come along.” “But won’t they get him?” she questioned excitedly. “Get the Grey Phantom? Hardly! They tried it before, hut luck was against them. Don’t worry. Miss Hardwick. The Phantom has had his emergency exit picked out since the day we moved in.” “But what about you and the rest of them?” “Me and the rest? Why, the cops have nothing on me. I’m the executive director of Law and Order, Inc., and the others are members of my staff. The police could search this liang-out till their eyes got sore without finding any evidence. Just sit down and keep cool till the excitement blows over.” There was something infectious about the fat man’s serenity, and Helen sat down opposite him. watching him as he rummaged the desk drawers with a methodical air. Her forehead knitted perplexedly. “You have been here a month,’’-she pointed out. “and this is the first time you have been disturbed. Wonder what made the police come here this evening!” Wade chuckled amusedly. “That’s an easy one. Miss Hardwick. They know that you and The Phantom are something more than just good friends. You can bet that one of the first things they did after broadcasting a general alarm for The Phantom’s arrest was to put a detective on your trail. They expected that sooner or later you would hear from him and get in touch with him some way. When you came here tonight, the detective followed you. While the three of us were sitting here chatting, the police threw a cordon round the block. Simple, eh?” “Stupid of me!” fretted Helen. “I might have thought of that.” “You might have, if you hadn't been too excited. But don’t you worry. One of The Grey Phantom's favourite stunts is breaking through

A grumble rose from Wade’s expansive chest. “The boss has a lot of queer notions that I can't dope out,” he told the girl disgustedly. “He had a nice little job all framed up. It would have come off as smooth as greased lightning. Then he up and spoils it all. I guess he got a telepathic message from you, Miss Hardwick. What's a bank's money for except to help out a man when he’s in a pinch? Anyhow, it was to have been only a loan. As soon as your old dad was safe, he meant to stir heaven and earth to get the coin back from the kidnappers—and, believe me, he would have pretty near done it, too!” Wade hanged his first against the arm of his chair. “Then he got that telepathic message from you, or whatever it was, and ditched the whole works.” "1 am glad.” murmured the girl, sending Vanardy a warm glance. “I am sure we will find another way.” 'Huh!” The fat man grunted. “If >here had been another way, the boss would have found it already. Truth is. Miss Hardwick, that those vipers have got your father sewed up in a sack. They’ve got things arranged so that any move we make is queered 'h advance. Why, they’ve hidden him away in a place where ” "Never n ind that,” interrupted Vahardy, sharply. “I think Miss Hardwick understands enough.” "Oh. I do, and I’m glad you din’t Wade snickered derisively. “Just hke a woman! A man goes the limit for her, and she wishes he wouldn't he so rough about it. Holy bluefish! Let me tell you something. Miss Hardwick. The boss tried so hard to be r ough in a nice way that he made a 'ness of things. He was out of practice, . you gee. For three years he hadn't turned a single trick —not that kind of trick, anyhow. He had promised you to go straight, and he did

police cordons. He’s done it so many times that ” He paused, looked intently at the door, and struck a more dignified pose. “Now, Miss Hardwick,” he went on in more businesslike tones, “if you think you would like to try the position, 1 must ask you a few questions. Your age, please?” “Twenty-four,” said Helen, instantly talking her cue. Wade cocked an eye approvingly and made a note. “Your address?” Helen told him. “Have you had any previous secretarial experience, Miss Hardwick?” “I have assisted my father in his duties as curator of the anthropological section of the Cosmopolitan Museum.” With a grave air Wade jotted down what she had told him. “I’ll have to ask you for two or three references. Merely a formality, you understand. Please give me the name of ” He broke off and looked up just as the door opened noiselessly. A lean, weary-looking individual in civilian clothes entered the room followed by three uniformed officers. He cast a mildly amused glance at Helen, then advanced to where the fat man sat, his plump face converted into a vast scowl. “May I ask the reason for this intrusion?” he demanded pompously. “Sorry to interrupt,” drawled the newcomer, with another sly glance at Helen. “I am Lieutenant Culligore, of police headquarters. I have a warrant for the arrest of Cuthbert Vanardy, alias the Grey Phantom.” Wade gave him an icy, uncomprehending stare. “I fail to see,” he declared curtly, “how that justifies your amazing conduct, sir. You did not, by any chance, expect to find the Grey Phantom here?” “I expected just that,” said Culligore, glancing leisurely about the room. “How do you do, Miss Hardwick? Believe we have met before.” Helen gave a scarcely perceptible nod, her mind going back to certain memorable encounters with Lieutenant Culligore in the past. She had learned to understand him well enough not to be deceived by his drawling speech and his habitual lazy eye. “So you are looking for a job?” remarked the lieutenant, squinting at the notes the fat man had been taking.. “I heard this gentleman asking you for references as we walked in A secretaryship is a bit out of your usual line, eh. Miss Hardwick?” “One has to try something new occasionally,” remarked Helen blandly, looking steadily into his small muddy eyes. The lieutenant chuckl'd dryly. “I came here expecting to find the Grev Phantom, and instead I find you. Queer!” He turned away and passed into the little alcove in front of the dormer window. After contemplating it for a few moments, he summoned two of his uniformed companions, spoke to them in an undertone, and they eased their burly forms through the window frame, and started to ascend the fire escape to the roof. The third policeman remained standing at the door. “This is an outrage!” declared Wade indignantly. The lieutenant surveyed him with cool, impudent glance. “Careful,” he said softly; “men of your build sometimes die of apoplexy when they get excited.” Wade drew himself up and gave him a withering glance, as if meaning to imply that the slur was beneath contempt. “By the way, Miss Hardwick,” and the lieutenant turned to the girl, “have you had any news of your father? I seem to recall that you

reported him missing a, month or so ago.” “I did,” said Helen coldly, “hut there has been no news. The police seem to be too busy on wild-goose chases to have any time to search for my father.” “Ouch! That’s a cruel dig, Miss Hardwick. Lucky I’m not sensitive. The bureau of missing persons down at headquarters has your father’s case in charge. Hope he turns up. Fine old gentleman! I’ve got a different kind of job on my hands. Running down a murderer is no snap.’ “The Grey Phantom is no murdered!” declared Helen hotly, scarcely realising she was speaking until the words were out. Culligore gave her a long, amused glance. “You seem mighty sure of that. I suppose you will also tell me that he had nothing to do with the letters that were written to Craig?” “Your insinuations are insulting," said Wade with dignity. “This young lady came here to apply for a position. I cannot have her insulted while she is in my office. If you must inflict this visit upon us, the least I can ask is that you conduct yourself as a gentleman.” The lieutenant chuckled good-hum-ouredly. “I tvouldn’t have a grouch like yours for the world. Don’t fret; you won’t have to put up with my company a minute longer than necessary. As soon as I get my hooks into The Phantom, I’ll be on my way.”

“I fear you are exerting yourself in vain,” said Wade stiffly. ‘The man you are looking for is not likely to seek refuge in a place of this kind. Our organisation has nothing in common with lawbreakers.” “Just the same, I’ll bet a pair of pink socks that The Phantom isn’t far away across the roof, or if he tries to slide down the wall, he’ll have the surprise of his life. We’ve thrown a net around this block that will prove too tight even for The Phantom. BAFFLED Helen glanced anxiously at Wade and caught a reassuring wink out of his eyes.' The signal passed unnoticed by the lieutenant, who just then was casting exploring glances into the shadowy corners of the room. He looked up as footsteps sounded on the fire-escape outside the window. The two policemen dropped down over the sill. “Not a sign of him, sir,” reported one of them. The lieutenant’s forehead furrowed. “You looked carefully, Carson?” "Me and Clancy made a thorough job of it, sir. We climbed up on the next roof, and the one after that, and went all the way to the end of the block. He was nowhere in sight, sir.’’ Culligore looked puzzled and then he glanced at a door in the back. “What’s in there?” he demanded. “My private.office,” said Wade frigidly. “It is fitted up so I can lie down there occasionally when I feel tired. You are at liberty to search it.” The lieutenant motioned to the two officers, and they entered the room ill the rear, but returned shortly with the report that they had discovered nothing. “Looks as though we'd made a mistake,” admitted Culligore glumly. “I’m sorry “Save your apologies,” interrupted Wade curtly. “Conduct such as yours is inexcusable. Good-night, sir.” Preceded by the uniformed men. Lieutenant Culligore walked to the door. There he turned and looked back at the girl. Spray fragrant Flytox to rid your home of flies and mosquitoes. Quickacting—clean—better than old-fash-ioned flypapers.— i.

“Hope you get the job, Miss Hardwick,” was his parting shot. The moment they were alone Wade heaved a sigh of profound relief. “Fooled ’em!” he ejaculated. “They’ll keep watch for a day or two, and then they’ll give it up as a bad job. They might have known the Phantom would prove too slippery for ’em.” “Hut where did he go?” Wade doffing his dignity, chuckled. “Down a trap door on the third roof to the north. There’s a Chinese restaurant on the second floor of that building, and the boss and the proprietor are thick. The old heathen has hiding places where the cops will never think to look, and all the boss has to do is lie low for a while.” “And then? What will he do when the danger is over?” “Oh, there’ll, be other dangers after that. The Phantom will be kept fairly busy.” Helen regarded him soberly. Her face looked tense and white under the shaded lamp. "What guarantee has he that the kidnappers will release my father even if he complies with their terms?” “Guarantee? The boss is hardly in a position to demand guarantees. It's the understanding, though; that your father will be set free when the Phantom delivers the last instalment of the money. He has to be satisfied with that.” Helen frowned. Her gloved fingers beat a nervous tattoo on the table. “I must stop him!” she declared. “I can’t permit him to do such dreadful things for my sake.” Wade leaned over the table and blinked his putty-hued eyes bewilderedly. “Well, I’m jiggered! The boss is risking his neck to get your dad out of the worst pinch a man was ever in, and you tell me you're going to stop him. I never could dope out a woman, and you’re the hardest one of ’em all. Look here, Miss Hardwick. One of two things is going to happen. Either the Phantom pays the kidnappers their price, or your father will be a dead man. Which do you want?” Helen winced as the choice was set before her with brutal emphasis. Her eyes gazed unseeingly across the table, with a look of infinite dread in their depths. "That’s putting the proposition in

plain words,” said the fat man, “and you seem to need plain words. Which is worse—for the Phantom to pick up a stray million here and there, or letting those slimy reptiles kill your father? Stumped you, didn’t I?” Helen sat as if turned to stone. “There must be another way,” she murmured in a thin, anguished tone. “There must!” “There isn’t,” said Wade firmly. “But the Phantom is clever. He has marvellous resources. Surely he can find a way to circumvent the plot.” Wade grunted impatiently. “He could if anybody could. I never yet saw the man who could beat the boss in a fair fight. But these hell-hounds don’t fight fair. A rattlesnake is a gentleman compared to them. Believe me, if there was a way to beat their game, the boss would have found it.” The intent look in the girl’s eyes showed that she was racking her brain. “You mentioned a man named Whipple, who acts as the representative of the kidnapping gang. What does he look like?” “Thin and brittle, about five feet seven, with a fishy eye, brick-red hair, no jaw, snappy dresser and talks as if his vocal chords needed oiling.” “Does he come here often?” “Several times a week. He’s been trying to hurry the boss up on payments. Why do you ask?” “For no particular reason. I was just wondering ” She paused and looked pensively into one of the shadowy corners. (To be Continued Tomorrow.)