9

After she had probably consulted at the Parkside-Regent to find out what went whatever it is that operators in big hotels use with that voice.

to keep track of the guests, she said, “A Mr.

It was easy to see what went with the Samuel Wickert Wales is registered in six-Parkside-Regent Hotel. Probably a minimum teen-forty.”

bill of fifteen bucks a day.

“Will you ring him?”

“Yes, Mr. Wales. I’ll ring the other Mr.

Wales.”

SHE invited me into her sitting-room.

He didn’t answer.

She said: “Come in, Mr. Wales. I’m awfully So that was that. There had been an glad you’re here.”

error. The expert on moonlight wasn’t the So was I glad. This might be a very Sammy Wales who had a headache from temporary visit, but already it was definitely a hunger. I would have called lovely-voice and pay-off. I had known there were people like told her about it, but that would have cost a her, because I go to the movies. I had sup-nickel. A dime, probably.

posed there might be hotel suites as fancy as I should have let it go at that. I thought this one was, for the same reason.

I had.

“You don’t need a moon,” I said.

Putting on two suits of clothes, I went She didn’t warm up very well to that. I out to look for a cheap breakfast. Wearing was sorry about this, because I was doing the two suits was a precaution, because it my awed best to pay tribute to a master-looked as if I was going to have to beat that piece. It wasn’t just that she was tall, blonde, hotel bill.

peach-colored, although even that was a little In Grand Central Station, in the men’s like describing a mansion by saying it was a room, I took off both suits, put the one that house. It was the plus details that were im-was not wrinkled back on, and made a bun-portant; an air of quietly drawn reserve, for dle of the other one and gave it to one of example, that probably indicated no great those locker contraptions that keep your stuff emotional need of being surrounded by oth-twenty-four hours for a dime. I had an old ers, which might mean a little inhibition. But slot-machine slug that would exactly fit.

who wanted to be psychological about Miss A cheap breakfast in New York wasn’t Fenisong. With that figure!

easy to find. I didn’t know the town, and must A trim, dark-haired man sat in a chair have walked the wrong directions, because I holding a cigarette in a holder that was long did not come upon any part of the town that and as white as a tooth. He looked a little too looked cheap. I finally compromised on an wide for his suit.

Automat. There at least you get a preview of “Mr. Albert Gross,” she said.

the size of the portions your money is going We didn’t shake hands. I wondered if to buy. The girl who skillfully slung out nickels we took such a sudden dislike to each other and dimes for one of my dollars said, “Thank for the same reason.

you,” in a voice that reminded me of Miss “So you’re Samuel Wales, the moon Fenisong, who wanted a man who knew expert,” he said.

about moonlight.

“My name is Wales,” I said. “But it so I sat there at the little marble-topped happens—”

table with its puddle of coffee that another “Make it snappy, will you,” he said diner’s cup had left and its bread-crust sharply. “We haven’t got much time.”

crumbs and ate my thirty cents worth with Miss Fenisong said, “Mr. Wales, would great care. Then I sat there some more. I twenty dollars be a satisfactory fee?”

hadn’t had spaghetti, but there was a spa-

“Twenty dollars would satisfy me ghetti worm about an inch long lying on the plenty,” I said. “But I’m afraid—”

table. I didn’t know why I was sitting there “Give him fifty bucks, baby,” Albert until it dawned on me that I was listening to Gross said. “We haven’t got time to fool the voices from the other tables, just to see around.”

whether there was another voice that “Look,” I said. “It so happens that—”

sounded as nice as lovely-voice.

“What the hell’s the matter with you?”

Three employment agencies took my he complained. “Do you want fifty bucks or name, two employers expressed no interest don’t you?”

in hiring me, and at three o’clock I turned up 10

DOC SAVAGE

“Albert!” the girl said. She seemed to lunar theory she was interested in. Lunar think he was making an ape of himself, which theory probably had to do with the moon.

he was.

More than that about lunar theory, I didn’t I didn’t like him well enough to let him know.

keep his money.

“I’m sorry I haven’t met this Eber,” I “Sure I want fifty bucks,” I said, and said. “I’m sorry about that, indeed I am.”

went over and shoved my hand out to him, The pencil stood up straight and aston-and added, “As long as it comes from you, ished in her fingers. “What do you mean?”

and not her.”

“I’m afraid I’m just plain Sammy Wales.

“What’s the damned difference—”

Lunar theories are out of my line.”

“From you and not her,” I said.

“You’re not Samuel Wickert Wales, as-He counted out five tens and I took it. I trophysicist at the Compton Observatory?”

might give it back to him after letting him “I came here to tell you I’m not.”

know he had paid out to the wrong Samuel Trim-and-dark-haired put down his Wales. But again, if I got to disliking him cigarette holder that was the color of a hound much worse, I might not.

tooth. He came over and hit me on the head.

That seemed to settle things down temporarily.

HE used an ashtray. It was a sort of surprise; he did not look like that kind of a FOR about forty-five seconds, that is.

fellow, although in looking back I can see that Long enough for Miss Fenisong to take my he had talked like that kind of a fellow. He hat and place it on a table, and seat me in an came at me silently; he was there before overstuffed chair and ask, “Shall we start at anything could be done about it.

once?”

The ashtray was a heavy thing of “Why not?”

crockery, about a foot across, an inch thick, She seated herself on a straighter glazed and almost like glass. It broke. He chair, and she became a fairy princess on a picked up one of the larger broken pieces, fairy throne. She had a notebook and pencil and prepared to cut my throat with it. Possi-in her hands. She was going to take notes on bly he was not in earnest about the throat-my words.

cutting, and only wanted to distract my atten-She said, “I have backgrounded myself tion enough that he could kick me in the fairly completely.”

stomach, which was what happened.

That was good to know. Such a lovely The carpet nap against my face was one should have a nice background. I said it thick and soft and did not smell of dust. It was good.

was the first carpet my face had been on that “Good,” I said.

did not smell of dust. I lay still, but watched She said, “What I want to ask you him with my one eye that had him in range.

about is the Eber idea of starting with a pre-He was as disgusted as a dowager who had liminary lunar theory solution in which the cracked her lorgnette.

orbit is supposed to lie in the ecliptic and to He told Miss Fenisong: “You’ve made have no eccentricity, then finding the addi-some kind of a stupid mistake.”

tional terms which depend on the first power She didn’t say anything. She looked of the eccentricities and of the inclination.”

scared.

“What?” I said.

He added: “This bum isn’t your moon “Do you agree with Eber?” she asked.

man. I wonder what happened?” He scowled, “Who is he?” I asked.

didn’t wait for her to answer, and continued, Her smile was strictly not from the “Well, there’s no time left to fix it up. The re-heart. “You have a sense of humor, Mr.

ception begins at five, so you’ll have to go on Wales,” she said. “But, really, we are pressed and do your best. Do you think you can get for time. So if you will kindly coach me on the by with what you already know?”

matters I wish to know, I’d appreciate it.”

Her voice was high and scared, like a Apparently it

was

coaching

she

cat on a tall pole.

wanted, but she was out of my pond. I would “Why did you hit him?” she asked.

have loved to explain to her about moonlight, as who wouldn’t, but it seemed that it was NO LIGHT TO DIE BY